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last night we came back from a three day trip to Berlin to go see Infinite on their 2nd world tour, Infinite Effect.
it was a..strange trip, filled with so many mixed emotions.. but fitting cos the entire process have been odd this time, and before we left I had only told two people about it.
ticketing was hell, as usual, but oddly enough not for the usual reasons.
this time MyMusicTaste stalled on ticket info for like, five days and made everyone pissed, to be honest, and I had to go out of town (and out of wifi range) and thought I was gonna miss it.
I didn't, but then came the prices. 180€ ($205) for Category 1, and that included nothing except front pit, so basically just Early Entry.
now, I know Infinite are not cheap, I've been to OGS twice, but this was seriously ridiculous to me. no hitouch, no special merch (we at least got that for OGS), nada.
for the few days between the info release and the ticket release I was seriously wrestling with whether or not we should go at all at that price. Bangtan is coming back any minute, but more importantly, our savings for Korea next summer is not yet big enough that the trip is guaranteed, and at the end of the day, Korea > Infinite.
what settled it in the end was the pit sections.
if you know me, or have read my other fanaccounts, you'll know that I hate pits. I always get pit tickets, but I also always hang back so I don't have to spend my time getting pushed and shoved and fighting with people. I like to be able to enjoy the few precious moments with biases uninterrupted, and I can just concentrate on what goes on onstage, and getting my pictures and videos.
however, due to my horrible eye sight, this also means that I am never (except for Bangtan in Berlin, and the Infinite in Paris goodbye moment) close enough to actually see people with my own eyes. I mean, I can see them, their persons, and like, big expressions, but I need to be within 10 meters or so to be able to see faces clearly.
for Bangtan's RWeL8? security had been super strict and had me delete everything on my SD card and warned me to about getting kicked out, and that had definitely scared me, and I was worried about not being able to use my camera and also being far back.
so in the end, the thought of being able to buy my way into a front pit where I wouldn't get pushed by the rest of the crowd, and where I could hang back and STILL be so much closer than I would ever otherwise be, made me just throw whatever amount at MMT that they wanted.
the ticketing itself went surprisingly smooth in comparison to previous experiences.
it was through this weird site, and you could only pay via bank transfer. cue stress, cos you didn't get like a confirmation email or anything, and after having emailed back and forth with the sales places, they said that tickets would be distributed in the order that bank transfers cleared.
since we were obviously an international transfer it wasn't hard to figure that we would be at the back of the cat. 1 line, and I couldn't figure out if we were even guaranteed a cat. 1 ticket cos there was only supposed to be around 200, and what if there was 200+ domestic transfers? would we be pushed to cat. 2?
in the end I found peace in the fact that if we were lucky, we would get the cat. 1 tickets, but overall we were definitely in.
tickets arrived like 5 days before we were leaving, but, as the sales places had announced, they're these really cool picture tickets, and a nice memory to have instead of just a printed pieces of paper.
as soon as the tickets arrived we could confirm that, yay!! we had actually gotten cat. 1 #163 and #164! HUGE relief ㅠㅠ
I am not some huge snob who's too good to rough it in the pit with the rest of the crowd, I'm somewhat claustrophobic, and the thought of going into the front of a huge crowd of fangirls made me wanna puke.
I knew it said the pits would be divided, but how well? would people stay in their cat. pits? would security be able to handle the crowd?
cos the thing about pits is, you never know. I've been in some really nice crowds, but I've also seen disgusting crowds /coughOGSLondoncough and there is just no way of telling beforehand which means there is also no way of calming my nerves beforehand.
so even though I did count myself lucky to have my cat. 1 tickets (I saw people on twitter looking for cat. 1 daily) the stress was eating me up, and in the end I don't think I ever really looked forward to the concert? cos thinking about it just overwhelmed me with feels about the pit and people and ugh, so in the end I just blocked it out as much as possible in my head (which wasn't much), and I didn't talk about it at all which is how I ended up going to see a bias group's solo concert without anyone knowing until the night before.
fortunately, one thing that gave me a little peace was the weather report cos even though the temperature suddenly dropped almost 8 degrees that weekend to only 5 degrees, it was guaranteed to stay dry when I checked one last time the day before we left for Berlin.
we got up at 4am on Saturday, left at 6am, and after long but nice drive, we easily found our hotel and checked in at 2:30pm.
the hotel was only a few minutes walk from the venue which was the reason we picked it, and..let's just say that was the best thing about it....
don't get me wrong, everything was clean enough, and the mattresses were actually really nice and firm, but the whole place was just so ugly? like, nothing matched, not colour or decor. it was one of those places, you know, where no one had bothered with hanging stuff level or use a single strip of tape when painting the 8 different colours of everything.
we're used to picking hotels based on price, and sometimes location, so it's not like we're used to or expect much, this was just bad.
and the whole places smelled like old smoke even though it was (now?) a non-smoking hotel.
|we were on the 4th floor (2nd from the top) on the left. the balconies right, above the hotel are apartments.
|. . . . . .
|but at least it was clean, and the shower had good water pressure.
|lots of people don't like it because of the noise, but I love street view.
but it was close, and cheap, and even the people who checked in before us were Inspirits. don't ask me how I know, but fangirls, even when they're not fangirling, are just easy to spot? the whole hotel were full of Inspirits which was confirmed after the concert when we were all drifting back, but I could already point out several when we were down for breakfast on Saturday lol
it was windy and not exactly warm, but we spent the rest of the day sightseeing a bit. it was supposed to have been a lot, but I was stressing out even more now that we were so close, and I didn't even have an appetite D:
we started by going to the venue to check it out.
at first we thought it was Columbia Theater cos its sign just said Columbia, and we were a little shocked cos it looked about as big as house. I knew they had down-graded capacity since OGS, but still, this looked crazy.
hubs wanted to go explore the old Templehof airport that's been closed and are now used as recreational area. it's located right across from the venue so we walked on and just happened to pass by the actual venue. it was slightly bigger, but it still looked intimate.
no one was there, only an info page was glued to the door.
we walked around the huge fields of Tempelhof for a while. despite the temperature, there were loads of people here, and thanks to the fresh winds and long flat runways, people were kite-skating and board-windsurfing, and the air was filled with kites.
the area with the old buildings were fenced off, and for a moment we thought they were having driving school in there cos the area was littered with these little cones and there were water sprays in some places and there were like 20 cars, all the same, driving around one after the other.
turns out it was some Mercedes driving event company. if I had attended I would have been seriously disappointed, though. sure, you get to drive a huge Mercedes, but the speed was like 35km/h..
it had been our original idea to go back to the Korean restaurant where we ate last time when we went to what we now call Bangtan's bridge. it's real name is Oberbaumbrücke, but it's where Bangtan had their photo shoot for Now 2 so.
but I was still felt like puking at the thought of almost everything, so in the end we scrapped that idea and instead took the U-bahn to the new (at least to us) Mall of Berlin, a huge new shopping center by Postdamer Platz.
according to a brochure at the hotel, they had a big food court and we love those cos different selection, low prices, and food court food in Germany is generally really nice quality.
on the way there we doubled back past Columbia Halle, and now there were about 10 people or so hanging out. none looked like they were gonna stay overnight, though. of course I don't know if they did, but none had any kind of sleeping-outside-in-zero-degrees stuff with them, so I hope not.
anyway, on to Mall of Berlin.
after having circled the food court three times (we're those kinds of people who can never make up their minds if there are more than one thing to choose) we finally settled on Thai food. there was a place with almost the same menu as our fave place by Alexander Platz, though no japchae, so I got bun cha and hubs something similar.
the lady promised me no fresh coriander and, as usual, there were still bits of it on top along with the Thai basil -.-
I had a bit of the meat and noodles, but after about a third I was done.
|bun cha on the left
by now it was around 9pm and the whole getting up at 4am and driving for 6 hours (I drove most of the way) thing was starting to take its toll on me, so we just went back to the hotel and I watched Bangtan V app videos for the rest of the night.
we went down for breakfast around 9am, and this tiny Korean or Japanese guy shuffled around making coffee and clearing tables. I don't know if they were family, but all the staff we saw at the hotel were Kor/Jap which seemed like an amusing thing for some reason cos the area was not like, the Asian area or anything but we just happened on a hotel full of them on a trip to the city for kpop.
I was even more high strung than yesterday with this being The Day, but managed to force down a mouthful of scrambled eggs and half a roll before I was done.
after breakfast we went over to the venue to see if anyone could give us a clue as to when we would need to line up.
around 25 people or so were already hanging out, but none in any organized queues yet.
two girls with clipboards were bundled up in blankets under the info poster on the door so we went to talk to them.
turns out one of them was the same nice fanstaff that also ran the Bangtan showcase queuing ^^
we thought we had to get signed up to avoid waiting in line, but she told us cat. 1 was just going by the ticket numbers so sign up was only for cat. 3. we were scheduled to be let in at 17:30 so we could just come back whenever we felt like before that since our spot in line was already determined.
hubs asked her about cameras and she she said that officially cameras were not allowed. .../shrugs and smiles excessively wide. gotcha.
we didn't have any plans for the daytime hours, and in the end we just ended up staying in our room, napping and watching Bangtan's Dinner Show on V app.
hubs didn't mind or complain. decades have taught him that if things are bad enough for me not to have any appetite, it's best to be lenient cos then I must really be suffering.
and then it was time to go.
in the end I decided to bring one of the cameras. I had this little flat pouch purse thing, and we took the camera out of its cover and put it at the bottom and then stuffed our passports and phones on top. I could barely zip it up, but when you opened it and looked, my huge ipod cover completely filled out the purse as if it was all there was. I put the extra battery in my bra, as usual.
I had put on my concert sandals, and of course I almost took a tumble as soon as we had crossed the street outside the hotel.
I managed to grab on to hubs so in the end it just looked like a very ungraceful stumble and only my pinky toe suffered.
we arrived a little to 5, and by now there were lots of people, and it looked really confusing with no clear signs as to what queues were where so we shuffled around for a bit.
we finally found cat. 1 and with our numbers we were almost at the end. turns out there were around 220 cat. 1 tickets judging by the number of people behind us.
we had about ten noonas behind us, and oddly, the two girls directly behind us turned out to be Danish, too. odd cos ticket numbers had been issued according to bank transfer clearance so what were the odds of 2 Danish transactions coming through right after each other with all the foreign buyers?! ..okay nevermind, I thought it was odd /coughs awkwardly.
for some reason waiting was less boring than usual? I had been dreading it cos of the cold and for Big Bang I wanted to stab myself five minutes after we arrived, but time seemed to go by really fast?
we got free lightsticks, and a couple of girls came down the line with a huge German flag that people could sign. I assume it was somehow being delivered to the boys? I didn't sign it cos meh, and besides I'm not German so that part also felt irrelevant.
I was looking at noonas, and for some reason, just like it's easy to spot fangirls, it's also really easy to tell Korean Koreans and foreign Koreans apart. I was a little surprised at how many of them were clearly actual noonas cos Infinite are no spring chickens anymore. I mean, we're talking my age or close. for the noonas, not Inpi.
several of them were selling goods and/or handing out packs or fans for free. so much Seongyeol and Myungsoo everywhere while I saw no Gyu :(
in fact I hardly saw any people with Gyu merch or sign boards so I was really happy that both the cheers for him and the chant for his solo were so loud ㅠㅠ
I think we were about 30 mins late getting let in?
we got our black wristbands (cat. 2 got gold, and I assume cat. 3 got none?) and on to bag check. it went as expected. she squeezed the purse, asked me to open it, looked at the top of the Hello Kitty cover and waved me through.
we checked our coats and then went into tHE SUPER CLOSE TO THE STAGE CAT. 1 PIT!!!!!
of course, since we had high ticket numbers, our pit seemed pretty full. we went as far in as we could at the back, and I think we landed at about the middle of the right side? so about 25% off center stage, but it was still only 7th or 8th row so really close to the stage for me ㅠㅠ
and we could see that people were standing relatively far apart for pit, and some were even sitting down, so we figured that once the show started, we would be able to get even closer.
we still had a lot of waiting to do, but just like for OGS Woollim knows how to do waiting. they were playing MVs on the big stage curtain and it made time go so much faster and got people excited and chanting.
as usual, this will not be a super accurate play by play of the concert cos my memory is hahAhaHAHAaha, and not necessarily The Truth, but just bits and pieces of what and how I experienced everything.
actually, the first thing I wanna mention is about the noonas. I've seen several negative accounts from London, and while I didn't experience anything close to that in Berlin (and I was right in the middle of a lot of them) I can see why they can come off as somewhat inconsiderate. rudely generalizing here, I am aware.
lots will push and shove and not really care who they block as long as the can get their shots, and I was plenty pissed at OGS in Paris.
for Berlin there was loudness and a bit of shuffling to get as center stage as possible, but other than that everyone I saw behaved just like everyone else overall, and the Yeol noona right next to me was really careful with her lens.
so, as far as I'm concerned, there were no noona problems, or, actually, crowd problems in general.
when the show started people gathered closer to the stage and we were able to move further ahead, but it was not more than a step or so. people stood close, but throughout the night I saw no excessive pushing or anyone from both pit 1 and 2 getting pulled out.
as the show moved on we were slowly able to get closer and closer and ended up in 5th row for about the last half or so, but we had no one behind us, and the two Danish girls on our right had the entire end of our pit to themselves and danced around.
my concert sandals once again came in handy and I could easily see above everyone's heads.
before the concert started I was a little worried the girl with the balloon would be a problem, but she must have drifted left or just gotten tired of holding it up.
but obviously, another upside to being this close is that there are a lot fewer people in front of you to block your view with hands and fans and banners. the people in front of me for this were extra nice, though, cos fans and banners were only held up in short intervals, and most waved their lightsticks towards the stage and not from side to side.
but holy shit, this whole closed off pit thing was so worth every penny and every moment agonizing before the concert. if you ever get the chance I highly recommend! I COULD ACTUALLY SEE THEM. SEE GYU. AND HE COULD SEE ME ㅠㅠ
from the second the curtain dropped, so did my jaw like, these are legit me throughout the night, okay.
|obviously from after the concert, but that was like my actual spot! maybe I was even a bit further towards the middle?
I don't know if I'll ever get a chance like this again, but if not, I'm so happy I got to experience it with Gyu and Inpi ♥
as happy as I was, I could clearly feel that I was a lot more calm than for OGS. it turned out to be a big help cos I was able to focus more on taking it all in, take Gyu more in, instead of just being all akjdhkshf and then coming out afterwards and not being able to remember a single thing. so for a concert where there was no cameras allowed it was nice.
and it was nice to feel that despite Bangtan ruining me, Infinite and Gyu definitely still have a big piece of my heart.
the actual concert was perfect with the exception of the no camera policy. I know there are so many noona pictures, but those women are crazy pros cos security was super strict about enforcing the ban!
that doesn't mean I didn't see at least 3 noonas get dragged out, and even people using phones got warnings.
I only managed to get one picture before I was warned, and since it just happened to be of Gyu and looked like it came out decent, I decided not to push my luck and keep taking pictures and have it end like it did for Bangtan's showcase.
instead I just settled for making audio recordings.
after, I did wonder if the promoters in Berlin (/Germany? I don't know) are a lot stricter than UK/French promoters cos I have personally never had problems in those places, and my friend told me that a girl in front of her in pit 1 in Paris had practically filmed the entire concert.
so even if Berlin is closer, maybe it'll be worth it to go to London or Paris or just somewhere else for TRB after all if possible....
the show lasted about 2 hours and 15 minutes or so? hubs thought it felt long, but I thought it felt fast. and not the I'm-so-high-asjhdjsf kinda fast, but a little rushed almost..?
there were weird sound issues, or like, weird stuff with their mics? sometimes they were so low that I had to see who had the mics up to their mouths to know who was singing. but it wasn't consistant, and..I dunno it was just weird even though I'm clearly not explaining it well right now.
speaking of the sound, I had that experience again of being close to passing out several times.
we were almost right in front of the speakers on the right side, so obviously the noise level is gonna be louder than what we're used to from in the back.
it's when sounds were extra loud, but it's not in that fuck-this-is-loud-my-ears-and-head-hurts kinda way. it's like the sound hits a certain wave-length that just strikes something in my head and suddenly I feel light-headed, and unless I shift focus and concentrate on staying awake I will just topple over. it's really weird. or is it? I don't know, I've never heard of anyone else having the same experience, so a little weird?
fortunately it didn't happen, but I did come away with what I now fear could be a permanent hearing damage cos it's been 5 days and my ears are still not back to normal..
they changed/almost reversed the standing order so for all ments Gyu was on the far left instead of right ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
when will they stop with the whole smoke on stage thing. they kept pumping smoke, but it was so stupid. it didn't add anything dramatic or whatever they were trying to pull, it just came off as annoying fog.
I liked their outfits tonight. it wasn't casual look, but it still seemed a lot more casual and not as costume-y as usual for concerts?
the amount of songs I didn't know was embarrassing...
they performed a new song which I've seen people call For You, but in my head they just introduced it as "here's a new song for you"? I guess we'll see when they come back.
it was okay. I wasn't disappointed, but it also didn't rock my world.
they had all new solos!
Namu was first with a song he wrote himself called..Everyone? Every Day? no..? I clearly can't remember, and if it's not a new song but just me being behind, I apologize. I liked it, though! it was slightly rock-ish almost, and he bounced around, and it was the exact opposite of greasy ballads which is all I ever wanted from him so HAPPY.
then came Inpi H. they did a rap..song, is that what you call it? I assume it's on their latest album, but I didn't know it. I also wasn't particularly fond of it, it's not the style of K-hiphop I like. after that they did 예뻐 which I really like!
third was Gyu ㅠㅠ I knew he was gonna do Kontrol cos I had listened to a live stream of the London concert, and I was already biting my hands before he even came on stage. I love the song so so much. I never understand why it had so much less popularity compared to 너여야만 해, but that's another story. he was just standing with his mic at the back of the stage, there was no dancing and I don't understand why he didn't come out to the front, but I didn't care much cos his voice still ripped me apart. I hadn't felt like crying at any time up until that point, just really happy and excited, but when he hit that high long note after the bridge goosebumps just erupted all over my entire body and I just sobbed into my hands. he has a tone to his voice that just shoots directly to my core and shakes my heart. it's what brought me to Infinite initially, and it's what'll keep me with Gyu for as long as he chooses to make music.
last was Inpi F. hubs asked what F meant, and I still have no clue. they did 가슴이 뛴다 and it was my first time listening to it and seeing the MV cos after having seen the teaser I stayed away. for several reasons, but one being that that kind of cutesy is not for me. I was actually expecting to be cringing, but apparently having them perform it live, and well, made it a lot more fun. that, and the fact that it seemed to have been a big hit among the fans cos the crowd was super hyped and singing along! they had these baskets of little dolls and they threw them out to the audience, and because we were at the edge of the crowd so not many to fight with, hubs was so close to catching a bear from Sungjong. unfortunately he throws like a girl, it was worse than me lol so it was impossible to predict in what direction he was throwing, and he was just hurling them out, not throwing them nicely so they were easy to catch. so instead it went to the girls beside us and that was fine, they needed it more by the looks of their reactions. a guy in front of me also got a doll from Sungjong which made me happy cos he had a Jongie fan and 4기 lightstick and was so into the concert. the doll was by chance, but after their last song, right before he left the stage for good, Jongie came to our side and waved and bowed, and he deliberately threw his towel to the guy. how sweet is that?
I forgot what song it was, but at one point they had these baskets with paper planes, and I really REALLY wanted one, but the one that came closest was one from Dongwoo and it actually flew through hubs' fingers, and got snatched up by the two girls I assume. so close.
speaking of hubs and Dongwoo, during his ending ment Dongwoo was going on about how much he loved tonight and Berlin ladies, and then he looked at hubs and said "I love my brother!" LOL
as mentioned, Kontrol broke me, but the only other time I cried was suddenly during 추격자. I was watching Gyu doing one of my fave songs ever, and it suddenly hit me that this could very well be the last time I see them like this. of course no one knows how Korea will go, we might end up seeing them for something there, and they might make a 3rd world tour, but chances are this could be the last time I'll see them and it just broke my heart.
speaking of tears, I did also get teary during 함께 but other than that it was an unusually dry concert for me.
and same for Infinite. it looked like Yeollie got a little glassy eyed during 함께 too, but it could just have been my eyes deceiving me. other than that no one looked even close to tears. indeed they're pros at touring by now.
they thanked the band this time!! I was really happy about that, and as you can hear, they got a huge, well-deserved applause.
I made it a point to give all members special attention since I knew I wouldn't be able to look back on pictures and videos, and if I hadn't I would just have been staring at Gyu for 2 hours.
Yeollie surprised me a bit, though not necessarily in a bad way? I think I just expected him to be more lively and silly and interacting more since it was a smaller, well-behaved, enthusiastic crowd, but he was very quiet. he did whisper and laugh with Gyu at times during others' ments which gave me the impression that it wasn't like he was in a bad mood, he was just having a quiet night.
he was totally "on" during Inpi F's performance, smiling and waving, throwing the stuffed toys, and in general he danced hard and sang really well. I said it after OGS, too, but he has such a nice voice and he should get more parts.
as usual he had so much support from the crowd, cheering, clapping, and singing along specifically for his parts, it was really heart-warming.
someone who did disappoint me, sad to say, was Howon. knowing how he can be and how he was during both OGS stops I attended, I was really looking forward to seeing him again.
this night, however, he seemed strikingly different. because of his injury he had to sit out on all the performances with choreo and having done so for all the Euro stops (I think he sat for Warsaw, too?) I can understand that it must be a little boring and regretful. what I can't understand is that he wasn't better at at least putting on a show for those few hours.
he sat on a stool right in front of me, so I had plenty of time to get a good look at him, and at times he seemed like he would actually rather be somewhere else. he was quiet and seemed bored, and since he had so much time between his lines, I think I expected him to sit and interact with the crowd or sing along or do something, anything to be part of things, but no. all of that was at a minimum, and I actually asked hubs about this after, and he said he had also been keeping an eye on him, and he had barely smiled a handful of times throughout the whole concert.
during Inpi H he was "on", but it still wasn't in the bubbly, goofy Howon sense.
same with his ments. he had lots of sincerity in his words and his apologies for not being able to go full out, but it was still delivered in a bit of a lackluster way.
I know it probably comes across as a really mean and negative review of him, but I had such high expectations and in the end he just gave a really anonymous impression overall, and I am only disappointed cos I've seen what he is capable of.
Jongie had a bit of a night like Yeollie for me. not bored, but still a lot more quiet than expected, and he also didn't have that much fanservice.
he sang really well - for the parts we could hear cos we all know he doesn't have the most powerful voice so his mic could have been turned significantly more up.
this time he was really striking when it came to singing and dancing, though. he had so much power and intensity and sharp moves and intense eye contact, there was nothing girly or timid or insecure about any of it!
and for his second outfit his tshirt was so short that he sometimes bared like, half his tummy.
Myungsoo was a joy. he was happy, smiling, waving, laughing, making cute faces. he was goofing off with Gyu during performances, and overall he seemed like he was having a good night.
his voice was surprisingly on point, and it grated a lot less on me than usual. there were a few times where I think there was something up with his mic cos while he was in tune, his voice sounded baby-voice-ish? like aegyo voiced? it wasn't much, but enough that I noticed. for 가슴이 뛴다 I thought it was on purpose, but then it happened again during other songs so it definitely wasn't on purpose. it was really strange. it still didn't deter from my overall impression of him singing so much better than for OGS.
I don't know if they had arranged that he was the one who was gonna mention it, but he was the only one who commented on the banner project from the audience in his ending ment.
Namu. first off I was really happy that his blonde hair looked so much better in person than it has done in pictures. he actually looked really good and I was not prepared for that. damn him.
he also seemed in a really good mood. smiling, engaging, lots of fanservice, but the good non-greasy kind, just lots of smiles and waving and eye contact. of course there were also hearts but not to a gross degree.
I was so proud of him for making his solo song. it was so not what I would have expected him to make for himself, so I was really happily surprised.
and not that it's was a surprise or anything, but he sang and danced so well. his voice was so on point. I was really happy I got to experience it one more time.
during his ending ment he said that he had broken or sprained a toe so he was so worried he wouldn't be able to perform as well as he wanted, but you couldn't tell at all, and if he hadn't said anything, no one would have had any reason to suspect that he wasn't on his A game.
and then Gyu cos you can't say Woohyun these days without saying Sunggyu. I don't know if it's them not living together anymore that's made their hearts grow fonder or what, but after almost a couple of years where they seemed closed to ignoring each other, there is so much Woogyu these days and I wanna cry.
there were so many smiles and giggles and goofing off during songs I was biting my hands. that's one of the few things I wish I had video of cos it's just impossible to convey in writing.
but in general Gyu seemed like he had a good night, too. he has that..that no-nonsense-chopchop-let's-keep-things-moving thing about him when it's his turn to speek that can come off as slightly..un-invested or give him a let's-just-get-this-over-with feel, but that air is one of the things I like about him. as cute as he is when he's flustered and rambling, I like when he's in on top of things, in control.
and of course it's not how he feels cos when it's not his turn to speak he was happy and smiley and waving at or talking to people, giving so much fanservice. he was whispering with Yeollie and a couple of times they were pointing out at fanboards (there were some really funny ones in pit 1) and laughing, and he was laughing so much with both Myungsoo and Namu during performances.
I'm so happy I got to see him like this again ㅠㅠ
and I'm so happy I got to see him dance again. I know he's always the butt of the dance joke on variety shows, but look at any of their dance practice videos, and fact is that he is a great dancer.
he had some really funny ments talking about drunk!Infinite. apparently they had gotten wasted in Paris, and during his ending ment he was like, "thanks for coming, get home safe, we're gonna go get drunk now BYE". GYU.
speaking of ments, he made everyone laugh again during his ending ment by getting the translator all flustered. one of his sentences got so long that she had problems remembering it all or something? it took her a while trying to formulate the German in her head, and Gyu looked back over at her, all nodding like, "...go on....." and he told her she was right as encouragement to go on so he could go on. and cos I know some Korean I could hear that for his next sentence she just boiled it down to five words and didn't give all the details he had, just to get it over with lol
also, Kim Sunggyu has the most gorgeous sensual hands. if you're a Gyu stan you've already seen the pictures, but holy shit, being close enough to actually see them for myself was mesmerizing. his fingers are so long and beautiful and perfect, and the way he rolls his hands and spreads and flexes and curls his fingers was so hot. in my opinion. ... anyway.
last, but definitely not least, in fact maybe the opposite, Dongwoo.
if you look up how to concert perfectly, there will be a picture of Jang Dongwoo from Berlin, October 11th 2015.
he was so happy and hyper, but not in an over the top way. he was so cute and you couldn't help but laugh with him every time he laughed at his own jokes or language mistakes, it was so freaking adorable!
he was like their main MC slash spokes person this time, so every time there were ment breaks he was just yapping away. they all said things in horrible German, lots of which hubs couldn't even understand (not that he's German, but he grew up really close to the border and it's practically his second language), but Dongwoo also said a lot of stuff in English. it was really good, but most of it in that Dongwoo way where its not necessarily correct English, but you still have no problem understand what he's saying LOL I should remember that for when I have to speak Korean... but yeah, he has so many funny moments. at one point he got serious and talked about trees and fruit and sharing that fruit and a blossoming relationship between Inpi and German fans..or something, but that was his point.
he sang really well. I didn't expect him not to, but, maybe except for Gyu who has been on point all 4 times I've seen them now, it was like they all had improved a lot since OGS. I can't remember anyone going off key and everyone was just consistently solid.
but maybe more so than his singing, his dancing was off the charts. he really stood out, and of course with Howon being benched, Dongwoo had all the solo dance breaks to himself and he really took advantage of that, showing so much strength and skill and passion. he was teasing so much, and during Inpi H's first rap he shrugged off his jacket and he looked so hot in just his white tank. those arms, man... ugh
he looked really good in general, though. he hair was so fluffy, I was in heaven.
this was such a good experience, I'm so glad we went.
I wish everyone would separate the pit like that even if it means it's easier for security to spot cameras, but it was just so nice, for everyone I assume, to be able to enjoy the concert without being pushed and pulled by everyone from the back.
and so much safer, I'm actually a little surprised it's not done all the time instead of only letting people in in intervals, but then still bunging them all together once inside.
after the concert, when they boys left the stage, they didn't turn the house lights back on on full, and they kept the ending world tour image on the back screen, and for that reason people just stayed put cos it seemed like they would maybe come out for a final goodbye moment, just like for OGS.
in the end they didn't, and security started to usher people towards the exits. they weren't in our faces about it, on the contrary, they just said it was time to leave and then let people take the time they needed, taking one step forward when people took one step closer to the doors and decreasing the open area like that.
we got our coats, and bought cheap big pretzles on sale on our way out cos now, with all the tension gone and only the high left, I was starving after having hardly eaten for 2 days!
people were still waiting at the driveway for the backstage meaning that they hadn't actually left yet. I had figured that the whole uncertainty about whether or not they would come back out on stage was created to keep people inside so they could leave in peace, but apparently not.
I contemplated for a second if we should wait, but nah. we had no way of knowing how long they would be, and although we waited for Bangtan at their showcase, standing around for god knows how long just to see a bus with curtains drawn drive away didn't seem too appealing.
instead we just went back to the hotel, grabbing snacks and lots of cold drinks on the way, and talked about the concert and made notes until hubs fell asleep.
I was too wired to sleep and made more notes and watched Infinite V app videos and cried over Woogyu until 3am.
Monday after breakfast we checked out along with all the other fangirls, and settled in for another long drive.
we weren't home until 8pm cos we did some border shopping on the way, and by then I was exhausted and emotional and high on Infinite, but at the same time the fact that it became Jimin's birthday at 5pm suddenly made me unexpectedly heartbroken D':
I dunno, like I said in the beginning, the past days have been a strange mix of emotions.
for the pics and cams it's the usual drill.
please, DO NOT RE-UPLOAD my cams without my permission, but feel free to spread my youtube links around, preferably with a "do not re-up" note.
and DO NOT crop, edit, vine, gif, or whatever else you can think of that would alter my original material. not that that will probably be an issues with these ones lol
as far as the pictures are concerned, feel free to share if you find them good enough for that, but DO NOT crop my watermark, DO NOT edit, and please re-up in full size. please credit.
other than that I hope you enjoy, and as usual, thank you if you actually read through this entire post ♥
|the very first glimpse of them, right after the curtain dropped.
|성뀨야 ㅠㅠ♥
I'm really glad I didn't sacrifice this picture for the possibility of maybe more or better pictures.
Gyu flustering the translator ㅋㅋㅋ


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Steven Pressley admits Fleetwood lost their way for a vital half-hour at Blackpool but insists his side will be inspired by their derby defeat.
Nathan Pond's own goal settled a remarkable clash, in which Blackpool didn't manage a single shot on target but claimed all three points.
Pressley admitted his men were hurting after drawing a blank at Bloomfield Road, where they were unable to turn domination into goals.
The Town manager said: "We have to use the feelings we had in the dressing room as a motivation going forward.
"I think for the six weeks I've been here the players have been immense in their attitude, with everything we've asked of them.
"In the second half in particular we hemmed them in. We played in the way I want to see Fleetwood play without quite getting the end product.
"But there's no doubt we deserved more from the game than we got. Bar the goal, our goalkeeper really didn't have a save to make.
"But ultimately you have to score goals to win games and we didn't do that."
After the goal Fleetwood's pressing game slipped, Town wasting half an hour as they allowed Pool to dictate.
It proved crucial – Fleetwood turned up the pressure after the interval but couldn't to find a way past keeper Dean Lyness and ran out of ideas.
Pressley said: "We had a lot of domination but we allowed a 30-minute period to affect us. Just after we lost the goal, we stopped doing the things we've been doing constantly for a period and allowed our game to get a bit fragmented.
"It was much more like us in the second half and I'm extremely disappointed for everybody as regards the result."
Before Pond's own goal, Fleetwood were twice denied inside the Blackpool box – Joe Davis with a shot hooked off the line by Hayden White, Lyness keeping out a curling David Henen shot.
But Pressley refused to tell any hard-luck tales. He said: "There were several moments early on when the game could have swung in our favour.
"We came here with six points from a possible six and we weren't satisfied with that. We wanted nine from nine and we didn't get that."
Blackpool dug in after grabbing the advantage and Pressley showed his admiration for their way they frustrated his side.
"I didn't think we carried any luck," he said. "In the second half, credit to Blackpool – they tried to bring stoppages to the game. They tried to stop our momentum. They defended exceptionally well.
"But I certainly think we created enough opportunities to win, never mind draw."
For all their defensive strength, Blackpool created very little – Jack Redshaw's wayward blast after another defensive mix-up the closest they came to grabbing a second.
Chris Maxwell certainly wasn't tested from a Blackpool boot, Pressley pointing to the lack of shots on target as a sign of his side's domination.
"It's quite amazing," he said.
"That's the frustration, we have a lot of domination, except for a 30 minute period.
"It's an incredible stat and it's shows the domination we had.
"But we have to turn that domination into wins.
"Ultimately the game is about winning.
"We've had two fantastic performances and results coming up to this.
"But we weren't satisfied with that, we wanted maximum points."

subset: commoncrawl


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The DIY Showoff
Today's Creative Blog
Tip Junkie
Blue Cricket Designs
Organize Your Stuff Now
Shabby Creek Cottage
Between U and Me
The Crafty Nest
Pocket Full of Pink
Cute! I love the red burlap!ReplyDelete
Oh my goodness. I LOVE your wreath. Really, I do. I was about to go all crazy and switch up my Christmas colors to Cinnamon and Slate... but seeing that wreath is giving me second thoughts. I love the traditionalness (ha, not even a word!) is so sweet!!ReplyDelete
This looks amazing! I loved your lamps too :)
Jenny xo
This turned out SO cute! I love the Santa you used as well.ReplyDelete
Love Love Love this. This turned out so cute. I am going to have to make a trip to Hobby Lobby and get me some burlap and make this. I love this so much. I would love it if you could link this up to our linky party going on right now.
too cute! I love the little santa!
omg this came out super cute! love the red burlap! :)ReplyDelete
So festively cute!! New follower here. Would love it you would stop by and share this at my linky party :) http://everything-underthemoon.blogspot.com/2011/11/bedazzle-me-monday-8.html
Also, PRETTY PLEASE check out Random Acts of Kindness Week going on right now!! Would love to see you be a part of it! http://everything-underthemoon.blogspot.com/2011/11/kindness-and-thanksgiving.html
This is soo pretty,put's smile on your face,well mine anyway.Look's so simple which is my kind crafting,,lol,lol, Great Job,ReplyDelete
OMGish, I love this! I'd love for you to link up at my party, Stitch n' Niche Saturdays: http://www.coffeeandtheirkisses.com/2011/11/stitch-n-niche-saturdays-7-features.html.ReplyDelete
This is just too cute! I love it with the little Santa:) Great DIY!!!ReplyDelete
So cute! New Follower! Visit me at http://raisingdieter.blogspot.com/ReplyDelete
Love this wreath. Makes me want candy cane! I checked out your blog and love all your projects (especially the EAT sign and paper trees). Just became your newest follower. Would love it if you'd check out our blog and follow us too!
I LOVE this! I would love if you would share this at the Crazy Cute link party happening at Between U & Me right now! I've got a totally awesome giveaway this week, too!
OOH! AND, I'm your newest follower! ;)
You already blasted your Christmas days, before this year 's Christmas. One of the intelligent in wreath making, you. I found your blog land from days of day challenges.
gifts for boys
What a cute wreath! I'd love it if you shared this at my Christmas Craft Tutorial going on at Project Queen.
Wow, so many great posts on your front page! I adore this wreath!!! I saw it on pinterest (as I saw your paper tree). So cute!! I'm definitely your newest follower!
Thanks for stopping by 52 mantels and leaving me a sweet comment!
Hi Kimberly, I love your wreath. I have never seen coloured burlap. It looks sharp. Thanks for sharing. I have recently found your blog and am now following you, and will visit often. Please stop by my blog and perhaps you would like to follow me also. Have a wonderful day. Hugs, ChrisReplyDelete
I just wanted to let you know , that you are featured in my blog for top 20 diy wreaths
thank you happy holidays
Wow you have done very nice crafting. I really like this amazing crafting. I absolutely try to make this craft.
promotional lanyards


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The Illusion Of Darwin Barney
"Barney, he's great." — Anonymous Coworker
I like Barney. Sure, he plays hard (but then again, most guys in the majors play hard) and he has the right attitude. But that doesn't mean he's a great player. The word utility comes to mind when I think of Barney.
Barney was named Rookie of the Month in April and maybe there's one more month in him, but face facts, Cubs fans: Barney is average and he won't be the NL Rookie of the Year. This is a two-horse race between Danny Espinosa and Freddie Freeman. Barney really is in the middle of the pack in the advanced stat categories. His only saving grace is his higher BABIP (.342).
I know, he's only played half a season in "The Show" therefore it's a small sample size. You're correct. So we need to compare him to rookies in both leagues. Unfortunately for Barney, he only leads NL rookies (in his position) in one category — BABIP. There are only three NL rookies in 2B this year (Espinosa, Barney, Turner).
Let me put this in perspective for you — I think Barney is the Cubs version of (waaait fooor iiit) Gordon Beckham... And that's not a compliment.
Stats and MLB Rankings


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File: Elizabeth Hurley
Elizabeth Jane Hurley (born 10 June 1965) is an English model and actress who became known as a girlfriend of Hugh Grant in the 1990s. In 1994, as Grant became the focus of worldwide media attention due to the global box office success of his film Four Weddings and a Funeral, Hurley accompanied him to the film's Los Angeles premiere in a plunging black Versace dress held together with gold safety pins, which gained her instant media notice.
The highlight of Hurley's professional life has been her association with the cosmetics company Estée Lauder. The company gave Hurley her first modeling job at the age of 29 and has used her as a model for its products, especially perfumes such as Sensuous, Intuition, and Pleasures, since 1995. Her best known cinematic work was as Vanessa Kensington in Mike Myers' hit spy comedies, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997) and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999). Hurley currently owns an eponymous beachwear line.
Hurley was born as a middle child in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England, the daughter of Angela and Roy Hurley. Her Irish father was a Major in the British Army, while her Anglican mother was a teacher at Kempshott Infant School. She has an older sister, Kate, and a younger brother Michael James Hurley. Hurley was educated at local schools including Kempshott Infant School, Kempshott Junior School, and the Harriet Costello School. Aspiring to be a dancer as a young girl, she took ballet classes and later briefly studied dance and theatre at the London Studio Centre. While in her teens, she became involved with punk fashion, dying her hair pink and piercing her nose. "When I was 16 - this was about 1981, 1982 - the thing to be in Basingstoke, the suburb I grew up in, was punk," she explained. She also reportedly associated with the New Age Travellers in her youth.
Hurley started working as an actress in the late 1980s and became a model in 1995. During the 2000s, she worked unsuccessfully as a reality television presenter in Britain.
In 1995, with no prior modeling experience, Hurley was introduced as an Estée Lauder spokesmodel. She later recounted, "I was far from an ingénue, having had my first modeling job at 29." Hurley has since featured in ads for Lauder's 'Pleasures', 'Beautiful', 'Dazzling', 'Tuscany per Donna', and 'Sensuous' fragrances as well as participated in campaigns for the company's other cosmetics. She was replaced as the face of Estée Lauder by Carolyn Murphy in 2001. However, she continues to work with the company non-exclusively, signing a contract for the 14th year with Lauder in 2008. In 2005, she modeled for Saloni, Liverpool Department Stores of Mexico, and Lancel. She was part of the seasonal advertising campaigns for Jordache, Shiatzy Chen, Got Milk?, Patrick Cox, MQ Clothiers of Sweden, and Lancel in 2006 and Monsoon in 2007. In 2008, Hurley was unveiled as the seasonal campaign face for Blackglama mink. In 2009 she appeared in a campaign for Rosato jewelry.
Hurley has appeared three times on the cover of British Vogue. She is signed to the Independent Modeling Agency in London
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Math BAE - Funny Shirt for Math Teacher or Math Nerd
• 100% combed and ring-spun cotton (heather colors contain polyester)
• Fabric weight: 4.2 oz (142 g/m2)
• Shoulder-to-shoulder taping
• Side-seamed
*Plus sizes available up to 4XL
Check out more of our math teacher shirts
If you'd like to add your favorite teacher's name to your shirt, we've got you.
If you want to add a short message, it's free!
If you want to change the colors on the shirt, we can most likely do that!
Minor changes and customization like those above can be done at no cost to you, so please feel free to hit that contact button on the top of the page to let us know which shirt you'd like to personalize and what you'd like to do with it.
We'll only charge you if you have a completely new design idea or if you want to print on a side of the shirt that is blank, i.e. if you want to add your teacher's name to the top back of the shirt like a jersey but the front only has a design at the moment.
So go ahead and find your favorite shirts in our collection and hit CONTACT US to start discussing your personalized shirt!
*Custom shirts cannot be refunded or exchanged unless there is an issue with printing or the product is received damaged.
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Rally Shift Extreme (RSX) is now on Kickstarter! RSX is a racing game inspired by the world rally championship races held in many countries throughout the year. Please back this game project and spread the word to friends, co-workers and anybody you think might be interested in a new awesome rally racing game.
Creating a Kickstarter project is a lot of work. Maybe I should write a post about that sometime. We absolutely believe in this project and we hope you do too. We depend on a successful Kickstarter funding to move forward with this game and be able to bring you all a new fresh rally racing game.
Again, please spread the word and support the Rally Shift Extreme project if possible.
Thank You!


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Sandra Oh relaxes in Onepiece after the Golden Globes
Bella Thorne wears Velour Jumpsuit at Sundance Film Festival
Kim Kardashian wears Onepiece Jumpsuits on Instagram
Kim Kardashian West gets cozy for the holidays in her Onepiece jumpsuits.
Pink Party: Onepiece x Diplo
To celebrate the launch of our Pearl Towel Jumpsuit, we partnered with Diplo and the Fat Jewish on an all-pink-everything yacht party in NYC. Scroll to see the the full story and to shop the party looks.
Seen On: Celeb Favorites
We pride ourselves as the ultimate off-duty outfitters. Check out our roundup of Onepiece in the Wild moments on a few of our favorite stars and get the look.
Black Friday: Celeb Style
The holiday season is always a time of year when we reminisce. We're looking back at a few of our favorite Onepiece celebrity moments. We love seeing our Onepiece crew decked in jumpsuits, joggers, and hoodies, thriving in their comfort zone. Scroll for a trip down memory lane.
Serena Williams's Airport Style Is Straight Out of Top Gun
Beyoncé x College Jumpsuit
Beyoncé clearly Drunk'n Loves our Jumpsuits as she has been spotted wearing the College 29 Jumpsuit after her Formation World Tour performance in Glasgow.
It's not the first time Queen Bey felt comfortable in our jumpsuits. Check out the gallery below.
Gigi Hadid and Cara Delevingne wear American flag jumpsuits at Taylor Swift's A-list Fourth Of July bash
Over the weekend, global superstar Taylor Swift held her annual '4th of July' bash at her Rhode Island home for her A-list group of friends. Among those in attendance were supermodels Gigi Hadid, Cara Delevingne and Karlie Kloss, as well as actresses Blake Lively and Ruby Rose. After a fun filled weekend, Swift took to Instagram to wish her 84.1 m followers a happy Fourth of July with a photo of her and her star-studded group of friends. Notably, for the second year in a row, Hadid and fellow supermodel Delevingne sported our matching Stars & Stripes jumpsuits.


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Journeying Toward a Cure for HIV: Now Comes the Hard Part
July 1, 2013
We may be approaching the final scientific obstacles to the discovery of an HIV cure, but the next steps in the journey are likely to be the most challenging, according to Steven Deeks, M.D.
Deeks, a professor of medicine at the University of California-San Francisco, spoke at a press conference prior to his keynote speech during the opening session of the 7th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In his talk, Deeks highlighted the major questions he felt must be answered to ensure success with future HIV treatments and the search for an HIV cure.
Deeks pointed out that the focus in HIV research has shifted from the acute aspects of the disease to the chronic problems faced by HIV-infected individuals on long-term treatment. "Many of these problems that we're dealing with -- persistent inflammation, excess heart disease, overburdened health care systems, as well as the really big problem of not being able to afford long-term therapy -- could all be addressed with a cure," he said.
He compared our current search for a cure to the early search for effective HIV treatments in 1987. Back then, the focus was on eliminating virus in the blood. Now the focus is on eliminating virus hidden in reservoirs within the human body. The latent HIV within reservoirs is considered by many researchers to be the last hurdle toward HIV eradication, and we're now beginning to see some promising results, Deeks noted. "You're going to hear at this meeting, certain types of drugs, if you give it to a person on long-term therapy, you can affect the kind of virus that we need to get rid of to cure people," he said. "We're not going to cure anyone with it, but you're actually now really beginning to show that it's possible."
However, Deeks also cautioned that the journey may be much more difficult this time around than it was when HIV medications were first developed. "Going after the virus in 1987 [was] a lot easier than going after the latent virus. That was a free virus that floated around, had targets to go after," he said. "What we're going after now is hidden in cells, and we're going to have to somehow get in there without causing harm to the patient and that's a challenge."
Warren Tong is the research editor for TheBody.com and TheBodyPRO.com.
Follow Warren on Twitter: @WarrenAtTheBody.
Copyright © 2013 Remedy Health Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
This article was provided by TheBodyPRO. It is a part of the publication The 7th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention.
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(Photo from Lonny, vol. 3.)
I think everyone reading this blog knows about 20x200. Every Tuesday (that means today!) and Wednesday at 2pm, limited-edition art and photographs are put up for sale at only $20. I love 20x200 because it showcases so many different styles of art.
Cotton Field, Mississippi, by Shuli Hallak, available at 20x200.
Contact High, by Jeff Bridges. Available at 20x200. This looks like swirly lollipops to me! It's in the kitchen photo I posted at the top of this post.
The Working Proof. It's not as large as 20x200, but it has some very nice pieces. Plus, the proceeds from the sale of artwork go to charity, so it's all for a good cause. I really like this mixed media piece by Susan Schwake.
On the Rocks, by Susan Schwake.
The blackbirds look so nice again the peachy-pink rocks.
What are your favorite sources for affordable artwork?


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Sunday, November 6, 2011
Princess Grace and the Kennedys
2 comments:
Interesting! Oddly enough, Princess Lilian of Belgium also had a connection to the Kennedys- I believe from her school days in England. Also, later on, Jacqueline took inspiration from Lilian's sense of style.ReplyDelete
And King Baudouin attended JFK's funeral. There were quite a few royal guests at that one, maybe the most ever for the leader of a republic up to that time.ReplyDelete
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So I never told the world that the first time I toured
I came home to find that little man had been ignored
Two years old got a hold of water you had boiled
And burned his little head and his face while you snored
You were afraid of bringing him to the hospital
'Cause two weeks ago your mom called the cops on you
Child protection paid a visit
Ruled that the crib was unfit to raise kids in
I'm working ten hour days at the gig then
You were unemployed all null and void
Now I ain't trying to be no Sigmund Freud
But ain't you supposed to have instincts when it comes to the boy
I called a cab and took him to county hospital
They shaved hair and burnt flesh off his skull
Held him overnight to fight infection
I slept sitting up in a chair directly next to him
I just knew you would join us but instead
Hopped your ass on the bus went home and went to bed
That's the very moment I divorced you in my head
God might forgive you for that I never did
All you need right now
Faheem we can see the throne from here
I may never sit there but brother you're the heir
Pull up a chair let pop bend your ear
Here baby dry those tears
I know you wonder why your mother does the things that she do
Well it's not because she doesn't love you
It's because she grew up in something they call foster care
That's when strangers raise you your mom's not there
Imagine how she felt when she was your age
Going from place to place never feeling safe
Never having love never having faith
She probably thought the world was a big scary place
Where was her mommy at well that's kind of sad
She used drugs to forget the problems she had
There was a new one back then they called crack
Once you try it there was almost no coming back
She couldn't be the mommy she wanted to be
She was chasing a high all in the street
Won't tell you no lie real is all I can be
I believe only truth can set you free
There's a whole lot of pain in your bloodline
But there's a whole lot of strength in the sunshine
Lean back let the new day greet you
'Cause you're standing on the shoulders of a people
Who been beat down and treated unequal
But the prayer that they made now has reached you
It's plain to see it's true
Beautiful prince I wish they could see you
All you need right now
This song is about Brother Ali's first wife. He tells a story about her neglect of their son Faheem, before going on to address Faheem and explain why his mother acted the way she did.
Brother Ali spoke about his breakup with his first wife in Walking Away from the record The Undisputed Truth


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I thought I would share this project I made with a simple twill tape elastic casing. I call this a Mother Goose hat because I am not exactly certain what else to call it. A friend of mine said it looked like a shower cap.
Miss Hopie pulled this hat out of the costume trunk at a birthday party last summer and the image has stayed in my mind. For her recent birthday party, I thought I would make a couple plus a doll's version. Here is my attempt:
The hat requires a circle of fabric: I suggest a circle of eyelet, about 20 inches in diameter. (The doll's hat, shown above, was about 8 inches, but it really depends on the size of your doll).
Next, you need to apply your bias tape to the perimeter of the circle. You will need about a yard of bias tape (again, this depends on how large your circle is). I found a neat tartan bias tape.
Now, you need to make a casing for your elastic. I use twill tape and apply it to the wrong side of the hat about 1.5 inches from the biastape hem. Leave the ends open so you can thread your elastic through.
Optional: You may want apply lace trim to the outside of the hat, to where your elastic will be. Do this now. But be very careful not to stitch it to the twill tape, otherwise you will "close up" the casing which will hold the elastic.
Now the elastic. The elastic (must be narrow enough to go through the twill tape casing). I think the best way to do this is to measure the elastic around your child's head to ensure the hat will fit comfortably. Some children have large heads. My two year old wears hats for four to six year olds. Actually, both kids have large heads,
Thread the elastic through the twill tape casing and join the ends. Close up the casing with a few stiches.
To finish off the project, I added some of my twill tape "handmade for you" labels from lillalotta's shop.
So that is my project using twill tape.
Be sure to check out all the great twill tape projects at Crafterhours!
This one is linked to Skip to my Lou and Do it yourself Day at Soft Place to Land, Pinching Pennies; Sew Much Ado; and Blue Cricket. Be sure to check out all the great projects just click the buttons below!


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King Charles III
A sold-out hit both on Broadway and in London's West End, Mike Bartlett's brilliant contemporary work of speculative history blurs the boundaries of truth and tragedy. Queen Elizabeth II is dead. Prince Charles ascends to the throne, but what kind of ruler will he make for this once-united kingdom? Flanked by wife Camilla and sons William and Harry, Charles challenges an uncompromising Parliament, but it is his daughter-in-law, princess Kate, who shows the real ambition for the sceptered isle. Is Charles the man who would be king, or was he born to succeed only in name? Hailed as "fresh, thrilling and fearlessly comic" (Entertainment Weekly), this imaginative and Shakespearean tale of future history is a theatrical event of crowning achievement.
By Mike Bartlett
Directed by David Muse
A coproduction with Seattle Repertory Theatre and Shakespeare Theatre Company
405 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
United States


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Some unique names for girl twins include Faith and Hope, Heaven and Nevaeh, Harlow and Harper, and Emma and Gemma. Some unique names for boy twins include Landon and Logan, Chance and Chase, and Maddox and Mason. Unique names for boy-girl twins are Viola and Sebastian, and Leon and Noel.
Twin names do not always have to rhyme but can be based on a common theme. They can begin with the same letter or mean the same thing. Some girls' names that follow this idea are Addison and Aly and Grace and Justice. For boys, the names Jax and Jude or Easton and Weston follow themes. For boy-girl twins, Luke and Leia start with the same letter and are from the famous "Star Wars" series while Brandon and Sarah mean prince and princess.
Celebrities often give their children unique names that offer some inspiration. Dave Matthews named his twin girls Stella and Grace while Loretta Lynn named her twin girls Patsy and Peggy. James Taylor named his twin boys Henry and Rufus, while Robert De Niro named his twin boys Julian and Aaron. Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer named their boy-girl twins Charlie and Poppy. Julia Roberts named her boy-girl twins Phinneaus and Hazel while Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt named their boy-girl twins Vivienne and Knox.


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lately, I've been experimenting with a lot of different foundations and I wanted to share my favorite one from the drugstore.
The Bourjois healthy mix foundation gives a medium coverage, however it is buildable to a full coverage. This foundation gives the skin a dewy finish and stays put all day. The color selection is fantastic as I was able to match my skin tone perfectly, which is rare since I have very light skin.
I love mixing this foundation with Estee Lauder Double Wear, because this foundation is very matte and can look cakey. When I mix the two it gives me enough coverage and gives my skin a glowy finish, which looks very natural. Also, by mixing in the Healthy mix foundation, the foundation is a lot easier to blend!
I would love to know your favourite foundation mix!


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2013 was awesome! I can't believe how many weddings and sessions that took place... It was a year full of learning, experience, fun, adventure, laughter and a lot of photos taken!
Sometimes I have Steve stand in a shot to check out the light...
I guess Steve thought he had to have the "pregnant" look with a camera bag to get this shot just right... After all, we were shooting a maternity session! :)
|Photo Credit: Melissa Page
The best thing about having an Assistant at a wedding is that we have some fun by taking photos of each other... (We think we're cool by doing this) :) hehe.
|Photo Credit: Melissa Page
I even let clients try out awkward poses... (j/k, she did this as a joke!) I will always help out and direct posing if needed. :)
|Photo Credit: Steve Flaming
|Photo Credit: Jodie Hadden
|Photo Credit: Steve Flaming
|Photo Credit: Laura Rosten
|Photo Credit: Laura Rosten
|Photo Credit: Laura Rosten
|Photo Credit: Steve Flaming
|Photo Credit: Jessica Dherari
|Photo Credit: Jessica Dherari
The gorgeous Kyra modeling for us...
All Images © 2013 Cecilia Flaming
A big THANK YOU to all of the amazing photographers who assisted at weddings this year!
Melissa // Melissa Page Photo Art
Alyssa // Alyssa Rae Photography
Jodie // Jodie Hadden Photography
Laura // Laura Rosten Photography
Jessica // Jessica Dherari Photography
and another huge THANK YOU to my clients who are the best clients ever :) You made my year such a blast! I feel so blessed to have such amazing clients!


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I am a twenty-four year veteran elementary educator. I have spent the past ten years teaching in Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong.
My professional mission statement is: " I will provide a wholesome and upbeat environment for any and all students to succeed. I will teach students to learn to be content. I will demand that students care for the world around them as well as themselves. I will remember what it is like to be a child."
My professional mission statement has served me well throughout my career and continues to this day. My experiences have taught me the value of passionate living. I live to grow each day as teacher, modeling exemplar habits that my students and colleagues can carry with them for life.
I have attended summer workshops with Columbia University's Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, directed by Lucy Calkins. I have a master's degree in Mathematics Instruction. I have obtained a leadership certificate from the Principal's Training Center for International Educators. I have received a vast amount of professional development in curriculum development, educational pedagogy, and educational technology. I am a professional educator who values lifelong learning. I am constantly enhancing my craft.
I believe that an effective learning environment incorporates the sixteen Habits of Mind. (Costa and Kallick,2000) I intentionally teach the habits to my students and post many in the classroom for guidance throughout each day. I believe that proper teaching incorporates meaningful differentiation that is supported by reliable and valid data. This is applied through consistent, intentional assessment and analysis.
I understand that humans acquire information best when they feel safe. I work doggedly to create an environment where students are not afraid to make mistakes. I expect students to learn from each mistake, and I plan accordingly. My students are taught to be welcoming, engaging and supportive of each other. I have high expectations from each student and have the highest expectations of myself.
I strongly believe that the 21st Century Educator must be versed in the incredible advancements in the study of neurology.
I believe that one needs to be ever hopeful and optimistic for the future, without exception. To paraphrase my hero, Viktor Frankl, I believe that effective teachers' meaning in life is to help students and colleagues find meaning in their own life.
My job continues to fascinate me. I live to serve.
Related articles
- How to Teach Fourth Grade, revisited. (expatteacherman.com)
- Those Moments You Don't See or Hear About (expatteacherman.com)
- You have to connect to your topic-part 1 (expatteacherman.com)
- Teaching Math Mastery in the International School Fourth Grade Classroom (expatteacherman.com)
- So, You are About to Start Your Career in Teaching? (expatteacherman.com)


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WOLLE+HIDE by WOLLE+HIDE
West Norwood maker
At WOLLE+HIDE we make handmade high quality women's and men's fashion accessories and clothing from natural materials for design conscious individuals. We mix a rural and urban aesthetic –which use simple shapes and incorporate details that make each piece unique.
WOLLE+HIDE products combine wool, leather, sheepskin and cowhide together creating tactile, useable bags and purses and simple wearable clothing using beautiful natural fibres, of course especially wool!.
We support the Campaign for Wool and British farmers and weavers – all of our products are handmade by us in The Cotswolds and Lambeth London.
I have been involved in the Fashion and Textiles world for thirty years and decided to set up my business because I wanted to share my love of natural fabrics, design and of course sheep, with others. I strongly believe in the revival in craft and design and the awareness in ethical based products and sustainability.
Making handmade products has enabled me to show my passion for the wonderful materials that I use through simple shapes that show off the beauty of the texture of the various cloth, fresh colour combinations, suppleness of the leather and the tactile nature of sheepskin and hairon cowhide: I believe in combining these materials to maximise the textural experience of the user.
I was a Design Technology and Art teacher for fifteen years specialising in A Level Textiles and Fashion Design. I am trained as a fashion designer and interior designer and have worked in the fashion textiles business for thirty years in a range of fab jobs for prestigious companies.
I plan to start offering workshops in Fashion and Textiles.


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http://www.intuitforce.com | Restaurant web design | eBay Shop Design
The Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce has helped us move the business forward by creating brand awareness for us and allowing us the opportunity to create long term partnerships with our neighbors in the community. Thank you again for all that you do.
At the Josef Hadeed MD Center for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, our focus is on providing a dynamic and individualized experience — where patients, Dr. Hadeed and our top-notch aesthetic care team come together to collaborate. It is our delight to learn about our patients' goals, provide education and guidance, and ultimately plan for the most successful and safe aesthetic result.
Dr. Hadeed's double-board certification and passion for the underlying artistry of plastic surgery have led him to become highly-regarded as a body contouring expert for women and men. His keen interest in the latest surgical and non-surgical cosmetic advancements allows him to provide the most promising, fully-vetted techniques in breast surgery and facial rejuvenation.
Dr. Hadeed is eager to bring his own special brand of joy, warmth and compassion to the community of Beverly Hills and looks forward to helping you achieve your most intimate, personal aesthetic goals. He also provides a wide range of reconstructive procedures to correct deformities caused by either trauma or cancer.
At the intersection of Wilshire and LaPeer, go north on LaPeer. The entrance to the parking garage is immediately on the right.


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Send us an email that contains the following:
- Order # & Date of the Order.
- A list of item(s) you would like to return.
- Condition of the item(s).
- The reason for your return.
- Request for the return address and RMA#.
Once we have received your request and approved your return we will respond with an RMA# and instructions for where to return the item(s). Please allow up to 3 business days for processing your return request.


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Grow your foods with modern technologies!
Malaysia Farm Supply, Agriculture Technology,
Hydroponic, Aquaponic, Organic Farming, Plantation
Solar Panel, Electric Fence, Wind Power, Ventilation Fan, Pump, Irrigation, Fish Farming, Fisherman Equipement
ph: 603-8052-0078 (Sales)
fax: 603-5882-1962 (Fax)
alt: 603-5882-9110 (Corporate)
Charge controllers come in various types. Solar charge controllers regulate the charge from a solar panel array to a battery bank. Solar lighting controllers allow you to control DC lights while simultaneously charging a battery bank from solar panels.
Since solar energy power systems almost always gather power and store it in batteries, almost every system requires a charge controller. A solar charge controller will protect your batteries from being overcharged by your solar panels and it will block any reverse current (from the batteries) as well. Solar charge controllers will actually protect every aspect of your solar power system from your batteries to your solar panels. Temperature sensors are an inexpensive addition that help the charge controller more accurately regulate the charge of the battery bank
Size a Solar Charge Controllers
You'll notice that solar charge controllers are specified by both amperage and voltage. You will need a charge controller that matches the voltage of your solar panel array and battery bank. (Usually 12, 24 or 48 VDC) And you'll want to make sure the solar panel charge controller has enough capacity to handle the current (in amps) from your solar panel array. The basic formula for sizing a solar panel charge controller is to take the short circuit current (Isc) of the array, and multiply it by 1.56. Be sure that the charge controller you select can handle at least that many amps. Please protect this important part of your system with appropriate overcurrent protection before and after the controller.
Type of Solar Charge Controller
Now that you know what size controller to look for, identify which type of charge controller is right for your application: MPPT, PWM, and PWM shunt controllers. A PWM (Pulse Width Modulated) charge controller is the traditional style. They are robust, inexpensive and widely used in PV applications. PWM shunt controllers are used less often and mostly in applications where electrical interference is an issue. The MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) charge controller is the shining star of today's PV systems. These controllers actually detect the optimum operating voltage and amperage of the solar array and match that with the battery bank. The result is additional 15-30% more power out of your array versus a PWM controller. Although the MPPT controller is more expensive than its PWM counterpart, it is generally worth the investment for any solar electric system over 200 watts.
PWM Solar Charge Controller
Traditional Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) charge controllers have been around for several years and force your solar panels to operate at the same voltage as your battery bank during charging. They tend to be less expensive than MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) charge controllers, but they're also less efficient than the MPPT type.
Our latest version 3A, 5A & 10A automatic 12V/24V GAMMA 2.0 Solar Charge Controller series are especially designed for reliability and affordability. It is perfect for small & medium solar systems with the need of a multi functions and programing features.
Support On Grid (grid-tie) solar panel with a maximum PV voltage input of 50V.
Selectable battery types: Gel, Sealed (AGM) and Flooded battery options.
The GAMMA regulation circuit provides series regulation to prevent single cell overheat problems of short-circuited solar panels. The terminal section has been replaced by a rugged, well profane 6mm square terminal block.
The melting fuse of the predecessor has been replaced by a fully electronically protected circuit.
With digital display and 5 LED indicators to display charging in progress, battery SOC, load disconnect, overload status and more.
Leisure and rural electrification systems are the typical applications for this product. It is a perfect solution for cost-sensitive systems which require state-of- the-art system
GAMMA equips with intelligent dual function timers enhance the flexibility of lighting system.
Key Features and Benefits
Download: User Manual & Datasheet (Please click to download)
Why PWM Technology? PWM Technology
Watch the YouTube GAMMA 2.0 Video
Our BETA PWM 20A solar charge controllers (Voltage Controller, PV Charge Controller) are of pocket size and light weight, which have been widely applied in solar photovoltaic system, coordinating the operation of solar panels, batteries and loads, ensuring rapid and stable charging for batteries.
It is design collects battery charge current, discharge current, battery voltage, battery temperature, charge time, discharging time and other battery working datum. Make use of discharge characteristic of storage battery and patented system of numbering by us, it can detect all the movements of remnant capability when battery is in charge and discharge states. The precise controlling of charge process can extend the battery lifetime, also exert the performance farthest.
Key Features and Benefits
Optional Add On Remote Meter - RM168 US$50.95
Download: User Manual (Please click to download)
Why PWM Technology? PWM technology
Maximum Power Point Tracking solar charge controllers or MPPT charge controllers are relatively new to the solar energy industry. These charge controllers are different than the traditional charge controllers in that they are more efficient and in many cases more feature rich. MPPT charge controllers allow your solar panels to operate at their optimum power output voltage, improving their performance by as much as 30%. Traditional charge controllers reduce the efficiency of one part of your system in order to make it work with another. Several MPPT charge controllers can accept high input voltages (up to 120V+ DC) from your solar array and efficiently down convert the DC voltage to that of your system (e.g. 12, 24, 48VDC, etc) which means you aren't losing any generated power and you are able to use what you generate more efficiently. Additionally, using a much higher DC voltage on the input side allows you to use thinner wire, decreasing your wire cost and making installation easier.
We carry all of the best brands of MPPT charge controllers. Although MPPT is more expensive, but the return on your investment will come that much more quickly as your system performance will be significantly improved. Choosing a well made charge controller is integral to the long life and efficiency of your entire solar power system. By optimizing the power coming in from your solar panels, you'll get that much closer to offsetting your use of traditional on grid power sources and by protecting your battery supply you protect yourself from any unwanted and unneeded replacement costs. Your solar charge controller is an item well worth investing in and researching as your customize your solar panel electric system. Make sure you choose an option that is scalable and appropriate for your power load and make sure that you have sufficient battery storage space for the solar panels you've chosen to install. Use our resources at solarpower-mart.com to construct the right solar power electric system for your home or alternate location. We'll advise you on everything from optimizing your current power load to how best to install your solar panels and on choosing the right solar charge controller!
RM648 Sigma 20 (100Vdc, 20A) US$259.20
RM1,198 Sigma 45 (150Vdc, 45A) US$479.20
RM2,198 Sigma 80 (150Vdc, 80A) US$879.20
RM198 Sigma Remote Meter US$79.20
The Sigma MPPT controller with Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) technology is used in off-grid solar system. Adopting advanced tracking algorithm, it can get the maximum power point of solar module to improve the efficiency of whole system. The controller optimize the controlling within battery charging to extend battery life. Self diagnostics and electronic protection can avoid mistakes within installation.
SIgma MPPT charge controller is different than the traditional charge controllers in that they are more efficient and in many cases more feature rich. Sigma MPPT charge controller allow your solar panels to operate at their optimum power output voltage, improving their performance by as much as 30%. Traditional charge controllers reduce the efficiency of one part of your system in order to make it work with another.
System voltage
Max. battery current
Battery voltage range
Maximum Rated PV Array Input Voltage
Sigma 20 100Vdc
Sigma 45 150Vdc
Sigma 80 150Vdc
Peak Conversion Efficiency of 99%
Maximum Rated PV Array Input power
20A 12V system 250W
45A 12V system 550W
80A 12V System 1,200W
20A 24V system 500W
45A 24V system 1,100W
80A 24V system 2,4000W
Battery charging:
Battery charging setting
Parameter setting
Charging mode
Four stages: Bulk Charge, Boost, Equalize and Float
Temp. compensation
Temp. compensation range
How Do Sigma MPPT Controllers Increase Charge Current?
Sigma MPPT controller increase charge current by operating the PV module in a manner that allows the module to produce all the power it is capable of a conventional charge controller simply connects the module to the battery when the battery is discharged. When the 75W module in this example is connected directly to a battery charging at 12 volts its power production is artificially limited to about 53 watts. This wastes a whopping 22 watts or nearly 30% of the available power!
Patented MPPT technology used in Sigma MPPT controller operates in a very different fashion. The Sigma MPPT controller continually calculates the module's maximum power voltage, in this case 17 volts. It then operates the module at its maximum power voltage to extract maximum power. The higher power extracted from the module is then provided to the battery in the form of increased charge current. In conditions where extra PV power is not available, Sigma MPPT controller will operate as a conventional controller with very low voltage drop.
The actual charge current increase you will see varies primarily with module temperature and battery voltage. In comfortable temperatures, current increase typically varies between 10 to 25%, with 30% or more easily achieved with a discharged battery and cooler temperatures. What you can be sure of is that Sigma MPPT charge controller will deliver the highest charge current possible for a given set of operating conditions.
Key Features and Benefits
Download: User Manual (Please click to download)
Watch the Sigma MPPT YouTube Video
Optimize your battery life span for up to 3 times!
Sulfation, or lead acid crystal buildup on your battery plates is by far the most common cause of battery failure, accounting for 84% of batteries according to the Battery Council International.We therefore junk our batteries long before the end of their designed lifespan.
The Infinitum Desulfator Battery Life Optimizer prevents sulfation on your battery and reverses the existing lead sulfate crystals on the plates, ensuring a battery with maximum lifespan and optimum performance. This desulfation process can double or triple your battery life
84% batteries fail prematurely
This is due to lead sulfate crystal buildup on the plates. This means that most people throw away batteries before they have to!
Batteries lose life span even before use!
New batteries suffer from lead sulfate crystallization before you even buy them.
Double or triple the service life of batteries
Our Desulfators generates an electrical pulse that shatters and removes lead sulfate crystals maximizing its life-span and performance.
Revives 'dead' or junked batteries
Revives dead batteries when used in parallel with a charger.
Save your hard earned money
Lower the frequency of battery change. Payback within one battery change.
Save the earth
Reducing the rate of battery disposal means less disposal of hazardous lead and sulfuric acid.
Optimize efficiency & storage capacity
Prevents lead sulfate crystallization in new batteries. Prevents damage to lead plates due to lead sulfate crystal buildup.
Lowers battery operating temprature
The degree of battery discharge increases with temperature whether in use or storage. With a lower operating temperature, less evaporation occurs.
Infinitum Desulfators are possibly the best in the market today. The chart below shows you a comparison with some of the leading battery desulphator brands.
Ease of mind
Water/fire resistant rock-solid encapsulation
Long lasting and maintenance free
Better than desulphator additives
Revives 'dead' or junked batteries
Easy installation
Lowers internal battery operating temperature
Battery diagnosis
Safety and Quality Certification
Auto shutoff feature
Copyright 2007 SC Origin (Farmg Tech Mart). All rights reserved.
Kuala Lumpur, Jarkata, Singapore, Bangkok, Manila, Hongkong, Taipei, Beijing, Sydney, Ho Chi Minh, New Delhi, Tokyo
Order Payment Method FAQ Education
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Malaysia Farm Supply, Agriculture Technology,
Hydroponic, Aquaponic, Organic Farming, Plantation
Solar Panel, Electric Fence, Wind Power, Ventilation Fan, Pump, Irrigation, Fish Farming, Fisherman Equipement
ph: 603-8052-0078 (Sales)
fax: 603-5882-1962 (Fax)
alt: 603-5882-9110 (Corporate)


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Cubism was an art style that developed from 1907 in France. Cubist paintings are often very difficult to understand. The artist takes a subject and then deconstructs it.
Picasso was the first cubist. The first cubist painting he did was Les Demoiselles d'Avignon – the figures have been simplified to an extreme degree. This painting took his art off in a bold new direction.
The work was not like by the critics or even other artists. There was one other artist, though, who saw the potential in cubism – Georges Braque – who then worked in partnership with Picasso to develop cubism. Braque was an ex-fauvist.
This painting is Houses at L'Estaque by Braque – it is a landscape simplified into geometric shapes. The painter Matisse didn't think much of it and said that it was just made up of small cubes – and this is how Cubism got its name!
Cubism wasn't actually a very good name for it – because the art style is not about showing three dimensions (like cubes) but was very much two dimensional.
This painting is Violin and Palette done in 1909 by Braque. You can see the violin at the bottom and an artist's palette at the top. The violin is broken up into several pieces and then loosely re-assembled. You can see it from several angles all at once.
All this change in art was happening around the same time that Einstein came up with the Theory of Relativity. The theory and existence of a fourth dimension was well known to Picasso and Braque and was the subject of much debate.
Other artists picked up on the new style – like Juan Gris. The pic above is of his Still Life with Flowers (1912) – this painting has a guitar in it that is almost unrecognisable.
Cubism was an important waypoint on the way to Abstract Art.
To help viewers understand his work Picasso started to add words to it – this was new territory for the art world. Amazing that it was so new given how important words are in the works of so many modern artists! The painting above is Ma Jolie (1911-12) by Picasso.
Picasso and Braque then started incorporating mass manufactured items into their work – a sort of collage approach. Yet another major innovation!
And then they went to 3 dimensional collage – see Guitar (1912)
Cubism only lasted about a decade but its influence on subsequent art was just immense.


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Throughout all of this, we focused on targeting prospects according to their life stage. This followed the typical life stage breakdown of:
- Going to university (student account)
- First job (graduate or regular current account)
- Wedding / First house (mortgage, home insurance)
However this segmentation, aided by the banding potential customers by age (e.g. Ignore if under 17, try and grab customers aged 18 – 21, market the heck out of those who are under 50 with money) always seemed fairly rudimentary to me.
Now several years on and with more life experience under my belt, I see that these basic categories and product segments are less and less relevant. Why is this then? Well...
1. The customer is more demanding
They now require financial products based around them and not just any old thing that their existing FS company wants to tout. However most typical products offered still don't provide the flexibility that the modern informed buyer wants (e.g. Could I find an offset mortgage when I recently went looking for one? Nope!)
2. Life has changed
Society is more diverse and multi-cultural, consumer choice has fragmented and so have the niches that went with this. Therefore the life stage someone is at is no longer as predictable an indicator of the propensity to buy a financial product as it once was. Nowadays a person of 55 and 25 could have the same requirements in cars or property (and therefore the insurances needed to cover both), just as they could also have in music, clothes and food.
3. Trust in finance by younger people has crumbled
Just in the same way as you once would have advised a smart young city-dweller to work in a bank but now wouldn't so much (for fear of getting a slap), trust in products such as savings and pensions has been eroded... leading a lot of the millennial generation to ignore traditional financial institutions and use alternatives (from the 'bank of mum & dad and beyond)
In short, people and their finance needs have evolved and fragmented over the last decade, with the impact that the old models used are not the new models now needed.
How they should now segment is perhaps the subject of a different post...


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I have been doing some of the card challenges over at Creative Inspiration and here are a few of the quick and easy cards I creates. The first one was so easy and I will put a verse when I am ready to mail it out.
My second card involved one of the things I love to do which is fussy cutting, I cut all the flowers.
I love using my inks and stipple brush to create a different look on the cards. Fast and easy and oh so much to play with inks.
This last card involved using a mask and the mask I used was to create snowbanks around the trees.
I thank you for looking.


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What's a fashion phone to do when it's getting fashionably late to the ICS party?
We don't have to look for the answer, because LG has started to roll out the promised Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update for the LG P940 Prada 3.0 phone. According to the company's international blog, the ICS upgrade is available for owners of the Prada 3.0 in Germany and Italy. Furthermore, it's only available for unlocked phones that aren't tied to any carrier in the respective countries. It's possible that it will come to more countries soon.
To get the Android 4.0.4 update for your phone, you'll have to download LG Mobile Phone support tool, which is available only for Windows. Once you've installed the application and the necessary USB driver for the phone, connect your Prada to the PC via USB and check for the ICS update. In no time at all, you'll be running the not-so-latest fashionable mobile OS in town, no thanks to Jelly Bean.
Aside from ICS, you'll also find a new QuickMemo app installed, which is a note-taking app that can be handily activated by pressing both volume buttons at the same time. You can then save and easily share the note via email or to various social networks.
If you're not in the two countries listed above, it's worth checking for the ICS update on LG Mobile phone support software. Remember to leave some comments if you have some good news – or not so good ones – to share.