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September 12, 2016 | 1 Comment
MetroLink Work Scheduled September 12-18
MetroLink passengers are encouraged to allow extra time for their commutes this week as maintenance work on the MetroLink system may result in delays for some passengers.
To accommodate work crews, Red Line MetroLink service will end at the College MetroLink Station and a Shuttle Train will transport passengers to and from the Shiloh-Scott MetroLink Station during the evenings of September 12 through September 16, and all day on September 17 and September 18. Additionally, MetroLink will operate on a single track between the College and Shiloh-Scott Stations during the early mornings from September 13 through September 16.
In downtown St. Louis, MetroLink will operate on a single track between the Union Station and Civic Center MetroLink Stations during the evenings of September 14 through September 16, and all day on September 17 and September 18. Blue Line trains will only operate between the Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 and Forest Park-DeBaliviere Stations during the single-track operation at the Union Station and Civic Center Stations, except during the evening on Friday, September 16. All Blue Line stations will be serviced Friday evening.
On Monday through Friday (September 12-16) from 8 p.m. until end of service, and on Saturday and Sunday (September 17 & 18) from the beginning of service until end of service, regular Red Line MetroLink service will end at the College Station. Passengers who normally park at the Shiloh-Scott Station are encouraged to park at the College Station to avoid delays during these periods.
Eastbound passengers traveling to the Shiloh-Scott Station will need to get off the Red Line MetroLink train at College Station and board a Shuttle Train to continue their trip to the Shiloh-Scott Station. Eastbound riders traveling from College Station to the Shiloh-Scott Station may experience delays of 5 to 10 minutes.
Westbound passengers at the Shiloh-Scott Station will need to board a Shuttle Train and ride to College Station to transfer to a westbound Red Line Westbound riders traveling from Shiloh-Scott Station to the College Station may experience delays of 20 to 25 minutes.
Blue Line MetroLink service will not be impacted.
On Tuesday through Friday (September 13-16) from the beginning of service until 5 a.m., MetroLink will operate on a single track between the College and Shiloh-Scott MetroLink Stations.
Red Line MetroLink trains will operate between the College and Shiloh-Scott Stations, but Red Line passengers may experience delays of 5 to 10 minutes.
On Wednesday and Thursday (September 14 & 15) from 8 p.m. until the end of service, and on Saturday and Sunday (September 17 & 18) from the beginning of service to the end of service, MetroLink will operate on a single track at the Union Station and Civic Center MetroLink Stations, and Blue Line trains will only operate between the Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 and Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink Stations.
Westbound Blue Line passengers will need to board a Red Line train between the Fairview Heights and Central West End MetroLink Stations and travel to the Forest Park-DeBaliviere MetroLink Station to connect with a westbound Blue Line
Eastbound Blue Line passengers will need to board a Red Line train at the Forest Park-DeBaliviere Station to continue their eastbound trips.
Passengers should allow 10 minutes when transferring between Red Line and Blue Line
Red Line passengers may experience delays of 5 to 10 minutes.
On Friday (September 16) from 11:30 p.m. to the end of service, MetroLink will operate on a single track at the Union Station and Civic Center MetroLink Stations.
Red Line and Blue Line passengers may experience delays of 5 to 10 minutes.
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This unique and most enchanting antique embroidery dates to 1902. The work of a stitcher, the sweetheart of a soldier possibly, with the initials PA. The tapestry depicts one of Hans Christian Andersen's most romantic tales, The Staunch Tin Soldier. This tale tells the story of a one-legged tin soldier who suffers a terrible fate all for the love of a beautiful paper dancer. Cursed by a jealous goblin, the toy soldier is sent flying out the window to the street below, where a perilous adventure carries him ever further from his love. But throughout his ordeal, the soldier remains sturdy and staunch on his one leg, ever true to his beloved little dancer. The story's romance is perfectly captured in this tapestry's charming illustration of a soldier and his sweetheart, ribbons fluttering as she runs to him, being reunited. In the background flies a flag, above two small red hearts.
The tapestry measures approximately 5.5' by 6'. The piece is worked in counted stitch, on an off white linen ground, and is in excellent condition for its age.
The cross stitch is comprised of very small, fine stitches giving a detailed finish to the design. The scene has also been worked in tent stitch and is encompassed within a border of two shades of lovely autumnal browns.
Pieces like this, with a story, are highly collectable and much sought after.


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Wot I Think: Guild Wars 2
Guildy by association
Review by Richard Cobbett Contributor
You've probably never heard of Guild Wars 2 - a plucky little MMO that's so far failed to draw much attention around the net. You might want to give it a look though. Maybe. They say it does a couple of moderately cool things. And it looks quite nice, if you're into that.
Ahem. How do I even start summing up a game this big, this complex, and with so much on offer? There's little point simply running through a shopping list of features - events, dungeons, PvP and so on - so let's kick off not with what Guild Wars 2 offers, but what it is.
To me, it's what World of Warcraft was back in 2004 - not an eight year old RPG, but a breath of fresh air in an all-too-often stuffy genre. The main difference between them is that while Blizzard primarily polished what came before with money, ArenaNet opted to take a scalpel to its genre's endless mass of time-wasting, subscription fee serving cancer tissue, before betting the farm on its ability to build something more dynamic around its squidgy pink core.
Is it good? Was it worth the long wait? Is it worth buying? For the answers to these oh-so important questions, I refer you to Celebrity Guest Reviewer Meg Ryan.
What follows is, with no apologies at all, mostly going to be gushing.
There are however some things that shouldn't be forgotten amongst all the hype, starting with the fact that for all its ambition, Guild Wars 2 is firmly from the World of Warcraft school of design rather than a brand new breed. It has a dynamic world, yes, but one based on canned, cycling events rather than something like Eve, where players exert real control. Likewise, if you hate standard MMORPG combat and all its hot-keys and levelling curves, you'll find this one more freeform and a hell of a lot more polished than most, but probably not different enough.
Also, a caveat. There is obviously no way in hell that I've seen everything the game has to offer in the last week, even factoring in several betas. That said, even if it turns to shit and gristle in the endgame, I can say I've had enough fun to justify the box price - especially as there's no subscription fee. Consider this firmly a 'is this worth a punt?' review though, not an all-encompassing guide. We'll be back later to take a closer look at the big picture.
Guild Wars 2 has no shortage of things to make it special, but if I had to pick the most important, it would be its general attitude. With no subscription fee to worry about earning, it gets to focus entirely on what it thinks will be the most fun - and get to the point faster than you can say 'dragon in the tutorial area'. True, it's another example of what's often sniffily referred to as a theme park MMO, but it embraces that; even going a step further to create something closer to a world-shaped playground. When most games claim they let you find your own fun, what they really mean is that they're not going to provide it up front. Guild Wars 2 instead lets you choose it from a carefully prepared menu, whether it's traditional adventure or server based PvP or simply exploring and enjoying the scenery and lush vistas wherever you wander.
Just as crucially, almost every barrier between you and having a good time has been knocked down. Does it make sense that every character can teleport to any part of the world whenever they like? No. But it makes much less sense for a social game to try and stop you getting to where your friends are, so there you go. In the eternal fight between lore, game design and player experience, Guild Wars 2 feels like it's on our side. It's almost spooky.
There is of course some structure underlying all this - level-locked areas, items and so on - but within that framework, everything is about as open as this kind of game gets. Want to be a Human, but hate the Human starting area? No problem. You're never more than a couple of minutes from a teleporter that will take you to another race's part of the world, and they're all happy to let you play with their toys instead. Want to do PvP? You're not only one click away, Guild Wars 2 will give you all the starting gear you need to be competitive. Only with dungeons does it make you earn your entry rights, holding them back until Level 30+.
Its single biggest triumph though is that as World of Warcraft opened up questing to the masses, Guild Wars 2 makes playing with other people absolutely effortless. You need set groups for dungeons. In the main world though, you never need to actively join groups, show up with any of those 'friend' things some people have, sit around on chat for hours before getting to kill anything, or ever approach anyone with a nervous excuse me please can i play with you?
Instead, you just go out into the world. Events are constantly kicking off around it, and the only thing you need to do to join one is run into its clearly marked radius and get stuck in. Rescuing villagers from slavers. Scaring rabbits. Taking down some huge boss monster who probably deserves it. Reviving fallen comrades. Protecting a trader as he goes between towns. Defending kids from undead. Whatever heroism needs doing, and you feel like helping with, with no pre-requisites to take part and nobody to kick you out if they don't like your face/class.
The only real catch is that as you'd expect, they're absolutely reliant on having those crowds around. If the zones start emptying post-release, the good times are going to vanish in a hurry - and there isn't any kind of safety mat for Guild Wars 2 to fall back on. It may seem unlikely, but stranger things have happened. Remember when APB was going to be the next big thing? Just to be on the safe side, I'd suggest jumping in sooner rather than later.
What everyone raves about are the events that lead into others - a battle for a camp for instance, which turns into an attempt to recapture the place if you fail, or into an assault on the enemy base if you win. That kind of thing is definitely cool when you stumble across it, even if you know that whatever happens is of no long-term import to you or anyone else.
The events I've most enjoyed though are the ones that simply add movement to the genre, especially when wrapped in little chunks of story. My favourite - which is standard stuff, save that it was the first time it happened in my game - was when I wandered my Elementalist over to the inventor-gremlin Asura starting area to check it out. While in a small village selling some junk, a member of their rivals, the Inquest, showed up to first demand test subjects and then launched a raid on the place. Cue a sudden, spontaneous battle that had taken the time to set up at least some simple stakes and characters, lots of exploding action, and finally a few scraps of dialogue to wrap it all up with a little bow instead of just quietly handing over some XP.
The same kind of thing happens everywhere, and I love it. MMOs have a tendency to be incredibly static, with monsters just standing around waiting for you to beat them up, and NPCs not being much more active. Here, while both of those things is basically true as well, you're also constantly bumping into traders going between towns, or outposts being thrown into chaos, or spooky swamps burping up portals to the underworld and so on - and that's before factoring in things like a boss monster appearing and every player in the area belting running over. You don't even have to find them for yourself. Quite often NPCs will run over and instead of politely waiting to be asked if they have anything they need, openly beg for your heroic assistance.
It should be added that Guild Wars 2 isn't the first to experiment with public events like this. The likes of Warhammer Online, Tabula Rasa and Rift have all given them a shot in various forms. Guild Wars 2 throws itself into them unlike anything we've seen before though, risking everything on their success. Yes, there are dungeons and static 'heart' quests where you do things like disarm traps and pick up litter and lots of other stuff that typically puts the 'mundane' into 'seriously mundane shit', but these events are where the game will live or die.
At the moment though, the enthusiasm is infectious, and constant. Where most MMOs feel like they're under the control of an old miser, reluctantly doling out the odd treat, Guild Wars 2 is a cheery sweetshop owner throwing handfuls of candy out of its window. Good candy, too. Fruit Salads, never Blackjacks. It wants you to enjoy yourself, on the grounds that if you do, you'll want to keep playing rather than simply feeling compelled to, and it wastes no time handing out the kind of power and equipment that most MMOs wait a whole game to unlock.
As a demonstration, before even hitting Level 5, my Elementalist could throw every flavour of magic at will (with no mana bar or between-fight cooldowns, no less), call down meteor showers, carve up the terrain with flames, and much much more - all with pyrotechnics that set the screen on fire, never mind the monsters. My favourite trick is a double-whammy from the Air set - riding a lightning bolt across the map to smash someone in the face, then blasting both of us back out of face-punching range. Regardless of the numbers underscoring all my attacks and how they balance with everyone else, I have never felt like a more badass mage in an MMO.
Badass is of course a relative thing. No matter how many powers or toys you have, this is still a levelocracy at heart, and going out of your comfort zone means pretty much instant death with a single punch. Guild Wars 2 doesn't care how you level though, to the point that it provides a whole second world devoted for PvP and is quite happy for you to spend every minute of your time there if you prefer fighting other people to vanquishing dumb monsters.
Even in the regular world though, while questing is the obvious path to advancement, you get XP for almost everything short of looking at the XP bar - crafting, exploring, gathering, fighting, reviving, whatever. Making it even easier, the focus on group play and keeping everyone happy means that you never have to worry about competing with anyone. Kill-stealing for instance isn't a problem here, ever. If there's any question over who should get credit for something in the world, typically everyone gets it - not that it matters even a little most of the time.
In case it's not obvious, I'm having a blast with Guild Wars 2, to the point that focusing on the negatives does rather feel like complaining about the cleanliness of the spoons at a soup kitchen. It's certainly not perfect though, and there are definite annoyances. Several people I know have complained that the pet system isn't very reliable for instance. By Level 20, I was already bored to tears by the way my Elementalist's armour-changes consisted of switching back and forth between two very similar coats and two slightly different skirts. Things like this might seem minor quibbles, but they're still annoying if they happen to be quibbling you.
More generally, while the event system is overall a great addition, it suffers terribly when it doesn't hit the right sweet spot of players. Too few, and the simplistic nature of what you're doing becomes hard to ignore. Too many, and it's complete chaos where you don't feel like you're making much of a contribution or using any tactics beyond mashing all of the buttons. Boss monsters in particular are awful for this, with the constant explosions and swooshing and fizzes and bangs completely obscuring what's going on, and the battles prolonged to the point of finger-aching insanity by giving it a health-bar long enough to poke Jupiter.
My big concern though is the general flow of the game, which can be just a little bit too slick at times, right up to the point it suddenly isn't. Starting out, it's completely liberating to be in a game that gives you so much up front, has essentially no forced downtime, and lets you jump into everything without even going to get the quests first. After a while though, especially right now, with so many people piling in on every event, the inherent repetition, usual lack of personal challenge, and to some extent not having much to look forward to unlocking once you've gathered all your weapon skills can start to get both repetitive and wearing.
You don't even get to feel yourself particularly getting more powerful, which is a shame - though a necessary trade-off. Every area has a maximum level cap, and stepping into it will take you down to something appropriate for adventuring there. That's overall a good thing, since it stops high-level players ruining events for the rest of the world and means you'll be able to take part in events across the world, but it is a little jarring not to be able to kick back by walking into an early area and effortlessly destroying great beasts with a flick of your fingers.
It's worth repeating that the game has plenty to distract you and prevent this problem, from sight-seeing to PvP, to the much tougher dungeons later on. You do however have to take the initiative to break off and go do some of this now and again, and I suspect players who don't will burn out quite fast. Too many sweeties in one go can make you feel sick, after all.
At the same time though, every now and again you can just hit a wall, usually thanks to Guild Wars 2 falling for the classic MMO trap of assuming players are either psychic or plugged into a wiki. The day this genre finally learns that questions like "Vitality or Toughness?" should be coupled with some actual advice on that will be a glorious one. But that's another rant.
One of the earliest problems is that you can easily get 100% completion in your starter area - even given a reward for it - but still not be ready to walk into the next zone if you've not also done enough events, chopped enough trees and so on. The solution is an easy one - go to another starting area. However, not only is magically travelling across the world to be able to step into the next field frankly dumb, it's not made clear that you can do so in the first place. In another MMO, this would be par for the course. Guild Wars 2 trains you to expect better of it though, making it extra-disappointing when it lets itself down with something silly.
The personal quests tend to suffer the worst from this, since unlike the main world you're not usually with people who can help out. In general, I like these quick trips into something a little closer to a single-player RPG, complete with some clever quest design, proper dialogues, choices to make, and lots more goodness. Some of the specific design can be nasty though, and doesn't always feel tuned for every character class to handle. The end of my Elementalist's first act was especially painful, presenting an enemy who hit far too hard for my poor cloth armour, carefully placed as if to ensure that my NPC backup would die at her feet and thus be impossible to revive without drawing her aggro. Grr. Methinks the designer was a Warrior.
None of these are deal-breakers, of course. It's simply that when the hype around a game is this heavy, it's easy to expect perfection. Guild Wars 2 is not perfect. It is however the most fun I've had with an MMO in a very, very long time, and the first to turn social questing into something even solo-minded misanthropes like myself can do on a whim. That alone makes worth it playing, and this is just the start of its story. I can't wait to see where it goes next...
Guild Wars 2 is available now. It's still suffering from some launch issues though, so you might want to wait a few more days to jump in if you haven't already taken the plunge.
ArenaNet
Wot I Think
Richard Cobbett
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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SCANNING TEAM MEMBERS
Team Member Affiliations
(at time of scan tour)
David O. Cox (Co-Chair) Division Administrator
Federal Highway Administration—Oregon Division
530 Center Street, N.E., Suite 100
Salem, OR 97301-4137
Email: david.cox@fhwa.dot.gov
Ronald C. Williams (Co-Chair) State Construction Engineer
Arizona Department of Transportation
206 South 17th Avenue (MD 172-A)
Email: rwilliams@dot.state.az.us
Keith R. Molenaar (Report Facilitator)
Department of Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering
University of Colorado at Boulder Campus
Box 428, ECOT 411
Boulder, CO 80309-0428
Email: keith.molenaar@colorado.edu
James J. Ernzen Associate Professor
Del E. Webb School of Construction
Email: james.ernzen@asu.edu
Charlie Franklin (Frank) Gee Construction Engineer
Virginia Department of Transportation
Email: gee_cf@vdot.state.va.us
Gregory G. Henk (Representing ARTBA)
Senior Vice President HBG Constructors Inc.
31441 Santa Margarita Pkwy Suite A-160
Email: ghenk@flatironstructures.com
Jeff W. Kolb
Supervisory Highway Engineer
Federal Highway Administration, California Division
980 9th Street (Suite 400)
Email: jeff.kolb@fhwa.dot.gov
Tanya C. Matthews, AIC (Representing Design-Build)
Senior Vice President Director
Design-Build Development Parsons Brinckerhoff Constructors, Inc.
465 Spring Park Place Herndon, VA 20170-5227
Email: matthewst@pbworld.com
Len Sanderson
State Highway Administrator
North Carolina Department of Transportation
Email: lsanderson@dot.state.nc.us
Nancy C. Smith Partner
Nossaman, Guthner, Knox & Elliott
445 South Figueroa Street (31st Floor)
Email: nsmith@nossaman.com or ncs@ngke.com
Gary C. Whited Deputy Administrator
4802 Sheboygan Avenue (Room 451)
P.O. Box 7965 Madison, WI 53707-7965
Email: gary.whited@dot.state.wi.us
John W. Wight (Representing ARTBA)
HNTB Corporation
Wayne Plaza I, Suite 400
145 Route 46 West Wayne, NJ 07470
Email: jwight@hntb.com
Gerald Yakowenko
Contract Administration Engineer
Contract Administration Group
Office of Program Administration, HIPA-30, Room 3134
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Email: gerald.yakowenko@fhwa.dot.gov
Team Member Biographic Sketches
(at the time of the scan tour)
David O. Cox (Panel Co-Chair) is the Federal Highway Division Administrator for the State of Oregon. In this capacity he has overall responsibility for the Federal-aid highway system and the expenditure of Federal-aid highway funds in the State. Mr. Cox has more than 30 years of experience with the FHWA. He is a registered professional engineer and holds BS and MS degrees in Civil Engineering. In previous assignments, Mr. Cox led the Contract Administration Office in Washington, D.C., where he vigorously promoted alternative contracting techniques throughout the nation. He is one of the principal authors of the soon to be released "FHWA Design / Build Regulations," and led the team that wrote FHWA's "Financial Plan Guidance" for projects with costs exceeding $1 billion. Mr. Cox has held the national positions of Secretary to the AASHTO Subcommittee on Construction and Chairman of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Subcommittee on Highway Construction and Maintenance.
Ronald C. (Ron) Williams (Panel Co-Chair) is the State Construction Engineer, Headquarters Office, Arizona DOT in Phoenix, and is responsible for contract administration policies, procedures, and specifications. He has 32 years of experience with the Arizona DOT, including as resident engineer, area engineer, and assistant district engineer. As State Construction Engineer, Mr. Williams is responsible for implementation of alternative contracting practices and management of the design-build process, with contracts to date for design-build projects of $380 million dollars. Mr. Williams is the Chairman of the Contract Administration Task Force, AASHTO Subcommittee on Construction, and chairs the AASHTO Design/Build Rules Committee. He served on the interdisciplinary team that helped the Arizona State Legislature develop new alternative contracting methods legislation. He is the Industry Co-Chairman on the Alternative Contracting Methods Task Force, Alliance for Construction Excellence at Arizona State University. Mr. Williams holds a BS degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Arizona and is a registered professional engineer in the State of Arizona. He is a member of the American Public Works Association and the ASCE.
Dr. Keith R. Molenaar (Report Facilitator) is an Assistant Professor with the Construction Engineering and Management Program in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering at the University of Colorado at Boulder. His research focuses on alternative delivery strategies for the procurement of infrastructure and constructed facilities. His responsibilities include the coordination of a collaborative research effort aimed at exploring alternative delivery methods, analyzing project performance, and disseminating research results to owners, designers, constructors, and students. Dr. Molenaar was previously a faculty member at the Georgia Institute of Technology where he was Group Leader of the Construction Research Center's Procurement and Project Delivery research initiative. Dr. Molenaar has a BS degree in Architectural Engineering and MS and PhD degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Dr. Molenaar is an active member of ASCE, the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA), and the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA).
Dr. James J. Ernzen is an associate professor at the Del E. Webb School of Construction at Arizona State University. He currently serves as the Co-Chairperson of the Alternative Project Delivery Methods Taskforce at the university where he teaches a graduate course on Design-Build Project Delivery Methods and conducts research in the area of design-build and other alternative project delivery systems. Prior to joining the Construction School, he spent more than 21 years as a construction manager, project engineer, construction materials researcher, and civil engineering educator in the Army Corps of Engineers. Dr. Ernzen holds BS and MS degrees from the University of Notre Dame and a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a licensed professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia and serves on both the Education and Civil/Infrastructure Committees for the DBIA and the Construction Management Committee for the TRB.
Charlie Franklin (Frank) Gee is currently the State Construction Engineer for the Virginia DOT. He is the current Vice Chairman of the AASHTO Subcommittee on Construction, which is one of the sponsoring entities of this scanning tour. He is interested in evaluating the best business techniques in developing and administering transportation contracts so all members of AASHTO can benefit. In positions as resident and construction engineer, Mr. Gee has been involved in construction and the administration of contracts for more than 25 years. The current program in Virginia does approximately 700 contracts at a value of over $1 billion. Mr. Gee is a civil engineering graduate of North Carolina State University and is affiliated with several organizations.
Gregory G. Henk is Executive Vice President of Flatiron Structures' Design/Build Division and is responsible for project development and management. He has 30 years of project management experience in urban transportation and planning, engineering design, and construction. Mr. Henk recently served as Executive Vice President of the Transportation Corridor Agencies in Orange County, California, where he oversaw the design, construction, and toll operation of three toll roads with a combined construction value in excess of $2 billion. He has worked for State DOTs, public transportation agencies, and private engineering and construction firms. A recognized leader in the design/build industry, Mr. Henk is a specialist in public and private highway financing activities. He has been involved in the issuance of $2.8 billion of non-recourse, startup toll revenue bonds.
Jeff W. Kolb is the Supervisory Transportation Engineer for the South Program Delivery Team in the California Division of the FHWA in Sacramento, California. He is responsible for Federal oversight on all Federally funded highway transportation projects in the southern half of California. This includes several "mega-projects" (costing over $1 billion) at least one of which is a design-build project. Mr. Kolb has worked with the FHWA for more than 17 years, with previous assignments in the Utah Division, the Florida Division, and the Regional Office in Denver, Colorado. His experiences on these assignments included an integral role on the $1.59 billion Interstate 15 Design/Build Reconstruction Project in Salt Lake City, Utah; early design-build activities and alternative contracting in the Florida Division; and experience in the innovative arena of intelligent transportation systems in the regional office assignment. Mr. Kolb is a graduate of North Carolina State University with a BS in Civil Engineering. He also holds a master's degree in Civil Engineering from Florida State University. He is a licensed professional engineer in the State of Florida.
Tanya C. Matthews, AIC, is the Vice President, Government Affairs for the Design-Build Institute of America. She is responsible for changes in Federal law for design-build and she works to broaden the use of design-build in Federal agencies in America. Prior to joining DBIA full time, Tanya was the Senior Vice President and Director of Design-Build Development for Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB), one of the world's largest engineering firms, and she was responsible for the expanded development of PB's design/build practice. A recognized leader in design-build, she served as 1999 Chairman of the Board of the DBIA and has played a decisive role in facilitating greater acceptance of the design-build process with public agencies and private-sector owners in the 50 States and abroad. Under Ms. Matthews' leadership, the share of design-build in the domestic, nonresidential market grew from 27 percent to 32 percent, and she was instrumental in gaining congressional approval for design-build on Federal projects. Ms. Matthews holds five academic degrees, including an MBA from the University of Maryland, and two BS degrees from The American University. In addition to her affiliation with the DBIA, Ms. Matthews is a member and past President, Chairman of the Board, and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Dulles Area Transportation Association. She also has served as President of the Metro-Washington Chapter of the American Institute of Constructors and was the Founding President of their Northern Virginia Chapter. She won the "Marketer of the Year" award from the Society for Marketing Professional Services, and has been Awards Committee Chairman for the Northern Virginia Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors since 1998.
Len Sanderson is the State Highway Administrator for the North Carolina DOT. Mr. Sanderson currently directs the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of the 78,500-mile State highway system in North Carolina. His areas of emphasis are work zone safety and dissemination of information to motorists. Prior to his appointment as highway administrator, he served as the construction branch manager for statewide operations. Mr. Sanderson is a graduate of North Carolina State University and holds a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering. He is a licensed professional engineer and serves on several AASHTO committees.
Nancy C. Smith is a partner with the law firm of Nossaman, Guthner, Knox & Elliott, LLP in Los Angeles, California. Her area of specialty is construction and procurement law, particularly design-build issues and public-private partnerships. Ms. Smith has been instrumental in developing some of the largest transportation infrastructure projects in the United States, including public toll roads in Orange County, California (design-build contracts totaling over $2 billion), the Alameda Transportation Corridor in Los Angeles (a $712 million design-build contract), the I-15 Reconstruction Project in Salt Lake City, Utah (a $1.4 billion design-build-maintain contract), the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Transit Project in New Jersey (an $800 million design-build-operate-maintain contract), and the T-Rex I-25 corridor reconstruction in Colorado (a $1.8 billion design-build project being jointly procured by the Colorado DOT and the Denver Regional Transit District. She holds a BA in German from the University of Florida and a JD from Yale Law School. She is a member of the Women's Transportation Seminar, the DBIA, and the TRB's Public Contract Law Committee.
Frederick Werner is an Innovative Finance Specialist for the FHWA at the Southern Resource Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Mr. Werner currently provides technical assistance to States, local governments, and private-sector firms in the use of Federal financing techniques to develop innovative or alternative financing for transportation projects. Among the Federal financing techniques currently promoted are subordinate Federal credit and State bonding secured by future Federal funds. Prior to joining the Southern Resource Center in 1999, Mr. Werner served as the financial manager in the FHWA Puerto Rico Division Office. He is a graduate of Marquette University with bachelor's degrees in Accounting and Finance. Mr. Werner holds CPA certification in Wisconsin and Illinois.
Gary C. Whited is the Deputy Administrator of the Division of Infrastructure Development for the Wisconsin DOT (WisDOT) in Madison, Wisconsin. As Deputy Administrator, Mr. Whited shares responsibility with the Division Administrator for managing the headquarters engineering division of WisDOT that is responsible for the development and operation of Wisconsin's highways, airports, harbors, and railroads. The division focuses on Statewide development of policies and standards for these transportation systems, which includes management of construction programs. He has been with WisDOT for 29 years, 10 years of which he was director of the Bureau of Highway Construction where he was directly responsible for administering the Statewide highway construction program. Mr. Whited holds a BS degree in Civil Engineering from Iowa State University and an MS degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is a member of the AASHTO Subcommittee on Construction and currently serves on the Advisory Committee for the Construction Engineering and Management Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also serves on numerous TRB, AASHTO, and NCHRP committees, is currently the Director of the Midwest Concrete Consortium, and has authored papers published in ASTM Geotechnical Testing Journal, Transportation Research Record, and Proceedings of the International Conference on Geotechnical Engineering. He is a registered professional engineer in the State of Wisconsin and is a past ASCE Madison Branch president and past member of the Wisconsin ASCE Section Board of Direction.
John W. Wight is an Executive Vice President with HNTB Corporation, a large national A/E firm specializing in transportation. He also is Chairman of the ARTBA. ARTBA is the nation's oldest (established 1902) national construction association and is a recognized leader in the transportation construction industry. It is the only association that exclusively represents the collective interests of all sectors of the transportation construction industry before the White House, Congress, Federal agencies, media, and the public. In recent years, issues of alternative contracting methods have been at the forefront of ARTBA's concerns, especially as they relate to pending Federal legislative changes. Throughout his 33-year career with HNTB, Mr. Wight has been involved in all aspects of highway design and administration. He has worked extensively on toll highways across the United States and has been deeply involved in the transportation privatization movement for the past 10 years. Mr. Wight has his bachelor and master's degrees in Civil Engineering from Cornell University. He is a licensed professional engineer in 18 states and is a member of ASCE, NSPE, and IBTTA in addition to his involvement in ARTBA.
Gerald Yakowenko is a Contract Administration Engineer with the FHWA in Washington, D.C. Mr. Yakowenko currently is responsible for developing and interpreting FHWA's policy for Federally funded construction contracts. In addition, he provides technical and programmatic assistance to the State DOTs for innovative contracting practices such as design-build and multi-parameter bidding contracts. Throughout his 21-year career with FHWA, he has been involved with construction contracting issues. He is a 1977 graduate of Lehigh University and holds a BS degree in Civil Engineering. He is a licensed professional engineer in the State of Missouri. Mr. Yakowenko is a participating member of the ASCE, the AASHTO Subcommittee on Construction, and the TRB Panel A2F05 – Committee on Construction Management.


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After more than a decade of accolades and controversy, 'The Wendy Williams Show' ends
By Amina Kilpatrick,
Jonathan Franklin
The Wendy Williams Show will air its final episode this Friday after nearly 14 years filled with hundreds of notable guests, accolades and numerous controversies.
According to Variety, which first broke the news of the show's series finale, the daytime talk show host will not be present for the final episode. The series finale will include a video montage celebrating Williams' TV run.
"The final original episode of The Wendy Williams Show will air on Friday, June 17th with a video tribute to the iconic host. The series comes to an end after 13 successful years in syndication," a spokesperson for the show told Variety.
The 57-year-old TV host, who has been the show's original host since its premiere in 2009, has not been on the air in her famous purple chair since 2020 following a series of health issues. Williams has Graves' disease, an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid.
Since her two-year absence from the show, a number of guest hosts have filled in, including Leah Remini, Fat Joe and Remy Ma. Most recently, the show has been hosted by former co-host of The View, Sherri Shepherd, who will host the show's series finale.
Representatives for Williams did not immediately respond to NPR's request for comment regarding the show's finale.
In February, executives announced that this fall, The Wendy Williams Show will be replaced with a new show hosted by Shepherd, titled "Sherri." The new show will move into the time slots previously held by Williams, producer and distributor Debmar-Mercury told The Associated Press.
"Since Wendy is still not available to host the show as she continues on her road to recovery, we believe it is best for our fans, stations and advertising partners to start making this transition now," company co-presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein said in a statement.
Inside Williams' rise from radio to TV
While Williams' fame catapulted during her daytime talk show, she got her start ruffling the airwaves on the radio.
Her fearlessness in speaking about anyone and everything dates back to her time sitting behind the microphone.
Williams' show, The Wendy Williams Experience, was the pinnacle of her 23-year career in radio. The show was syndicated nationally on WBLS in New York City and was listened to by an audience of more than 12 million people, according to the Wendy Show's website.
After earning a degree from Northeastern University in communications, Williams landed her first job working at a small station in the Virgin Islands. During that time, she saved her money and honed in on her craft, despite feeling isolated.
"That first initial decision to abandon everything that I know and to go some place where I knew nobody and hate it, cry every day, work my job and feel like a real outsider and very broke. ... I said it was glamorous and wonderful, and really it was torturous," Williams told NPR in 2007.
That initial push did pay off, launching a career that has taken her to Washington, D.C., New York and Philadelphia.
Over the years, Williams' mouth has landed her in some hot water — one notable clash was between her and Whitney Houston. In 2007, she spoke with NPR about how she is able to push her guests.
"The best way to explain it is it's very simple: I create a life and outside interests so that I'm not dependent on invitations for Fourth of July to the Whitney Houston barbecue off the coast of Long Island," Williams told NPR then. "Instead, you know, I would be doing things with my own inner circle, which don't involve anybody that anybody knows."
Her off-the-cuff dialogue is what landed her a daytime talk show. Picked up in 2008, The Wendy Williams Show had been nominated for multiple daytime Emmy awards and is watched by millions daily, according to the show's website. At its height, her show was a direct competitor with Ellen, another daytime talk show that has recently closed its curtains for the final time.
Williams' show aired daily, occupying a one-hour timeslot. Broadcast live in front of a studio audience, each episode began with the iconic "Hot Topics" segment featuring Williams entering the stage, holding a mug, and gossiping. Williams was always very engaged with her audience, hosting segments like "Ask Wendy" and referring to the audience members as her cohosts.
The show was known for its hot topics and controversy
Despite the former radio and TV host's success on the air over the past 14 years — nominated for 11 Daytime Emmys and four People's Choice Awards — Williams has come under fire several times for her controversial interviews and celebrity hot takes.
In recent years, Williams made several controversial comments about former actress and Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, Grammy award-winning singer Dionne Warwick, rapper Lil' Kim and television personality NeNe Leakes.
In a 2019 profile with New York Times Magazine, the talk show host discussed her controversial interviews, saying: "I am often accused of being the person who says things that people really want to say but maybe are too scared to say it."
"Through the grace of God, people have given me permission to say those things for 10 seasons. I get in trouble sometimes, but it's all good. Actually, I can't even think of what kind of trouble," Williams added.
Williams has left a lasting legacy
Williams' show had a very important impact on pop culture. Everyday memes of her show are used in communication online. The end of Wendy without the return of its host has left fans upset.
On Instagram, multiple Wendy Williams fan accounts have organized a blackout, discouraging people from viewing the finale in protest of her absence.
Many fans have also created tributes online, remembering some of their favorite moments from the show including @_Xorah_ on Twitter.
With the Wendy Williams show coming to an end on Friday, I've compiled a thread of some of her most iconic moments pic.twitter.com/e5NJz2P4rc
— 067 (@_Xorah_) June 14, 2022
How Williams herself feels about the end of her show is unknown. Williams has been going through personal issues with control over her finances.
After inquiring about her finances and attempting to switch banks, Wells Fargo filed a petition to place Williams under financial guardianship in March, her lawyer told The Hollywood Reporter.
Williams has been fighting the guardianship and took to her personal Instagram account in March to speak out. Fans have compared Williams' situation to that of Britney Spears, who recently got out of a 13-year conservatorship.
What is next for Williams remains unknown.
Amina Kilpatrick
Amina Kilpatrick is an assistant engagement editor for the Newshub team distributing stories to Facebook, Twitter, third-party platforms and more.
Jonathan Franklin is a digital reporter on the News desk covering general assignment and breaking national news.


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25 Million U.S. Individuals Impacted by 2016 Uber Hack
The 2016 data breach that Uber made public in November 2017 impacted over 25 million riders and drivers in the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reveals.
The hack, which the ride-sharing company kept silent about for a year, impacted more than 57 million users globally. Hackers managed to access data stored on an Amazon Web Services (AWS) account and steal names, email addresses and mobile phone numbers of customers around the world.
In February this year, Uber chief information security officer said that two individuals living in Canada and Florida were responsible for the massive data breach.
In an attempt to cover up the hack, Uber paid the attackers $100,000 through its third-party "bug bounty" program, which was designed to reward those who responsibly disclose vulnerabilities, rather than those who maliciously exploit them.
The company came under scrutiny after the hack was made public in November 2017, and even became the target of a US criminal investigation. The data breach was revealed only three months after Uber agreed to implement new data protection measures in a settlement with the FTC over a 2014 incident.
Now, the Commission says the ride-sharing company has agreed to expand the proposed settlement and that it will be subject to additional requirements. Under the new settlement, Uber could be subject to civil penalties if it doesn't notify the FTC of future breaches in due time.
In a revised complaint (PDF) issued this week, the FTC claims hackers used an access key an Uber engineer had posted on a code-sharing website to access consumer data on a third-party cloud provider's servers in November 2016.
The complaint alleges that attackers downloaded unencrypted files that provided them with access to over 25 million names and email addresses, 22 million names and mobile phone numbers, and 600,000 names and driver's license numbers of U.S. individuals.
The revised order (PDF) not only compels Uber to disclose certain future incidents involving consumer data, but also requires the company to submit to the Commission "all the reports from the required third-party audits of Uber's privacy program rather than only the initial such report."
Uber is also required to retain records related to bug bounty reports on security bugs that could result in unauthorized access to consumer data.
"After misleading consumers about its privacy and security practices, Uber compounded its misconduct by failing to inform the Commission that it suffered another data breach in 2016 while the Commission was investigating the company's strikingly similar 2014 breach," Acting FTC Chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen said.
"The strengthened provisions of the expanded settlement are designed to ensure that Uber does not engage in similar misconduct in the future," Ohlhausen continued.
Related: Court Investigating Whether Uber Connived to Cover its Tracks
Related: Should Uber Users be Worried About Data Hack?
Ionut Arghire is an international correspondent for SecurityWeek.
Previous Columns by Ionut Arghire:


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Israel NewsLatest News
Gaza Sends Arson Balloons Towards Southern Israel, Ignites Agricultural Land
By Rhea Sovani06/17/2021 9:00 AMNo CommentsBy YidInfo Staff
For the second day in a row, Gazan/Palestinian terrorists have gone back to their old ways of sending arson balloons shooting on civilian Israeli land. The latest of the attacks caused four fires to ignite on agricultural spaces in the South of Israel.
With over 120 dunams (about 30 acres) of forests destroyed earlier on Tuesday, Wednesday's incident came after the Israeli Air Force struck Hamas compounds in Gaza overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday, in response to Tuesday's arson balloons.
Source: i24news
The Israel Defense Forces also reported that one of its soldiers fired on and hit a suspect who hurled an explosive device at Israeli forces south of Nablus in the West Bank on Wednesday. "One of the Palestinians ran towards the soldier and hurled a suspicious object at him, which exploded adjacent to the soldier. In response, the soldier operated to stop the suspect by firing into the air and then by firing towards him. A hit was identified. No IDF injuries were reported," the military said.
After the 14-day-long conflict that gained a global audience last month, Palestinian terrorist are continuing their attacks on Israel, and as it stands, the Israeli cabinet is deliberating on whether or not to respond to the latest arson attacks
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On Sunday, my dad and I went to New York City to visit the Museum of Modern Art. After we made our way through all six floors (a lot of walking, but very fun!), we had to figure out where to go to eat. That's when we whipped out our trusty Find Me Gluten Free app, and discovered The Little Beet. And man this was a great discovery!
The best thing about this place is that it isn't just a restaurant that has some gluten free options. It is an entirely gluten free establishment. Every single thing that they make is gluten free. No chance of cross contamination. It's fantastic. So let's get to the food; I got the Banh Mi Roll, which was kind of like a giant sushi roll that you eat like a burrito. It has shredded chicken, scallions, avocado, cilantro, asian slaw, and brown rice all wrapped inside nori (aka seaweed), and served with chipotle aioli (yum) and ponzu sauce. I loved this thing—it was so delicious! I got it with a side of the Southwest Millet, which made me discover that I really like millet. This was so so good, it had tomato, avocado, onion, garlic, and jalapeño in it. My dad got the Create Your Own Plate, and got salmon with quinoa and butternut squash. Whatever they marinate that salmon in is fantastic. The edges were crispy and it was so yummy! The quinoa was also very good (if you're wondering why its red it's because it has beets in it), and the butternut squash was also great. I didn't think I even liked butternut squash, but with the apples and cinnamon it was delicious! He also got the Cauliflower Leek soup, which was very reminiscent of Panera's Broccoli Cheddar soup which is not gluten free, so it's nice to have something that reminds me of it. I also had a Snickerdoodle cookie, which was probably the size of three regular size cookies. It was good—not necessarily great, but good.
Time for my next favorite NYC restaurant: S'MAC! How can a person say no to an entire restaurant dedicated to mac and cheese?? All of the twelve (yes twelve) types of mac and cheese can be made with gluten free pasta and gluten free breadcrumbs. Is this heaven or what???
My very favorite is the Buffalo Chicken. It is made with Cheddar & American cheeses with chunks of boneless chicken and buffalo wing sauce. Anything buffalo chicken is instantly appealing to me, so buffalo chicken mac and cheese? My mouth is watering just thinking about it! This is pretty much always my go-to, but one time I decided to switch it up and get the Napoletana. This one is made with fresh Mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic, and fresh basil. It's basically pizza mac and cheese, and how could that not be good?
Well, right now, these are my two favorite gluten free NYC restaurants, but I'm sure my list will be growing in the future! Do you have a favorite restaurant in NYC to add to my list? Let me know in the comments!


Rare opportunity to purchase land for business/res. use with direct Hwy 50 frontage! 1.08 acres of lush, wooded land. This Multi Use property, ( even horses are allowed ), is only minutes from Holly Ridge or a quick drive to the beach. Want privacy, this property gives you that too! Timber rights convey!


Word has it over at The Impulsive Buy blog that Pumpkin Spice m&m's are already popping up on store shelves. I need to find these. I would guess that these are white chocolate based, like the Carrot Cake or Candy Corn flavors. But who knows!? Have any readers sampled these? I'd hazard that they'll be absolutely delicious!
They're milk chocolate, actually. They don't have a very pronounced pumpkin flavor: they're more like cinnamon spice M&Ms.
Thank you, Heather! Milk Chocolate! This is so intriguing!!


Over two years later, I can confidently say that Mysore has transformed my body, mind, and spirit - no joke, no exaggeration. Now, if you asked me, I'd say I am still learning the poses, even the very first sun salutation! I rediscover my body, mind, and spirit every day. I can do things I never thought this middle-aged body could do and still I have so much more to learn.
For me, the biggest difference - as compared to how I practiced before with led classes - is that Mysore is MY practice. The approach allows me to truly own my practice and this means it has deepened me in every way. I can take it wherever I go - hotel gyms, visiting family, outside, inside. I am constantly surprised by doing things I never thought I could - like standing on my head for extended time. And along the way I have never been injured or scared off because I get so much support from the amazing, wise teachers who have committed to this journey, too.
I'm deeply grateful to Kacey and Laura for their loving kindness, support and HUMOR in my first two years. I look forward to living the rest of my life with the practice. If you want to explore the universe that is you, step on your mat with the Mysore approach at Yoga Shala.
When my yoga teacher, Laura Josephy asked me if I'd be interested in drawing every pose in the Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series for her teacher training manual, I jumped at the opportunity. I love drawing the human figure. The challenge of making 75 studies felt like an extension of my own yoga practice and an opportunity to deepen my understanding of anatomy. What I hadn't anticipated was the profound nature of the journey, both artistically and personally. I'm learning so much from the repetition and discipline required to work with this much consistency. The fine nature of the drawing style requires a level of concentration and absorption I haven't experienced since I was an art student. I have a yoga anatomy book under my easel, along with David Swenson's seminal Practice Manual for reference.
Uniting other disciplines with art is not a new venture for me. I graduated from the University of the West of England in 1997, with a degree in Art and Visual Culture. The program was an experimental blend of studio art, philosophy, theology, politics and history. It suited me because I love ideas as much as I love making art. To me, they are inextricably linked. I've always had a very broad range of academic interests, and am not and expert at anything - I just have a childlike curiosity about things and find connections intriguing.
I first came to Ashtanga around 12 years ago, not long after I moved to Tahoe from Wales. My husband and I had met whilst bouldering our way around Canada and the US. I didn't have my work visa yet, so I took a few classes at Lake Tahoe Community College for something to do and to connect with like-minded people. I took oil painting and figure drawing with Phyllis Shafer and Ashtanga with Amrito Cross. I was too committed to climbing to maintain a regular practice though, and soon ended my daily practice after the quarter was finished.
Shelley's Drawings will be available to view and purchase at our Art of Ashtanga event on November 11 at 6pm.
1). Tell us about the first yoga class you took?
I lived in San Francisco two blocks from the Guru Ram Das Ashram which is housed in a beautiful victorian. The Ashram was founded by a co-op community of students and teachers and is now known as the Kundalini Yoga Center. I remember walking into the building and being seduced by the smell of food cooking. I signed up for a beginner series and learned that they had a community meal each evening after class. At the time, I was living a stressful corporate lifestyle and was craving balance and interactions with mindful people. I went to class at the Ashram 2 nights per week until I moved from SF.
2). What do you remember of the first yoga class you taught?
Last January, I started managing the Shala which gave me the opportunity to be more involved with the yoga community that I love.
In June, I got very lucky and was accepted into Tim Miller's Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series Teacher Training in Encinitas. Because this door opened, I am currently apprenticing/assisting one day per week during Mysore class. I have become surprisingly unattached to the outcome. I love yoga and want to learn as much as possible. Thank you fellow Mysore students for allowing me to learn by pushing on you. ;-) I will also take the Tahoe Yoga Shala 200-hr teacher training which begins in April.
3). Who/what are your teachers? Why?
Laura and Kacey, because they are amazing and I love them. They offer a safe space to practice and grow. The Shala Mysore program is growing and thriving. It's the shared commitment and the love and support from teachers and fellow students that motivate me to practice every day.
I've also been able to spend time with the wonderful teachers at Ashtanga Yoga Center in Encinitas. It was eye opening to study at Tim's studio with people who have been practicing and teaching for so many years. It's not uncommon to see practitioners side by side doing 3rd series or others working on 4th. The community is inviting, happy to share space and teach no matter which series you are practicing. The energy at AYC is magical and inspiring, but there is so much to learn.
4). In what ways has yoga supported or impacted your life?
Yoga has been a part of my life for a long time, but did not become a lifestyle and spiritual path until recently. Practicing daily has had a huge impact on my body and mind. It has opened my heart, helped me gain physical and mental strength and has reduced anxiety. It's meditation, spiritual movement, truth, love, and a path to peace. But it's rarely that simple, because the practice meets me right where I am on any given day. It can be challenging to keep my mind calm when faced with fear, doubt or impatience. Yoga has become a comforting ritual and for me and is ultimately an act of devotion, trust and faith. When I become unmotivated, I remind myself that dedication is a choice.
5). What does your current yoga practice include? Why?
I practice Ashtanga Mysore Style 6 days per week. Mixed in with my Asana practice is pranayama, meditation, chanting and Sanskrit. Like many things in life, it started out of necessity. I was struggling with anxiety caused by a heart condition. I was told by my doctor to stop exercising and not elevate my heart rate, but yoga was ok. Obviously, that doctor had never done Ashtanga because it's really not that easy. One of my earliest observations was that Ashtanga is a breathing practice and that focusing on breath during Asana would calm my mind and help reduce the anxiety. This was much easier to accomplish in the Mysore room with a self-led practice. Now that my heart is fixed and my anxiety is mostly gone, I still practice daily.
6). What currently inspires you?
My dog Lizzi who has been fighting cancer, but continues to love and make the most out of life despite what she goes through.
7). What is your favorite season? Why?
I love Spring. Mostly because there are baby birds, but also because it's such a beautiful season in Tahoe.
8). What secret helps you to maintain balance and stay healthy?
Taking time for myself. This has been a learning process, but it's one of the most important things that I do to keep myself balanced and sane.
9). A fun fact most people don't know about you?
I love wildlife and have been known to do dumb things to observe them more closely. I wouldn't say that these encounters were fun, but they were definitely exciting. I've been bluff charged by a Bull Moose in Canada, a Bull Elk in Yellowstone and a Male Lion in South Africa. I was trying to take photos and got too close.
10). What do you want to share with the Shala community?
I'm so grateful to be a part of the Tahoe Yoga Shala community. I've recently had the opportunity to take a class from each of the teachers at the Shala. What a great experience, they are all wonderful. We are so lucky to have such an experienced team of diverse teachers, each offering their own unique style. It was hard for me to step out of my Mysore comfort zone, but I'm glad I did. Try a different teacher or style of yoga, you might be amazed.
Warning: Practicing Mysore style Ashtanga Yoga might be addicting; it will get you grounded, healthy, strong and flexible.
Mysore Style is the traditional way of learning Ashtanga Yoga. Named after the city in India where it originated, Mysore, is the source of this lineage based yoga method. To practice Mysore Style is, for most, a different experience than what people think of when they go to a yoga class. The poses are taught individually in a group setting. The teacher is not leading everyone through the sequence at the same time. Instead, you will receive one-on-one instruction from the teacher. When you first walk into the Mysore room it may seem chaotic as everyone is doing something different. However Ashtanga is a set sequence of poses that you learn one-by-one, allowing you to commit the sequence to memory over time. Everyone begins the same way, first learning the sun salutations and then the standing poses, and so on. Repetition is used to help you develop a deeper understanding of the sequence each day and gradually you begin to feel at home in the movement-breath patterns. Then, through a dedicated practice, whether one or several days a week, you learn the entire Ashtanga Primary Series poses one by one. By moving slowly through the series you gain strength, endurance, and a sense of empowerment. Since this is individual instruction, the teachers can offer you modifications and personal feedback.
The Ashtanga practice is all about the breath, learning how to move the body with the breath to take the shapes of the sequence, it is not about perfection of poses and achievement. The practice is all about keeping the energy moving. Yoga seeks to transform us, to build awareness of ourselves by connecting mind and body together. Ashtanga emphasizes the breath as the connection for self-awareness and over time the practice reveals the many layers and aspects of ourselves.
The purpose of yoga is to bring peace and balance to our lives. Ashtanga is a sequence of poses designed to detoxify the body, the practice builds strength, stability, stamina, flexibility, and restores range of motion to the joints. It purifies the nervous system and, when done consistently, it helps you to feel balanced and grounded. Anyone of any age can learn Ashtanga. The 4-Week Intro to Mysore Series I am offering in October is an excellent way to learn more about this practice and integrate this style of yoga into your life.
1) Tell us about the first yoga class you took. I had taken a class or two at the gym a few times but I started practicing regularly in 2005. My first class was a really advanced ashtanga class that was way over my head, but I didn't let that scare me away. I was immediately drawn to the calming and grounding nature of yoga and loved the community environment as opposed to a gym.
2) What do you remember of the first yoga class you taught? My teacher training program was actually an apprenticeship program that was ongoing for several years and so I don't recall the "first class" I ever taught. My apprenticeship consisted of assisting with my teacher on a weekly basis and after about 9 months I began to sub classes, and then earned my own weekly class. What I remember most is supporting and being a part of our community on a daily basis and getting to know each student and their needs.
3) Who/what are your teachers? Why? My teacher is Zoe Mai, from Trishula Yoga in Collingswood, NJ. Trishula is a unique yoga school that offers traditional Ashtanga Mysore practice, yoga philosophy, Sanskrit and meditation practices. I feel blessed to have the exposure to many aspects of yoga and a teacher who is established in these practices. I never imagined myself to be a teacher, yet Zoe saw something in me and for her faith, I am forever grateful.
4) In what ways has yoga supported or impacted your life? Yoga has completely transformed my life. I worked in the fashion industry and began practicing yoga as a way to balance out the stress from my hectic work life. Ultimately it's because of the yoga that I transformed my goals and aspirations and ended up living in Tahoe! The practice of yoga brings awareness to your thoughts and behaviors and brings you closer to, or brings you back to who you really are. When I started to pay attention to my fast paced, stressed out lifestyle I started to change my career goals and eventually gave it all up to pursue a simpler, more active life in a community of like-minded people. Yoga supports everything that I do, it keeps me happy and healthy as well as strong and flexible to pursue all of the outdoor adventures Tahoe has to offer.
5) What does your current yoga practice include? Why? I practice Ashtanga Mysore style 5-6 days a week. I'm currently working on the third series – called sthira bhaga, often translated as strength and grace. Sthira means strength and the practice cultivates strength not only in the body but also the in the mind. It's a challenging practice but it's not about the poses. Every day is different and the practice is about keeping the energy moving so at least one or two days a week I practice the primary series.
6) What currently inspires you? The students who tell me how yoga has changed their life inspire me. I often hear that the practice has given them clarity, or has helped to heal years of pain in the body. For some it helps to calm their minds and make them feel grounded. For others, it makes them strong and feeling good about themselves. I'm honored and humbled to be part of the process.
7) What secret helps you to maintain balance and stay healthy? My daily yoga practice keeps me healthy! Also, a short meditation at the end of my asana practice keeps me balanced and feeling grounded.
8) A fun fact most people don't know about you? I've walked over hot coals, twice! I participated in a couple of empowerment seminars that included a fire walk. I got burned pretty badly the second time and remember telling people at work that I cut my foot while walking barefoot outside for fear that people would think I was crazy walking over hot coals!
9) What do you want to share with the Shala community? I'd like to share that my teaching comes from a place of love. Love for each student in the moment, as you are, without expectation or judgment. I often hear that students are intimidated to try the Ashtanga Mysore method, because they 'don't want to think' and rather be 'told what to do', the idea of having to memorize a set sequence seems like 'too much work'. I'd like to share that there is empowerment in moving, breathing and learning the sequence on your own. Ashtanga also tells you exactly what to do, when to inhale and exhale and what comes next. You just need to memorize a little bit each time. And you're not alone, we as the teachers work with you individually and help you to learn every step of the way. Every student has begun the same way, with learning the sun salutations and slowly adding on poses once they commit to showing up. Whether it's once a week or more, the only way to progress is to actually show up and do the work. When you look at other students flowing, what appears to be 'effortlessly', through the vinyasas, what you don't see is that they show up day after day, after month, after year and have committed to the practice. They've struggled and persevered and keep showing up despite the challenges. This is a challenging practice however we modify and make it approachable for every age, and every body type. The Ashtanga method is a system for healing and transforming the body and the mind. The asana practice is a tool to quiet the mind and the stories that we tell ourselves. However it only works if you are willing to take that first step! Come try the Mysore method, there are no expectations, only love and support.
Thanks be to the Yoga Workshop their guidance with this content.
Mysore Style practice is the heart of the Ashtanga Yoga lineage.
The room is quiet and people are in all sorts of different shapes. The teacher is moving from student to student offering individualized instruction and assistance. The sound of the breath, the serious expression on people's faces, the abundance of sweat, and the fact that everyone (except you) seems to know exactly what they are doing can provoke the urge to hightail it right back out the door. Whether you are in South Lake Tahoe or any number of cities around the world; a Mysore Style class definitely leaves a first impression. You need not be a yoga teacher or an advanced practitioner; once you understand what is going on and commit to the practice, you may discover that Mysore Style is an amazing forum for cultivating a transformative yoga practice.
1). a city in Southern India, Karnataka State.
2). a format of an Ashtanga Yoga class.
This style of class is modeled after the Ashtanga Yoga classes in Mysore, India taught by the late Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. A Mysore class provides an opportunity for students to develop a "self practice," which is an integral part of the Ashtanga Yoga method. Students work independently on the particular series of postures that is most appropriate for them. The teacher assists, adjusts and may quietly discuss particular difficulties or concerns with individual students during class.
What is the structure of the class?
Students need not practice for 2 full hours and can come and go anytime during the 2 hour window as is appropriate due to schedule, energy level and experience.
About ten minutes into the official start time of the class, the teacher leads the students through the opening chant. Sometime students come a bit early and begin warming up with sun salutations. However when the teacher announces the opening chant, they come back to stand at the top of the mat in samastithih and chant with the group. If a student finishes their practice early, they take rest for at least 5 minutes in savasana, or final relaxation pose, before quietly leaving. Some students may also arrive later in which case they enter quietly and set up their practice space.
If there's no teacher leading the postures, how do people know what to practice?
The Ashtanga Yoga method is based on a number of specific series of postures which are learned over the course of time and are practiced on a regular basis. Beginning with the "primary series," students gradually, one pose at a time, work through and memorize the sequence of postures. After becoming proficient in one series, the next series is slowly introduced into the practice a few postures at a time. In this way, yoga becomes an individual practice through which breath, feelings, thoughts and sensations may be observed.
What if I forget what comes next in the series?
You can think of the Mysore teacher as a human cheat sheet (we have actual cheat sheets too). Students learn a little of the series at a time and use repetition to commit various sequence to memory. The basic pattern is the same for all of the Ashtanga Series. The practice always begins with 3-5 of both sun salutations, Surya Namaskara A and B. This is followed by the same sequence of standing postures. Next the postures that are contained within a particular series are practiced. This is followed, no matter what series has been practiced, by backbends and finishing postures. A minimum of a 5 minute rest in final relaxation pose concludes the practice. When you first go into a Mysore class it can seem confusing; like people are just doing their own thing or are doing random postures. But once you understand the basic structure of the series, it starts to make sense.
Never hesitate to call a teacher over. That's what the teacher is there for. Teachers scan the room to see who needs help, so usually if you just stop in your practice and wait, the teacher will notice and come over when she has finished helping another student. It is not advised to walk over to the teacher to get their attention—but they'll see you if you signal them.
Why are there series? Why not just do what feels good day to day?
Different series are designed to address different and particular aspects of an integrated yoga practice. The primary series, for example, is grounding; the intermediate series is said to cleanse the nervous system. Following the prescribed sequence serves several functions. First, the series are designed to prepare the body for the postures that follow. Becoming grounded through the primary series makes the practitioner ready to begin opening into deep backbends (which are in the intermediate series) without becoming mentally scattered, emotionally imbalanced, or ego driven—which can happen if back bending is practiced without proper grounding. Also, following a series insures that the less appealing postures are part of the repertoire. It's always a temptation to skip postures we don't like and often these postures are the very ones that will benefit us the most. Finally, by doing the same sequences repeatedly and by practicing on a regular basis—ideally 6 days a week—a rhythmic and meditative form automatically arises. This process allows the students to practice deeply; to move beyond the external form of the practice into the patterns of thought and emotional that shape the body from the inside. As we give space to the inner recesses of our bodies, we slowly release ourselves from subconscious patterns of conditioning. This is the practice of Yoga.
When there isn't a teacher guiding a led class, the responsibility falls squarely on the practitioner to practice with authenticity and intelligence. This form of introspective practice allows the student to observe the feelings, thoughts and sensations that arise during the practice and to gradually stop grasping at the pleasant experiences while rejecting the unpleasant ones. It allows the student to cultivate a visceral understanding of change and impermanence and a meditative state automatically arises.
If I've never been to a Mysore class before, is it OK to just show up?
Yes! That's actually a great way to begin the practice. It's helpful if you have some idea about what Ashtanga Yoga is, but even if you're not sure you're up to speed, beginners are always welcome. Some students find it helpful to attend guided classes at the studio to get a sense of the Ashtanga system before checking out Mysore. We offer Intro to Mysore Series on a quarterly basis but this is not a pre-requisite if you want to dive directly into a Mysore class.
All sorts of people from beginners to long-time practitioners. The Ashtanga method is perfect for young, athletically oriented people. At the same time this practice is something that can benefit you when you at any age and at any phase of health. You'll find that any given class has a wide range of age, experience, flexibility and strength in attendance. It can appear when you first walk into class that everyone is advanced, because people seem to know what they're doing and because they are practicing on their own, but many beginning students practice Mysore Style.
How do I know it's time to move on to a new posture or start a new series?
Students work with the teachers individually to determine when it is appropriate from them to move on, modify or experiment with new postures. Students are encouraged to practice within their capability of focus, strength and flexibility. We do not encourage students to breeze through a series or skip postures 'they cannot do' or don't like.
Our Mysore teachers meet on a regular basis in order to offer a coordinated approach for students. We try to keep abreast of each student's needs so that we can help the students from our own experience. The decision to move a student onto the next pose is not purely based on physical ability. The student's overall mental, emotional, energetic and physical gestalt is considered. Mysore Style practice is a process that requires time, consistency, patience, curiosity, introspection and dedication. It may take a year or more to learn the full primary series. Ultimately the practice is not about the postures themselves but the internal process they reveal. The mat the microcosm, is the laboratory where we run experiments and gather data about how we are predisposed to think, speak and act when presented with various circumstances. This data is then applied to the macrocosm of daily lifestyle practices and choices.
One central aspect of the Ashtanga system is the ujjayi pranayama — breathing with sound. A sound that is made by breathing through the nose but from the throat. A gentle contraction in the throat creates an audible whisper. Sometimes people get overly enthusiastic and may begin to breathe with too much force, but generally it is a smooth, even and non-aggressive sounding breath. The breath is intended to be a means of focusing the mind and inviting the practitioner enter a state of meditation. As a general rule, inhaling is associated with expansive, opening, spreading, lifting types of movements. Exhaling is associated with contracting, dropping, grounding and curling types of movements.
Bandhas are internal seals that contain body and lend it strength and grace. The three principle bandhas used throughout the posture practice are mula bandha, the pelvic floor lock, uddiyana bandha, the abdominal lock, andjalandhara bandha, the neck lock. Bandhas stabilize potentially vulnerable areas of the body while imbuing the postures themselves with buoyancy and ease. With breath there is bandha. In general, the exhale is correlated with mula bandha and the inhale is correlated with uddiyana bandha.
Each pose has a preferred dristi or gazing point. The gaze is another mindfulness training tool that encourages the student to attune to the sensations of their own body-mind. The gaze is soft and focused, never gripping nor darting. The most common gazing point is the nose, though some postures may have a gaze at the fingertips, the eyebrows, the hand or the navel.
I feel like when I practice by myself I get stuck and I think too much. Should I just go to a guided class instead?
When first beginning a self-practice it can be difficult to stay focused. That's one of the benefits of memorizing the sequence slowly over time; by knowing what posture comes next and by simply keeping moving, the mind doesn't have as much of an opportunity to wander. By keeping the gaze steady, the movement coordinated with the breathing, and by coming back again and again to the sound of the breath the mind gradually begins to release and relax and drop in.
Cultivating a meditative form of practice takes time and patience, but it is well worth it and cannot ever happen in a guided class to the depth that it can when doing self-practice.


Why should I be surprised, Lord? That I would have an amazing God-encounter at church today?
It was so like You, dear Abba… to use a child as Your messenger. A messenger who lived The Message without realizing it. She was the acolyte at today's traditional service. How old was she, Lord? Maybe six? No more than eight?
As she approached the altar, the candle lighter went out. Everyone noticed. But her Dad was the one who stepped forward. With his pocket-sized Bic, he relit it for her. Then went back to his seat.
Arriving at the altar, she extended the lighter to the candle and… it went out again. So again, her father came to her rescue. He held his spark against her lighter's wick. He tried… and tried… and tried. Then he tried some more.
So he lit the candles himself — first one, then the other. And they both went to their reserved seats in the front row.
The perspective of my Everlasting Father. Who rushes to rescue His precious little girl whenever her flame goes out. Whenever her wick is insufficient for the task. Whenever she fails to live up to the expectations of those around her… or even her own.
How often that little girl has been me.
You rushed to my aid long before I knew You, Lord. When my light was about to go out forever, You became my Light in the darkness. Once I was blind. Now I see.


Here lies Thinking Chocolate, so dubbed by this week's group of young Writopians, who after an hour or so of character hijinks and plot shenanigans, need to resuscitate their writing mojo with a snack.
Fortunately, The Voracious Reader doubles as a tea shoppe and is happy to oblige their whimsies. It takes energy and brain power to create and brainstorm these fantasy stories.
Now it has been proven that a little bit of glucose will replenish your mental capacities, and help you make better decisions.
Thinking chocolate: not too small to make you want more, and not too big to make you sick. Just the perfect amount to stimulate the brain.
Here they are, modeling with the chocolate: Sam, Claudia, Meagan, Johnnie and Peter. After a dose of thinking chocolate, they are able to dive back into their tales with gusto.
We are only together three hours each morning, and when 1PM rolls the kids can't believe how fast the time has flown. "Can't we write all day?"
With thinking chocolate, anything is possible.
That article is fascinating, but after a morning working, deciding how much of the article to read, how long to read, and what to say in my comment, I have decision fatigue. I must have thinking chocolate so I can resist distractions and finish my work. My WIP depends on it. Thank you for another reason to nibble!
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You're Dressing Up Like What?
Some basics and a simple guide for not making a major mistake during Halloween.
by: Jesse S. Lyons, Director of Communications (w/resources from Willis HRH).
Halloween is a time to reflect on our values and make good decisions regarding our actions and perception. Halloween is a time when the most creative people on earth (college students) cobble together the best and worst of costumes. Somehow, we transition from a young child dressed as Superman, or a Fireman, or some other innocuous cute figure to a young adult who wants to choose a shocking costume to be funny. Why do we dress up when we're kids? To get candy and enjoy a few hours not being who we normally have to be. Why do we dress up as a young adult? So we can have fun and enjoy a few hours forgetting about classes and exams. The last thing we have in mind is to offend anyone or hurt our reputation. After all its Halloween–a night with a free pass right?
Wrong. Let me be clear. Dress up, be creative, use those leftover supplies lying around your house so you can become known as a Halloween "MacGyver," creating the best and funniest costume you can. But follow some ground rules. Remember, you're not a comedian. You can't claim artistic influence as a defense. You're a student and must face all consequences: bad reputation, social media explosion, job applications, internet searches, and on and on. This means nothing that can be construed as insensitive to any groups of people. Nothing hateful or derogatory. Also, as gentlemen, nothing degrading to women, even if others want you to do so. Its simple, use those creative skills we all have in college and make something awesome and/or funny. Something you wouldn't mind everyone seeing ALL week and the following year. And as for guests at a Halloween party? When they're coming in to be checked off the guest list, take a hard look at their outfit. If it doesn't meet the above criteria, turn them away. Do not take on their liability.
Have a great time, be creative, and enjoy Halloween without worrying about lingering outcomes. It'll be much more fun.
What follows below are some information from our insurance company. Use this also as specific guidelines.
DOES THIS EVENT RELY ON STEREOTYPES OF CERTAIN GROUPS OR ENCOURAGE OFFENSIVE DRESS?
IF BOTH MEN AND WOMEN ARE INVITED, OR EVENT IF THEY ARE NOT, DOES THE EVENT/TITLE STEREOTYPE ONE OF THOSE GENDERS?
NOT SURE IF A THEME IS SEXIST? TRY INTERCHANGING THE WORD/THEME WITH A RACIAL WORD/THEME.
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SEND PHOTOS OF YOUR EVENT TO YOUR PARENTS, YOUR INTER/ NATIONAL OFFICE, THE CAMPUS NEWSPAPER, OR YOUR COLLEGE PRESIDENT.
The following are not policies, rules, or punishable restrictions. They are simply suggestive measures and guidelines to help you and your chapters think about the way you represent yourselves to the larger campus community.
Finally, here is another resource, in flyer form, you can distribute as needed.


Students who transfer into the College of Liberal Arts must complete at least 30 semester hours of coursework as a student registered through the college and at least half of the courses required in the major at Temple University.
Lower-Level courses numbered 1000-1999: open to all students including non-matriculated students who are in the process of completing or who have completed appropriate course prerequisites.
Upper-Level courses numbered 2000-4999: open to all matriculated students who have completed all appropriate course prerequisites.
Students in the College of Liberal Arts must declare their major before completing 60 credits, which includes credits transferred from other institutions. Undeclared students with 45 or more credits are required to meet with an advisor in the Academic Advising Center before registering. Students who wish to Intra-University Transfer (IUT) into the College of Liberal Arts from other colleges and schools at Temple must have at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA. Students will not be permitted to IUT as undeclared majors if they have completed, or are in the process of completing, 60 or more semester hours.
Upon completion of 80 semester hours, all students are required to review with an advisor in the Academic Advising Center a summary sheet indicating the degree requirements that remain to be completed. Students can schedule this review in the Academic Advising Center. Students who miss or arrive late to this appointment will not be granted a second formal appointment and must see an advisor on a walk-in basis to discuss their remaining requirements. Graduation review appointments by e-mail are now available; students may inquire about e-mail graduation reviews by sending a message to clagrad@temple.edu.
Graduating students are responsible for confirming their final semesters' registrations with an academic advisor prior to the start of that semester. Graduating students who in any way change their final semesters' registrations after previously confirming their registrations with an advisor are responsible for ensuring the changes will fulfill all degree requirements. Graduation is contingent upon completion of all General Education, college, major, and grade point average degree requirements.
Early in the semester in which students will complete their degree requirements, they must apply for graduation by completing an application titled "Application for Graduation," available either at the reception desk of the Advising Center or online (prospective graduates will be notified via Temple e-mail with instructions on applying online for graduation). Students are responsible for ensuring their intended graduation date is up-to-date. Forms to change intended graduation dates are available at the Advising Center.
All incoming freshmen must take diagnostic English and mathematics placement tests. Transfer students who have not completed English 0802/1002 or a college-level math course are also required to take placement examinations. The results of these tests determine if students are required to enroll in introductory composition and mathematics courses. Students assigned to English 0701/0711 must register each semester for that course until the requirement is completed. Only upon successful completion of English 0701/0711 can such students enroll in English 0802/1002/1012. Students assigned to courses designed to remedy deficiencies in mathematics are required to complete those courses before enrolling in the mathematics component of the University General Education Program. Incoming students must also take a foreign language placement examination if they plan to continue a language previously studied or if they wish to place out of the foreign language requirement.
During the first two weeks of the fall or spring semester, students may drop a course with no record of the class appearing on the transcript. In weeks three through nine of the fall or spring semester, or during weeks three and four of the summer sessions, students may withdraw with the permission of the Academic Advising Center. Instructors' signatures are not required to withdraw. The course will be recorded on the transcript with the instructor's notation of "W," indicating that the student withdrew. After week nine of the fall or spring semester, or week four of summer sessions, students may not withdraw from courses.
For the complete drop/withdrawal policy, please refer to the Academic Policies section of this Bulletin.


This comment by Socrates continues to make waves in the lives of people even in our time because it is relevant to man even in the present day. "Unexamined life is not worth living" The life of reflection distinguishes us greatly. It makes us command great respects from others. Once we live a life of reflection we exhibit high moral values which make us acceptable, commands respect and judge desirable by all. Reflecting about one's life, Wikihow gives this opinion, "Reflection is the art of pondering on one's virtues and faults. It is also the ability to reflect on the "here and now", on your feelings and thoughts. This also includes reflecting on the thoughts, emotions and the feelings of others. This can help to improve oneself as you assess and reflect upon the decisions you made in life. Use your reflections as an opportunity to make profound and a constructive or positive change in your life. This may require letting go of some people and retaining others. This will depend greatly on the outcome of your reflections, also on the accuracy and intuitive feelings of these reflections." If you live a reflective life, your sense of maturity will be high, you will know what to do and what not to do. What to say and what not to say.
Luke 15:17-20 tells us "At last he came to his senses and said, 'All my father's hired workers have more than they can eat, and here I am about to starve! I will get up and go to my father and say, "Father, I have sinned against God and against you. I am no longer fit to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired workers."' So he got up and started back to his father." The Prodigal son examined his life and it was only after self-examination that he came back to his senses and returned to his father. He stepped forward to do what he was supposed to do.
Pray for the grace to always examine your life especially with regard to your daily activities.
Let us pray for those who abuse their positions by the way they live their lives that they make amends.
Exercise: Take sometime today to reflect on your life.


Lines from Linderhof: Tea for Two . . . Or Three. . . Or Four. . .
I love blue and white dishes -- and most of them in the sideboard in the breakfast room are Spode Blue Room -- most of them! It's where I take both my morning and afternoon tea. So the teapots and the tea cups are handy. To be grabbed at a moment's notice when the pot starts to boil.
Wedgwood Asiatic Pheasant, Spode Blue Room (a gift from daughter Sarah), a Blue Willow that I brought home from England, and lastly, a Spode Blue Italian (a gift from husband Jim).
The breakfast room sideboard is the perfect place to store the teapots -- they fit perfectly in the bottom shelf -- like they were meant to be.
And the tea cups are behind glass doors to the left of the pots.
It's Monday which means that it's time for Blue Monday at Smiling Sally's. Join her to see what other blues there are this Monday. I, for one, would like to see some blue skies. But, alas, more snow is expected tonight and tomorrow -- which means that our world on the prairie will be white once again!
Beautiful blue and white china, Martha!! I love your breakfast room~~so cozy!
Martha the teapots! That line up of Blue and White is a visual feast.
Delights for the tea drinker.
You really have such beautiful pieces..not just dishes but all the serving pieces, etc. And I know you use them and enjoy them..
Hope you miss the snow...we missed a big storm this weekend, hope we dodge the one coming Tues too!
What a beautiful collection of teapots. How wonderful that you use it all of the time.
That's a great collection of Blue and White I also have a small collection of it. And I also like your urns in front of your home..
What an exquisite collection of tea pots, Martha ... and your sideboard is truly a work of art.
What a beautiful display of precious china, Martha! Happy Blue Monday.
Everything you shared for today is beautiful. You have a very nice collection of blue china.
Beautiful! I love my Spode Blue Room plates - we use them every night. I just think even the simplest meal looks prettier on them.
That is love at first sight! Blue & white is my favorite combination!
OH MY, this is eye candy! Your sideboard is gorgeous, and then filled with wonderful teapots? Sigh. Just gorgeous!
We're getting more snow today as well. Thank goodness - we really need the moisture, but I'll be out shoveling (probably for days)!
Thank you for leaving me such a sweet comment at my blog - wishing you a very lovely day today!
Oh Martha, you really have some beautiful pieces. Your breakfast room is just lovely.
We are to get more snow here starting tomorrow afternoon too.
Such a beautiful collection! I'd be afraid to actually use any of it, though (I'm such a klutz). Hope you get some blue skies very soon!
Beautiful! I am coveting not only all your blue and white but the gorgeous buffet as well!
I do love your blue china. What a beautiful collection and such a pleasure to use I'm sure.
They are just as lovely as can be.
i really love your blue & white china especially the ones from Spode.. I drool at your covered china.. all so beautiful!..