text:
Deeper Walk
Are We Allowed to Ask God Questions?
What the Bible Really Says About Feeling Anxious
God is Relevant
'Spit Hit the Fan': Pastor Mike Todd Apologizes for His Viral Sermon Illustration
Sitting Between
The Threshold of Glory
How to Become the New Spiritual You
Every Life Is a Story. Here's How to Make Yours a Good One.
Revolutionize How You Pray in 2022
How to Find Rest in Restless Times
Why the Church Needs More Troublemakers
A Video of Mike Todd Wiping His Spit on a Man's Face Went Viral and People Are Pretty Disturbed
Why We Need More Women In Ministry
New You—Special Series
Do You Really Need a Master's Degree?
The Florida State Government Will Monitor University Student and Faculty Beliefs
Education for the Common Good
5 Apps Every Student Needs
Don't Confuse Your Diet for a Fast
Can We Really Turn the Corner on Mental Health?
Having Mental Health Issues Doesn't Make You a Bad Christian
How to Get Into the Best Mental Health Shape of Your Life
The New Single from PUP Is the Burst of Early '00s-Inspired Rock Your Week Needs
Daniel Radcliffe Will Play 'Weird Al' Yankovic in a Biopic Because We Live in a World of Chaos
Watch Oscar Isaac Attempt to Break the Cycle in the First Trailer for Marvel's 'Moon Knight'
Crypto Bros Spent Millions on a 'Dune' Book Because They Thought It'd Give Them Rights to Make a 'Dune' Movie
12 Novels That Can Shape Your Spiritual Life
Remembering Anne Rice's Long, Complicated, Ultimately Triumphant Spiritual Struggle
A Man's Rape Conviction Was Cleared After a Netflix Producer Noted Flaws While Making a Movie About the Case
Dr. Hillary McBride on Living an Embodied Life
Nothing Can Prepare You For the Trailer to '2025,' the Latest Post-Apocalyptic Christian Movie
A Movie About the Beanie Baby Craze Is in the Works With Zach Galifianakis, Elizabeth Banks and Sarah Snook
Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and Ye Will Headline Coachella 2022, Pandemic or No Pandemic
Kanye West is a 'jeen-yuhs' in New Netflix Documentary
Looks Like the Angel Olsen, Julien Baker and Sharon Van Etten Crossover We Didn't Know We Needed Is Happening
Former Chicago Blackhawks Player Kyle Beach Says He Is the Player Suing the Team Over Sexual Assault
The Super Bowl Halftime Show Looks Like It'll Be One for the Ages
Ryan Coogler and A24 Are Teaming Up for a Steph Curry Documentary
Simone Biles Continues To Prove Herself, Even Though She Doesn't Have To
Christian Leaders Don't See Any Issues With the First Successful Pig-to-Human Heart Transplant
Two Cops Were Fired For Ignoring a Robbery to Chase a Snorlax in Pokemon Go
How to Manage Technology Better in a Pandemic
Oh Great, Now Debt Collectors Can Slide Into Your DMs
Netflix's New Murder Mystery Series 'Murderville' Will Star Will Arnett and One, Big, Improvisational Twist
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Martin Luther King Jr.'s Family Calls For a Halt to Celebrating MLK Day Until Congress Moves On Voting Rights
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Turkmenistan May Finally Close Its Gateway to Hell
Elmo Being Pushed to the Brink by a Pet Rock Is Incredible to Behold
Hidden Valley Will Attempt to Ruin Your Christmas by Introducing 'RanchNog' Into the World
Never Forget About Christian Clown Ministry
How Many of These Classic Christian Girl Autumn Activities Have You Tried?
Homer Plessy, Man Behind 'Separate But Equal' Ruling, Pardoned By Governor
The Real War on Christmas
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A Third Way Between War and Pacifism
Is It Possible to Care About Every Issue?
Practical Ways to Shop Ethically This Christmas
The Wrong Way to Approach the Poor
Lisa Sharon Harper: Justice Is at the Heart of the Gospel
Hundreds of Rikers Detainees Are Protesting Horrifying Conditions
Harrison Ford's Resurfaced Call To Take Action on Climate Change Is a Must-Watch
Newark, New Jersey's Ordinance Prohibiting Feeding the Hungry Is a Violation of Religious Freedom
These Organizations Could Use Your Help This Time of Year
How Becoming a 'Tree-Hugger' Can Change Your Faith
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A Tennessee State Rep Is Accusing Bethany Christian Services of 'Trafficking' Migrants
So, You Want to Change the World? Start With Your Neighborhood
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Today's Devotional: Deeper Than Words Called
by RELEVANT
Mitch Albom is the best-selling author of Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven. We talked with him about his most recent book, Have a Little Faith, as well as what inspires the spiritual messages of his writing and where he goes to find hope.
Spiritual themes permeate all your books, but in your own life, in the day to day, how do you see faith working? How do you keep faith in the mundane?
Sometimes people talk about faith only in big, broad, gigantic strokes, like deep prayer when somebody is sick, and non-stop praying when someone loses a job. But I think faith is much more of an everyday thing. I think the principles of your faith—[of] Christianity—taking care of the least of us … what a beautiful phrase that is. And that doesn't mean you necessarily have to spend every minute of your day like Mother Teresa, but you can be walking through the town you live in, and see someone who is having a hard time. It's the difference between stopping and giving them some money, or talking to them, and not, which is what most people do. In the same way, something good happens to you, someone gives you a raise, or throws you a party, or you have good friends, and you take a moment, and look up, and you say: "Thank you, God, for what I've been given here. This is a blessing."
That's a small, little act of faith. They're not always these big, huge, sweeping [things].
What's the message you hope people will take from your new book, Have a Little Faith?
About nine years ago, my childhood rabbi asked me if I would do his eulogy. I said, "Well, I'm overwhelmed by the request, but if you want me to do the eulogy, I need to get to know you better as a human being." We ended up having all these really long, interesting visits and theological discussions, and I got to see a man of God behind the scenes.
While that was happening, I was also getting to know a pastor here in Detroit, where I live. He had grown up very poor, became a criminal, a thief, a prisoner, a drug dealer and a drug addict. And then he turned his life over to Jesus just after his 30th birthday. And now he runs this church here in Detroit, which is very, very poor and dilapidated.
And I thought, "This is so interesting, because these are two very different people—a white man, a black man, a Jew, a Christian, suburban well-to-do, and inner-city poverty. And yet, they are both the same in one very critical area of faith. Their faith is what guides them." Faith was guiding the rabbi as he was approaching his death, and faith was guiding the pastor as he was trying to keep his church from collapsing. And I thought that this is a very simple story for me to be moving back and forth between these two men, but it's got a lot of bigger ramifications for people to learn from.
You talk about a lot of people from different religions—people who would quickly and easily disagree with each other. How do you reconcile that?
Quarterlife Movies, Quarterlife
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The best way I can answer that is with a story I wrote about in [Have a Little Faith]. Toward the end of the rabbi's life, he made a joke about how he asked God to give me many more years on earth, [so] when we saw each other again, he and I would have a lot to talk about. And I said, " Do you really think we're going to see each other again?" And he said, "Well, don't you?" And I said, "Well, I don't think I'm going to the same level you're going to." And he said, "What do you mean?" And I said, "You're a man of God." And he looked at me very sweetly, and said: "You're a man of God, too. Everyone is."
When he said that, you could have knocked me over with a brick, because for a 90-year-old man, who had been nothing but righteous, and pious, and a religious leader his whole life, to put himself on the same level as me, that was humbling. I think it also showed what true faith is—that everyone you see is a man of God, a woman of God, a child of God. And if you look at everyone on the planet that way, and say, "These are all God's creations, and ultimately, we all came from God's creation." If people absorbed that sort of philosophy, we'd be a lot nicer to one another, and the differences we have would be much smaller than the similarities.
In the midst of a world that can seem very hopeless, you still write about hope. What drives you to that? What gives you that hope?
If you lived where I lived, you'd be the same way. In Detroit, [we have] 30 percent unemployment and almost 100,000 abandoned buildings. If you don't get up every morning with hope, you're going to have a hard time getting up in the morning. There's nothing but sad news around here. Hope is what gets you through. Hope is faith, to me. They're intertwined. You have to believe things can get better, and you have to believe there is a bigger force at work.
This article originally appeared in Neue magazine.
RELEVANT July 6, 2010
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Last week, I wrote a blog about the trees of the country. This week is time to talk about my favourite subject…animals!
I could write so many things about the wildlife of Senegal, but because this is a CECI blog and some of the readers may be other volunteers or people visiting the country, I will write about two practical issues: where to see animals and a few rules we should follow when interacting with wild animals, mostly to be sure that we don't have a negative impact on the wildlife.
The absolutely best place to see animals, and this may be a rule worldwide, are National Parks. Here, usually huge pieces of land are being protected for a special reason, the animals are there!
• Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary close to St-Louis, one of the best places in the world to see aquatic birds such as thousands of white pelicans, flamingoes, shore birds and egrets.
• Langue of Barbarie is also located in the St-Louis area and a great birdwatching spot.
• Niokolo-Koba in the South East is the star of National Parks, with an amazing biodiversity including the Koba antelope, which give the name to the park and it is one of the few places where we could potentially see chimps!
• The Village of Turtles in the road to the Pink Lake. Here they have more than 250 turtles from Senegal, and some exotic ones. They specialise in reproducing the giant and endangered Sulcata tortoise, and releasing them in the Ferlo Reserve. They are located in the Botanical Reserve of Noflaye, which is a relic of the forest of the Niayes region. Many of the indigenous trees have their name indicated, so you can learn about trees in this visit!
Now the ethics part… While we love animals, and we may love to interact with them, we as travellers or tourists don't want to have a negative impact in the wildlife of the country. Because where there is a demand there will be an offer, in most cases it is better to just abstain to pay for objects or activities if the ethics are doubtful.
• In the same way, you should never pay to 'release' caged birds, may be the intentions are good, but you are only perpetuating the capturing of small birds. If you see this things happening, or wild birds being sold as pets, you may try to contact the police, or the Ministry of Water and Forests. If you are persistent enough, like I am, they may even listen to you and go to the market to seize Senegal Parrot and small birds! In Thies, they agreed, and we did this together. Now, six parrots and twenty something small birds are flying free instead of living their life in a small cage!
• If you come across an exotic animal that you feel may be released, be very careful! It may be a species from another area, and you may be creating a problem of an exotic species, such as the lion fish, the Florida turtles, and so many others that were released by owners, and now are creating a great environmental problem, eating and competing with the native species. Some animals may also not survive in the wild if they don't know how to hunt or look for food. It is better to contact the professionals: rangers, wildlife agents, etc.
• If you want pets, really check the status and the conditions of the animals you are buying. Give priority to domestic animals that have being born in captivity and are used to it. They are way better pets than wild animals!
• Don't kill or ask to kill animals just because you are afraid. Animals will be more scared than you! Even snakes prefer to go away in an unexpected encounter…just let them leave! Bats don't get mixed in our hair! Frogs, lizards, geckos, scorpions, spiders, they all have an important role in eating mosquitoes and other insects, and I promise…they prefer to keep going with their lives rather than interfering with ours!
Ok, lots of don'ts…so what CAN you do?
• Visit the national parks and reserves, do bird watching tours, snorkel and dive. Support the ecotourism economy, residents will understand that animals are more valuable alive than dead!
• Be a guardian of all living creatures, as I do! Offer to relocate animals or insects that may otherwise be killed, do it in a safe way of course, or try to find help if you don't know how…Call me… if I am near, I will gladly help!
Enjoy the amazing wildlife of Senegal, you may find it even in your backyard! In my garden in Thies, we have an African hedgehog that took residence, three giant Gambian rats, black kites and fruit eating bats nesting in the mango tree, grey turacos passing by each morning, common bulbuls, red bellied finches, doves, geckos, lizards, all kinds of insects, including termites. I even had a beautiful sunbird male entering my room to find spiders in the corner! On top of this, we adopted two kittens and a puppy…just to make place to the domestic animals too!
Biodiversity is everywhere… let's try hard to keep it like that and to respect all forms of life!
Sulcata tortoise in the Village of Turtles between Rufisque and the Pink Lake.


During presentations at the open session, FDA officials expressed their belief that a successful FOP labeling scheme should be widely adopted, standardized, grounded in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and capable of being used by a wide range of consumers--including those who may not use the Nutrition Facts panel.
Como objetivos asociados estudiaremos la diferencia de medias del FID con FCV, FOP y CIT; asi como la influencia de la comorbilidad con el trastorno y del nivel de actividad social o escolar en la probabilidad de FID < (FCV + FOP)/2.
Kaplan, Isaac and Rose Nassau Professor of Orthopedic Molecular Medicine, chief of the Division of Orthopedic Molecular Medicine and director of the Center for Research in FOP and Related Disorders at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, is a world-renowned expert on FOP and knows many of the world's FOP sufferers by name.
Kaplan founded the FOP Molecular Biology Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
The objectives of this study were to determine whether the genetics of resistance to Fop race 4 differ between common bean germplasm from races Durango and Mesoamerica and to estimate narrow-sense heritability of resistance found in race Mesoamerica.
But the FOP appears to be backpedaling on that approach.
The FOP and CODY share the same mission: to bring officers home at night to their families," said Frances N.
FOP is a rare genetic disorder where the body turns muscle into bone.
A spokeswoman for charity FOP Friends said: "FOP turns children into human statues - a healthy mind in a frozen body.
Whether regulated by the government or self-regulated by the industry, the primary goal of FOP nutrition information disclosure is to help consumers more easily determine if a particular food item is a healthy choice and to facilitate food comparisons within and across categories.
With FOP procedures, the participant is given a set amount of time to complete the entire task (e.
FOP and shelf labelling refers to simple, easily identifiable labels on FOP or shelf tags beside product prices, which can be organized into nutrient-specific or summary systems.
According to the university, there are an estimated 1,200 people suffering from FOP worldwide.
El hallazgo de coagulos y del FOP en el intraoperatorio confirmo el desarrollo de tromboembolismo pulmonar y embolismo paradojal.


Deploying isn't considered a QLE, by itself. If you deploy and your family chooses to relocate to a new country, city, or region, the change of address for the family members will trigger a QLE.
Visit Moving to learn more.
Always keep your family's information current in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).
Make sure your family knows how to get health care while you're away.
Make a list of important phone numbers.
Go to Contact Us for up-to-date phone numbers.
Enrolled in TRICARE Prime Remote?
You can remain enrolled in TRICARE Prime Remote when your sponsor deploys, as long as you do not move from the designated TRICARE Prime Remote location. To find out more, contact your regional contractor.
Need help talking to your kids?
Download a copy of "My Life - A Kids' Journal" designed for military children whose parent or loved one is deployed.


TL;DR – or why you should read this piece: A Quality Checklist is a detailed, yet concise, document that outlines a customer's requirements for manufacturing and inspecting their product and its packaging. Checklists are one of the most important tool when it comes to ensure the quality of a product. It serves as instructional guides for any QC staff inspecting the goods before shipping. They also help buyers hold their suppliers accountable when any issues are found during inspection.
This week, we'll continue our exploration of Quality control. After reading about the importance of quality control, we'll deep dive into one of its main tools: quality checklists.
Sourcing in China can be daunting, especially when you don't have years of experience doing it. When you manage to avoid the pitfalls of selecting the right supplier, it's time to get real with Quality Control.


Click here to access a free preview of the MBA, Your Own Way course!
Learn how to use massive open online courses, MOOCs, to get a business education equivalent to an MBA - at a fraction of the price. This course teaches you how to structure and plan for a MOOC-based business education, including goal-setting, choosing your courses, and developing a schedule and a budget for your studies. In addition to the classroom based components of the MBA curriculum, you will also learn how to get out of the classroom and into the real world to practice your new skills, build your network, and leverage your education for career advancement.
What do you already know about studying business using MOOCs?
Laurie Pickard is the founder of No-Pay MBA [https://www.nopaymba.com] and is passionate about helping people get a world-class business education without breaking the bank. No-Pay MBA attracts readers from nearly every country in the world and has been covered by Fortune, the Financial Times, Bloomberg Business, Entrepreneur, and CNN Money. Laurie runs No-Pay MBA from Rwanda, where she moonlights as an international development professional, focusing on building public-private partnerships. She is also hard at work on a book about the future of business education. Laurie can be found on Twitter @NoPayMBA.


"The Camilla" is a limited edition, signed, numbered, and dated 11" x 14" giclée print on archival cotton paper. Only 50 will be released at this time.
These are custom orders created by George Lee Fine Art in Greenville, SC. Please allow 1-2 weeks for order placement and shipping.


text:
Rise of the Sex Robots
By Mike Adams
The sex doll industry is creating sex robots that not only look and feel human—they can also serve as fully interactive companions. But will android lovers ever really replace flesh-on-flesh intimacy?
Sex dolls have really come a long way from a time when, for less than 40 bucks, a desperate man could take home an inflatable mistress with a few penetrable features and commence with coital congress with zero complaints. Although a damn good bargain for the boner on a budget, these novelty companions had several design flaws. For starters, they were made of vinyl, so if a guy didn't use a high-quality lube before humping one into oblivion, he was likely to suffer friction burns and maybe even a gnarly pelvic rash that resembled crabs. The dolls also weren't much to look at—they often bore the gawd-awful appearance of something more like a surprised alien in drag than anything remotely close to human. Still, even though they were used for gag gifts as often as they were employed as faux lovers, for the boys of the Ain't Getting None club, these cheap, air-filled lays worked in a pinch.
"My co-workers gave me a blow-up doll many moons ago during a company Christmas party. I think it was called Anal Annie," Gerald, a 52-year-old account manager from Louisville, Kentucky, tells HUSTLERMagazine.com. "What I remember most is this thing having massive breasts, like double D's, and holes in all the right places. I ended up taking it home after the party."
Gerald never had any intention of lovin' up Annie, but he admits—with much embarrassment—that she had an irresistible allure. "It just sat there on the couch, for days, taunting me," he recalls. "I had a few drinks one night after a long shift, and I hadn't been laid in a while. Suddenly this doll started looking pretty good. I was like, Fuck it, why not? It was my rock bottom."
Hey, don't judge! It gets lonely out there. It can be difficult to find a partner that checks all your boxes. And going out in pursuit of a casual one-nighter isn't always easy for the socially awkward. Furthermore, dating is hard, dating apps aren't for everyone and people, well, sometimes they just suck.
"We get a lot of things from our intimate relationships in addition to sex. A sex robot could help with one thing that our human relationships may lack (excellent, reliable, always available, perhaps exciting sex). But will the sex robot also provide companionship?"
Bryony Cole on the Age of Sex Tech
The Future of Sex Toys

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text:
Franklin County Free Press > Local Sports News > Raiders sports: Women's basketball team drops close game
Raiders sports: Women's basketball team drops close game
Bill Morgal
SU's women's basketball team dropped a close game Saturday with No. 7 Gannon, 68-59, but held strong during most of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) mandated crossover at Heiges Field House.
READ: Raiders sports: Destiny Jefferson scoring helps SU win
Shippensburg (5-3, 1-1 PSAC) opened the game with a 5-0 run and held Gannon (5-1, 1-1) scoreless for the first five minutes of the game. The Golden Knights did not reach double figures until three minutes into the second quarter; and the Raiders led by 11 points at halftime.
Gannon opened the third quarter with a 9-0 run but still trailed by four points entering the final quarter. GU closed the third quarter with four straight points and continued that run into the fourth quarter to tie the score with 8:29 left. The Golden Knights pulled away with a 17-2 run and went 4-of-5 from three-point range in the fourth quarter after making only one three-pointer in the first 30 minutes
The Raiders shot 40% from the field, including 3-of-10 from three-point range, but shot 57% (12-of-21) from the free-throw line. Gannon had a 39-33 rebounding advantage and was 13-of-18 (72%) from the free-throw line.
Senior Destiny Jefferson (Scranton, Pa./West Scranton (West Chester)) led the Raiders with 22 points, four rebounds, and four steals. Junior Lauren Pettis (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Township) had 14 points, six rebounds and a career-high four steals.
Sophomore Treasure George (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) was the third Raider with double figures, posting 12 points, a team-high four assists, and a steal. Junior Lauren Mills (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) finished with a team high of seven rebounds and was 2-of-2 from the free-throw line.
Gannon had four players with double figures, including a team-high 17 points from Emma Wright. The Golden Knights had just one assist and committed 15 turnovers in the first half but had seven assists to just three turnovers in the second half. The teams combined for 43 turnovers.
Shippensburg women's basketball will break next week for final exams and return to action at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 14 with a mandated conference crossover at Clarion.
Photos by Bill Smith/ Shippensburg University
Bill Morgal is the primary public contact for Shippensburg University's 20 intercollegiate athletics teams. He is also the editor of the SU athletics website, www.shipraiders.com. His duties include serving as a spokesperson with sports news media on behalf of the university and its athletic department.


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Sino-Vision Technology Co.,LTD, one of high-tech enterprise based in Beijing. It was established in 2002. It endeavors to proffer services and products of high quality to scientific research institutes, colleges, hospitals, and pharmaceutical factory, etc. and wins great reputation in the field.


text:
Creative Wonders
Arts & Tradition
NTD Competitions
People: Video: Squirrel Enjoys Listening to a Professor of Music Practice His Saxophone at a Park
(Courtesy of Heath Jones)
Video: Squirrel Enjoys Listening to a Professor of Music Practice His Saxophone at a Park
BY Epoch Inspired Staff TIMESeptember 26, 2021 PRINT
A heartwarming video of a squirrel watching attentively as a professor of music at Oklahoma Christian University practices his saxophone at a park has tugged at netizens' heartstrings.
"He acted like a little person and really seemed like he liked the music I was playing," Heath Jones, 51, told The Epoch Times via email.
(Screenshot/Viralhog)
Jones, who joined the Oklahoma Christian faculty in 2000, teaches applied music, saxophone, music education, music technology, world music, jazz improvisation, and directs the Jazz Ensemble and Sweat Band.
An active professional performer in the Oklahoma City area, Jones enjoys playing the saxophone and watching his son bowl.
When Jones was on a 30-day bowling tour with his son in Indianapolis, he found himself unable to practice at the hotel. Thus he took his saxophone to Garfield Park and began practicing there. Jones then noticed that a curious squirrel would come up and sit by his side while he played his notes.
"He would tap me on the foot while I was practicing so I figured that he wanted some food. I fed him a Cliff bar and we became friends," Jones said of the squirrel.
Seeing the squirrel watch him practice with his mesmerizing eyes would brighten up Jones's days. He then decided to capture this on video, adding, "no one would believe that there was a squirrel that enjoyed jazz."
In July, Jones shared the adorable 16-second video on Facebook, in which he's seen kneeling down and playing his saxophone, with his squirrel "fan" enjoying his performance.
Unsurprisingly, the unusual video went viral, amassing some 1.5 million views and 45,000 reactions, touching netizens' hearts.
"I'm so obsessed with this I watch it once a day to keep my spirits up," one of them wrote.
"He is so interested," a second user chimed in. "I've watched quite a few videos today and this is by far my favorite."
(Video Credit: ViralHog)
Meanwhile, Jones told The Epoch Times that he is surprised by the overwhelming reaction that he has received.
"Sixteen seconds can really make a big difference in someone's day," he said.
Jones hasn't met the squirrel since, but says that he hopes to go back to Garfield Park someday to see if the squirrel would come back to the picnic table.
Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter
Epoch Inspired Staff
Epoch Inspired staff cover stories of hope that celebrate kindness, traditions, and triumph of the human spirit, offering valuable insights into life, culture, family and community, and nature.
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.Try asking the recipients family about what they might like in a wine gift basket. If you are errands for the boss then ask who have worked with him longer than you if they have any idea of what the boss like or dislike in a wine gift bag. This help you to get a good idea of just the kind of wine gift hamper you should be looking at . .Bottom line is that a wine gift wicker basket is a excellent gift for any occasion.
.What was as an available store, has turned into a growing collection of internet resources on subjects from Network Marketing, Investing, Health, Travel and even Wine. .
.A wine residents gift linen basket by and large two of wine from ones favorite vineyard or wine shop, some cheese and crackers. A scrumptious assortment of wines, cheeses and chocolates make the wine population gift extremely special. Fully assembled and impressive gift baskets combine everything there is to love about , cheese and chocolate.
Wine nation gift baskets make the accurate gifts for every occasion and can be enjoyed by men and womanhood similar, even by general public who are not wine connoisseurs. .A company named Wine Country Gift Baskets has been offering a wide bounds of charming and cheap gift to its customers.
These gift baskets can also be ordered online. The most admired wine citizenry gift take account of a huge brand of and other goodies, which make the gift baskets second special. Some of the all time favorites in this class of wine gift are those which restrict transnational chocolates such as Godiva Crиme Brulee, sensualist wine and picnic basket with wines from the Robert Mondavis restricted mixture, and gift baskets that confine fine wines like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon offered with standard food items such as , cheese cocktail snacks, , Camembert ranch, olive Tapenade and Cafe Godiva Chocolates. Wine state gift may also delimit an mixed bag of donations ranging from corkscrews to fine crystal wine bifocals.
The company has also started offering spa gift as well as teddy bear gift baskets. .The worth of these wine grazing gift from $30 to $250 manufacture it quite inexpensive as it suits not quite every type of budget.


text:
32nd Annual Leukemia Ball - 3:57
Richard Bynum, President, Greater Washington, PNC Financial Services Group and Co-Chair for 32nd Annual Leukemia Ball
https://comcastnewsmakers.com/Videos/2019/1/28/32nd-Annual-Leukemia-Ball
Yolanda Vazquez talks with Richard Bynum, President, Greater Washington, PNC Financial Services Group. They discuss the 32nd Annual Leukemia Ball that will take place March 16th at the Marriott Marquis in Washington DC. For more information on the Ball, visit the Leukemia Balls website.
Hosted by: Yolanda Vazquez Produced by: Beltway Newsmakers Team
#Washington DC #General Interest #Local #Community
Other videos hosted by Yolanda Vazquez
The Art of Healing - 4:26
Advocates say art therapy is an effective tool to help young cancer patients and their families cope with the stress of disease and treatment. Tracy's Kids is a nonprofit focused on supporting these young patients through art therapy and awareness-raising events like its annual "And the Winner Is" fundraiser. Highlights include commentary from Second Lady Karen Pence; Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.; and his wife Marcelle Leahy, Tracy's Kids board member.
https://comcastnewsmakers.com/Videos/2019/5/13/The-Art-of-Healing
Successful Citizens in the Community
Successful Citizens in the Community - 5:02
Yolanda Vazquez speaks with Donna Fortier, CEO of Mobile Hope. They discuss how they help homeless young people aged 18 to 24 with life skills, housing, jobs, transportation and so much more.
https://comcastnewsmakers.com/Videos/2019/3/28/Mobile-Hope
Regional Agricultural Work Group
Regional Agricultural Work Group - 6:19
Yolanda Vazquez speaks with Chris Van Vlack of Loudoun County Soil and Water Conservation and Council of Governments Regional Agricultural Work Group Member. They discuss how they are dedicated to strengthening the food and farm economy of the region and what actions are being taken.
https://comcastnewsmakers.com/Videos/2019/3/28/Loudoun-Soil
Largest Lyme Run in the Country
Largest Lyme Run in the Country - 4:51
Yolanda Vazquez speaks with Veronica Hohenstein, Volunteer with FinishLyme 5K about the 9th Annual Finish Lyme 5K to be held May 19th at Fairfax Corner.
https://comcastnewsmakers.com/Videos/2019/3/28/Finish-Lyme
Helping Those Who Suffer from Food Insecurity
Helping Those Who Suffer from Food Insecurity - 4:58
Yolanda Vazquez speaks with Samantha Kuhn, Executive Director of JK Community Farm about their community farm and how they are helping to alleviate hunger by growing and harvesting crops and donating them locally.
https://comcastnewsmakers.com/Videos/2019/3/28/JKFarm
24/7 Hotline Helps Change and Save Lives
24/7 Hotline Helps Change and Save Lives - 4:52
Yolanda Vazquez speaks with Meredith Hovan, Development Director with PRS about the services they provide for suicide prevention and crisis intervention. They discuss the Springtopia to be held May 11th at there Hyatt Regency in Tysons.
https://comcastnewsmakers.com/Videos/2019/3/28/PRS
Lawyers and Others Lacing Up for a Good Cause
Lawyers and Others Lacing Up for a Good Cause - 4:11
Yolanda Vazquez speaks with Affie Ambrose, Co-Chair of Lawyers Have a Heart, General Counsel at Acumen Solutions, Inc. about the 10K race & 5K Run and Fun Run to be held June 8th at the Washington Harbour, Georgetown.
https://comcastnewsmakers.com/Videos/2019/3/28/Lawyers-Have-Heart
Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena
Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena - 4:44
Elena Russo talks with Brittany Green, the Community Outreach and Enrichment Coordinator for Fort Dupont Ice Arena. The mission of the Fort Dupont Ice Arena is To provide increased opportunity, education, and inspiration to the young people of Washington, DC and the surrounding area through ice skating and educational activities. For more information about Fort Dupont Ice Arena and their programs, visit their website.
https://comcastnewsmakers.com/Videos/2019/7/29/Friends-of-Fort-Dupont-Ice-Arena
Heritage Days - 4:02
Elena Russo talks with Sarah Rogers, Executive Director for Heritage Montgomery. They discuss the organization and their mission to the community. They also discuss the upcoming Heritage Days that will take place June 29th and 30th and various site through Montgomery County. For more information of Heritage Days and Heritage Montgomery, visit their website.
https://comcastnewsmakers.com/Videos/2019/5/21/Heritage-Days
Life Pieces to Masterspieces
Life Pieces to Masterspieces - 3:52
Yolanda Vazquez talks with Maurice Kie, Program Manager for Life Pieces to Masterpieces. They discuss the organization and their mission to the community. For more information on Life Pieces to Masterspieces, visit their website.
https://comcastnewsmakers.com/Videos/2019/1/28/Life-Pieces-to-Masterspieces


Beanfield Metroconnect is a growing telecommunications provider offering residential and commercial internet, TV & phone services.
As the largest independent fibre network in Toronto, they are rooted in serving the community. This is seen through their participation in events such as the Pride Parade.
The client approached us to help with some ideas for this year's Pride parade. Initially the idea was to create something that could be handed out, but in compliance with the parade rules we made something that represents both Pride and the client very well.
We created custom shirts using the slogan for their hotspot WiFi "Out & About", which perfectly sums up the spirit of Pride! The client had a fun idea to use the saying "Have you seen our manholes?" (because of their manhole covers around the city) and after seeing the mock up they were sold on the idea! Finally, with a bit of rainbow-fication we had our end result. The client was so pleased, they even put our logos on their cars!
Check out the video they sent us!


As the longest-serving news man on Australian television Mal Walden has met some incredible women including Princess Diana.
Lucky for us, he kept a diary.
Mal's 53 diaries have now been shaped into a fascinating memoir, The News Man.
Martine Harte: Mal thanks for being here, if we can start with women who made a big impact on you during your career, who springs to mind?
A 108-year-old woman by the name of Monte Puncheon. She was the oldest living woman in the world and she was sprightly, eloquent and fantastic.
To be able to come home and switch a switch without the smell of paraffin oil was revolutionary to Monte. She was one of the most impressionable people I have met.
We all gathered at Government House to meet Prince Charles and Princess Di in the 1980s as part of a media day.
Princess Di walked in and all of a sudden there was a hush (Prince Charles had been in there for twenty minutes and no-one had seen him arrive) such was this impression that Princess Di carried with her wherever she went.
She wandered around the various groups of people and came up to our group, someone introduced her to me and mentioned that we'd just had our twins.
Pauline (Mal's wife) and I had just returned from a Queensland holiday with our twins and they had caused absolute havoc on the aircraft and in the end we gave them some Phenergan to calm them down and felt very guilty about drugging them (laughs).
So Princess Di was very impressive in more ways than one.
Mal Walden: Well hang on, can I qualify that? She's the head of the team without any question.
I'm sure, so how did you meet?
Mal Walden: Ok, this is quite an interesting story because in 1976 an eight-year-old girl Eloise Worledge was abducted from her home and never found again.
My boss sent me to interview her mother Patsy, I knocked on the door and felt that moment of intrusion which most journalists dread. The door opened and I said, "I'm terribly sorry, my name is … " And she responded that she knew who I was and invited me in.
She agreed to an interview and I thought of this interview as being the beginning of a series because the disappearance was the equivalent of the disappearance of the Beaumont children in Adelaide, that's the sort of interest it generated.
I had this remarkable interview with this strong woman who was going through the worst possible grief you could imagine and she kept on mentioning a girlfriend she had confided in. I remember thinking this girlfriend is someone I was going to have to contact in order to do the special.
In six months her girlfriend Pauline became my bosses secretary, three years later she became my wife, today Patsy Worledge is godmother to my daughter Sarah.
So you had this incredible synchronicity of how lives intertwine and become so incredibly close and you wonder how that happens.
It's like little patterns that are planned for you. It all comes together; I get emotional talking about this.
And I understand why, that is amazing.
I came to this interview thinking I would ask you about famous or feminist icons but it is meeting women such as Patsy Worledge who have made the greatest impression?
Mal Walden: Yes, she is so strong, that strength resonated through all of us.
Having worked with so many women who have found a platform, did you see any themes which enabled them to find their voice in society?
No, they were all so vastly different.
I've read with the best of them: Jo Pearson, Marie Louise Theile, Jennifer Hansen, Helen Kapalos. It is very hard for women in television and they are often criticised by women viewers. We could never understand that, they are all ready to scrutinise a female rather than a man and it's not fair.
You are happy to call yourself a feminist?
Because of my wife (laughs) I would be nothing without female companionship, I would curl up in front of the television each night. I've always been influenced by strong females at home and at work and I can't imagine not having that female influence. I respect them.
Mal Walden: Guys of our vintage have probably seen more change than any of our predecessors because everything has changed. We have to be more acceptable and less judgemental than any of our predecessors.
What we're seeing in the case of Donald Trump is absolutely horrifying!
Some will say, it's just locker room talk but it's deeper than that. There is that old-fashioned generalisation of women which still simmers, particularly within many men of my age who haven't changed. I've been obsessed by this Trump thing, I just can't believe anyone can be such a baboon and ignorant and set in his own ways and then to command such an important role.
You once described a story about a disgraced airline hostess modelling lingerie as a waste of time during a bulletin in 2007, why did you do that?
Mal Walden: I found it offensive, I didn't find it newsworthy from a professional point of view. I shouldn't have disrespected my colleagues in their decision to run with it, however it wasn't newsworthy.
Want to hear more like this from Mal Walden? You are just going to have to buy this amazing book. Find it at Readings book store here.
Hear from another engaging man, World Vision CEO Tim Costello here.
Read our exclusive chat with Australia's Ambassador for Women and Girls Natasha Stott Despoja AM here.
Discover how another TV icon survived years of newsroom bullying, Sandra Sully here.
Or find out how you can help women and children in crisis, or those living with domestic violence here.
Tagged in Australian tv icons, Eloise Worledge, engaging guys, Melbourne newsreaders, Patsy Worledge, Princess Diana Melbourne visit.


Several factors such as stress, hairdryer or chemical processes like dyeing, make hair specially sensitive and prone to breakage.
The ends deteriorate and result in a dull look.
Fragile hair has even less resistance to these treatments; like thin hair, which, even having more hair threads, is weaker and has less body.
Las líneas reparadoras incluyen ingredientes que refuerzan y nutren la estructura interna del cabello, ayudando a prevenir y corregir las puntas abiertas.
It provides the natural vitality of a healthy hair, with more body, a renewed vigour and resistance to breakage.


One hundred and thirty million girls are out of school. As I travel the world to advocate for them, not every day is easy.
Some days I meet girls who have to fight so hard for a right they already have. This summer I met Najlaa, a Yazidi teenager in Iraq. At 14, her parents took her out of school and told her she would be married.
On her wedding day, Najlaa kicked off her high heels and ran away — still in her wedding dress. She wasn't ready to give up on her education and dreams of becoming a journalist.
When she was 16, ISIS invaded her village and forced her to flee again. Today she lives as an internally displaced person in Kurdistan and walks more than an hour to school each day.
Girls like Najlaa inspire me to keep working — but I also wonder what else these determined and talented young women could give the world if they didn't have to work so hard just to go to school.
Some days I'm discouraged by leaders who could send every girl to school, but still don't.
At the United Nations two years ago, leaders committed to ensuring every girl receives 12 years of education by 2030. Since then, donor countries have either flatlined or decreased their aid to education. None of the nine biggest countries in Africa, Latin America and developing Asia have increased their education budgets. Several are even making drastic cuts, putting more girls out of school.
Some days are hard — but I refuse to believe the world will always be as it is today.
At Malala Fund, we are working to change the world for girls by investing in educators and advocates in developing countries. These women and men understand the challenges girls face in their communities — child marriage, poverty, conflicts and wars — and are best placed to develop solutions.
In Afghanistan, they are recruiting female teachers to work in rural schools. In Nigeria, they are running mentorship clubs to help girls resist family pressure to drop out and marry as young as 13 years old. In Lebanon, they are developing e-learning programmes to teach STEM skills to Syrian refugee girls.
Progress may be slow, but I believe we can see every girl in school in my lifetime. I believe in local educators and activists, who are challenging policies and priorities that keep girls out of school. I believe in girls like Najlaa, who are leading the fight for themselves and their sisters. I believe in millions of people around the world, who are supporting our movement for education and equality.
If we choose to focus on the obstacles, we may be tempted to believe it is impossible to give every girl the education she deserves. But if we want a brighter future — for them and for ourselves — we must invest in girls today.
I hope you'll join me to work for a world where every girl can learn and lead without fear.
This appears in the January 15, 2018 issue of TIME.


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Allenatori di calcio (10)
Colin Addison, allenatore di calcio e ex calciatore inglese (Taunton, n.1940)
Colin Appleton, allenatore di calcio e calciatore inglese (Scarborough, n.1936 - †2021)
Colin Bell, allenatore di calcio e ex calciatore inglese (Leicester, n.1961)
Colin Calderwood, allenatore di calcio e ex calciatore scozzese (Stranraer, n.1965)
Colin Grant, allenatore di calcio e ex calciatore scozzese
Colin Hawkins, allenatore di calcio e ex calciatore irlandese (Galway, n.1977)
Colin Johnson, allenatore di calcio e ex calciatore anguillano (Anguilla, n.1964)
Colin Morris, allenatore di calcio e ex calciatore inglese (Blyth, n.1953)
Colin Murphy, allenatore di calcio e ex calciatore inglese (n.1950)
Colin Todd, allenatore di calcio e ex calciatore inglese (Chester-le-Street, n.1948)

Architetti (3)
Colin Biard, architetto francese (Amboise, n.1460)
Colin Rowe, architetto e urbanista britannico (Rotherham, n.1920 - Arlington, †1999)
Colin Ward, architetto e urbanista britannico (Wanstead, n.1924 - Ipswich, †2010)

Assassini seriali (1)
Colin Ireland, serial killer britannico (Dartford, n.1954 - Wakefield, †2012)

Attori (15)
Colin Baker, attore britannico (Londra, n.1943)
Colin Clive, attore britannico (Saint-Malo, n.1900 - Los Angeles, †1937)
Colin Donnell, attore statunitense (St. Louis, n.1982)
Colin Egglesfield, attore e modello statunitense (Farmington Hills, n.1973)
Colin Ferguson, attore e regista canadese (Montréal, n.1972)
Colin Ford, attore e doppiatore statunitense (Nashville, n.1996)
Colin Friels, attore scozzese (Kilwinning, n.1952)
Colin Jost, attore statunitense (New York, n.1982)
Colin Kenny, attore irlandese (Dublino, n.1888 - Los Angeles, †1968)
Colin Hanks, attore e doppiatore statunitense (Sacramento, n.1977)
Colin Morgan, attore nordirlandese (Armagh, n.1986)
Colin Salmon, attore e doppiatore britannico (Londra, n.1962)
Colin Stinton, attore canadese (Calgary, n.1947)
Colin Welland, attore e sceneggiatore britannico (Leigh, n.1934 - Londra, †2015)
Colin Woodell, attore statunitense (San Francisco, n.1991)

Bassisti (3)
Colin Bass, bassista e produttore discografico britannico (Londra, n.1951)
Colin Edwin, bassista australiano (Melbourne, n.1970)
Colin Hodgkinson, bassista britannico (Peterborough, n.1945)

Batteristi (1)
Colin Bailey, batterista britannico (Swindon, n.1934 - †2021)

Calciatori (20)
Colin Anderson, ex calciatore inglese (Newcastle upon Tyne, n.1962)
Colin Bell, calciatore inglese (Hesleden, n.1946 - Manchester, †2021)
Colin Boulton, ex calciatore inglese (Cheltenham, n.1945)
Colin Clark, calciatore statunitense (Fort Collins, n.1984 - †2019)
Colin Coates, calciatore nordirlandese (Belfast, n.1985)
Colin Coosemans, calciatore belga (Gent, n.1992)
Colin Curran, ex calciatore australiano (Newcastle, n.1947)
Colin Dagba, calciatore francese (Béthune, n.1998)
Colin Gibson, ex calciatore inglese (Bridport, n.1960)
Colin Healy, ex calciatore irlandese (Cork, n.1980)
Colin Hill, ex calciatore nordirlandese (Uxbridge, n.1963)
Colin Irwin, ex calciatore inglese (Liverpool, n.1957)
Colin Kâzım-Richards, calciatore turco (Londra, n.1986)
Colin Latimour, ex calciatore neozelandese
Colin McMenamin, calciatore scozzese (Glasgow, n.1981)
Colin Murdock, ex calciatore nordirlandese (Ballymena, n.1975)
Colin Stein, ex calciatore scozzese (Linlithgow, n.1947)
Colin Suggett, ex calciatore inglese (Chester-le-Street, n.1948)
Colin Viljoen, ex calciatore inglese (Johannesburg, n.1948)
Colin Webster, calciatore gallese (Cardiff, n.1932 - †2001)

Canottieri (1)
Colin Smith, canottiere britannico (Harare, n.1983)

Cantanti (5)
Colin Abrahall, cantante britannico (n.1961)
Colin Blunstone, cantante e compositore britannico (Hatfield, n.1945)
Collie Buddz, cantante statunitense (New Orleans, n.1981)
Colin Newman, cantante, polistrumentista e produttore discografico britannico (Salisbury, n.1954)
Black, cantante britannico (Liverpool, n.1962 - Cork, †2016)

Cantautori (1)
Colin James, cantautore e chitarrista canadese (Regina, n.1964)

Cestisti (1)
Colin Falls, ex cestista statunitense (Park Ridge, n.1985)

Direttori artistici (1)
Colin Graham, direttore artistico e regista teatrale britannico (Hove, n.1931 - Saint Louis, †2007)

Dirigenti sportivi (1)
Colin Lee, dirigente sportivo, allenatore di calcio e ex calciatore inglese (Torquay, n.1956)

Economisti (1)
Colin Clark, economista inglese (Londra, n.1905 - †1989)

Generali (1)
Colin Campbell, generale britannico (Glasgow, n.1792 - Chatham, †1863)

Geologi (1)
Colin Campbell, geologo britannico (Berlino, n.1931)

Giocatori di football americano (4)
Colin Baxter, giocatore di football americano statunitense (Rolling Hills, n.1987)
Colin Jones, giocatore di football americano statunitense (Bridgeport, n.1987)
Colin McCarthy, giocatore di football americano statunitense (Birdsboro, n.1988)
Colin Miller, giocatore di football americano statunitense (n.1987)

Illustratori (1)
Colin Wilson, illustratore e fumettista neozelandese (Auckland, n.1949)

Ingegneri (1)
Colin Archer, ingegnere navale norvegese (Larvik, n.1832 - Larvik, †1921)

Matematici (1)
Colin Maclaurin, matematico scozzese (Kilmodan, n.1698 - Edimburgo, †1746)

Mercanti (1)
Colin Campbell, mercante britannico (n.1686 - †1757)

Mercanti d'arte (1)
Colin Morison, mercante d'arte scozzese (Deskfor, n.1732 - †1809)

Piloti automobilistici (1)
Colin Davis, pilota automobilistico britannico (Londra, n.1932 - Città del Capo, †2012)

Piloti motociclistici (1)
Colin Edwards, pilota motociclistico statunitense (Houston, n.1974)

Pistard (1)
Colin Brooks, pistard britannico (n.1881 - †1937)

Polistrumentisti (1)
Colin Greenwood, polistrumentista inglese (Oxford, n.1969)

Politici (2)
Colin Campbell, VI conte di Argyll, politico scozzese (†1584)
Colin Jordan, politico inglese (Birmingham, n.1923 - Pateley Bridge, †2009)

Politologi (1)
Colin Hay, politologo britannico (n.1968)

Predicatori (1)
Colin Urquhart, predicatore inglese (Twickenham, n.1940 - †2021)

Produttori cinematografici (1)
Colin Wilson, produttore cinematografico statunitense (Atlanta, n.1961)

Produttori discografici (2)
Colin Richardson, produttore discografico britannico
Colin Thurston, produttore discografico britannico (Singapore, n.1947 - Londra, †2007)

Registi (5)
Colin Campbell, regista, sceneggiatore e attore scozzese (Scozia, n.1859 - Hollywood, †1928)
Colin Higgins, regista, sceneggiatore e attore australiano (Numea, n.1941 - Beverly Hills, †1988)
Colin Minihan, regista e produttore cinematografico canadese (Port McNeill, n.1985)
Colin Tilley, regista statunitense (Berkeley, n.1988)
Colin Trevorrow, regista, sceneggiatore e produttore cinematografico statunitense (Oakland, n.1976)

Rugbisti a 15 (1)
Colin Charvis, ex rugbista a 15 gallese (Sutton Coldfield, n.1972)

Sassofonisti (1)
Colin Stetson, sassofonista statunitense (Ann Arbor, n.1975)

Scenografi (1)
Colin Gibson, scenografo australiano (n.1948)

Sciatori alpini (1)
Colin Bakker, ex sciatore alpino canadese (n.1977)

Scrittori (3)
Colin Cotterill, scrittore e fumettista britannico (Londra, n.1952)
Colin Dann, scrittore inglese (Richmond, n.1943)
Colin Larkin, scrittore e imprenditore britannico (Dagenham, n.1949)

Scrittori di fantascienza (1)
Colin Kapp, scrittore di fantascienza britannico (n.1928 - †2007)

Skater (1)
Colin McKay, skater canadese (Saskatchewan, n.1975)

Slittinisti (1)
Colin Nelson, ex slittinista e ex bobbista canadese (Montréal, n.1942)

Tennisti (4)
Colin Dibley, ex tennista australiano (Sydney, n.1944)
Colin Dowdeswell, ex tennista britannico (Londra, n.1955)
Colin Fleming, ex tennista britannico (Broxburn, n.1984)
Colin Long, tennista e telecronista sportivo australiano (Melbourne, n.1918 - Melbourne, †2009)

Trovatori (1)
Colin Muset, trovatore francese

Wrestler (1)
Colin Delaney, wrestler statunitense (Rochester, n.1986)

Youtuber (1)
Colin Furze, youtuber, stuntman e inventore inglese (Stamford, n.1979)

Colin

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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第84回アカデミー賞 レッドカーペット
第84回アカデミー賞の会場にブラピ&アンジーカップル、メリル・ストリープ、ミシェル・ウィリアムズなど、ドレスアップしたセレブたちが華やかに登場した(2012年2月26日現地時間 ハリウッド&アイランド・シアター ハリウッド、CA)
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actor George Clooney (L) and Stacy Kiebler arrive at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actor Jean Dujardin and wife Alexandra Lamy arrive at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actor Brad Pitt (L) and actress Angelina Jolie arrive at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Berenice Bejo and Director Michel Hazanavicius arrive at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied arrive at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Meryl Streep arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Cameron Diaz arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Emma Stone arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Glenn Close arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Viola Davis arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Jessica Chastain arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actor Jonah Hill arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Judy Greer arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Lea Thompson arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Composer Ludovic Bource and guest arrive at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actor Matthew Lillard arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Michelle Williams arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Milla Jovovich arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Missi Pyle arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Octavia Spencer arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Rooney Mara arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Rose Byrne arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actor Sacha Baron Cohen, dressed as his character 'General Aladeen,' arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Shailene Woodley arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Stacy Keibler arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: Actress Gwyneth Paltrow arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards held at the Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2012 in Hollywood, California.
【速報】第84回アカデミー賞 作品賞は「アーティスト」が受賞!
アンナ、シアーシャ、リヴァー...アカデミー賞の若き受賞者&候補者
アカデミー賞授賞式 歴代のベスト&ワースト・ファッション
メリル・ストリープが語る 「マーガレット・サッチャー 鉄の女の涙」独占インタビュー
ブラピが語る、正義を突き進む勇姿 「マネーボール」AOL独占インタビュー
『マーガレット・サッチャー 鉄の女の涙』
女性初のイギリス首相となったマーガレット・サッチャー(メリル・ストリープ)は"鉄の女"の異名を取り、財政赤字の解決など、国民から絶大なる支持を得ていた。しかし、彼女は人知れず孤独と戦っていた。
angelina-jolie-pg
brad-pitt-pg
cameron-diaz-pg
emma-stone-pg
george-clooney-pg
gwyneth-paltrow-pg
jessica-chastain-pg
meryl-streep-pg
michelle-williams-pg
natalie-portman-pg
rooney-mara-pg


text:
Bitter Lessons - 20/24
Author: Daniela
Fandom: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Pairing: Greg/Grissom
Category: Angst, Romance, Plot
Series/Sequel: Breaking the Ice
Summary: Greg learns a lot he doesn't like
Warning: Slash, M/M, Harm to children
Disclaimer: I don't own them, but I love them dearly.
Feedback: Yes, please. It's the icing on my cake.
Email: daniforblue@yahoo.de
Released: June 2005
Beta: Anomaly
"See you at the Crime Scene!" Gil called out and shut the door.
Standing in Gil's bedroom, Greg shook his head. Typical. Leaving me here by myself. He didn't even bother to wait for one second. He snorted. Sure, because somebody could see us together and gossip. Oh well. Don't fuss. He rummaged through Gil's drawers. "Somewhere this organized lover of mine must have a spare pair of socks, damn it." Despite his complaining, Greg felt incredibly happy if not on top of the world. Since the day he had passed his final proficiency and had become a CSI, his life was great. It didn't matter he couldn't find a pair of socks. It didn't matter he was dead beat because he hadn't slept much in the last couple of weeks. Greg chuckled. It didn't even matter that Sara would be at the Crime Scene as well, drooling over Gil. Since Greg had been outed to her, she was nicer to him. She even had invited him to have a beer. Since she knew he was gay she could accept him as a friend. A friend, who makes love to the man she has been chasing for years. Yeah, we have sex but don't worry, Sara. That's it. We have no relationship. You still have a chance to win Gil for yourself. Well, it didn't matter. Right now, everything was great.
There! At the back of the bottom drawer, he discovered what he was looking for. He dragged the pair of socks forward and felt something square and firm inside. He frowned. What the...? He slipped a hand inside and pulled a small metal box out. Gee! What now? He hesitated to open it - this doesn't belong to me - but the moment passed. He snapped the box open and discovered a folded piece of paper inside. He fumbled the thing out and identified a photograph. The worn shot of two smiling men, standing in front of an amusement park. One of them was Gil. He looked young, much younger than Greg was presently. Greg turned the photo to inspect the backside. "Forever - Mark," he read aloud. His heartbeat quickened. Mark. Mark. Is it you who owns Gil's heart? He examined the happy face of the guy standing next to Gil. He was boyishly handsome with a likable smile and dark eyes under a messy shock of hair... Greg gasped. That's me. The picture slipped from his fingers and floated down to the ground. No. Not me. But very much alike. Mark and I could be related. He picked his finding up and put it back into the box. Engulfed in the socks, Greg put the keepsake back where it belonged. I need to go. Gil doesn't like delay. The team must not get any ideas about where I came from. He slipped into his sneakers barefoot and left Gil's place shaken. Forever - forever - forever. He couldn't get the word out of his head. During his ride to the Crime Scene, he didn't think of anything else and the good spirits he had felt not long ago wore off.
His arrival at the Crime Scene was unspectacular. After he had showed his ID to the officers on duty, he passed through the house to the garden in the backyard that was crowded with youngsters, CSIs, and police officers. Though he spotted Gil right away. He was talking to David Philips, who bowed over a body in a bathing suit. They stood at the rim of a sizable swimming pool.
Sara was coming up to meet him. "Hi." She reported the details. "Thirteen-year-old boy who attended a party, was found dead in the pool. Someone called the police, but we don't know who. Probable cause of death is drowning, though David isn't finished with the body yet."
The news that the case concerned a dead kid worsened Greg's bad mood. Great. Fucking great. He and Sara walked to the body. He couldn't see any grownups except for the police.
Gil awaited them, looking grim. "David is finished with the body and the evidence indicates that the victim suffered an injury to the back of the head before he drowned."
Greg threw a glance at the dead boy. Slender, white, black hair. The eyes already had been closed. Thank God. He shuddered.
"Although there is blood in the water," Gil proceeded the briefing. "Search the whole area around the pool for traces of blood or hair and take a sample of the water as well."
Greg sensed tension in Gil's voice. The death of a kid had always affected the professional CSI. He had learned that lesson years ago when Gil and he hadn't been as close as now. Under different circumstances he would have felt sorry for his lover but not today. His irritation about finding a piece of Gil's past obscured any other feeling, including the horror over the dead kid. "Yes, sir," he barked. Am I just a convenient substitute for the one you really love?
Gil raised an eyebrow and confusion flitted over his face. "Is everything alright?"
Hell no. Who's Mark? "Sure." Greg turned away and he and Sara started searching the area for traces.
"What's going on?" Sara whispered. "You never pass up an opportunity to talk to Grissom in detail."
"I'm just tired," he lied, and riveted on Brass, who was questioning a bunch of youngsters. Some of them looked scared but others rather defiant. One boy caught Greg's attention particularly. A good-looking, fifteen-year-old who had his arm around the shoulders of a younger boy, who was wrapped up in a red towel. Probably brothers. The younger kid shouldn't be here at all. Greg shifted his attention back to the terrain around the pool. "Did they party without any grownups?"
"Yes, they did," Sara said. "The house belongs to the parents of one of the oldest. I heard he's seventeen. The parents are on vacation for two days and he invited his friends to party. Brass told me when they found their friend dead, they were too scared to call the police for an hour."
"Tough luck. They'll catch hell from their parents. Do you think the victim hit his head by accident and drowned?"
"Could be but why didn't anyone else notice anything?" Sara countered, picking up a pink piece of chewing gum. "Ugh! Yucky."
"I say it was dark, loud music was playing, a lot of talking and giggling was going on," Greg suggested, remembering the few parties he had attended in his youth.
"Speaking from experience, aren't you?" she teased, good-natured.
"Nah. Not really," he quipped. "I was the typical geek. Studying was my thing." Plus messing around with my teacher. Accepting I'm gay.
Sara nodded. "Just like me."
"No kidding." He and she continued searching the ground until Greg spotted drops of blood at the rim of the pool. "Could be the victim's. I'll take a sample." He opened his kit.
Sara got closer to take a better look. "There's a hair too." She fetched her tweezers to save it. Hair and blood sample bagged, they searched further but didn't find more than a few cigarette butts and collection of chips. Finally done, they went to report to Gil, who had joined Brass' side.
The police had escorted almost every boy and girl home. Only the two boys who Greg had noticed earlier remained in front of Brass and Gil. So close to his lover, the anger flared up in Greg like a heavy heart burn. Forever. Where is he, Gil? What happened to a promise like that?
"Did I understand you correctly, Dennis? You weren't nearby when your brother was found dead?" Brass asked the older boy right now.
"No, sir," Dennis murmured, shaking. "I was back there." He pointed at a line of trees and bushes at the back of the garden.
"Alone?" Brass didn't let up on his harsh tone.
Dennis shook his head.
"So what's the name of the girl?" Brass asked, insightful due to life-long experience.
Dennis nibbled on his lip. "I can't tell you."
"Come on, buddy. I'll find out anyway."
"Fine with me," Dennis countered, squaring his shoulders.
His defiant but also anxious expression reminded Greg of a young boy who was once confronted with the same question. What's the name of the girl? - I can't tell you - What's the matter with you? You never hid anything from us before. - Well, now I do. - Come on. What's going on? - Nothing. Leave me alone.
Brass had dropped the subject and spoke to the younger boy. "Scotty's your name, right?"
The boy nodded, the eyes in his pale face were filled with fear. He grasped the corners of the towel and pulled it tighter around his skinny body.
Dennis looked at Greg. He appeared devastated as well as guilty.
It was a boy, right? Greg smiled encouragingly at him.
Dennis winced and looked quickly away.
"Nobody is going to hurt you, Scotty," Brass said much more friendly. "Just tell me where you were at the time your brother Rob was found?"
"I was eating," Scotty whispered, then wiping his lips as if there were still traces of food visible.
"Where are their parents?" Greg heard Sara ask Gil.
"Away for the weekend," Gil murmured not disturbing Brass' interrogation. "Dennis admitted that his parents allowed him, Rob, and Scotty to sleep over, but his parents didn't know that the parents of Dennis' friend weren't home either. We couldn't contact them yet. We've informed social services to send someone to meet with us at the lab." He turned to Greg. "Can you keep an eye on Dennis and Scotty until we drive back there?"
Greg tensed up more. Is this part of my job description? Playing babysitter? "Okay, sure," he agreed all the same.
"Good, Greg."
On any other day a nice word from Gil would have made Greg linger on, adoring his lover, but not today. The gloomy cloud of doubt because of Mark overshadowed everything else. For the first time he wasn't smitten by Gil's natural charm and didn't mind that Sara was standing much too close to him, whispering their findings to Gil.
Greg turned to the older boy. "Do you want to go into the house and get something to drink, Dennis?" From the corner of his eyes, he noticed Gil's frown and sensed the urge to take him aside and talk things out. What's the matter, Greg? Weren't we drunken with joy just hours ago? Nah. Gil would never do that. Not in front of Sara and everybody else. Keeping their secret for now and forever under lock and key was still more important to Gil than any worries about Greg's emotional state.
Dennis tilted his head. "Are you a cop?"
"No, I'm a CSI," Greg replied. "My name is Greg."
"I'm thirsty," Scotty attracted the attention to himself.
Greg smiled. "Very well. Let's go." He and the two boys walked to the house. Scotty held on to his brother. When they entered through the backdoor, Sara caught up with them. "Hey. Wait for me."
Dennis put his brother onto the sofa and with Sara's help he found a blanket to cover him up.
Greg checked the fridge. "What about a coke?"
"Okay," the two boys agreed cheerless.
Greg fetched two clean glasses by the sink and filled them up.
Scotty drank greedily while Dennis just clutched the glass with both hands to keep them still.
"I'm curious," Sara said, giving Greg the most amazed look. "Once again you left Grissom high and dry. I never saw you doing this. What's going on, Greg?"
"Nothing much," he spat, fighting off the wave of bitterness rushing through him like burning fire. This mess is my own fault. I should have talked to Gil about our unsatisfying situation long ago. "There's a first time for everything, isn't it?"
Sara didn't buy his flimsy excuse. "Come on. Something's bothering you."
"Even if, why should I tell you of all people," he scoffed. Right. We were never friends.
She winced.
He dropped down in an armchair. Well done. Subject closed.
"You're right," she gave in. "I'm sorry." She made herself comfortable in the second armchair.
Greg was surprised by her willingness to talk this through. What the hell, Sara. All this just because I'm gay.
Scotty had closed his eyes and leaned against his brother. Dennis removed the glass from Scotty's hands to put it on the table. Spiritlessly, he sipped on his coke then and returned Greg's look. His hazel eyes were glazed with sadness. "Dad is gonna kill me."
"No. He won't. It wasn't your fault," Greg said, no matter what had been or could be happening.
"It was," Dennis stated matter-of-factly. "I'm the oldest. I was in charge."
"That's nonsense. Your brother wasn't a little kid anymore. You couldn't have watched over him every second."
"But I lied to my parents. If they had known Sean's parents aren't home, they wouldn't have allowed us to come here in the first place."
"That's true," Greg agreed, wishing he could comfort him better.
"You see. It's my fault."
"Don't be so hard on yourself," Greg said, and wriggled deeper into the armchair. He glanced at Sara. She shrugged, looking as helpless as he felt.
Scotty moaned and Dennis pulled him closer.
"Was it that important to you to be here tonight?" Greg continued their conversation.
Dennis shrugged. "Looks like it."
"Why?" Greg pursued the matter.
"Do you like what you do?" Dennis changed the subject.
Gee! Got you. Who did you meet at the party, huh? "Yeah, sure. Being a CSI is a challenge every day."
"Mm." Dennis closed his eyes and leaned back.
Greg wanted Dennis to give up the truth, but he knew to press harder would be a mistake. A change of course was the better tactic. "Tell me," Greg addressed Sara, "why's it you have been much nicer to me in the last couple of months?"
"Huh?" she startled, gripping the arms of the chair. "I don't know what...well okay...it was...uh..." She cleared her throat.
"...my coming out, right?"
She blushed. "Well - yes."
"Why did that change anything at all?"
"You - flirting with me - always made me feel pretty uncomfortable. I have always liked you, Greg, but I didn't want to encourage you in any way. Now I know you were just having fun."
"Oh."
"I know. It sounds silly now that I think about it. I'm sorry."
"It's fine. I can be pretty annoying."
"Really?" She smiled. "Gosh! I never noticed."
They laughed and then silenced, looking at the resting boys, embarrassed.
Sara's voice dropped to a whisper. "Do you want to tell me now, what's bothering you?"
"It's not important," Greg understated, because he could never tell her.
Greg glanced at Dennis. He seemed asleep. Okay. Come on. This is for the cause. "My boyfriend upsets me."
"Alan?"
"No. My current boyfriend. I discovered a piece of his past and it unnerves me."
"Talk to him."
"He isn't much of a talker."
"I know the type." She smiled sadly.
It was that smile that made him remember. This is Sara. Sara who is in love with my boyfriend. I'm with the man she's been chasing for years. We're in love with the same man. Greg gulped and kept still.
Sara looked lost in her own thoughts and didn't urge him to reveal more.
Luckily, because seconds later, Gil peeked in. "Sara, can I talk to you."
Her face lit up like a Christmas tree and eagerly she followed him outside.
Greg wriggled yet deeper into the comforting chair. He sighed. Shit. Why do I take everything to heart?
"Are you gay?" Dennis' question dropped like a bomb.
Hey. At least my plan worked. "Yes, Dennis. Is that a problem for you?"
Dennis blushed. "No. I'm... uh... curious."
"Oh? Why's that?"
"I was told cops have to be tough."
"CSIs," Greg corrected him softly. "Who told you gay men can't be tough?"
"Rob says so." He bit his lip. "Said so."
Greg sensed Dennis was close to tears. He got up and joined him on the sofa, putting an arm around the sagged shoulders. "Well, he was wrong."
"Rob hated gays," Dennis choked out. "Sometimes I hated him."
Greg squeezed Dennis' shoulder.
"But I didn't want him dead," Dennis whimpered.
Greg pulled him closer. "I know that. Rob knew that."
"You think?"
"Sure. He was your brother. He loved you. Brothers always fight."
Dennis sniffled and leaned into him.
"You were in the bushes with a boy, right? That's why you didn't want to tell Captain Brass."
Dennis wiped over his face. "Yeah. How did you know?"
"I'm an expert in that matter," Greg joked dryly. "You have to tell Captain Brass."
"But he will tell my parents."
"Dennis, you have to tell them someday." Oh, what right do I have to lecture him? Did I tell anybody about Gil and me?
"I know. But not today."
"Come on. It's not that hard."
"Did you tell your parents?"
"No, but I told my grandparents."
Dennis frowned. "Why? What about your parents?"
"Greg!" Gil walked in, interrupting the intimate moment. Seeing Greg and Dennis kind of snuggling, he stopped in his tracks.
Dennis jerked away from Greg.
Gil gave them a weird look. "We're heading back to the lab. Social Services will meet us there to take care of the boys until their parents will arrive."
"Did you reach my parents? Did they know what happened?" Dennis squeaked, kneading his hands.
"Yes, we have. They are on their way back."
"Oh. Oh god." Dennis shoved the blanket off and woke his brother. "Come on, Scotty. Mom and dad are home soon."
Gil Grissom looking clueless. That's something, Greg mused, feeling strangely satisfied by his lover's bafflement.
"Officer Nichols and Morrison will accompany you on the drive to the lab," Gil continued, pointing at the uniformed duo coming in.
"I want Greg to come with us too," Dennis said, not shy at all.
"Well," Gil said, now looking even more curious, "that's fine with me. Greg?"
"No problem," Greg replied, patting Dennis shoulder.
Gil's eyes narrowed. "See you at the lab." He walked out.
"Is that your boyfriend?" Dennis whispered.
Greg spewed out a chuckle. "No way. That's my boss." Kids. "Whatever gave you that idea?"
Dennis shrugged. "Just a guess."
Pretty good guess, my friend. Greg thought, nonplussed. Gee! Even a stranger read me. A boy. How can I believe nobody at the lab knows? How starry-eyed am I?
Silence filled the car on the drive to the lab. The officers sitting up front didn't bother them with small talk. Greg was seated between Dennis and Scotty in the back, feeling gloomy despite the bright lights of Vegas flitting by. I have to stop the lying and the hiding. Our friends should know what's going on between Gil and me. We should act like grownups. The sheriff already knows. Right. About time to make a clean sweep, isn't it? He looked at Dennis' grim face. Yeah. I should be a role model for the next generation. Gently he patted the boy's knee. "I'll be there for you."
"Thanks," Dennis murmured, and continued plucking the skin of his fingertips.
Though a woman from social services greeted Dennis and Scotty as soon as they arrived and asked them to come with her. Greg sensed Dennis wasn't comfortable separating from him. "Come on now, go with her. I'll check on you later. Promise."
Dennis nodded, and he and Scotty were led away.
Greg sighed. This was one horrible night. Yeah, well, you wanted this, now deal with it. He followed Sara to the trace lab.
"How's the teacher's pet?" Hodges sneered as he caught sight of them. "Did he enjoy the world outside the lab?"
Greg glared at him. Usually, he was able to ignore Hodges' snarky comments. Not playing his games was the most effective way to deal with a man like him. Though today Greg was too pissed to keep his calm. "Leave me alone, Hodges."
Hodges' blue eyes sparkled with glee. "Well, look at that. Is Grissom's favorite boy not amused by what he learned today?"
"Quit it, Hodges," Sara interfered. "We had to handle the death of a minor..."
"Oh yeah? So what?" Hodges barked at her, shrugging. "Greg should have known what's it like to be a CSI." He smirked. "But did he think about those things? No, of course not. All he could think about was to be with his adored boss all the time. Out in the field, Greg figured he would find a way...."
Holy shit! Shut your mouth! Greg punched Hodges in the face.
Hodges yelped, stumbled backwards, and crashed into his desk.
Oh God! Greg's fist hurt, and he flushed. Fuck! What's got into me?
Sara gaped at him.
Hodges rubbed his chin. He was still smirking. The devil himself couldn't have looked more wicked. "Well, at last everybody's favorite, Greg Sanders, showed his true nature."
"Stop this! Both of you!" Sara railed at them. "What's wrong with you?"
Greg moved forward though. Hodges needed to shut up.
"What's going on here?" Gil barged into the room. Yikes! And Sheriff Atwater was right behind him.
There he is, Greg mused, unfazed, the center of my universe. His anger was pitched to a higher level. "None of your business, Gil. Stay out of it."
Sara's jaw dropped. Hodges chuckled. Gil's expression turned icy. The sheriff, though, winked at Greg in a compassionate way.
Greg stared at the guy. What the hell? What's his game?
"Come to my office in half an hour, Sanders," Gil snarled, pushing his glasses to the highest point on his nose.
"Yeah, sure." Greg nodded, clenching his fists.
"Are you alright? Do you need medical attention?" Gil turned to the snarky lab worker.
"No, boss." Hodges pulled his coat in order. "I'm fine."
"You can file a complaint..." Gil continued, poker-faced.
"Leave it," Hodges snapped. "Such a sissy hit isn't worth the trouble." He turned his back on them and cleaned up his desk.
"Okay. It's up to you." Gil squared his shoulders. "Everyone back to work." He walked out and on to his office.
Sheriff Atwater lingered on to wink at Greg once more. "Trouble in paradise?" He smiled and then he followed Gil.
Greg almost laughed. But just.
"What did the sheriff mean by that?" Sara said, looking as if she had been knocked down.
"I don't know," Greg said, shuffling his feet. I can't tell you. Drop it.
"Still the pathetic lab boy," Hodges sniped, with his back still turned on them. "Will you ever grow up?"
"I may be pathetic, but you're unwanted," Greg fired back. Holy shit! I've had it. I need a drink. "Got it?!" He left in a huff and strolled through the lab aimlessly, undecided if he wanted to follow Gil's order or not. Hodges is right. I'm pathetic. I'm not man enough to confront Gil about us. His attitude about keeping our relationship a secret makes me unhappy. Yet I stay with him, drooling over everything he does.
On his random tour Greg stopped at the morgue, lingering restlessly at the entrance.
"Looking for someone?" Al Robbins startled him coming through the doors. The one man who had the ability to make everybody calm down simply by his presence.
"Yeah. Can you tell me about the body of Rob Epson?"
"Sure. Come on in."
Gil didn't know how he could manage to stay calm after the shit that had went down. Well. He needed to because he wouldn't grant sheriff Atwater the pleasure of seeing him lose face. Holding on to the files on his desk, he gave the most sober report on the present cases, ignoring the twinkle in Atwater's eyes. Damn that man. Since he caught Greg on my home phone that one night, he's always teasing me. Why doesn't he raise the issue and wear me down already? What is he waiting for? Gil finished his report and expected Atwater to leave. He needed time to prepare himself for the talk with Greg.
The sheriff though stayed seated. "Trouble with the new CSI?" he asked smugly.
Yeah! I had that coming. "Nothing I can't handle."
"Are you sure?"
"What are you implying, sheriff?" Gil barked, unwilling to raise the issue himself.
"That it could have been too early to make Sanders a CSI."
"Are you questioning my decision?"
"No, not at all. I'm only considering the fact of..."
Okay. Here it comes. Brace yourself. Gil clenched his teeth.
"...his youth and greenness," Atwater concluded wickedly.
Gil sorted the files. "...ermh, well, I'll make sure something like today will never happen again. If you will excuse me, please, I have a lot of work to do..."
"Very well," the sheriff agreed. "I'll leave you to prepare for a delicate conversation. I don't envy you," he teased Gil once more and then he was gone.
Gil exhaled. The incident between Greg and Hodges was worrying. Greg had never acted this way before. Violence didn't fit his character. So, what had happened today? It must have been something important to make him lose it like that. Whatever it was Greg needed to tell him. Gil checked his watch and frowned. More than thirty minutes had gone by since he had ordered Greg to come to his office. Gil looked at the door. No sign of Greg coming down the hallway. Meaning he had ignored a direct order. "What the hell?" That's not like Greg at all. A hard lump grew in Gil's throat and made it difficult for him to breathe. Well, if he's not coming to me, I have to find him. I have to fix whatever it is. He stumbled to his feet and went searching the lab. I hope he hasn't left for home already. This wouldn't be the first time Greg had tried to run away, right?
You don't say. Gil had checked everywhere for Greg when he passed the morgue. He pushed the door open. There he came across Dr. Robbins in the company of a stressed-out looking Greg. His boyfriend wore a lab-coat, and it was obvious he had participated in the on-going autopsy. Where is David? Why's Greg doing this? What did I miss? Gil was riled up a bit himself now. Okay. Calm down.
Not easy with Greg not looking at him and Robbins greeting him as if this was a get-together. "Oh, hello. Nice to see you, Gil. Did you come by to hear the autopsy result?"
"Sure, for what else should I come down here?" Gil said, because the true reason wasn't Robbins' business.
"I already told Greg I have come to the conclusion that Rob Epson died by accident," Robbins said matter-of-factly. "He banged his head severely - probably at the edge of the pool - and drowned, already unconscious. The blood and hair samples, found by Greg and Sara will confirm this."
Gil approached the body. "Is this definitive?"
"As good as," Robbins said, covering the body up.
"I hope that's enough to clear Dennis of any guilt and let him go," Greg said, pulling his gloves off.
"What is it about that boy that makes you care so much," Gil said, still having trouble breathing.
Greg glared at him. "It's the case I want to solve. That's all."
"Don't lie to me! Your behavior towards Hodges is inexcusable. Explain yourself!"
"I don't have anything to say. Not to you."
"Greg, I'm your boss. I order you..."
Greg slipped out of his coat. "My present problems have nothing to do with work, so I don't have to answer."
"Greg..."
"I'll check on Dennis and Scotty and then I'll leave for home."
"Okay. Fine." Gil had it now. He was still in charge of this lab. "You want it this way you can have it. I'm not responsible for any consequences."
"It's you who wants it this way."
"I always told you..."
"Don't start...again!" Greg threw the coat to the ground and ran out.
Dead silence. Robbins picked up the coat and carried it to the disposal for the laundry.
Gil shook his head and caught his breath. This is the reason you should never get involved with a subordinate.
"I see your relationship is messed up, Gil," Robbins said, tidying up his tools.
"What?!" Gil startled.
"Do you want some advice?"
"Keep your voice down, because I haven't the slightest idea..."
Robbins cut him short. "Do you believe it's still a secret you're sleeping with dear Greg? Well, I don't know about the others, but I have known for weeks what's going on."
"Weeks! Are you joking?" Oh, come on... that man would never joke about such things, so... leave it! Gil turned around and fled, yet he heard Robbins laugh when he burst through the doors, not spotting the eavesdropper hiding behind them. Well...just because...
...Sara stuck to the wall like a chewed-up piece of gum. She had come here to ask Robbins about the results of Rob Epson's autopsy. With horror she had eaves-dropped on the curious conversation between Gil and Greg and had seen him leave. Then she had heard every word Robbins had exchanged with Gil. Frozen she had watched Gil bolting off, panic-stricken he could turn around and see her. Thank God he didn't. Shaken she clung to the wall until Gil had vanished around the corner. Her stomach felt like a knotted ball of flames and her eyes burned like hell. Gil is gay, Gil is gay, Gil is... for years I have chased after a gay man. A man who's fucking the former lab boy. She blinked rapidly to hold back the tears. In vain. When she heard someone was coming down the hallway, she fled with the tears welling up and streaming down her face. Shit! She wiped them off for nothing because more tears oozed from her eyes and kept rolling down her cheeks. Sobbing, she entered the locker room. Dear God! She must leave. If someone saw her like this... Right! Hurry! She opened her locker to change but was kept from doing so by wiping her face repeatedly. Come on. Pull yourself together. This is not you.
Too late. Nick walked in. "Hey there! What's up?"
God, no. She hid her face and tried to calm her voice. "I'm going home for an hour. Robbins isn't finished with Rob Epson's body, and I need a break."
Nick put a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong? Something about the case?"
"Nothing's wrong. I just need to...." She sobbed.
Nick turned her around. "Sara, dear, what happened?"
She didn't answer but buried herself in his arms. "I...I...am...so damn...stupid," she confessed, and fresh tears poured from her eyes.
He held her tightly. "Why? Is it Ecklie again? I will..."
"No. Not him." The crying stilled a little. "I can't tell you. I can't tell anyone."
He stroked her back. "Well, seeing you like this, I know anyway." Sara shifted but he kept holding her. "You figured out the truth about Grissom, right?"
Sara struggled free; in seconds her eyes turned dry and coarse as desert sand. "You knew?"
"Ermh...yes," Nick confessed, looking miserable.
"You knew all along and still didn't tell me."
"I didn't know all along," he defended himself. "Only for a couple of weeks and just because...I caught them kissing."
Sara flinched. "When?"
"At my party."
Oh my gosh! What next! Her heart turned as dark as night. "Who else knows?"
"Catherine."
"That BITCH," she spat, crying again.
"Sara." He pulled her back into his arms. "Please, don't cry."
"Let me go. I don't need your pity."
"I don't pity you. I..." Nick was drenched in feelings. ...love you. Yeah, but I can't tell her that. Not now. She's hurt and angry. She wouldn't listen, worse, she wouldn't believe me. "I'm your friend. I'm here for you."
The silence of his apartment greeted Gil mockingly. Only the butterflies in their glass cases awaited him. No kidding! Gil threw his keys on the table, where they slid to the edge and fell over to land on the ground. Gil swore and headed to the bedroom. He got rid of his clothes and then - he froze in motion. One of the drawers stood open. The bottom drawer. Bare-chested, he walked over to check it out, though the neat order of shorts and socks seemed untouched. But at a closer look, he figured Greg must have rummaged through them. Oh boy. Gil knelt and fumbled at the back of the drawer until he found the stashed box. He opened it. Okay. The photograph was still inside. Sure. Yet it was wrong. It should have been backwards. Not like this with Mark smiling brightly at him. Mark. He sighed. Cheerful, funny, devoted Mark. Gil shifted the photo a little bit and for a second the light played tricks on him. Mark turned into Greg. Gil blinked. Greg was gone. Mark smiled at him again. Once they were happy. A long, long time ago. Once they had one of their fights. Don't think about it. Don't. Aren't you already depressed? But the memory washed over him like a heavy wave, climbing up, choking him.
"Are you giving me an ultimatum?" Gil shouted, pacing up and down the room.
"Yes, I am," Mark snarled. "I want you to change. I don't like the way we spend time together. All you care about is work, solving your stupid riddles. You don't care about me or anyone. You don't care about living."
"What are you talking about?" Gil spat back. "I have a life!"
"No, you don't. We never go out. We never have fun, and we barely fuck anymore."
"I never knew sex was this important to you," Gil scoffed, raising a mocking eyebrow.
Though Mark wasn't embarrassed. "It is. I want to live. I need someone who enjoys living as much as I do. Not someone who is just present."
Gil shrugged. "You've already made your decision then. What are you waiting for? Get out of here."
Mark grabbed his arm. "I don't want to leave, but I have to."
Gil shook him off. "If you can't accept me as I am, there is no point in staying."
"Okay. Fine. Suit yourself!" Mark walked out and slammed the door shut.
"Yeah. Whatever." Gil huffed and curled up on the sofa, reading a forensic journal for over an hour. He didn't bother to be unhappy about Mark leaving. He would be back. This wasn't the first time Mark had left him. They had lived through this stupid argument already a dozen times. Mark would never leave him. He loved Gil too much. Mark had told him so himself. What's he complaining about anyway? Gil grumbled. I have never cheated on him. I have never lied. I have never even laid eyes on any other man. I'm faithful and loyal, I'm...
The phone rang. He smirked and let it ring for a few times. See. He's sorry already. He will never leave me. He picked up the receiver. "Come home."
"Pardon me?"
The caller wasn't Mark. "Sorry, I thought you were someone else."
"Am I speaking to a Mr. Gilbert Grissom?"
"Yes. How can I help you?"
"Are you acquainted with a Mr. Mark Yared?"
"Yes." Gil shifted. The journal slipped to the ground. "What is it?"
"I'm deeply sorry to inform you that Mr. Yared had an accident. For yet unidentified reasons he crashed his car into a power pole..."
Gil's stomach cramped. The phone slipped from his fingers, while the messenger's voice went on mercilessly. "...the paramedics did everything they could...but he died on the way to the hospital..."
Dear God! Gil stroked over his eyes. He was shaking. Over twenty years had passed since that day, and still, he wasn't able to think about Mark's fate and his loss without crying. He kissed the smiling face on the photo. "I'm sorry, Mark. I did love you." Neatly folded he put the picture back into the box. Holding the metal square, he sat down on his bed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. It appears Greg has found Mark's photograph. That would be a logical explanation for him being so upset today. Greg has discovered the one and only piece of remembrance I have kept of my lost love. A man who had a close resemblance to Greg. Has Greg noticed? Gil snorted. Who am I kidding? Sure, he has. He's too clever and observant. A true CSI.
The ringing phone made Gil wince. At once images from the past hit him again. Give it a rest! A tragedy like that doesn't happen twice in a lifetime. It could be Greg reaching out to you. He rushed to the living room and fetched the receiver. Are you sure? "Grissom."
It was Brass. Gil's relief changed though, while he listened to his friend. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Gil. It's about Greg. He had a lot to drink and..."
"No. Please no," Gil groaned, and cold fear seized his heart. The phone slipped from his fingers and dropped to the ground to share the destiny of his forgotten keys. But the voice of Brass floated to him relentlessly.
"...crashed..."