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AFI 100: Bringing Up Baby & City Lights

It was Ye Olde Tymey Romantick Comedy night in the Baldwin household this evening.

Bringing Up Baby: Knowing nothing about this film beyond the title, I assumed it was just the “oh no, we’re pregnant!” film of its era, a 1938 version of Knocked Up minus the lingering shots of Seth Rogen’s ass. As it turns out, “Baby,” in this case, is a leopard, which the brother of Susan Vance (Katharine Hepburn) has sent from Brazil to Connecticut as a gift to — ahh, you know what? The leopard doesn’t really matter. It’s really just one of this screwball comedy’s endless MacGuffins designed to throw Vance and Dr. David Huxley (Cary Grant) into a succession of zany situations. Lots of funny scenes (this restaurant bit, particularly from 5:37 on, is particularly inspired) and great lines (“Susan, you’ve got to get out of this apartment!” Huxley exclaims when he discovers the leopard in her room. “I can’t,” Vance explains, “I’ve got a lease.”), but very little plot to tie it all together. Hypothetically the narrative is Huxley and Vance falling in love, but as Vance loves Huxley at first sight and Huxley is never given a reason to want to spend another moment, much less the rest of his life, in the company of Vance (aside from the fact that she’s Katharine Freakin’ Hepburn, obviously), this framing device is paper thin. Thus, the film feels less like a long, funny story and more like a standup comedy routine, a series of setup-straightline-punchline scenes just gummed together with a resolution tacked onto the end for the sake of closure. Which is fine, but wears thin at around the 45 minute mark–about half this film’s running time. 6.5/10

City Lights: I was prepared to stoically endure this Charlie Chaplin “comedy” for the sake of checking it off my list, but holy smokes, I can’t remember the last film that made me laugh this hard. Chaplin is so masterful that the gags succeed even when you see them coming a mile away–you know what the joke is going to be, but nothing can prepare you for Chaplin’s sublime execution (e.g., the “Spaghetti Scene”, which starts at 2:10 in this clip). Slapstick usually leaves me cold (I’ve never understood the appeal of the Three Stooges, for instance), but Chaplin imbues each pratfall with so much humanity that you feel like watching a close friend fall through an open manhole–now that’s funny! I could level the same charge against City Lights that I did against Bringing Up Baby–it’s more of a collection of sketches than a cohesive narrative–but the central premise, Chaplin falling for a blind flower girl, is so bittersweet that it pervaded every shot, making the whole greater than the sum of its parts. Plus, the final scene is amazing. 8/10

The next film in the AFI 100 Project will be … oh, god. Sophie’s Choice. If I’m going to break this resolution, I guess now’s the time to do it.

25 thoughts on “AFI 100: Bringing Up Baby & City Lights

  1. I’m so glad you liked City Lights. There really is a reason that Chaplin was hailed as a genius everywhere in the civilized world. His slapstick is so far from the Three Stooges (and I thought only women hated them!) that the same word can barely be used to describe both kinds of comedy. You should check out Modern Times, too. I’m not sure which one I like better.

    Bringing up baby….well, it’s not for everyone. It has moments of genius–my best friend and I are wont to emulate the “GEORGE!” “George!” “GEORGE!” “George!” search for the bone-stealing dog–but you’re right: it’s held together with gossamer thread. But to me that’s OK–in a lot of screwball comedy the plot isn’t really the point. You’re right: there’s no reason Huxley should love Vance, who has utterly upended his life…but I think that’s probably the attraction. His regimented stuffy life has been turned utterly upside down, and he’s really lived for the first time. This wasn’t an uncommon theme in movies of the time.

    Keep watching–and keep reporting!

  2. Just recently watched City Lights for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed it. I watched it because I’m doing a similar movie project in order to fill in some of the gaps in my viewing history.

    I’m enjoying following along!

  3. How Bringing Up Baby is held up by anyone as a classic is beyond me. Just because it’s old and has Cary Grant in it does not mean we should give it a free pass.

    Of course, the fact that I think Kate Hepburn is one of the most annoying actresses in screen history doesn’t help.

  4. I really liked City Lights, but I’ve never found another Chaplin film that I could recommend to anyone. I hated Modern Times and I really really hated The Gold Rush.

    I love Bringing Up Baby, but I think it’s a Cary Grant thing.

  5. For me the teaming of Hepburn and Grant worked best in “The Philadelphia Story”, I’ve never understood why “Bringing Up Baby” is given more praise. The character of Susan is SO annoying.

  6. Include me in the baffled group in re: Bringing Up Baby. Never got it. Well, *fully* got it, I mean, yeah, taken in bits and pieces there’s some nice stuff in there.

    But Hepburn’s annoyance = movie’s annoyance for me.

    As for Cary Grant comedies, you owe it to yourself to see The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, with Grant & Myrna Loy. Also Rudy Vallee, Ray Collins, and hot damn, who

  7. Don’t let Sophie’s Choice scare you off, it’s worth it.

    Bringing Up Baby isn’t the best of Grant or Kate Hepburn. For Grant in a comedy, try Father Goose.

    Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer – It’s alright, but I’d recommend a younger Myrna Loy with William Powell in “The Thin Man”. William and Myrna as Nick & Nora Charles, along with James Stewart (before he went by “Jimmy”)… that’s the goods.

  8. I thought ‘Bringing Up Baby’ was a sweet movie. Unchecked out rumor has it that it was the first movie in which a woman wore pants instead of dresses. I would check it out myself, but why take away your fun?

  9. I thought ‘Bringing Up Baby’ was a sweet movie. Unchecked out rumor has it that it was the first movie in which a woman wore pants instead of dresses. I would check it out myself, but why take away your fun? :)

  10. I have been meaning to do the same type of “check it off my list” AFI routine for quite some time.

    My college roommate was a film major, so I saw most of the list of oldies but goodies 20 years ago.

    BUB is Howard Hawks – His Girl Friday – much much better, and I think its on the list.

    Just finished Catch-22 BTW. (yeah I know) but it was so worth it to re-read this. Thanks!!

  11. I liked Bringing Up Baby for the same reason I love His Girl Friday – the fast paced lines and action. But most of the commenters above are right – it’s annoying. You don’t actually like any charachter in the film so it’s hard to stay interested through the whole thing.

  12. Gee whiz, what’s with all the haters for Baby? I know it’s not unheard of: Here is a roundup of criticism of the film.

    For me, it’s brilliant. If you hate Hepburn, that can’t be helped, but you’re missing out. The whole cast is great from start to finish: Fritz Feld, Walter Catlett, Barry Fitzgerald, Charlie Ruggles, and so on. Is Susan “annoying”? Well, yeah, but that’s kind of the point. This is the model for dozens of screwball comedies; she exasperates him, but he falls in love anyway.

    It’s worth pointing out that What’s Up, Doc? (1972) is a total remake/rip-off of Baby.

  13. Unchecked out rumor has it that it was the first movie in which a woman wore pants instead of dresses

    This doesn’t seem right, unless you’re talking about women in daily life rather than in costumes. BUB is 1938, and Marlene Dietrich wears pants both in Morocco (1930) and Blonde Venus (1932), although in both cases it’s her character who wears them as part of her cabaret act. (In the first is the famous scene where Dietrich, dressed in a tux, snags a smoke from a woman in the audience and then plants a big ol’ smack on her lips–trust me, it’s hot.) But even if you mean women in daily life, I wouldn’t count on it–1938 is pretty late for that…I wouldn’t be surprised if Hepburn did it even earlier. Or Dietrich. Or any of those racy pre-Code girls…

    I agree that The Philadelphia Story is a better pairing of Grant and Hepburn–in fact, a better movie altogether. But for Cary Grant comedy gold I’d be more likely to go for something like Arsenic and Old Lace, or Gunga Din (comedy AND action-adventure!), or His Girl Friday. Or even The Awful Truth or My Favorite Wife.

  14. I second Chris for Holiday. This is my favorite Grant/Hepburn coupling. Plus I fell for Lew Ayres in his role as tragic drunken brother. Arsenic and Old Lace is great screwball. For a more dramatic Grant role there is Angels with Broken Wings. Don’t forget Charade with the other Hepburn.

    Also have to agree with Thin Man. The first is the best, but the others continue the chemistry between Powell and Loy. In high school Grant was my favorite leading man. Now I prefer Powell. Must recommend My Man Godfrey.

    I had to force myself to watch Sophie’s Choice. It is good, I appreciated the story, but I didn’t really enjoy it. One viewing is enough.

  15. Unchecked out rumor has it that it was the first movie in which a woman wore pants instead of dresses

    I’ve had it on good authority that Bringing up Baby contains that first *documented* use of the word “gay” as meaning “homosexual.” It’s when Mr. Grant is running around in the dressing gown, he makes an aside that he’s “gone gay.”

  16. Chaplin was a communist and Cary Grant had a thing for albino hunchbacked midgets from Austria. I read it on Ron Paul’s blog!

  17. OK, so I am little late to all of this, but here goes. Sophies Choice is an incredible movie. But not one to watch when you are feeling the least bit bad, because it will suck you into a pit of despair.

    As for Chaplin, I love City Lights, but for me, “The Kid” will always be my favorite. Even though I have seen it many many times I still get teary.

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Russia appeared to seize the initiative in international efforts to end the conflict in Syria on Sunday as Washington scrambled to devise a new strategy for the war-ravaged country and France sent warplanes to bomb Islamic State targets.

As leaders gathered in New York at the United Nations General Assembly, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry discussed Syria with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. He said that while it was vital to coordinate efforts against Islamic State militants this was not yet happening.

"I think we have concerns about how we are going to go forward," Kerry told reporters. U.S. officials said Kerry was working on a new political initiative in New York that would include Russia and key regional powers.

A senior State Department official told reporters: "It was a very thorough exchange of views on both the military and the political implications of Russia’s increased engagement in Syria."

Kerry also discussed Syria with Iran's foreign minister during a meeting at the United Nations on Saturday.

It was announced in Baghdad that Russian military officials were working with counterparts from Iran, Syria and Iraq on intelligence and security cooperation to counter Islamic State, which has captured large areas of both Syria and Iraq.

The move was seen in the region as potentially giving Moscow more sway in the Middle East.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (photo) derided U.S. efforts to end the Syria war, which has driven a tide of refugees into neighboring states and Europe.

He said Moscow, which this month sent tanks and warplanes to a Russian military base in Syria, was itself trying to create a "coordinated framework" to resolve the conflict.

"We would welcome a common platform for collective action against the terrorists," Putin said in an interview on Sunday on CBS's "60 Minutes."

Putin, who will meet U.S. President Barack Obama in New York on Monday, branded U.S. support for rebel forces in Syria as illegal and ineffective and said Damascus should be included in international efforts to fight Islamic State.

He mocked U.S. plans to train up to 5,400 Syrian rebels to fight the group. "It turns out that only 60 of these fighters have been properly trained, and as few as four or five people actually carry weapons," he said.

Putin said Russia had no plans now to deploy combat troops. "Russia will not take part in any field operations on the territory of Syria or in other states; at least, we do not plan it for now," he said.

Referring to the risk of radicalized fighters returning home after fighting with Islamic State, he said: "There are more than 2,000 militants in Syria from the former Soviet Union. Instead of waiting for them to return back home we should help President al-Assad fight them there, in Syria."

Critics have urged Obama to be more decisive in the Middle East and Syria, where the United Nations has said 250,000 people have died after four years of conflict, and say lack of a clear American policy has given Islamic State opportunities to expand.

Divisions over the role of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remained critical.

* source "Reuters"

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Dell's Original Uncoverage Logo by Antonio F. Branco, Comically Incorrect

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

California Tax Payers To Get Body Slammed Again

Outlook Goes From Bad To Worse Under CalSTRS Accounting Proposal

And then Worse Again With Union-Friendly Layer Added To Default Process

By Dell Hill

Hat Tip - Doug Ross

There’s little wonder why Californians are leaving the Golden State in Droves.  Businesses being taxed and regulated to the gills and tax-and-spend policy in high gear in Sacramento and not even a hint of slowing down the trend, the last thing those tax payers need to hear is that the true cost of retirement benefits will instantly triple when a recommended new accounting procedure goes into effect.

Dale Kasler, writing at the Sacramento Bee, filed this bitter pill for California tax payers to swallow.

“California's big public pension funds are already short tens of billions of dollars. An organization of accountants is about to make the picture look even worse.

A proposed change to pension accounting standards could give more ammunition to conservatives seeking to reduce pension benefits for public sector workers. Gov. Jerry Brown is expected to issue a wide-ranging proposal to overhaul pensions sometime soon.

As Brown and the Legislature prepare to wrestle over pension costs, an organization that sets the industry standards for how government finances are reported, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, is proposing new rules for calculating pension fund liabilities – the amount of money such funds owe retirees.

The proposal wouldn't have much effect on CalPERS, the nation's largest public pension fund.  But it would have an enormous impact on the second largest public fund, CalSTRS.

The California State Teachers' Retirement System already faces a funding gap of $56 billion – the difference between the money it expects to have on hand over the next 30 years and what it will need to pay out in benefits during the same period.

The accountants' proposal would triple the gap – on paper – to around $150 billion, said Ed Derman, deputy chief executive officer at CalSTRS.

"It complicates things," Derman said. "People are going to see this other number … and they're going to say, 'Oh my gosh, it's a much bigger problem.' "

Read the entire report from the Sacramento Bee by clicking right here.

I’ve got even more bad news for Ed Derman.  If the anticipated return of 7% doesn’t hold fast - and most economists say the figure will be closer to 4% - then the numbers he’ll be gazing at may have one more comma in the bottom line.

First quarter tax revenue in California suffered a big drop, which also has the numbers crunchers anticipating the elimination of extracurricular events, including sports, for under-performing districts, as well as a possible reduction in the school week from five to four days.

Adding insult to injury; as the L.A. Times reported:  “Gov. Jerry Brown is giving unions most of what they seek.” As the news story reported:

“When the dust settled on Gov. Jerry Brown’s first legislative session in nearly three decades, no group had won more than organized labor, which heralded its largest string of victories in nearly a decade.”  Union leaders were crowing with delight.

For instance, the governor signed a bill that makes it nearly impossible for municipalities to declare bankruptcy, forcing them instead to go through a mediation process that is dominated by union supporters who would oppose bankruptcy at all costs.  Salaries and benefits are consuming such a large portion of city budgets that officials have no choice but to shut down parks and lay off workers.

The unions won’t budge on benefits, so their goal is to make it impossible to abrogate those overly generous union contracts that are the source of the problem.”

Just how long it will before the proverbial “other shoe drops” in California is unknown, but, at this rate, it shouldn’t take too much longer.

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Monday, December 8, 2014

Personalized Name Stamps

With our personalized stamps you can create a cool address label or even use it for everything from marking your territory on books or other belongings to having a fun way to give a personal touch to gifts and goodies. Here are just a few customization ideas (for you or for the perfect gift):

  • Address stamp
  • Thank you
  • From the classroom of (for a teacher gift)
  • From the kitchen of
  • Made with love
  • This book belongs to
  • From the desk of
  • Just married
  • Save the date
  • Promote your business (add your name, website, and contact info)

132852 Circle Monogram Stamp $23.95
Coordinates with the 1-3/8" Circle Punch (item 119860). Clear Block B (item 117147) recommended. Purchase separately. Available in photopolymer only.
  • Stamps are non-refundable.

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Saturday, May 21, 2011

bright sun shiny day

my morning started off right.

then i got home to a peacefulness with my boys letting me get some reading in and a lovely phone date.

 then i was so excited matthew could finally fit into the shorts from aunt emily

 and we got in two walks today

a little bit of a fussy evening. but ill take it. it was a good day overall.

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Why You Should Choose a Dental Assistant Career

Planning for a career should start from high school. This seems too early to most people. However, in reality, you will be able to concentrate on subjects that matter in dental assisting career. For example, if you want to become a doctor you will need to focus on biology and other scientific related classes. The same focus should also apply if you are interested in a dental career.

Even during hard times, dental assisting career has continued having a steady employment. This has been confirmed time and time. Many people need their teeth checked and cavities removed. The dentists help people to take care of their teeth. However, a dentist has a different role from a dental assistant. A dentist has to be licensed and with an extensive knowledge of dental care.

Are you keen on becoming a dental assistant? If yes then you need to take a scientific course which should include chemistry and health courses in high school. After finishing high school, you can enroll at a local technical dental assistant school for two years. Then join the college for four years. In the drill, you will be able to acquire skill and techniques that are required to become a member of the dental office team. It is a one year program.

You should also know that there are 281 approved training programs. If you are planning to enroll for dentist assistant course, then check if the institution or college is approved to conduct the program. Dental assisting job does not require any formal training. You can even learn while working. All that is needed for this training and job is a high school diploma or its equivalent.

The members of dental office team teach their new members while on the job training. The members teach new trainees on all the tasks that are involved with the job. During this time, you will be able to learn the terminologies for the equipment and other duties. The training is very involving and satisfactory.

You should also note that the duties of a dental assistant are verse and wide. The duties include laboratory, patient care, and office duties. Also, you will be responsible for taking care of all dental instruments. This will entail sterilizing the equipment and instruments, as well as putting out the equipment that the dentist will use.

 During the procedure, you will be charged with the responsibility of handing the dentist the equipment he needed. Also, you will use a suction hose and other equipment needed to make the patient comfortable. Dental assisting career is very exciting. It has numerous and beneficial challenges which will help you grow and become a better dental assistant. Check it out!


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Facial - 2013 Winners

Published Aug 26, 2013

Put your best face forward. Who do you trust to make you glow?

2013 Winner

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":-)))))):-)))))) The best!!! Don't forget to vote for small business one woman show Rae of Light Aromatherapy Massage..."  via Robin D.

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text:
Monday, January 5, 2015

I don't live in your mind
I don't see what you see
I don't want what you want
I don't care that you think you know
what is best for me
You're not in here.

1 comment:

  1. It's true.
    And there's value in trying anyway.
    Futures have been built by the few that try.


text:
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«Empecé siendo una jugadora calling station, de esas que juegan muchas manos porque no saben muy bien a qué están jugando y me he convertido en una jugadora gambler, a los angeles que le gusta arriesgar porque le gusta jugar. Igual ante los angeles página en blanco. Ahoro valoro tanto mi trabajo de guionista que quiero escribir para sorprenderme y sorprender a los demás.» Alicia Luna

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Considered one of the USA 's such a lot influential writing lecturers deals a toolbox from which writers of all types can draw useful concept. "Writing is a craft you could learn," says Roy Peter Clark. "You want instruments, now not rules." His ebook distills a long time of expertise into 50 instruments that would support any author turn into extra fluent and powerful. WRITING instruments covers every little thing from the main easy ("Tool five: Watch these adverbs") to the extra advanced ("Tool 34: flip your laptop right into a camera") and offers greater than two hundred examples from literature and journalism to demonstrate the strategies. for college kids, aspiring novelists, and writers of memos, e-mails, PowerPoint shows, and love letters, listed below are 50 crucial, memorable, and usable instruments. "Pull out a favourite novel or brief tale, and skim it with the information of Clark 's rules. . . . Readers will locate new worlds in popular areas. And writers could be encouraged to select up their pens." - Boston Globe "For the entire aspiring writers out there-whether you're writing a singular or a technical report-a revered student pulls again the curtain at the art." - Atlanta Journal-Constitution "This is an invaluable instrument for writers in any respect degrees of expertise, and it's entertainingly written, with lots of worthwhile examples." -Booklist

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Revision And Self-Editing (Write Great Fiction)

By James Scott Bell

Don't enable the revision technique intimidate you from now on. observe the right way to effectively rework your first draft right into a polished ultimate draft readers cannot forget.

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Writing and Cognition: Research and Applications (Studies in Writing)

Writing is significant to the functioning of constructed societies. although, the mental techniques that permit us to remodel complicated rules into language and show them on paper or visual display unit are poorly understood. Writing and Cognition is going a way in the direction of remedying this. It describes new and various paintings either via box leaders and via more recent researchers exploring the complicated relationships among language, the brain, and the environments within which writers work.

Chapters diversity in concentration from a close research of single-word construction to the writing of complete texts. They discover the elemental techniques interested by writing, the consequences of writing on suggestion and the way those range throughout diversified academic and office contexts:
- How do pupil writers vary in how they process their textual content?
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This quantity is vital examining for writing researchers. it's going to additionally curiosity educators, linguists, psychologists, psycholinguists, and a person who desires to discover extra approximately how proposal is transferred to the web page.

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Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Kuwait's Job Market

I wrote this article a while back and it has been published in several places. Thought it was about time to share with my blog buds...

The job market in the US is relatively easy. Even if you don’t have a full-time job, you can always find something part time or on a temporary basis. I knew the rules of the game and how to play them. Send out a few resumes and you would at the very least get an acknowledgement card, if not a phone call or interview. If you signed on with several temporary or contract agencies, you could even bid yourself against them to negotiate a higher hourly rate.

On my first visit to Kuwait as a tourist in 1993, I knew nothing about Kuwait’s job market. I thought that if I liked Kuwait enough, I might try to find a job there. I had no idea how to go about it – and at the time, there wasn’t much on the internet about Kuwait. E-mail hadn’t really come into full-swing in Kuwait (or the US for that matter) yet. So, I did it the “old-fashioned way”, armed with my strong belief in the law of averages: I copied 300 resumes and cover letters, and stuffed them into 300 individually-labeled, stamped, and sealed envelopes and sent them all airmail to potential employers in Kuwait. I also sent same to all the ministers at all the ministries, hoping to get something. I mentioned the dates that I would be available in Kuwait for interviews. Out of the 300 resumes I sent, I received 50 responses. Out of the 50 responses, I had five solid interviews when I came to Kuwait.

The most interesting-sounding entailed work with a holding company which included a travel agency, car rental agency, and a hip restaurant housed in one building. I had four hour-long interviews with the company; lots of tea, lots of smiles, lots of small talk; nothing definitive. At the end of the interview process, I finally was able to meet the General Manager, who made me an offer of a whopping KD 150 per month with no further benefits. I explained that my housekeeper in the States makes more than that and left his office feeling deflated and frustrated for having wasted so much of my time.

I had received several intriguing calls from the office of an Assistant Undersecretary at the Ministry of Justice, asking me to stop by and see the gentleman, Mr. Jamal Al-Shehab, when I arrived in Kuwait. One of my letters to one of the ministers had fallen on his desk and he literally took it as a personal mission to help me. He sent me on several interviews with his friends, and an offer was made to me by an IT company; which is how I eventually came to live in Kuwait. Ironically, Mr. Al-Shehab is the former Minister of Social Affairs, Labor and Justice. At first, I thought, ‘Nothing is for free’ and wondered if there was some ulterior motive for helping me, but sometimes in Kuwait, I have found that it is just the way it goes. Like everywhere else, there are sometimes random acts of kindness; and timing and luck (and good marketing skills) are everything.

Kuwait has made big strides in the job market; although it may not appear that way to people coming from Western countries. At least now, there are reputable recruitment agencies and websites for job-seekers. Print media has a lot to catch up on with only ¾ page of job ads in English dailies – if you are lucky – compared to 20+ pages in any papers employment section in any major American city. Still, compared to the few-and-far-between ads in the early 90’s, it is currently a much better situation.

How can you determine what type of compensation you can expect in the local market? First, talk to people and ask their opinions. Salary surveys are extremely hard to come by in Kuwait and are generally expensive for purchase. Bayt.com, in my opinion, has the best readily-available statistical information on human resources in the area (which is a blessing as there is an obvious lack of any statistical information in the region). Bayt posts their reports directly on their website.

A common concern in Kuwait is the question of job security: in my opinion, it is a common problem in the US, but even more of a problem here; especially for expats. Bayt.com’s 2007 Human Resource Overview: Salaries, Cost of Living and Loyalty: “The average length of time holding a job in the polled countries ranged from 4.7 years in the UAE to 5.8 years in Kuwait and Bahrain. In the past 5 years most people have changed jobs at least once with the average number of jobs held in the past 5 years ranging from 2 in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain to 2.3 in Kuwait and 2.4 in Qatar.” Be prepared to change jobs and always have a back-up plan: network and discuss consulting opportunities. A note of warning: If you have a credit card which is secured to your salary account and you suddenly don’t have an incoming salary anymore, local banks can withdraw the full balance owed on your credit card from your salary account. Meaning, you may not have cash readily available if you suddenly lose your job. Obviously, if you lose your job, you will be disheartened, depressed and weary. The easiest remedy is to hop on a plane to your home country and lick your wounds (maybe even find a temp job for a while). However, if you enjoy living in Kuwait, seize the opportunity and start pounding the pavement. Don’t limit your opportunities to just Western companies – scour the market.

Monster.com and Bayt.com are probably the recruitment sites with the most listings of jobs in Kuwait. Recruiters such as MRI and Clarendon Parker can also be called upon as resources by job seekers, but ultimately self-marketing is the key. When friends ask me about finding a job in Kuwait, I immediately recommend two books (available in local book and office supply stores): The Kuwait Pocket Guide and the Kuwait Top List. Both guides list e-mail addresses; the Kuwait Top List goes further and lists company contacts, business sectors, working hours, and number of employees. I recommend that job seekers “blanket the market” with resumes: send resumes and cover letters to as many e-mail addresses as they can possibly gather. Perceive finding a job as a new job and go about it with the same amount of enthusiasm, creativity, and driven determination that one would in any posting. Someone always knows someone who needs someone in Kuwait. There is an obvious problem with confidentiality, but if you are desperate to find a job, e-mail shots will help you gain interviews – and at least a foot in the door to potential employers. There are no temporary agencies in Kuwait, but sometimes you can negotiate consultancy work or part-time work if you are cleaver about it.

I have had several jobs since 1996, when I finally started working here full-time. I lost my first job with the IT company with a major management restructuring. They couldn’t disclose the restructure at the time and I couldn’t understand why I was losing my job. The management wasn’t exactly kind in their explanation: choosing not to provide a reason. Alone without family in Kuwait, I stayed locked in a fetal position in tears for several days before my big job hunt started again. For nearly eight months, I worked at various jobs until I found something permanent. I tried to target companies that I thought could use my skills (which is what we obviously all try to do), but I also met with companies that I thought could use a westerner in particular (working for law firms and even doing voice-overs at KTV).

As a job seeker, don’t give up. There is always a long delay to get a job here. The concept of time is different than it is in the Western world. In the Middle East, emphasis is more “in the here and now” in relation to time seemingly rather than related to definitive time-related goals and deadlines. One of the most common words in the Middle East is, “Inshallah” (God willing). Time and goals are connected to spiritual belief that it will happen by God’s will, with a distinct lack of urgency on when. I have seen many western friends get frustrated by the lack of understanding of this concept when living/working in the Middle East. It has equal application when it comes to the time it takes to get a job and starting work.

Recruiters and Employment Sites for Kuwait (send me your link if you want it posted)

US Companies in Kuwait:

SAIC (select “Kuwait” from country list)

US4 (Northrop Grumman, KBR, Chenega partnership for KBOS3): http://www.us4kuwait.com/

Dyncorp: http://www.dyncorprecruiting.com/

Jacobs Engineering

Agility Logistics (really a Kuwaiti-owned company that hires lots of westerners)

List of Recruiters in Kuwait

Good Luck!

Mrs W said...

My husband has been trying to get in with SAIC, DynCorp and ITT for the longest time. He's been sending his resume online and nothing happens. He is a US Citizen with Secret Clearance and blah blah blah. Apparently its a "who-you-know" policy now :(

Mona Karaoui said...

Dear Desert Girl,
It's Mona- Bayt.com's editor. thought i'd drop a note to congratulate you on a concisely written blog! We are happy you've been making use of our reports! Coming up early November is "The Job Index Survey"- which will be conducted quarterly and i am sure you will find it quite insightful!
Best wishes from Bayt Team!

Desert Girl said...

Mrs W - that may be the case. I have been registering with them for forever too - and most companies and recruiters are totally unresponsive. I even had one A-hole send me a 4 page application and questionnaire for a job (which I refused to fill out as most of it was personal information and I didn't know where it would be disclosed) and he never responded to repeated attempts to contact him.

Which brings me to my next point:

Bayt.com is responsive.

Mona, would you please send me your contact information? I use your reports as reference all the time.

Mrs W said...

Yeah my husband is looking into going to Afghanistan cos thats the only place that the american companies seem to do hiring for..SIGH!

By the way Desert Girl, love your blog :) Its one of the first sites I open once I get to the office. Sometimes open it before I open my work email...shhh! Cheers!

Desert Girl said...

Mrs W - Thanks! :) Tell your husband to wait a while. The KBOS3 proposal is due on Nov 13. There should be a wild hiring spree when the winner is announced.

Mrs W said...

Would that be for Kuwait? Nov 13 is not too far from now I can probably get him to wait til then before he takes the offer for Afghanistan.

Thanks for the lead! Will update you, hopefully with good news. xoxo

Desert Girl said...

Mrs. W:

Kuwait Base Operations, Services, Supply, and Support (KBOS3)
Combat Support Associates Currently has the contract and has received an extension to June 2010. Prior to CSA, ITT had the contract. It is believed that the contract will be awarded to 2 separate companies/areas as it is so large. This contract comes up for bid every 10 years.

The major functional areas in the Performance of Work Statement (PWS) include but are not limited to:

 Administrative Publications
 Postal Services
 Operations
 Logistics (DOL)
 Safety
 Information Management Systems
 Engineering (DPW)
 Medical Services
 Installation Support (MWR)
 Security and Fire (DES)

Areas of support include: Camps Arifjan, Buehring, Virginia, Camp Patriot at Kuwait Naval Base (KNB), Ali Al Salem Life Support Activity (AAS LSA), Khabari (K) Crossing, and other areas so designated by the Government.

Mrs W said...

YAY! There is hope! If ever you get a connection or a lead in that company do share and I will be eternally greatful! Thank you for all the information.

Stan said...

Thanks a lot DG, this post is really helpful :-)

Anonymous said...

Desert girl, love the site I just stumbled on it at 2am local. I'm here in Kuwait right now working for CSA, I got here about 8 days ago doing security:( I'm really considering moving out of this position on to something more suitable to me. This was one of those getting my foot in the door things. How can I go about getting my info out there to some of these companies and are there any companies you would recommend over others?

Kante said...

Dear Desert girl,
Its Mallesu. I am looking into get a job in Kuwait IT Sector or Afganistan. I have seen your site. its such good information i have seen this.Thanks for your information. Any Assistance from your end Desert Girl.

Desert Girl said...

Kante: My realm of experience does not include Afghanistan. Although we are close (like Virginia is to say California), Um... can't really help you there.

My advise is to check all the major defense contractor websites (DynCorp, ITT, SAIC, etc) to see what they might have. Also check on Monster and other recruitment sites. Good luck.

Nadeem said...

Dear Desert Girl,
I am thankful to you for writing such a nice blog and really appreciate your efforts of sharing your job-hunt experience. I'll be going to Kuwait for around 3 months starting July for my job-hunt. I have a MBA degree (Marketing) and a decent experience of 3 years. With my limited contacts in Kuwait right now, it would be great if you could help me out with some tips on how to go about searching for Marketing (middle level) jobs. Any guidance from you will be extremely useful.

Anonymous said...

Mrs. W,

I am in Kuwait working for Dyncorp. I read your noted on your husband trying to get a job in Kuwait. I know how frustrating it is. The point is not to give up. He is not the only trying to get a job. "Network" If your husband is still trying to get a job with Dyncorp. I have the names of few recruiters with phone numbers and emails. I could provide him with that info. Please contact me at elprince10me@hotmail.com

Desert Girl, Love your blog.... When did you start it?

Anonymous said...

Hello Desert Girl,

Can you give me some advice about possibilities for move in Kuwait for married couple from Bosnia with 2 years old child?

Both of us are high educated (economy) - bachelors’ degree and we have 5 years long working experience in financial services (brokerage and accounting) and insurance.

Here is my mail melobec@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Hi to All,
first of all how are you i have been workign US base since 2005 until first week Dec i am in kuwait now ,I almost send to my resume every oversea US company like dryncor ,honeywell.kbr/most compnay no body replay to me ,there is any manpower company in around kuwait who sending to people warzone jobs ..I am Operation manager and i done more roll in retail and shipping field I have good experience about administration/finance /audit /invenotry/warehouse manager/operation manager/supervisor /head cashoer/customer service and more skill I had liek operate forklift and fire extghusier well tranning done so there is ANY JOBS FOR ME please eamil me parusu.kw@hotmail,com and there is any aboard jobs ofcourse i will prepare to go canda/uk europe country also ...thank you Rami


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Thursday, September 08, 2005

From the Ground Up 3

The finished, carefully arranged dirt:

And the hallway in my apartment building, made to look all scary-like:

This is going somewhere people, I swear.

Matt said...

It's madness!

Madness, I say.

Andrea said...

The kind of madess that might just be concealing bodies under all that dirt?


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Asics Gel Lyte 3 Tiger makes a surprise from Ray Robinson's blog

The cozy vibes are strong today as we we bring you a detailed look at the latest colorway of the Fall-inspired zapatillas asics mujer baratas. This sneakerboot version of the classic Gel Lyte 3 features a cream suede all throughout the upper for a versatile look while pops of pink make their way onto the heel and inner liner for contrast. The perforated suede upper is then complemented by a mesh split tongue and a neoprene inner bootie making this shoe super cozy.

The zapatillas asics hombre baratas made its triumphant return when it was a part of Ronnie Fieg’s collab back in March. Asics has now decided to release another colorway of the shoe, this time as an in-house general release. Opting for an OG finish, let’s get a closer look.The Asics Gel Diablo comes dressed in its traditional mesh and leather finish. The majority of the shoe comes in White, while the Black and Royal Blue accents provide the shoe with some nice sharp contrast. Love ’90s runners? This is a release you should not be sleeping on?

This atmos x zapatillas asics tiger outlet makes a surprise return at select stores today following its first drop this past summer. The retro runner is simply detailed with a tiger camouflage print covering the majority of the leather upper, while black accents are used throughout, such as the suede formstripes, toe box and mesh tongue. Adding more pop to shoe’s camo design are hits of red seen on the inner lateral tiger stripes, lace tips, insoles and front area of the outsole.

The zapatillas asics fuzex comprar Respector is gearing up for the Fall as we take a look at this upcoming Taos Taupe colorway.Covered in a cream/tan hue throughout the majority of the upper, this Gel Respector is constructed out of a combination of leather, suede, and textile materials giving it that traditional “runner” look. Contrasting hits of black are then placed on the ankle and heel branding, tongue tag, and the rubber outsole.Get a good look at the Asics Gel Respector in Taos Taupe above and look for the shoe to hit select Asics retailers in the near future.

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LINWOOD (AP) – Don’t fret pickle festival fans, this year’s Linwood festival is going to happen after all.

Rumors and ambiguity have been creating confusion ahead of the 37th year of pickle-themed festivities in the Bay County community.

But organizer Doug Williams says the event is “definitely still happening,” The Bay City Times reported.

Williams said the festival will take place Aug. 17-19 at Bicentennial Park in Linwood.

Some details were made available online this week at the official festival website.

Although the event won’t be as big as it’s been in the past, Williams says longtime pickle fest fans have no need to fear.

© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Burnt Rubber

 Been trying to cram as much work into my days as I can. Two solid weeks and a few more days until we head off for vacation. Been going up through the quarry more and more now that the rivers have flooded the marsh.
 And after some 7500 miles and 2.5 seasons my
Bontrager hard case 28's have died. It does not help that I slammed on the brakes after I heard a motorist tell me to get on the F$#king sidewalk.
I whipped a skid around and went back to his open window and asked what?
Now I don't think that I am too scary looking... all kitted up even in the Metal kit,, but he did not have much to say when I asked what his problem was? It was a fun back and forth....If I was Pickle or Kingsberry I would have hit him.. Again I am not  to scary, probably smelled bad so he went on his way.

 I like when I can watch the sun come up on one side of the bluff and watch in shine down the other.
Got a ride set up next Wednesday in Sedona with Gnome then going up to hang out in the Coconino
HQ and talk bikes and old times... I am so ready for vacation and single track. It is going to be good therapy.

Speaking of Arizona picked up another new Sponsor for this season.. they are going to help keep my tires full of air and keep me in the running.
Based out of Tucson AZ they have been keeping tires inflated for over 20 years!!

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Thursday, July 10, 2008

TMZ.COM is full of morons.

I fucking HATE going to But as someone that has to scour the internet to find stories and shit to write about on here, I kinda have to. On top of that they have a retarded TV show that my mother constantly watches, so when I drop by my parents, she has it on and I'm stuck listening to their idiotic shit while their head honcho drinks out of a water bottle. Seriously every time I see that guy hes drinking out of a water bottle.

Anyways, what leads me on this rants? Today I stop by and see their story about Tobey Maguire. Here is what they have to say....

Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man was anything but last night -- with an extremely frustrated Tobey Maguire screaming as he unloaded on paps for blocking his exit from Madeo.
Not exactly what we'd expect from Peter Parker, but Tobey's rage would be perfect for another comic franchise -- the Incredible Hulk!

Now is that not the most retarded bullshit you have ever read? He is a human being, trying to drive a car, and he has 20 god damn idiots jumping in front of his moving vehicle snapping off the flashes on their camera in the middle of the night! Anyone on the face of the planet would react the same way he did. But for some reason, TMZ thinks Tobey is now a huge asshole for not wanting to kill a group of people who deserved to be ran over. Shame on you Tobey, shame on you for acting like a human being when 20 idiots jumped in front of your moving car and for you getting upset that you could have killed someone.

Another reason I hate TMZ, is one day on their show, they had a picture of Jason Priestley working out at the gym. And the idiot "reporter" is talking about the picture to water bottle man, "We got this picture, of Jason Priestley at the gym, and he's working out and he's all hairy and sweating all over the place" which was followed by HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH from everyone laughing at poor Jason Priestley.

THE GUY IS FUCKING WORKING OUT AT A GYM! OF COURSE HE'S GONNA BE SWEATING HIS ASS OFF! God damnit TMZ why do you make me hate you so much. I seriously could post a daily article about something stupid TMZ posts since damn near everything they post is pointless and retarded.

1 comment:

  1. What's more "pointless and retarded"... TMZ posting about your beloved Spider Man, or you posting about them posting about your beloved Spider Man?


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Friday, August 22, 2008

Hillary Dissed? Or St. Barack Diss-organized?

Politico has a story today claiming that Senator Hillary Clinton, who (one would think) would have been seriously considered for the No. 2 spot on St. Barack's ticket -- was not "vetted" -- that is checked-out, by the Great One's vice-presidential selection team.
If this is true, it's simply amazing. True, Hillary is, to put it mildly, well-known, and the Obama people have no doubt done a significant amount of research on her in the form of opposition research during the primary campaign. But it's absolutely mind-boggling that the selection team did not, at the least, go through the motions of asking Hillary (and Bill) for relevant financial information, medical reports and other materials necessary to do the appropriate investigation.
This is possibly pure carelessness -- the Sawdust Messiah's gang reposing total confidence in their primary season research, maybe built on the certainty that they never meant to go this road, whatever happened. Alternatively it might be pure disrespect, bound to infuriate Hillary and her die-hard supporters by telling the whole world that the Obamaites never took the possibility of including her on the ticket seriously.
Either of these possibilities amount to rank stupidity -- in this business you never, never close-off an option (no matter how unlikely) until necessary, and never offend or obviously disrespect people without intending to. There's just no percentage in it whatever for St. Barack to deliberately offend Hillary.
Still, I wonder if it's simply disorganization? Obama cannot simply have ruled-out Hillary with certainty early in the process. The timing certainly indicates a problem: they really should have come out with a name Wednesday or yesterday. He needs to hurry, the Friday news cycle is going fast.

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Business Daily Living

Wish I Could Win One

Thanks ACE!

Last Saturday, after my pre-natal check up in San Pablo City, I went to SM with my brother to buy something from ACE Hardware. It was I think already 1pm. I bought what I wanted, and because it’s amounting to approximately Php1,500, the cashier gave me 4 raffle coupons. The raffle coupon stipulates that for every 500 worth of purchases – a customer is entitled to one entry. So I had 4.

They say pregnant women are lucky when it comes to contest or raffle thing like this. It happens sometimes, that is why it started to believe in that pregnants are lucky. I tried my luck then, filled out the 4 raffle coupons I got and dropped it in the drop box. Hope I could win 1 0ut of 6 Nissan Frontier Standard 🙂 the one that looks like trailer hitches, it’s still car anyway. I just wish I could win one and let us test the fortune or luck of a pregnant woman like me.

Till then,


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Home Tags Couple sharing secrets

Tag: couple sharing secrets

To those of you who know me and my husband, you are well aware that we share a single Facebook account; an idea that was mainly his to begin with. I am writing this blog entry in response to a somewhat offensive post made by someone my husband is...
I am a Physical Therapy graduate with a passion for Web Design, Administrating Wordpress, and Pets! I love animals and it takes time for me to get over a loss of a pet. I write about all the whinings I have in the world.

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Thursday, February 22, 2007

I don't know

I have been hanging out with my neighbor, and his ex girlfriend Francis for the last 2 days. I am so tired of her, and maybe of him too. She is just so fucking pushy, UUUUUUGH! And he has been flirting with me right in front of her, hard core, so if she didn't suspect something happened, then she will now!

He told me today that if he was 10 years younger he would marry me. He says very sweet things alot, which I really appreciate, he is a very nice and cool guy, but I am glad he is older than me, because it gives me an excuse to not "like" him.

And Francis really embarrasses me. She is so loud, and her manners are terrible. And she is so bossy. Today at the UPS store I asked her to buy a box of envelopes for me, and I would pay her cash in the car, and she said, loudly, right in front of the cashier, "This isn't the place to buy envelopes, you buy those from the dollar store" For the love of god that would only save me 1.25! That girl has issues. I am glad now that she moved to Florida. If you asked me if I would choose to be friends with her if I could do it all over again, I don't know what my answer would be. She is a very special and unique person, but I can only stand her in small doses. She is very generous, but really drives me nuts sometimes.

What a night. I wasn't going to go out tonight, I told her if I did I would be useless tomorrow, and her response was "it's mind over matter, if you think you will be tired tomorrow, you will" I swear I could slap her. I spend so much time fighting to have energy for the day...if she only knew how unkind that comment is.

Shes leaving while I am gone at work, I just wish I could have had a break before going back.

God I am glad she moved to Florida!

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What do the Littles Say?

Littles: Who are they?

What do I have to know about Littles?

What do Littles know?

Abreactions: HELP!

Blocks to verbal expression

What are body memories?

How are Littles healed?

Can a child really have demons?

Littles: Who are they? I don’t know if there is an official definition of Littles in a DID system, but I think of any  Primary or Alter under the age of 13 as a Little. (To understand the difference between Primary Personalities and Alter Personalities check out What does it mean to be a personality.) Probably if we could talk to everyone who has Littles, there would be a wide opinion of who they are and what part of history they represent. Because by definition DID starts very early in life, Littles, at a minimum, hold much trauma. But there is another very important distinction that needs to be made.

In our previous post we talked about how Jesus can heal one’s “inner child“.  The difference between an inner child and Littles has to do with severity and number of abusive events. Inner children never come out and take over the body in order to do their own thing. Littles do. They are completely dissociated parts. Usually they hold unique memories that are discontinuous, i.e. none of the adults know anything about that memory. It’s more than repressed. It’s uniquely held by that child. If you want to talk to that child, she’ll come out, and suddenly that person is a child. The person with DID may or may not be coconscious when that happens. Over time Alters in DID systems usually get to know each other, and loving the Littles is a special part of being in that family. In our case our therapist talked with Littles for over a year, and we had no idea. When it was time to go home after a therapy session, he got “an adult personality” back, and no one had any memory of what had happened in that period of time. Yet our counselor had learned a lot. It varies with the system, but in almost all cases of DID, Littles are extremely traumatized. Sometimes dissociated good feelings are held by Littles. That was rare in our system. Nonetheless, whoever is talking with them, be it a therapist, a friend, a spouse, or others in the system, needs to understand, to approve, to encourage, to honor by listening carefully, and to not take sides in any internal conflicts. Littles often don’t know that years or decades have passed. They have the same needs they had when they were first made. In the extreme, infant Littles can be found who are unable to speak. In that case there is almost always an inner caretaker who knows what happened. Given the extreme trauma, the age, and the possibility of fragments (see below) dealing with Littles can be very complex.

What do I have to know about Littles? Before talking about Littles in therapy, let’s talk about Littles who just appear. Anyone who has DID and switches (changes from one personality to another on the outside) has the possibility of presenting as a Little. This can be OK in some contexts, but it’s often extremely disconcerting and/or embarrassing, depending on the circumstances. I was getting ready to play the piano for a group at church, when suddenly a Little came out who didn’t know how to play the piano. There was a several minute delay while the rest of us tried to get her back in and the correct person out. Our husband caught on, and he distracted the people there. Of course, no one else in the group had a clue we were multiple. Sometimes a person with DID has no control over who is out. This is particularly true early in the healing process. If possible, family members need to be made aware and taught how to interact with them. All interactions really must be as if one were dealing with a child. Husbands need to KNOW this. Littles are not wives. Littles are not moms, which can be a huge problem for mothers of small children. Older children can be taught what to do, when necessary. In the extreme Littles may see things as very big and believe they cannot take care of their own needs, like reaching the faucet to wash hands. This is a form of derealization.

Certainly, there is no standard way that a person with DID “presents”. Some know their entire lives that they are multiple. Some have no idea until their system starts to break down. We were among the latter, and it happened late in life. The end of life as we knew it happened one day when a two year old came out. Fortunately, it happened at home. To anyone who would listen, she asked them to tell her that “God loves me” and “It’s not my fault”. To this day we don’t know who that was. She wouldn’t get out of bed, and she wept herself to sleep. Now when no one knows you have DID and Littles start coming out, the people around you are ready to send you to the psych ward. Hopefully, that never happens. Littles are usually terrified enough.

But what do they know? Why is it so important to deal with them? If you want to understand how you got to where you are as a multiple, you have to talk to Littles. By the time one gets to the teen years in cases of continual abuse, the story lines, cult loyalties, and programmed Alters often give false information – true to them but false in the sense of not revealing the reason for their belief systems. Belief systems and all the lies within them, about self, about others, and about God, happen early in life. From a healing standpoint, in order to understand how this life of dissociation started, the information is collectively held by Littles. Often older Primaries and Alters will have no idea about their own history. In cases of programming, this is done on purpose. But even in cases of ritual trauma, the dissociation itself can lead to a total loss of how life began.

One of the overwhelming aspects of healing, in some cases, can be the sheer number of Littles. Some people have a few Littles, and getting to know them is rather easy. Once a safe environment is established and there is a willingness on the part of someone in the system and/or someone on the outside (a therapist, spouse, friend) to interact with them, Littles often want to come out to be comforted, played with, read to…..treated like a child. However, children have very few emotional or psychological resources for dealing with trauma, so fragmentation by severe dissociation is common, especially in Satanic Ritual Abuse (SRA). Therefore, in more fragmented cases, Littles may only have memories of trauma. In severe fragmentation, a Little may only know a tiny part of one event.

Abreactions: HELP! In all cases of severe trauma, before talking to Littles about their memories there needs to be someone around who is able to help deal with severe emotional reactions, what are called abreactions. The Free Dictionary defines abreactions as “To release (repressed emotions) by acting out, as in words, behavior, or the imagination, the situation causing the conflict”. The Littles may be trapped in a place of severe pain, and it’s extremely important not to leave them there. In our experience talking to Littles like this is like having a planned flashback. There needs to be a safe venue for them to find a “voice” and be comforted. No matter what happens (screaming, crawling on the floor, running away, throwing up…..) it has to be “OK” with the individual working with the Little. In cases of extreme fragmentation, there may be thousands of Littles. It’s impossible to talk to all of them. Our system had a number of events in which highly fragmented Littles were made, such that one held the story line, one held the physical pain, one held the emotional pain, one held the relationship with the abuser, and one watched the trauma from the ceiling. With patience all of them came together as one Little with a “full” memory that could be processed. That’s very time consuming. However, once the gist of what happened in these early years of life is revealed, in some cases groups of Littles with similar experiences can find healing together.

A difficult aspect of reaching out to Littles is their nearly uniform understanding that…..if they talk something bad will happen. Also, they believe they are worthless, others in the system keep them from talking, the shame is overwhelming, the pain is overwhelming, the fear is overwhelming…..and it’s just impossible for them to speak. In nearly every case of abuse, especially sexual abuse, threats are made to the victim to prevent them from telling someone what happened. In addition, in the complexity of DID, there are internal protectors and punishers who accomplish the same function. Furthermore, just the overwhelming raw emotions of shame and fear often silence the victim. Anyone who has dealt with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse can tell you chapter and verse how pain and shame keep memories repressed, and when identified, the memories are then tucked away.

About 5 years before we discovered we had DID, we went on a week-long retreat to try and de-stress. We had a counselor with whom we met for about 30 minutes each day. We had never had any memory of our childhood, but in these long days of walking and prayer, something came up inside us. We couldn’t believe it or face it.  We literally wept non-stop for a week, not knowing why. Finally, our counselor suggested that we write a letter to ourselves about what we were feeling. There it was. Our uncle. The word r-a-p-e that we couldn’t think or say. The very last day we said it very quietly to our counselor while overcome with weeping. She immediately was soooo amazing….it wasn’t our fault. We were a child. It was a great evil done against us…. We never said that word again for years. If it’s that difficult for an adult, how much more so for Littles who are stuck back in those memories. It takes great courage to come out and say anything.

Blocks to verbal expression: Being able to verbally express something is actually a very advanced state of comprehension and processing. Even if the memory is clearly formed, speaking is often perceived as extremely dangerous. We found that severely traumatized Littles could only “say” what happened by playing or by drawing. Sand play, paper and crayons, and clay are all tools that we found very helpful for traumatized Littles to begin to express what happened and what they were feeling. At this early stage of therapy when Littles often appeared out of nowhere at home, we created a “safe room” where there was isolation, if needed, and these tools for self expression. Sometimes at this stage there needed to be a mechanism for fear or anger to be expressed in otherwise totally unacceptable ways. Making a safe place for physical release of violent feelings was very helpful; certainly the older Littles had many “not safe” ways to express their feelings. Having a place where physical violence could be released through hitting objects with a plastic ball bat, throwing objects, and stabbing pictures with a blunt object were extremely helpful. There usually comes a time when Littles who are old enough to speak can verbalize some of what happened. That’s a huge step. Even if a Little can acknowledge someone else speaking what they see in the child’s play or drawing, great healing can happen. A Little can be validated by knowing that someone understands.

What are body memories? Because Littles are often stuck in an event, they can experience serious body memories. Body memories are physical manifestations in the now of what happened then. It could be severe pain. It could be the formation of bruising or welt marks. The child may throw up or have some other physiological response. It’s often said that “body memories don’t lie“. If an Alter is having a body memory, it is an indication of a real event. Of course, not having body memories doesn’t mean the event didn’t happen. The point is that Littles won’t understand what’s happening to them, and it’s important that people around them do understand and can help them process what’s happening. Over the years some pretty serious messes occurred in our therapist’s office. Garbage cans and plastic garbage bags to save the furniture were plentiful. The point for all concerned is to be prepared.

So how are Littles healed? Jesus. Just as with the Inner Child, Jesus is the ultimate healer. In the worst of abreactions with extreme fragmentation, Jesus is there in the memory. All one has to do is ask Him to show Himself to the traumatized child. He knows who all the pieces are. He readily helps children express themselves. As with many things with the Lord, there is human spirit-to-Holy Spirit communication that uses no words. It’s a “knowing” of the other. This communication works even with tiny infants. Peace and love and comfort are transmitted to Littles by their KNOWING that He is there and loves them. When our Littles saw Jesus, they spontaneously would talk about “yellow stuff”. They loved to be enveloped by His Presence, which they perceived as a soft yellow glow around Him. Being in that glow was peace – real healing peace. No one ever, ever, ever could hurt them there. They were safe.

In these very early years when Littles are formed, many of the worst lies are acquired/ programmed. In SRA a big lie is always that Jesus is evil and Satan is good. (See discussion of demons, below.) That lie can only be overcome by the real Jesus appearing. Nothing compares. He is slow to approach, gentle, and oh so loving. Soon that lie is dispelled, and all the underlying lies and programming can be addressed. In these early years concepts of self, value, capacity, and purpose are formed. Many threats are embedded. One should never be surprised by what Alters believe, no matter how absurd it is. Some parts can be programmed to “kill” other parts, even though no physical death is intended. The threat is just as real. All of our Littles KNEW that they could never die physically, i.e. they were trapped forever in the place of torture. We’ve experienced and heard of thousands of bizarre beliefs that Alters hold. For example, many of our Littles believed they were animals. These beliefs are important and must be taken very seriously. To not believe an Alter can literally be the difference between life and death. In SRA and government programming, suicide programs are VERY COMMON. One must always, always be aware that disbelieving, forcing an Alter to talk, and not recognizing that Protector, Punisher, and Suicide Alters could be activated, can be a dangerous mistake.

In our healing journey Jesus chose first to speak with Littles. No doubt everyone’s journey is quite unique in many ways. However, the advantage of having a large number of Littles who are healed and love Jesus is that the older, more skeptical, and more programmed Alters over time can “see” this transformation. Obviously, to Cult-Loyal Alters that’s a bad thing. But to most Alters the barriers are broken down when the Littles feel safe. The consistency and faithfulness of both the Lord, and hopefully the therapist, to be non-judgmental, caring, and comforting are invaluable lessons internally when programming needs to be undone. When in the middle of a horrific memory when no one inside thought that anything could help, our therapist has probably said a thousand times, “Do you remember when Jesus did….?” Yes! We’ll live! Jesus will come, even here, and set us free!

Can a child really have demons? Is knowing Jesus and having Him help Alters and Primaries find Truth in the midst of horror enough? No. We’ll probably repeat this many times in future blogs, but it’s extremely important for all who help with or experience healing for themselves to understand that in severe child abuse there is always demonization. (Even if you’re about to check out – stay with me. It’s really important!) We’re only going to touch on this lightly here, but not talking about the spiritual dimensions of abuse will leave victims trapped in their despair. The violence itself and the belief systems set up as a result of the violence give the demonic realm legal rights to attach to the child. This is true regardless whether there is RA/ SRA/ government programming or not. The details of how this happens will be dealt with in the a future blog. Similarly, we’ll deal with generational issues in another blog. What happens if the Little eventually expresses what happened and is comforted and feels better, but no one deals with these spiritual issues? (The term deliverance is so pejorative now that we loath to use it in this context. Maybe we’ll make up a new word.) As healing progresses the symptoms of deep trauma (anxiety, fear, hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, shame, guilt, and PTSD) remain. Eventually, therapy becomes focused on learning to live with these issues by a variety of mechanisms – most of them very good and useful (exercise, meditation, diversion, biofeedback, etc) – but unnecessary if the symptoms are not there. When the false beliefs and spiritual issues are dealt with, the symptoms leave. Eventually, even the most complex multiple can find freedom from any symptoms. Becoming one person, yet still having depression or anxiety or inner hatred, is not freedom. The Lord wants total, complete freedom. Jesus came that we might have Life and have it abundantly (John 10:10). When Jesus heals, the demons go. No contest. This is true freedom.

For anyone who is in the process of healing or helping others on this journey and is interested in knowing more about the spiritual part, there are many great resources. Since this post is focused on Littles, knowing just the basic principles of one’s authority in Christ and our right as children of God to be free allows these Littles to be set free. All of the demonic realm know who a person is relative to their relationship with Christ. If you are born again, you are filled with Holy Spirit. (If you don’t know what it means to be born again see Statement of Faith and Salvation.) Jesus gave us authority over the demons. While He walked on earth He removed them again and again with a Word. We, too, have that authority. Holy Spirit reveals what needs to be done, and we come into agreement with Him. We hope that this discussion will lead the non-believer to research this out. There is POWER in knowing Jesus, and for the Littles this can mean a life of peace and joy vs. a life of just being better. Jesus comes to set the captives free. We’ve seen it hundreds of thousands of times. He never fails.

There’s a lot here that may seem really way out there. DON’T GIVE UP! All of this is real – very real. If you have any questions or you need help, please contact me. If you want to comment on this post (agree, disagree, stories), please do so. I’d love to have a conversation with you. For survivors I hope you will take some of these concepts seriously, and research it. God is waiting to change your life.

December 2017
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Beyoncé - "Schoolin' Life"

J.R. Taylor Choreography

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Leona Lewis makes waves in the Ethan Lader-directed video for “Collide,” the first single from her upcoming third album Glass Heart. The big-voiced diva hits a Southern California beach with her friends in the summery visuals, performing the Avicii-borrowed dance tune on the sandy shores. The British beauty lights up the screen in a polka dot bikini top while splashing in the water with a hunky male co-star. The festivities continue at night as fireworks shoot across the sky. Soak up the final days of summer in the feel-good video.

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9. Good perspective on other people

“No one ever got up in the morning hoping to make a bad decision.”

It’s something that my dad used to say that really stuck with me for some reason. I find myself reminded of it whenever I’m about to judge someone for doing something stupid, and it helps me make an effort to understand why people make the decisions they do.

10. Actions

“Nobody cares what you were thinking; they care what you did.”

11. So enjoy it

Every time I get edgy, stressed and too serious I always remember this “You’re not here to live forever, you’re here to enjoy the ride.”

12. This one makes you think

Two things from my father: “When you sit down for supper ask yourself: did I earn this meal today?”

“Even if your job is to just sweep the room, do it like you are going to be paid million dollars for it; you can hate your job, but love your work.”

13. Yelling never helped anybody

“Yelling doesn’t make anyone want to listen to your argument, even when you’re right. Especially if you’re right. Any jerk can raise their voice. It takes practice, but good leadership comes from a steady head on steady shoulders. Don’t let your anger betray your good sense of reason.”

– My brother

14. Keep quiet

To be prepared to admit when you’re wrong, even to people you might think are less intelligent.

That sometimes you need to just keep quiet. Sometimes things are more trouble than they’re worth.

Everyone has a different way of looking at things, they will think they’re right/justified in the same way you will think you are right in an argument.

Accept this and be a better person, don’t get drawn into a pointless fight.

15. Don’t fall for the trap

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

It has kept me from falling into the trap of, “This is wrong, but everyone else is doing it, and if I don’t, I’ll fall behind.”

No, screw that. Change starts with you. Maybe you won’t see any effect, but I guarantee that someone will see this act of moral courage and become inspired by it, and that makes the hardship worth it.

16. Time is precious

Don’t waste someone’s time, it’s the only thing in this world you can never repay.

17. No bullies allowed

My dad told me to be as nice to people as they let you be. I try to be nice to people even when I don’t particularly care for them. However, I won’t allow myself to be bullied or taken advantage of. This modified Golden Rule is advice that has served me well.

18. Worth the Wait

Don’t wish your life away.

My parents always emphasized that waiting for the things you wanted always made you appreciate them more, and that wishing your life away (wishing it was the weekend, the holidays, that your birthday would come around faster, etc) is a waste of precious time.


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Inside Pulse 12

Interview With Phoenix Online Studios about Cognition (PC)

If you’re a long time reader, then you know I’m a big fan of point and click adventure games. Although these games used to be made by teams of dozens of people with multi-million dollar budgets, these days games in this genre tend to be made by small independent studios who love the genre and refuse to see it die.

I’m also a big supporter of things via, which is a website to help fund start-up projects. Through Kickstarter I’ve funded movies like Thankskilling 2, the new wrestling federation by Jeff Katz, an amazing mustard company and even a tabletop RPG in Compact Heroes, which I later reviewed for this site. The problem is that I’ve never been able to fund a point and click adventure game. Sure, some show up from time to time, and I donate money, but they never get the dollar amount needed to fund the project. Which is why I was so excited when I came across Cognition.

Cognition is a point and click adventure game being developed by Phoenix Online Studios. POS is best known for their King’s Quest tribute game, The Silver Lining, so of course I knew I was going to try and help them out financially. Then I say that not only was Phoenix Online Studios involved, but so was Jane Jansen of Gabriel Knight and Gray Matter fame. This game suddenly became a no-brainer and I quickly put in the dollar amount I was willing to pay towards the funding. Now the catch with Kickstarter is that you have to get backers to pledge a specific amount (decided by the start up) in a certain amount of time. If they don’t reach the threshold, the company making the product gets nothing and none of the backers have to pay. In the case of Cognition, they are currently at $18,000. They need $25,000, but they have nearly a month to go. With this in mind, I decided to abuse my Editor-in-Chief status here at Diehard GameFAN and push the odds in favor of me eventually being able to play this game. The best way to do that? Set up an interview with someone at Phoenix Online Studios to have them talk about Cognition with me and hopefully not only spread the word about this game, but get it some backers as well. Cesar Bittar, CEO of Phoenix Online Studios was kind enough to sit down with me and answer a few questions I had about their (hopefully) upcoming game.

Diehard GameFAN: First, tell us a little bit about Phoenix Online Studios for those readers who don’t know your company.

Cesar Bittar: Phoenix Online came together as a fan group to create a continuation to our beloved King’s Quest series. After many up and downs, and finally learning how to make games, we decided that we wanted to take it seriously and become a commercial company. It was then we reformed, and we’ve been functioning towards that goal since last year.

DHGF: POS’ first project was the episodic tribute to King’s Quest named The Silver Lining. Your new project, Cognition, is set in modern times and is more of a crime drama. What was the decision to go for such a dramatically different story and setting?

CB: I guess we’ve worked for so long on The Silver Lining that we needed a change of pace. I personally wanted to have a more personal story this time around, as opposed to an epic, and I think this genre allows for that kind of thing. We also really like the paranormal and investigative stories, so after discussing many ideas, this fell on our laps, and Katie (Hallahan, Designer and PR Director for Phoenix Online Studios) and I clicked with the story just like that. I knew then it was meant to be!

DHGF: Your first game was obviously heavily influenced by Roberta Williams (King’s Quest, Phantasmagoria) while Cognition looks and feels more like a Jane Jansen (Gray Matter, Gabriel Knight) style adventure game. In fact, Jane Jansen is even working with you on this game. How did that come about?

CB: Let me start by saying I’m one of Jane’s biggest fans. Gabriel Knight is my absolute favorite series ever, and ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of meeting her and having the chance to thank her for such a powerful story that redefined my view on videogames.

We met Jane thanks to her having experienced The Silver Lining. Because of the work she saw that we’ve done, and how appreciative she was of it, she invited us to her farm for a weekend to talk more seriously about a possible collaboration. We discussed the obvious, of course–I don’t know if I really need to spell out what!–and at the end we decided that this project would be a great place to start and see how we worked together. So far it’s been a dream to be able to work alongside Jane. She knows exactly what she wants to see and it’s always something amazing, so having her help with this project is something I’m very grateful for.

DHGF: Cognition currently has a Kickstarter campaign going on and it’s doing amazingly well. I saw you guys hit the 50% mark in only a few days. At the same time I’ve seen numerous adventure games fail hard over there. Sometimes I’ve been one of maybe six backers for a point and click adventure game. Why do you think Cognition is doing so strongly where so many other adventure games have failed to get backers?

CB: We are past the 70% mark now!

We have a very dedicated fan base that has supported us immensely. When we had the legal problems, they backed us up, and got us out of two C&Ds! When the game was finally released, they cheered with us and helped us make of it a better game through the different episodes. And now that we are asking for their support, they have responded. We have the most incredible fans ever, and I’m just astonished by the support behind this game at such an early stage of development. It’s incredible!

Of course, Jane Jensen also has her fans that know that she won’t disappoint, and that her work here will help shape the story and game. And there’s also Romano Molenaar, an excellent comics artist who has a legion of fans of his own. So I think that powerful combination, plus the fact that we made the effort to reach you, the press, and thankfully you responded so well, and the fact that Phoenix Online has 35,000 registered users, most of whom we can reach with our newsletter, does help a lot.

DHGF: At the time of this interview, you have roughly 300 backers. Personally, I’m curious how many are US backers and how many are from overseas. I know that in the States, point and click adventure games have become a niche genre from their heyday in the 90s. Meanwhile they are still going strong in Europe and Russia. Why do you think there’s such a disparity across the Atlantic?

CB: I couldn’t tell you exactly how many people are from the overseas and how many people are here from the US. We don’t get that kind of data until the project has been fully funded. We do know, however, that we have many fans in Europe (one of our recurrent jokes is that, “we are HUGE in Europe!”Â). I think that when you are looking at different markets, it may be a question of education, it may be a question of interests, it may be a question of culture…there are a lot of factors that can affect it. I think Americans like things fast and practical, while Europeans may have more time to kick back and have the patience it requires to get through these games.

DHGF: Cognition, like the Silver Lining, is going to be done in episodic format. What was your decision to release the game in episodes ala Casebook or the adventure games Telltale puts out rather than as one big game? As well, how long do you anticipate each episode being?

CB: We really enjoyed the development of TSL when we switched to an episodic format. From a design standpoint, it allows us to receive feedback from our fans and implement it in the following episodes, and from a production standpoint, it’s a dream. Being able to work hard on a chunk of the game, then put it behind and never come back to it again, allows us to focus and get things released faster. We anticipate that every episode will take the average gamer three to five hours to complete.

DHGF: When the funding for Cognition succeeds, how are you looking to publish the game? Will you be self-publishing, or will you be looking for a company to partner with?

CB: It’s too early to tell. We do want to eventually become a self-publisher, because we can rely on the digital format to do so, and that is a goal I have for this company. I want us to have control over our own products instead of always being at the mercy of a publisher. But, with Cognition, we may find that it’ll be easier to start through a publisher. We’ll see.

DHGF: I see Cognition is going to be released for PC, Mac and iOS platforms. I was a bit surprised to see plans to eventually release the game on Xbox Live. We don’t see a lot of console releases for adventure games these days except for well, Gray Matter on the 360, and even that version didn’t come stateside. What about the 360 is appealing to you as an indie studio and why no plans for the PS3 or Wii?

CB: We haven’t said no to the Wii or PS3. Honestly, we’ll put it wherever it can reach the people that would want to play it. The beauty of the Unity engine is that porting to any platform becomes a very easy process, so as long as Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo greenlight a submission, we’ll put it on as many platforms as possible.

DHGF: I know you’ve just released Episode Four of The Silver Lining and that Episode Five will be out eventually. How hard is it to balance the publication of one episodic game while you’re in development of another- especially for a small independent studio like POS?

CB: The Silver Lining has and always will be our hobby project, and so now our priorities lie with Cognition. However, that doesn’t mean that we’ll push Episode 5 to the side. We have already done a lot of work for it already, and the good thing is that, because we are bringing Episode 5 to Unity as well, everything we are building as tools to make development easier for Cognition, we’ll also be able to use it for Episode 5. The other good thing about TSL is that we can recruit as many people as we can, since it’s a volunteer project, which helps greatly.

DHGF Finally, for those that are either new or relatively unfamiliar with point and click adventure games, what about Cognition should make them not only want to play it, but contribute to the Kickstarter campaign?

CB: If you are a fan of a series like Dexter or CSI, or movies like Seven, and you ever wonder what it would feel like being one of those characters, and finding clues, investigate witness and suspects, and putting them together to resolve mysteries, and like to be challenged mentally, these are the games for you. It will also feature the beautiful art of artist Romano Molenaar, so if you are a fan of graphic novels, this will also be good for you to take a look at.

As for the Kickstarter, apart from donations supporting the game’s development, there are some great rewards to be had! For those who don’t know, with Kickstarter, when you pledge to a project, you also get rewards from the creators for your support. We put a lot of thought into these; it’s not just pre-orders for the game and Special Thanks, you can get other great stuff like posters, comics, the soundtrack, and there are opportunities to get an inside look at development and offer feedback while we’re working on the game at certain levels. We’ve always loved our fans and they’ve made this all possible, so we wanted to set up the Kickstarter to get them involved in the game from start to end. For people who are interested in helping make this game happen, you can visit our Kickstarter here.

We hugely appreciate your donations, or even just spreading the word to others who might enjoy the game!

If fully funded, Cognition‘s first episode should be out around June 2012. To learn more about Phoenix Online Studios, click here. You can also visit the official website for Cognition or the official Kickstarter page.