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done looking for the critics (week 2)

Every so often, in the midst of the busyness and the feelings of being not good enough, there is clarity. It might just be for one moment. Or it may be for several moments. And when it happens, when the clouds part and the fog disappears, it is impossible not to notice.

I've had moments of clarity before. Moments of truthful words being spoken. Moments of realizing and grasping how important life is as well as how God is working through all things and using all things to tell a story with my life.

Those moments do not last forever. Eventually the clarity disappears, and we are once again in murky waters. That's why it is so important to write the moments down. To remember the details. Because then we can return to those moments, through our memories, and realize once again that God is working through all things.

For months, I prayed for friendships. College brought close friends, but graduation and marriage and people moving across the country separated us all physically. There were so many times when I felt lonely. Comfort wasn't really an option though my husband did everything he could to bring me whatever comfort he could find. I got to a point where I decided I was not going to have close friends. Where I decided that it would just be me.

I don't remember the last time I prayed for close friendships. But this week I got hit with the realization of answered prayers in the form of friendships. And I understood what our pastor so often talks about. I felt like I was a part of a community, and I've felt lighter and happier and more content and more at peace than I have in months.

Nothing has really changed. Those friendships have been there for quite some time. But I refused to open myself up to them for a lengthy period of time. I pushed away. I built up my walls higher and higher. Sometime between pushing and building, those walls came crumbling down. And for the first time, I don't miss them.

This week I've learned and thought a lot about balance. I took advice and rested more than usual. And in just five days, I've lost over three pounds according to the scale. As excited as I am about the loss on the scale, I am much more excited about the peace I feel. I thought I needed weight loss, but really I needed perspective gained and a moment of clarity.

With this moment of clarity, there is still a question. And that question is where do I go from here? The answer is I am still not sure.

I used to think that there needed to be an answer for every question. I felt like I needed to have it all figured out. Often times, I still feel like I need to have it figured out because it seems like everyone else has it all figured out.

This moment of clarity showed me that no one has it all figured out. That's why we need each other. We learn from one another. Everyone is blessed with a talent and with knowledge. And that talent and knowledge is meant to be shared with other people.

Every person on this earth is born with a purpose. I strongly believe that. Life, then, is the time we spend on earth finding our purpose. Some people's purposes seem bigger than others. But there is no such thing as a bigger purpose than another person. Because we are all important and loved and created.

I struggle with this. I want my purpose to be big and in shining lights. I want to see the impact I have on other lives. And I spend too much time wanting those things and too little time seeing what my life is right now.

That's my goal for this next week. I want balance. And to be present in my current life. I want my purpose to be whatever it is supposed to be. And I want to help others find their purpose.

(title from "f*ckin' perfect" by pink)

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Bollywood Cafe is a fine Indian Restaurant in Studio City, named after India’s huge film industry. It is a Indian restaurant with an ample collection of Indian beer and wines.

We encourage you to try a very popular Indian dish called Chicken Tikka Massala, full of rich spices and herbs. It is simply one of the best massalas in greater LA. You are sure to enjoy it, we can guarantee it!

Another one of our great plates is the Mix Tandoori Platter. We use an Indian clay oven called a Tandoor, giving you an authentic Indian baked Chicken Tandoori, Chicken Tikka, Lamb Tikka, Sheek Kabab, Fish Tikka, and of course Shrimp Tandoori.

We also have a variety of vegetable dishes. The most popular dishes are, Sag Pa-Neer (creamy, chopped spinach cooked with homemade cheese), And Mixed- Vegetable Korma (creamy mix-veg, curry cooked with ground spices and fresh herbs).

Also make sure to try our Lamb Vindaloo. ( a very spicy, flavorful lamb curry cooked with couple of pieces potatoes and fresh herbs and spices ) It is just the right choice for the spicy eater!

We are here to prepare your food fresh, healthy and most importantly packed with outstanding flavor.

  • Recently became a vegetarian and was craving chicken tikka masala called up another Indian place and was quoted 50 bucks for our order. thought that was high, put the order on hold and figured I’d call another place to get there price. HELLO BOLLYWOOD CAFE!! ordered the same thing and the pricing was drastically different for the same thing! 25 bucks and well worth it:) My boyfriend ordered the chicken tikka masala extra hot, he’s a proud Mexican and likes his food to bite back. He was very happy with his meal and I ordered the vegetarian masala, delicious! two orders of rice and garlic naan. mmm. our new Indian spot for sure.
    Rita L.
  • Best Indian food in Los Angeles! They have the best Chicken Tikka Masala I’ve ever had and the best Chicken Makhani I’ve ever had.  The rice is delicious. The naan is perfect. The mango lassi is great. I’m a big fan of Indian food and I’ve tried many other Indian food places in L.A. This is by far the best. Also, the service is GREAT. I feel like a princess every time I eat there. The place is kind of small and the parking is limited, so it’s probably more preferable for some to order take-out, but if you do choose to eat in, you will be treated very kindly.  I’ve been eating here for years now, and the service has always been great.-
    Ombell M.
  • They know me! I go here A LOT. Initially it was just because it was close to our apartment, but it’s easily one of the best places in LA. Great service, some of the nicest servers I’ve ever encountered. They also do take-away, if you don’t want to spend the time to eat in. I usually get the chicken korma or chicken tikka masala. As far as I’m concerned, you could order anything on the menu and it’d be pretty spectacular. Price-wise, I think it’s pretty much on par with most Indian restaurants. There are coupons in some of the Valley’s resources, so check through those and you might get yourself 20% off!
    Lauren B.

Bollywood Cafe

Want to know more about Bollywood Cafe?


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$25.00 $10.00

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An Important Idea

“When an expert provides a calculation of the probability of an outcome, they are really providing the probability of the outcome occurring, given that their argument is watertight.”
An interesting paper making its viral way through the web, which we came across on the Alea blog, presents a very thought provoking assessment of small probability, high stakes risks. From the abstract:

“When an expert provides a calculation of the probability of an outcome, they are really providing the probability of the outcome occurring, given that their argument is watertight.”

The authors, from Oxford University, use as an example the risk that the Large Hadron Collider could destroy the earth, and all of us with it (spoiler alert, they think this would be a bad thing), to lay out a framework based on breaking down risk estimates into three components: theory, model and calculation.

Risk and allocation:

That the authors are from outside the standard finance community is another recommendation. Though there are some fruitful leads they don’t quite connect. One is the relative unimportance of precise probability estimates given high enough stakes. For example, the risk differential between playing Russian Roulette with a gun with one empty chamber and one full chamber versus a gun with 5 empty chambers and one full is mathematically very large but in practice would probably not effect most people’s decision of whether or not to play. Also, the importance of analyzing competing hypotheses would be an important extension of their work, which only gets a passing mention at the end of the conclusion. For example, the crazy guy in Time’s Square holding a sign saying “The End is Near” shirt probably won’t make me support any particular policy, but Neil DeGrasse Tyson on The Daily Show talking about an asteroid hitting the earth may make me more inclined to support spending some tax dollars. The authors mention a tantalizingly elegant approach:

“Finally, we can reduce the possibility of unconscious bias in risk assessment through the simple expedient of splitting the assessment into a ‘blue’ team of experts attempting to make an objective risk assessment and a ‘red’ team of devil’s advocates attempting to demonstrate a risk, followed by repeated turns of mutual criticism and updates of the models and estimates (Calogero 2000). Application of such methods could in many cases reduce the probability of error by several orders of magnitude.”

I have not read the referenced paper by Calogero, but the idea is one I’ve seen work informally but consistently on various Wall Street trading floors--there’s always “that guy” who is a pain-in-the-butt contrarian, sometimes I’ve even been that guy. But I’ve never seen it applied systematically applied by risk management. In fact, Wall Street management structure seems to be the product of an attempt to reduce devil’s advocate behavior to a minimum. Compensation structures have no way to pay the devil’s advocates, if they are wrong they’re just trouble-causers, if they are right, you never know how right unless you ignore them, in which case your firm blows up.

Implicit in all research into risk assessment is the need to make resource (generally, capital) allocation decisions. I’ve seen arguments about whether normal or lognormal models are more appropriate delay the development of risk systems...for years. I’ve been told by the head of risk management at a large firm that my practice of calculating risk according to several different models did him no good, he just needed to know which one I thought was right. (As opposed to him choosing a model he wanted to use to aggregate my risks with the risks of other trading desks, which I could have supported. But he was accepting risk measures being generating by incompatible approaches.) Risk management groups should not be concerned about what the right models are, but but what are the risks associated to using particular models (or by extension, particular traders) and how to allocate firm capital accordingly. As one colleague used to put “Tell me the size of my sandbox and I’ll play in it.” All other concerns are at best distractions and at worst serve to convince management that everything is under control, and we’ve seen how that works out.

bondgeek blog


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Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Eternally London by Ellie Wade

Title: Eternally London
Series: The Flawed Heart Series #4
Author: Ellie Wade
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: July 29, 2017
I’ve found mine.
With Loïc.
Our life together is perfect.
Until it’s not.
Darkness invades, and my heart shatters.
It’s not supposed to be like this.
I can’t find such happiness just to lose it.
I want it back.
I just don’t know how.
I’ve found mine.
With London.
Our days are full of love and meaning.
I’ve found what I was waiting for my whole life.
And then the light is gone.
Her eyes are vacant, and her soul is weary.
My chest aches because I can’t fix it.
She’s my happily ever after, and I’ll fight every day to show her what that means.
***This is book 4 of 4 in the Flawed Heart Series. Books 1-3 should be read prior.
***This book is intended for readers 18+ due to mature content.
“Eternally London was an unexpected addition to the Flawed Hearts series and it was every bit as memorable as the first three books.” ~Adventures of a Bookworm
“You are the person I fell in love with.” “I’m not the same version of her.” I pull London in tight, kissing her forehead. “I loved you then. I love you now. I’ll love you always. I love every single version of you.”

Ellie Wade resides in southwest Michigan with her husband, three young children, and two dogs. She has a Master’s degree in education from Eastern Michigan University and is a huge University of Michigan sports fan. She loves the beauty of her home state, especially the lakes and the gorgeous autumn weather. When she is not writing, you will find her reading, snuggled up with her kids, or spending time with family and friends. She loves traveling and exploring new places with her family.

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Crystal Kingdom Blog Tour + Giveaway!

Hello! And welcome to Book Nerd Reviews’ stop on the Australian Crystal Kingdom Blog Tour!

The Crystal Kingdom Blog Tour will be occuring throughout all of August, and there are a lot of amazing Aussie blogs bringing you posts about Amanda Hocking’s finale in the Kanin Chronicles. This tour will include reviews, Q&As, and giveaways! And thanks to the wonderful PanMacmillan, Book Nerd Reviews will be the hosting a giveaway for a copy of Crystal Kingdom!

Welcome to the tour… I hope you enjoy the journey.

Synopsis: Cast out by her kingdom and far from home, she’s the Kanin people’s only hope.

Bryn Aven – unjustly charged with murder and treason – is on the run. The one person who can help is her greatest enemy, the enigmatic Konstantin Black. Konstantin is her only ally against those who have taken over her kingdom and threaten to destroy everything she holds dear. But can she trust him?

As Bryn fights to clear her name, the Kanin rulers’ darkest secrets are coming to light… and now the entire troll world is on the brink of war. Will it tear Bryn from Ridley Dresden, the only guy she’s ever loved? And can she join forces with Finn Holmes and the Trylle kingdom? One thing is certain: an epic battle is underway—and when it’s complete, nothing will ever be the same

Publisher: PanMacmillan Australia
Goodreads: Add it to your reading list
Purchase: Click here to purchase

Author Bio

Amanda Hocking is a lifelong Minnesotan obsessed with Batman and Jim Henson. In between watching cooking shows, taking care of her menagerie of pets, and drinking too much Red Bull Zero, she writes young adult urban fantasy and paranormal romance.

Her New York Times best-selling series the Trylle Trilogy has been optioned for films. She has published fifteen novels, including the Hollows and the Watersong series. Frostfire and Ice Kissed - the first two books in her newest trilogy, The Kanin Chronicles – are out now, and the final book Crystal Kingdom will be out August 4, 2015.

Where to find Amanda:

Amanda’s Facebook page  |  Amanda’s Twitter account  |  Goodreads author page

This review contains spoilers for Frostfire and Ice Kissed.

Bryn’s world has been turned upside down and the Kanin tribe are on the verge of begin destroyed. Bryn has uncovered secrets and betrayals, horrors and treason – and it goes all the way to the top – to her Queen. The Queen has the Kanin people on the verge of war against a false enemy, and her ruthless lust for power will destroy them all. Bryn is on the outside, on the run from the tribe she loves, but now she has choice a to make: hide and save her own life, or to risk everything and try to save what she loves – her Kingdom and the Kanin tribe.

Crystal Kingdom starts exactly where Ice Kissed left us, with Bryn being wrongly accused of crimes she did not commit, escaped from Doldastam and in fear of being found before she can clear her name. But the strangest thing Bryn finds about her situation is that she finds herself talking to Konstantin Black…and he wants to be friends.

Reluctantly Bryn decides to give him a chance. After all, she needs help, and since those who she trust are unable to be with her, Bryn settles for Konstantin. Bryn and Konstantin form a tense working relationship as they cross the landscape together and try to obtain support from the other kingdoms – although this seems like a long shot, they have to try everything they can if they are to save Doldastam. Everything and everyone is at risk, and Bryn will do whatever it takes to save what she loves. Although they are working together, and he has previously saved her life, Bryn still has her reservations about Konstantin, and the tension and distrust is as intriguing to the storyline as it is humorous.

Bryn herself is a great character, she is strong, determined, loyal and smart – but she has a habit of taking responsibility for everything that happens. And although she must learn that she cannot take the blame for every bad thing that happens, I did find that in Crystal Kingdom that she did make some disastrous mistakes – and to be honest, I do actually blame her for some things that happen. Which is contradictory to the storyline as a part of her journey is to learn to stop blaming herself for everything that happens – ooops.

I felt in this finale we got to learn more about other characters, primarily Konstantin. I especially loved the Konstantin storyline – I love a bad boy, and there is more than just a few layers to this handsome, deadly troll. And although tension has been pretty high between him and Bryn throughout the series (who can blame Bryn, he did try to kill her father), I really enjoyed watching their relationship blossom. I just love the complexity of Konstantin – he really is misunderstood, but yet he is far from innocent. He is tortured, but yet he is willing to accept his past as it is without the expectation of it being erased.

Crystal Kingdom takes us on a journey – literally. We get to visit other kingdoms, some of which we have visited before, whereas others are new to us. I really loved crossing to other kingdoms, I enjoyed the various cultures within this world – and although it might be just wishful thinking, I wonder if there will be another spin-off series? Along the journey across kingdoms we get to make some new friends and reunite with old  ones, and we get to learn a lot more about the Skojare, Omte, Vittra and Trylle tribes. Yes, Tyrlle –  we get cameos from some of our favourites from the Trylle Trilogy – Wendy, Loki and Finn – although I will admit that I do wish we could have seen a little more of Loki :)

Another thing I also loved about Crystal Kingdom that throughout the story we get to see what is happening in Doldastam via letters penned by Ember. Although the story follows Bryn, from time to time we get to piece bits of information together as they are told to us by Bryn’s best friend – and even though these letters are never sent to Bryn, I found this a lovely way to switch perspectives without it feel forced or unnatural. The inclusion of unread letters from one friend to another is a beautifully natural way to show the reader exactly what Bryn is not seeing while she is away from the city that she is determined to save.

As per its predecessors, Crystal Kingdom is filled with amazing world-building and fantastic writing.  This finale is filled with action, heartbreaking decisions, true loves, conflict, determination and bravery of all kinds.

Bryn must face a world filled with destruction, death and betrayal before hoping to rebuild all that has been lost. She must expose injustices, uncover more secrets, obtain allies and be ready to die for her kingdom. Bryn is fighting for everything she loves – including Ridley. But will Ridley be able to love the girl she must be to do it?

Enemies will become friends, friends will become enemies. There is no such thing as a safe war. Filled with tension, loyalty, courage, deception, lies, love, bravery, heartbreak and determination, Crystal Kingdom is a fantastic finale to the Kanin Chronicles.

PanMacmillan Australia is giving away a copy of Crystal Kingdom as part of this blog tour.

Enter below – Australians only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the Crystal Kingdom Blog Tour:

Follow the tour by heading to the next tour stop for a review of Crystal Kingdom at Butterfly Elephant.

And if you missed it, make sure you visit the first stop on the tour at Diva Booknerd for a review and Q&A!

What do you think?

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Thursday, March 16, 2017

With less milk than a latte, cappuccino offers a stronger espresso flavour and a luxurious texture. To make it properly requires much skill and attentiveness. Arguably the most important part is frothing the foam to velvety perfection as the milk steams – something our baristas take great care to achieve. The milky moustache that clings to your upper lip is proof we’ve made yours right. And may we say, you wear it well.

- 2 shot of espresso
- Steamed milk with light foam

Amount per serve

a) Tall - 12oz
b) Grande - 16oz
c) Venti - 20oz

a) Tall - RM 11.00
b) Grande - RM 12.50
c) Venti - RM 13.50
*the price does not included GST.

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Mocha If making the most of sunny weather is a priority for you in the summer, this delicious, decadent beverage should come to mind. I...


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Born To Be Miserable

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Dr. Phil's "Homeless but not Toothless" Response

If the top of this mountain were broken off,
It would resemble a tooth I now have in my mouth that
"Needs Work".
I wonder if there people are for real. :)
 to:  drjaydds

Dear Homeless but Not Toothless Program c/o Dr. Jay Grossman and Associates:

Hello! I saw you on the DR. Phil show. You are offering a great service to many people by helping Ted Williams with the terrible dental problems that he had. The man was also here in Columbus, Ohio before someone decided to assist him on the Dr. Phil show, always at freeway on ramps holding up a badly printed cardboard and magic marker sign, and has been a known nuisance here for years. Holding up signs like this is not uncommon these days, due to maladministration of the state and massive embezzlement that went on here for years and in other neighboring states.

I noticed that you are located in Brentwood, California. Since a lot of this United States negative development seems to be wrapped around me, I need to tell you that I was hit by a cat, at the age of 11, and this occurred in Brentwood, Pennsylvania, not Brentwood, California. This may have occurred because the people who were involved in hitting kids with cars, (in my case after getting off of a city bus from confirmation classes at the Episcopal Church in Whitehall, Pennsylvania, a neighboring borough), were stopped, and then resumed their activities a a later date. My father died because of these crooks. Now, Ohio, an affected state, is known as the "Cali drug cartel" area. Part of being affected here involved people's teeth, for some reason. I have always had healthy teeth, and for some reason, this time lost all of the fillings from my teeth (every one!).

I became homeless thanks to crooks. The dental and medical care for those thrown into indigent poverty is poor, and in many cases teeth are supposed to be pulled, instead of filled, or root canals being done. This is a continued social problem in affected areas which has never fully been dealt with. In fact, at this time, need to have some work done on a broken tooth. Here in Columbus, Ohio, homeless people or people with no insurance are supposed to stand in long lines and hope or pray that the dentist is able to help us, and if not, find another provider, or come back on another day. Local Emergency Rooms do not do even emergency extractions, of people who have no medical insurance. Sometime the solution is to use street drugs or to let the tooth simply rot out of the mouth if the person can stand the pain. Hope to hear from you soon.

                                                                                Warmest Regards,
                                                                                Kimberly! :)

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Episcopal/Anglican Church Shield in blue

Episcopal/Anglican Church Shield in blue
"I have been a member of the Episcopal Church all of my life"

About Me

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Hello! I am a Social Worker (since 1990) and a writer. I am seeking writing jobs, funding for my Writing business called "the Indigo Drum" and a way to run an office again, plus a car.


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Thursday, July 24, 2014

Pounding Out One Atrocity After Another

With all that’s been happening in my sappy, uneventful yet somehow complain-able life lately, I’ve been writing often. Frequently, I sit at my computer and let my feelings flow from wherever I feel them to the tips of my fingers, bouncing back and forth between cold keys…and no matter what I write and no matter how much time and thought or effort I put into each tap on each key and every entry as a whole, it’s wrong.
   It’s all wrong. It’s frustrating. Most writers, they go crazy. They have a masterpiece, one mind blowing novel which does well, usually after they pass, which is a problem in and of itself, but this masterpiece, it empties them. After people buy it and read it and engulf themselves in the art that is this person’s past seven or eight years of writing, the author himself is hollow. They write away all their feelings. No matter what the story’s about, they put too much of themselves in it. They spend every waking second in the effort to improve it and fix it and ultimately go absolutely basket shit crazy. That is not something I desire on myself.
   And yet, it is the path I have chosen. The crazy, mad, sweaty writer glaring at his laptop screen like a psycho typing out raw, peeled prose of filth, poverty, and degradation. Hours spent – no, days spent - holed up in my dank room pounding out one atrocity after another. And you know what? I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

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Wednesday, 6 May 2009

Just passing through

Interesting article in today's Western Mail by Martin Evans, of the Wales Transport Research Centre at the University of Glamorgan. He's picked up on a letter from a number of business leaders to The Times this week, in which it became clear that the battle lines over the third runway at Heathrow are nowhere near as clear cut as they had seemed.

There are some pretty influential business leaders here arguing that building a third runway is the wrong thing to do – and that's a long way away from the impression given previously that business was very much in favour.

There was a similar story in the Business Section of the Sunday Times. For me, perhaps the most interesting sentence was the one that talked about the need for extra capacity being "driven by transit-passenger growth, rather than improving Heathrow as a hub for the UK". In short, rather than serving the needs of the UK for good links, much of the extra capacity would be swallowed up by people who are simply using Heathrow as a convenient place to switch from one aeroplane to another.

In terms of jobs at the airport itself, of course, that may not make a vast amount of difference. Extra flights means extra jobs, although the type of job might vary. More catering, less car hire, for instance.

But there are three major issues.

The first is that investment diverted into a transit-passenger hub is investment which is not available for other purposes. And, as I've commented before, investment in high-speed rail links would be much more useful to us here in Wales. And a great deal less damaging in environmental terms.

The second is the environmental costs and impact on the local area. Even supposing one accepts a need for a transit hub (and there is room for some scepticism at least), then is Heathrow really the right place to put it?

And the third is about the business case. Certainly, the businesses directly involved will gain major benefits – but from the perspective of UK plc, wouldn't we really be better off trying to plan capacity around the needs of those who are actually coming to or going from these islands, rather than those who are just 'passing through'?

Anonymous said...

Agreed. And it's good to see Jill Evans MEP making out the wider case on her blog today: "trains and boats and planes" in support of the party's Carmarthenshire councillors.

Perhaps it would be a good idea if you included her in your list of Plaid Bloggers so that more people were aware of all the work she does?

John Dixon said...

Of course. In fact, I was certain that I had done so, ages ago - but clearly not.

James D said...

I think we're witnessing a realization that High Speed Rail will change the aviation game. Suddenly, it will make a lot of sense for airlines to have a single hub at Birmingham (this iteration of my HSR map shows quite how natural this is*), rather than play the Heathrow plus a miscellaneous north-of-England airport game. The big loser will be BAA, as Birmingham is one of the few big airports they don't own.

* Yes, there's an awful lot more going on there...


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And so it begins… morning sickness

So there I was in my early morning exercise class and it hit me like a wave. Thankfully it wasn’t too strong  and I was able to make it through the strenuous class. And after a scrambled egg and toast breakfast I pretty much felt better.

I put Evelyn down for a nap and set to work researching local midwives trying to ignore the growing stomach cramps. Almost immediately after Evelyn woke up the stomach cramps were debilitating.

I beckoned Chris to come home because I was no longer capable of taking care of myself, let alone Evelyn and tried to sleep.

I was certain that I had food poisoning but a quick Google search revealed that in some cases early pregnancy symptoms can portray themselves much like food poisoning or the stomach flu. Though rare, it happens. Lucky me.

Not long after that came the real morning sickness. Now, I can’t remember when my morning sickness started with Evelyn but I know it wasn’t this bad. I didn’t throw up so much, I was just horribly nauseous. Today I wasn’t able to keep down anything. Not even water.

The good news is that after I’d get sick I felt a tad better. Better enough to try eating. The problem is that once I’d eat I’d feel sick again and then bye bye food.

I don’t know what I will do if this lasts more than today. I haven’t been able to get out of bed or get comfortable or do anything. Not to mention the terrible stomach cramping and other love symptom that goes along with that (you know what food poisoning is, I don’t have to say it).

So wish me luck, and good health. And a healthy baby! Cause I’m gonna have one. A baby! This is so crazy! I don’t know why it’s crazy, I already had one you’d think this would be no big deal but it feels as crazy and exciting as the first time. I guess you only have one second baby.


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My Sincere Promise…

At Bottelino’s, our latest contemporary Italian Restaurant, both myself, my children and dedicated staff promise to give you a warm family welcome, whether it is an important business lunch, dinner, birthday celebration or just a simple snack.

No matter what the occasion, we always look forward to seeing you again!

Mike Botta – Managing Director, Bottelino’s Limited

It's now over 40 years since Giuseppe, my dear late Papa, came to England and realised the opportunity to open his first traditional Italian Restaurant in the heart of Bristol. He introduced the very best in home-cooked traditional Italian recipes. All simply bursting with flavours and colour, that had been passed down through our family to my dear Mama, who cooks them at home today.

As Managing Director, I have carried through the old recipes, using the best quality, locally supplied meat, chicken and fish, these are all prepared using the finest ingredients, with our Pastas made in the traditional way, all of which can be complemented by our fine wines...


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Monday, February 15, 2010

Thursday, February 11, 2010

The fashion house's designer Marc Jacobs has previously questioned the sanity of his customers, saying, "There's this huge cult following of almost crazy people at Vuitton who just want whatever they buy to be exclusive. We're eager to see who will be the first to tout this tote."

Call me crazy, but I would totally incorporate this in any outfit.

R.I.P. Lee Alexander McQueen

March 27, 1968-February 11, 2010
My heart and condolence goes out to the McQueen family. Such a creative, innovational, leading-edge designer will truly be missed.

I'm a Twitter addict so the first thing I do everymorning is tweet. And I was so sad to see McQueen wasn't a Trending Topic yet?!?!? WTF

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Rihanna- Rude Boy

Hands down, this video is onnnnnnn!
I love how grungey and raw she is in this video! My kinda girl!

Hellz Bellz x Vans

Hellz X Vans from HELLZ on Vimeo.

This February, Vans and Hellz came together to release 2 limited edition styles: The Hadley and The Sophie.
I wish I could have got my hands on a pair, but they sold like crazy. I'm still in the process of searching stores and sites that didn't sale completly out, but so far no luck. =[

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Clipse- Counseling

I love this part of the song. I swear they talking bout me, lol:

..."I used to be all about a fat ass
Then I found a cutie with a flat ass
Good hair, nice smile, but a flat ass
Two outta Three shit I couldn't let that pass..."

Obey x 11th Hour

This print is to help promote the movie the 11th Hour and to generate funds for the The film expands on the Earth crisis explained in an Inconvenient Truth. Global warming, deforestation, pollution, dependence on petroleum, and over -population. The film puts these issues in frightening perspective but also shows there are solutions.

Peter Callesen

Sunday, February 7, 2010

The French designer is known for his eccentric style and sometimes puzzling designs but with this needlike model, he really got his point across with these sharp tipped sneakers.They'll set you back $1200. And if you was wondering, duhhh the bottoms are RED!

Friday, February 5, 2010

Dominic Jones Jewelry

Dominic Jones jewelry is amazing! From his chunky and spiky rose-gold-plated rings to his knuckle dusters. What really caught my attention is his brillant leather glothes with gold (or white gold) nails, as seen on Rihanna.

3D Editorial by Baldovino Barani

Today it seems as if 3D glasses are a common household item. From tributes on televsion to editorials. Baldovino Barani's latest editoral is genius but w/o 3D glasses it can be a little annoying.


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Market Study

Fulton Industrial District

Redeveloping and revitalizing the FIB area to increase economic development and implementing business retention and attraction initiatives.

Designation of an Opportunity Zone for a portion of the FIB corridor, allowing businesses in the designated area to qualify for tax incentives for job creation. Currently pursuing OZ designation for the entire corridor.

Construction of new Aviation Community Cultural Center near the Charlie Brown Airport currently underway

FIB Redevelopment Framework adopted by Fulton County BOC that will create a strategic plan of action and will be a catalyst for change and reinvestment in the area.


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Baahubali Paid Premiere Ticket Pricing Rs. 4000 – 8000; on Friday Early Morning

[Total: 7    Average: 3.9/5]

Baahubali, the biggest movie of Indian Cinema is going to be released this Friday on 10th July. After experiencing huge craze and excitement of fans, makers have planned to arrange special shows in selected theaters. These are like paid premiere which will be held on Friday in early morning at 5 am. The ticket pricing for these shows are in between Rs. 4000 to Rs. 8000. As per the reports these shows will held in Hyderabad and some places in Andhra Pradesh & Telangana.

Baahubali Screening

Being the most expensive and popular Indian movie across world, the movie is setting new trends  at box office. Firstly the advance booking of the movie was started so early and now these high priced special shows for fans. The craze of audience can be easily seen on ticket windows, everyone is rushing to book tickets for Baahubali. Even after such high price, fans are acquiring seats for special shows. Just to watch the movie few hours before the normal shows, fans are ready to pay Rs. 4000 – 8000. This shows the magic of Baahubali among audience.

Considering wonderful advance booking records and these special shows, Baahubali is expected to easily recover its production cost before the release. The release of the movie is looking like a festive season in South Indian regions.

Baahubali is featuring the ensemble cast that included Prabhas Raju, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty & Tamannaah Bhatia in lead roles. All are the renowned actors of South Indian Cinema, which is also the reason behind such great hype of the movie.

Checkout: Baahubali Total Collection Prediction Report

How does it make you feel?


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what this blog is about

The following is a work of fiction set in a very far future. Nothing in it should be taken too seriously…

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Scarlet in Blue

A friend of mine asked that I try to put one of my male characters in still more female clothing -- particularly a bra. This isn't quite what I normally do, but it made for an interesting experiment. Here's Scarlet in Blue.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

and the next book is live

And my next book is live on Amazon. You can see it here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DQSVGEM

More about it later. Suffice to say it is a collection of illustrated short stories set in the Pellucid Universe.


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Listing Provided Courtesy Of:
Windermere R.E. Key Realty

$45,000 7001 190 Av Ct Kps Longbranch, WA

MLS: 1123943   Type: Land   County: Pierce   City: Longbranch   Area: Key Peninsula Sout   Neighborhood: Lakebay   Zip: 98351   Style: Res-Less thn 1 Ac     Stories: 1   Taxes: $301

Mortgage $211 /mo

Half Baths

Sqr Footage

Partial Westerly view of Olympic Mountains, Puget Sound, islands, sunsets and moonsets across Case Inlet. Expensive w/f homes built on highbank waterfront lots across the street. Gated community with private water system & private community beach access stairway/pathway. Extremely quiet and private location! Carve out your homesite among the towering Evergreen trees onsite. Huge recreational opportunities nearby with parks, boatramps and marinas. Owner contract possible with 50% down.

Elementary School

Middle School

High School

Evergreen Elem
Distance: 3.37 Miles
Key Peninsula Mid
Distance: 7.95 Miles
Peninsula High
Distance: N/A Miles

Price History

5/15/2017 Listed $59,000
11/7/2017 24% - $45,000

Building Name West Bluff Estates
Common / Property Features CCRs, Private Beach Access
Community Name Lakebay
Electricity In Street
Property Features Brush, Corners Flagged, Evergreens, Heavily Forested
School District PEN
View Bay, Mountain, Partial, Sound, Territorial

Interior Features

3/4 Bathroom(s) 0
Full Baths Total 0
Gas Not Available
Half Baths Total 0
Septic Approved for Number of Bedrooms 0

Exterior Features

Sewer Not Available
Style Res-Less thn 1 Ac
Waterfront Tideland Rights

Property Schools

Direct Link:

Gallery (10 photos)

Listing Provided Courtesy Of:
Windermere R.E. Key Realty

Ask Your Agent a Question

Property vs Zip Code Avg (98351)

Price 45K Avg 96K

Taxes $301 Avg $687

Acres 1.12 Avg 5.78

Visits 51 Avg 250

Days on Site 213 Avg 345

Ask How to Finance this Property

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4329 A St SE, Ste E
Auburn, WA

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My name is Brandon

About Me

Just recently graduated from Chico State University with a bachelors degree in Marketing. I'm currently looking for a full-time Marketing job in the San Francisco Bay Area.

I am accomplished in Web Design, SEO, and Product Marketing. I'm a professional with extensive knowledge of the Electronic Entertainment/Tech Industry. Dedicated Web Designer with wide range of design styles. Sports to schools, elaborate to minimal, large or small projects. Solid background in mobile app and secure system design. I enjoy helping customers find new fun things to buy and experience with a positive outlook on the tasks at hand. Working in the environment with high tech and electronics has made me realize that my passion for this field of study only continues to grow and with that and my engraved trait of curiosity I hope to continue down this fine path to more success.

My Skills

Product Marketing
Web Development
Cross-functional Team Leadership
Search Engine Optimization

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Designing A Landscape For The Area In Which You Live

Whether you love to take long walks in the forest, dance with wildflowers in a field or dangle your toes into a cool babbling brook, you can bring all the elements of your favorite locales into your own yard through creative landscaping. Read on for helpful hints, which can give you the inspiration you need.

You should always make a material list before starting any landscaping project. There is no bigger frustration than beginning your project only to discover that you are without a vital tool; all work must then come to a stop until the proper material is found.

An excellent landscaping tip for everyone is to compile a list of every material you might need before beginning your project. Nothing is worse than starting your landscaping project, only to find out that you are missing something, and have to halt your work until you go out, and get it.

Choose your plant life wisely, as this could severely affect how well your landscaping project turns out. It is not wise to put plants in shady areas if they require sunlight. Trees, while small when initially planted, require considerable room when they mature. The time taken to plan correctly will mean less time fixing mistakes later.

To help pay for your project, you should divide it into different stages. You will only have to pay for one stage at a time. If landscaping is a hobby for you, taking your time is important since creating the landscape is often more fun than maintaining it on a regular basis.

Try to promote deep root growth with your lawn. You can accomplish this through proper fertilization and watering, thatch control, and keeping an eye on the height of your grass. By having deep root growth, you will not have to water your grass as often, and it is less likely to suffer from drought.

Many people put most of their landscaping efforts into their front yard. A front yard is noticed by more people, and it gives people their first impression of both the home, and the home's owners. A well-designed front yard landscape will not only showcase your home, it can also enhance the physical appearance of your home. To find click here now to improve the landscaping of your front lawn, peruse landscaping, and books to garner new ideas.

A great way to really make your landscaping stand out is to use flowering trees. This can really add some vibrancy to your landscape as it can add lots of different colors. Consider using these items as a border to your entire landscaping design. When try this web-site blossom, it will really look great.

When planning a landscaping project for your house, make sure that you are aware of the trending prices of different products. This is important to know, because you will find that some items vary greatly not only at different times of the year, but also, due to other factors, such as poor weather or natural disasters.

When you are planning your landscaping, consider what it will look like from inside your house. It is easy to fall into the trap of only thinking of how the plantings will look to pedestrians on the street. However, you are the one who will be living with this landscaping, and most of the time you will be viewing it from inside your home. So take some time before you begin to make sure your landscaping will be appealing to both from both the inside and the outside.

When planning your yard, think about maintenance. If you do not have the time to trim your plants regularly, transfer them or put them inside for the winter, choose low-maintenance plants. If you have plenty of time to take care of your yard and really enjoy it, do not hesitate to select more delicate plants.

A good landscaping project need not be limited to plants and flowers. For a low-maintenance, earthy look, consider incorporating rocks, water or wooden structures into your lawn, and garden designs. These elements are ideal for parts of the country with low annual rainfall. Many projects of this nature are simple, and can be completed without the help of a professional.

When it's time to pick out your materials, don't use cost as the sole determining factor in your choices. A couple of elements you want to consider are return policies and reputation for good customer service. Weight your options out before purchasing anything. Sometimes, spending a few extra bucks can actually save you money over time.

Hopefully, with the knowledge you gained, you now have a good idea about what you should be doing when it comes to landscaping your home. Remember, it takes the first step to get started, and the more you progress, the sooner your project is finished, so try your best to figure out what you want out of your home's landscape and transform your home.

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The Daily Chase

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Valentine's Day {the Chase way}

Vincent and I agree that our all-time favorite date was our first Valentine's Day. It was special for so many reasons, but most importantly it was the first time we prayed together before a meal {a tradition we still continue today}. We never try to outdo our first Valentine's Day, so last night we enjoyed a sweet evening at home. Vince has been working SO much lately, it was great to have him home at a decent hour and all to myself! Here's a quick review of our super simple Valentine's Day at home:

1. We had a sweet start to the day with yummy cinnamon rolls {reduced fat, of course!}
2. Vincent came home to a fun Valentine's Night itinerary. {I customized printables from Eat drink Chic & added a little raffia to make them my own.}
3. Our cocktail ottoman was set up for a Couch Picnic & intended for a movie night, but my worn-out pregnant self fell asleep shortly after dinner!
4. We couldn't wait till after dinner to exchange presents, so fortunately I had Vincent's ready to go when he got home. He loved the framed Star Wars lithograph {complete with certificate of authenticity} and cards from Tasha girl and me.
5. Dinner is served! Our menu included a yummy salad, pecan crusted chicken breasts and cowboy casserole.
6. Save room for dessert! I had to hurry to finish the sugar-free cupcakes before Vince got home, so they didn't come out as pretty as I hoped. Luckily my sweet hubby didn't noticed the sloppy icing!
7. One of my favorite surprises...Vince made the bed before he left for work! I love coming home to a clean, happy bedroom.
8. My gift from Vincent...a massage and a calendar of him flexing his muscles! {Yes, he hired a professional photographer and also gave me a disc of the entire photoshoot}. I'm pretty sure there's no one else like him!

Hope everyone had a happy Valentine's Day!


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Sunday, January 18, 2009

Unwanted guests

Daughter near Brighton has just spent the weekend using this wonderful tool. I have asked her to buy me one as come the first day of the Summer Holidays now only 6months away, I can be sure that I will probably need one, when daughter in Scarborough rings up in tears asking for help of the combing kind, and we will have daily visits, and many happy(!) hours sitting outside the back door with kitchen roll and bowls of water.

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Brisbane Local Food

Growing local

Hi everyone I did warn of more unusual ideas coming your way lol.This is a worm tower with a difference and a very simple project most people could make.The pipe is in the ground 300mm or thereabouts and the top pot has its bottom cut out and as you can see sits over the pipe. The pot sits on 3 evenly placed bolts sitting outwards.The top of the pipe has a lid and solar light attached  wich lifts off to feed the earth with your waste.The bottom pipe is purely for decoration.

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That's as flash as a rat with a gold tooth mate!

What a great idea! love it

Fantastic, wish I was as handy and creative as you

Hidden in plain site, Real Nice!

Is the fancy base cowling an upside down pot?

Hi Rob ,yes mate just an upside down pot picked it and the webber lid up on a council cleanup.The pipe I got from a decommisioning job.

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Thursday, September 10, 2009

the world's only thatched roof castle
The main castle portion
Standing on the rocks at Morn
With Sven walking on the beach at his beach house
Too much DRAMAMINE! this is the result
We stopped on a small island while sailing to eat lunch and walk around...this is the inside of the church!
Clearly Sven has not spoken with my dad....he is not intune with my driving record...if he had known i don't think he would've let me drive the boat!
Had to try on my life-vest...I was pointed out as the troublesome new daughter that Sven and Lene adopted...they had to keep their eye on me.
Shelley, myself, and Lene

These past two days have been amazing! I am so exhausted right now (being that it is 12am on Friday and I just got out of the shower from practice and our two day escape with Sven and his wife Lene) so I will keep this one brief and update more tomorrow. Wednesday morning, Sven and his wife Lene picked Shelley and I up and took us to their beach house about an hour away. It is BEAUTIFUL. We were told to pack up our bags with enough stuff because we were going to stay there with them until Thursday and would not return home until after practice. It was soooo nice to be around these fun-loving people who treated us like their own children. Wednesday as soon as we got to Mon (pronounce mourn with an urn like murn) we went grocery shopping and then to the beach house. Needing to take advantage of the weather we decided it would be a great day for sailing so Sven and Lene took us to their sailboat (which was awesome) and we set sail. Being well prepared, I took one dramamine as soon as I got to the beach house! I was a true sailor that day, had an amazing time and no sea-sickness. Only problem was, I took the second dramamine just to be careful and it knocked me out, I slept the whole second half on the bow of the ship lol (between the sunshine, wind, and carefree feeling--plus extra help of DRAMAMINE I was OUT)! What a life, sailing and then the beach house! I will save the rest of the trip for tomorrow's post but just be assured that it was a tremendous amount of fun and I have been adopted as their daughter while here hahaha!

Sov Godt
Hugs and Kisses

  1. Brittany..
    The pictures are awesome, keep up the camera batteries....You are so beautiful, and look absolutely thrilled that you are where you are. You are so loved by all whose life you touch, and we are so blessed.
    love you oodles


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Thursday, October 29, 2009

Is Peter Pan really a boy, and if so, why is he always played by a girl???

This year, our school calendar included a fall break which we celebrated last week. A full WEEK off in the middle of the long stretch. It was amazing, it was fabulous, it was spent in Disney World!
Now some people think that Disney is just aimed at the younger audiences, but I beg to differ. We screamed more than any 6 year-old, and were more giddy as well. I think we made the others around us feel our joy... or maybe we just annoyed them. Either way, we LOVED every moment.
Then, back to the real world: report cards and parent-teacher conferences. Possibly the busiest week of the year thus far! And in the middle of all that, I was lucky enough to attend TPAC with my family and see "Little House on the Prairie". It was awesome, much singing and creative dancing. A fun night in all.
And then tonight we celebrated my Dad's 52nd birth year. Pretty big deal! While dinner was nice, I must admit I get the most enjoyment out of simply playing with the girls and talking with the adults at home. Something about being around children makes me think I can still BE one too.
Grace had her little bike still inside and since Brandon had been riding Liz's bike in the house before, I took the liberty to ride Grace's tricycle. Problem is I am a little bit bigger than her. Knees out, elbows pointy, I trucked around the living/ dining room area. Just long enough for my brother to begin chasing me with his Iphone, threatening to put me on You Tube. So I quit. The girls were encouraging me, what's an aunt to do?!?
And of course, before any family gathering is complete, the big brother decides to throw me over his shoulder and spin as fast as he can... good idea after three cheese biscuits?
He had it coming.
Good times and good memories. Now if I can make it through parent conferences tomorrow, this week will be in the bag. The Halloween bag...


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Tuesday, October 18, 2011

My Papaw.
I'm pretty sure this was taken right after she kissed him on the cheek. And he was embarrassed. And she was apologizing, while secretly laughing at her own private joke.

Such a sweet picture. Thankfully, memories live on.

It is fall break. I know you can't read the emotion in this statement, but trust me, it's there.

I wait in anticipation for fall break from about September 1st till October 14th. I was blessed enough to visit the beach this fall break. If you have never been to the gulf area in October, you need to GO. I mean it, now. Get in your car and DRIVE!

Here are the reasons:

1. It is the beach, duh.
2. It is the perfect temperature for beach dwelling.
3. It is cheap to rent a condo during the fall.
4. It is an easy drive or flight.
5. It is the BEACH!

Convinced? Here is a picture from our balcony on the 15th floor.
That is all I will say. Just linger on that view for a moment. Ahhh...

Lesson on Toilets (and don't worry, I don't literally mean while sitting ON the toilet)

Unfortunately, I have become very closely acquainted with how a toilet works. Thanks to owning my own place, I have frequented Lowe's and Home Depot to buy parts that I don't actually know the name for. Here is how these conversations usually go:

Man in the colored vest: "Hello, may I help you find something?" (because we both know I look slightly out of place here.)
Me: "No, but thank you." This might seem silly to some, but I have an aversion to being helped in most stores. I am working through the problem, kind of.
Five minutes later, Me: Why is there no one around here to help me?!? But I do actually know this is a ridiculous thought.
Another five minutes later, Me: "Um, excuse me, do you know where I can find a piece to fix a toilet? I think it is called a washer, it's rubber and it's small and it's black?" And my dad told me this much, but I don't admit to this yet.
Man in the colored vest: "Sure, it's right here." (Pointing to something approximately 10 inches from my face.)
Me: "Of course, musta looked right over it." Cue the turn and high-tail it out move.

So, here is the sought after piece. Looks pretty small huh? But my dad assures me it will cause the toilet to flush again. And I trust him with toilet issues. He has fished out many a lego from a toilet in his day.
So, he walks me through how to take apart the piece and insert the new replacement seal (because that is it's real name, I learned). I do it fairly quickly and feel pretty self-sufficient. Until the toilet refuses to fill more than once.

Blast. So, I go to another store and get another brand that is sure to work better and fit my toilet. Same steps, same results.

Must need another piece.

So I visit the home improvement store for the third time in 1 week. And I get this piece right here. Makes me look like I REALLY know what I'm doing, huh?

Take three: I open up the tank and go to work. (With my dad on speaker phone, of course. You know when your dad starts answering the phone with, "Hello, this is your local plumber, what's your question?" that you've been spending too much time with your toilet.)

I digress.

I took it apart and put the new part in. Check out this piece. I never knew a toilet had so many intricate parts.
Not that I have ANY idea HOW it works, but I do know it WORKS!

I never thought I would say it, but the sounds of a toilet flushing may be the best sound I've heard all day.

Success. Sweet success.


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Pawel Brodzinski on Software Project Management

Building a House Agile Way

Some time ago I wrote a series of posts where I compared specifics of my private project of building a house with my professional experience in project management. It would be hard to say these situations look the same although usually the same mechanics applies.

Talking about that, one thought struck me some time ago. When you build a house for yourself it’s most likely a purely agile project. I haven’t yet heard about investor who hasn’t changed anything in their house during its construction. Of course we rarely change outside walls etc, but inside a house there are loads of changes.

That’s pretty much expected since at the beginning no one really thinks where they would place furniture and what kind of furniture would even be there. We don’t think where exactly lamps or power plugs should be. These are details which we leave for later. Hey, who cares where exactly would save button be placed on an edit form while we don’t even know what kind of data would be edited there?

So agile, isn’t it? At the beginning just architecture design and then, through each iteration, planning in details what’s going to be done in short term. Embracing change. Actually while not every company which were working on my house were excited as I (actually my wife most of the time) was changing conceptions, I can say virtually every single one embraced change.

And charged for that.

And I didn’t really object.

Actually somehow that’s natural in construction world. Guys get plans. They build according to plans. If you have better idea and they have to, well, ctrl+x and ctrl+v a wall or something you’ll know they did the job twice when it comes to pay.

I don’t complain. If I told them earlier they’ll put it in the right place at the beginning. Except until I saw the first version I couldn’t tell I wouldn’t like it. What a pity walls are so hard to refactor.

This brings me to a point. Being on a client side I treat the agile way of building a house as a mixed blessing. OK, I admit I can’t imagine building a house according to BDUF specification with no changes at all so agile is a natural choice here. On the other hand it doesn’t come for free. I pay for each change which generates additional work. In other words I can’t define how big my budget should be to achieve functionality I want since I can’t say how many changes my vendors would have to embrace and how many iterations it would take to satisfy my (beloved wife’s) expectations.

Unfortunately shit happens and I actually had a fixed budget for the project, which in my case means I’ll run out of money before everything is done. And this is the place where agile sucks. Ten months ago a construction company came and said they would adjust reinforcement for this amount of money and they would change bricks to better type for that amount of money. And I was all “yeah, we should do it since we’ll have more freedom in arranging inside walls and the house will be warmer.” With this huge stack of money we had it didn’t look like a big deal anyway.

And no, I couldn’t plan how much exactly I needed for the rest of the project. I didn’t have all the details to be able to do that. You know, other way it would be old-school up-front design project, not the agile one.

Having said that, while building a house agile approach is the best possible option. One just needs to understand advantages and disadvantages of choosing this path.

One more thought for the end: I wish IT business were as aware of costs connected with change as construction business is (even though it’s far from perfect there too).

PS. If you happen to visit me and would be curious where the heck a balustrade is or is this some modern way of finishing off stairs the answers is: this is the price of agile.

in: project management

7 comments… add one

  • Tonio Grawe September 15, 2009, 12:53 pm

    Looks like this will be a nice house – once it is finished. Seems like the agile method is a good approach for the vendor to make extra money. Is that way it is so popular with software developers?

    To be honest, I always sticked to the conventional project methodologies. And I rather spend some more Euros in planning and go the extra mile for the bottom up approach. Also when I build a house it was like this. I'm surprised you didn't think about the furniture. For our kitchen I even drilled in a level deeper and planned on what shelf the plates will be, in which closet we will store the bread and what drawer is reserved for the sweets. Just to make sure we have enough space in the kitchen.

    Anyway, that doesn't mean we didn't spent much more money than we should…

  • Pawel Brodzinski September 16, 2009, 12:54 am

    Agile is not a good way for a vendor to make extra money. When client has fixed budget this is it – it's fixed. When money runs out there aren't iterations anymore. If something isn't done it's probably unfinished for good. And what's already done, no matter how, is here to stay.

    This means the client can be forced to make difficult decisions about cutting out features and a final version can be pretty far from ideal. On the other hand, with detailed specifics up front it's equally far since it's almost impossible to design every detail well at the beginning of the process.

    Talking about house I can't imagine going to that level of details while still being on paper. I don't have problems with imagination and I can quite easily visualize how furniture would look like but until I can touch everything I can't really say whether I like something or not.

    Not to mention all decisions we have changed along the way because we've learned more or just changed our mind.

  • Susan September 16, 2009, 1:33 pm

    From my perspective Agile works when the client knows exactly what they want. Sadly you quickly find when the business requirements documentation is being detailed that this is not the case, and then you are heading for a world of pain particularly if it is fixed price.

    The important thing to remember is that the process of software development can be flexible but this is only a benefit if it leads to a higher quality product which meets the client's expectations. Sadly this rarely happens.

    Susan de Sousa
    Site Editor http://www.my-project-management-expert.com

  • Pawel Brodzinski September 18, 2009, 2:30 am

    It's a rare situation in IT when a client exactly knows what they want in terms of software requirements. They do know what they expect from software business-wise but it doesn't correspond well with defining lower-level expectations (let it be requirements or user stories or whatever).

    What more, as I understands agile it's a method to respond to this uncertainty since, unlike in BDUF projects, you can change things along the way.

    The problem I see is simple – if you have fixed budget (a strong constraint) and much freedom in inviting changes there's a big risk of spending too much time and money on looking for the perfect solution at cost of running out of budget and not finishing all important things.

  • Mark D. September 24, 2009, 9:49 am

    The problem with the agile approach to construction (as it seems you've encountered) is that you must factor in the cost of building materials, as opposed to software where the "building materials" (lines of code) are free. Now, in this discussion I'm totally ignoring the cost of labor and tools, which you have in both instances. This critical element, the cost of building materials, is what automatically pulls the house building process toward the BDUF end of the spectrum. Which isn't to say that construction projects are entirely BDUF. For instance, you have structure models that can be built/tested before the actual construction begins, etc. But there's no getting around the fact that construction projects can never be nearly as agile as software projects. I'm reminded of an old episode of the Simpsons where Homer is building a dog house, and right when he thinks he's done he realizes that he built it without a door :-) In that case he didn't just waste time but also the cost of the building materials.

  • Pawel Brodzinski September 24, 2009, 12:43 pm

    I do agree that construction process are predestined to be closer to BDUF end of the spectrum than software projects. After year of house building I couldn't say anything else.

    The point I completely don't agree with is labor cost. Lines of codes never comes for free. In software companies you can have up to 90% of total costs sunk in money you spend on labor.

    An hour of writing code you'll throw away is equally painful as an hour of building a wall you're going to demolish. Yes in the latter case you pay for cement which is lost (bricks can be recovered) but it's negligible.

    If a customer doesn't know what they want it's costly in both cases.

    To be honest most of the time cost of materials wasn't a problem. Actually you can pretty easily decide up front whether you wand floor for $80 per square meter or one for $30 per square meter.

  • LameBigCOMgmt August 3, 2010, 9:47 pm

    Building a house in 3 week sprints:
    –End of Sprint 1: Deliver a tent (a left over from an intern’s project)
    –End of Sprint 2: A tent with windows (holes cut in the side).
    –End of Sprint 3: Move tent on top of some wood planks (the new floor).
    –Start of Sprint 4: project canceled due to external factors. Agile worked great, velocity was high and managers had lots of metrics to play with.

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Mario und der Zauberer (Mario and the Magician)

Mario und der Zauberer: Ein tragisches Reiseerlebnis - Thomas Mann

Soll man »abreisen«, wenn das Leben sich ein bißchen unheimlich, nicht ganz geheuer oder etwas peinlich und kränkend anläßt? Nein doch, man soll bleiben, soll sich das ansehen und sich dem aussetzen, gerade dabei gibt es vielleicht etwas zu lernen.

[tr. Should we "leave" when life is a bit eerie, not quite harsh, or a little embarrassing and ailing? No, you should stay, look at it and expose yourself to it, there may just be something to learn from it.]

It is spooky when a book that was written a long time ago and comments on an impending catastrophe, reflects - or seems to reflect - current affairs.

Mario and the Magician was written in 1930 and describes the rise of fascism in Italy. I had no idea the novella would be about this. I was intrigued by the title simply because Thomas Mann was called "the Magician" by his children, which was not was this story was about at all.

But there we have it, two sides of the coin: what can appear charming, entertaining, and imaginative by some, may also be used to destroy. An allegory used marvellously by Mann, whose grotesque magician Cipolla binds his audience by hypnotism to obey his commands, and whose disrespect for the dignity of the townspeople culminates in destruction.

»War das auch das Ende?« wollten sie wissen, um sicherzugehen … »Ja, das war das Ende«, bestätigten wir ihnen. Ein Ende mit Schrecken, ein höchst fatales Ende. Und ein befreiendes Ende dennoch, – ich konnte und kann nicht umhin, es so zu empfinden!

[tr.: "Was that the end?" They wanted to know to make sure ... "Yes, that was the end," we confirmed. An end with horror, a most fatal end. And a liberating ending nevertheless, - I could and can not help feeling so!]

As for myself, I am still in shock that I have found a work by Thomas Mann that I could connect with, even if that connection is one of concerns for current events. I still don't enjoy Mann's writing style much, but in this instance his drawn out narrative and formal, seemingly dispassionate, choice of words, helped to build the tension of the story.


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Thursday, December 10, 2009

Stockings!!!! Hehe

Howdy y'all!!! For one, yes, I changed my title to "A Life For Christ" because it is one of my favorite songs ever!!!! And for are the pics of the stockings, since we don't have a fireplace (Reminder: we live in Texas! Haha), so we hang the stockings in the hallway. My mom HAND-STITCHED all of our stockings! She is really great!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She also put all of our initials in them, so be looking for: DKH, BIH, NSH, JEH, and BAH....or just the first and last initials. Also, there might be some Santas in them, we do not believe in Santa!!!!!!! Well, gotta go!! Hope you enjoy!

Mine (Brooke's).........BAH

Neesie said...

Stockings are so fun! :-)

Brooke said...

Hehe!!! Ya, I know!! Hehe ;)

Katarina said...

I love the stockings! My mom made mine one year when she was on bed rest. It was in the same style as y'alls.

I enjoy seeing it and knowing that she took the time to make it for me rather then just buying one. :D

Brooke said...

Thanks!! Maybe both of our moms used the same pattern, I don't know which one she used!! :) And yes, I love mine, too, I think it's a whole lot better than a store-bought one!! :D


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Canon EOS 1300D Things To Know Before You Buy

These are simple to use they usually function very well. They're able to consider images that you'll be very pleased to share with friends and family, will likely be satisfied to hang on the partitions and can be treasured from the archives for many years to come back. It is tough to complain about any of the digital camera's shortcomings when the cost is factored in. The Canon EOS Rebel T6 / 1300D is as a lightweight entry-degree DSLR which has a sound attribute established and good graphic high-quality, but its greatest aspect is its really interesting rate.

Rubber padding is placed in which your finger and thumb would go making it straightforward to shoot with one hand.

The T6 proceeds the Rebel custom of employing a pentamirror vs. pentaprism for the viewfinder. A pentamirror viewfinder is lighter and less expensive, but with extra air-to-glass area transitions, a pentamirror is not really as vivid.

The D3300 provides remarkable steady shooting at 5fps compared with 3fps around the T6 / 1300D. Its built-in flash is somewhat much more impressive, it has a individual compartment to the SD card, and might take seven-hundred shots on a full demand when compared with 500 quoted to the T6 / 1300D. On the whole, it outperforms the 1300D / T6, in all but just one regard – it lacks crafted-in Wifi, but you may only match an eye fixed-Fi memory card to equip it with wireless picture transfer.

Daylight legibility is firmly satisfactory given that it doesn't are inclined to wash out below daylight. The Canon EOS 1300D is shipped with an ordinary EF-S eighteen-55mm IS II package lens by Canon and includes a constructed-in graphic stabilisation that may be switched on or off.

The body in the EOS 1300D is a little lighter at 440g in addition to a bit additional compact in comparison to the EOS 1200D, which can be only truly obvious if you Assess them facet by side. Over the still left, the 1300D has an input for a wired remote, a Mini-USB port, and an Mini-HDMI port. The many buttons are positioned to the ideal with the Liquid crystal display, and contain shortcuts for ISO, travel manner, white balance, and autofocus.

Following a wait around of approximately two a long time, the EOS 1300D is only a slight update in excess of the EOS 1200D. In terms of successors go, the most notable improvements are the higher resolution Show and the addition of Wi-Fi.

Along with the apple iphone 6s being promoted by Apple for its "New twelve-megapixel iSight digicam with 1.22µm pixel measurement resolution", I assumed that I'd start out utilizing the cellular phone digital camera extra routinely. Once i 1st looked at the outcomes at 100%, I thought there has to be a rationale why they weren't obvious, but did not have time to determine The explanation why at enough time.

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Each individual of your cross keys has a direct-access perform and in addition capabilities as a directional arrow for navigation such as within the menu or in just a zoomed impression becoming shown. They are simple to use, conveniently located and comfortably contoured.

I'm from India, couldn't come across answers on the Indian forum so I posted in this article. I am new to photography, so I assumed it's possible I'd get answers below.

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The EOS 1300D can history online video at up to 1080p at 30fps, and that is a disgrace considering that its Level of competition can go around 60fps. Online video high quality is sweet for most lights situations as you have got the chance to manually established the exposure.

The Rebel T6 is actually inexpensive, rendering it a good selection for sacrificial use or use in situations using a large chance of digicam hurt. At times receiving the shot is worthy of the cost of a digicam, though the price range could be stretched if that digital camera is just not expensive to start with. Of course, a my review here Canon EOS-1D X Mark II is much more probably to withstand abuse, however the 1D X II expenditures 10x over the T6 and it remains not indestructible – instead of difficult to metal if unattended like when capturing a lengthy timelapse image.

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Stories from a PlUmbEr, FaTHeR, and one cRaZy guy!

Friday, March 18, 2011

Chris and I were talking the other night. I am always trying to convince him to write a book or at least write more of his stories down. And do you know what he said? He just isn't as creative as he once was... what??

So, I'm asking all of you ... inviting you to re-inspire him! Make him write all of his mischief, stories, his pranks, bedtime stories, memories, and adventures down for us all to enjoy!

Chris and Keeghan (3 years) on the rope swing in Stanley, ID

Good Stories

Chris is the best at writing stories! When we first started dating he would email me the best emails! They may only be a few lines but he puts a lot of thought into one. If you ever received an email from Chris - you know what I'm talking about!

When I was visiting my parents last summer - this is one of the emails he sent... All BROWN!

You can't handle a sassy email. Right after I got off the phone with you I walked into this 400 lb. dudes house. He was a fat slob in an electric wheelchair. He said his s*&(S was plugged....I went in and attempted to auger it out and I was hitting a firm blockage.....I mean foreign object type firm blockage if ya know what I mean......turns out it was just a jumbo turd wedged in just right. The guy is on dialysis and a bunch of meds that dehydrate and constipate the hell out of him. I had to put my (*&(*^ respirator on because it stunk so bad that I was about to toss my cookies all over the joint. I had to leave the house 3 times to breathe and regroup before I wrangled the big lunker out.......I felt like Mic Dundee wrestling a 1200 lb. Croc! It is officially the closest I have come to vomiting on the job out of my entire plumber stretch.

For Years Chris' family has enjoyed any comment associated with Dickies. Theron LOVES a good pair of Dickie's. It's got to be a thin pant. Oh, and we could go on and on....

So, when my family asked us to help with a Dickie's Event at Costco in Boise, how could we say no? (And, working with my sister is the best!).

So - cheers to Dickie's for one hell of a week! 10 days of Scrubs and laughs about all of the Dickie's stories from the Sainsbury's. Chris helped for about 10 minutes one day, and whoa was that an event! His customer service skill mixed with the opportunity for a good joke is just too tempting! Our family is now outfitted in scrubs for life, my art studio has the best art smocks, and Keeghan has a neon Dickie's sign in his room. Who could ask for more?

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Brown is Beautiful

Okay, so if you ever sat through a story of my husband, Chris, you were probably in tears because you were laughing so hard. I don't know if it's his luck or just his perspective but he has the BEST adventures and is amazing at retelling them! So this Blog is for you Chris... it's for all of your stories!

I'll type them (or you can) and we'll get these down so we can always enjoy them... and others can, too.

Chris, when we first got married and your mom put together the reception in Moses Lake. You asked me what color I wanted to decorate with. I said it didn't matter and then you said she picked brown. What? Who decorates in brown? (Uh, now I do!) But, it is beautiful! Brown is the background for everything wonderful in my life. Brown is your work, brown is our children (always covered in a layer of dirt) and brown is so much more!! I love you Chris! Thanks for making me smile and especially for making me laugh!!


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Thursday, June 12, 2014

The '64 Phillies' Perfect Father's Day

The Phillies' trade acquisition of Jim Bunning in December was expected to bolster their starting pitching and contribute to building towards a contending team--although competing for the pennant in 1964 was considered by most experts to be a bit premature. After a 118-87 record with the Detroit Tigers, and having been one of the American League's best pitchers the previous seven seasons, Bunning was certainly not disappointing expectations. His Father's Day start in 1964 was his 14th in a Phillies uniform. Bunning, of course, made history that day by twirling a perfect game--not only the first since Don Larsen's in the 1956 World Series, but only the seventh perfect game in major league history. This is the fourth in a series of the 1964 Philadelphia Phillies. Links to the first three are at the end of this post.

The '64 Phillies' Perfect Father's Day

When Jim Bunning completed his warm-up pitches to face the Mets in the bottom of the first inning in the first game of the Father's Day doubleheader on Sunday June 21st 1964, he was pitching in only the 31st game ever played at Shea Stadium, the Mets' brand-spanking-new home. That made him the 62nd starting pitcher to take the mound at the new stadium. Three of the previous 30 games in Shea's short history had been shutouts. Bunning pitched the fourth shutout, but his was PERFECT. He was now 7-2 on the season with 10 "quality starts," including three shutouts, and an excellent 2.07 ERA--a worthy addition (having come from the American League) to the ranks of outstanding National League pitchers at the time and future fellow Hall of Fame guys Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Juan Marichal and Bob Gibson.

Bunning's was only the third perfect game in National League history, and the first since the so-called "modern era" began in 1901 when the American League declared itself a major league and had the credibility to do so by virtue of so many NL stars having abandoned the league for better pay in the new league--including Cy Young, who in 1904 pitched the first perfect game of the 20th century. Bunning's perfect game was the first in the National League in 84 years; Monte Ward had been the last to be perfect way back on June 17, 1880, only five days after Lee Richmond pitched the first-ever recorded perfecto on June 12. That was so long ago that the four teams involved in those two perfect games were Worcester (for whom Richmond pitched), Cleveland, Providence (for whom Ward pitched) and Buffalo, none of which survived into the modern era. (Cleveland was downsized out of the National League after going 20-134 in 1899, before being invited to become a charter member of the American League in 1901.)

At the end of Bunning's perfect day, which included 18-year old Rick Wise earning his first-ever major league victory pitching six innings without surrendering an earned run in the second game of the twinbill, the Phillies held a 2-game lead over the second-place Giants. The Reds were third, 4-1/2 back, and the Cardinals were struggling in sixth place, having already endured two five-game losing streaks, and were 8 games behind with a losing 32-33 record with 40 percent of the 1964 season gone by.

The Cardinals' situation had become sufficiently troubling (if "desperate" is too strong a word) that just six days before they had traded with the Chicago Cubs for outfielder Lou Brock, whose career was so far a disappointment but who the Cardinals thought could shore up their struggling offense, which had been held to two runs or less in 15 of their previous 20 games before they cut the deal. To get Brock, St. Louis parted with one of their top starting pitchers--Ernie Broglio, whose 18-8 record in 1963 was the best on the team and a major reason why the Cardinals had finished second and seemed primed to make a move to displace the Dodgers in 1964. They also sent veteran left-handed reliever Bobby Shantz to Chicago, who two months later, after being hardly used and pitching poorly when he was, found himself in Philadelphia--where he would figure prominently in the Phillies' September fortunes.

It can perhaps be argued that the Phillies' 2-game advantage in the standings was somewhat deceptive since their 12 previous games were with the Mets--the worst team in baseball--against whom they went 7-2, and the Cubs--also a bad team--against whom they were 2-1 in that stretch. In fact, by this point in the season the Phillies had played 44 percent of their games against the three teams that ended the 1964 season at the bottom of the National League standings, going a combined 21-6 against them through Father's Day (9-2 vs. New York; 6-1 vs. Houston; and 6-3 vs. Chicago). Philadelphia was no better than .500 against the rest of the league at 17-17. Of the three other teams that would matter come September, the Phillies were 4-1 against Cincinnati, but only 1-5 against San Francisco and 1-4 against St. Louis.

The Giants, meanwhile, had played only 29 percent of their games as of June 21 against the Cubs, Colts and Mets; the Cardinals 32 percent; and the Reds 33 percent. As we shall see come the final weeks of the season, the Phillies having faced off against the league's bottom-dwellers so often at the beginning of the season would not be helpful to them at the end.

Personal Notes on Father's Day: The memories I will always cherish about my dad--and there were many centered around baseball (and many around other things)--was his coming home from work and, after an hour commute from The Big Apple on the Long Island Railroad, taking me out to the diamond and hitting me 100 ground balls at shortstop and second base every evening. Thank heavens for daylight savings time. He expected accurate return throws. If there was still daylight, then maybe some outfield fly balls and even a bit of batting practice. Helped me stay sharp, at least defensively, for afternoon pickup games with friends--usually five to a side. Anyway, if there is any one thing from my youth that I would really like to do again, because everything was so right with the world, it would be fielding those ground balls and listening to him talk about Phil Rizzuto, Joe Gordon and Jerry Coleman.

And among my fondest memories as a dad with my daughter--and throughout her childhood I kept thinking, it could never get any better than this, and it did--was one summer a game we played called 27 outs. Using a tennis ball and her without a glove, I'd throw her an assortment of ground balls and pop ups that she had to catch cleanly and throw back accurately or be charged with an error. We'd play maybe three or four of these every evening, usually on a lighted tennis court. Happily, she had a nice amount of perfect games: 27 chances, 27 clean fields, 27 accurate throws. Not exactly Jim Bunning's achievement of 50 years ago, but more meaningful--at least to me.

Earlier, on the 1964 Philadelphia Phillies:

1 comment:

  1. Each Football team involves 11 players. 10 of them people reach play, moving a golf ball among the the other person, looking to conquer that directly into the other crew's world wide web, or even or taking on (in some sort of awesome manner) people with the other staff if they may have possessing a ball. A vey important stage is usually likely banned to the touch a golf ball utilizing their hands- you may conquer that, or even work with some other body-part this is simply not both your hands or even arms.The eleventh gambler could be the goalkeeper, and the man is usually able to work with her hands. His or her task will be to remain on the world wide web along with keep golf ball via forthcoming in. That is certainly just about all generally there will be to football.


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Sunday, 20 February 2011

Aldburgh, Suffolk

A dull day, a quiet beach, only the sea gulls flying overhead.
I wondered why I moved to Suffolk

Sunday, 13 February 2011

Ullswater - The Lake District, England

Ullswater, the second largest lake in Cumbria England. Approximately 9 x 0.75 miles. Often compared to Lake Lucerne in Switzerland. We drove through Howtown on the east of the Lake to a parking place just below Martindale, enjoyed our picnic. I walked up a hill (which I called a mountain) that was towering over us, with my camera to photograph the lake from a high viewpoint. I kept seeing the top of the mountain but it went on and on. Finally reaching the top I took my photo. I turned around and did the second photo of the countryside.

Tuesday, 1 February 2011

A sunny day at Southwold

Thinking of a sunny day at southwold