Embracing

America has chosen. History was made. Whether this was your personal choice, or not, we should now all come together as fellow Americans and embrace our new leadership, embracing change. History was... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

izmir All-embracing Fair is the oldest tradeshow in Turkey, advised the cradle of Turkey’s fairs and expositions industry, and is aswell notable for hosting a alternation of accompanying anniversary activities. The fair and the anniversary are captivated in the admixture of izmir’s all-inclusive close city-limits esplanade called Kültürpark in the aboriginal canicule of September, an

Kass and I went to her "Back to school night" last night.  No I didn't meet any  single parents or single teachers that are potential dates but I did get Kass' 3rd grade teacher's myspace id so I can... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Today’s creative world is a ripe environment for ‘renaissance professionals’: individuals who can do a variety of things and have the ability to visualize projects across mediums. Chad Crouch, Founder of Hush Records, musician, visual artist, designer and sometime handyman/property owner/landlord falls happily into that realm. A painter by trade, Couch has had his hands in a bevy of project

I Love this comment on news.com.au’s “Ask Bossy” about weight issues and self image: Sometimes just considering change is the hardest thing. Sometimes when people say something that suggests they would like us to change, we are hurt and withdraw. This is natural…at first. But so is change. Sometimes we cling so tightly to the idea [...]

So I've been on a reading binge this past week or so. My friend Eowyn has been reviewing books on her new blog and the siren call of her words has lead me all entrancedly to place various orders at Amazon.ca. I've reviewed some of those books at my new Bibliophile blog, and there you can capture some small part of the wonder and awe I've experience as I've immersed myself in the depths of litera

Two years ago my desktop computer died... not only giving me the constant blue screens but did you know there was a red screen after the blue screen? LOL. I did everything I could to bring it back, including reinstalling the whole system, but I finally had to admit it's lifespan had reached the end and I was going to be out another thousand bucks to buy something new.I told my husband to look ou

In the August issue of the Good Sam Club member magazine, Highways, I wrote about my fears and trepidations about my 27 year old son’s RV tour through Mexico with his friend and his dog…all aboard a 1982 Minnie Winnie, completed with surfboards strapped to the top. Holding my breath for most of the [...]

failure |ˈfālyər| noun 1 lack of success : an economic policy that is doomed to failure | the failures of his policies. • an unsuccessful person, enterprise, or thing : bad weather had resulted in crop failures. • lack of success in passing an examination or test : exam failure. • a grade that is not high enough to pass [...]

Hey, remember Bridget Moynahan? She was knocked up by Patriot's quarterback Tom Brady right before he ditched her for Gisele Bundchen. I think she's an actress too or something. Who knows? What I do know is the touching anecdote...

So for today here’s my story… Lately I’ve been busy setting up my new computer at the office, thank goodness! Atlast my wailing sacrifices on my PC’s aging performance would soon be put on halt.  Yes i have a new baby now! The technician dropped by to my place yesterday and replaced my two year old [...]

When Adam was a toddler five or so years ago, I was totally against messy toys and projects. We would get gifts like finger paints, and I would set them aside and not use them. In fact the finger paints went right into the Toys for Tots donation bin that year. We sent him to preschool so he can experience all those creative messy outlets there, no need to do those activities at home! But over the years, I've broken down and started to embrace messy activities. It could be that we amassed so many gifts that fall in this category that the kids begged to use (mostly from Doug's family). Or maybe I've just chilled out. Here are some of the messy activities that we've partaken in:Painted flower pots, Adam's on the left and Dova's on the right. Paper mache volcano that they painted as well

From ardorny.com:W.105th/Upper Westside Studio/1.0 Bath $1195. This is a finding! Located just one block from Central Park, this gorgeous studio apartment in the charming Upper West Side has it all! It features Murphy bed, closet space, floor to ceiling marble tiled full bath with Jacuzzi, fully equipped kitchen with granite countertop, great cabinetry with excellent storage space and dishwasher. Heat and hot water included!To view actual property, please contact [contact information removed].Let's play a little game of "One of These Things Is Not Like the Other" using these photos and its correlated apartment listing above.Leave your answers in the comments.Real Estate LOLBecause all you can do is live with it, laugh at it or leave it behind.

-- By Kim Moshtaghi Anne Klein Gathered Wrap $48.00 Available at: nordstrom.comThis article is dedicated to my mother. Growing up I always wondered what the reasoning was for a blanket-like cover; with her help I discovered that there is a reason for the existence of shawls. A couple years ago I realized that shawls are an amazing way to spice up an outfit, and at the same time they keep you

For decades, our car-buying decisions have been based primarily on what our friends tell us, what we read in consumer reports, and the advertising in radio and in television. But the buying world is changing across the board, virtualizing and socializing, and progressive dealerships are getting in to the action. A new survey by The [...]

It used to be if you drove a small car in the United States, you were either a cultural maverick living in California or a Canadian tourist. No more. Americans appear to have finally cast away their deep fear of subcompact and compact autos. Ford Motor Co. says the trend has been building slowly since 2004 as Baby Boomers downsize and their children start buying cars. But it is picking up serious speed now as oil prices pierce a record US$112 a barrel, harkening back to the 1970s energy crisis when gas-sucking pigs like the V8-powered Chevrolet Caprice sat on dealer lots while buyers flocked to new four-cylinder vehicles made by Toyota Motor Corp. and others. “Anybody that has to have a car is starting to move into a smaller size,” George Magliano, director of automotive indust

FRANCESCA HARPER and Eric Cohen seemed an improbable match when they met in 2000 at a New Year’s Eve party in SoHo.She was a dancer and choreographer, then performing with the Broadway production of “Fosse.” He was an associate in the corporate department of Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel, a New York law firm.“Lawyers and artists speak two different languages, so to me it was hard to imagine how they would communicate,” said Tanya Selvaratnam, a writer, actor and film producer who has known Ms. Harper for a decade.At the party, Mr. Cohen saw the statuesque Ms. Harper struggling to uncork a bottle of wine and offered to help. They talked for 45 minutes. “We connected on a deep level so quickly,” said Ms. Harper, recalling that they discussed politics and social issues. Bu

I wonder if this is what Fr. Andre Dargis meant when he said that the Episcopal church is leading the way in the ecumenical movement? Isn't tolerance grand?Meanwhile, Pope Paul VI said that the smoke of Satan had entered the Catholic Church and this has been confirmed by various attempts to empty Catholicism of its supernatural dimension and to reduce it to a humanitarian religion made in the image and likeness of man. A comfortable religion where little importance is attributed to sin, grace and the transcendent. In this man-made religion, the Sacraments are abandoned and the supernatural is relegated to the margins. Many clamor for a "democratic church" and the juridical and teaching authority of the Magisterium are contested.Where is this all leading us. Read here for the answer:-freema

Cameron Diaz is enjoying life as a single woman as she has not had a steady boyfriend since splitting from Justin Timberlake. "It's been nice not having a boyfriend for the past year," she says in the new issue of British GQ. "In fact, it's the first time I haven't had one in 10 years, and I'm enjoying what I'm getting out of this moment. "I could be in a relationship if I wanted to be, but I haven't finished doing what I'm doing," she added. Diaz, 35 says she doesn't have a type. Simply put, she says, "I like boys — a lot. I'm boy crazy. That hasn't changed since I was very young." Still, she says when she's "in a relationship I'm very loyal and committed. I give a lot." But even Diaz knows she's not the easiest partner to

Is there such a thing as safety and security? A child relies on a security blanket to make the child feel safe, but every adult knows the blanket can do nothing to protect the child. Is any other thing we look to for security any different? What is it we are worried about? Website - Directly to RSS feed of podcast - Namaste, ~ Eric Putkonen

I was delighted that SUCCESS magazine re-launched with the March issue, which was packed with articles on many people who’ve achieved success that motivate and stimulate new ideas. I love this magazine! Everything is about SUCCESS. Reading it is a constant reminder of going for your own. I applaud its publisher, Darren Hardy, for being innovative in bringing the magazine SUCCESSFULLY to life again. I'll have samples from the magazine on Wednesday!The magazine inspired me to launch my Embracing SUCCESS series. I want to explore what success is and different roads for reaching it. I’d hope to get it underway sooner but got delayed with some of my own successes and the crane accident I wrote about last week delayed me further. But now I’m back on track, which I consider a SUCCESS!Over t

The challenge of being a single grown-up seeking a meaningful and satisfying relationship isn’t easy because it seems like navigating uncharted waters. But we’ve got skills, experience, and maturity! On our side. Read on to discover how “grown-ups” can use their experiential “assets” to their benefit. More: continued here

Vanessa says, "In a recent forum discussion, I met a lady who was somewhat confused about the quiverfull lifestyle. It seems that others had led her to believe the possibility that being quiverfull was a salvation or a sanctification issue. I suppose I created this post in an effort to describe what being quiverfull means to my family." Pop on over to Creative Counterpart to read about her story.There is an amazing post over at A Woman's Journey Home. Her story includes the diagnosis of never having children, the Lord opening her womb, a husband wanting no more children, a life and death event, loosing children, and being blessed. She writes, "We have learned, that being QF is more than just accepting the Lord’s will if a baby is coming every year. It is also trusting Him when they ar

`If you don’t change, reality in the end forces that change upon you.’ Stuart Wilde As you walk the path of an artist you will find your inspiration gives you the strength to speak more and more strongly through your creativity. Working to access `The Creative Spirit’ within on a daily basis allows the clearing of blocks [...]

Despite having little daylight, I find that I still do a fair bit of photography this time of year because of the quality of the light we do get, and I don’t go anywhere without my camera gear (even into Whitehorse to do some shopping). Going to the cabin on Wednesday, the moon was irresistible, and I stopped just north of Emerald Lake to take a few shots, including the one below. It was shot at ISO 400, 1/320 second, f5.6 with the 75-300 lens at 220 mm - it hasn’t been post-processed (click to enlarge it).

As an increasing number of retailers launch green tariffs and green energy is more prominently offered, Australian consumers are rapidly signing up to green power. The country now has amongst the highest penetration of residential customers buying accredited green energy in the world, and the share of households taking a green product is expected to [...]

I've visited Aberdeen a couple of times before permanently move here. But we've always visited the city between September and October, so I didn't really feel the cold weather. The coldest temperature I had experienced was 9⁰C, but that was 6.00 AM in the morning and I had it for a few seconds from the house to the car, so it doesn't really count. My so much winter experience was when I lived in Sydney, where when it's hit under 15⁰C people are seen walking around with thick coats, scarves and gloves. And there's no snow in Sydney!This time, though, will be my first experience to feel the 'real' cold weather. I've tried my best to avoid it, by arranging my trip back to Indonesia in December-January (I wish I could stay until May but Stuart veto-ed my idea), but this particular week in early November has been colder, much colder. The heater is on more often inside the house, the darkness falls earlier it makes 4.00 PM looks like night time, the kettle is put on all the time

Liberation, Freedom, and Enlightenment – by its very nature – is an opening. It is a removing of walls and cords of attachment that restrict and confine, but also a removing of the shells and defenses used to protect the “little me.” As we open, often there is a feeling of vulnerability and then fear – as we have been shown and taught to protect ourselves and that it is a dangerous world. We are taught not to trust people…that trust must be earned. Until it is earned, keep those walls and barricades up. What I suggest is demolition…embracing vulnerability. Immediately the question may come to mind…what if I am hurt. My answer is that it is a certainty at some point you will be hurt. Accept it. Be willing to be hurt. If you open up and trust all – whether earned or not – you will be betrayed and hurt at some point…given enough time. But I find it is a small minority that will betray you. Would you close yourself off from a 100 because the 1 betrays

Known for producing quality electronics, Sony is also one of the pioneers and the best producers of digital camera. Truly using a Sony digital camera is embracing perfection with its many features exclusive to a Sony digital camera.Indeed, one of the best ways to capture your memories forever is thru photos and what better to do it than with a Sony digital camera. Photos are used to remember or when we reminisce of the wonderful times of our lives. And only vivid and detailed photos can help us bring back all those memories. And quality photos are exactly what a Sony digital camera offers to its consumers.Equipped with the best optics and imaging technology available, the Sony digital camera line ensures its consumers that a Sony digital camera will only capture more detail, more color and more brightness imaginable.Every Sony digital camera has an exclusive Sony technology that enhances photo capturing experience. Armed with the Real Imaging Processor (RIMP), any Sony digital camera a

I think financing an automobile is absurd. This is my opinion after having dealt with financing vehicles myself and currently being indebted to a financial institution for my wife's car. Financing a car, let alone financing a new car, doesn't add up. You pay more for the price of a purchase that is constantly depreciating. By the time its done depreciating, it's nearly worthless and you've spent thousands of dollars while paying interest on top of it to a bank.There are 2 winners here: the bank and the dealership. The dealership wins again when you trade in your $30k car for $10k and they resell it for $13k!But, consumers are more than willing to accept these terms in order to get into a new car. In fact, they are accepting even worse terms than our parents did. Compared to this, spending $500 on "rust-proofing" sounds like a good deal.Buyers are paying more, extending loan terms and making smaller down payments, according to a recent study by the Consumer Bankers Association. Many

The abiding protectionism of the US electorate continues to astound economists, who are seeking ways to reduce this irrational prejudice and introduce the electorate to the benefits of free trade. The Adam Smith Institute Blog reports on a suggested New Deal for Globalisation:In this month's Foreign Affairs Kenneth Scheve and Matthew Slaughter argue that the only way to overcome the tide of protectionism in the US is for the government to introduce a massive redisitribution program to bring the fruit of open markets to the doorstep of those earning below the median wage.The authors have clearly been studying their public choice theory by suggesting that voters should be bribed into supporting 'good' policies instead of being convinced. The Adam Smith Institute Blog is understandably skeptical, concluding:Large-scale redistribution under the banner of a "New Deal for Globalisation" would disincentivize low skilled workers from actually working, while encouraging them to be bought off

Second Floor: Energy Physics A century ago, a group of creative minorities launched a radical new view of how the universe works. Albert Einstein, Max Planck, and Werner Heisenberg, among others, formulated new theories concerning the underlying mechanics of the universe. Their work on quantum mechanics revealed that the universe is not an assembly of physical parts as suggested by Newtonian physics but is derived from a holistic entanglement of immaterial energy waves. Quantum mechanics shockingly reveals that there is no true “physicality” in the universe; atoms are made of focused vortices of energy - miniature tornados that are constantly popping into and out of existence. Atoms as energy fields interact with the full spectrum of invisible energy fields that comprise the universe, intimately entangled with one another and the field in which they are immersed. A fundamental conclusion of the new physics also acknowledges that the “observer creates the reality. “As observ

For over four hundred years, Western civilization has chosen science as its source of truths and wisdom about the mysteries of life. Allegorically, we may picture the wisdom of the universe as resembling a large mountain. We scale the mountain as we acquire knowledge. Our drive to reach the top of that mountain is fueled by the notion that with knowledge we may become “masters” of our universe. Conjure the image of the all-knowing guru seated atop the mountain. Scientists are professional seekers, forging the path up the “mountain of knowledge.” Their search takes them into the uncharted unknowns of the universe. With each scientific discovery, humanity gains a better foothold in scaling the mountain. Ascension is paved one scientific discovery at a time. Along its path, science occasionally encounters a fork in the road. Do they take the left turn or the right? When confronted with this dilemma, the direction chosen by science is determined by the consensus of scientis

I put up a new banner, I’m understanding Photoshop a little better and was able to make a much smoother looking header. I like it, but it’s not as edgy as the old one. So I dunno, on the fence. What do you think? New or old? It does however tie in with my latest project, [...]

I forgot what it felt like to stand in front of a hot sauté line. But the sweet kiss of sweat rolling down my forehead welcomed me back to the line this past Sunday. So much is happening at Rustico so fast for me, it is almost impossible for me to sum up. I guess I have been unable to post an update if only because I am too overwhelmed with all that is happening to write about it. No, these are not them, these just look awesome… But let me cut to the great day in front of the hot stove. We have six burners - just like at Tirolo - and one flat top - just like Tirolo as well. So the layout was pretty much the same (only with the flat top on the right of the burners instead of the left) and there was even a large pot on the back burner with pasta cookers in it to make me feel at home. To start off the service, I had to pre-cook the grilled cheese sandwiches which are a wonderful creation with smoked ham and balsamic onions. I only messed up a pair of them (and they late

#685: EMBRACING THIS MEAT MACHINE A LITTLE BIT AT A TIMEFirst, Saviabella hearted her vagina, and then Ms. Smartypants mentioned "...the revolting phenomenon of specific soaps for washing your hoo-ha", and I was thrown back to a very confusing and somewhat upsetting period of my mid-1980s self. I was in that uncomfortable verge-of-puberty state when I knew that my body was going to change remarkably but was seeing none of the external signs yet. I was both curious about how it would feel to have a different body and horrified by the messages about post-pubescent bodies that were displayed in magazines and on television.The media showed me that adult female bodies were a out of control; they were unreasonable, unpredictable, and tended toward social unacceptability quite without consent by the body's owner. By the time that I was in grades four and five, it was already apparent to me that the body I would have after all the hormones kicked in was going to require deodorants and sc

I’ve seen a lot written about how to fix your ‘flaws’, especially in magazines that are supposedly about style. You’d get the impression that if you repair enough of the things that are ‘wrong’ with you, you’ll magically have personal style. Bull. Stylish, successful people don’t spend their days smoothing out their imperfections. They’re far too busy being themselves, and living great lives by virtue of doing what works for them. Most people who do remarkable things are in some way deeply flawed. Are they busy caring that they’re not perfect? Of course not. They’re far too busy getting things done. Perhaps we should all do the same. If you fix all of your supposed flaws, the best you can become is completely average. Everything that makes anyone special could be seen as a flaw, because anything that makes you different will sometimes cause you problems. The flip side is, every weakness is a strength in the right situati

I know what you love to hear: Excuses from bloggers on how they’re too busy to blog. Or! Better yet! They are just busy enough to update their own blog sporadically but too busy to read your blog and actually make a contribution.  Meanwhile, you’re reading their updates and contributing selflessly.......... Come by for the post tags: blogging family hicks parenting video white-trash youtube

Just thought I’d share a quick tip for people looking to cut down their morning stress. I’ve seen a lot of people suggest setting your alarm clock ahead 15mintues (so you end up getting up 15 minutes before you really need to) but I’ve found that this doesn’t always work well. Generally if I do this I know the clock is wrong and end up just hitting the snooze button. Awhile ago I realized that it was the act of hitting the Snooze button and not the fact that my clock was off which was really helping me. The result was my decision to change the time my alarm actually sounded. Here’s the idea: If you want to wake up at 7AM set your alarm clock for 6AM. No, you’re not going to crawl out of bet at 6 we know that. Instead of getting you out of bed you just want the alarm clock to wake you up. Roll over, hit the snooze and go back to sleep. My alarm clock (it’s only the second I’ve ever had and has lasted close to eight years) increments

I had a stircrazy meltdown today.The Associate Rector came over for Eucharist. It was lovely. And we talked and laughed afterwards, which was good. She brought a pretty knitted prayer shawl from the Trinity knitters, and said flowers would be coming later.Flowers arrived, and they are Dick & Tony's from the altar this morning, and beautiful.But they were in the hands of a gorgeous, well dressed woman from church.So I freaked about the state of the house right after she left.We fired the maid about a month ago, and I was doing the house, but for the past two weeks every surface has gathered dust, and bird-down and seed hulls and cat fur, and the dust has gathered clutter, and then the clutter has attracted papers and pencils and screws and post-its and miscellany, which have gathered dust, and catalogs, and the dustbunnies (from a certain red dog) are like tribbles, and the house seemed hot and stinky, and I freaked. The state of the house was demoralizing and embarassing. The flowers

A friend called and related her survival tactic for the three months of bedrest she had to do, with each child. She suggested I embrace it. That goes well beyond surrender. Embrace. It's actually what I needed to hear, since I'm already on this ride.The birth kit arrived. It's all I expected. I still have a few more items to pick up, like olive oil, a heating pad (why?), a thermometer. The sheets for the event need washing with bleach, both sets, and a double rinse, hot dry. Baby feels huge.So I lounged on the couch after breakfast today. I called the kids in from the monsterous fort they've built in B's room around 11.K read The Littles to us, we read Hillyer's regarding Richard Lionheart, James I and the Magna Carta. Then Robin Hood. We read some Looking At Pictures (National Gallery), then did some Drawing With Children. They each made a big, decorated paper folder for art projects.Mom took ChaCha (the cocatiel) out to the lanai. He screamed for a while because he couldn't fi

OK, I've officially embraced the new version of Blogger. I've tagged all my posts, upgraded my template to take advantage of the nifty new widgets and the new customization user interface (losing and re-creating most of my previous customizations in the process), and did a little extra tinkering to boot. Not much has changed for you, the reader, except a little of the look and feel. (Not all for the better; I had to make some compromises in order to not lose the kewl new stuff.) The "Blog archives" nav on the left is way better than the old one, and the brand-new "Labels" section (also on the left) is there, in case you dig tags/labels as a way to access categorized information.If you see anything that's really ugly/broken - or you just have any general feedback - let me know. Muchos gracias!

The coming of age of classifieds sites, with categories ranging from education, job openings to personal ads posting have opened opportunities to communicate and transact with other people all over the planet. The Internet have also become a platform for self expression of their true or make believe persona. It’s also the new avenue for [...]