text:
It’s been nearly five years to the day that Ashley Smith made the 9-1-1 call leading to Brian Nichols’ surrender.
The story of the seven hours preceding that March 12, 2005, phone call seemed almost impossible to swallow: a polite, soft-spoken waitress from Augusta gets inside the mind of a man fresh off a killing spree, gains his trust, makes him pancakes, stays alive and gets free.
Editor's Note: This article was published in 2010, five years after the Fulton County Courthouse shootings. In 2015, the 10th anniversary of the shootings, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is taking another look at the case of Brian Nichols and the events around that violent day. 2015 Coverage: Brian Nichols shootings 10 years later.
She recounted the events of the night Nichols forced his way into her home on television two days later, and the nation saw the same calm demeanor and steady blue eyes that had soothed Nichols as he showered, ate, watched television and did his laundry after murdering four people. Days later when she returned to the scene, she discovered that in the time after he let her go and before the authorities arrived, he’d hung a mirror she’d been meaning to put up in her new apartment.
Today, Ashley Smith Robinson – she married Daniel Robinson in June 2007 – says that was “the one event that really changed my life.” She earns a living from speaking engagements, mainly before religious groups, retelling her ordeal and the self-transformation that followed.
She’s also on track to complete the radiologic technology program at Lanier Tech in September. She someday hopes to do ultrasounds.
But people will always know her for the poise under pressure that led to the media moniker, the Atlanta Hostage Hero.
Six months after the public first marveled at the details of March 12, with its bizarrely squeaky-clean images of scrambled eggs and the pair huddled over Rick Warren’s “The Purpose Driven Life,” a second wave of news stories added a different veneer. Smith Robinson’s book about the ordeal, “Unlikely Angel,” revealed she’d given Nichols a few lines of methamphetamine to snort from her stash.
When Nichols pulled a gun on her outside Bridgewater Apartments in Duluth, Smith Robinson was trying to get her life back on track, kick meth and get a career going to prove to her family she was capable of being a mother.
The book showed that this pretty blond Georgia girl had a dark side of her own, a well she drew from to elicit compassion from Nichols. She writes about a past that includes drug-induced psychotic visions, hospitalization, sending her daughter, Paige, away to be raised by an aunt so she could have more time to party, and holding her first husband, Paige's father, in her arms as he died from a knife wound after a violent fight in a parking lot in 2001.
But that was then. Paige, 10, now lives with her mom, and Smith Robinson’s post-Brian Nichols life seems safe and successful. She coaches Paige’s basketball team, has learned to Scuba dive, runs marathons, attends classes and is active in her church.
Until now, she's spurned offers to make a movie about her life. But she’s recently OK’d preliminary plans with “Amazing Grace” producer Ken Wales to make a Christian-themed movie about the event. She’s not sure when it would be released.
Nichols himself predicted the windfall of positive change that would grow out of her time with him. She writes in her book that just before he let her go he said, “Everybody’s going to praise you and talk about how wonderful you are.” Soon after, Nichols surrendered peacefully in front of Ashley’s apartment and admitted his crimes.
Smith Robinson immediately left Atlanta at that time and sought shelter with her aunt and uncle at their house in a gated community near Augusta.
“It was very important that I went from one extreme to the other after that happened,” she said. Her aunt, Kim Rogers, who had been raising Paige for the past three years, walked her through it all.
When Smith Robinson talks about the night with Nichols, she says it was God, not her, who made the psychological maneuvers to relate to his outrage. On March 14, 2005, when she apologized on his behalf, she seemed in the odd position of serving as a bridge between the killer and his victims. She’s since been in contact with immediate family members of all the victims, save one.
She’s not sure yet if she'll ever have further contact with Nichols. She said she couldn’t look at him during the five and a half hours she spent repeating the facts in the 2008 trial that led to his imprisonment with no chance of parole.
“From day one, I always said, ‘God, if you want me to have anymore contact with this person whatsoever, I need for you to lay it heavy on my heart.' For a very long time, I haven’t felt that. Recently, I’ve felt like maybe I’m supposed to write a letter, but I need to be sure this is God talking and not something else.
"I don’t know what that letter would say. The only thing that comes to mind is that when we were talking, he asked me what his purpose in life was. I told him maybe it was to minister to people in prison. I think that’s one thing I would write: What are you doing with your life? I’ve made something positive out of mine. What are you doing with yours?"

lowercased:
it’s been nearly five years to the day that ashley smith made the 9-1-1 call leading to brian nichols’ surrender.
the story of the seven hours preceding that march 12, 2005, phone call seemed almost impossible to swallow: a polite, soft-spoken waitress from augusta gets inside the mind of a man fresh off a killing spree, gains his trust, makes him pancakes, stays alive and gets free.
editor's note: this article was published in 2010, five years after the fulton county courthouse shootings. in 2015, the 10th anniversary of the shootings, the atlanta journal-constitution is taking another look at the case of brian nichols and the events around that violent day. 2015 coverage: brian nichols shootings 10 years later.
she recounted the events of the night nichols forced his way into her home on television two days later, and the nation saw the same calm demeanor and steady blue eyes that had soothed nichols as he showered, ate, watched television and did his laundry after murdering four people. days later when she returned to the scene, she discovered that in the time after he let her go and before the authorities arrived, he’d hung a mirror she’d been meaning to put up in her new apartment.
today, ashley smith robinson – she married daniel robinson in june 2007 – says that was “the one event that really changed my life.” she earns a living from speaking engagements, mainly before religious groups, retelling her ordeal and the self-transformation that followed.
she’s also on track to complete the radiologic technology program at lanier tech in september. she someday hopes to do ultrasounds.
but people will always know her for the poise under pressure that led to the media moniker, the atlanta hostage hero.
six months after the public first marveled at the details of march 12, with its bizarrely squeaky-clean images of scrambled eggs and the pair huddled over rick warren’s “the purpose driven life,” a second wave of news stories added a different veneer. smith robinson’s book about the ordeal, “unlikely angel,” revealed she’d given nichols a few lines of methamphetamine to snort from her stash.
when nichols pulled a gun on her outside bridgewater apartments in duluth, smith robinson was trying to get her life back on track, kick meth and get a career going to prove to her family she was capable of being a mother.
the book showed that this pretty blond georgia girl had a dark side of her own, a well she drew from to elicit compassion from nichols. she writes about a past that includes drug-induced psychotic visions, hospitalization, sending her daughter, paige, away to be raised by an aunt so she could have more time to party, and holding her first husband, paige's father, in her arms as he died from a knife wound after a violent fight in a parking lot in 2001.
but that was then. paige, 10, now lives with her mom, and smith robinson’s post-brian nichols life seems safe and successful. she coaches paige’s basketball team, has learned to scuba dive, runs marathons, attends classes and is active in her church.
until now, she's spurned offers to make a movie about her life. but she’s recently ok’d preliminary plans with “amazing grace” producer ken wales to make a christian-themed movie about the event. she’s not sure when it would be released.
nichols himself predicted the windfall of positive change that would grow out of her time with him. she writes in her book that just before he let her go he said, “everybody’s going to praise you and talk about how wonderful you are.” soon after, nichols surrendered peacefully in front of ashley’s apartment and admitted his crimes.
smith robinson immediately left atlanta at that time and sought shelter with her aunt and uncle at their house in a gated community near augusta.
“it was very important that i went from one extreme to the other after that happened,” she said. her aunt, kim rogers, who had been raising paige for the past three years, walked her through it all.
when smith robinson talks about the night with nichols, she says it was god, not her, who made the psychological maneuvers to relate to his outrage. on march 14, 2005, when she apologized on his behalf, she seemed in the odd position of serving as a bridge between the killer and his victims. she’s since been in contact with immediate family members of all the victims, save one.
she’s not sure yet if she'll ever have further contact with nichols. she said she couldn’t look at him during the five and a half hours she spent repeating the facts in the 2008 trial that led to his imprisonment with no chance of parole.
“from day one, i always said, ‘god, if you want me to have anymore contact with this person whatsoever, i need for you to lay it heavy on my heart.' for a very long time, i haven’t felt that. recently, i’ve felt like maybe i’m supposed to write a letter, but i need to be sure this is god talking and not something else.
"i don’t know what that letter would say. the only thing that comes to mind is that when we were talking, he asked me what his purpose in life was. i told him maybe it was to minister to people in prison. i think that’s one thing i would write: what are you doing with your life? i’ve made something positive out of mine. what are you doing with yours?"


text:
Ariston/Indesit/Scholtes Dishwasher spring. Brand new.
MAIDAID WASH PUMP ASSEMBLY FOR C1035ws DISHWASHER Or Similar.
Rational Spare Parts - New & Refurbished- Next Day Delivery !!
Pre-Rinse spray arm with faucet 12" swing nozzle tap, twin pedestal faucet 48"

lowercased:
ariston/indesit/scholtes dishwasher spring. brand new.
maidaid wash pump assembly for c1035ws dishwasher or similar.
rational spare parts - new & refurbished- next day delivery !!
pre-rinse spray arm with faucet 12" swing nozzle tap, twin pedestal faucet 48"


text:
Jockey Jim Almost in the Home Stretch!
Seems like all I’ve been doing is learning my lines for “Jockey Jim”or going to rehearsal at the Henry Clay. This play is written by my friend and great playwright Larry Muhammad, (https://insiderlouisville.com/lifestyle_culture/larry-muhammad-play-highlights-the-fascinating-story-of-black-jockey-jimmy-winkfield/ and https://www.power2give.org/campaigns/376) I have the female lead, Lydia de Minkiwitz, James Winkfield’s wife who was a Russian baroness, so I have my share of lines, and I have learned them, YES! And I’m saying them all with a Russian accent, ha! I have five costume changes, below is a picture of my favorite costume, haha, you guessed it, it’s glam!
I hope all my Louisville friends come to see us, it’s going to be one fine play!

lowercased:
jockey jim almost in the home stretch!
seems like all i’ve been doing is learning my lines for “jockey jim”or going to rehearsal at the henry clay. this play is written by my friend and great playwright larry muhammad, (https://insiderlouisville.com/lifestyle_culture/larry-muhammad-play-highlights-the-fascinating-story-of-black-jockey-jimmy-winkfield/ and https://www.power2give.org/campaigns/376) i have the female lead, lydia de minkiwitz, james winkfield’s wife who was a russian baroness, so i have my share of lines, and i have learned them, yes! and i’m saying them all with a russian accent, ha! i have five costume changes, below is a picture of my favorite costume, haha, you guessed it, it’s glam!
i hope all my louisville friends come to see us, it’s going to be one fine play!


text:
Omnix Enterprise Software Solutions (ESS) offers strategic enterprise solutions to customers in the MENA region. These solutions enable process management and automation of various business processes leading to a significant ROI for its customers. To date, the primary geographical market for Omnix ESS has been the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The target vertical markets have been the government, telco, & banking. Omnix ESS has forged strong alliances with numerous Independent Software Vendors from all over the globe to offer a breadth of offerings such as Enterprise Content Management, Business Intelligence, Knowledge Management, Portals, Enterprise Resource Planning, Integration and Data Warehousing solutions among others.
Omnix ESS has implemented many large scale enterprise wide solutions with high profile clients, such Emirates Identity Authority, the Ministry of Interior, and Dubai Islamic Bank.
Omnix ESS is well positioned in the region given its strong relationships with its partners, consultative based sales approach and the breadth of implementation services it offers to its customers for the installation of the solutions.

lowercased:
omnix enterprise software solutions (ess) offers strategic enterprise solutions to customers in the mena region. these solutions enable process management and automation of various business processes leading to a significant roi for its customers. to date, the primary geographical market for omnix ess has been the united arab emirates and saudi arabia. the target vertical markets have been the government, telco, & banking. omnix ess has forged strong alliances with numerous independent software vendors from all over the globe to offer a breadth of offerings such as enterprise content management, business intelligence, knowledge management, portals, enterprise resource planning, integration and data warehousing solutions among others.
omnix ess has implemented many large scale enterprise wide solutions with high profile clients, such emirates identity authority, the ministry of interior, and dubai islamic bank.
omnix ess is well positioned in the region given its strong relationships with its partners, consultative based sales approach and the breadth of implementation services it offers to its customers for the installation of the solutions.


text:
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov on Thursday threatened retaliatory steps if any country deploys weapons in space, Russian news agencies reported.
Ivanov said Russia is "categorically against the militarization of space," according to the Interfax news agency.
"If some state begins to realize such plans, then we doubtless will take adequate retaliatory measures," ITAR-Tass quoted him as saying at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
President Bush's administration currently is reviewing the U.S. space policy doctrine. Last month, White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters that the policy review was not considering the weaponization of space. But he said new threats to U.S. satellites have emerged in the years since the U.S. space doctrine was last reviewed in 1996, and those satellites must be protected.
In 2002, after the United States withdrew from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, China and Russia submitted a proposal for a new international treaty to ban weapons in outer space.
But the United States has said it sees no need for any new space arms control agreements. It is party to the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which prohibits stationing weapons of mass destruction in space.

lowercased:
russian defense minister sergei ivanov on thursday threatened retaliatory steps if any country deploys weapons in space, russian news agencies reported.
ivanov said russia is "categorically against the militarization of space," according to the interfax news agency.
"if some state begins to realize such plans, then we doubtless will take adequate retaliatory measures," itar-tass quoted him as saying at the baikonur cosmodrome in kazakhstan.
president bush's administration currently is reviewing the u.s. space policy doctrine. last month, white house spokesman scott mcclellan told reporters that the policy review was not considering the weaponization of space. but he said new threats to u.s. satellites have emerged in the years since the u.s. space doctrine was last reviewed in 1996, and those satellites must be protected.
in 2002, after the united states withdrew from the 1972 anti-ballistic missile treaty, china and russia submitted a proposal for a new international treaty to ban weapons in outer space.
but the united states has said it sees no need for any new space arms control agreements. it is party to the 1967 outer space treaty, which prohibits stationing weapons of mass destruction in space.


text:
You know what, after living with four babies I know how amazing this is. Baby gates that attach to the wall are pricey brand new and don't look very charming. Via Kelly Rae Roberts.
This would probably be even cheaper than a baby gate. Here are some doors via Home Depot. The hollow cores look like they are $22 while the solid ones are $29. Just cut in half and add a 5" rounded lip to the top. Install like regular door.
These are very cute & functional - personally, I think they're safer for little fingers & toes. My office is across the hall from a non-profit urban art kids' program and they have one of these they use to corral their little Picassos. All the teachers have told me they're a lifesaver!
Sadly this would not work for everyone, although it would be a cute idea for some places. I'd never be able to use these on my stairs (3 story house) because there's just no place to open it onto. I have to use the accordion baby gates. Another issue: harder to see through.
For the vision issue you could cut out the square panels and put plexi glass in with molding around to hold it!

lowercased:
you know what, after living with four babies i know how amazing this is. baby gates that attach to the wall are pricey brand new and don't look very charming. via kelly rae roberts.
this would probably be even cheaper than a baby gate. here are some doors via home depot. the hollow cores look like they are $22 while the solid ones are $29. just cut in half and add a 5" rounded lip to the top. install like regular door.
these are very cute & functional - personally, i think they're safer for little fingers & toes. my office is across the hall from a non-profit urban art kids' program and they have one of these they use to corral their little picassos. all the teachers have told me they're a lifesaver!
sadly this would not work for everyone, although it would be a cute idea for some places. i'd never be able to use these on my stairs (3 story house) because there's just no place to open it onto. i have to use the accordion baby gates. another issue: harder to see through.
for the vision issue you could cut out the square panels and put plexi glass in with molding around to hold it!


text:
This week I was privileged to teach in a local Christian school each morning. I taught sign language and gave my testimony each day. Well, I taught as much sign language as I could in a 45 minute class each day. Plus I used my time to give my testimony and encourage the young people to serve the Lord.
The school is a new school and only in their second year. I had 25 to 30 students each morning. They ranged from kindergarten to middle school.

lowercased:
this week i was privileged to teach in a local christian school each morning. i taught sign language and gave my testimony each day. well, i taught as much sign language as i could in a 45 minute class each day. plus i used my time to give my testimony and encourage the young people to serve the lord.
the school is a new school and only in their second year. i had 25 to 30 students each morning. they ranged from kindergarten to middle school.


text: Deborah Zoe Laufer's play Informed Consent opened at the Duke on 42nd Street, a co-production of Primary Stages and Ensemble Studio Theatre, in August 2015. An Alfred P. Sloan Foundation commission through EST, it first received productions at Cleveland Playhouse and Geva Theatre Center. Her works have also been produced at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, Portland Stage, and 80 other theaters around the country, in Germany, Russia, and Canada. End Days was awarded The ATCA Steinberg citation and appeared at Ensemble Studio Theatre through a Sloan Grant. It received a rolling work premiere through the National New Play Network, and went on to receive over 50 productions. Other plays include Leveling Up, Sirens, Out of Sterno, The Last Schwartz, Meta, The Three Sisters of Weehawken, Fortune, The Gulf of Westchester, Miniatures, and Random Acts. Laufer is a recipient of the Helen Merrill Playwriting Award and the Lilly Award and grants and commissions from The Edgerton Foundation, the NEA, and NNPN. Her plays have been developed at PlayPenn, The Eugene O'Neill NPC, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Ojai, The Missoula Colony, The Cherry Lane Alternative, The Dramatists Guild, New Georges, The Lark, Asolo Rep. and the Baltic Playwrights Conference. She is a graduate of The Juilliard School and a member of The Dramatists Guild.

lowercased: deborah zoe laufer's play informed consent opened at the duke on 42nd street, a co-production of primary stages and ensemble studio theatre, in august 2015. an alfred p. sloan foundation commission through est, it first received productions at cleveland playhouse and geva theatre center. her works have also been produced at steppenwolf theatre company, cincinnati playhouse in the park, actor’s theatre of louisville, portland stage, and 80 other theaters around the country, in germany, russia, and canada. end days was awarded the atca steinberg citation and appeared at ensemble studio theatre through a sloan grant. it received a rolling work premiere through the national new play network, and went on to receive over 50 productions. other plays include leveling up, sirens, out of sterno, the last schwartz, meta, the three sisters of weehawken, fortune, the gulf of westchester, miniatures, and random acts. laufer is a recipient of the helen merrill playwriting award and the lilly award and grants and commissions from the edgerton foundation, the nea, and nnpn. her plays have been developed at playpenn, the eugene o'neill npc, williamstown theatre festival, ojai, the missoula colony, the cherry lane alternative, the dramatists guild, new georges, the lark, asolo rep. and the baltic playwrights conference. she is a graduate of the juilliard school and a member of the dramatists guild.


text:
Hörlursförstärkare och förförstärkare, upp till 20 timmar utan laddning och klar att kopplas till slutsteg eller aktiva högtalare.
The Traveller’s intuitive handling requires only two pushbuttons. The volume control works electronically and is therefore utterly precise, even down to the lowest levels. This is due to a microprocessor-controlled passive resistor network which prevents sonic losses. The set volume levels is saved automatically when turning the unit off. With a maximum battery run-time of more than 20 hours the music won’t stop playing even on the longest flights. Moreover our Traveller is compatible with all players.
This fully analogue headphone amplifier will drive even demanding headphones hands down and may also double quite easily as a preamp for active loudspeakers. This is made possible by two pairs of parallel inputs and outputs plus another input and output socket on the the front and rear panel. Of course, there are no cables visible on the faceplate.
An audiophile mini jack cable from Audictive and a charging cable are included in the delivery, the charging socket complies with the Micro USB standard.
Till Lehmann Audios hemsida missa inte Produktkatalogen under Downloads i menyn där du enkelt bläddrar mellan olika produkter.

lowercased:
hörlursförstärkare och förförstärkare, upp till 20 timmar utan laddning och klar att kopplas till slutsteg eller aktiva högtalare.
the traveller’s intuitive handling requires only two pushbuttons. the volume control works electronically and is therefore utterly precise, even down to the lowest levels. this is due to a microprocessor-controlled passive resistor network which prevents sonic losses. the set volume levels is saved automatically when turning the unit off. with a maximum battery run-time of more than 20 hours the music won’t stop playing even on the longest flights. moreover our traveller is compatible with all players.
this fully analogue headphone amplifier will drive even demanding headphones hands down and may also double quite easily as a preamp for active loudspeakers. this is made possible by two pairs of parallel inputs and outputs plus another input and output socket on the the front and rear panel. of course, there are no cables visible on the faceplate.
an audiophile mini jack cable from audictive and a charging cable are included in the delivery, the charging socket complies with the micro usb standard.
till lehmann audios hemsida missa inte produktkatalogen under downloads i menyn där du enkelt bläddrar mellan olika produkter.


text:
Devices and systems on both sides of the electric meter can help the grid function more efficiently, manage variable generation, and be more resilient under adverse conditions.
Research within this technical area falls under four main activities with related goals.
The Plug & Play DER Challenge seeks interoperability solutions to lower integration costs, increase system performance, and enhance capabilities. Concepts are due September 7, 2018.

lowercased:
devices and systems on both sides of the electric meter can help the grid function more efficiently, manage variable generation, and be more resilient under adverse conditions.
research within this technical area falls under four main activities with related goals.
the plug & play der challenge seeks interoperability solutions to lower integration costs, increase system performance, and enhance capabilities. concepts are due september 7, 2018.


text:
This Honeywell L7224U-1002 Universal Electronic Oil Aquastat with EnviraCOM Communication electronically monitors and controls circulator, burner, and boiler temperatures and provides electronic temperature sensing in an oil-fired hydronics heating appliance (not included), and is UL recognized. The device is EnviraCOM communication enabled for use with the Honeywell EnviraLINK service (not included) for remote monitoring. It offers multizone control and offers accuracy up to +/-2 degrees. The low limit can be disabled for cold start boiler applications. The LED display provides diagnostic and status information. The Aquastat mounts directly or remotely, vertically, horizontally, or flush to a surface.
Differential temperature (high limit) 5 to 20 degrees F adj.
Differential temperature (low limit) 10 to 25 degrees F adj.
L is length, the horizontal distance from left to right; W is width, the horizontal distance from front to back; H is height, the vertical distance from bottom to top.

lowercased:
this honeywell l7224u-1002 universal electronic oil aquastat with enviracom communication electronically monitors and controls circulator, burner, and boiler temperatures and provides electronic temperature sensing in an oil-fired hydronics heating appliance (not included), and is ul recognized. the device is enviracom communication enabled for use with the honeywell enviralink service (not included) for remote monitoring. it offers multizone control and offers accuracy up to +/-2 degrees. the low limit can be disabled for cold start boiler applications. the led display provides diagnostic and status information. the aquastat mounts directly or remotely, vertically, horizontally, or flush to a surface.
differential temperature (high limit) 5 to 20 degrees f adj.
differential temperature (low limit) 10 to 25 degrees f adj.
l is length, the horizontal distance from left to right; w is width, the horizontal distance from front to back; h is height, the vertical distance from bottom to top.


text:
We all strive to be better people and to embody what most of us call excellence. But there’s a fairly large gap between excellence and what we might call innovation. Both qualities live on the leading edge. Excellence surpasses what might be considered required or average performance where innovation takes our actions into expanding beyond the envelope of what is expected in terms of perspective and options. In accomplishing either there’s also a tremendous difference in the rapport we can expect to have with others, especially our peer group, relative to the support we might also expect to come from them. Being on the leading edge can be extremely exciting but at the same time disconcertingly lonely.
Portraying excellence sometimes embodies a few unexpected twists but it, invariably and generally, matches some “job description” or intended and publicly assumed goal. With whatever is accomplished there remains a sense of consistency and the feeling that things will go on as they are and that we are all on the “right path.” Humans love consistency. It provides a reassuring and solid point of reference for us to know that we stand within the specified limits of what is possible for the average person and what will be acceptable by our society’s majority for our approval, continued support and our guaranteed sense of belonging. In this we remain part of the herd and will keep receiving their shelter and protection. Innovation moves way past excellence in what is expected, however. It does have its perks in connecting us with like minded individuals who usually, end up becoming our support system. But even there, jealousy and resentment can rear its ugly head but, perhaps, not quite as much as simply excelling past our limits.
This regard for excellence and hero worship has spawned many proverbs and myths about socially desired perspectives designed to promote success but within specified social parameters protecting the status quo so everyone may feel safe and secure within accepted guidelines. “Everybody loves a winner” is one of our proliferated social proverbs. On the surface it requires our expected, and usually granted, public adulation of the winner but underneath it sparks cloaked jealousy and resentment within “average” people. Why?
Within our contemporary social context we have a spoken, unspoken and often accepted assumption that to be considered “good” and productive by others we must always strive to do our best and even more so when life and its circumstances challenge our survival and our comfort. But living life with life’s challenges can often be overwhelming and draining of whatever energy we have well past our capacity to regenerate it and resume our struggle. In light of this perceived “battering” we often assess our resiliency as not being “up to snuff’ with what we think others expect us to cope with. This tends to lead us to feel “badly” about ourselves and to either hide our perceived inadequacies or, if they are too obvious, rationalize them away. We may also find refuge with others through commiseration. Generally, if we don’t commiserate we just accept “discommendation,” pull back and refocus elsewhere. This is not a self-empowering feeling when we live in what we might perceive as a highly competitive society. However, we usually just do our best to put I out of our minds.
When someone exhibits excellence in something we have struggled with and have not been able to overcome, it resurfaces our feelings of frustration, overwhelming and defeat. Depending on our level of maturity, strength of self-confidence and if the person achieving excellence is “one of our clan” will determine how we react. If the person is “one of our clan” we may have mixed reactions; partly happy for them and the group and partly sad about our own experience with our past efforts. If either or both of our maturity or self-confidence are below the threshold of feeling compassion, we will tend to congratulate them outwardly and resent them privately.
Achieving excellence puts us in a precarious position with our friends, loved ones and peer group. First, it puts us in a position of leadership whether we want it or not. This, in itself, can put us into circumstances which accelerate resentment and competition among and with those who “follow” us. Second, it puts us into a position that, were we to repeat the challenge, we would be expected to repeat our excelling performance, at the least, to the degree that would qualify us for continued accolades regardless as to whether the circumstances had remained the same or had become more difficult. Third, if we did not repeat our performance to the level that we gained accolades for on a subsequent challenge, those who “followed” us would denigrate us mercilessly. Why? Because we had been reluctantly elevated, to a level of “better than,” by them, and was expected to and failed to “spearhead” as a “point man” the task that no one else could or would do leaving a vacuum that someone else will have to fill and, potentially, fail at revealing their perceived inadequacies.
In no way am I attempting to discourage anyone from attempting and achieving excellence and innovation. However, it is necessary to become aware that the support system or even the commiseration that once came with being part of an “average” or “regular” group of people may often change from what we expect from them. The security, belonging and acceptance of being just one of the “regular guys” evaporates when we outstrip our peers in performance. Our excelling performance reminds them of what they should or could be doing exposing their self doubts and, if they employ projection, they begin to look at us as a problem diminishing their self-image in the presence of their peers and the world. I actually had a coworker say to me, “Don’t work so fast. You’re making us look bad.” This type of attitude tends to make them distance themselves from us allowing their self-doubts to again retreat into their shadow and then validate their withdrawal by commiserating with the remaining peer group about their differences from us through rationalizing their perceived inadequacies.
There is one other perspective that I wish to bring to your attention. And that is the plight of a family member who is used as a “catch all” for blame when the family is unable to either accomplish something or live up to a standard that’s “required” for social approval. This is can also be a person who moves onto the leading edge relative to their family’s health and functioning. This family member then becomes the “scapegoat.” Even though they may receive derision for being the cause of perceived but hidden family “incompetence,” they still receive a form of family protection and inclusion through maintaining the dysfunctional family rapport with the perceived family inadequacies by keeping them covered and hidden from public knowledge. When the “scapegoat” moves past his or her role as sustainer of the projected family mask by reclaiming his or her own self-respect and dignity, the family feels intensely threatened and will subject him or her to much more pressure while additionally threatening them with “excommunication” lest they return to their prior supportive role in keeping the family secrets intact and unexposed. As we can see here also, excellence and innovation are relative to what is expected regardless of the level we start at.
There's no Crowd on the Leading Edge. Not only must we deal with the challenge of the circumstances that we strive to overcome to be an excellent or innovative performer, but we must also deal with potential feelings of jealousy and resentment coming from our immature co-workers or family members who were either unable or unwilling to achieve excellence on their own. Our fate is often in becoming the object of gossip and, perhaps, being ostracized. Being on the leading edge can truly be exciting AND a lonely place. It often requires us to make a choice between remaining as a safe and secure sheep among the “average” in the herd or moving past our limits to accomplish what others may only dream of. All of us must eventually choose.

lowercased:
we all strive to be better people and to embody what most of us call excellence. but there’s a fairly large gap between excellence and what we might call innovation. both qualities live on the leading edge. excellence surpasses what might be considered required or average performance where innovation takes our actions into expanding beyond the envelope of what is expected in terms of perspective and options. in accomplishing either there’s also a tremendous difference in the rapport we can expect to have with others, especially our peer group, relative to the support we might also expect to come from them. being on the leading edge can be extremely exciting but at the same time disconcertingly lonely.
portraying excellence sometimes embodies a few unexpected twists but it, invariably and generally, matches some “job description” or intended and publicly assumed goal. with whatever is accomplished there remains a sense of consistency and the feeling that things will go on as they are and that we are all on the “right path.” humans love consistency. it provides a reassuring and solid point of reference for us to know that we stand within the specified limits of what is possible for the average person and what will be acceptable by our society’s majority for our approval, continued support and our guaranteed sense of belonging. in this we remain part of the herd and will keep receiving their shelter and protection. innovation moves way past excellence in what is expected, however. it does have its perks in connecting us with like minded individuals who usually, end up becoming our support system. but even there, jealousy and resentment can rear its ugly head but, perhaps, not quite as much as simply excelling past our limits.
this regard for excellence and hero worship has spawned many proverbs and myths about socially desired perspectives designed to promote success but within specified social parameters protecting the status quo so everyone may feel safe and secure within accepted guidelines. “everybody loves a winner” is one of our proliferated social proverbs. on the surface it requires our expected, and usually granted, public adulation of the winner but underneath it sparks cloaked jealousy and resentment within “average” people. why?
within our contemporary social context we have a spoken, unspoken and often accepted assumption that to be considered “good” and productive by others we must always strive to do our best and even more so when life and its circumstances challenge our survival and our comfort. but living life with life’s challenges can often be overwhelming and draining of whatever energy we have well past our capacity to regenerate it and resume our struggle. in light of this perceived “battering” we often assess our resiliency as not being “up to snuff’ with what we think others expect us to cope with. this tends to lead us to feel “badly” about ourselves and to either hide our perceived inadequacies or, if they are too obvious, rationalize them away. we may also find refuge with others through commiseration. generally, if we don’t commiserate we just accept “discommendation,” pull back and refocus elsewhere. this is not a self-empowering feeling when we live in what we might perceive as a highly competitive society. however, we usually just do our best to put i out of our minds.
when someone exhibits excellence in something we have struggled with and have not been able to overcome, it resurfaces our feelings of frustration, overwhelming and defeat. depending on our level of maturity, strength of self-confidence and if the person achieving excellence is “one of our clan” will determine how we react. if the person is “one of our clan” we may have mixed reactions; partly happy for them and the group and partly sad about our own experience with our past efforts. if either or both of our maturity or self-confidence are below the threshold of feeling compassion, we will tend to congratulate them outwardly and resent them privately.
achieving excellence puts us in a precarious position with our friends, loved ones and peer group. first, it puts us in a position of leadership whether we want it or not. this, in itself, can put us into circumstances which accelerate resentment and competition among and with those who “follow” us. second, it puts us into a position that, were we to repeat the challenge, we would be expected to repeat our excelling performance, at the least, to the degree that would qualify us for continued accolades regardless as to whether the circumstances had remained the same or had become more difficult. third, if we did not repeat our performance to the level that we gained accolades for on a subsequent challenge, those who “followed” us would denigrate us mercilessly. why? because we had been reluctantly elevated, to a level of “better than,” by them, and was expected to and failed to “spearhead” as a “point man” the task that no one else could or would do leaving a vacuum that someone else will have to fill and, potentially, fail at revealing their perceived inadequacies.
in no way am i attempting to discourage anyone from attempting and achieving excellence and innovation. however, it is necessary to become aware that the support system or even the commiseration that once came with being part of an “average” or “regular” group of people may often change from what we expect from them. the security, belonging and acceptance of being just one of the “regular guys” evaporates when we outstrip our peers in performance. our excelling performance reminds them of what they should or could be doing exposing their self doubts and, if they employ projection, they begin to look at us as a problem diminishing their self-image in the presence of their peers and the world. i actually had a coworker say to me, “don’t work so fast. you’re making us look bad.” this type of attitude tends to make them distance themselves from us allowing their self-doubts to again retreat into their shadow and then validate their withdrawal by commiserating with the remaining peer group about their differences from us through rationalizing their perceived inadequacies.
there is one other perspective that i wish to bring to your attention. and that is the plight of a family member who is used as a “catch all” for blame when the family is unable to either accomplish something or live up to a standard that’s “required” for social approval. this is can also be a person who moves onto the leading edge relative to their family’s health and functioning. this family member then becomes the “scapegoat.” even though they may receive derision for being the cause of perceived but hidden family “incompetence,” they still receive a form of family protection and inclusion through maintaining the dysfunctional family rapport with the perceived family inadequacies by keeping them covered and hidden from public knowledge. when the “scapegoat” moves past his or her role as sustainer of the projected family mask by reclaiming his or her own self-respect and dignity, the family feels intensely threatened and will subject him or her to much more pressure while additionally threatening them with “excommunication” lest they return to their prior supportive role in keeping the family secrets intact and unexposed. as we can see here also, excellence and innovation are relative to what is expected regardless of the level we start at.
there's no crowd on the leading edge. not only must we deal with the challenge of the circumstances that we strive to overcome to be an excellent or innovative performer, but we must also deal with potential feelings of jealousy and resentment coming from our immature co-workers or family members who were either unable or unwilling to achieve excellence on their own. our fate is often in becoming the object of gossip and, perhaps, being ostracized. being on the leading edge can truly be exciting and a lonely place. it often requires us to make a choice between remaining as a safe and secure sheep among the “average” in the herd or moving past our limits to accomplish what others may only dream of. all of us must eventually choose.


text:
Shaina received her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from Rutgers Newark in 2014. Thereafter, she moved on to attend Kean University, Nathan Weiss Graduate College where she earned her Masters of Arts in Psychology in 2016. In May of 2017 she completed a professional Diploma in Marriage & Family Therapy. Shaina is currently working towards becoming a fully Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist.
Shaina believes in the ideas of Family Systems Theory and that in order to fully understand a client, it is essential to see how they interact with their environment and family unit. She loves family therapy because she feels working collaboratively with the family not only becomes an enriching and fulfilling journey for them, but can also aid in the healing process.
Some of her favorite books include: The Family Crucible, Manic, Awareness and The Diary of an Oxygen Thief . She looks forward to completing her clinical hours at Integrated Care Concepts & Consultation and expanding her understanding of families and couples therapy.

lowercased:
shaina received her bachelors of arts in psychology from rutgers newark in 2014. thereafter, she moved on to attend kean university, nathan weiss graduate college where she earned her masters of arts in psychology in 2016. in may of 2017 she completed a professional diploma in marriage & family therapy. shaina is currently working towards becoming a fully licensed marriage & family therapist.
shaina believes in the ideas of family systems theory and that in order to fully understand a client, it is essential to see how they interact with their environment and family unit. she loves family therapy because she feels working collaboratively with the family not only becomes an enriching and fulfilling journey for them, but can also aid in the healing process.
some of her favorite books include: the family crucible, manic, awareness and the diary of an oxygen thief . she looks forward to completing her clinical hours at integrated care concepts & consultation and expanding her understanding of families and couples therapy.


text:
It's been one week and I've been so excited about the progress on this campaign!
I want to take the opportunity to introduce you to a few cool people who navigate the tarot and spirituality space (and are way more knowledgeable than I am). First up is Kelsey Anderson, who you met in the project video.
Kelsey is a Spiritual Counselor, Lenormand Tarot and Palm Reader, and advocate of spiritual tools as self care. She is the creative director behind AmunarHealing’s cosmic events and products.
I began my relationship with tarot right around the time I started to read palms. I find divination to be fascinating. I began reading palms first, and then in the same year, I started reading multiple divination systems: tarot, oracle cards, runes and I-Ching. It’s been a 9 year journey.
Reading tarot for myself gives me deeper insight into tough situations. I use it to make hard decisions, determine if I’m aligning with my life purpose, or if I’m unsure about my relationship with someone. Sometimes it’s the only thing that calms my mind when I’m overthinking things. I went to school for counseling and decided I wanted to provide the same comfort for other people by incorporating counseling and divination. If it works for me, why not help others who are going through similar life challenges?
My first tarot deck was the 18th century Lenormand Tarot. In the past 2 years, I’ve purchased an Angel Tarot deck and another tarot deck called Mystical Lenormand. I have a Rider Waite deck which was given to me. I also have about 5 oracle card decks which I use on a regular basis.
P.S. Are you an ear backer? Spread the word in your Instagram story! Save the image below to your phone and just make sure to tag @theoktarot in the graphic so people can click through.
J F Traver, Jessica Kent, and 4 more people like this update.
I’m so excited the $25k stretch goal is almost unlocked!!! I look forward to a booklet from Amunar Healing! Congrats on the milestone. Thank you Adam and Kelsey!

lowercased:
it's been one week and i've been so excited about the progress on this campaign!
i want to take the opportunity to introduce you to a few cool people who navigate the tarot and spirituality space (and are way more knowledgeable than i am). first up is kelsey anderson, who you met in the project video.
kelsey is a spiritual counselor, lenormand tarot and palm reader, and advocate of spiritual tools as self care. she is the creative director behind amunarhealing’s cosmic events and products.
i began my relationship with tarot right around the time i started to read palms. i find divination to be fascinating. i began reading palms first, and then in the same year, i started reading multiple divination systems: tarot, oracle cards, runes and i-ching. it’s been a 9 year journey.
reading tarot for myself gives me deeper insight into tough situations. i use it to make hard decisions, determine if i’m aligning with my life purpose, or if i’m unsure about my relationship with someone. sometimes it’s the only thing that calms my mind when i’m overthinking things. i went to school for counseling and decided i wanted to provide the same comfort for other people by incorporating counseling and divination. if it works for me, why not help others who are going through similar life challenges?
my first tarot deck was the 18th century lenormand tarot. in the past 2 years, i’ve purchased an angel tarot deck and another tarot deck called mystical lenormand. i have a rider waite deck which was given to me. i also have about 5 oracle card decks which i use on a regular basis.
p.s. are you an ear backer? spread the word in your instagram story! save the image below to your phone and just make sure to tag @theoktarot in the graphic so people can click through.
j f traver, jessica kent, and 4 more people like this update.
i’m so excited the $25k stretch goal is almost unlocked!!! i look forward to a booklet from amunar healing! congrats on the milestone. thank you adam and kelsey!


text:
This recipe is based on one from The Disney Diner, and it will make you a medium bowl full of Oreo mousse. Works as a great party dip for graham crackers or fruit!
Combine vanilla pudding mix with milk. Allow to set.
Blend Oreos in food processor, or place in a gallon bag and crush with a rolling pin until fine.
Add Oreos, Cool Whip, and chocolate pudding mix and stir well.
Chill in fridge before serving (at least 1 hour).
To serve, pipe mixture onto graham crackers.

lowercased:
this recipe is based on one from the disney diner, and it will make you a medium bowl full of oreo mousse. works as a great party dip for graham crackers or fruit!
combine vanilla pudding mix with milk. allow to set.
blend oreos in food processor, or place in a gallon bag and crush with a rolling pin until fine.
add oreos, cool whip, and chocolate pudding mix and stir well.
chill in fridge before serving (at least 1 hour).
to serve, pipe mixture onto graham crackers.


text:
This often-deadly infection can have a devastating effect on victims and their families.
Listeriosis is serious. As defined by the CDC, the infection usually occurs as a result of consuming food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. It mainly affects the older population, pregnant women, newborns, and those who are immunocompromised.
Learn more about how you can address Listeria in your facility at Food Safety Tech’s Listeria Detection & Control Workshop | REGISTER NOWThe following are stories of those affected by Listeria. They are devastating, filled with sadness, and associated with tremendous loss.
Laureen and her husband Steve were expecting their first child. She was due on April 10, and on September 11, they heard their child’s heartbeat for the first time. On September 25, Laureen felt ill and on September 29 she went to the doctor’s office where she was diagnosed with a cold and sent home. A few days later, Laureen went to the emergency room with a fever of 102.6 degrees. After the hospital ran some tests, Laureen and Steve were again sent home. However, later that night Laureen began experiencing more symptoms, and she returned to the emergency room and was hospitalized. On October 5 she had a miscarriage and was told it was due to Listeriosis. They named their baby girl Zena Rose Spitz.
Lynn was six months pregnant and on Labor Day, she had flu symptoms. After feeling ill for a few days, she went to the doctor and was told to go to the emergency room right away. The faces of the doctors reflected grave concern. It was decided that they would perform a C-section that night. At 27 weeks, they were told the chances of survival were slim. Lynn’s survival was at risk as well. Their daughter was born with an Apgar score of 2. Her name was to be Julia Patricia. In NICU, Julia underwent many tests and procedures, and her parents were told that Julia was very sick. At one point a priest was called for last rites. Julie stabilized only after many close calls, and her parents were told that Listeria was the culprit. Today Julia has many physical challenges.
Michael was born to Stephanie and Michael at 30 weeks of pregnancy with an Apgar score of 2. Infectious disease reported that the cause of Stephanie and son Michael’s illness was Listeriosis. Sweet little Michael died in Stephanie’s arms as she rocked him to sleep, wrapped in a not-yet-finished baby blanket that her mom had been knitting for her first grandchild. Stephanie had eaten contaminated lettuce.

lowercased:
this often-deadly infection can have a devastating effect on victims and their families.
listeriosis is serious. as defined by the cdc, the infection usually occurs as a result of consuming food contaminated with listeria monocytogenes. it mainly affects the older population, pregnant women, newborns, and those who are immunocompromised.
learn more about how you can address listeria in your facility at food safety tech’s listeria detection & control workshop | register nowthe following are stories of those affected by listeria. they are devastating, filled with sadness, and associated with tremendous loss.
laureen and her husband steve were expecting their first child. she was due on april 10, and on september 11, they heard their child’s heartbeat for the first time. on september 25, laureen felt ill and on september 29 she went to the doctor’s office where she was diagnosed with a cold and sent home. a few days later, laureen went to the emergency room with a fever of 102.6 degrees. after the hospital ran some tests, laureen and steve were again sent home. however, later that night laureen began experiencing more symptoms, and she returned to the emergency room and was hospitalized. on october 5 she had a miscarriage and was told it was due to listeriosis. they named their baby girl zena rose spitz.
lynn was six months pregnant and on labor day, she had flu symptoms. after feeling ill for a few days, she went to the doctor and was told to go to the emergency room right away. the faces of the doctors reflected grave concern. it was decided that they would perform a c-section that night. at 27 weeks, they were told the chances of survival were slim. lynn’s survival was at risk as well. their daughter was born with an apgar score of 2. her name was to be julia patricia. in nicu, julia underwent many tests and procedures, and her parents were told that julia was very sick. at one point a priest was called for last rites. julie stabilized only after many close calls, and her parents were told that listeria was the culprit. today julia has many physical challenges.
michael was born to stephanie and michael at 30 weeks of pregnancy with an apgar score of 2. infectious disease reported that the cause of stephanie and son michael’s illness was listeriosis. sweet little michael died in stephanie’s arms as she rocked him to sleep, wrapped in a not-yet-finished baby blanket that her mom had been knitting for her first grandchild. stephanie had eaten contaminated lettuce.


text:
You can use this tool to generate a print-friendly PDF of the document 1974VIENTI02905_b.
The formal reference of this document is 1974VIENTI02905_b, please use it for anything written about this document. This will permit you and others to search for it.

lowercased:
you can use this tool to generate a print-friendly pdf of the document 1974vienti02905_b.
the formal reference of this document is 1974vienti02905_b, please use it for anything written about this document. this will permit you and others to search for it.


text:
Any fan of Downton Abbey will be familiar with the unmistakeable façade and stunning interiors of Highclere Castle, which plays the role of the imposing family home of Lord and Lady Grantham at the centre of the fictional Downton Abbey estate in the Yorkshire Dales.
Highclere takes its name from the village and civil parish it's located in, some 90km south-west of London in the county of Hampshire. The house and its grounds have a long and illustrious history stretching back several centuries. The first recorded structure on the site of the present house was a mediaeval palace belonging to the original owners of the parish, the Bishops of Winchester (thought to be the reason Julian Fellowes included "Abbey" in the fictional name of the estate).The estate passed into Crown hands in the 16th century when Henry VIII appropriated the land from the Catholic Church.
The Attorney General for England and Wales, Sir Robert Sawyer, owned Highclere in the late 17th century and on his death in 1692 he bequeathed the property to his son-in-law, Thomas Herbert, the 8th Earl of Pembroke (who was married to Sawyer's only child, Margaret, pictured left), and the estate has remained in the Herbert family ever since.
On the death of Robert Herbert in 1769 the estate passed to his nephew, Henry (pictured below Margaret Sawyer). Henry was made 1st Earl of Carnarvon (in the title's 3rd creation) by George III in 1793, which marked the beginning of the association between the Carnarvons and Highclere.
The house that we see on Downton Abbey today was built between 1839 and 1842 when the 3rd Earl of Carnarvon resided at Highclere. The architect was Sir Charles Barry, whose most famous work is London's Houses of Parliament. Sir Charles Barry also designed country estate, Clivedon, made infamous in the 1960's by the Profumo affair. The original house is pictured below, to the left of images of Westminster Palace and Clivedon.
Highclere remains the private estate of the Carnarvon family, whose current owners open the home to the public over the Easter long weekend and during the summer months, and it is these visitors that help support the upkeep of one of Britain's finest buildings.
The 5,000 acre Highclere estate is 5 times the size of New York's Central Park and the house itself is the largest mansion in Hampshire.
It makes Australia's most expensive home at $57,500,000 seem a bargain (the Saunders Street Mansion in Perth).
The number of rooms in Highclere has been estimated by the current owners to be between 250 and 300. Around 50 of the rooms on the upper floors remain unusable (I wonder what secrets lie behind those locked doors!).
The system of bells depicted in the television series would have had a different tone for each room, enabling the servants to know who was calling wherever they were "downstairs".
At the height of its Edwardian splendour some 80 staff were employed at the estate. This figure is close to today's number of employees, although the majority now work on ensuring tourists visiting Highclere are well looked after.
In 1914 Highclere was converted into a hospital for wounded soldiers by the 5th Countess of Carnarvon (Lady Almina, pictured below the image of Highclere taken during WWI). The home contained a fully functioning operating theatre, even more impressive than the convalescent home depicted in Season 2 of Downton Abbey.
Speaking of Lady Almina, she was married to the 5th Earl of Carnarvon in 1895. At the time the Earl was deeply in debt and it was rumoured the marriage was one of convenience; Almina came with a £500,000 dowry (AU$45,000,000 in today's money), while Almina gained a title; strangely reminiscent of Lord and Lady Grantham's early marriage stories in Downton Abbey.
The current Lady Carnarvon believes Highclere is haunted by numerous ghosts, and claims to have seen the ghost of a footman who committed suicide at the house in the Victorian era. Not surprisingly, actress Shirley MacLaine who plays Lady Grantham's mother Martha Levinson in Downton Abbey is also on record as saying the home is haunted.
Downton Abbey is not the first time Highclere has been used as a location set. It also features in the films The Secret Garden (1987), Stanley Kubrick's controversial final film Eyes Wide Shut (a scene set in the familiar Saloon is pictured below left), and in the 2010 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.
Visitor numbers to Highclere are strictly controlled, and group visits are fully booked out this year and in 2015. However Golden Compass has secured access to the home and grounds as part of its 18 night "Britain's Downton Era" program next year, and with Golden Compass receiving timed entry to the house there will be no waiting in line for our participants.
We have also created a YouTube channel where you can watch some short films on the History of Highclere, including interviews with the present Lady Carnarvon about the house and Lady Almina. Access the films here.
Find out about our 19 day tour of Britain's Downton Era departing August 2015. One highlight of the program is a guided tour of Highclere, which is already fully booked for group visits in both 2014 and 2015.
Visit Get Up & Go magazine for your chance to win two places on this unique tour !
Keep visiting our blog to read more stories about "Britain's Downton Era".
Next: The devastating impact of the Great War on the British Aristocracy.

lowercased:
any fan of downton abbey will be familiar with the unmistakeable façade and stunning interiors of highclere castle, which plays the role of the imposing family home of lord and lady grantham at the centre of the fictional downton abbey estate in the yorkshire dales.
highclere takes its name from the village and civil parish it's located in, some 90km south-west of london in the county of hampshire. the house and its grounds have a long and illustrious history stretching back several centuries. the first recorded structure on the site of the present house was a mediaeval palace belonging to the original owners of the parish, the bishops of winchester (thought to be the reason julian fellowes included "abbey" in the fictional name of the estate).the estate passed into crown hands in the 16th century when henry viii appropriated the land from the catholic church.
the attorney general for england and wales, sir robert sawyer, owned highclere in the late 17th century and on his death in 1692 he bequeathed the property to his son-in-law, thomas herbert, the 8th earl of pembroke (who was married to sawyer's only child, margaret, pictured left), and the estate has remained in the herbert family ever since.
on the death of robert herbert in 1769 the estate passed to his nephew, henry (pictured below margaret sawyer). henry was made 1st earl of carnarvon (in the title's 3rd creation) by george iii in 1793, which marked the beginning of the association between the carnarvons and highclere.
the house that we see on downton abbey today was built between 1839 and 1842 when the 3rd earl of carnarvon resided at highclere. the architect was sir charles barry, whose most famous work is london's houses of parliament. sir charles barry also designed country estate, clivedon, made infamous in the 1960's by the profumo affair. the original house is pictured below, to the left of images of westminster palace and clivedon.
highclere remains the private estate of the carnarvon family, whose current owners open the home to the public over the easter long weekend and during the summer months, and it is these visitors that help support the upkeep of one of britain's finest buildings.
the 5,000 acre highclere estate is 5 times the size of new york's central park and the house itself is the largest mansion in hampshire.
it makes australia's most expensive home at $57,500,000 seem a bargain (the saunders street mansion in perth).
the number of rooms in highclere has been estimated by the current owners to be between 250 and 300. around 50 of the rooms on the upper floors remain unusable (i wonder what secrets lie behind those locked doors!).
the system of bells depicted in the television series would have had a different tone for each room, enabling the servants to know who was calling wherever they were "downstairs".
at the height of its edwardian splendour some 80 staff were employed at the estate. this figure is close to today's number of employees, although the majority now work on ensuring tourists visiting highclere are well looked after.
in 1914 highclere was converted into a hospital for wounded soldiers by the 5th countess of carnarvon (lady almina, pictured below the image of highclere taken during wwi). the home contained a fully functioning operating theatre, even more impressive than the convalescent home depicted in season 2 of downton abbey.
speaking of lady almina, she was married to the 5th earl of carnarvon in 1895. at the time the earl was deeply in debt and it was rumoured the marriage was one of convenience; almina came with a £500,000 dowry (au$45,000,000 in today's money), while almina gained a title; strangely reminiscent of lord and lady grantham's early marriage stories in downton abbey.
the current lady carnarvon believes highclere is haunted by numerous ghosts, and claims to have seen the ghost of a footman who committed suicide at the house in the victorian era. not surprisingly, actress shirley maclaine who plays lady grantham's mother martha levinson in downton abbey is also on record as saying the home is haunted.
downton abbey is not the first time highclere has been used as a location set. it also features in the films the secret garden (1987), stanley kubrick's controversial final film eyes wide shut (a scene set in the familiar saloon is pictured below left), and in the 2010 adaptation of pride and prejudice.
visitor numbers to highclere are strictly controlled, and group visits are fully booked out this year and in 2015. however golden compass has secured access to the home and grounds as part of its 18 night "britain's downton era" program next year, and with golden compass receiving timed entry to the house there will be no waiting in line for our participants.
we have also created a youtube channel where you can watch some short films on the history of highclere, including interviews with the present lady carnarvon about the house and lady almina. access the films here.
find out about our 19 day tour of britain's downton era departing august 2015. one highlight of the program is a guided tour of highclere, which is already fully booked for group visits in both 2014 and 2015.
visit get up & go magazine for your chance to win two places on this unique tour !
keep visiting our blog to read more stories about "britain's downton era".
next: the devastating impact of the great war on the british aristocracy.


text:
EXPANSIVE 180 DEGREE VIEW - The Opteka 6.5mm f/3.5 Circular Fisheye Lens offers an incredibly exciting perspective and takes photography to a range that exceeds the ability of the human eye. Bend the typical view of your photographs and video to the extreme with the ability to capture a full 180 degree panoramic frame. That fishbowl angle, combined with the impressive 11.8-inch focusing distance, allows an incredible depth of field making the 6.5mm the perfect addition to your bag of tricks.
HD SUPER MULTI-COATED OPTICS - In order to assist with the common and annoying problem of flare and ghosting, Opteka's Fisheye lens has been coated with a special layer above the optics to reduce this harmful effect. Additionally, a removable petal shaped lens hood is included reducing further the amount of light directly on the lens. This provides a valuable shelter from unwanted light rays helping you to capture ultra clear and vivid images.
CONSISTENT AND SHARP IMAGES - Because a single aspherical element is utilized in the lens, this helps to reduce aberrations while maintaining a consistent illumination for sharpness around the entire image edge. Because there is so much detail in the frame of the fisheye with its wide angle view, this welcome addition is a helpful tool to create high quality and consistent images every time.
DURABLE HEAVY DUTY CONSTRUCTION - With an aluminum alloy lens mount, a super strong connection between lens and camera ensures your Opteka Fisheye will hold up against wear and tear and keep you capturing incredible images for years to come.
This is a manual focus lens. You can only use the lens in "m" manual exposure mode or "a" aperture-priority mode.
the opteka 6.5mm f3.5 fisheye lens is an excellent addition to any photographer's collection, giving users the ability to expand their creativity & capture incredible scenes from a truly unique perspective. The special fisheye design allows maximum creative expression.
this lens, when used with cameras with an aps-c image sensor, creates images with an expanded perspective, including images with a creatively deformed outlook & a sharp pan focus that extends throughout the entire frame. By offering a 180-degree angle of view, this fisheye lens can be used to create amazing image expressions that cannot be seen by the human eye, such as exaggerated perspective & distortion. The minimum shooting distance (just 12 inches) & large depth of field also provide amazing close-up shots.
while this lens is designed for aps-c sensors, full frame users can now use it without the hood. On aps-c cameras the pictures will fill the entire frame or screen. On full frame cameras the lens will produce pictures with a semi-circular image & close images will appear proportionately large for a dramatic effect.
opteka's super multi-layer lens coating reduces flare & ghosting, a common problem with digital cameras & also creates an optimum color balance.

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expansive 180 degree view - the opteka 6.5mm f/3.5 circular fisheye lens offers an incredibly exciting perspective and takes photography to a range that exceeds the ability of the human eye. bend the typical view of your photographs and video to the extreme with the ability to capture a full 180 degree panoramic frame. that fishbowl angle, combined with the impressive 11.8-inch focusing distance, allows an incredible depth of field making the 6.5mm the perfect addition to your bag of tricks.
hd super multi-coated optics - in order to assist with the common and annoying problem of flare and ghosting, opteka's fisheye lens has been coated with a special layer above the optics to reduce this harmful effect. additionally, a removable petal shaped lens hood is included reducing further the amount of light directly on the lens. this provides a valuable shelter from unwanted light rays helping you to capture ultra clear and vivid images.
consistent and sharp images - because a single aspherical element is utilized in the lens, this helps to reduce aberrations while maintaining a consistent illumination for sharpness around the entire image edge. because there is so much detail in the frame of the fisheye with its wide angle view, this welcome addition is a helpful tool to create high quality and consistent images every time.
durable heavy duty construction - with an aluminum alloy lens mount, a super strong connection between lens and camera ensures your opteka fisheye will hold up against wear and tear and keep you capturing incredible images for years to come.
this is a manual focus lens. you can only use the lens in "m" manual exposure mode or "a" aperture-priority mode.
the opteka 6.5mm f3.5 fisheye lens is an excellent addition to any photographer's collection, giving users the ability to expand their creativity & capture incredible scenes from a truly unique perspective. the special fisheye design allows maximum creative expression.
this lens, when used with cameras with an aps-c image sensor, creates images with an expanded perspective, including images with a creatively deformed outlook & a sharp pan focus that extends throughout the entire frame. by offering a 180-degree angle of view, this fisheye lens can be used to create amazing image expressions that cannot be seen by the human eye, such as exaggerated perspective & distortion. the minimum shooting distance (just 12 inches) & large depth of field also provide amazing close-up shots.
while this lens is designed for aps-c sensors, full frame users can now use it without the hood. on aps-c cameras the pictures will fill the entire frame or screen. on full frame cameras the lens will produce pictures with a semi-circular image & close images will appear proportionately large for a dramatic effect.
opteka's super multi-layer lens coating reduces flare & ghosting, a common problem with digital cameras & also creates an optimum color balance.


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Stuck on what to stuff for your favorite lady's stocking this year? Well it's all about the beauty and spoiling this year! Here are some of the top list items that she's sure to love.
Maybe it's just me but shopping for guys is hard, broaden your ideas from the usual chocolate and coffee!
Check out some of Nordstrom's top-rated!
I am obsessed with the Versace! I need to try out the dry shampoo too! Great ideas!

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stuck on what to stuff for your favorite lady's stocking this year? well it's all about the beauty and spoiling this year! here are some of the top list items that she's sure to love.
maybe it's just me but shopping for guys is hard, broaden your ideas from the usual chocolate and coffee!
check out some of nordstrom's top-rated!
i am obsessed with the versace! i need to try out the dry shampoo too! great ideas!


text:
Parent & Me is a wonderful way to spend quality time with your little one on the move. With a variety of options to choose from, each class focuses on a different type of dance and all include developmental activities with props needed for ages 1.5-3.
This class serves as a beginning movement class for children. Children will participate in movement activities that improve balance, coordination, socialization and motor skills while getting the wiggles out. Set to favorite tunes children will also use props, parachutes, bean bags, balloons and more to play and participate in partner activities with their parent or guardian. Suitable for boys and girls.
Experience different genres of dance including ballet, jazz, hip hop, stretches and creative movement, providing a proper foundation for future dance classes. These basic movements can improve spatial awareness, body control and balance. Class also uses props thus working on gross motor skills. Suitable for boys and girls.
Fundamentals of ballet and creative movement to fairy tale music with princess tutus, props, story time and princess crafts.
Imaginations soar with props, songs, rhythm, movement and play. Through ballet and jazz basics, children develop gross motor skills and creativity. Ballet shoes required.
Is your little one ready to take a class on their own? Visit our Combo Classes page to see age appropriate classes for them!

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parent & me is a wonderful way to spend quality time with your little one on the move. with a variety of options to choose from, each class focuses on a different type of dance and all include developmental activities with props needed for ages 1.5-3.
this class serves as a beginning movement class for children. children will participate in movement activities that improve balance, coordination, socialization and motor skills while getting the wiggles out. set to favorite tunes children will also use props, parachutes, bean bags, balloons and more to play and participate in partner activities with their parent or guardian. suitable for boys and girls.
experience different genres of dance including ballet, jazz, hip hop, stretches and creative movement, providing a proper foundation for future dance classes. these basic movements can improve spatial awareness, body control and balance. class also uses props thus working on gross motor skills. suitable for boys and girls.
fundamentals of ballet and creative movement to fairy tale music with princess tutus, props, story time and princess crafts.
imaginations soar with props, songs, rhythm, movement and play. through ballet and jazz basics, children develop gross motor skills and creativity. ballet shoes required.
is your little one ready to take a class on their own? visit our combo classes page to see age appropriate classes for them!


text: The Cairn Shiel website stores very limited information about our site visitors. However we do use some external services which may store data about you. We list what we store and the external services we use below.

lowercased: the cairn shiel website stores very limited information about our site visitors. however we do use some external services which may store data about you. we list what we store and the external services we use below.


text:
Usher has been teasing new music for a while, posing for photos in the studio and offering up a few hints of an upcoming project. However, we had no clue it would be coming this soon!
His most recent album Hard II Love was his least commercially-successful LP to date and he’s coming back with full force, teaming up with Zaytoven for a brand new album tonight!
He shared an official trailer, previewing a few of the songs that we can expect on the project.

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usher has been teasing new music for a while, posing for photos in the studio and offering up a few hints of an upcoming project. however, we had no clue it would be coming this soon!
his most recent album hard ii love was his least commercially-successful lp to date and he’s coming back with full force, teaming up with zaytoven for a brand new album tonight!
he shared an official trailer, previewing a few of the songs that we can expect on the project.


text:
This sequence of pictures and description will only be of interest to those keen on learning how the dog works scent in tricky conditions. It is NOT tracking. I am always amazed at Kira and Blast in particular and often end up wondering 'how the heck they did it'. I threw a broken ball of Kiras' off in a direction when she was paying no attention, and was quite a ways off. Then I told her to "find it". She immediately alerts keenly and begins a large circle scenting all the while. The first circle was large and took her through a section of bush. I stand not near where the ball landed, which went well into the snow, and look in another direction, but always am able to watch her work.
The temperature was about -10 degrees celsius yesterday morning when we were returning from a walk, it was quite breezy and the sun had come out for a short time. Kira was making her circles increasingly smaller, checking a few places she had missed earlier, but continuing at a brisk pace. She would eventually rule out an area and then move on to another location and begin to search again.
She has begun to move back towards me, circled back on one area, and then turned in a new direction to circle and scent. By this time she had ruled out a large area, and then ran past me like she was on fire to work in another area.
But she kept moving on as if missing it completely. She looked like she was going to move down the slope which would take her back to an area she had already checked.
Red arrow shows where the ball dropped down into the snow. It is also in a shady portion, she's mainly been working out in the sunny areas. We know scent in snow can be tricky! And she did move down the slope at the left and circled around to her left.
Suddenly, she whips back around and behind me and over to the bottom of the hill. As she was running past, she suddenly stopped and turned back. Kira started to move up the side of the hill towards where the ball was buried.
She has just grabbed the ball out and is turning to come back towards me.
She never quits, she loves this "game" and I am always amazed.

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this sequence of pictures and description will only be of interest to those keen on learning how the dog works scent in tricky conditions. it is not tracking. i am always amazed at kira and blast in particular and often end up wondering 'how the heck they did it'. i threw a broken ball of kiras' off in a direction when she was paying no attention, and was quite a ways off. then i told her to "find it". she immediately alerts keenly and begins a large circle scenting all the while. the first circle was large and took her through a section of bush. i stand not near where the ball landed, which went well into the snow, and look in another direction, but always am able to watch her work.
the temperature was about -10 degrees celsius yesterday morning when we were returning from a walk, it was quite breezy and the sun had come out for a short time. kira was making her circles increasingly smaller, checking a few places she had missed earlier, but continuing at a brisk pace. she would eventually rule out an area and then move on to another location and begin to search again.
she has begun to move back towards me, circled back on one area, and then turned in a new direction to circle and scent. by this time she had ruled out a large area, and then ran past me like she was on fire to work in another area.
but she kept moving on as if missing it completely. she looked like she was going to move down the slope which would take her back to an area she had already checked.
red arrow shows where the ball dropped down into the snow. it is also in a shady portion, she's mainly been working out in the sunny areas. we know scent in snow can be tricky! and she did move down the slope at the left and circled around to her left.
suddenly, she whips back around and behind me and over to the bottom of the hill. as she was running past, she suddenly stopped and turned back. kira started to move up the side of the hill towards where the ball was buried.
she has just grabbed the ball out and is turning to come back towards me.
she never quits, she loves this "game" and i am always amazed.


text:
Odometer is 24499 miles below market average!
Hello, I would like more information about the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, stock# 23371.
Hello, I would like to see more pictures of the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, stock# 23371.

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odometer is 24499 miles below market average!
hello, i would like more information about the 2015 chevrolet silverado 1500, stock# 23371.
hello, i would like to see more pictures of the 2015 chevrolet silverado 1500, stock# 23371.


text:
With the conclusion of the NCAA Tournament this week, we were excited to take a look at the data we’ve been collecting since it began on Selection Sunday. With college basketball fans on the edge of the seats, and social media erupting during the biggest moments, brands and advertisers saw an opportunity to attract a piece of the attention, with many brands partnering with the NCAA, colleges, or even just activating on social on their own.
Over 670 thousand posts were collected in our feed and generated 23.6 billion impressions on social media.
There were 23% fewer pieces of social activity generated from Weekend 2 to Weekend 1 and 34% fewer posts from Weekend 3 to Weekend 2.
According to our Social Media Value Index of the NCAA Tournament, national champs Virginia were the most valuable team and school on Twitter. Behind them was Duke and their superstars followed by the three other Final Four teams: Texas Tech, Auburn, and Michigan State.
For sponsorship activations, owned brand activity is not the sole way to measure and assess the value. Brands have earned value through long term-relationships with teams and positive interactions with fans. As a result, we looked at brand activity, brand mentions, and any unique hashtags and terms used to incorporate the brand into the social conversation.
Sorted by total social activity, which is the total number of posts and social interactions generated around a brand, here are the Top 10 brands and sponsors surrounding the March Madness Tournament.
Amongst all jersey sponsors and manufacturers, Under Armour finished second in our social standings. With both Texas Tech and Auburn making the Final Four (and Texas Tech making the championship game), it gave a great opportunity for both schools to show love and for Under Armour to include them in relevant content.
An official partner of the NCAA, Buick’s effect was most felt during the Final Four specifically. Leveraging celebrity influencer Josh Peck and teams like Michigan State, Buick posted content showing off its product in tournament-themed photos. They also posted content that included other official partners of the tournament, specifically Wendy’s.
As the official sports drink of the NCAA, BODYARMOR made sure to take advantage not just on TV broadcasts, but online as well. Creating an ad at the start of the tournament that included celebrity endorsers James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, they took shots at competitor Gatorade. They also tried to sneak in as much product placement as possible in-venue.
The top jersey sponsor and manufacturer from the NCAA Tournament, Nike did not post during the tournament themselves. Instead, teams like Michigan State and Virginia did just that on their way to the Final Four. Pictures of sneakers on stars like Zion Williamson took off thanks to sites like Bleacher Report as well.
Despite not being the official sports drink of the NCAA, Gatorade generated a 23% greater impression value than BODYARMOR during March Madness. Not only was Gatorade was directly mentioned in the copy of BODYARMOR’s ad, but they did sponsored content with schools like Kentucky, Michigan, and national champions Virginia as well as the Big Ten Network.
As we documented on our blog earlier in the tournament, Capital One earned big value early on thanks to their Bracket Challenge. During the tournament, they bought the emoji hashtag for #FanGoals, ran sweepstakes for fans in the arena, and used celebrities like Charles Barkley for social content. Didn’t hurt that games were played at Capital One Arena as well.
As the official cloud software of the NCAA, Google paired with NCAA to showcase their initiatives with university tournaments around stat-gathering & prediction modeling. From brackets based on search interest to predictions before each game, this was a creative way to create an active integration in sponsorship.
As an official partner of the NCAA, Wendy’s took it live during March Madness on social media by sponsoring the “#FinalFour Twitter Live.” Former athletes like Wes Welker and Tiki Barber both appeared on the show and plugged their work with Wendy’s on their own social handles. On top of that, they had physical activations on-site, offering products to fans. This does not even include their own Pick Em Challenge they did with fans outside of the typical NCAA Tournament conversation.
#FinalFour Twitter Live presented by @Wendys is underway!
The official pizza provider of the NCAA, Pizza Hut brought a lot of diversity to its sponsorship marketing campaign. They sponsored the student section of fans at the stadium. They tapped into a few social media influencers on Twitter and Twitch to advertise new products and tweet about the games. Plus, they offered free P’Zones to reward members if a 17-point comeback were to happen in the Final Four! All of that work made Pizza Hut a very active member of the conversation.
As an official partner of the NCAA, AT&T saw the most impression value amongst all brands during the NCAA Tournament. From sponsoring the AT&T Block Party, which saw The Chainsmokers perform, to following social media influencers like Rachel DeMita during their on-site activations at the Final Four, to sponsoring slam dunk videos from official NCAA handles, AT&T saw big returns on their digital work from March Madness.

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with the conclusion of the ncaa tournament this week, we were excited to take a look at the data we’ve been collecting since it began on selection sunday. with college basketball fans on the edge of the seats, and social media erupting during the biggest moments, brands and advertisers saw an opportunity to attract a piece of the attention, with many brands partnering with the ncaa, colleges, or even just activating on social on their own.
over 670 thousand posts were collected in our feed and generated 23.6 billion impressions on social media.
there were 23% fewer pieces of social activity generated from weekend 2 to weekend 1 and 34% fewer posts from weekend 3 to weekend 2.
according to our social media value index of the ncaa tournament, national champs virginia were the most valuable team and school on twitter. behind them was duke and their superstars followed by the three other final four teams: texas tech, auburn, and michigan state.
for sponsorship activations, owned brand activity is not the sole way to measure and assess the value. brands have earned value through long term-relationships with teams and positive interactions with fans. as a result, we looked at brand activity, brand mentions, and any unique hashtags and terms used to incorporate the brand into the social conversation.
sorted by total social activity, which is the total number of posts and social interactions generated around a brand, here are the top 10 brands and sponsors surrounding the march madness tournament.
amongst all jersey sponsors and manufacturers, under armour finished second in our social standings. with both texas tech and auburn making the final four (and texas tech making the championship game), it gave a great opportunity for both schools to show love and for under armour to include them in relevant content.
an official partner of the ncaa, buick’s effect was most felt during the final four specifically. leveraging celebrity influencer josh peck and teams like michigan state, buick posted content showing off its product in tournament-themed photos. they also posted content that included other official partners of the tournament, specifically wendy’s.
as the official sports drink of the ncaa, bodyarmor made sure to take advantage not just on tv broadcasts, but online as well. creating an ad at the start of the tournament that included celebrity endorsers james harden and donovan mitchell, they took shots at competitor gatorade. they also tried to sneak in as much product placement as possible in-venue.
the top jersey sponsor and manufacturer from the ncaa tournament, nike did not post during the tournament themselves. instead, teams like michigan state and virginia did just that on their way to the final four. pictures of sneakers on stars like zion williamson took off thanks to sites like bleacher report as well.
despite not being the official sports drink of the ncaa, gatorade generated a 23% greater impression value than bodyarmor during march madness. not only was gatorade was directly mentioned in the copy of bodyarmor’s ad, but they did sponsored content with schools like kentucky, michigan, and national champions virginia as well as the big ten network.
as we documented on our blog earlier in the tournament, capital one earned big value early on thanks to their bracket challenge. during the tournament, they bought the emoji hashtag for #fangoals, ran sweepstakes for fans in the arena, and used celebrities like charles barkley for social content. didn’t hurt that games were played at capital one arena as well.
as the official cloud software of the ncaa, google paired with ncaa to showcase their initiatives with university tournaments around stat-gathering & prediction modeling. from brackets based on search interest to predictions before each game, this was a creative way to create an active integration in sponsorship.
as an official partner of the ncaa, wendy’s took it live during march madness on social media by sponsoring the “#finalfour twitter live.” former athletes like wes welker and tiki barber both appeared on the show and plugged their work with wendy’s on their own social handles. on top of that, they had physical activations on-site, offering products to fans. this does not even include their own pick em challenge they did with fans outside of the typical ncaa tournament conversation.
#finalfour twitter live presented by @wendys is underway!
the official pizza provider of the ncaa, pizza hut brought a lot of diversity to its sponsorship marketing campaign. they sponsored the student section of fans at the stadium. they tapped into a few social media influencers on twitter and twitch to advertise new products and tweet about the games. plus, they offered free p’zones to reward members if a 17-point comeback were to happen in the final four! all of that work made pizza hut a very active member of the conversation.
as an official partner of the ncaa, at&t saw the most impression value amongst all brands during the ncaa tournament. from sponsoring the at&t block party, which saw the chainsmokers perform, to following social media influencers like rachel demita during their on-site activations at the final four, to sponsoring slam dunk videos from official ncaa handles, at&t saw big returns on their digital work from march madness.


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Megan Emerick is a FUNimation veteran of almost 9 years, with some of the best shows the company's anime catalog has to offer under her belt!
(Yuri Gamagori), and she's appeared in countless other classics, like Soul Eater and Fairy Tail!
To learn more about Megan, follow her on Twitter (@MeganEmerick)!

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megan emerick is a funimation veteran of almost 9 years, with some of the best shows the company's anime catalog has to offer under her belt!
(yuri gamagori), and she's appeared in countless other classics, like soul eater and fairy tail!
to learn more about megan, follow her on twitter (@meganemerick)!