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Are you a photographer looking to grow your business through shooting weddings? Even if you've never photographed a wedding, second shooting is the BEST place to start. Second shooting allows you to:
Learn the flow of wedding days & refine your shooting skills
Build your portfolio & capture WOW images that both you & the primary photographer will love
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If any of that excites you but you have no idea where to start, that is where the Second Shooter Directory comes in! We offer a national directory of photographers for hire as second shooters.
Tell me more!
"Just wanted to tell you guys that I already had someone that I don't know at all, reach out to me to second shoot because they found me in your directory! Thanks for doing what you do! <3
- Chelsea DeRoche Photography
Profile on the SSS Directory with up to 10 portfolio images, links to your website, contact information and more.
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"Celebrating the relationship with ourselves and the sacred earth we live on, will make life more joyous, exciting and deep"
Life is full transition and change, of which some are joyous and others are more challenging. These are the moments you feel you need extra support, love and strength. Ceremonies mark, honour and celebrate these transitions to set the required healing into motion, so you feel supported to step with confidence into this new phase of life.
What is a ceremony
A ceremony is an intimate gathering where a sacred place is created by following the ceremonial process of invocation, earth elements, meditation, rituals and blessings. The exact content of the ceremony is adapted to the purpose of the ceremony and the people participating. So it is an experience that activates profound healing and insight.
Group Ceremony
Intimate ceremonies of maximum 12 people that synchronise you with the cycles of the earth to live in a deeper relationship with your true self and the sacred earth in new and exciting ways. I frequently hold group ceremonies are held frequently in Mallorca, Spain.
"I am so grateful that you are creating this ceremony, it is what I have been missing my whole life without knowing. I feel so grateful and enriched"
Private ceremony
I facilitate ceremonies for big life transitions that re-orient the spirit, mind and body. Ceremonies that invite you to pause, celebrate, honor and mark important events in life. In ceremony we create a sacred space in which you and your loved ones are held through the ceremonial process to honour life's transitions and activate new ways of being. Together we celebrate where you have been, where you are, and where you are going. A ceremony welcomes you and your intimate community to slow down, stop and truly experience what is going on. So you step into this new phase in full alignment with the support of your community. These include a.o:
Transformational Guidance
3-month 1ON1 Healing Guidance
Available Remote or Presencial
Follow your inner compass and step into your power to lead a more fulfilled life in alignment with your true self.
Life can be complicated, stressful and sometimes even painful. We realise we need change, when we long for a pause.
We realise we need transformation when life's circumstances brings our harmony and balance significantly into jeopardy. Our current reality no longer satisfies us, we have moved too far away from our true self and we don't know who we are and what we want.
Over the course of 3 months, you'll experience 3 ceremonial healings that allow you to come home to your true self, become aware of your deepest desires, and discover various ancient and modern tools to empower you on your unique life journey.
The Guidance include: 3x ceremonial healings, 3 months meditation guidance, and a bundle of tools and practices to empower in your own transformation.
"Sophie has a grounded and healing presence that makes you feel safe and open to receive as soon as you speak to her. She delivers a beautiful container that guides you back to presence effortlessly and with joy. I always feel more connected, nourished and uplifted when I speak to her. I highly recommend her sessions for anyone interested in improving their well being or looking for guidance and support."
- Amrita -
Sophie Muuse
Get in Touch With Me
Let's have a chat and explore what kind of ceremony can support your path of healing and transformation.

subset: commoncrawl


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PLEASURE, POWER, AND THE PURSUIT OF COMMUNISM: SOVIET YOUTH AND STATE-SPONSORED POPULAR CULTURE DURING THE EARLY COLD WAR, 1945-1968 Public Deposited
Downloadable ContentDownload PDF
- Last Modified
- March 22, 2019
- Creator
Tsipursky, Gleb
- Affiliation: College of Arts and Sciences, Department of History
- Abstract
- My dissertation investigates how the Soviet Party-state tried to build communism through fun and leisure during the early Cold War. I explore organized cultural activities for young people, including concerts, shows, dances, and cultural education-what I collectively call state-sponsored popular culture. My research relies on archives, newspapers and other official publications, literature, cinema, memoirs, and interviews. Chapter 1 overviews state-sponsored popular culture from its early years to the immediate postwar period. The next chapter illuminates the extreme politicization in the officially recommended cultural activities during the anticosmopolitan campaign, 1947 to 1953. Chapter 3 traces the attack on western-style music and dancing in state-sponsored popular culture in the same period, and the difficulties in fully implementing this policy. In chapter 4, I explore how the more pluralistic cultural policies during the early Thaw, 1953-56, impacted organized cultural activities. The fifth chapter presents a case study of the transformations in the Thaw by focusing on the novel institution of youth initiative clubs. Chapter 6 provides insights on the Kremlin's campaign to instill normative aesthetic tastes among youth as part of a brief militant turn in late 1956 and 1957. Finally, the last chapter traces the zig-zags in top-level cultural policy and its impact on youth everyday life during the socialist sixties, 1958 to 1968. I conclude that a multitude of young people truly had fun in Soviet organized cultural activities. State-sponsored popular culture, riven by tensions between a hard-line and soft-line approach to cultural policy, opened up significant room for youth agency and grassroots activism. This proved especially true during the Thaw, with the new post-Stalin leadership seeking to build a socialist alternative to a western modern consumer society as a means of constructing communism and fighting the Cold War on the domestic front. For state-sponsored popular culture, this socialist consumer society meant a combination of satisfying cultural consumption desires, shaping aesthetic tastes, and eliciting initiative from below.
- Date of publication
- August 2011
- Keyword
- Resource type
- Rights statement
- In Copyright
- Advisor
- Raleigh, Donald
- Degree
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Graduation year
- 2011
- Language
- Publisher
- Parents:
This work has no parents.
|Date Uploaded


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Product Description
Compact and robust 4-Channel Stereo-Headphone booster
The robust and compact TIE Studio Headphone booster is applicable for up to four headphones for simultaneous listening of the Main Mix during separate volume selection. Four highly productive, low-noise stereo boosters guarantee a first-class sound quality for every volume, no matter if needed for live or studio application.
- Robust and compact low-noise headphone booster
- Professional monitoring for live and studio applications
- 4 channels including a separate volume control for every channel
- High output level
- Inputs: Stereo-Cinch and 6,3 mm stereo plug
- 4 outputs with 6,3 mm stereo plug
- Mono/Stereo switch
- Color: Black
- Blue Status-LED
- Maximum input level: +14 dBV
- Signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) > 98 db
- Including 12 volt (150 mA) power supply
- Measurements: 76 x 95 x 30 mm
- Weight: 295 g


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Cheri and I had fun working on the Mom project together. Naturally mine don't look as good as hers - but I'm hoping to see improvement as I make each one. Unfortunately I can't share any pix because Mom is a loyal follower of my blog.
Cheri had brought delicious banana bread with her, and I whipped up some of my 'special' tuna, and cut up the mega-strawberries Tom had brought home, so it was a wonderful lunch.
She also had a wonderful embellishment suggestion for the UGLY quilt, so I need to make another (hopefully quick) trip up to Michael's for that supply. Luckily it isn't raining yet (we've actually had quite a bit of sunshine today) so I'm off to do that, go to the bank (I'm out of registers, which makes it hard to balance my checkbook) and pick up some groceries for the guest house before the weather gets serious. They're saying Phoenix could get as much as an inch of rain from this storm.
Mom did give me a bit of a hard time this morning when I 'complained' to her that our temps are going to plummet into the 60s this weekend.


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3 coaches will be honored at Kendall
Ben Gerbig, Dick Reynolds, Carol Brakenbury will all be inducted into Athletic Hall of Fame
Press release, Kendall Central School
KENDALL – Three coaches with long careers at Kendall will be inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame during a June 5 banquet.
The coaches – Ben Gerbig, Dick Reynolds and Carol Brakenbury – will be in the HOF's second class. Basketball great Roosevelt Bouie went into the HOF as the inaugural inductee last year.
Gerbig was a physical education teacher whose career spanned four decades. He oversaw a boys soccer program that earned 18 Genesee Region League Championships, appeared in Sectional finals eight times, and won two sectional championships. He is Kendall's all-time wins leader in boys soccer (297), and was recognized as Section V Class B Coach of the year four times. Coach Gerbig was inducted into the Section V Hall of Fame in 2000.
Dick Reynolds coached basketball and baseball four decades-plus. In his 20 seasons as the KCS varsity baseball coach, the team won 10 Genesee Region championships, made five Sectional finals appearances, and racked up 152 wins.
Reynolds was basketball coach during Kendall's glorious run, highlighted by undefeated seasons with Bouie. Reynolds coached the team from 1963 to 1977 and amassed 186 wins and only 72 losses. During his tenure, Kendall won five Section V championships and held the Section V record for consecutive wins with 57. Reynolds also oversaw the KCS athletic program from 1967 to 1992, serving as the longest tenured athletic director in KCS history.
Brakenbury was a pioneer coach at Kendall. Her career began in 1964, and she worked as a physical education teacher at KCS until her retirement in 1998.
Coach Brakenbury guided her soccer teams to three sectional championships, 13 Sectional finals, and 13 Genesee Region League Championships. She earned Section V Class B Girls Soccer coach of the year in 1982. Her team also won 42 straight games in the Genesee Region League.
As the KCS softball coach, Brakenbury won five Genesee Region League Championships and guided her team to the Section V finals in 1976. Coach Brakenbury is credited with beginning the girls' athletic program at KCS in 1975, and she is the first coach of the girls soccer, softball and volleyball programs.
Anyone interested in attending the KCS Athletic Hall of Fame Induction/KCS Senior Athlete night, sponsored by the KCS Sports Boosters, should contact the KCS main office at 659-2706 to reserve tickets. The event will be at Hickory Ridge Country Club in Holley.


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A call to prayer resounds and glides off the low foothills that cradle the hotel and EVs. Groups of dignitaries in sunglasses and suits pose for photos next to the chargers and the EV fleet: 4 — Tesla Model S's, 1 — Tesla Model X, 4 — Chevy Bolts, and a BMW i3. Laughter permeates the sun-drenched scene.
It is the Middle East Global EVRT 2018. For 9 days, participants have traveled across the UAE to Oman and back to demonstrate the possibilities of electric transportation. Here, at the new 5-star InterContinental Hotel in Fujairah, UAE, on Al Aqah Beach, about 55 people across ages and genders, ethnicities and statures, gather to admire the EVs and chargers and share stories of a sustainable future.
In the same way that the hotel combines Arab influences with contemporary design, so, too, does the Global EVRT meld the traditional and the futuristic. Within the Global EVRT goal of accelerating electric vehicle adoption around the globe is a deep respect for political and corporate institutions that have come onboard with EVs. These are people who have engaged in significant self-examination of what had been fossil fuel-based identities. It is a transformation of 20th century movers & shakers to that of clean renewable energy advocates — which has meant setting aside the very hubris that originally propelled them to power and prestige. The epiphanies are humbling and refreshing.
Ben Pullen, Global EVRT Managing Director, greets guests. His smile is contagious, and why not? His company's activism has resulted in EV charger installations in multiple settings across the UAE and Oman. The future has hope.
Chargers Invoke Curiosity and Enthusiasm
Bright green-and-white banners flap in the light breeze. Palm fronds, clear blue skies, white-washed walls, and serving staff in white high-collared jackets and black slacks set the scene. Guests sip "mocktails" of watermelon, mango, and orange juices, and some proudly don new Global EVRT white hats.
Standing between 2 overflowing bouquets of orange, yellow, and white roses in 3′ high glass vases, Pullen gathers the crowd's attention. "This is a momentous occasion: the opening of another Green Parking charging station. After 7 days of road-tripping, we're here in Fujairah. Thanks to the InterContinental team." He stops to gaze up the hill to the towering tiled hotel facade. "It's almost brand new, which is important to the future of EV adoption. New hotels in the future will help to embrace EVs in a key moment and consider how important they are for the EV infrastructure."
The "golden scissors" are grasped in unison by Pullen and the UAE dignitaries, who then move to the chargers. The row of EV aficionados open the Chevy Bolt trunk, remove the charging cord, and plug in the Green Parking charger together.
Shading his eyes off to the side, a man speaking Arabic into an iPhone peeks into the BMW i3 driver's window. A small wry smile inches across his face.
A Clean Energy Moment for the Sponsors
The unveiling of chargers at the InterContinental Hotel in Fujairha was one in a series of events in January 2018 that signified the beginning of clean renewable energy in the Middle East. Global EVRT is a grassroots endeavor with people who have a passion for zero-emissions transportation, as are its sponsors.
GreenParking: Dubai is on its way to become the Smart City of the Future and a Center of Sustainable Development. GreenParking supports the initiative to set up EV charging stations for zero-emission electric cars started by DEWA as part of the "Smart Dubai" concept introduced by the Ruler of Dubai. GreenParking offers a variety of different solutions with regard to EV charging systems adapted to each kind of car park, whether in one-family homes, communal residence car parks, public and shopping centre car parks, hotels, etc.
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group): IHG is managing the property on behalf of owner Al Ain Holding. It adds to more than 81 hotels operating across the company's InterContinental, Holiday Inn, Staybridge Suites, and Crowne Plaza brands in the Middle East.
Chevrolet: The Chevy Bolt, the electric vehicle that first cracked the code on affordability and long range in the US, is coming to the United Arab Emirates soon. The Chevrolet Bolt EV allows you to enjoy a 520 km range on a single charge, without having to compromise on the modern comforts we've come to expect.
The Sustainable City: The Sustainable City is a working model of what the future could look like. It is a modern application of social, economic, and environmental sustainability in the built environment. Achieved through innovative design, stakeholder engagement, and future monitoring to sustain itself. The first operational Net Zero Energy community in Dubai is modeled to become an international showcase for sustainable living, work, education, and recreation.
Emirates NBD: Emirates NBD's vision is to be globally recognized as the most valued financial services provider based in the Middle East. As a socially responsible corporation, Emirates NBD is an active participant and supporter of the UAE's main development and community initiatives, in close alignment with the UAE government's strategies, including financial literacy and advocacy for inclusion of People with Disabilities under its #Together Limitless platform. Emirates NBD Group is an official premier partner of EXPO 2020.
CleanTechnica: As the #1 cleantech news, reviews, & analysis site in the world, CleanTechnica supports EV initiatives all over the world. CleanTechnica strives to be the most indispensable website on the planet for cleantech news and commentary. We have been covering the cleantech industry obsessively since 2008 — before it was popular for mainstream media to dedicate blogs or subdomains to the topic.
Don't want to miss a cleantech story? Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News!
Have a tip for CleanTechnica, want to advertise, or want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.


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More than three decades after the Doors ankled their residency at the Whisky on the Sunset Strip, the band's keyboardist Ray Manzarek delighted a crowd of diehard fans Wednesday with fond memories of his time in one of rock 'n' roll's legendary bands. Sharing anecdotes of Jim's often reckless behavior, show antics and writing techniques, Manzarek was joined by a tribe of latter-day Sunset Strip stars (X's John Doe, the ubiquitous Perry Farrell) and a Beat-inspired poet (Michael McClure) to rekindle some of that '60s magic. For the most part, it worked.
The dot-com-sponsored event was promoted as a VIP extravaganza, which did not materialize. Fans didn't seem to mind, instead cheering wildly as Doe took Morrison's place out front and the band charged through the Doors' last two hits "Riders on the Storm" and "Love Me Two Times." Doors guitarist Robby Krieger leaned on blues stylings for the two numbers — his only performance during the two-hour show — and Manzarek went into free-form, full-handed piano banging as each song reached its climax.
The overzealous fans supplied group vocals as Manzarek did straightforward solo piano renditions of "The Crystal Ship" and "Moonlight Drive." Curiously, there was no drummer for the entire night. (Doors drummer John Densmore was in Europe.)
McClure read an excerpt from his current collaboration with Manzarek, "The Third Mind," a documentary film of live performances directed by William Tyler Smith and narrated by Peter Coyote. McClure, whose works share a spiritual connection to those of Morrison, read sans accompaniment and was well received; a later reading by Danny Sugarman, author of the Doors bio "No One Here Gets Out Alive," was constantly interrupted by audience shouts.
Farrell, who ruled the Sunset Strip in the 1980s as lead singer of Jane's Addiction, read excerpts from Morrison's "The Lizard King" as Manzarek plucked at the inside of the grand piano. Doe joined Farrell, Manzarek and Krieger to deliver the archetypal Doors rocker "L.A. Woman," which conveyed the brilliance rather than the excess that gave this L.A. band its notoriety.


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2019 has started pretty strong, especially when we take a look at the beauty stakes. So far, we've seen monumental launches from all of our favourite couture houses and high-end brands; DIOR, YSL and GIVENCHY have officially brought their A-game.
With this month's launches showing us the industry is working harder than ever to keep up with innovations, we can't wait to see what everyone has lined up for the year ahead and beyond. Let's discuss what we've loved using this month…
DIOR Lip Glow To The Max in Coral
I'll jump right in and say it: I love Lip Glow! It accompanies me wherever I go, keeping my lips nourished, plump and tinted with a unique pink tint thanks to its pH-adapting formula. And for years I've told everyone I cross paths with in life that they need this little of piece of DIOR in their life (DIOR should be paying me commission)! This month, however, that all changed. It's not the dramatic story you may be looking for (I'm still obsessed with the original Lip Glow), but I have found a new love in the next generation of Lip Glow: Lip Glow To The Max. Now with a lollipop twist, this new incarnation delivers even more shine and colour, which I'm all for! Of all six shades on Escentual (see all swatched here), 204 Coral is my favourite; its neutral warm pink hue is giving my winter complexion the radiance boost it needs!
Another product from DIOR? Yes, you caught me, I'm a huge, huge DIOR fan. If I'm honest there's rarely a DIOR launch that I don't love and this one is no different; mainly because it's a relaunch of one of my old favourites: Forever Foundation. Forever first launched in 2011, offering a full coverage, flawless and matte finish. But it seems DIOR's theme for the year ahead (if Lip Glow and Forever are anything to go by) is to give us more of what we love! Now Forever's available in a matte finish and a glow finish (in a total of 66 shades) with an amazing skin caring, anti-pollution formula with SPF35. If you're an avid reader of the Escentual blog, you won't be surprised that the Forever Glow is a little bit of me. Often with glowy finish foundations, you have to compromise on longevity but you don't have to with this – it keeps the complexion unified and radiant all day long. I was sold at first application, and I think you will be too, whether you choose matte or glow!
Find your Forever shade match here.
GIVENCHY Live Irresistible Rosy Crush Eau de Parfum Florale Spray
As I started to type about my love for this fragrance I realised a clear theme in my picks this month: the rediscovery of old favourites with a twist! Like Lip Glow and Forever, I have loved Live Irresistible before, albeit a different strength but it was Live Irresistible nonetheless!
As a huge fan of sweet scents Live Irresistible Rosy Crush spoke to me from the first spritz. It's fun and delicious but it's not at all sickly or heavy. It's rose and goji berry composition is the perfect pick-me-up in this dark and dreary weather and I'm so thankful for it at the moment; it brings a little energy to my zombie-like state!
Benefit Eyebright Pencil
Finding an eyeliner that doesn't make my eyes weep has been a life-long project of mine, that's until I tried the new Eyebright eyeliner from Benefit. Now, I can finally line my waterline with a pencil that ticks all of the 'sensitive eye' boxes, while still looking pretty pigmented. For anyone who struggles as I do, Eyebright doesn't drag, nor does it take 3 or 4 goes to get a decent colour pay-off; its peachy-pink hue looks amazing with a bold or neutral eye, and I'm actually finding it quite hard to create a makeup look that it doesn't look great with – 5-stars from me!
Nuxe Creme Prodigieuse Boost Night Recovery Oil Balm
Skincare is something I'm strict with; I don't just try any new launch, but as a lover of Nuxe, their new multi-corrective range: Creme Prodigieuse Boost spoke to me and my skin's current temperamental mood swings.
After using just the Creme Boost range for a month, I can't skip a night's sleep without using the Night Recovery Oil Balm; my skin loves its melt-in formula! But, I think what my complexion most enjoys is the fact its 93.2% natural. Since using this religiously, I'm now less prone to patchiness, my skin looks clearer, and my makeup lasts much longer throughout the day – it must be all of the antioxidants! Before I forget to mention, Creme Prodigieuse Boost as a whole smells heavenly; it's the perfect, peaceful sleep aid when you're in need of some pampering, which for me is every night!
Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Intense Eau de Parfum Spray
You know when you spray a fragrance and instantly think: "Wow, I need to know more about you" – this is how Black Opium Intense makes me feel, and it's been a while since a perfume made me feel this way.
Intense has everything we all love about the sugary original, but to me, this edition has more of a darker story to tell. From the first spray, you get an instant hit of blue absinthe cocktailed with a creamy latte note (that sounds wrong, but trust me, it just works). As the scent warms, you can feel Black Opium's feminity thrive, as smooth nuances of orange blossom tame Intense's dark side for a dry down that's uniquely fashion and oh, so YSL.
Which new beauty has made your January cut? Let us know via the #MyEscentual on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
Discover More:
• The Skincare Essentials You're Missing Out On
• Trending Beauty: 5 New Launches To Covet


text: Russ 0 Report post Posted May 7 Hey everyone! My name is Russ and I live in Knoxville. I've had the pleasure of meeting many 501st Legion members at different comic conventions and everyone I've had the pleasure to meet has been amazing. I wanted to place membership before the pandemic hit, so obviously that was put on hold for awhile. But now that things are starting to get back to normal I would really love to become a member! I look forward to talking and hopefully meeting everyone. Russ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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ERIC Number: ED327980
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1991
Pages: 6
Abstractor: N/A
Thinking about Thinking.
Gough, Deborah
Research Roundup, v7 n2 Win 1991
This document summarizes five studies that offer insight into the nature of higher-order thinking skills and the most effective methods for teaching them to students. The reviews outline the conclusions, definitions, recommendations, specific methods of teaching, instructional strategies, and programs detailed in the documents themselves. Strategies mentioned include the Concept Attainment Model, the Inductive Thinking Model, the Group Investigation Model, a continuum of teaching styles, classroom climate, listening, wait-time, active learning, recognition, a contingency strategy, and a permeation strategy. The documents reviewed include: "Understanding Thinking Skills" (Bijaya K. Shrestha); "Teaching Critical Thinking Skills in the Psychomotor Domain" (Ron E. McBride, Carl C. Gabbard, Glenn Miller); "Critical and Creative Thinking in the Classroom" (Jerry L. Thacker); "Integrating Thinking Skills into the Curriculum" (Barry K. Beyer, and Judith Dorsch Backes); and "How to Keep Thinking Skills from Going the Way of All Frills" (Carl Bereiter). The unifying theme in these reports is a belief that thinking skills should not be taught in isolation, but rather integrated across the curriculum. (CLA)
Publication Type: Collected Works - Serials
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Policymakers; Practitioners
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: National Association of Elementary School Principals, Alexandria, VA.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A


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Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Walked up grouse
Posted by James Marchington at 16:18
3 comments:
- Jim Mooney said...
Very nice bird James! What were you shooting and what type of dogs were you using?
- 26 August 2009 at 17:05
- The Amateur Naturalist said...
Having a tough time of things I see James...Just don't know how you meet all those deadlines. :)
- 27 August 2009 at 10:50
- James Marchington said...
Yes, it's a hard life! Still, even i deserve a holiday once in a while. I was using a 30 yr old AyA 12 bore, and shooting over my rubbish black lab, who excelled herself for once.
- 27 August 2009 at 20:59
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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The SS20 edition of London womenswear tradeshow Scoop (21-23 July) closed its doors on Tuesday night. Held yet again in the Saatchi Gallery off the King's Road, it's an inspiring 3-floor space to wander, with artworks and fashion presented side by side. Scoop may be geared towards brands with a decidedly feminine sensibility – think dress-based collections and neat knitwear – but the more casual offerings slot in nicely in this boutique-style environment. As a number of exhibitors we spoke to pointed out, even buyers whose budget is reserved mostly for dressier pieces will want to offer their consumer good jeans for the weekend.
Hot denim-led newcomer Self Cinema was among the show's first-time exhibitors. The Stockholm-based brand's SS20 collection (its premier outing) includes core styles as well as more elevated variants, such as studded jeans and a matching jacket, both crafted from GOTS certified denim and featuring recycled hardware. Non-denim pieces on display included the pictured pop-over jacket, cut to an oversized, cropped silhouette and made from recycled nylon by Econyl. Providing a bit of Scoop feedback, Self Cinema co-founder and creative director Samuel Thomas had this to say: "We've had a good show; the fair has been busy and it has vibrancy to it. We've met high-quality buyers as well as agencies that have expressed interest."
Dutch footwear brand United Nude's booth was an eye-catching one. For SS20, the architecture-inspired – designed by collection includes the Cube Sandal – a carryover of last summer's bestseller – in new color-ways, such as these shown here.
As always, Scoop served up plenty of premium knitwear brands. New York-based cashmere specialist Duffy NY brought plenty of casual-lux pieces to the show, such as cashmere joggers and matching hoodies. Said Ray Barron, the brand's Sales and Marketing Manager: "Our cotton-blend pieces with sporty mesh panels have done really well this season, as it's a cooler alternative for the warmer months. Buyers keep telling me that they live in their yoga pants, so it's clear the sport-lux trend is going nowhere."
Over at PS Paul Smith's booth, an eclectic vibe prevailed. Colorful prints – including the signature swirl pattern and rabbit motifs in different versions –adorned tees, dresses and silky shirts. There was also a good selection of denim, including the bestseller girlfriend fit and the true blue boiler suit pictured. This season marked the second Scoop outing for the brand, which usually invites buyers to its own showrooms, though we were told Scoop is a "good place for networking and keeping track of what's happening in the market."
Read also:


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Staff Accountant
- 10/25/2022 12:00:00
- Full Time
- Accounting
- Winfield
Job Description
Job Purpose: The Staff Accountant supports multiple locations in the daily accounting duties. The successful candidate will ensure transactional activity is accurate and timely in order to meet the deadline and scheduling requirements of any given task. They will identify and provide guidance for process and efficiency improvements as well as maintain and develop various reports as required, to assist in communicating results to others and finally assist with the monthly closing of financial records to Division and Corporate.
Essential Functions include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
- Prepares journal entries
- Performs monthly account reconciliations
- Assist with AR and AP activities, as needed
- Maintains the fixed asset listing
- Prepares key metrics on a daily, weekly and monthly basis
- Preform manufacturing variance analysis
- Execute month-end and year-end accounting processes
- Assists in the preparation and publish timely monthly financial statements
- Review job costs and PPV and recommend standard adjustments
- Interacts with other departments, management, and related companies on a regular basis
- Assists in providing internal and external audit support
- Assist in the completion of the annual budgets and forecasts including income statement, balance sheet and cash flow
- Able to accomplish tasks within deadlines and outside normal office hours, as business requires
- Perform additional support as assigned to help the team meet overall goals and requirements
Qualifications and Requirements: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Bachelor's degree in accounting with a minimum of 2 years' experience.
- Proficiency with ERP software is recommended, along with high a level experience in using Microsoft Office products to manage and interpret large amounts of data.
- Strong Analytical skills.
- Superior communication and interpersonal skills (verbal, non-verbal, written).
- Possess a high level of critical thinking.
- Ability to work with minimal supervision and the ability to complete tasks with limited support staff.
- Willingness to work additional hours if critical deadlines require it.
- Operates with a high level of professionalism and integrity.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality of accounting and personnel records.


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Mozambique's president and the leader of the country's main opposition group signed a new peace accord Tuesday, pledging to end years of violence and facilitate elections in the fall.
Afonso Dhlakama died last week in his hideout in the Gorongosa mountains, aged 65, without nominating a successor.
Afonso Dhlakama led Renamo party, a rebel movement, for 39 years and fought a 16-year war against the ruling Frelimo party. Renamo later emerged as an opposition party that still retained its armed fighters.
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This privacy policy ("Policy") describes how the personally identifiable information ("Personal Information") you may provide on the markethousecraftworks.ie website ("Website" or "Service") and any of its related products and services (collectively, "Services") is collected, protected and used. It also describes the choices available to you regarding our use of your Personal Information and how you can access and update this information. This Policy is a legally binding agreement between you ("User", "you" or "your") and Market House Craftworks ("Market House Craftworks", "we", "us" or "our"). By accessing and using the Website and Services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by the terms of this Agreement. This Policy does not apply to the practices of companies that we do not own or control, or to individuals that we do not employ or manage.
Automatic collection of information
Our top priority is customer data security and, as such, we exercise the no logs policy. We may process only minimal user data, only as much as it is absolutely necessary to maintain the Website and Services. Information collected automatically is used only to identify potential cases of abuse and establish statistical information regarding the usage and traffic of the Website and Services. This statistical information is not otherwise aggregated in such a way that would identify any particular user of the system.
Collection of personal information
You can access and use the Website and Services without telling us who you are or revealing any information by which someone could identify you as a specific, identifiable individual. If, however, you wish to use some of the features on the Website, you may be asked to provide certain Personal Information (for example, your name and e-mail address). We receive and store any information you knowingly provide to us when you make a purchase, or fill any online forms on the Website. When required, this information may include the following:
– Personal details such as name, country of residence, etc.
– Contact information such as email address, address, etc.
Some of the information we collect is directly from you via the Website and Services. However, we may also collect Personal Information about you from other sources such as public databases and our joint marketing partners. You can choose not to provide us with your Personal Information, but then you may not be able to take advantage of some of the features on the Website. Users who are uncertain about what information is mandatory are welcome to contact us.
Use and processing of collected information
In order to make the Website and Services available to you, or to meet a legal obligation, we need to collect and use certain Personal Information. If you do not provide the information that we request, we may not be able to provide you with the requested products or services. Any of the information we collect from you may be used for the following purposes:
– Create and manage user accounts
– Fulfill and manage orders
– Deliver products or services
– Improve products and services
– Respond to inquiries and offer support
– Improve user experience
– Post customer testimonials
– Enforce terms and conditions and policies
– Protect from abuse and malicious users
– Run and operate the Website and Services
Processing your Personal Information depends on how you interact with the Website and Services, where you are located in the world and if one of the following applies: (i) you have given your consent for one or more specific purposes; this, however, does not apply, whenever the processing of Personal Information is subject to California Consumer Privacy Act or European data protection law; (ii) provision of information is necessary for the performance of an agreement with you and/or for any pre-contractual obligations thereof; (iii) processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which you are subject; (iv) processing is related to a task that is carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in us; (v) processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by us or by a third party.
Note that under some legislations we may be allowed to process information until you object to such processing (by opting out), without having to rely on consent or any other of the following legal bases below. In any case, we will be happy to clarify the specific legal basis that applies to the processing, and in particular whether the provision of Personal Information is a statutory or contractual requirement, or a requirement necessary to enter into a contract.
Billing and payments
We use third party payment processors to assist us in processing your payment information securely. Such third party processors' use of your Personal Information is governed by their respective privacy policies which may or may not contain privacy protections as protective as this Policy. We suggest that you review their respective privacy policies.
Cookie policy
This cookie policy ("Policy") describes what cookies are and how and they're being used by the markethousecraftworks.ie website ("Website" or "Service") and any of its related products and services (collectively, "Services"). This Policy is a legally binding agreement between you ("User", "you" or "your") and Market House Craftworks ("Market House Craftworks", "we", "us" or "our"). You should read this Policy so you can understand the types of cookies we use, the information we collect using cookies and how that information is used. It also describes the choices available to you regarding accepting or declining the use of cookies.
What are cookies?
Cookies are small pieces of data stored in text files that are saved on your computer or other devices when websites are loaded in a browser. They are widely used to remember you and your preferences, either for a single visit (through a "session cookie") or for multiple repeat visits (using a "persistent cookie").
Session cookies are temporary cookies that are used during the course of your visit to the Website, and they expire when you close the web browser.
Persistent cookies are used to remember your preferences within our Website and remain on your desktop or mobile device even after you close your browser or restart your computer. They ensure a consistent and efficient experience for you while visiting the Website and Services.
Cookies may be set by the Website ("first-party cookies"), or by third parties, such as those who serve content or provide advertising or analytics services on the Website ("third party cookies"). These third parties can recognize you when you visit our website and also when you visit certain other websites.
What type of cookies do we use?
– Necessary cookies
Necessary cookies allow us to offer you the best possible experience when accessing and navigating through our Website and using its features. For example, these cookies let us recognize that you have created an account and have logged into that account to access the content.
– Functionality cookies
Functionality cookies let us operate the Website and Services in accordance with the choices you make. For example, we will recognize your username and remember how you customized the Website and Services during future visits.
What are your cookie options?
If you don't like the idea of cookies or certain types of cookies, you can change your browser's settings to delete cookies that have already been set and to not accept new cookies. To learn more about how to do this or to learn more about cookies, visit internetcookies.org
Do Not Track signals
Some browsers incorporate a Do Not Track feature that signals to websites you visit that you do not want to have your online activity tracked. Tracking is not the same as using or collecting information in connection with a website. For these purposes, tracking refers to collecting personally identifiable information from consumers who use or visit a website or online service as they move across different websites over time. How browsers communicate the Do Not Track signal is not yet uniform. As a result, the Website and Services are not yet set up to interpret or respond to Do Not Track signals communicated by your browser. Even so, as described in more detail throughout this Policy, we limit our use and collection of your personal information.
Disclosure of information
Depending on the requested Services or as necessary to complete any transaction or provide any service you have requested, we may share your information with your consent with our trusted third parties that work with us, any other affiliates and subsidiaries we rely upon to assist in the operation of the Website and Services available to you. We do not share Personal Information with unaffiliated third parties. These service providers are not authorized to use or disclose your information except as necessary to perform services on our behalf or comply with legal requirements. We may share your Personal Information for these purposes only with third parties whose privacy policies are consistent with ours or who agree to abide by our policies with respect to Personal Information. These third parties are given Personal Information they need only in order to perform their designated functions, and we do not authorize them to use or disclose Personal Information for their own marketing or other purposes.
We will disclose any Personal Information we collect, use or receive if required or permitted by law, such as to comply with a subpoena, or similar legal process, and when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, protect your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or respond to a government request.
Retention of information
We will retain and use your Personal Information for the period necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. We may use any aggregated data derived from or incorporating your Personal Information after you update or delete it, but not in a manner that would identify you personally. Once the retention period expires, Personal Information shall be deleted. Therefore, the right to access, the right to erasure, the right to rectification and the right to data portability cannot be enforced after the expiration of the retention period.
Transfer of information
Depending on your location, data transfers may involve transferring and storing your information in a country other than your own. You are entitled to learn about the legal basis of information transfers to a country outside the European Union or to any international organization governed by public international law or set up by two or more countries, such as the UN, and about the security measures taken by us to safeguard your information. If any such transfer takes place, you can find out more by checking the relevant sections of this Policy or inquire with us using the information provided in the contact section.
The rights of users
You may exercise certain rights regarding your information processed by us. In particular, you have the right to do the following: (i) you have the right to withdraw consent where you have previously given your consent to the processing of your information; (ii) you have the right to object to the processing of your information if the processing is carried out on a legal basis other than consent; (iii) you have the right to learn if information is being processed by us, obtain disclosure regarding certain aspects of the processing and obtain a copy of the information undergoing processing; (iv) you have the right to verify the accuracy of your information and ask for it to be updated or corrected; (v) you have the right, under certain circumstances, to restrict the processing of your information, in which case, we will not process your information for any purpose other than storing it; (vi) you have the right, under certain circumstances, to obtain the erasure of your Personal Information from us; (vii) you have the right to receive your information in a structured, commonly used and machine readable format and, if technically feasible, to have it transmitted to another controller without any hindrance. This provision is applicable provided that your information is processed by automated means and that the processing is based on your consent, on a contract which you are part of or on pre-contractual obligations thereof.
The right to object to processing
Where Personal Information is processed for the public interest, in the exercise of an official authority vested in us or for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by us, you may object to such processing by providing a ground related to your particular situation to justify the objection. You must know that, however, should your Personal Information be processed for direct marketing purposes, you can object to that processing at any time without providing any justification. To learn, whether we are processing Personal Information for direct marketing purposes, you may refer to the relevant sections of this document.
Data protection rights under GDPR
If you are a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA), you have certain data protection rights and Market House Craftworks aims to take reasonable steps to allow you to correct, amend, delete, or limit the use of your Personal Information. If you wish to be informed what Personal Information we hold about you and if you want it to be removed from our systems, please contact us. In certain circumstances, you have the following data protection rights:
– You have the right to request access to your Personal Information that we store and have the ability to access your Personal Information.
– You have the right to request that we correct any Personal Information you believe is inaccurate. You also have the right to request us to complete the Personal Information you believe is incomplete.
– You have the right to request the erase your Personal Information under certain conditions of this Policy.
– You have the right to object to our processing of your Personal Information.
– You have the right to seek restrictions on the processing of your Personal Information. When you restrict the processing of your Personal Information, we may store it but will not process it further.
– You have the right to be provided with a copy of the information we have on you in a structured, machine-readable and commonly used format.
– You also have the right to withdraw your consent at any time where Market House Craftworks relied on your consent to process your Personal Information.
You have the right to complain to a Data Protection Authority about our collection and use of your Personal Information. For more information, please contact your local data protection authority in the European Economic Area (EEA).
How to exercise these rights
Any requests to exercise your rights can be directed to Market House Craftworks through the contact details provided in this document. Please note that we may ask you to verify your identity before responding to such requests. Your request must provide sufficient information that allows us to verify that you are the person you are claiming to be or that you are the authorized representative of such person. You must include sufficient details to allow us to properly understand the request and respond to it. We cannot respond to your request or provide you with Personal Information unless we first verify your identity or authority to make such a request and confirm that the Personal Information relates to you.
Privacy of children
We do not knowingly collect any Personal Information from children under the age of 13. If you are under the age of 13, please do not submit any Personal Information through the Website and Services. We encourage parents and legal guardians to monitor their children's Internet usage and to help enforce this Policy by instructing their children never to provide Personal Information through the Website and Services without their permission. If you have reason to believe that a child under the age of 13 has provided Personal Information to us through the Website and Services, please contact us. You must also be at least 16 years of age to consent to the processing of your Personal Information in your country (in some countries we may allow your parent or guardian to do so on your behalf).
We may permit certain third party companies to help us tailor advertising that we think may be of interest to users and to collect and use other data about user activities on the Website. These companies may deliver ads that might place cookies and otherwise track user behavior.
Email marketing
We offer electronic newsletters to which you may voluntarily subscribe at any time. We are committed to keeping your e-mail address confidential and will not disclose your email address to any third parties except as allowed in the information use and processing section. We will maintain the information sent via e-mail in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
In compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act, all e-mails sent from us will clearly state who the e-mail is from and provide clear information on how to contact the sender. You may choose to stop receiving our newsletter or marketing emails by following the unsubscribe instructions included in these emails or by contacting us. However, you will continue to receive essential transactional emails.
Links to other resources
The Website and Services contain links to other resources that are not owned or controlled by us. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other resources or third parties. We encourage you to be aware when you leave the Website and Services and to read the privacy statements of each and every resource that may collect Personal Information.
Information security
We secure information you provide on computer servers in a controlled, secure environment, protected from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. We maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards in an effort to protect against unauthorized access, use, modification, and disclosure of Personal Information in its control and custody. However, no data transmission over the Internet or wireless network can be guaranteed. Therefore, while we strive to protect your Personal Information, you acknowledge that (i) there are security and privacy limitations of the Internet which are beyond our control; (ii) the security, integrity, and privacy of any and all information and data exchanged between you and the Website and Services cannot be guaranteed; and (iii) any such information and data may be viewed or tampered with in transit by a third party, despite best efforts.
Data breach
In the event we become aware that the security of the Website and Services has been compromised or users Personal Information has been disclosed to unrelated third parties as a result of external activity, including, but not limited to, security attacks or fraud, we reserve the right to take reasonably appropriate measures, including, but not limited to, investigation and reporting, as well as notification to and cooperation with law enforcement authorities. In the event of a data breach, we will make reasonable efforts to notify affected individuals if we believe that there is a reasonable risk of harm to the user as a result of the breach or if notice is otherwise required by law. When we do, we will post a notice on the Website, send you an email.
Changes and amendments
We reserve the right to modify this Policy or its terms relating to the Website and Services from time to time in our discretion and will notify you of any material changes to the way in which we treat Personal Information. When we do, we will revise the updated date at the bottom of this page. We may also provide notice to you in other ways in our discretion, such as through contact information you have provided. Any updated version of this Policy will be effective immediately upon the posting of the revised Policy unless otherwise specified. Your continued use of the Website and Services after the effective date of the revised Policy (or such other act specified at that time) will constitute your consent to those changes. However, we will not, without your consent, use your Personal Information in a manner materially different than what was stated at the time your Personal Information was collected.
Acceptance of this policy
You acknowledge that you have read this Policy and agree to all its terms and conditions. By accessing and using the Website and Services you agree to be bound by this Policy. If you do not agree to abide by the terms of this Policy, you are not authorized to access or use the Website and Services.
Contacting us
If you would like to contact us to understand more about this Policy or wish to contact us concerning any matter relating to individual rights and your Personal Information, you may do so via the contact form or send an email to [email protected]
This document was last updated on February 2, 2021


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This post is written by Wes Melton, Co-Founder and CTO of SmokyMountains.com, the fastest growing property management firm in the Great Smoky Mountains region. Wes' post designed to help VR owners and managers make more educated technology decisions.
"Computers themselves, and software yet to be developed, will revolutionize the way we learn." – Steve Jobs
The vacation rental industry is finally getting some much needed attention and innovation from the technology space. Exciting for some – daunting for others. The defining moment for vacation rental business owners big and small will be the self-realization that technology enablement is not optional – it is now a requirement for future success.
But unfortunately, for those that feel they're behind the 8-ball, the process of making the business overhaul towards technological health can be overwhelming.
When should I buy new software? Is this software salesman telling me the truth? When is the right time to switch? What's wrong with how I'm doing things now? Will this really automate my entire operation and unlock huge chests of gold? Is investing in new technology worth the risk?
While the questions (and answers depending on who you ask) are nearly endless, I thought it would be helpful to provide a mental framework that will enable someone to successfully evaluate their current and future technology needs for their VR business even if they don't feel particularly skilled in that arena.
1. How do I know if it's time for new technology?
This is probably one of the hardest questions to answer because the needs are so varying from business to business. At a high-level here are six level setting points we should all be on the same page about:
- If you are not accepting credit card payments, it's time to start. Less than 7% of all U.S. bank transactions happen on paper now and that trend is not reversing.
- If you are accepting credit card payments but not storing credit card numbers in a PCI compliant way, it's time to start.
- If you have a website, guests need to be able to book online on your site.
- If you do not have a website, you should think critically about whether your business needs one.
- If you do not currently collect your guest's pertinent information (email addresses, phone numbers, personal addresses along with typical travel days, spend amounts per stay, party size) in a way that other software can get to easily then you're leaving money on the table – it's time to change.
- If you are a property management company and your software looks like this below, it's time to get new software:
(Note: If you are not currently on the same page with the above items, my immediate recommendation would be to start with those and try to make technology choices for your brand that enable 'yes' answers to some of the high-level questions below.)
A High-Level Framework
Beyond the above, at a high-level it's critical that you evaluate your current technology enablement through this high-level framework –
Do the majority (or growing majority) of my guests/customers desire to complete their buyer journey with a technological solution I do not currently offer?
For example – do the majority of your customers typically buy things or book travel on a brand's website? We should all be nodding our head "yes" to this one.
Even if the final purchase is made via phone (<50% according to industry statistics), recent studies[1. 5 Game-Changing Hotel Industry Trends To Tackle in 2016, HospitalityNet.org] show that 51.8% of travelers who book via digital means will do so from a smart-phone – that's not the important statistic though. 51.8% is up 43.8% over last year. That's the data story we need to be considering – digitally enabled buyer experiences are as explosive as ever – the question is no longer "should I have a website?" but, "Now that I have a website, is it mobile device friendly?".
If the answer isn't yes – it needs to be yes very soon or you are putting your marketing dollars and bottom line at risk.
Does my current technology setup allow me to rescue hours through minimizing repetitive tasks? (sending arrival information emails one by one?)
It is painful to me when I consider how outdated most of the popular Property Management Systems are when it comes to routine and repetitive tasks. A large majority of existing software solutions still require you to manually send emails out – they're not action triggered. Gah!
That being said – if you are manually cranking out emails every time your guests book or prior to their arrival – you are wasting valuable time that could be spent on other higher value items. Said another way – if you are the owner or property manager, you are literally the highest paid person doing the lowest value tasks possible.
If you're looking at Property Management Software for the first time or looking to make the switch, please ask questions about automation. Most of the big players will say their solution is 'automated', but it's really not.
Automation is when things happen while you're asleep. Software enablement is when things happen after you still have to go do something in the system every time. There's a difference there that's important to understand.
Does my current technology setup allow me to integrate easily with other technology solutions that could provide value to the guests and/or the bottom line?
As I mentioned before, the Vacation Rental industry is finally starting to make the agonizing move towards becoming a first-class software industry.
The trade-off is that most existing/legacy software solutions (who still have booths at conferences) built their software stack with a very outdated mentality that didn't play well with others.
Modern software is built on the core concepts of integration, APIs, webhooks, triggers, and more. If you're not sure what I mean – take a look at IFTTT.com. While not specific to our industry vertical, IFTTT is the king of showing how powerful software can be when they all talk to each other in powerful ways. Check out this post and learn how to utilize IFTTT to your advantage.
When evaluating software, asking about integrations with other software and hardware providers is a good thing to educate yourself on. You will probably find most platforms aren't super integrated with 3rd party systems right now, but you should be able to get a sense of whether they're actively moving in that direction or not with a few questions.
Does my current technology setup present a buyer journey that is common in the majority of other hospitality experiences?
Self-evaluation is hard.
We've built a lot of software solutions in house to fill the gaps in existing technology. The hard part about self-evaluation is admitting that we still drop the ball sometimes, still miss things, and still have a ways to go to get where we are providing our customers with a level of customer service we can feel great about.
The fact of the matter is that whether you think your current setup is advanced, good-enough, or terrible really isn't important...
What matters is whether your customer feels that your current setup is on-par with their expectations. If you're behind the times (can't book on your website, can't sign contracts online, can't view site from a mobile device, can't click to call, can't automate repetitive tasks, etc.) then you're almost certainly not meeting expectations and losing valuable bookings.
Does my current technology setup enable intelligent customer segmentation and personalized marketing?
That's a mouth-full. What does it mean though?
A simple example: Can you currently segment your email marketing based on the dates guests travel, or the type of property they typically booked (2 bedroom guests are in a different buyer persona than 12 bedroom guests), or the value of their last stay?
Targeted marketing is critical to squeezing profit out of every marketing dollar, keeping your email lists fresh, and getting your emails in to the inbox and out of the spam folder.
I've looked at a lot of PMS systems. None of them do this well – the biggest players don't really do this at all.
It will take some work to massage your data and update it moving forward, but if your current solution doesn't offer intelligent customer segmentation, then using some out of the box email providers like SendGrid or ConstantContact can get you a large part of the way there.
Does my current technology setup allow for innovation as a company and brand?
This last one is less clear-cut but important to think through.
If you had an epiphany moment tomorrow morning about a great new way to attract renters and garner attention for your brand, how difficult would your current software setup make it? Would you have to spend hours digging through data and massaging it in spreadsheets? Would it even be possible without significant hours from a talented developer?
You don't have to be a techy to innovate – but you do have to have the right tools in place to let you iterate quickly over ideas if you want to stay not only relevant, but ahead of the curve.
Section Wrap-up
None of the items in the high-level framework require an understanding of technology – they only require an understanding of current (and changing) customer needs, a general awareness of technological solutions that are available, and an objective comparison of how the buying journey with your brand is different than the last time you booked a hotel/flight/etc.
Granted saying 'only' doesn't make it easier if you don't actually have that information floating around in your brain already. So how do you educate yourself on technological options available if you don't currently?
On to part two!
2. How do I learn about technological solutions that are currently available?
I travel to a lot of conferences each year.
Every time I'm preparing to attend a conference, without fail I look at the cost, the time away from the office and catch myself thinking that it's not worth it or that the office is just 'too busy' for me to get away right now.
I always go anyway.
Historically when I look back on the time spent at conferences, there are only 1 or 2 conferences I can think of that I have any partial regret about. Even then, the regret is typically based on my own inability to focus and maximize the time there.
For those who want to learn about new technological solutions that are available in the Vacation Rental Industry my number one recommendation would be to start going to conferences. At least 2 -3 a year.
If you do not currently have a solid software solution in place, please be aware: growing software companies are starting to launch their own conferences that are primarily about their own software. If you are in the 'evaluation' stage of looking at software and trying to learn about what's out there I would highly recommend NOT going to a conference put on by a major software provider – at least not as your first conference (though going to a conference put on by a software provider can be a great choice once you start strongly considering one solution over the others).
So what conferences that are Stateside would I recommend? The VRMA National Conference is a good first one to visit (they also have regional ones that are good – just not as many vendors but still worth it if close(ish) to where you are located). A large number of technology providers will have booths with demos and nice folks to answer questions you have. Since it's not run by a software/technology provider, there's very little bias (outside of paid sponsorships) at the conference and will allow you to have an objective exposure to a lot of technology solutions available.
Meet-ups Are Valuable
If you happen to live in or near a major market, going to meetups can be great ways to get introduced to new technologies and individuals who are thought leaders in the technology space. While you may not always walk away with a broader understanding of specific software solutions, you will/should walk away with a better understanding in general.
So let's fast-forward in time...
You've been researching online and you're finally ready to go to a conference to investigate software solutions in person, see some demos, and ask some good questions.
Let me bring you up to speed on some things you should know about the software/technology space in the Vacation Rental Industry right now.
3. Key truths that are critical to the software buying process
Here are some things most people aren't going to tell you (especially not the ones selling you software or technology solutions).
The software space inside the vacation rental industry is heating up FAST.
New software solutions are popping up weekly, technology companies in the VR space are starting to take on funding, and most importantly, Venture Capitalists (VCs) are starting to invest in technology providers in the VR space aggressively for the first time. To learn about the leaders, check VR Start-ups Taking On New and Unexpected Job Titles.
So what does that mean for you? It means you should be aware of some key truths not always apparent to the newcomer:
For the most part, the latest and greatest vacation rental software is outdated
When you look at the current state of technology in the Vacation Rental industry against the broader technology space and parallel markets, what you will learn quickly is that very few new technology companies are actually delivering anything 'advanced' or 'forward thinking'. That's important to understand because the VR industry IS heating up and new players are entering rapidly which inevitably means that great new things are coming: there is tons of room for growth. So if you're signing new software now to fill an immediate need, you're still making the right choice, but be cognizant that you may need to be ready for a switch when something better comes out in the next 1-2 years.
VC funding can result in conflicting motives for the sales guy
When startup software companies are in their early stages, and especially if they're backed by a VC, they have exactly one goal and one goal only – sign as many new users as possible (gotta keep that churn rate down!). When VCs invest in startup software companies, the money comes with claws. Specifically, if the startup doesn't achieve specific escape velocity metrics then the VC is going to likely 'claw back' the money and the startup will likely go under. Ouch. Keep this in mind when evaluating new solutions. Make sure you get your questions answered thoroughly and that you're comfortable with what you're buying before you sign on the dotted line
If a software company is new, it likely doesn't do everything the sales guy is telling you it does (but they know it likely will at some point)
It's an unfortunate reality, and you probably won't find a software solution that actually does everything it's advertised as doing right out of the box. Don't sweat it - that's true in 100% of software verticals and I've consulted on software solutions for billion dollar companies that had multi-million-dollar price tags. Just make sure you get a demo of the functionality you really care about and a good comfort level that your point of contact will be willing to help you later.
If a software company is a startup (less than 2 years old), you should do your homework before moving critical pieces of your operation
It's not strictly related to software startups – most business fail in the first 2 years, and the majority that don't fail in the first 2 years will fail in the first 5 years. If you're looking to move a key piece of operations on to a new software solution that appears to simplify, automate, and improve many business processes, do your homework and make sure they're likely going to be around for a while. It could be hugely destructive to your business to move your company on to a software solution that disappears 8 months later. A good rule of thumb is this: If it would take you more than 1 -2 days to 'undo' the integration and get operational again, I would not move that section of your business to a startup.
There is no perfect software solution – only software that does certain tasks better than others
When you're evaluating software, it's critical that you understand that no single software solution will likely solve all of your headaches. This is why it's important to ask questions to better understand what other established and well known software products already have built in integrations to the software you're researching. Asking good questions on the front end will help you make the better all-around choice for your brand while accepting the reality that there is not a one product fixes all solution.
When we were first starting out with SmokyMountains.com, we evaluated a lot of software providers to help us get off the ground. After being mislead at a software show about Credit Card processing being automatic we hopped on a call with our account rep.
After a very heated discussion, a person in management at one of the largest (maybe the largest?) property management systems in the industry told us they didn't ever foresee rolling out automatic credit card payment processing. They said none of their customers identified it as a need. Somehow they all thought it made since to manually process them every day on their payment due date.
Our heads exploded.
We saw them launch that feature this year – we laughed.
That was our experience on most functionality that we wanted and have inevitably wound up programming solutions for in-house. It's made us a better company and a better brand.
But not everyone has development talent in house, and I get that.
I share this story with you to communicate the following – if you see a feature that you know your customers (and everyone elses) are experiencing regularly with our buyer experiences – keep pushing the software provider to implement new features.
Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease first.
4. Evaluate the people, not just the product
It's painfully easy to get down in the weeds evaluating a software product and completely forget that this software is being programmed and supported by human, non-binary speaking, people.
So when you're evaluating software, the mindset should be similar to any business relationship you enter in to – how competent is the person I'm talking to? Do they have good customer service skills? Are they likely to be patient and helpful when I have questions later?
My business partner David (@DavidAngotti) and I were at a VR conference a year or so ago evaluating software solutions.
While I was interested in learning about the software, I was also interested to get a feel for the folks running the software that I was considering handing my business's hard-earned money over to.
They had a slick booth with the hot back drops and live demos on a big flat screen TV, but the staffer I was speaking with needed help answering all 3 of the first 3 questions I asked. By question 5 or 6 they handed me off to someone else who couldn't answer my questions either.
I share this experience with you because it's important to remember that these are the same people that are going to be answering your support calls after you've implemented the software at your business and have issues. If folks at the conferences don't know the product well, they aren't going to know it any better when they're back at their desk answering your questions over the phone.Make sure you get a strong comfort level from the folks at the booth who are answering your questions.
Make sure the people you're talking to at the conferences can answer your questions or find you someone who can. You do not need to be an expert at this: but if the representative doesn't seem super knowledgeable and confident, I would recommend moving on to the next vendor regardless of what great technology they're supposedly offering; the headaches and heartburn in my experience tend to outweigh the promised benefits.
Matt's Note
A lot of folks I meet are intimidated to ask questions to reps at conferences, afraid they may sound stupid or that the question may be too obvious. In fact, this describes me. Technology makes me anxious and when it comes to certain types of software, I don't even know the right things to ask.
But what I have learned, reinforcing Wes' point above, is that the good vendors LOVE individuals like us who genuinely want to better understand our own needs. Specifically, here's what I like to do when approaching a new software solution I don't fully understand:
- Approach in off-peak hours or away from the floor, otherwise they'll be rushed
- Be super honest and share the current state of my business
- Tell them to speak in layman's terms and every time they use an acronym or a word I don't understand, interrupt them mid-sentence and ask them to start again
- Ask them to repeat concepts that are new to me a second and third time
- Repeat these things back to them so that I internalize the concepts (otherwise, I'm just nodding my head to avoid looking stupid)
- Don't be afraid to ask awkward questions like "what makes you different from [most obvious competitor]? or "Is this type of software really made for someone with my budget?"
5. LSI is about more than listing sites
In the Inner Circle we value the phrase "Listing Site Independence" because we know that it means reduced risk to our brands future success by not having our revenue sources tied to any single listing site (or lead source).
When evaluating your marketing portfolio, it's helpful to ask, "What happens if your listing site disappears tomorrow?" When evaluating software for your company, it's crucial that you also understand the implications of a very important phrase: Intellectual Property Rights.
Example: There are a growing number of software platforms that offer you a 'free' (or cheap) website that integrates with their platform and lets you take bookings right on 'your' site.
What you probably don't get told is that you have to host your site on their servers, and that if they shut down shop overnight, you're probably left with nothing. All of your great blog posts, content pages, listing copy, etc. – gone.
When evaluating software partners to service your website needs, make sure you ask questions about who owns your content, who owns your photos, what happens if they decide to shut down, what happens if they get acquired by a bigger company, will they help you get your content on to another server?
The good news is that there are some good companies out there with in-house talent that can help you integrate with most major software providers and host your own site that you own.
6. Risk and Reward
With every major business decision there is inherent risk versus reward – understanding the changing business and technology environment that your business exists inside of is crucial to making those decisions effectively.
That said, if your vacation rental business is not tending towards providing technologically enabled experiences that the typical buyer expects, then you are likely taking a bigger risk than not updating your technology – you're potentially risking your entire business.
In our market there are over 22,000 vacation rentals. There are also 400+ companies that manage these properties.
When we evaluate the competitive landscape, the companies we see in the leaders quadrant are the ones with the best grasp of technology trends that effect the buyer experience and are taking the risks of adopting these new technological norms.
The companies we see shrinking and shutting down shop are the ones who don't see the need to make the forward moving changes or are too afraid of the perceived risk involved in the change to make their business better and more sustainable over the long haul.
I've written elsewhere, "One thing we can all say for certain though – is when you're at that cross-roads, if you don't roll the dice – if you don't take the risk and make a decision you're unsure about – you're risking the business anyway. So breath that in. Let it set deep and firm – if you don't intentionally make a decision when you're at a crossroads – you're unintentionally making a decision to not move forward, which could be the biggest risk of all."
It's important that your business continues to enable itself technologically, but that you do so with as much self-education as possible.
So where do you stand with your vacation rental business? Are you moving towards utilizing modern technological advances to wow your guests and reap new profits, or are you paralyzed in indecision while your business plateaus with its profitability?
VRMB Technology Evaluation Checklist
- How long have you been in business? (<5 years – ask lots of questions)
- How large is your organization in terms of staff? (1-2 guys? Ask lots of questions)
- Do you have customers that would be willing to share their experience with me?
- Who owns my data if we decide to switch later? Do you have tools that make exporting my data easy?
- What other existing software providers do you integrate with?
- Is your software cloud based? (if the answer is no, run.)
- Do you share my company's data with others or use it for your own marketing purposes?
- What specifically does your software do better than your competitors? (If the answer is primarily about how much the competition sucks, not their own benefits, then theirs isn't that good).
- How quickly do enhancement requests typically get developed and deployed? (Ask for specific numbers in the past 12 months. If features are rolling out slowly, they likely aren't a great long term choice).


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Carol Trawick doesn't paint, act, or play an instrument—but she makes beautiful music and art possible.
As a community activist and chair of the Bethesda–Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce, she helped get downtown Bethesda designated as an arts-and-entertainment district. Now the Montgomery County suburb promotes galleries, theaters, and cultural activities such as the annual Bethesda Literary Festival.
Trawick was the first chair of the committee to save nearby Glen Echo Park. One of the initial steps was to convince a donor to pay for a sprinkler system so the old carousel could operate again. Trawick also helped begin the process for federal, state, and local governments to work together to restore the park.
"I've lived long enough to see others carry through and give back a wonderful resource for the arts," she says.
Trawick has come to the aid of other organizations in crisis. She helped Joy of Motion Dance Center keep its doors open—contributing $10,000 to start a fundraising campaign, then adding a $10,000 matching grant to encourage others to support the center. The Trawick family's foundation supports many health-and-welfare organizations and gives space and encouragement to emerging nonprofits.
She and her late husband, Jim, created the Trawick Prize, given to a visual artist each year, as well as the Bethesda Painting Awards, and they donated funds to the Bethesda literary and fine-arts festivals. They gave $2.5 million to Imagination Stage and a $1-million endowment to the Music Center at Strathmore for its arts-and-education program. Thanks to people like her, Strathmore has grown from a mansion on a hill to a spectacular performance hall and a teaching center for six arts organizations.
Every Montgomery County second- and fifth-grader has the chance to visit Strathmore for a concert. Trawick was in the audience with a group of fifth-graders when the National Philharmonic played Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. "Those children were out of their seats," she says. "The excitement, the power of a vision, the community coming together—it's just wonderful."


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The Grace Kelly Dress is the story of three generations of women connected by one dress. You should know (and if you've seen my reviews it's no secret) I LOVE dual narrators as a storytelling device, and I just cannot get enough of how their stories weave together. Having this as three stories in one was then just totally my jam from the get go.
The first story is about the creation of the dress. This is in the late 1950s where everyone wants a dress just like Princess Grace. The story focuses on a seamstress who works for a prestigious designer. With that work, there are some pretty huge secrets at play. Additionally, while working on a variation of the Grace Kelly dress for a bride from a wealthy family, the seamstress finds herself drawn to the bride's brother. She knows he's off limits, but she can't deny their connection and dreaming about what could never be.
The next story is Joan in the 1980s. In the present day, Joan is the mother of the bride, but in this story, she is the bride. The story focuses on Joan being given the dress to wear by her mother. What should be a happy, joyous time is infused with other emotions that Joan is trying to work through. Joan also is learning things she was told are not true, and navigating these family secrets is some tough stuff.
Finally, there is Rocky. Rocky is a bride in present day. She's creative and unique, and she's not sure the dress fits her style. She feels the pressure to wear it from her mother, and the thought of telling her she isn't something she's emotionally ready to do. Part of this is Rocky just doesn't get why her mom is so focused on having this dress be part of Rocky's wedding day.
The story alternates between each of these three stories. Each woman has her own secrets, her own passions, and her own love she is navigating, as well as her relationship to the dress and the upcoming wedding. With each chapter, truths are revealed about each character in a slow burn that is so, so good. At its core, this is also one about relationships. The way these are written and used as plot devices is masterful. There are twists and reveals throughout through these, and because of the way this story is built, I did not see them coming.
This is overall a beautiful story of family, of love, and the things that connect us all. I devoured this one as I wanted to know what was going to happen with each of these women. I also loved how developed each woman was as a character. While the backdrop of a wedding was obviously a key player, this was at its core the story of three generations of women. Each had their own story, and as the book went, the story of the connections of these women started to weave together in that way I always love.
I owe a big thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for letting me part of this tour. Oh, and the best news? This book is out TODAY, so you can (and should) go get this book right now!
But wait, before you go!
I have the opportunity to share an excerpt of this book with you to further draw you into this beautiful story:
The mother of the bride, as a bride herself
Long Island, 1982She loved the dress. She loved the veil that went with it, too, though she wasn't sure if it could be salvaged. It was showing signs of age, its edges curling and tinged with brown. But that wouldn't dull her excitement.Today was the day she would be trying on her mother's wedding dress. Even though Joanie had tried it on countless times as a child—it was a favorite rainy-day activity with her mother—today felt different. She was engaged, just like she'd dreamed about ever since she could remember. When she tried the dress on this time, it was for keeps. She was completely in love with the dress."Let me help you get it on," Joanie's mother said, her French accent coming through. It was always more pronounced when she was feeling emotional. With her American friends, Joanie noticed, her mother always tried to sound "American," softening her accent and using American expressions. But when they were alone, she could be herself. Let her guard down. Joanie knew exactly who her mother was, and she loved her for it.Her mother handed Joanie a pair of white cotton gloves and then put on her own set. The first step in trying the dress on, always, so that the oils in their hands wouldn't defile the fabric. She laid the large box on her bed and nodded her head at her husband, her signal to give them privacy. The door closed to Joanie's childhood bedroom, and she and her mother were alone.The white cotton gloves were cool and smooth on her skin. Joanie opened the box slowly. So slowly. It was sealed with a special plastic that was supposed to keep it airtight so that the dress would not oxidize and turn yellow. She and her mother laughed as they struggled to set the dress free. The last time she tried the dress on was the summer before her sister died. It was after Michele's death that her mother brought the dress into the city so that it might be cleaned properly and preserved for just this day. At the time, Joanie hadn't understood the connection between her sister's sudden death and her mother's tight grip on family heirlooms, but now, a year into her psychology degree at NYC University, she understood. It was so hard to hold on to things that were important to you, things that mattered, and preserving her wedding dress, this memory, was her mother's way of taking control of something. It was something she could save.The dress was just as beautiful as she'd remembered. Crafted from rose point lace, the same lace used on Grace Kelly's iconic wedding dress, it was delicate and classic and chic and a million other things Joanie couldn't even articulate."Go on," her mother said, holding the first part of the dress—the bodice with the attached underbodice, skirt support, and slip—out for her to take. As a child, it had thrilled Joanie to no end that the wedding dress her mother wore was actually made up of four separate pieces. It was like a secret that a bride could have on her special day, something that no one else knew."I couldn't," Joanie said, hands at her side. Knowing how carefully preserved the dress had been, what the dress had meant to her mother, it was hard for Joanie to touch it. She didn't want to get it dirty, sully its memory. "It's just so beautiful.""It's yours now," her mother said, smiling warmly. "The dress belongs to you. Put it on."Joanie kicked off her ballerina flats, and her mother helped her ease the bodice on. Joanie stood at attention as her mother snapped the skirt into place, and wrapped the cummerbund around her waist. Joanie held her hands high above her head, not wanting to get in the way of her mother's expert hands, hands that knew exactly where to go, fingers that knew exactly what to do."You ready in there, Birdie?" her father yelled from the hallway, impatient, his French accent just as strong as the day he left France. Joanie always loved how her father had a special nickname for her mother. When they first married, he would call her mother GracieBird, a nickname of Grace Kelly's, because of the Grace Kelly–inspired wedding gown she wore on their wedding day. Eventually, it was shortened to Bird, and then over time, it became Birdie. What would Joanie's fiancé call her?Joanie inspected her reflection in the mirror. Her shoulder-length blond hair, recently permed, looked messy. Her pink eye shadow, which had always seemed so grown-up on her sister, made her appear tired and puffy-eyed. But the dress? The dress was perfect.Her mother opened the door slowly, and her father's face came into view. His expression softened as he saw his daughter in the wedding dress. She walked out into the hallway, towards him, and she could see a tear forming in the corner of his eye.She turned to her mother, about to tell her that Daddy was crying, when she saw that her mother, too, had teared up. Joanie couldn't help it—seeing her mother and father cry, she began to cry as well. She could never keep a dry eye when someone else was crying, least of all her parents, ex-pats from Europe who hardly ever cried.Michele's presence floated in the air like a haze, but no one would say it. No one dared mention that she would have worn the dress first. Should have worn the dress first."And look at us," her mother said, her hands reaching out and grabbing for her husband and daughter. "All of us crying like little babies."All three embraced—carefully, of course, so as not to ruin the dress.Her father kissed the top of her head. "Give us a twirl."Joanie obliged. The dress moved gracefully as she spun. Joanie curtsied, and her father gently took her hand and kissed it."I know what you're thinking," her mother said, her voice a song."What?" Joanie asked absentmindedly, while staring at her reflection in the mirror. She knew the first thing she'd change—the sleeves. The dress needed big, voluminous sleeves, just like Princess Diana had worn on her wedding day."Or I should say who you're thinking about," her mother said, a gentle tease."Who?" Joanie asked, under her breath, twirling from side to side in front of the mirror, watching the dress move."Your fiancé," her mother said, furrowing her brow. "Remember him?""For sure," Joanie said, spinning around to face her mother. "My fiancé. Yes. I knew that. And, yes. I was." But the truth was, she had completely forgotten.Excerpted from The Grace Kelly Dress by Brenda Janowitz. Copyright © 2020 by Brenda Janowitz. Published by Graydon House Books.
Two years after Grace Kelly's royal wedding, her iconic dress is still all the rage in Paris—and one replica, and the secrets it carries, will inspire three generations of women to forge their own paths in life and in love.
Paris, 1958: Rose, a seamstress at a fashionable atelier, has been entrusted with sewing a Grace Kelly—look-alike gown for a wealthy bride-to-be. But when, against better judgment, she finds herself falling in love with the bride's handsome brother, Rose must make an impossible choice, one that could put all she's worked for at risk: love, security and of course, the dress.
Sixty years later, tech CEO Rachel, who goes by the childhood nickname "Rocky," has inherited the dress for her upcoming wedding in New York City. But there's just one problem: Rocky doesn't want to wear it. A family heirloom dating back to the 1950s, the dress just isn't her. Rocky knows this admission will break her mother Joan's heart. But what she doesn't know is why Joan insists on the dress—or the heartbreaking secret that changed her mother's life decades before, as she herself prepared to wear it.
As the lives of these three women come together in surprising ways, the revelation of the dress's history collides with long-buried family heartaches. And in the lead-up to Rocky's wedding, they'll have to confront the past before they can embrace the beautiful possibilities of the future.
Brenda Janowitz is the author of five novels, including The Dinner Party and Recipe for a Happy Life. She is the Books Correspondent for PopSugar. Brenda's work has also appeared in The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post, Salon, Redbook, and the New York Post. She lives in New York.
Author website: http://www.brendajanowitz.com/
Facebook: @BrendaJanowitz
Twitter: @BrendaJanowitz
Instagram: @brendajanowitzwriter


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Saluting the Lorax
La Jollan Audrey Geisel was the guest of honor at the unveiling of a 5-foot-tall "Lorax" statue, an environmental character featured in 1971 book by the same name by her late husband Ted "Dr. Seuss" Geisel. The Arbor Day ceremony held at The Preuss School at UCSD on April 21 included student activities and a dedication.