text:
 What is a theme?

What is a theme?

In this article

Overview of Office themes

What can I do with theme colors?

What can I do with theme fonts?

What can I do with theme effects?

What are Quick Styles?

What are PowerPoint background styles?

Overview of Office themes

Use themes to simplify the process of creating professional designer-looking presentations. Theme colors, fonts, and effects not only work in PowerPoint, but they are also available in Excel, Word, and Outlook so your your presentations, documents, worksheets, and e-mails can have a cohesive look.

Example of the same theme used in multiple programs
The same theme used in PowerPoint, Excel, and Word.

To try different themes, rest your pointer over a thumbnail in the Themes gallery and notice how your document changes.

Image of different themes applied to the same SmartArt graphic
Four themes that are applied to the same SmartArt graphic. Clockwise from the upper left: Metro, the default Office theme, Apex, and Trek.

Tip   To download additional themes from Microsoft Office.com, in the Themes gallery, click the More Themes on Microsoft Office.com. link.

Applying a new theme changes the major details of your document. WordArt effects are applied to titles in PowerPoint. Tables, charts, SmartArt graphics, shapes, and other objects are updated to complement one another. Also, in PowerPoint, even the layouts and backgrounds of your slides can be changed dramatically from theme to theme. If you like the way that a theme looks when you apply it to your presentation, you are finished reformatting with just that one click. If you want to customize your presentation further, you can change the theme colors, theme fonts, or theme effects.

You can use built-in themes or customize a theme in PowerPoint 2010.

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Customizing themes

You can create many different custom themes by starting with the core built-in themes. The customization for theme colors, theme fonts, and theme effects is next to the Themes gallery. Choose a theme, change its settings or define your own, and then save the settings as a new theme in your gallery.

For even more new colors, fonts, and effects, do one of the following to download new themes from Microsoft Office.com:

  • On the Design tab, in the Themes group, click the More button Button image , and then click More Themes on Microsoft Office.com.

For step-by-step information about changing or customizing theme colors or fonts, see the article Customize a theme in PowerPoint 2010.

Top of Page

What can I do with theme colors?

Modifying theme colors is the most dramatic change you can make to your presentation, with the exception of changing the theme. With one click, you can change the tone of a presentation from casual to formal, or vice versa, by changing the theme colors.

Theme colors have 12 color slots. The first four horizontal colors are for text and backgrounds. Text that is created with the light colors will always be legible over the dark colors, and text that is created with dark colors will always be legible over the light colors. The next six are accent colors that are always visible over the four potential background colors. The last two colors, not shown in the picture below, are reserved for hyperlinks and followed hyperlinks.

Image of theme colors

Theme colors handle both light and dark backgrounds very well. There are visibility rules built into the theme so that you can switch colors at any time and all your content will remain legible and still look good. PowerPoint 2007 uses large text, sometimes lightly colored on a dark background.

When you click Colors in the Themes group, the colors that you see next to the theme name represent the accent and hyperlink colors for that theme. If you change any of these colors to create your own set of theme colors, the colors that are shown on the Colors button and next to the Theme name will be updated accordingly.

theme colors

The theme colors are shown in every color gallery along with a set of tints and shades that are based on the theme colors. By selecting colors from this expanded, matched set, you can make formatting choices for individual pieces of content that follow the theme. When the theme colors change, the gallery of colors changes, and so does all document content that uses the theme colors.

Theme color picker

The Theme Colors gallery displays all the color sets from the built-in themes. To create your own custom theme colors, in the Themes group, click Colors, and then click Create New Theme Colors.

For step-by-step information about customizing theme colors, see the article customize a theme in PowerPoint 2010.

Top of Page

What can I do with theme fonts?

Professional document designers know that using a single font face for an entire document is always a tasteful and safe design choice. Two fonts are a better choice, when used carefully for contrast. Every Office theme defines two fonts — one for headings and one for body text. They can be the same font (used everywhere) or two different fonts. PowerPoint uses these fonts to construct automatic text styles. In addition, Quick Styles galleries for text and WordArt use these same theme fonts.

Changing the theme fonts updates all of the title and bullet text in your presentation. In previous releases of PowerPoint, you had to make this kind of global change on a slide master.

When you click Fonts in the Themes group, the names of the heading font and body text font that are used for each theme font appear below the theme name.

Theme font picker

In addition, the Create New Theme Fonts dialog box has been updated to show the current theme fonts in use.

Font picker dialog box

For step-by-step information about customizing theme fonts, see the article customize a theme in PowerPoint 2010.

Top of Page

What can I do with theme effects?

Theme effects specify how effects are applied to your charts, SmartArt graphics, shapes, pictures, tables, WordArt, and text. By using the Theme Effects gallery, you can replace different sets of effects to quickly change the look of these objects. Although you cannot create your own set of theme effects, you can choose the effect that you want to use in your own theme.

In every theme, there is an effect matrix that is used to generate the theme effect. The effect matrix has three style levels of line, fill, and special effects, such as shadow and three-dimensional (3-D) effects. Professional designers often refer to these style levels as "stroke," "tone," and "depth." By combining three formatting dimensions — lines, fills, and effects — you can generate visuals that all match the same theme effects.

Here is the effect matrix for the Office theme (the default theme).

Effect scheme diagram

Each theme has a different effect matrix for a different look. For example, one theme may have a metallic look, and another may look like frosted glass.

For step-by-step information about customizing theme effects, see the article Customize a theme in PowerPoint 2010.

Top of Page

What are Quick Styles?

Although themes change the overall colors, fonts, and effects that are used, Quick Styles, (or Styles), change how the different colors, fonts, and effects are combined and which color, font, and effect is dominant. When you rest the pointer on a Quick Style thumbnail, you can see how the Quick Style affects your table, SmartArt graphic, chart, or shape.

The design description (theme colors, theme fonts, and theme effects) of themes provides galleries of Quick Styles that always match the theme of your document. Themes and Quick Styles are both created by visual designers so that all of your documents look professionally created. When you choose from the various Quick Style galleries, your content will be well-matched to your overall document theme.

Shape style gallery image
The Shape Quick Style gallery

In PowerPoint, the theme colors, theme fonts, and theme effects are like a list of formatting ingredients, and each Quick Style is like a recipe.

Top of Page

What are PowerPoint background styles?

Background styles are unique to PowerPoint and use the new theme color model that defines two dark colors and two light colors to be used for text and backgrounds. The light colors are always visible over the dark colors and vice versa, such as when dark color text is used over a light background. There are six accent colors that look good over any of the four possible background colors.

Image of available background style colors
Example of colors in background styles

Also, inside each theme are three background-fill definitions: subtle, moderate, and intense. By combining the 4 background colors with the 3 theme backgrounds, you get 12 possible background styles.

In the built-in themes, the top row of the Background Styles gallery is always solid fill. To access the Background Styles gallery, on the Design tab, in the Background group, click Background Styles.

Background Styles gallery image
Example of a Background styles gallery

If you apply the background styles from the second row of the gallery shown in the illustration above, you get the four variations shown in the following illustration.

Background gallery variations image
Four variations of background styles

Notice how the dark and light text and the background colors are automatically switched based on the background that you choose. Many slide show projectors show dark backgrounds and light text better than they show light backgrounds and dark text. You can use the background styles as a quick way to transform your presentation for better projection.

For step-by-step information about adding a background to your slide, see the article Apply a background picture, color, or watermark to your slides.

Tip   To apply a background style or theme to only some slides in your presentation, right-click the background style or theme, and then click Apply to Selected Slides on the shortcut menu.

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Links to more information about PowerPoint themes

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Applies To: PowerPoint 2010

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Martinez, Susan

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I completed my MSW degree in May of 2007. My professional experience has been in the field of Human Services for approximately 20 years. I have been an employee of Mediation West as a full-time staff memberfor three years, completing intake, case management and as an assigned mediator. Prior to becoming a staff member, I served in a volunteer capacity for the centerfor several years. I am trained in facilitation techniqes, and have offered a variety of trainings and workshops, as well as serving as an instructor for a college course on Conflict Resolution.

Private Practice

This page was last modified on Wednesday, February 18, 2015

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text:
I Haven’t Quite Crossed the Rubicon Yet

CCP managed to deploy the Rubicon expansion on Tuesday without much in the way of issues.

We all have that same splash screen image

Is that the actual splash screen?

And while I patched up all 1.21 Gigabytes, I have not really had much opportunity to get into the game.  Work, events at my daughter’s school, and perhaps some excessive focus on another game has kept me away.  Fortunately CCP Fozzie had some tweets about what was going on during the first 24 hours after the expansion dropped.

Yeah, I feel that one.  Like Kirithi Kodachi, I logged in expecting to find that I had level V mastery on at least a couple of ships, outside of shuttles.  Or at least a few ships at IV.  But no, for combat ships my highest rating is level III.  Even on my beloved Drake, which I would likely tell you in an off-hand way that I have max skills for, comes in at level III mastery.

Drake Fleet in action in Tenal

Am I just another Drake in the pack?

You see, under the new certificates system, level V mastery requires that all relevant skills be trained to level V as well.  So the fact that I do not have gravametric sensor compensation and the specialization skills for assault and heavy missiles trained up to V will keep me from the top mastery slot.  But what is really holding me back, what is keeping me at level III is my meager training in Caldari Drone Specialization.  For the Drake.  That notorious drone boat.  Deploying those kick-ass Caldari drones.

(Those last two sentences should show up dripping with sarcasm once HTML XX gets approved and implemented.)

What a waste of weeks of training time to work on some of those skills.  But unless I do, every time I see the info page for a Drake, it will give me that sardonic look and display that level III mastery badge.  “Max skills? My ass!” it will say.  It is like a gun to that OCD completionist part of my brain.

So I will have to work on that drone skill, getting it up to IV at a minimum.  At least it will apply to the mastery rating of all the Caldari ships.

As expected.  The interceptor change, making them invulnerable to warp disruption bubbles, plus the warp speed change, means we will be seeing a lot more interceptors running about.  I nearly put off my move back to Curse until after the expansion hit so I could fly out in one.  I expect this alone will lead to fleet doctrine changes.

And my mastery for all interceptors is III, just like the Drake.  Does that really tell me anything?

The great high sec customs office rampage begins!

And people are figuring out another new feature.  As these has been pegged as a source of materials for a future expansion that will allow players to build jump gates to new regions, I expect they will get a lot of focus.  Jove space of bust, baby!

The changes/upgrades to marauders in EVE has made level IV mission running fractionally easier for those already wealthy enough to have a marauder.  But they still are not invincible.  And the economy of New Eden keeps on rolling.

The new rapid heavy missile launcher module, nerfed down a bit to deliver high burst damage at the expense of a long reload time in order to keep heavy missiles (and the Caldari) down, is getting a workout.  As originally proposed, they looked like a game changer, an organ grinder battleship module spewing out heavy missiles at a hellish rate.  They were too much of a “good” thing I will admit, but I still endorse anything that validates my heavy investment in missile skills.

And then the deployable structures.  In the long run I expect scanning these down and blowing them up will become a new sport.  An out in null sec, the mobile siphons will likely become more of a focus.  In the short term, nothing I do warrants my looking into them.

Anyway, for those wondering what I am talking about, CCP has a page up dedicated to the Rubicon expansion and all of its features.  I hope to actually get stuck into some of this over the weekend.  The first thing I will probably get up close and personal with is the changes to the fleet interface.  We’re deployed to fight and all that, and fleet ops seem to go up every time I walk away from my computer.  Given how awkward it has been in the past, I am looking forward to seeing what changed, though given CCP’s sometimes odd sensibilities, I won’t be surprised if I hate some aspect of it right away.

Always something fresh to bitch about.

3 thoughts on “I Haven’t Quite Crossed the Rubicon Yet

  1. Knug

    Trying to figure out how the requirement for amarr drone specialization has anything to do with a tempest, or its variants.

    Who uses amarr drones anyway ?

  2. Toldain

    I’ve thought of several uses for the mobile depot. For example, if you’re doing exploration, you don’t need to fit both an archeology and hacking module, just switch in whatever one you need when you get to the site, instead of your MWD, or whatever.

    Just ask yourself under what circumstance you would like to change your fit.

  3. Wilhelm Arcturus Post author

    @Toldain – My career in EVE clearly pegs me as somebody who believes you dance with the mods you brought or some such.

    That said I expect that blowing these things up will become a new sport. If I read the notes correctly, you only incur a suspect flag if you shoot them, not a CONCORD response.

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Action_contents.svg(SVG file, nominally 128 × 128 pixels, file size: 58 KB)

This icon is part of Oxygen.

Note: The Oxygen icons are copyrighted to the KDE Artist team. This implies that you are not allowed to distribute them without prior written permission.

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Jump to: navigation, search

Shouldn't this be added to Tutorials in some kind of way (e.g. "create Plasma themes")?

Mistakes in this page:

On KDE 4.2 RC1 the margin background elements are actually "hint-[direction]-margin" instead of "hint-margin-[direction]", and in the dialog folder "shut downdialog.svg(z)" is used instead of "shutdowbdlg.svg(z)" as stated on this page.

AdrienV 23/01/2009

KDE® and the K Desktop Environment® logo are registered trademarks of KDE e.V.Legal


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Parth's Blogs @Techjoomla

Stay updated with all the latest happenings at Techjoomla. From news about the developments in your favourite extensions to Tips & Tricks about the Joomla CMS, Framework & Development.
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Techjoomla & Tekdi Web Solutions to Go Epic this Joomla PBF !! Join in the fun

TechjoomlaThe Techjoomla & Tekdi Web teams have committed an epic 100 hours to Joomla's first Business PBF to happen on Friday, 12th of July 2013 ! We hope to test & squash quite a bit of bugs then. We invite you to Join us  in helping make Joomla better !

In addition to our own dev's we are opening up our Offices for those who are interested in joining the Fun. A place to sit, awesome Joomla people to interact with & Wifi shall be provided if you decide to come . And of course ! there is Pizza & Soda sponsored by OSM to help get you there ! Details of the event are given below. If you are in Pune & do Joomla, we recommend you come !

Techjoomla, Tekdi Web Solutions - Joomla PBF

12th July, 2013. Starts from 2 PM onwards !

106,Saket Apartments, Vitthal Mandir Road. Karvenagar. Pune -411052. Maharashtra, India.

Google Maps Link |  Give your RSVP Here

Joomla! Pizza, Bugs and Fun aims at getting Joomla people from all over the world together to help test & fix bugs in Joomla releases. The event is global for virtual participants with local venues wherever they are organized. Know more about Joomla PBF & pledge your hours here

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Mr. Prince Goel talks about his portal
Invitex 2.7.2 released


text:
A Tech-Econ Mashup with a Libertarian Flavor

No thanks, Mr. Martin, I’ll stick with Charter.

FCC chairman Kevin Martin recently scrapped his plan to create an national wi-fi broadband service, one that would have (supposedly) filtered out every piece of pr0n and smut a hormonal 13-year-old would want to get his hairy palms on.

Need I go into all the reasons why a heavily-filtered public internet service would be a terrible, terrible idea? Well, for starters, there’s the first amendment issues surrounding the censorship of public spectrum. Also, don’t overlook the fact that the government sucks at providing most of the services it provides (been to the post office lately?). Then there’s the privacy issues surrounding government regulation and administration of an electronic communication medium. Not to mention the fact that the market has already indicated that there’s no need for the government to spend tax dollars to provide this “public good.” And to be practical, even the “smartest” net filtering programs are dumb as rocks when it comes to natural language processing and typically end up blocking web pages about, for example, breast cancer prevention.

Ryan (yes, the Ryan Radia for all you fans) at TLF has a great post on this story.

Filed under: Information Tech, Internet, Politics, , , , , , , ,

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Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect.
-Mark Twain

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‘Wet’ computer server could cut internet waste

New liquid-cooled Iceotope computer servers installed at the University of Leeds cuts energy used for cooling Internet servers by more than 80 percent. The whirring fans of traditional computers are replaced by the barely-audible trickle of liquid. The heat released can be piped out to radiators to warm a building. The developers say it could revolutionise the energy-hungry data centres that form the fabric of our online lives.

But don’t we all know that liquid and electronics don’t mix? Dr Jon Summers, from the University of Leeds’ School of Mechanical Engineering, shows what happens when you put an iPhone in a beaker of the secret ingredient: 3M (TM) Novec (TM) liquid.

WARNING: The phone experiment shown in this video is intended to demonstrate the special qualities of the liquid used in the Iceotope server. Putting an electronic device in liquid can cause problems other than a short circuit. Liquid is likely to be trapped and may affect the functionality of the device (eg. screen dimming or ghosting, speaker problems).

For more details on the Iceotope Servers at Leeds see: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/news/article/3374/wet_computer_server_could_cut_internet_waste

Outlook 2010 error 0x8004010f while trying to download the Offline Address Book (OAB)

exchange server outlook 2010 download oab

  1. Go to your Exchange Server 2010.
  2.  Start the Exchange Management Console
  3. Navigate to Microsoft Exchange > Microsoft Exchange On-Premises > Organization Configuration > Mailbox
  4. Select the Database Management tab page
  5. Right-mouse click a mailbox database, go to Properties
  6. In the Mailbox Database Properties go to the tab page Client Settings
  7. If the Offline address book is empty, click the [Browse…] button and select your OAB.
  8. Repeat step 5 – 7 for EACH mailbox database

When this is done, restart your Outlook 2010 application on the client.
You should now be able to download the OAB again via File > Account Settings > Download Address Book…

Have fun!
If this didn’t work for you, please comment how you fixed it.

Get information from Team Foundation Server (TFS) via C# code

This code shows you how you could interact with your team foundation server. In my case a TFS 2010.

Open a new console application in Visual Studio and add these references:

  • Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Client
  • Microsoft.TeamFoundation.VersionControl.Client
TeamFoundationServer tfs = new TeamFoundationServer("http://yourtfsserver:port/something");
List<string> changedFiles = new List<string>();

VersionControlServer VCServer = (VersionControlServer)tfs.GetService<VersionControlServer>();

string path = @"C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\just the path to your solution";
VersionSpec version = VersionSpec.Latest;
int deletionId = 0;
RecursionType recursion = RecursionType.Full;
string user = @"domain\yourusername";

foreach (Changeset item in VCServer.QueryHistory(path, version, deletionId, recursion, user, null, null, Int32.MaxValue, true, false, true))
  foreach (Change c in item.Changes)
	// c.Item.ServerItem;
catch { }

Happy coding ;)

Windows Server: logging users logon and logoff via PowerShell

You are planning a migration and you want to track and monitor for a few weeks when your server is being used the most?

  1. Open Windows PowerShell ISE ( or notepad ;-) )
  2. Add this PowerShell line below and save the script as monitorlogon.ps1
  3. "logon {0} {1} {2:yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss}" -f $env:username, $env:computername, (Get-Date) >> logon.log
  4. Create another script file, add the PowerShell line below and save it as monitorlogoff.ps1
  5.  "logff {0} {1} {2:yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss}" -f $env:username, $env:computername, (Get-Date) >> logoff.log
  6. Start the Logal Group Policy Editor ([Windows]+[r] > gpedit.msc)
  7. Navigate to [User Configuration] > [Windows Settings] > [Scripts (Logon/Logoff)]
  8. Double click on the [Logon] name
  9. Navigate to the [PowerShell Scripts] tabpage
  10. Click the [Add] button and select your monitorlogon.ps1 script.
  11. Optionally you can select the execution order, default is set to “Not configured”.
  12. Repeat again from step 6. for the Logoff script.

You can change the >> filename.log part to >> \\MyShare\filename.log.

If you want to do this on a Windows Server 2003 where you can’t run your PowerShell you will need to save the file as an *.cmd:

  1. Create a new file and call it monitorlogon.cmd
  2. Enter the line below and save the script as monitorlogon.cmd:
  3. echo logon %username% %computername% %date% %time% >> C:\logon.log
  4. Repeat this for monitorlogoff.cmd and adjust the script line.
  5. Follow the steps from the PowerShell script.

All-In-One Script Framework

Microsoft All-In-One Script Framework is an automation script sample library for IT Professionals.  The key value that All-In-One Script Framework is trying to deliver is Scenario-Focused Script Samples driven by IT Pros’ real-world pains and needs.  The team is monitoring all TechNet forums, IT Pros’ support calls to Microsoft, and will start to monitor the script requests submitted to TechNet Script Repository soon. We collect frequently asked IT scenarios, and create script samples to automate the tasks and save some time for IT Pros. The team of All-In-One Script Framework sincerely hope that these customer-driven automation script samples can help our IT community in this script-centric move.

Find out more on: http://blogs.technet.com/b/onescript/

How to test an SQL Server connection

  1. Create a new empty text document (.txt) on your pc. (e.g.: on your desktop)
  2. Rename it to X.UDL
  3. Double click the file to open the Data Link Properties
  4. Select the correct provider on the [Provider] tabpage
    Fill in your connection details on the [Connection] tabpage
  5. Click [OK] to close the Data Link Properties window when you have a succesful connection (via [Test Connection])
  6. Now open the X.UDL with your favorite text editor (e.g.: notepad, notepad++)
    You should see your connection string now!


text:
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Every Purchase Funds Food and Care for Rescued Animals.
Skip navigation

Organic Long Drawstring Skirt

Item # 31887

Funds 28 bowls of food.

& More Details

Please choose:

In Stock

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A versatile item that can be casual or dressy, the Organic Long Drawstring Skirt is a must-have wardrobe piece. Made of a comfortable stretch cotton and available in a variety of pleasing and easily-paired colors, it's sure to be a new favorite in your closet!

Global Girlfriend's super soft, 100% organic cotton line is made at a non-profit employment program in the Tamil Nadu region of India. Run by an order of Franciscan Nuns, the sisters employ and care for 120 young women who are handicapped and/or economically disadvantaged. The nuns provide employment training and support along with food and accommodations. The group supports 300 local small organic farmers in the Maharastra area. Each garment is lovingly produced from seed to sewing machine. Good for the environment, good for you!

  • 100% organic cotton
  • Fairly traded from India

Fit NoteGarment Measurements:

Sizing in inches/cmWaistLength
S30 / 76.233 / 83.8
M31 / 78.733.5 / 85.1
L34.5 / 87.634.5 / 87.6
XL37 / 9435 / 89.9
Shop Green!

Created to help women worldwide gain economic security for themselves and their families by earning fair wages for their handiwork, Global Girlfriend sources women-made, fair-trade imported, eco-friendly products. By supporting long-term partnerships with the artisans, it fosters equal employment opportunities, healthy and safe working conditions, technical assistance, and development strategies to help reduce poverty, one community at a time. Become a "Global Girlfriend" and help build a brighter future for girlfriends around the globe!

For bulk pricing on these and other items, please contact our Customer Service department at

People buying this item also bought:

Review count: 5

Recent reviews:

July 5, 2015 - Love it! It is so cute with the flounce, the color is warm and rich, and it feels comfortable for this waistless old woman though I bought it large to accommodate my loss of waist. Hand washes and drip dries well. blouses from this site.

June 17, 2015 - I love this skirt! I bought it in espresso and now I want to get it in another color! It is very flattering and comfortable. Can be dressed up for work or dressed down for the weekend. Very versatile.

April 7, 2014 - A versatile skirt. Good for casual gatherings, lounging, and wearing at work (I teach at a middle school.) It does hug the curves a little, especially if you have fuller legs, but a larger size might avoid that. The length and style of the skirt makes it good for any type of shoes - boots, Birks, Danskos, mary janes, etc. Color options allow for great mixing and matching of tops.

February 15, 2014 - i have this skirt in Espresso- S and love it. It is very soft and comfortable. The fabric feels like t-shirt material and hangs nicely. i'm hoping the green comes back in stock so i can purchase it! Beautiful skirt!

January 27, 2013 - I ordered this in Denim in Medium and returned it because I did not like the fit. It was just too clingy for me - it's the sort of skirt that hugs every curve. In addition, the fabric was thinner than I was expecting. But I think someone who prefers clingier skirts would like it.

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text:
New Yorkers will always wear black until they can find something darker.

New York Magazine asked its loyal readers a vital question– “What makes someone a New Yorker?” And as a loyalist myself, I felt obliged to read every single response. My personal favorite was, “New Yorkers will always wear black until they can find something darker.”

For those who are well-acquainted with my wardrobe, there are but two consistencies: black skirts and black boots. Despite Kate Spade’s delightful “Live Colorfully” campaign, I find myself consistently pulling the black garments from my closet first. And, perhaps, if I am in a hyper-caffeinated state, I add a pop of color.

Generally speaking, however, I resort to my black Longchamp bag when accessorizing. Yes, black bags complement black outfits. And I am in the philosophical state of binary oppositionial denial. In place of viewing the world as painted in strokes of black and white, I just see shades of black– the 21st Century gray, if anyone outside of New York asks.

Now my propensity for dark shades has never posed much of an issue. Though I have been subject to the standard biting commentary (“Oh, look, it’s the Elbow-Concealing Grim Reaper!”), I have succeeded in acquiring additional garments of the black variety without fear of verbal retaliation.

There is but one exception: England. Apparently the “live colorfully” campaign is more than just a means of selling $395 purses; it’s a way of life, or  “modus operandi,” as one such Oxfordian phrased it. And in the midst of my last minute packing crusade yesterday, I realized how few colored garments I had placed in my suitcase.

So I did what any girl who had just downed two Starbucks ventis would do, I ran like the wind to my local Anthropologie, explained my predicament to my personal shopper, and a few too many dollars later walked out with garments in shades of red, green, and blue. Granted, the blue was of the navy variety, but I believe in taking baby steps.

The kicker, though, is the nail polish selection I have opted to sport. In place of my standard OPI Lincoln Park After Dark, which, in truth, is a moniker for black, I chose a most fitting color: “My Private Jet.” Given my red-eye excursion, it seemed the most logical selection– a brown with glittery undertones:

And with that, avid readers, I bid you adieu! When next we meet, I will be across the pond, interrogating a certain health minister about his wildly erratic sleeping patterns.

One response to “New Yorkers will always wear black until they can find something darker.

  1. Ha! Tell me about it. Left NY 3 years ago, and I am just starting to inject some color in my very-black-if-not-darker wardrobe!

    Love this post :-)

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Let’s Talk

We’ve always had an open door policy in our house, which can result in a lack of privacy sometimes, especially in the bathroom. Perhaps I shouldn’t have been so surprised, then, when just around three years old, my son wandered into the bathroom while I was changing a tampon, and immediately began questioning why I was bleeding

At first he thought I was hurt, so I quickly assuaged any fears, reassuring him that I was totally fine. But then, the questions began.  I had handled the first 3 years alright, so I figured I had a grip on most of the tough situations we’d encounter. But when faced with the reality, I found myself flummoxed for a moment or two.

And then? I improvised. I explained to my almost-three year old that every month my body prepared itself to maybe have a baby. But, when that didn’t happen, it got rid of the comfortable padding that would have held the baby, and that’s what the blood was. I let him know that it didn’t hurt me, and it was perfectly normal. He seemed satisfied with my response, and I gave myself a pat on the back for managing to come up with a pretty good answer.

A few weeks later, I somehow managed to get a bloody nose, and my son immediately started peppering me with questions.

“So, does this mean you aren’t growing a baby in your nose?”

I realized I had a bit more work to do on the topic. However, I continued to operate under the method that I would happily answer any question that he asked, providing answers in age-appropriate terms and detail.

Finally, the day I had mentally prepared myself for came. We were driving somewhere, when my son’s little voice piped up from the back.

“But, where do babies come from?” he asked, as if we had been having a conversation the whole time.

I hemmed and hawed, trying to find the best way to phrase it all. And this is what came out:

“Well. Moms have eggs inside of them. And dads have seeds inside of them. The dad gives the mom some seeds, and they plant themselves in the eggs. When they come together like that, a baby starts growing.”

My answer seemed to satisfy him, and with only a few follow up questions, he was good. But we were nowhere near finished.

A few days later he was hanging out in the bathtub, and started poking around at his scrotum, and began asking some earnest questions again.

“What is this?”

“Um, your scrotum.”

“What’s that.”

“It, uh…” My mind drew a blank, until I remembered our conversation we had in the car only days before.

“Remember how I said that guys have seeds that they use to help make babies? When you get older, that’s where your seeds are stored.”

He thought that was the most awesome thing in the world, and promptly set about creating a pretty fabulous song all about his “seed store.”

All the information I’ve imparted to him backfired a bit when he was 4, when we explained to him that we decided not to have another child. My son, who would love to be a big brother, fixed us with a stare before stating, “But I know dad has more seeds in him. He just needs to put them in your egg – what’s the problem?”

We’ve had numerous conversations since that first one, oh-so-many years ago, and I’ve done my best to answer questions like why his penis sometimes gets “so hard I can shut my bedroom door with it!” mostly with a straight face. I’m glad that he feels secure coming to me with these questions, and truthfully, I hope he always feels that comfortable.

While I know that five and a half is light years away from fifteen, I have to hope that by setting up the nonjudgmental and open groundwork now, we’ll be providing a safe space for him to come to us later with questions or concerns. All of these thoughts came barreling back when I reviewed the new, nationwide survey on teenagers, parents, and talking about sex, compiled by Planned Parenthood.

The results are truly enlightening. The bottom line is that “Half of All Teens Feel Uncomfortable Talking to Their Parents About Sex While Only 19 Percent of Parents Feel the Same.” The survey goes on to reveal that while parents think they are providing nuanced information, their children are only receiving simple directives. However, the good news is that the vast majority of  parents and teens talk to each other about sexuality. What really stood out to me was the data that revealed the importance of parent-teen communication. From the survey:

  • Forty-six percent of teens report that parents are the biggest influence on their decisions about sex, while only 20 percent say their biggest influence is their friends (Alpert, 2000).
  • Eighty percent of teens say it would be easier to delay sex if they could have more open conversations about it with their parents (Alpert, 2010).
  • Teens who report having good conversations with their parents about sex are more likely to delay sex, have fewer partners, and use condoms and other birth control when they do have sex (Guilamo-Ramos, 2010; Weinman, 2008).

One of the (many) helpful aspects to Planned Parenthood is the host of useful tools/tips for parents to use when talking to their teens about sex and sexuality.

While I may have some time before my son and I get into these types of conversations, I’m incredibly happy that we’re already laying the groundwork for them right now. What about you? Have you already been there/done that re: “the sex talk”? What challenges have you faced and how have you handled them?

17 thoughts on “Let’s Talk

  1. Finally some statistics that aren’t too frightening….We recently had some conversations with our (slightly older) son when he informed us that he thought having sex meant ‘shaking your nuts.’ Despite some reddened cheeks on the part of Dad and son, hopefully he’ll go out into the world armed with correct information, if nothing else.

    • Ha! I know I shouldn’t laugh, but… And honestly, I’ve found that is my biggest challenge with all of this – maintaining my composure to be able to provide the actual information instead of wanting to giggle. I *am* the adult after all, right? ;)

  2. I try to be very self conscious of the importance of the groundwork in the early childhood myself. Everything we do shapes our children. As a graduate in early education I know that and as a mother I experience it when my little son, now 28 months old, acts like a mirror to me! Recently we were having a shower together when he started digging with his finger into his own bellybutton and then looked at mine, paused, did the same and said “when I was a baby I crawled inside your belly and I lived there”!!! He said it in German (daddy’s language) with this cute accent and I almost melted away right there…
    I think I’ll leave it at that for the moment and wait a bit until we have more serious talks!;-)

  3. Pingback: Talking to kids about sex | Mothers For Women's Lib

  4. I am *so* glad you posted this. My older son just turned 4, and with it has come a laundry list of questions about everything from sex to death. And since I’m a SAHM I bear the brunt of most of the questions. Like you I do my best to be honest but age-appropriate in the hopes of laying down a solid foundation of trust and communication between us. But, here in the safety and comfort of other moms of boys, I can admit to sniggering behind his back when he refers to his penis as his “little fishy.”

    • Oh, dude – there is a LOT of laughter in this house about stuff like this. I mean, I totally do my best not to bust out in giggles when I speak with him/answers questions b/c I want him to feel comfortable talking to me and not feel shamed about his body at all. But when I’m relaying convos to my husband or good friend, you can bet there’s some laughter going on. Some of the stuff they come up with is amazing – like little fishy. Brilliant.

  5. Every time kidlet finds, or grabs, a tampon he hands it to me and says, “Here, mom, this goes in your vagina.”

    We gotta talk about this stuff with our kids. If we don’t, someone else will, and who the hell knows what they’ll learn then? Or worse, no one will talk about it and they’ll start to make stuff up.

    Informed is empowered and all that…

    • Truth. And, talking about stuff like that – especially with our sons – will make it more commonplace and normalized so they don’t get all “ew, girl stuff” when the subject of periods or whatever is brought up.

  6. Very interesting. My kids are twenty one, nineteen, and seventeen – boy, boy, girl. We have always been very open and honest about everything in our house. I wouldn’t say that we are like the movie “Wanderlust” necessarily, but we are all comfortable with our bodies and we all like to talk. I’ve found the kids are the ones who have taken themselves out of situations – when they started to hit the pre-teen years for example, the bathroom door would get closed, stuff like that. We’ve talked about sex lots, and they have each asked me (or my husband) questions individually as they’ve grown up, but I know they don’t tell me everything. I wouldn’t want to hear everything LOL! My daughter will even say, “I’m just not comfortable talking to you about that.” But then we talk about who she CAN talk to – a friend, the doctor, whomever. I feel like we just did what felt right for all of us and it has worked out fine. Great discussion!

    • I think that’s great, Fern – have the option to talk to you but knowing the reality that she might not always feel comfortable (despite all efforts to make it so) and providing other folks she can speak with. Definitely a great tool to add to my belt for when the kiddo is older. Thanks for chiming in!

  7. Pingback: Parents Want Sex Education in Schools « MomsRising Blog

  8. Pingback: Occasional Reads #2 | PhD in Parenting

  9. Pingback: links for thought, October 2012 (1 of 2)

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For those of you unschooled in what Mormonism really is, please allow me to inform you.

Where did I accumulate my information?  Three years of living in Salt Lake City, and talking days on end to the son of one of the foremost Mormon historians.

Most importantly, Mormonism historically is one the most racist and sexist religions in American history.  If you live there for any length of time, you will realize Salt Lake City is one of the most homogeneous populations of what I would call, American white people.  Why?  Because other races were seen as unclean and intermarrying with them was forbidden by the Church.

They have a history of maintaining racial purity, better known as inbreeding.  To quote the famous Mormon autobiography, A Mormon Mother, the women were taught early that being the third or fourth wife of a good Mormon man is much preferable to marrying a non-Mormon.  And they did a great job of convincing the women to marry the limited number of Mormon men.  Social ostracism was a powerful tool out in the wilds of the Utah territory, and worked well for the men!

My most memorable cartoon from my Salt Lake City days was a picture of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with the caption, “Let’s all sing ‘get your biscuits in the oven and your buns in bed!”

That pretty much summarizes their view of women, whose only purpose is creating  lots more Mormons.  Please note the long and varied ‘career’ of Ann Romney as the best example of this way of thinking.

Mormonism today is not so different than most other types of early brainwashing worldwide, the purpose being to tell you at every decision point in your life what you will do next. The LDS Church today is controlled by a few old, and of course MALE leaders, who enjoy having power over the Mormon masses.  It all rather reminds me of the various methods of mind control used historically by Mao and the Chinese Communist government.

Thus the emphasis on high school, go on a mission, finish college, at least for the men, and then go into business and make lots of money, so you can give 10% to the Mormon Church, which is today estimated at at least 25 to 30 billion dollars, more than many Fortune 500 corporations.

But this population is homogenous in another important way.  When the Church says vote Republicans, every single member does, like an army of automatons.  No thinking required here!  When I lived there, Utah went 95% Republican.

Do you want your country controlled by non-thinking sexist robots?  I have never witnessed such a homophobic, sexist theocracy in my entire life, and it scared me!

For a different and funny take on who Mitt Romney is, check out this NYT piece by David Brooks, a conservative commentator.


text:
Life Musings of 2012 with a side of Dussek Cellars Syrah

What a year 2012 has been!  I know for us personally, it has been a beautiful and blessed year: we purchased a house and finally bid adieu to the life of apartment management.  While I won’t ever snub my nose at that job (it did after all, provide me the chance to stay home with the kiddos, finish school, and save for a house), I will never willingly go back to it; four years of that is more than enough.  And when my Chevy Blazer decided it no longer wanted to make the long trek to school daily and be a reliable method of transportation, I cried, then rejoiced when the Lord provided us the means to get a newer, far more reliable, vehicle.  My kids are growing up healthy, I have started graduate school, and at my husbands encouragement, I began this blog, sharing with all of you my experiences of Washington state wine.  Some of my favorites from this year: Mercer Estates Riesling, H3 Cabernet Sauvignon by Columbia Crest, along with the Amitage red blend.  I can’t ever forget my first Sauvignon Blancs from Matthews Estates and Sulei Cellars. Nor will I forget the kindness of Edward from Patit Creek Cellars, encouraging me to join Twitter to help promote The Washington Vine.  Of course, I have found in addition to Edward’s kindness, Patit Creek does produce some pretty phenomenal wines.  The Roux will go down as one of the greatest I’ve tried in 2012, right up there with a Mourvedre by Cline Cellars and a Sangiovese from Icicle Ridge Winery.  For the purpose of this blog I never did review either of those two.  But if you are looking for another celebratory red wine, Icicle Ridge is located in the beautiful town of Leavenworth, and you can pick up the Sangiovese for “only” $55.  I won’t think to leave you out either, Sonya!  I look forward to your move to Spokane in the spring!

This year found me San Francisco, where I was able to re-discover California wine.  I fell in love with Cline Cellars wine, enjoyed breathtaking views from Artesa Winery, and found new love for my home here in Spokane.  Artesa makes a beautiful Pinot Noir; Washington makes the best Cabernet I’ve had.  The trip to San Francisco inspired me to explore my own area.  It was only then I’d realized Spokane claims early 20 wineries around town.  I think I have reviewed on this blog only five: Lone Canary, Caterina, Arbor Crest, BridgePress, and Cougar Crest.  I would also be found in Reno, NV (right after leaving San Fran), but for less enjoyable reasons.  My husband and I learned the importance of improvising when this trip (for school/business) landed smack on our wedding anniversary.  We had the funds for him to join me, and we made Reno fun with  museums, antique shops, and a romantic dinner at the casino/resort we were staying at.  Neither of us gamble.  At all.

In the midst of all of this, buying a house meant moving to a new location closer to my husband’s work.  I cried with my son when, at all of age five, realized he’d be leaving his best friends behind forever, only to start anew with all the uncertainties a new first-grader would encounter.  I do feel my emotions strongly.  I’m a red-head, I’m certain it comes with the territory. I wept when the East Coast was ravaged by Sandy.  I cried for days for the families in Connecticut.  I realize my thoughts and prayers will not always be of comfort to any affected, and they certainly won’t be an immediate fix.  My chosen profession of School Psychology forced me to accept once again these tragedies are why I have chosen this career, and not necessarily for the testing of children.  Yes, I want to help every child in school succeed.  But when a tragedy strikes again, children need to be sure their voices will be heard, and that help will be provided.

But you don’t read my blog to hear my musings on life.  You want to know about the wine!  BRING ON THE WINE!!  This week I reviewed a Syrah from Dussek Cellars, just one label from the grander WoodHouse Wine Estates.  WoodHouse is home to Darighe, Dussek, Hudson Shah, Kennedy Shah, and Maghee wines, and hail from the Rattlesnake Hills of Washington state.  I hope you check out their website ( and read about the wines.  It seems clear to me they are a tight-knit, family-run winery.  The Hudson and Kennedy Shah labels are so named for their two children.  My dad brought me two of their labels to try after meeting a representative from WoodHouse at a local Costco store.  Tonight, on this “Night of all Nights,” a beautiful New Years Eve, I bring you Dussek Cellars 2009 Syrah.

Dussek 2009 Syrah

Dussek 2009 Syrah

The Dussek Syrah is strikingly dark for a Syrah: a beautiful, dark purple.  The nose is too light; though with concentration I detect wood and incense.  However, don’t let the nose fool you, as the palate brings in much more.  Oak, blackberry and fig meet you up front.  The palate overall lingers for quite a while with mild tannins, and a soft finish of oak and spice.  Overall, this Syrah is a decent wine.  Even after breathing for quite some time, allowing the wine to open up, I never did detect any real bouquet.  This Syrah would be fine to store for a bit, allow it some more time to come into itself.  You can find this wine in stores or online at the WoodHouse Estate website for around $20.

Dussek Cellars 2009 Syrah by WoodHouse Estates:  ★★★1/2 (decent/good wine)

Winemaker notes: Alluring aromas of mocha and incense framed by a long palate of blackberry, black cherry and fig. The finish is notable for the finely cut mineral and spice notes, and the acidity brings balance and harmony, which shows impressive depth for the vintage.  13.8% Alcohol

So now with 2012 behind us… let’s charge forward and see what 2013 has in store for us!  I would like to ask you, the reader, for your thoughts on wines to try this year?  Is there a varietal you’ve been wanting to try or want more information on? A particular winery? I’d love to hear from you!  I wish you and your family all the best in this new year!  May 2013 be a blessing and fill your homes with laugh and laughter!  Cheers!

Have you tried this wine before? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

2 responses to “Life Musings of 2012 with a side of Dussek Cellars Syrah

  1. Well aren’t you just the sweetest thing EVER?! Can’t wait to see more of you in 2013!!! BRING ON THE WINE :)

  2. Pingback: St. Patty’s Day Cabernet – Hudson Shah CAB | The Washington Vine

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2006-12-14 / People

“Gifts of Love” toy drive Dec. 5

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2008-07-24 / Front Page

"Colorful" characters

Mural taking shape in downtown Thomasville
By Anne Williamson Staff Writer

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The Lucasies, Family of Albinos

The Albino Lucasie family were European (the name is French), but P.T. Barnum, who discovered them at the 1857 Amsterdam fair, gave out that they were “Negroes from Madagascar” and claimed that their pink eyes remained staring even as they slept. He brought them to New York to work at his American Museum that same year. (Currier and Ives did a famous portrait of them titled “The Wonderful Eliophobus  Family,” a whimsical name meaning “fear of the sun”). In addition to Barnum’s shows, the Lucasies also performed with W.  W. Coles and the Lemon Bros., for a total of 40 years. When Antoinette died, Rudolph continued performing in vaudeville as an albino violinist. He died in Kansas City in 1909.

To find out more about the variety arts past and present, consult No Applause, Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous, available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and wherever nutty books are sold. And don’t miss Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to Youtube, to be released by Bear Manor Media in 2013.

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Sea, Salt and Sun

Summer is my favourite time of the year. When I was younger, I used to spend my summer days at the beach, swimming, summersaulting and playing in the warm mediterranean water. I could never get enough sun, salt and sea. I miss those hot days now that I live in Zurich. Fortunately, Nice, my hometown, is only an hour flight away .

Holidays mean sleeping late, going to the beach, eating ice-cream, drinking coffee and colourful drinks. It also means being lazy; hence my lazy post this week. I selected a few excerpts from my summer days, between Montreux, Villefranche sur Mer and Nice. Enjoy!

In Montreux

Lake Geneva

Le Bougainvillier, synonym of summer in the South of France

Paloma Beach, not telling where it is!

This whole post is just an excuse for me to show off my white dress in Villefranche sur mer

An evening in Villefranche

Colours of Nice

Back in Zurich. No sea but dreamy summer skies every evening

Next stop: Vancouver in two weeks! Any cafés, bars, restaurants, ice-cream spots or sights we shouldn’t miss?

32 thoughts on “Sea, Salt and Sun

  1. Pingback: Postcards From Australia « Trying to be Conscious

  2. The Afghan Horsemen Restaurant for authentic Afghan food.
    The Eatery for funky and unique sushi.
    Granville Island – tons of shops, art studios, etc. Be sure to try a donut from Lee’s Donuts and a tea from the Granville Island Tea Company, in the Public Market.
    Gelateria Dolce Amore on Commercial Drive, an argument can be made for the best burger in town at Fets, also on Commercial Drive (funky shops and cafes abound there too.)
    Stanley Park – the Aquarium is expensive but pretty worth it – lots to see. You can always go for a walk around the seawall… the perfect snapshot of a Vancouverite’s daily life. You can also beach it up there.
    Spanish Banks (aka Jericho Beach) is a great beach, can get crowded but not as bad as downtown or Kits Beach.
    I agree with Lynn Valley – there is a fantastic little suspension bridge, and its free! (unlike the overpriced Capilano Suspension Bridge)
    Nearby Tofino is a little town called Ucluelet, worth a visit – they have a community-run mini-aquarium in the summer, all contents caught by locals and released back into the wild at the end of summer – really neat.
    Also in Ucluelet (or Ukee, as the locals call it) a great little store there called Pina, for some locally made tshirts/clothes with original drawings, very west-coast too.
    Phew, hope that helps – welcome!

    • Thank you Mélanie! I love to get recommendations directly from locals. My mouth is already watering at the thought of sushi, burgers, donuts and ice-cream… Perfect!

      Now I’m impatient to be there already!

  3. Have a great time in Vancouver! Hmm, I’m feeling overwhelmed with things to suggest! Some highlights:

    – You can spend a great morning or afternoon renting a bike and going around the Stanley Park seawall – you’ll have breathtaking views of the ocean and the mountains. There are a few beaches along the way, too, and the water will be refreshingly cold!
    – Robson St. is the city’s main shopping street – in addition to clothing, it’s full of sushi bars and other restaurants, cafes and gelato places, etc.
    – Gastown is the city’s newly trendy district, with interesting restaurants and interesting furniture stores and so on. It’s fun to walk around in.
    – Granville Island has a big market and some other cool stuff (such as a good improv comedy theatre with shows each night)
    – I forget how long you’re staying, but North Vancouver is also really great to see — you could go hiking in Lynn Valley Park, for example, which has lovely forests and a river running through it.
    – My favourite restaurant is Nuba (really really good Lebanese food) on Hastings St. –

    Can you tell I miss the city a little?! Can’t wait to see your take on it.

    • Thanks so much Kristen! I’ll definitely follow your suggestions :-)

      We’ll be there for 15 days- we rented a studio in town for 7 nights then we’ll go to Vancouver Island for the remaining time (Nanaimo, Tofino, Victoria and probably the Gulf Islands too). I’m adding Lynn Valley Park to the list of things to see while in town.

      I’m planning to write a post comparing Vancouver to Zurich as they both end up high on every best quality of life ratings… But it might be too ambitious a project so we’ll see :-)

      • I think the idea to compare the two is a good one. They’re both great cities, but to me they feel very different from one another. And Vancouver Island is beautiful — I’m sure you’ll love it!

  4. Wow, I do love that dress. I’m so happy your summer is going well! I have been to Nice! It was in high school and it was only for 1 day, so I’m not sure that it counts. Best go back some day just to make sure. ^_^

  5. Salut Cécile! J’ai découvert ton blog récemment, j’aime beaucoup tes posts et ta manière d’écrire!

    Quant à celui-ci, superbes photos, je me sens plongée dans une ambiance estivale rien qu’en les regardant… :)

    Laurène (autre Française bloggeuse de Zürich! :) )

  6. It’s a cute white dress you have – very suitable for summer lazing.
    Enjoy Vancouver – I was immediately charmed by the place when I visited a few years back…

  7. Lovely photos! We will hopefully be traveling on the Mediterranean next summer-so your photos gave me little butterflies!!

  8. Absolutely gorgeous! I have been trying to get to the South of France for years now, ever since I met my friends in Disney. I have a friend from Marseilles and one from Nice… but neither of them live there anymore… Someday :) Cute dress by the way!

    • I would recommend Marseille more than Nice but I’m a bit biased ;-) If you ever go, avoid over-crowded and hot July and August- June or September are perfect to visit.

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April 18, 2013

UVa still in the lead for Jackson

Woodgrove defensive end J.J. Jackson attended the Rivals Camp Series stop in Richmond last weekend and his stock just continues to rise. But that hasn't had much impact on his list of favorites.

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March 4, 2011

Thomas remains firm to the Tide

A verbal commitment to the University of Alabama hasn't stopped other schools from recruiting Prattville quarterback Justin Thomas.
Thomas already has scholarship offers from other SEC schools including Auburn, Florida, LSU and Kentucky and says those schools are still talking to him despite his commitment. He recently picked up an offer from Florida State.
"I mean, it feels good because they're interested in me, but it hasn't changed anything," Thomas said. "Committing (to Alabama) just felt like it was the right thing to do. I wanted to go there, so I made my decision."
Prattville head coach Jamey Dubose said college coaches are still calling him and asking how firm his quarterback's commitment is and what's going on in the process, but Dubose believes nothing has changed.
"As far as I know, when a kid says he commits, he commits," Dubose said. "Justin has been committed to Alabama, and he's not come in and talked to me any differently."
At Prattville, Dubose tries to make his kids understand they should only commit if they really feel that's where they want to go to school.
"We try to tell our guys that once you commit to stay firm to your word, and don't commit unless you really mean it and you really want to go to school there."
The biggest question with Thomas once he gets to UA is what position he will play. Currently, Alabama is recruiting him as a quarterback, but he has the speed and athleticism to play any skilled position on the field.
"Right now, they're recruiting me as a quarterback," Thomas said. "I've been playing it ever since I was 4 or 5 years old. I haven't changed positions yet, so I'm going to try not to if I can."
Thomas played strictly at quarterback for Prattville last season, but Dubose believes he could play any skilled position you put him at because of his exceptional speed.
"I'm not going to make promises or say anything, but Justin Thomas, to me, is whatever you want him to be," Dubose said. "He's one of the fastest kids that I've ever been around. He's an exciting player. He's a leader. But the most impressive thing about him is the speed."
Prattville has at least four seniors-to-be on next year's team who Alabama has showed interest in. Thomas and Caleb Gulledge have already committed to the Tide, and defensive tackle Justin Shanks has the Tide among his top schools.
Athlete De'Ante Lawrence has offers from South Alabama, Southern Miss and UAB, and believes he may be close to getting an offer from Alabama. If he gets an offer, Thomas wouldn't be surprised if his teammate joins him at UA.
"There might be a good chance he comes to Alabama," Thomas said. "He was one of the guys that played ball with me and Caleb when we were young, so we ran together for awhile."

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Jonathan Rea Rebounds: Superbike Kyalami

WSBK Results

Jonathan Rea produced two outstanding motorcycle racing rides in the sixth round World Superbike championship races at Kyalami in South Africa to take fifth and second place finishes.

The two World SBK races were won by Michel Fabrizio and Leon Haslam in front of a large, sun-drenched and enthusiastic crowd.

Starting from the third row of the grid, Rea began race one impressively, moving up to sixth on the opening lap before a lack of grip dropped him to ninth place.

However, the 23-year-old was able to maintain consistent times throughout the race and he fought his way back to fifth in the closing laps, including one thrilling move around the outside of both James Toseland and Leon Camier at turn 12.

With a slightly harder rear spring in his Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR for the second outing, Rea charged into second place on the first lap and snatched the lead from Haslam on lap two. The Northern Irishman was able to hold Haslam and Max Biaggi at bay unti l Haslam made his winning move on the penultimate lap.

Rea’s Hannspree Ten Kate Honda teammate, Max Neukirchner, suffered from further chatter problems over Kyalami’s severe bumps and, despite an improvement to the bike for race two, was only able to post 19th and 17th place finishes.

Jonathan Rea (5th and 2nd) says: "I got a good start in the first race but just couldn’t hold the other guys as I didn’t find any grip. But even when I dropped down to ninth with quite a gap in front, I didn’t give up on a single corner or a single straight. I was able to maintain pretty consistent laps which allowed me to catch and pass the others at the end. We made a small change for race two and then I got a blinding start. From there I found it easy to go to the front but it was really difficult to make a break. In the end, Haslam made a lunge and I had to settle for second. All in all, I would have taken your arm off if you’d offered me those results this morning and I’d like to thank the team for keeping my spirits up – it wasn’t looking too clever after warm-up. I’m really looking forward to Salt Lake City now that we’re back on the podium."

Max Neukirchner (19th and 17th) says: Race one was just a continuation of the problems we’ve have had all weekend but we were able to improve the bike a little for a better feeling in the second race. However, I still couldn’t push hard enough to pass the guys in front of me. Over the last few laps, we also had a bit of a problem with weight transfer on the bike, which we also had in race one. Now we have to hope we have learned something that we can take to Miller in America, which I missed last year, but I got two podium finishes there in 2008.

Ronald ten Kate (WSBK Team Manager) says: "Well, it’s been an interesting day – that’s the very least we can say! We knew we had a good race pace with Jonathan but in race one he just lacked the outright speed for the opening laps. He had to fight his way through and, for most of the second half of the race he was the fastest guy on the track. His strategy of immediately taking the lead in race two was a bit of a surprise to everyone in the garage, but it worked out well!. Kyalami was where he took his first Superbike podium last year, which really kick-started his season, but we have to be strong in every single race now if we are to close the gap on the leaders. Max had more problems today – problems that have plagued him all weekend here. We know it’s a difficult circuit to get right though, so we’ll move on to Miller, where we know our bike can work well."

2010 World Superbike championship – round six – Kyalami, South Africa (4.263km – 24 laps) – results

World SBK Race One:
1. Michel Fabrizio (ITA) Ducati 39’48.343s
2. Carlos Checa (ESP) +1.098s
3. Leon Haslam (GBR) Suzuki +5.049s
4. Max Biaggi (ITA) Aprilia
5. Jonathan Rea (GBR) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda +13.710s
19. Max Neukirchner (GER) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda

World SBK Race Two:
1. Leon Haslam (GBR) Suzuki 39’52.870s
2. Jonathan Rea (GBR) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda +0.522s
3. Max Biaggi (ITA) Aprilia +0.601s
4. Cal Crutchlow (GBR) Yamaha +0.991s
17. Max Neukirchner (GER) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda

WSBK Championship points after six of 13 rounds: 1 Haslam 222, 2 Biaggi 207, 3 Rea 141, 4 Checa 141, 5 James Toseland (GBR) Yamaha 125, 6 Noriyuki Haga (JPN) Ducati 106

Next round: Miller Motorsport Park, USA – 29-31 May


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Suzuki Superbike: Two-Up Rides at VIR

2010-suzuki-superbike-two-up-rides-at-vir (1)

AMA Superbike

Local news reporters, a racing series founder and even a racer’s spouse all came away with similar enthusiastic reactions after going for rides with Chris Ulrich on his Team M4 Monster Energy Suzuki GSX-R1000 two-seat Superbike Thursday at Virginia International Raceway, in Alton, Va.

Ulrich was invited by the track to give the special rides as part of VIR’s Media Appreciation Day, which also included the formal opening of the facility’s new banked oval go-kart track “The Crater” and a press conference with AMA Pro racers Elena Myers, Ulrich and Jake Zemke.

And in spite of stifling heat and humidity, four individuals suited up in professional safety gear and went on two-lap rides with Ulrich around the 2.25-mile North Course, and all came back with big smiles and new-found appreciation for the sport of motorcycle road racing.

Amanda Meadows (Traffic Reporter with Richmond, Virginia CBS-TV affiliate WTVR, who reached 160 mph during her ride with Ulrich) says: “Absolutely amazing, exhilarating! The most exciting thing I’ve ever done! I was amazed at the actual forces that you felt. Once he got on that straightaway there was actual pressure on my chest, and my head felt like it was getting pulled off. I don’t know how fast we were going, but I could tell we were going really fast. I think this is going to be great. This is going to be on the morning news.”

Hank Dewald (owner of Roanoke Valley Publishing) says: “It was a little frightening on the first lap, but by the second lap I started relaxing and thinking, ‘This is great!’ And I wish we had one more [lap], especially down this front straightaway. I kept thinking, ‘When is he going to get off the gas going into Turn One?’ And I know he got off way before he would in a race. To me, that was thrilling.”

But the fun wasn’t limited to just reporters, as Azhar Hussain, founder of the new International TTXGP electric motorcycle road racing series, asked Ulrich to provide him with his first on-track motorcycle experience.

Azhar Hussain says: “If I didn’t love motorcycling before, I would be in love with it now. I came into this without any expectations. I was completely green, never been on a track like this before. I have to say it really made me appreciate the talent of the rider. That was the main thing I take away from this.”

“Watching on TV you can’t really be in the action, but being on the back of the bike, feeling Chris doing his thing was incredible. There’s a lot going on, the accelerating, the turning, the shifting, the braking and knowing when to do it all. I have endless respect for all those who do this. I always had respect for the riders, but my appreciation for the fine art of riding has gone up immensely. That was the best thing, the best memory.”

Ulrich also took the opportunity Thursday to fulfill a promise he made to share the two-seat Superbike experience with Ashleigh Hopkins, the wife of teammate and friend John Hopkins, who is returning to racing action this weekend.

Ashleigh Hopkins says: “I’ve wanted to do it all year. Chris has been promising me, and now we come to one of the hottest places I’ve ever been in my life and he says, ‘Right, we’re going in five minutes. Get in John’s leathers and we’re going.’ It was amazing. It was on my bucket list. I’ve always wanted to do it, and now I can check it off.”

Even though she is married to one of the world’s best riders and has spent years in the MotoGP World Championship paddock, Hopkins said she discovered a new-found appreciation for what her husband and Ulrich do for a living.

Ashleigh Hopkins says: “Yes, definitely, Like anything, you can have an idea in your head of what it’s like, but until you actually do it you have no idea. It was a whole new experience. Like, for them to do a whole race…I only did two laps and I didn’t have to do any of the work and I’m exhausted.”

“My arms hurt. My legs hurt. Your whole body is incorporated in the ride, like you need everything. It was crazy. It was amazing. I always wondered why John was doing so much training on his bicycle everyday, but now I understand. It’s crazy!”


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Motorcycle Tire Pressure Monitor

Pressure Pro

Advantage Enterprises’ Pressure Pro is a remote tire pressure monitoring system that ensures our motorcycle tires are not neglected.

The system includes a small monitor and valve stem caps that constantly report motorcycle tire pressure readings to the monitor via an RF signal.

Installation is straightforward, with the trickiest aspect being the mounting of the readout.

The single numerical LED alternates between readouts from monitored tires (three-wheelers can also be accommodated), giving a snapshot on the health of these critical components.

As the LED digits are always blinking between front and rear motorcycle tire pressure, you may find them distracting.

In addition to pressure readings, the system gives an alert when pressure drops 12.5-percent from baseline and again at 25-percent.

Pressure Pro is an essential safety enhancement for motorcycle riders who rarely give more than a quick push on (or glance at) the tire to check pressure before heading out on the road.