Since Abu Jahl has been taken care of by two young Muslim boys, so now he was replaced by Abu Sufyan. Abu Sufyan took his place and he became the commander, the coordinator and the leader. Ultimately, he arranged a great army comprising 4,000 people and he started his journey from Mecca to Wurz Medina with the same intentions that we have already talked about, the help of Jews promised and the threat to the trade routes, etc. As this army was moving towards Medina, there were people dwelling en route also who had their sympathies out of ignorance or out of old traditions with the Quraish. They also kept joining them wherever it was possible for them. So many more people joined them en route from different clans, from different tribes and from different areas because of their sympathies with the Meccans or the Quraish and their enamity with the Muslims. Ultimately, it's amazing that 6,000 more people joined him en route when he was travelling from Mecca to Medina with the design to take all those revenges which were burning his heart. This army now ultimately became an army comprising 10,000 people which is not a small figure at that time. As we said, all these people who came from Mecca, the Quraish are those who joined them en route. They were not only one tribe, they were not only Qraish. They were from different tribes and clans. But the aim was the same. The aim was to dominate the Muslims under all circumstances because stomach, as said by Hitler somewhere, the armies march on their stomach and if the stomach is comfortable then the society is comfortable and trade was virtually their stomach. Also, these people had enjoyed a lot of privileges and very respected positions in their own local areas or in the bigger areas where they were living. They were having a hierarchy of social ranks who had a lot of things in their hands. Decision making, privileges, looking after the own tribe and having the own respect and having the own status in the society. All these things collected together, they made them enemy of the Muslims. In view of all these things, all Quraish and all anti-Muslim people, they voluntarily joined this army to travel such a difficult distance and to go for such a big danger that can take life of one person or life, lives of the whole family as well and eliminate them from this earth once for all. But this is what the reality is.


I've been doing the cold showers haven't missed a cold shower since Santa Monica and it's and I still don't enjoy them by any stretch Of the imagination, but I love how they feel when I get out But I'll tell someone I'm doing that and they'll say I can't do that. It's just too cold. It's cold.


Hello everyone, this is Amit Chaudhary, armor radiologist and lecturer at Tata Memorial Hospital and Homewabha National Institute, Mumbai. I thank the Indian radiologist team for this opportunity. I wish everyone best of health, especially with the ongoing COVID pandemic. Let's begin with the discussion on case-based approach of pediatric posterior fossa neoplasms. This is a child who wore an MRI scan of the brain. Actual T2 and coronal T2-related images had mass involving the lateral recess of fourth ventricle extending to the cerebellopontan angle, which is iso-induced to the gray matter. And this is a classic location for wingless subgroup of medialoblastoma. The medialoblastoma is so-called because of the WNT gene involved in its pathogenesis. Wingless medialoblastomas comprise about 10% of medialoblastomas. These are encountered in children under three years of age without any gender predilection. These medialoblastomas have best prognosis because they seldom metastasize. However, whenever these metastasize, the prognosis isn't as good. These are classically located in the cerebellopontan angle or along the lateral recess of the fourth ventricle. Enhancement, as in all medialoblastomas, is variable, varying from mild enhancement to avid post-contrast enhancement. These medialoblastomas can be associated with Turcot syndrome, which is a combination of intestinal polyposis. This was a child who had a mass involving the lateral aspect of right cerebellar hemisphere, which is showing restricted diffusion on diffusion weighted images. It is dark on ADC maps, iso-induced to the gray matter on T2 weighted images, hypointense on T1 weighted images, and shows heterogeneous post-contrast enhancement. The mass is seen involving the lateral aspect of the right cerebellar hemisphere extending to the surface and abutting the tentorium cerebelli. So when a mass is encountered in a child which is showing restricted diffusion involving the lateral aspect of the cerebellum extending to the surface, Diagnosis of SHH or Sonic Hedgehog type of medialoblastoma needs to be considered. Again, this is known as Sonic Hedgehog because of the genes involved in the pathogenesis of this subgroup of medialoblastoma. The gene is shown after the video game character, Sonic the Hedgehog. SHH type of medialoblastomas comprises about 30% of medialoblastomas and these have a bimodal peak, that is they can be encountered in infants and in adults. There is no gender predilection. Prognosis is intermediate. When these tumors are encountered in infants, these usually have a good prognosis because of their favourable dysmoplastic and nodular histological features. Classically, these are located in the lateral aspect of the cerebellar hemisphere, are seen as surfacing neoplasms, often abutting the tentorium cerebelli. Enhancement again is variable but most often these tumors show intense post-contrast enhancement. Metastasis are rarely seen in cases of SHH medialoblastoma. However, tumor recurrence can occur in the treated tumor bed. These kinds of medialoblastomas can be associated with Gorlin's syndrome, which is a combination of multiple odontogenic keratosis, basal cell carcinomas, craniofacial anomalies and have increased predisposition to tumors like medialoblastoma. This was a 16 years old boy who had presented with inability to kick the football, that is he would miss kicking the ball while playing football. And on imaging, this child on diffusion weighted image had a tumor mass showing restricted diffusion in the midline involving the vermus and the fourth ventricle, which was dark on ADC maps. It was hyper intense on T1 weighted images and ISO index to the gray matter on T2 weighted images and showed only mild post-contrast enhancement. Screening of the entire spine did not reveal any drop metastasis. So in a child showing central or midline tumor, which is showing restricted diffusion and his ISO index to the gray matter on T2 weighted images with or without any significant post-contrast enhancement, possibility of group 4 medialoblastoma needs to be considered. Group 4 medialoblastomas are the most common form of medialoblastomas comprising about 40% of these neoplasms. These can be encountered in all age groups and are thrice more common in boys compared to girls. Prognosis is intermediate to poor. Classically, these are located in the midline or in the fourth ventricle. Enhancement is none to minimal. Frequently, these medialoblastomas are associated with metastasis and these are known to have nodular leptomaninjel metastasis. A classic site of disease deposition or metastatic deposition is the anterior third ventricle or the supracillus system. Group 3 medialoblastoma is another medialoblastoma which has a very poor prognosis. These comprise about 20% of medialoblastomas and are seen in young children. These are twice as common in boys compared to girls. Prognosis is poor with these medialoblastomas. Location again similar to group 4 medialoblastomas is in the midline involving the vermus and or the fourth ventricle. Enhancement tends to be variable but more commonly it can be peripheral or ring enhancing. Metastasis are frequent. A feature of group 3 medialoblastomas is that these can have a small primary tumor with fluorid or extensive de-seminated leptomaninjel disease. Classically the metastasis have a laminar or sugar coating appearance. So medialoblastomas are the most common malignant neoplasms in the posterior fossa and pediatric age group. And based on the locations these can be wingless or WNT subgroup of medialoblastomas which are classically located along the lateral recess of fourth ventricle or in the CP angle. The SHH or sonic hedgehog subgroup of medialoblastomas are surfacing neoplasms seen involving lateral aspect of the cerebellar hemispheres which can often abut the tentorium. Group 3 and group 4 medialoblastomas are midline neoplasms involving the vermus and or the fourth ventricle. This was a child who was treated for group 4 medialoblastoma and had presented with cerebellar signs. That is the child had positive thrombostast and had inability to perform tandem walking. And on post-contrast studies one can appreciate extensive leptomaninjel enhancement which is seen involving the cerebellar fissures as well as the fourth ventricle, pineal region as well as involving the surface of the brainstem. In addition one can also appreciate a deposit in the anterior part of third ventricle or the supracellar system which is a characteristic appearance of metastasis of group 4 medialoblastomas. As one scrolls through one can also see leptomaninjel enhancement in the temporal sulci. On axial images again there is extensive leptomaninjel enhancement identified in the cerebellar fissures which is seen extending in the fourth ventricle and along the surface of the brainstem. In addition one can also see the metastatic deposit in the anterior third ventricle region or the supracellar system. This is the diffusion weighted MRI of the spine of same child wherein one can see nodular areas of restricted diffusion seen involving the entire length of the spinal cord. These regions are seen as nodular areas which are isointest to the gray matter seen on the surface of the spinal cord and show post-contrast nodular enhancement. These are also seen involving the corda echoena nerve roots. So classically group 4 medialoblastoma metastasis tend to have nodular metastasis which can involve the brain as well as the spinal cord. Similar to the primary neoblasm these metastasis tend to show restricted diffusion. However unlike the primary neoblasms which seldom enhance the leptomaninjel metastasis tend to enhance avidly. So metastasis are quite rare with wingless and SHH subgroup of medialoblastomas. However they are quite frequently associated with group 3 medialoblastomas which can have this linear enhancement along the length of the spinal cord which can extend on the corda echoena nerve roots giving the sugar coating or laminar appearance. And group 4 medialoblastomas as alluded to earlier can present with nodular leptomaninjel metastasis or even deposits involving the anterior third ventricle or the supracellar systems. This is an infant with posterior fossa mass which on actual CT scan images is predominantly hyper dense with multiple cystic or necrotic areas within. On this sagittal reformat of the CT scan one can see the lesion which is occupying the midline of the posterior fossa again showing hyper density because of the hemorrhage. The same patient on T2 aid actual images is seen to have a midline mass which is seen involving the wormus and the fourth ventricle which is quite heterogeneous showing multiple hypo intense areas likely due to hemorrhage within associated with multiple hyper intense cystic or necrotic areas. On susceptibility weighted imaging the mass is seen to have extensive areas of blooming that is areas which appear dark because of presence of hemorrhage and it shows heterogeneous but mild post contrast enhancement. So an infant having a hemorrhage highly heterogeneous neoplasm which is present in the cerebellum in the midline which can be associated with restricted diffusion. A possibility of atypical pterotodraptoid tumor needs to be considered in this age group. ATRT constitute about 1-2% of all pediatric brain tumors are seen with a peak under 2 years of age and have equal incidence in males and females. Prognosis is invariably poor most children dying within 6-7 months. 40% of the ATRTs are seen located in the cerebellum. These are heterogeneous neoplasm with areas of hemorrhage and necrosis and does show heterogeneous post contrast enhancement. This is an 8 years old girl who had presented with history of headache, diplopia and projectile vomiting and hence underwent imaging. And on this axial T1 weighted image we can see a mass which is hyper intense to the gray matter in the posterior fossa predominantly involving the midline cerebellar structures as well as the fourth ventricle. The mass is also strikingly hyper intense on T2 weighted images in this axial scan wherein we can see that the mass is occupying the fourth ventricle and extending through the foramina of Lashka into the cerebellar pontine angle cisterns. On diffusion weighted images the mass doesn't show any significant restricted diffusion and on corresponding ADC maps we do not see any significant dark areas to suggest true restricted diffusion. On post contrast studies the neoplasm is showing heterogeneous but avid post contrast enhancement and screening of the spine which included T2 sag as well as T1 sag post contrast images did not reveal any obvious drop metastasis. So a neoplasm in a young child which is seen in the posterior fossa which is hyper intense on T2 weighted images without any significant restricted diffusion and extending through the foramina of Lashka is an ependymoma. So ependymomas are third most common posterior fossa neoplasms encountered in children after phylocytic astrocytomas and medial blastomas. These can be seen in very young children as well as older children and adolescents. Ependymomas are classified into two types, posterior fossa A ependymomas and posterior fossa B ependymomas. The posterior fossa A ependymomas are usually encountered in children under three years of age whereas posterior fossa B ependymomas are seen in older children and adolescents. Ependymomas are typically more common in males than in females. Prognosis is poor for posterior fossa A ependymomas whereas posterior fossa B ependymomas carry a good prognosis. Classically posterior fossa A ependymomas are seen arising from the lateral recess of the fourth ventricle. The posterior fossa B A ependymomas are midline ependymomas which can be seen involving the obex that is the inferior most portion of the fourth ventricle. Both these ependymomas extend across the foramina of Lusca and Magendii and encase neurovascular structures. Enhancement is modded in either types of ependymomas. This is a six years old child who had presented with cerebellar symptoms and on MRI study on T1 weighted axial image we can see a predominantly cystic lesion involving the cerebellum with a mural nodule. Again on T2 weighted images we see a cystic lesion with a mural nodule and on flare images the cyst is partially suppressed contrast that with the CSF in the fourth ventricle and the temporal hauls which is more suppressed than the contents of the cyst and of course we again continue to see the mural nodule. So in a young child with a posterior fossa cystic neoplasm showing a mural nodule the appearance is quite characteristic of a pyelocytic astrocytoma. Pyelocytic astrocytomas are most common pediatric brain tumors. These constitute about 70-80% of neoplasms in the posterior fossa of which about 60% are located in the cerebellum.  These are grade 1 neoplasms with excellent prognosis. They have a median overall survival exceeding 90% at 10 years. Classically lesions in the cerebellum are cystic which show a mural nodule with the nodule showing avid post contrast enhancement. The brain stem pyelocytic astrocytomas tend to be solid infiltrative and have ill-defined margins. This is another child who had presented with cerebellar symptoms and cranial neopalcies and on MRI scan this is a flare axial image wherein we can see a large mass which is seen involving the pons causing enlargement of the pons resulting in a plump ponder in appearance or a so-called fat pons. It is also seen extending in the right cerebellar hemisphere. The mass is hypo intense on T1 weighted images and on post contrast study this mass shows mild post contrast heterogeneous enhancement. On diffusion weighted imaging there is no restricted diffusion identified and on ADC maps there are no dark or hypo intense areas seen. So a diffusely infiltrative mass causing enlargement of pons resulting in plumpy pons which is encasing the basilar artery. This is a characteristic appearance of diffuse infiltrative pontine glioma. Diffuse infiltrating pontine gliomas constitute about 10% of childhood tumors which are seen in the brain stem. Of which 2 third are present in the pons which are seen as diffuse infiltrative pontine gliomas. Prognosis in this histone mutant gliomas is invariably poor with a median survival of approximately 6 to 7 months. Classically these are seen as diffuse infiltrating neoplasms expanding the pons giving it an appearance of a fat pons. Frequently these encase the basilar artery. These are hyper intense on T2 weighted images and show no restricted diffusion. These tumors also do not show any significant post contrast enhancement. The roof of the fourth ventricle is formed by what is known as the fastidium and the floor of the fourth ventricle is formed by the tegmentum. This is important because the origin of the tumors arising from these structures can help us narrow the differences. As in medulloblastoma is a tumor which arises from the roof of the fourth ventricle can involve the cerebellum as well as the fourth ventricle. Appendymoma is a tumor arising from the floor of the fourth ventricle which frequently extends to the foramina of Lysca and Magendi. And then we can have brain stem gliomas especially diffuse the infiltrating pontine gliomas which are seen as neoplasms which will be expanding the pons. To conclude we have this algorithmic approach for the posterior fossa neoplasms which can be helpful in narrowing the differential diagnosis. So first and foremost we look at the location of the tumor. If the tumor is cerebellar in location we look at diffusion characteristics whether the tumor is showing restricted diffusion or not. If the tumor is showing restricted diffusion and is located in cerebellar hemisphere which is surfacing or has nodular post contrast enhancement, possibility of SHH subgroup of medulloblastoma can be considered. If there is no restricted diffusion and the tumor shows solid and cystic areas or typically a cystic lesion with a mural nodule raises the possibility of pylocytic astrocytoma. The tumor is located in the fourth ventricle and it shows restricted diffusion then these can be medulloblastoma particularly group 3 or group 4 medulloblastomas. Our tumor without any restricted diffusion will usually be an appendymoma. If the tumor is located in the foramina of Lushka or the CP angle and shows restricted diffusion in a child under 2 years of age, possibility of ATRT needs to be considered. If the child is above 2 years of age then a wing less subgroup of medulloblastoma can be considered. However, if there is no restricted diffusion in a tumor located in foramina of Lushka or the CP angle, again a possibility of appendymoma needs to be kept higher in the differentials. Then we have tumors located in the brainstem. Again brainstem neoplasms can be located in the pons or in the medulla. So, pontine neoplasms showing restricted diffusion are usually high-grade tumors. Example, embryonal tumor with multi-layered rosettes. Those without any restricted diffusion usually constitute diffusely infiltrating pontine gliomas. Tumors located in other brainstem structures like brain or medulloblongata again may or may not have restricted diffusion. Tumors showing restricted diffusion are usually aggressive high-grade neoplasms whereas tumors without any restricted diffusion are low-grade glial neoplasms.


I'm making a change today, the lip they've been taking the pain away I'm just giving a change today, that's kinda like me Good morning you guys, happy Monday I for some reason have a lot of energy today I think it's because I got such a good long sleep last night Like I went to bed at 9.10 And then I slept in until 5.30 So that's like a little bit over 8 hours, which is amazing On the weekend I feel like it helps and it's so important To really motivate yourself especially on Sunday When you know the week is awaiting Be yourself with that motivation Watch YouTube videos that motivate you Read a book that motivates you Listen to a podcast that motivates you Like whatever you get your motivation from Do that because it's so important to start the week on a good note And not like going into the week dreading it And so that's what I did yesterday on Sunday I kinda just like watched a bunch of like YouTube videos My favorite YouTubers that like inspire me and motivate me And read some of my book And it just puts me in like a good headspace to start the week Rather than a negative one And rather than me like dreading it Like ugh I have to work out this week It's only Monday blah blah blah you know what I mean Monday is something that we should be looking forward to not dreading And I know that's a hard thing to wrap your head around Because it's Monday and everybody hates Mondays But I mean they're not that bad Like it's fresh start to the week Like if you think about the positive sides of it It's kinda good Anyways I have a 7am workout class today It's about like 6.45 now So I'm gonna head in soon Get my sweat on Monday workouts are always like the hardest Because I have been on my ass all weekend And Monday workouts really just whip you in the butt But you always just feel so good after Monday workouts So I'm wearing my cute pink leggings today And then my cozy fall sweater that I thrifted I just feel so cozy right now But anyways let's go workout So for breakfast I'm just making some sweet potatoes And I'm gonna put poached eggs on top with avocado And it's gonna be so good But basically to season these I just put olive oil Paprika, garlic, powder and salt And I just cut this potato into little cubes And now I'm gonna pop them in the air fryer At 400 for 15 minutes And then kinda shake them up And then another 15 minutes And they cook perfectly Let's pop them in the air fryer While the potatoes are in the air fryer I just blended up my homemade creamer If you guys want the recipe to this It's in my last vlog So go watch that And I'll link it down below I'm just gonna strain it now And then we have our homemade creamer So here's how the breakfast bowl turned out The avocado is not really good But it'll taste fine Just made myself a coffee I'm gonna enjoy it while watching some YouTube Just for a peaceful quiet moment For a start my day But I've been only having coffee after I eat Because if I have it on an empty stomach It just does not sit well with me And also it really can disrupt your hormones If you have coffee on an empty stomach So if you guys are having like Any gut issues or anything I would suggest having your coffee After you have a meal Just because I know it digests a lot better that way It's a lot better for your hormones as well So anyways This looks so cozy and good And I'm just gonna chill and drink my coffee now So I just blowed out my hair It literally took me like 10 minutes to do And I haven't done like a straight blowout In a long time Because I've been going for more curls recently But I kind of missed a little straight blowout moment I feel like a straight blowout is just me Like when I have this hair I just feel most like myself Just because it goes back years and years Where this is like my daily kind of me hairstyle You know what I mean?  It's kind of like a gloomy-ish day today It's not raining But it's like cloudy I'm here for it I don't mind at all It's kind of cozy And since I'm gonna be home all day anyways It's kind of nice I've been making sure to stay hydrated Every single day So I've been having like two or three of these every day Because since I do infrared heated workouts I'm like sweating a lot And losing a lot of hydration So it's like so important to keep myself hydrated But you guys Every single year Like around this time of year I lose so much hair My hair is everywhere My hair is on the bathroom floor It's on the couch Joel emptied the vacuum He had a hairball about this big It's in the shower drain It's everywhere Like you can't get away from it I searched it up Because it happens to me every single year around this time And there's such thing A seasonal hair loss So like you shed certain times of the year And apparently summer to fall Is like the most common one And that's exactly when I'm shedding Which is hilarious Because this happens to me every year And I get concerned I'm like why is my hair falling out But it's just normal It happens to me every year It's kind of funny But it's so annoying Because my hair is everywhere And I don't actually like Really notice a difference In like the thickness of my hair But it's just everywhere But I mean out with the old and with the new I feel like a doll shedding I have like very thick hair So I normally shed a lot as it is On just like a normal basis But this time of year I am just like literally pulling out hair All the time Girls be girls But it's okay Because it doesn't usually It lasts like very long Like maybe a month But I don't know if I showed you guys But I added my clothing rack to this room Just because it was in the garage And I've been like trying to clear out the garage But what I'm gonna do right now Is put in a load of laundry Because I have made Mondays my laundry day Since I noticed that like When I stay on top of my laundry It's really not that difficult to do Because I used to leave my laundry For like a month honestly And then I'd be like oh my god Like I have so much laundry But no it's because I just left it sitting For a month So I've been trying to make Mondays my laundry day So every Monday I've been doing my laundry Which has been like super helpful Because my laundry bin doesn't overflow And so I'm gonna do laundry And then I'm going to just like Look over my computer Kind of plan out my week What I have to do in my agenda My room right now is actually really clean Because I kind of cleaned it yesterday So it's kind of organized and cute and clean So I'm happy about it But let's do some laundry Here's my desktop right now I want to change it to make it fall theme Just to get more ready for fall And get inspired And then I'm also going to plan out my week And just like look at everything that I have to do Because I kind of work between two calendars This one I just kind of like Writing my daily things And I could look at it every single day And this one has more of like My content planning in it Where I can like transfer it over to here But this one just like everything Let's get to work So I just got a few new pieces That are perfect for fall from Love Bonito I would love to thank them for sponsoring this video Love Bonito is on a mission To empower the everyday woman To express herself and feel confident through fashion I personally love that so much Because I have not always been Super confident with my fashion sense And feeling comfortable in clothes It's just so important to me This month Love Bonito is all about the layers And they're celebrating Their Love Your Layers campaign Love Your Layers is a celebration of the unique layers That collectively shape our identities Love Bonito encourages you guys To share layers of yourself So how I'm going to be doing this this month Is kind of opening up to you guys And showing you different parts of my life And just kind of share more of my thoughts with you guys I'm obsessed with the items that I got from them Everything is such high quality Cardigans and knits in the fall I feel like should be such a staple in everybody's wardrobe Because they're so easy to mix and match To pair with different things and to layer The workout set from them I was so surprised with the amazing quality I'm very very picky about my workout clothes But wow, material is butter soft What makes Love Bonito so unique and different From every other clothing brand They have such a strong empowering message behind them And they actually care about what they're delivering to women Not only the physical items But also the meaning behind them Layer up this season with Love Bonito Go to the link in my description And use my promo code LBXBENTO for 15% off Your order of $100 or more I am just doing a light makeup today Because I'm going to go see my friend Lexi She works from home So sometimes we like to have like work dates together So I'm going to go over to her place It's kind of nice just to like get out of the house And work sometimes Even if it's like a cafe I just applied this summer Fridays Shade drops I like using these because they're 30 SPF on days Where I'm not going to be really outside But I still want protection Really really love this summer Fridays Sunscreen it's so good And it feels like you have nothing on your skin I've been using this NYX concealer for ages now Maybe not ages but like for the past year And if you guys ever want to shop my Amazon recommendations I have an Amazon storefront that you can see I have like a home section I have a makeup section Fashion section So you can see products that I bought And that I recommend It's always linked down below in my videos So if you want to check it out The link is there Whenever I purchase something off Amazon I try to link it in there This NYX concealer is so good And you can get it off Amazon It's only like $10 And it's just like my favorite concealer ever Because it's not too heavy It's not too thin It's like just the perfect coverage And I'm obsessed with it So this morning I didn't have a workout class booked Because I've been only doing workouts Monday, Wednesday, Friday And then Tuesday, Thursday I have been aiming just to stretch And then I just have a really peaceful quiet morning So you guys saw Did my meditation Read my book Do my bone broth Do my gratitude And then I just love stretching I just feel like it's important to have rest days In between your workouts Depending on like what you're working But in my meditation today It really focused on being and living in the present moment And this is something that I've talked about On my channel before But just a reminder you guys There's this quote in the meditation Don't let your past paint your future And it's so true Because I just feel like 90% of our thoughts We're thinking in the past We're thinking of the future But when are we ever just sitting and enjoying the present moment Regardless of what we have to do tomorrow Regardless of what we're stressing about That we have to do later that night And we have nothing but the present moment Like nothing is real but the present moment Past is already gone Like that doesn't exist anymore The future doesn't even exist yet But we spend most of our time in the past And in the future When do we actually ever just let go and enjoy the present And that's why I love meditation so much Because it really just trains your brain to think in the present And to just really be in the present And follow your breath and just like be in the moment No matter what you did in the past That does not depict how your future is gonna go And no matter what regrets you have Just let them go Because nothing matters Like the past doesn't exist anymore And the only thing that you have right now in this moment Is this present moment That's the only thing that's real So if you think about it that way It's like really crazy and stupid How we always worry about other time zones And time lines that don't even exist And yes it's important to like manifest good things for your future And all of that obviously But if you want to do that You can't be stressing You can't be stressing about what's gonna happen in the future You can't be stressing about what's gonna happen in the past I just used the Summer Fridays blush I love their blush so much I just take it with my finger Apply it super easy and natural And I love this color Pink skies And I just feel like in order to live A happy and positive lifestyle Your mindset is everything Going in with the Charlotte Tilbury Brush of lashes mascara Honestly when I feel my best Is when I'm just riding the wave And what I mean about riding the wave Is just going about my day And going about my life And just knowing Everything is gonna work out for me No matter what The universe blesses me with Abundance and love and light And happiness Whatever happens happens for a reason And to perceive nothing as negative And also to perceive nothing as really positive either Just kind of know that everything happens for a reason And that's it at the end of the day We always differentiate things between Positive and negative But really positive and negative doesn't really exist Because whatever happens to you In your life is happening for a reason And it's happening for you So you don't need to really label anything But whenever I ride the wave And I don't worry about anything I just really do my thing Do what makes me happy And just know everything will work out That's when I feel like most like myself That's when I feel most in alignment That's when I always see the most angel numbers And I get signs Because you're just going with the flow But anyway, so that is it for my makeup today I didn't really do much at all But just put myself together a little bit I'm just gonna get dressed Out of my drama shorts And put on an outfit to go to Lexi's I'm just about to leave the house But I just threw on sweatpants Because I want to be comfortable And then I'm just wearing this little tank top With this one that I thrifted And then also the purse that I thrifted So yeah, just gonna grab my water bottle And then head out I'm just driving I have the camera like in the middle of my steering wheel right now Which is kind of cool But I was just having this really weird thoughts Can you believe that once our world was just trees And all these highways that we drive every day They're all man made Somebody had to build Somebody had to plan these highways And they were built highway by highway Road by road Like everything wasn't just placed here Like people actually built this shit Like isn't that crazy? It's like dawned upon me When I'm driving I'm like wow Like look at this highway and how big it is And somebody made this Somebody planned this Somebody actually made it It's just like so many weird realizations That I have sometimes Everybody, like my friends always joke that I'm like permanently high But like I don't even smoke I am completely sober Never smoke And I My body just naturally has high thoughts Like this one I think my brain is just altered a little bit Different than the average person Sometimes my brain like functions and goes in certain directions That like the average person's brain doesn't go there You know what I mean Also at what point in the fall Do the trees actually start turning orange? Because I can't really remember like when that happens But I feel like it might be like the end of September Let me know down below When the trees start turning orange Because I can't wait for that Today is such fall vibes It's gloomy It's drizzling a bit And I'm here for it I'm so here for the coziness of fall Let me know what kind of fall content you guys want to see Comment down below any video ideas I'm definitely gonna do like a fall morning routine But comment down below if you can think of any fun fall Vlogs that you guys want to see Because I'm down for the fall content Oh my goodness you guys So I made this brownie When I got home today And if you're gonna make any one of the recipes I suggest Make this I will link it down below But it's vegan and dairy free And I used coconut sugar Coconut oil Dairy free chocolate chips in it And I also put walnuts in it And oh my gosh you guys It is so amazing I'll have a link down below But I recommend if you guys are craving A brownie to make this recipe Because it is amazing And I literally just made it tonight And me and Joel already ate half of it Like we could not resist Anyways just thought I'd let you guys know Because it's so good And it's just fall but I'm just about to get ready for bag But I got an amazon package in the mail So I thought I'm gonna show you guys What I got I got my tried and true aquafor In more of like a travel size Because I have a huge tub of this And I use it every single day But I need one to like carry in my purse Have beside me on my night table Bring with me around to travel with And I did have one But I used it all So I've ordered this on amazon I'll link it down below But I put this stuff on my Xima On my lips just seriously everywhere And whenever I need it Especially because the winter's coming up This is gonna be so nice to have So in my last vlog I was talking to you guys About me wanting kind of like a kindle Or to read on my iPad And I just downloaded a bunch of books Onto my iPad So I'm really excited And now I can read in bed Without waking Joel up with a light Or anything Because I really have been getting In the habit of reading Before bed instead of scrolling on my phone But since Joel goes to bed before me I don't want to like turn the light on to read So on my iPad it's gonna be perfect I'm so excited because I downloaded some Self growth books I have The Power of Your Subconscious Mind Abundance by Deepak Chopra Atomic Habits And then for fiction I'm gonna finish It starts with us by Colleen Hoover And then I'm also gonna get into Verity After I finish that one By Colleen Hoover But in the mornings And during the day I like reading a self growth book In the evenings before bed I love reading a fiction This is how my screen looks on the iPad And it's just perfect This is exactly what I wanted And now I'm gonna use that iPad more often So I'm really excited This is just the iPad mini by the way So it's a perfect kind of book size So it's 8.30 right now And I actually have some laundry That I did on Monday Yeah, I did the laundry yesterday And it's still in the dryer Because I have this thing Where I'll do my laundry And then I'll kind of just like Forget about it in the dryer And it'll sit there for a few days And so I'm like wait I have things in the dryer So let's fold our laundry And then I'm gonna get ready for bed And then read in bed I go to bed at around 9.30 Just so I can have like a full 8 hours of sleep Let's do some cleaning Good morning you guys Happy 2 Oh no, it's Wednesday I keep mixing up the day It's happy Wednesday It is hump day So it is the middle of the week We're halfway there And this is your motivation to Do even better When it's towards the end of the week Because the end is coming I'm gonna get a break soon You're gonna get the weekend So push yourself to finish off the week strong Because you will feel better Than ever on the weekend If you do this It is currently around 6.40 And I'm gonna head into my workout now It's a power core class at Oxygen Yoga and fitness And I'm ready to get my sweat on I'm so obsessed with Oxygen Yoga and Fitness I don't know what I would do without them Like I just feel my best And I feel like my whole body is getting toned And I'm so happy about it But I think it's gonna be a gloomy day today I'm excited today Because I'm going to the mall So I'll bring you guys along to that But yeah Excited to get this workout Done with honestly too But it's gonna be good It's gonna be fun They're all so much fun Because there's like music blasting So got my little platform Ugg Dupes on today To keep my feet nice and warm Here is the mini grocery haul So I just got some paprika Because we needed some Then I got some baby spinach Some salad I got some potatoes Some zivias And then I got a bunch of carrots Because I want to start eating more of them And making like carrot salads Just because apparently it's really good for your hormones So gonna start to incorporate more carrots in my diet And these are just organic baby Mini carrots How cute are they? These would be like super easy to just snack on Then I got some bananas Some chocolate chips These are dairy free and everything So they're like a healthier alternative And then I just got this can of coconut milk Because I'm gonna be making a pumpkin sauce For my coffees So we'll make that later But right now I'm just gonna put this away And then make it smoothie So I'm going to make the pumpkin spice sauce Or syrup I think it's called a sauce Because I think in Starbucks drinks They actually use like a pumpkin spice sauce In their pumpkin spice lattes But anyways I'm using coconut milk Just because I'm not having dairy So I'm gonna make this vegan But this recipe calls for one cup of condensed milk So I'm just gonna add a cup of coconut The milk is kind of like When it does this thing When it solidifies So I just kind of Oops I just kind of have to scoop her out But it's all gonna melt in the sauce pan anyway So it'll be melted So the recipe actually calls for half a cup of brown sugar But I'm gonna be using coconut sugar Just because it's a healthy alternative And then it calls for one third cup of pumpkin puree And then just half a cup of water Now I'm just gonna take a whisk And kind of just mix it all together As best as I can And then put it on medium to high heat On the stove Now I'm just boiling this on medium to high heat Just until it thickens I think my sauce is a good consistency I boiled it or simmered it for a while Here's how the sauce turned out As you can see it's pretty thick So how you use it is If you're making like an iced latte You just like brew an espresso shot And then add the syrup into the espresso shot So it melts in And I'm pretty sure you can use it in cold foam And stuff like that So I'll let you guys know how it is Add way more I need so much more syrup Hey guys so I'm with Madison And we're going shopping Because we're going to a wedding soon And I need to find heels So that's like the main priority for today But I also want to get a couple things from Sephora Just some restocks And I also want to just hit a rizia And see what they have And yeah that's about it It's a nice It was a nice cloudy day And it was fall vibes But then the sun came out And that's why we're both wearing our hugs We're both wearing sweatpants Or I'm wearing sweatpants She's wearing pants and we're both wearing hugs Because it was like gloomy this morning Why am I mad that it's kind of getting hot now? It's just not the fall vibes Like I'm craving the fall vibes And it's kind of hot now Which is like disappointing But it's okay we'll be indoors anyways But I literally cozied up today And put like a This crew neck that I thrifted with So far so anyways We're going to go shopping Hey guys so I just got back from the mall A few hours ago But I came home and made some dinner And then I had like just a lot of work to do So I was just on my computer But I did some damage at the mall I actually like needed quite a bit of things So we got a nice haul for you guys right now So let's start off with Sephora So we went into London drugs And I needed like just a new face brush That I can use for like concealer Or foundation or whatever it is Because the elf one that I have It's shedding a lot And it just keeps shedding and shedding I don't know if it's because of the way that I washed it But every time I use it I get hairs on my face And I can't use it anymore So I got this real techniques expert face brush And I'm really excited Because real techniques is like a really good Brush brand that they sell at the drugstore So I just got one brush And I'm really happy that they had it Because I haven't been able to find it anywhere else From the drugstore as well I got this elf hydrating core lip shine In the shade joyful And I've been wanting to try these for a while But I haven't been able to find them Because I guess they've just been sold out everywhere But they finally had them I will let you guys know how I like it But it's basically like a tinted shine gloss I don't know but apparently it's super light on your lips And you can just like apply it and you're ready to go So I don't really have a lip product like this And I'm so excited to try it out And then from Sephora I just got the ordinary lash serum Because I ran out of mine and I love using it I feel like it just makes my eyelashes grow Really fast and strong And then I got the summer Fridays lip balm I've actually never tried this before But I've been needing kind of a new lip balm So I'm like, you know what? I love summer Fridays So why not try it? And I just got it in vanilla But people actually rave about this So I'm really excited Try it And I'll let you guys know how this is as well But I just needed like an everyday lip balm I didn't really have one So that is my little makeup haul And then really random Me and Madison went into Forever 21 I haven't been in that store in like years Because they have just filled off planet earth But we're like let's just like go check inside for fun To see what there is It was just right across from Eritrea And I actually found something you guys I was so surprised Okay 99% of everything in there was just horrible Honestly, like I don't know what happened to Forever 21 But they have gone so downhill I feel like they used to be so good I used to shop there all the time years ago But whoever designs their clothing And whoever runs that store needs to be fired Because they have just gone so downhill But anyways And out of the suit only good things I found in the store Was this knit cardigan And it's kind of like a cropped cardigan So I don't know if you can tell the vibes But it's kind of like over the shoulder And it goes like, I don't know It's just super slouchy, cute and comfortable And it's perfect for the fall So I picked this up And then random enough In Forever 21 I stumbled upon this Reebok bag And they did a collab with Forever 21 And I have been looking for just like a little gym bag That I can put like my water bottle And like my things in when I go to the gym But this is so perfect And it comes with like a longer strap That you can put on as well But it's such a cute little tote It's just perfect size Just what I wanted, a little cute gym bag And I feel like I'm just gonna get so much use out of this It's adorable I love how there's like a short and then a long strap That I could attach But I'm obsessed with it And then I also picked up at London Drugs This TheraBreath Fresh Breath Mouthwash This is the best mouthwash All natural And it does such a good job I ran out so I needed to restock Last but not least I went to Colet Spring I'm going to a wedding soon So I needed heels for my dress Because I haven't bought new heels I'm like, I don't even remember the last time Because I never really go to any occasion That I would need heels for But I got these really really cute black Closed toe Cute heels And I think that they're so cute I was gonna get a different color That was a little bit more out there But I was like, wait Like I don't really even have a pair of black staple heels So I better just stick to the basics So I can re-wear these in the future Love them But yeah, that's my little mall haul There's girl compliments in my outfit today at the mall And it was just like the sweetest thing ever And it just goes to show like how far a compliment can go In somebody's day Like it was just so nice And I'm still thinking about it So I'm like, wow, that was so nice So if you ever have the chance to compliment somebody In public or random stranger Do it because you never know how much they need that compliment You know, so That's something I kind of want to work on Is like complimenting more people Because I always say stuff in my head Like, oh, I love that girl's hair I love that girl's shirt But I never say it, you know But the fact that you just came up to me She's like, I love your outfit I'm like, thank you so much Like that is so sweet But yeah, so this is your science school compliment Somebody if it's kind of out of your nature Because definitely out of my comfort zone But I want to start doing it more But anyways, I'm gonna go read in bed now On my iPad Get ready for bed, wash my face I'm tired And it is about like 8.30 right now So I'm gonna wind down for the night Hey guys, so I had such a good nice relaxing morning I kind of just meditated Read and stretch Because I didn't have a workout So my body was recovering But me and Joel are just about to head off the house We have a couple of errands to run I need to return some things And we're also going to see Joel's mom Because it was her birthday last week So we're gonna go spend some time with her And drop some things off for her Yeah, it's kind of hot today It's like 22 degrees So I have this sweater That this is the one that I got yesterday And then I have on biker shorts Because the weather's kind of like an awkward temperature So I can always like take my sweater off And then I'm just wearing this basic tee from Whitebox And then the purse that I thrifted So yeah, I'll update you guys When we're in the car Angel are just on the way home now We stopped by at his parents' house for We were there for like three hours So we dropped off her birthday gifts I baked her some brownies The ultimate brownie recipe that I showed you guys A few days ago or whenever that was I'm gonna bake them again either tonight or tomorrow But they're so good and I hope that she enjoys them But anyway, so yeah It was nice seeing his parents And now we're just heading home We're kind of just stuck in traffic Because it's around five o'clock But we're gonna go home Make some dinner I know I didn't really get much content today Because there was just nothing to film But you got it So I'm just gonna cook up this chipotle and maple syrup Chicken, they're just skewers But I'm gonna honestly just take them off of the skewers And cook them on the pan Yeah, probably gonna pop some rice in And then just make a salad It's a simple, easy dinner Because I don't really feel like cooking Here's our dinner tonight I just put a bone broth in the rice So we got some flavored rice And then we got some chicken grilling That's basically done now And then I just made a salad with shredded carrot inside So a little quick, easy dinner So I just got in my pajamas And I'm just gonna start getting ready for bed now I made some brownies again because I'm obsessed And then I just kind of watched Gossip Girl For a couple of hours For some reason I'm just so tired today But tomorrow is Friday Thank God, because I just feel like this week Has felt like so long But so short at the same time But I'm excited for the weekend I'm obsessed with this orange little lamp That we have in the bathroom Our bathroom lights Like the mirrors light up And then the center lights up And it's so bright in here It's like really good lighting If you're trying to actually like, you know Need to look at yourself But at night, oh my gosh Like there's not even a setting Where you can like dim the lights So bright that I hate it So that's why I put like a little orange lamp in here And it's perfect for like when I'm getting ready for bed Because when I'm getting ready for bed I don't want like bright lights in my face So this is like sets the perfect vibe And then during the day The window gives us enough light in here That we don't need to use the lights anyways Because I like, like I prefer natural lighting obviously But especially in the morning Okay, for some reason when I wake up I cannot see a bright light I will just anger me I don't know why But I just get so angered If I wake up early And somebody turns on a bright light Back in high school My mom used to wake us up She would turn on the light in our room Oh my God Like I think it's PTSD from that I just hate being woken up by like a bright light So whenever I wake up And I come into the bathroom to like You know, brush my teeth and everything I turn this orange light on There's no way I'm turning these bright vanity mirror lights on Oh my gosh I think I would actually cry in the morning And also it's like scientifically proven That before bed You shouldn't be looking at any sort of like bright light Especially like your phone screen Because it keeps you awake It basically like tells your brain that it's daytime That's why people say If you want to have like a better sleep You should be going on your phone before bed And in the morning It's funny because you're actually supposed to Look at a bright light first thing Like they make like these UV lights That you're supposed to like put in your face in the morning To wake yourself up I can't like I need to ease myself into it in the morning I am not naturally in a morning person Ever since I was a baby I have just like leaned for sleep My mom said I was just always the best sleeper And it's just been like that since I was younger Like I've always been such a good sleeper And carried on to my older years Where I just need my sleep Like that's why getting eight hours is so important to me Because as long as I get that I'll survive I'm fine But no bright lights for me in the morning Thank you very much And it's kind of funny because Joel is the opposite Like he comes in here in the morning And he turns on the vanity lights And I'm like what are you doing? Like he's here at 3am With the vanity lights on And I'm sleeping in bed And I can kind of see the light peeking through The bathroom door And even that makes me mad That makes me mad And I'm like can you turn the light off? Like what are you doing at 3am in the morning? But it's just kind of funny because We're the opposite And like you'll take a shower And have these lights on And I'm like no Like I need to set the vibe at night And put like my little light on I've been using Actually I'm almost done I didn't even realize how far I've gone through this So this is the Palmer Skin Therapy Cleansing Oil And I've been using this as kind of a face wash After I use my cellar water I've been putting this on to cleanse my face Just because whenever I have my Xeva flares If I use face wash Like even my Sarah V face wash This one that doesn't have even like any fragrance Or scent to it It like kind of burns my Xeva So I have to use something more gentle So the cleansing oil is like perfect Because it doesn't irritate my skin at all But it still like washes my face So if you guys have sensitive skin I would definitely recommend getting like a cleansing oil And using that because I just haven't been able to really use face wash recently And I'm kind of having a flare up right now But what you're supposed to do with cleansing oil Is kind of let it sit on your face For a couple minutes before you wash it off So what I do is I'll put it on You know rub it in And then I'll brush my teeth And then wash it off So I just wash my face and brush my teeth But I haven't really been able to do much skincare At night because my Xeva on my face It burns like any type of skincare I put on It burns my skin So I've been doing like the most minimal skincare routine recently Which is fine It's just what has to be done right now But I have been using good molecules Nice in my brightening toner This has been honestly pretty fine with my skin I just put a lot out of it Because I saw this TikTok And it was this esthetician And she was basically saying how toner Like if you're gonna do one thing in your skin Nighttime skincare routine or just in general It should be toner And she said it's a step that so many people skip But it makes the biggest difference Just to even out your skin This coloration and all that So I've been making sure ever since I saw that video To apply my toner I only have been using it for like the past like week or so So I can't tell you what kind of results But I know good molecules is like a really good affordable skincare brand So I would recommend checking them out But I just apply that pat it into my face And then while I let that sit I just floss I just saw Lauren Geraldo Posted her video that she had She had her baby I'm so happy for her I have been watching her since she was on Vine But it's just so crazy that she's only like I feel like a few couple years older than me But it's just crazy how I feel like so many people Like around my age now Like I'm 23 So many people have just been getting engaged Have been getting married Have been getting pregnant And I'm like whoa I guess I'm at that age now Where this stuff can actually happen And it's so weird to me People that I follow People that I know well Like people from high school Like this is all happening This is the age where things like that happen And it's crazy because I don't even feel old at all I felt that like being in your 20s was so old And like you're like real adult and so Chur and all this But it's like I feel young as ever Like in the best way though When I look at myself back when I was like 18, 19 I was literally a child But I felt like I was old then You know what I mean? So now I'm just gonna go in with the drunk outfit Polypeptide cream And I'm just gonna be adding some of their luxury facial oil Onto it and just mix that in Just to give myself a little bit extra hydration Just a couple drops But if you're listening to this right now Comment down below your age What you do Like are you in school? Are you working? Are you a mom? I'm just curious like who watches my videos I feel like I'm at like an age where I can connect with older people And I can also like connect with my people My age are like younger So now I'm just gonna take this Eucerin cream And this is like a really heavy heavy heavy duty cream Like she's thick And I'm just going to put it kind of over top Just where I have my semen I'm also getting my period soon To be honest my period has been so weird Ever since I got my IUD It just I don't even know I don't even bother to track it anymore Because it's just so out of luck But my period comes are so much better than they were Which is the reason why I even got it in the first place But I was having like stabbing pains today And it wasn't fun But I can't complain because it's a lot better Than what I used to get More manageable I'm just gonna take the squash off Just like quickly go along my jaw here I don't even know how to properly do this So please don't follow anything that I'm saying right now But I think you just kind of go up and then drain it down Feel free to let me know if I'm doing this completely wrong But I just do a couple swipes Just so you know I don't know if it actually does anything But just in case it does Now I'm just gonna go in with the ordinary lash serum And just apply it to my lash line Basically the last thing that I've been doing before that Is applying aquafor everywhere Because my Zima is back baby And sometimes what I do is I'll I have castor oil and I'll like mix aquafor and castor oil Put some oil in there and mix it all up And to log with it My skin is so dry from my Xima So I just kind of put it everywhere where I have Xima And where I'm itchy Also my eyelids and through my eyebrows Because castor oil also helps with hair growth So I just like kind of like putting it on my eyelids Because I get Xima here And then I'll run it through my eyebrows Just in case it'll ever help them Stay voluminous But that is about it over my lips But yeah, that is my skincare routine right now It's not that exciting, not that fun Because I am working around my Xima But if you guys have sensitive skin I guess this can maybe be helpful Castor oil is also supposed to be good for like Dry and skin and Xima by the way So I would recommend I'll have one linked down below But yeah, now I'm just going to go read in bed for What time is it? It's 8.45 So I'm gonna be reading in bed for Just a little bit over half an hour And settle down for the night So I will see you guys tomorrow morning I have a class at seven So see you bright and early for Friday Good night Good morning you guys Happy Friday I am on top of the moon I just feel like I am so excited to rest for the weekend This week has been great I got a lot of work done this week I was super productive I'm just about to go into my oxygen yoga and fitness class If you guys have one near you You should definitely sign up Because it is the best And it holds you accountable And I just feel amazing Afterwards, especially Friday workouts You just hit different Oh my gosh, I just realized I forgot to put deodorant on Okay, there's guys walking right I can't do this For some reason I have been dreaming so much this week Like I don't know why Maybe it's like my hormones or something But every single night I've been having like these crazy dreams And multiple dreams When I usually like don't remember my dream Or I just it's nothing crazy But like I've been having these crazy Like vivid dreams this past week And it's been so weird So let me know If you guys know like what that could be I guess I can Google it But weird, right? Like I don't know what it is This is your sign To get your Friday workout in And don't skip it I know it's hard near the end of the week But you got this This is your motivation And yeah, I have my new gym bag packed today I love it so much It's so cute And just like perfect size So I'm happy about that But let's go get our sweat on And do this workout Just taking a little bit of a break from editing And I made this carrot salad It's apparently supposed to be really good For your hormones Like carrots in general So I just added vinegar Olive oil Salt and pepper And it's actually really good You just have to peel the carrot into it Super easy and healthy to make Just as like a perfect little snack So I'm just gonna eat this Break time


Chapter 12 of Cyrus the Great by Jacob Abbott. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, recording by Dion Giants, Salt Lake City, Utah. The death of Cyrus, BC 530. Having made the conquest of the Babylonian Empire, Cyrus found himself the sovereign of nearly all of Asia so far as it was then known. Beyond his dominions there lay on every side, according to the opinions which then prevailed, vast tracts of uninhabitable territory, desolate and impassable. These wildernesses were rendered unfit for man, sometimes by excessive heat, sometimes by excessive cold, sometimes from being parched by perpetual drought, which produced bare and desolate deserts, and sometimes by incessant rains, which drenched the country and filled it with morasses and fens. On the north was the great Caspian Sea, then almost wholly unexplored and extending, as the ancients believed, to the polar ocean. On the west side of the Caspian Sea were the Caucasian mountains, which were supposed in those days to be the highest on the globe. In the neighborhood of these mountains, there was a country inhabited by a wild and half-savage people who were called Scythians. This was, in fact, a sort of generic term which was applied in those days to almost all the aboriginal tribes beyond the confines of civilization. The Scythians, however, if such, they can properly be called, who lived on the borders of the Caspian Sea were not wholly uncivilized. They possessed many of those mechanical arts which are the first to be matured among warlike nations. They had no iron or steel, but they were accustomed to work other metals, particularly gold and brass. They tipped their spears and javelins with brass and made brazen plates for defensive armor, both for themselves and for their horses. They made also many ornaments and decorations of gold. These they attached to their helmets, their bells and their banners. They were very formidable in war, being like all other northern nations, perfectly desperate and reckless in battle. They were excellent horsemen and had an abundance of horses with which to exercise their skill so that their armies consisted like those of the Cossacks of modern times of great bodies of cavalry. The various campaigns and conquests by which Cyrus obtained possession of his extended dominions occupied an interval of about 30 years. It was near the close of this interval when he was in fact advancing toward a late period of life that he formed the plan of penetrating into these northern regions with a view of adding them also to his dominions. He had two sons, Cambysus and Smyrtis. His wife is said to have been a daughter of Estigious and that he married her soon after his conquest of the kingdom of media in order to reconcile the medians more easily to his sway by making a median princess their queen. Among the western nations of Europe such a marriage would be abhorred as Estigious having been Cyrus's grandfather but among the Orientals in those days alliances of this nature were not uncommon. It would seem that this queen was not living at the time that the events occurred which are to be related in this chapter. Her sons had grown up to maturity and were now princes of great distinction. One of the Scythian or Northern nations to which we have referred were called the Masighete. They formed a very extensive and powerful realm. They were governed at this time by a queen named Tamaris. She was a widow past middle life. She had a son named Spargapasus who had like the sons of Cyrus attained maturity and was the heir to the throne. Spargapasus was moreover the commander in chief of the armies of the queen. The first plan which Cyrus formed for the annexation of the realm of the Masighete to his own dominions was by a matrimonial alliance. He accordingly raised an army and commenced a movement toward the north sending at the same time ambassadors before him into the country of the Masighete with offers of marriage to the queen. The queen knew very well that it was her dominions and not herself that constituted the great attraction for Cyrus. And besides, she was of an age when ambition is a stronger passion than love. She refused the offers and sent back word to Cyrus forbidding his approach. Cyrus however, continued to move on. The boundary between his dominions and those of the queen was at the river Araxes, a stream flowing from west to east through the central parts of Asia toward the Caspian Sea. As Cyrus advanced, he found the country growing more and more wild and desolate. It was inhabited by savage tribes who lived on roots and herbs and who were elevated very little in any respect above the wild beasts that roamed in the forest around them. They had one very singular custom according to Herodotus. It seems that there was a plant which grew among them that bore a fruit whose fumes when it was roasting on a fire had an exhilarating effect like that produced by wine. These savages therefore Herodotus says were accustomed to assemble around a fire in their convivial festivities and to throw some of this fruit in the midst of it. The fumes emitted by the fruit would soon begin to intoxicate the whole circle when they would throw on more fruit and become more and more excited until at length they would jump up and dance about and sing in a state of complete inebriation. Among such savages as these and through the forests and wildernesses in which they lived, Cyrus advanced till he reached the Eraxes. Here, after considering for some time by what means he could best pass the river, he determined to build a floating bridge by means of boats and rafts obtained from the natives on the banks or built for the purpose. It would be obviously much easier to transport the army by using these boats and rafts to float the men across instead of constructing a bridge with them. But this would not have been safe for the transportation of the army by such a means would be gradual and slow. And if the enemy were lurking in the neighborhood and should make an attack upon them in the midst of the operation, while a part of the army were upon one bank and a part upon the other and another portion still, perhaps, in boats upon the stream, the defeat and destruction of the whole would be almost inevitable. Cyrus planned the formation of the bridge, therefore, as a means of transporting his army in a body and of landing them on the opposite bank in solid columns, which could be formed into order of battle without any delay. While Cyrus was engaged in the work of constructing the bridge, ambassadors appeared who said that they had been sent from Tamaris. She had commissioned them, they said, to warn Cyrus to desist entirely from his designs upon her kingdom and to return to his own. This would be the wisest course too, Tamaris said, for himself, and she counseled him for his own welfare to follow it. He could not foresee the result if he should invade her dominions and encounter her armies. Fortune had favored him thus far, it was true, but Fortune might change and he might find himself before he was aware at the end of his victories. Still, she said, she had no expectation that he would be disposed to listen to this warning and advice, and on her part, she had no objection to his persevering in his invasion. She did not fear him. He need not put himself to the expense and trouble of building a bridge across the Araxes. She would agree to withdraw all her forces three days March into her own country so that he might cross the river safely and at his leisure, and she would await him at the place where she should have encamped. Or if he preferred it, she would cross the river and meet him on his own side. In that case, he must retire three days March from the river so as to afford her the same opportunity to make the passage undisturbed, which she had offered him. She would then come over and March onto attack him. She gave Cyrus his option, which branch of this alternative to choose. Cyrus called a council of war to consider the question. He laid the case before his officers and generals and asked for their opinion. They were unanimously agreed that it would be best for him to accede to the last of the two proposals made to him, that is, to draw back three days journey toward his own dominions and wait for Tamaris to come and attack him there. There was, however, one person present at this consultation, though not regularly, a member of the council who gave Cyrus different advice. This was Croesus, the fallen king of Lydia. Ever since the time of his captivity, he had been retained in the camp and in the household of Cyrus and had often accompanied him in his expeditions and campaigns. Though a captive, he seems to have been a friend. At least the most friendly relations appeared to subsist between him and his conqueror and he often figures in history as a wise and honest counselor to Cyrus in the various emergencies in which he was placed. He was present on this occasion and he dissented from the opinion which was expressed by the officers of the army. I ought to apologize, perhaps, said he for presuming to offer any council, captive as I am, but I have derived in this school of calamity and misfortune in which I have been taught some advantages for learning wisdom which you have never enjoyed. It seems to me it will be much better for you not to fall back, but to advance and attack Tamaris in her own dominions for if you retire in this manner, in the first place the act itself is discreditable to you. It is a retreat. Then if in the battle that follows, Tamaris conquers you, she is already advanced three days march into your dominions and she may go on and before you can take measures for raising another army, make herself mistress of your empire. On the other hand, if in the battle you conquer her, you will be then six days march back of the position which you would occupy if you were to advance now. I will propose continued crosses the following plan, cross the river according to Tamaris's offer and advance the three days journey into her country. Leave a small part of your force there with a great abundance of your most valuable baggage and supplies, luxuries of all kinds and rich wines and such articles as the enemy will most value as plunder. Then fall back with the main body of your army toward the river again in a secret manner and in camp in an ambush gate. The enemy will attack your advanced detachment. They will conquer them. They will seize the stores and supplies and will suppose that your whole army is vanquished. They will fall upon the plunder in disorder and the discipline of their army will be overthrown. They will go to feasting upon the provisions and to drinking the wines and then when they are in the midst of their festivities and revelry, you can come back suddenly with the real strength of your army and wholly overwhelm them. Cyrus determined to adopt the plan which Croesus thus recommended. He accordingly gave answer to the ambassadors of Tamaris that he would accede to the first of her proposals. If she would draw back from the river three days March, he would cross it with his army as soon as practicable and then come forward and attack her. The ambassadors received this message and departed to deliver it to their queen. She was faithful to her agreement and drew her forces back to the place proposed and left them there in camp under the command of her son. Cyrus seems to have felt some forebodings in respect to the manner in which this expedition was to end. He was advanced in life and not now as well able as he once was to endure the privations and hardships of such campaigns. Then the incursion which he was to make was into a remote and wild and dangerous country and he could not but be aware that he might never return. Perhaps he may have had some compunctions of conscience to at thus wantonly disturbing the peace and invading the territories of an innocent neighbor and his mind may have been the less at ease on that account. At any rate, he resolved to settle the affairs of his government before he set out in order to secure both the tranquility of the country while he should be absent and the regular transmission of his power to his descendants in case he should never return. Accordingly, in a very formal manner and in the presence of all his army, he delegated his power to Canvases, his son constituting him regent of the realm during his absence. He committed crosses to his son's special care charging him to pay him every attention and honor. It was arranged that these persons as well as a considerable portion of the army and a large number of attendants that had followed the camp thus far were not to accompany the expedition across the river but were to remain behind and return to the capital. These arrangements being all thus finally made, Cyrus took leave of his son and of Croesus crossed the river with that part of the army which was to proceed and commenced his march. The uneasiness and anxiety which Cyrus seems to have felt in respect to his future fate on this memorable march affected even his dreams. It seems that there was among the officers of his army a certain general named Histopus. He had a son named Darius, then a youth of about 20 years of age who had been left at home in Persia when the army marched not being old enough to accompany them. Cyrus dreamed one night immediately after crossing the river that he saw this young Darius with wings on his shoulders that extended the one over Asia and the other over Europe thus overshadowing the world. When Cyrus awoke and reflected upon his dream it seemed to him to pretend that Darius might be aspiring to the government of his empire. He considered it a warning intended to put him on his guard. When he awoke in the morning he sent for Histopus and related to him his dream. I am satisfied said he that it denotes that your son is forming ambitious and treasonable designs. Do you therefore return home and arrest him in this fatal course, secure him and let him be ready to give me an account of his conduct when I shall return. Histopus having received this commission left the army and returned. The name of this Histopus acquired a historical immortality in a very singular way. That is by being always used as a part of the appellation by which to designate his distinguished son. In after years Darius did attain to a very extended power. He became Darius the Great. As however there were several other Persian monarchs called Darius some of whom were nearly as great as this the first of the name. The usage was gradually established of calling him Darius Histopus. And thus the name of the father has become familiar to all mankind simply as a consequence and pendant to the celebrity of the son. After sending off Histopus Cyrus went on. He followed in all respects the plan of Croesus. He marched his army into the country of Tomerus and advanced until he reached the point agreed upon. Here he stationed a feeble portion of his army with great stores of provisions and wines and abundance of such articles as would be prized by the barbarians at booty. He then drew back with the main body of his army toward the Erexes and concealed his forces in a hidden encampment. The result was as Croesus had anticipated the body which he had left was attacked by the troops of Tomerus and effectually routed. The provisions and stores fell into the hands of the victors. They gave themselves up to the most unbounded joy and their whole camp was soon a universal scene of rioting and excess. Even the commander Spargapus's, Tomerus's son became intoxicated with the wine. While things were in this state, the main body of the army of Cyrus returned suddenly and unexpectedly and fell upon their now helpless enemies with a force which entirely overwhelmed them. The booty was recovered. Large numbers of the enemy were slain and others were taken prisoners. Spargapus's himself was captured. His hands were bound. He was taken into Cyrus's camp and closely guarded. The result of this stratagem triumphantly successful as it was would have settled the contest and made Cyrus master of the whole realm if as he at the time supposed was the case, the main body of Tomerus's forces had been engaged in this battle. But it seems that Tomerus had learned by reconnoiturers and spies how large a force there was in Cyrus's camp and had only sent a detachment of her own troops to attack them, not judging it necessary to call out the whole. Two thirds of her army remained still uninjured. With this large force, she would undoubtedly have advanced without any delay to attack Cyrus again, were it not for her maternal concern for the safety of her son. He was in Cyrus's power, a helpless captive and she did not know to what cruelties he would be exposed if Cyrus were to be exasperated against her. While her heart therefore was burning with resentment and anger and with an almost uncontrollable thirst for revenge, her hand was restrained. She kept back her army and sent to Cyrus a conciliatory message. She said to Cyrus that he had no cause to be specially elated at his victory, that it was only one third of her forces that had been engaged and that with the remainder, she held him completely in her power. She urged him therefore to be satisfied with the injury which he had already inflicted upon her by destroying one third of her army and to liberate her son, retire from her dominions and leave her in peace. If he would do so, she would not molest him in his departure. But if he would not, she swore by the son, the great God which she and her countrymen adored that insatiable as he was for blood, she would give it to him till he had his fill. Of course, Cyrus was not to be frightened by such threats as these. He refused to deliver up the captive prince or to withdraw from the country and both parties began to prepare again for war. Sparghapuses was intoxicated when he was taken and he was unconscious of the calamity which had befallen him. When at length he awoke from his stupor and learned the full extent of his misfortune and of the indelible disgrace which he had incurred, he was overwhelmed with astonishment, disappointment, and shame. The more he reflected upon his condition, the more hopeless it seemed. Even if his life were to be spared and if he were to recover his liberty, he never could recover his honor. The ignominamy of such a defeat and such a captivity he well knew must be indelible. He begged Cyrus to loosen his bonds and allow him personal liberty within the camp, Cyrus pitying perhaps his misfortunes and the deep dejection and distress which they occasioned as seated to this request. Sparghapuses watched an opportunity to seize a weapon when he was not observed by his guards and killed himself. His mother, Tomeras, when she heard of his fate was frantic with grief and rage. She considered Cyrus as the wanton destroyer of the peace of her kingdom and the murderer of her son and she had now no longer any reason for restraining her thirst for revenge. She immediately began to concentrate her forces and to summon all the additional troops that she could obtain from every part of her kingdom. Cyrus too began in earnest to strengthen his lines and to prepare for the final great struggle. At length, the armies approached each other and the battle began. The attack was commenced by the archers on either side who shot showers of arrows at their opponents as they were advancing. When the arrows were spent, the men fought hand to hand with spears and javelins and swords. The Persians fought desperately for they fought for their lives. They were in the heart of an enemy's country with a broad river behind them to cut off their retreat and they were contending with a wild and savage foe whose natural barbarity was rendered still more ferocious and terrible than ever by the exasperation which they felt in sympathy with their injured queen. For a long time, it was wholly uncertain which side would win the day. The advantage here and there along the lines was in some places on one side and in some places on the other. But though overpowered and beaten the several bands whether of Persians or Scythians would neither retreat nor surrender, but the survivors when their comrades had fallen continued to fight on till they were all slain. It was evident at last that the Scythians were gaining the day. When night came on, the Persian army was found to be almost wholly destroyed. The remnant dispersed. When all was over, the Scythians in exploring the field found the dead body of Cyrus among the other ghastly and mutilated remains which covered the ground. They took it up with a ferocious and exulting joy and carried it to Tomeras. Tomeras treated it with every possible indignity. She cut and mutilated the lifeless form as if it could still feel the injuries inflicted by her insane revenge. Miserable wretch said she though I am in the end your conqueror, you have ruined my peace and happiness forever. You have murdered my son, but I promised you your fill of blood and you shall have it. So saying, she filled a can with Persian blood, obtained probably by the execution of her captives and cutting off the head of her victim from the body, she plunged it in, exclaiming drink their insatiable monster till your murderous thirst is satisfied. This was the end of Cyrus. Candusus, his son whom he had appointed regent during his absence, succeeded quietly to the government of his vast dominions. In reflecting on this melancholy termination of this great conqueror's history, our minds naturally revert to the scenes of his childhood and we wonder that so amiable and gentle and generous a boy should become so selfish and unfeeling and overbearing as a man, that such are the natural and inevitable effects of ambition and an inordinate love of power. The history of a conqueror is always a tragical and melancholy tale. He begins life with an exhibition of great and noble qualities which awaken in us who read his history the same admiration that was felt for him personally by his friends and countrymen while he lived and on which the vast ascendancy which he acquired over the minds of his fellow men and which led to his power and fame was in a great measure founded. On the other hand, he ends life neglected, hated and abhorred. His ambition has been gratified but the gratification has brought with it no substantial peace or happiness. On the contrary, it has filled his soul with uneasiness, discontent, suspiciousness and misery. The histories of heroes would be far less painful in the perusal if we could reverse this moral change of character. So as to have the cruelty, the selfishness and the oppression exhaust themselves in the comparatively unimportant transactions of early life and the spirit of kindness, generosity and beneficence, blessing and beautifying its close to be generous, disinterested and noble seems to be necessary as the precursor of great military success and to be hard-hearted, selfish and cruel is the almost inevitable consequence of it. The exceptions to this rule though some of them are very splendid are yet very few. End of chapter 12 and of Cyrus the Great by Jacob Abbott.


Hey everyone! We're here to tell you all about the Summer Reading Club at the West Bend Hoover Memorial Library. Yes, Summer Reading Club is still on! And we have something for everyone in all grades and all reading levels. If you're starting kindergarten in September, or if you've already finished kindergarten, grade 1 or grade 2 as of June 2021, this video is just for you. We are looking for kids who enjoy listening to someone read books to them, kids who can do a little bit of reading on their own with some help, and kids who can read totally on their own. Summer Reading Club really is for everyone. Now in just a few minutes we are going to tell you what Summer Reading Club is, why you should join, how you sign up, and some of our favorite new books that you can get at the library. Summer Reading Club challenges you to read or have someone read to you for 50 days over the summer for at least 15 minutes a day. And the best part is you get to choose your books. You can read or listen to any books you want, wherever you want, and however you want. There are lots of great reasons to join the club besides getting to choose what you believe. Reason number one, it's totally free. It doesn't cost any money and you don't even need a library card to join. Reason number two, the trophy. If you are in school this year or will be starting kindergarten in September, this is important. The school with the highest number of registered students wins a trophy. We have three trophies based on school size to keep things fair. Reason number three, prizes and programs. Summer Reading Club members get exclusive chances to enter prizes and are the first to hear about virtual family programs, author visits, and more. Reason number four, make your brain happy. Did you know that when you read or someone reads to you, you are getting smarter? Reason number five, the medal. Every kid who reaches the goal of reading or being read to for at least 15 minutes a day for 50 days earns a medal. It's true. Signing up for Summer Reading Club is easier than ever. This year it's completely virtual so you don't even need to come into the library. All you have to do is go to the SRC website at wvml.ca slash src and click the link that says register now. Just enter your first name, current grade, school, an email address or your parents' email address and boom, you're registered. You'll receive a confirmation email with your SRC starter kit within 48 hours and then starting in July. You'll receive a weekly SRC scoop email with book recommendations, virtual programs and so much more. Once you're signed up for the club, we give you three ways you can track your reading as you work towards your goal of reading for at least 15 minutes a day for 50 days. Number one, print out your WVML reading tracker that you get in your SRC starter kit email. For every day that you read for at least 15 minutes, color in one circle. When you colored in all 50 circles at the end of the summer, you've completed the Summer Reading Club. Don't have a printer? Pick up a reading tracker at the library after you register. Number two, you can create an online account with the BC Summer Reading Club website. You can create a goal, track your reading and collect fun badges. This is an awesome option for all of you super readers out there. Number three, design your own tracker. Get creative. Make your own reading tracker out of some notebook paper, craft supplies, Google spreadsheet. Any way you want to record your days of reading over the summer works. I have a question. Um, I don't live in West Vancouver, but I go to school here. Can I still join? Yes, you can. In fact, we want you to sign up for the Summer Reading Club at the West Vancouver Memorial Library. So your school earns points to get that trophy. Hey, I have a question too. Uh, are you saying we can just lay low this summer? We don't have to come into the library at all to sign up for Summer Reading Club? That's exactly right. Everything you need to register for and participate in the Summer Reading Club is available at www.vml.ca forward slash SRC. But the library is open for you to come and look for books as usual. We will also have some extra printed copies of the reading tracker and also some SRC goodies available too. Now, remember, this year's Summer Reading Club is designed for you to do completely from home. 50 books? That's way too many. Well, I'm worried. Aw, don't be worried. Remember, the Summer Reading Club is all about the time you read or the time that someone reads to you. It's not about who can read the most on their own or who can read the fastest. You can also choose how to read or listen to books. You can listen to a digital audiobook on the Libby app. Your library card lets you read or listen to picture books, easy readers, and chapter books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. Ask an adult for help setting up your account or ask us at the library. Listen to a playaway. These are self-contained audiobook players you can borrow from the library. We have lots of popular titles for all ages. Listen to a Wonder Book. These are awesome new books with an audiobook player built right into the book's cover. You can check them out in the library just like a regular book. Read to someone or have someone read to you. Read in any language or multiple languages. We have kids books in all these different languages that you can borrow from the library. Now, if I could get a drum roll please. Here are some of our favorite picture books, easy readers, and first fiction chapter books for Summer. But remember, you don't have to read or listen to any of these books or choose library books at all. But we can't resist telling you about some of our favorites. Beneath the Bed and Other Scary Stories by Max Braylier and LaTizia Rubeni. Looking for something cold, dark, and creepy? Dare I say scary? If you enjoy stories that make you shiver and double check what's under your bed before turning out the lights, this is the book for you. It features five eerie short stories with dark, chilling illustrations. Warning, this book may cause nightmares. Definitely read it with caution and keep the lights on. So I want to tell you about a new book called Will of the Wisps. It's from a brand new series from The Fabled Stables and it's written by Jonathan Apciay and Olga Demidova. It's about a young boy named Augie whose job is to take care of these one-of-a-kind creatures on this very mysterious island. And one day, Will of the Wisps comes to this island but she is in danger. And now it's up to Augie to get over his fears and to take care of her and to help his new friend out. This book is fun, it's full of magic and fantasy, and I think it would be a great book to read together as a family. If you love making art or if you love a good mystery, you have to check out Anonymous by Canadian author Vicki Van Sickle and illustrator Anna Paroli. This is the story of some extraordinary art popping up in the lives of animals in an ordinary town and how being around that art changes and inspires them. And guess what? The author of Anonymous, Vicki Van Sickle, is going to be doing a virtual program with the library in July all about how you can be an Anonymous in your community. Just check out the events calendar to register now. Hot Dog by Ando.  Hard. If you like silly books like Bad Guys, Stick Dog, or Cat Wad, you're going to love this very silly adventure story about three friends. There's Hot Dog, who's a leaner dog and has an excellent sense of smell. Lizzie the Lizard, who's afraid of heights, and Kevin, who's dressed as a cow and is super lazy. They work together to help her turn a baby bird back to its mom in the first of the series.  Like you're always having to say sorry for things that you do by accident? Then you are going to find a friend in Timothy, the main character in The Sorry Life of Timothy Schmoe by Canadian author Stephanie Simpson McClellan and illustrator Zoe C. This book is so funny, in huge part to Zoe's illustrations. And Zoe is actually the Summer Reading Club Illustrator for this year, so you will see more of her uproarious cartoons in all of the Summer Reading Club material. I'm not sorry to say, I think you'll love this one. You can find all of these books in the library catalog, but please make sure to place a hold, even if there is a waitlist so we can order more copies. You can also look for these books on our brand new Lucky Day shelf. Lucky Day books are special extra copies of our most popular books that you'll only find when you visit the library. Finding one means you get to skip the waitlist. It's like winning the lottery. So that's everything you need to know about the Summer Reading Club. Still have questions? Visit wvml.ca slash src or contact us by email, phone, or stop by the youth department on the second floor of the library. We are pumped for an awesome Summer Reading and we can't wait for you to join the club. Remember, no matter what's going on, you always belong at the library and we can't wait to see you. Happy reading!