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© Cynthia Guenther Richardson and talesforlife 2011- 2019. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cynthia Guenther Richardson and Tales for Life (and, as applicable, older blogs of Poetry for the Living and Visionary Views) with appropriate, specific direction to the original content.
Cynthia Guenther Richardson	in children, family life, making a home, memoir, moving, nature and children, outdoor life, state parks, Uncategorized, WPLongform	 February 27, 2014 March 3, 2014 1,658 Words
Home is the Spot You Land
I had to move all the way from Michigan to Tennessee before I got to live in a state park and purchase a large A-frame-style house for our family of seven. I was thirty-four. My husband was transferred, the fourth time in five years. I was ready as always for adventure, I thought. My parents had taken my siblings and me through Tennessee during summer vacations on our way to other places. History was something my family studied in person–or remnants of it. Tennessee has plenty of that. I even thought of myself as a bit Southern since I was born and lived in Missouri for one and a half years. I was quite mistaken. That was clear the day we arrived at Pin Oak Lodge, where we would stay while we located a suitable house. The lodge was in Natchez Trace State Park, under ten miles from Lexington, our new city of five thousand. It looked like an old town out of a movie, replete with a small library, three small schools and a town square with courthouse front and center. It boasted an attractive lake within city limits. We were about to dive into a mega adventure in the classic South. Detroit suburbs were very far away-I wasn't very sad about that–as soon as the lodge receptionist emitted words cloaked in vowels that had been stretched, transformed. "Wayaacom yaal. Aahm Jaaayean." Her smile dazzled. That is what I heard when I first met Jane. I was embarrassed to have to ask for a repeat. I felt quite unsure about the territory we had just entered. It was late summer, a month before the new school worries. Our children, ages eleven down to four, initially considered it a well-deserved vacation. The rooms were pleasing; the pool had cheery aqua water with a diving board to execute daredevil dives from, day and night. I joined in though my husband watched from a shady spot or, preferably, an air conditioned window seat. The sun hunted us down, mistaking us for prey. Sweat was a constant accessory. We turned pink or bronze in no time. The daily buffet offered surprises like fried okra and catfish, which we loved. I didn't tell the kids what the fish looked like alive or where it had lived. For errands in town, we tooled around in a fancy Lincoln Town Car my husband's company had leased for us–it was a tight fit–until we moved everything, cars included, to a new house. In the meantime, we were to adapt and enjoy the amenities as we continued searching for our own habitation. It was true that clamorous cicadas rivaled those in Missouri and the cottony heat eventually drove us indoors if not in the water. But those realities seemed minor for the moment. Who could complain, right? Hotel living gets old fast, despite the expense account, the services, the "easy does it" attitude. Ever try to keep track of five kids who have their own room, even one by your own? They felt freed of old constraints, the general rules of family that develop and nurture a civilized communal lifestyle. I empathized with their responses, but I was the ruling parent while my husband worked. The responsibility felt heavier outside of a house and neighborhood. We lived in the forest. Anyone could get lost. But we couldn't find a home big and decent enough yet affordable. I watched as other families came, played, and left–they were on vacations–and we remained two, then three weeks and into the fourth. We made a decision to move on. To the cabins. We were in two, side by side. Rustic but with running water and usable kitchens. Secluded. Because it was nearly September and everyone else was home buying fresh pencils and notebooks, trendy clothes and backpacks, we were alone. Excepting the wildlife. Not that we weren't preparing for the new school. But ten miles from school meant only a couple trips. The children lamented the few choices of commodities. I wondered where a good music and bookstore were. We worked at tuning into the language cadence so we understood what was said. Some found us less than appealing, with our big family, luxury car and our own accent that branded us as foreigners at best, enemies at worst. Confederate flags whipped in the breeze while people sipped iced tea for hours. Our kids danced and sang to Motor City soul music and liked to get right to the point. Most of the time we were in the thickets, hiking, observing an array of insects, avoiding unknown snakes and getting full choral concerts from bountiful birds. Bears we didn't worry about. I heard larger creatures, sensed them nearby but rarely saw them. I've always liked bugs. I grew up with a mother who took etymology and geology in college and a father who was a scientist at heart. We'd gone camping, hiked many trails. I had once lived in Texas, where fire ants, spiders and cockroaches did not win their battles with me. So I didn't shrink from unique flora and fauna that might elicit shrieks from others. That was before we took showers in cabins in a Tennessee state park. The first time my dripping wet foot landed on a hard, round object that was not a pen or bottle I was startled. When I moved so that my shadow stepped aside as well and the truth was revealed, I said things rather crass. Then I jumped on the toilet seat and shrieked for my spouse like a wimp. A millipede! And many more to follow during our stay. The sort with well over one hundred legs, I am certain. Not poisonous, not a biting sort, but nonetheless. They have hard shelled segments to protect their soft undersides. We had towels. After that we wore our sandals and inspected the bathroom and shower first. Considering they are thought to be the first creature to move from water to land, I owed them some respect. Like the place we were to make a home within. There were good times shared while we lived in the forest of Natchez Trace State Park. Nature provided peace and pleasures unlike any city life offered. I embraced myriad wonders. We lounged outside, sat at picnic tables for meals. The scents of earth and abundant plant life clung to us. Wildflowers greeted us in secret places. We followed butterflies by day and moths' curious dances around porch lights in evening. There were fires to tend in the fireplaces as the air grew chill. Storytelling and making our own music were second nature without television or fancy phones. We created things out of nature's bits and pieces, compared found rocks and studied trees and flowers, nature guides in hand. The children grew braver, more sure-footed. Resilience is readiness of spirit, a skill of adaptability. All five gained more daily. They cared for each other and squabbled as before but they couldn't escape each other easily. They learned things about one another that they did not know before. Just as my spouse and I did. Like how to cultivate patience, faith and love when alone in a strange, if beautiful, land. We found our house after the kids had been in school for a month. I might have moved into anything with enough beds for all at that point. But the moment I laid eyes on it I thought, It looks like a northern Michigan house. The beauty of that anomaly choked me up. The bonus was getting some land with it. My husband agreed. It was built into a hill. The front looked like one story whereas the back revealed it was two. It had four bedrooms, two baths, two living areas and a wood stove that warmed up the whole house in the winter (yes, it got cold). A porch spanned the front, the better to ogle the countryside. There was a rolling acre of yard that opened onto woods, a murky pond (fit for nothing much but snakes although the kids tried fishing) and a nice garden spot. We swore we could see the kudzu, monster vine, creep across the road, it grew so fast. It fascinated and frightened me a little, like southern thunder or ice storms we'd watch roil the skies far off, then shake up everything on the way in. As with so much of Tennessee, I came to appreciate the power and wiles of the geography. I loved helping split wood, then tending the fire in our wood stove, making the two stories warm and fragrant. Was mesmerized by the harsh music of cicadas among unseen critters. Grew to appreciate heat that left us languorous. I made a dear friend of Jane. I was the only woman in the one AA meeting where older men made up a club, exceedingly slow to set out a chair for me. Poetry came to me unimpeded while walking our acre. But my cello had arrived cracked, splintered. My father repaired it back home, then hand delivered it, lest my heart stay broken, too. It played differently after that. It seemed an omen that much was to change, one way or another. Our children learned about kindness, tolerance, and prejudice in equal measure; we were a multicultural family in actuality and viewpoint–not always understood or welcomed. It was a place where a molasses-like accent charmed and lulled us, and the closeness of air hung on our shoulders like invisible cloaks. Where we could roam at length in our own back yard. I fell in love with many of western Tennessee's characteristics about the time we followed a moving van back over the Mason-Dixon Line. It had not even been two years, but it had changed me. Deepened and challenged me. It had been a journey worth taking for the family. But it was very good indeed to be heading north to yet another spot.
A frame houses
adapting to new cultures
job transfers
Natchez trace State Park
the North and South
Remarkable Matters
Our Continental Summers
6 thoughts on "Home is the Spot You Land"
Papoo Parmar says:
So glad you enjoyed this one.
Gina Marie says:
A lovely memoir.
Thank you, Gina Marie. Personal essays/memoir is a fun departure from fiction! I usually post non-fiction as well as short story weekly.
hoot616 says:
Reblogged this on hootsville.
THROUGH MY PAIR OF EYES says:
THIS PICTURE IS BEYOND BEAUTIFUL.LOVE IT!!!
Leave a Reply to Cynthia Guenther Richardson Cancel reply


Dictionary.com defines CLING as: "to adhere closely; to stick to; to hold tight as by grasping or embracing".
I don't know about you, but it seems like waves of trouble are rolling all over the earth in the last few weeks. There have been so many deaths, it's unreal!
Please don't judge me on this, but I'm about to be full on honest here. After my divorce, I was clingy. Especially to men. I was searching for validation and attention. Now, I recognize it and realize it, and am no longer doing that. So, this whole clinging to God thing makes me both uncomfortable, but at the same time, very comfortable. Let me explain….
God has been the one constant in my life over the last 19 or so years. I have had times where I was too legalistic, too judgmental, and I served Him for the wrong reasons.
THANK THE LORD, I learned from those mistakes.
Honestly, I started learning more and more when I started attending my church. Over this past 6 years, I've grown a lot in the Lord. My divorce helped me turn to God more and cling to Him.
He has been here for me consistently. He has counted my tears, loved me when I felt unloved, and provided for my needs.
God is here for all of us during these terrible times. He wants us to cling to Him.
Following God, honoring Him and clinging to Him is what will get us through these hard times.
I don't understand why people chose evil over good, but they do. They have that choice because God did not make us little robots, He gave us free will. I will never understand for the life of me how people get sucked into this way of thinking, that taking lives is ok.
Let me encourage you though. Do not live in fear. That's just what the enemy wants. Be cautious and safe, of course, but do not live in fear. God has you. Cling to Him. He will never leave or forsake you.
God is good, God is holy, God is love, God is sovereign and God is just. He can not sin or do evil or go against who He is and He works for good for those who love Him.
God sees the whole picture, were as we can only see our part of it.
I am glad you drew nearer to the Lord in your heartache may He be your comfort and may He continue to bless you.
Yes and amen!! Thanks for sharing and thank you for asking Him to continue to bless me.


Videos, worksheets, solutions, and activities to help Algebra 2 students learn how to graph the Sin, Cos, Tan, Sec, Csc, and Cot functions.
The three cofunction identities are useful because they can be used to convert, for example,sine into cosine or any trig function into its cofunction. When graphing reciprocal trigonometric functions, first find the values of the original trig function. Take the reciprocal of each value and plot the ordered pair in the coordinate plane.
This lesson shows how to graph the reciprocal trigonometric functions (y = csc x, y = sec x and y = cot x) using the y = sin x, y = cos x and y = tan x functions.
How to use the unit circle to derive identities that are useful in graphing the reciprocal trigonometric functions.
Illustrations the graph of the cotangent function using the cotangent segment.
How to graph Cosecant and Secant using Sine and Cosine.
Graphing the secant and cosecant functions.


Will be good to see you there..
If anyone else wants to come along and exhibit their C5 either contact Spike direct, or myself, and we can forward an entry form via email.
It would be nice to have a group of C5's there, plus it's a chance for us to chat about all things C5 with people that are interested in them . When Martin and I did the Ardingly and Amberley shows last year it was amazing to see the level of interest the C5's generate.
Alan , just a reminder - if you (or anyone else) want to attend this you'll need to fill out a form that needs to be with Spike by the end of the month.
Contact Spike or myself to obtain the necessary form.
I've already posted my application - let me know if anyone else wants to come along .
I'm all trailered up and ready for the off !!! - gettin excited !!!
Have a great all how attends, hope to see some pictures later and fingers crossed Umpa is taken his camcorder again.
I didn't get chance to take any piccies at all, so busy chatting with people who stopped to admire the c5's & the mini-el . Our small display was well received with quite a few taking the chance to have their photo taken sitting in a c5. Some also recognised "moneypit" off the Gadget show.
The car show itself was unusual in that it was spread out over a couple of streets in the town centre shopping area, so there were a lot of people coming and going.
What a day, fantastic day as always. Thanks Karl & Angie for the card and stuff. Will post pics and video very soon.
Off to bed I'm tatered !!
As you can see there was quite a bit of interest in the Sinclair C5 and C5Alive.
I would all thank karl & Angie for letting me attend & for their hard work and effort they put into C5alive.
We had a really nice day !
Everyone who stopped to chat seemed genuinely interested in the C5, with most people agreeing it didn't deserve the ridicule it received in 1985.
I wish i could have join you, looks like a great day out. That general lee is fantastic, was Daisy Duke there ?
Glad you liked it, the more lazy I am with the camera the harder it gets to make.
Sorry Andy - no Daisy Duke - would have been nice !!!!
Karl how did you find the DVD ?


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Increases in Bronchiectasis Cases, Disease Severity a Worrying Trend in New Zealand
Bronchiectasis is a growing health problem in New Zealand, with disease-related hospitalizations having risen by 30 percent between 2000 and 2013, and the number of annual deaths having more than doubled in the decade from 2000-01 to 2011, according to the Asthma Foundation. The foundation is encouraging greater disease awareness, and efforts at early diagnosis and treatment.
Will that goal in mind, New Zealand will hold its first National Bronchiectasis Day on April 7, 2016.
An uncommon lung disease, most often secondary to an infectious process, bronchiectasis results in the abnormal and permanent distortion of one or more of the conducting bronchi or airways. Symptoms typically include a chronic cough with mucus production, chest pain, coughing up blood, and shortness of breath.
Bronchiectasis affects an estimated 4,226 people in New Zealand, and is increasingly lethal — disease-related deaths have risen from 42 per year in 2000/01 to 84 in 2011. Children up to age 14 are particularly affected, with reports of one death every 18 months and 136 hospitalizations, the foundation said in a press release.
"As health care workers are often unaware of its prevalence, children can be diagnosed when severe disease is already established. A wet or mucusy sounding cough in children that lasts for several weeks is NOT normal. It suggests ongoing infection which may be doing permanent lung damage," said Dr. Cass Byrnes from Auckland University.
To lessen the chances of lung damage, early diagnosis and treatment is vital. "Children will often have symptoms for 2 years before the diagnosis is made which is far too long. We set the bar too high – children could be diagnosed earlier, get the appropriate treatment with the potential in childhood to actually reverse the disease, which is not possible in adults. We need to target and rescue this problem in NZ [New Zealand]," Dr. Byrnes said.
Parents and caregivers are advised to look for the signs and symptoms that include "persistent coughing that is recurrent and wet, recurrent respiratory infections, hospital admissions, recurrent antibiotic use of any type and school absenteeism," Dr. Byrnes said.
To honor National Bronchiectasis Day, "Auckland and Northland will be celebrating with children and their families to bring about more education of the condition and raising awareness," said Camron Muriwai, chairman of the Bronchiectasis Foundation.
The Asthma Foundation, New Zealand's nonprofit authority on asthma and other respiratory conditions, advocates to the government, raises awareness on respiratory illnesses, funds research for better treatments, and educates on best practices. The Asthma Foundation works closely with the Bronchiectasis Foundation, which supports families of those who have been diagnosed with the disease.
Tagged Asthma Foundation, awareness, Bronchiectasis Foundation, Children, New Zealand.
Previous: Pediatric Bronchiectasis Is Preventable and Hardly an Orphan Disease, Review Suggests
Next:Bronchiectasis Appears to Be Common in Airway-Centered Fibroelastosis, a Possible New Lung Disorder in Women

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Q. How do I sign up for my company/club/organization?
Memberships represent individual people. (The law calls this "a natural person." At NearlyFreeSpeech.NET at least, corporations are not people.) A company, club, or organization (we'll go with "company" for the rest of this FAQ entry, but it applies just as well to clubs, organizations, or other types of groups) has no arms, fingers, and eyes and cannot read our Terms and Conditions of Service or complete our signup form.
If you're signing up to host stuff for any kind of organization in which you're not the sole participant, you still have to create your membership as yourself, at which point you, personally, agree to adhere to our Terms and Conditions of Service. This is not too different from opening a company bank account; you still have to give them your own ID and sign the signature card and checks with your own name, not "President" or "Company Name, Inc."
It is very important to understand that once you create a membership for yourself, it's yours. (To reiterate the above, your membership represents you as an individual.) Although you can cancel your membership, or it can expire if you don't have any accounts or services for awhile, you can never give it away, nor ever let anyone else access it, just like you can't give away your personhood, nor allow other people to pretend to be you. This means we do not allow multiple people to simultaneously manage one membership. We are simply not equipped to handle disputes where multiple people are claiming to be in charge and giving us conflicting instructions. There must always be one person with the final say, and that is the person who, in the event of a dispute, can produce photo ID matching the name on the membership.
After you create your membership, using your own name, you will then have the opportunity to create an account. (Actually you can use your membership to create as many accounts as you want, just like you can have multiple accounts at the same bank.) This is the step where, as the representative of a company, you should be very cautious. You should fill out the account contact information to reflect that of the company, not yourself. This indicates that while you manage the account, the company owns it.
After you fund the company's account, you will be able to set up whatever funds, sites, domains, and other services we offer that the company needs. All of those things attach to the account to make up a neat little package of related stuff. That becomes important if you ever need to transfer control to someone else, because it makes that very easy.
If you need to share responsibility for services here with other people from your company, that is also easily done. Other people from the company can set up memberships of their own. Then, you can share access to a single site or a whole account with them.
If/when the day comes that you need to hand over management of the company's stuff to someone else, it's a very straightforward process. The person taking over simply creates a membership for themselves (again, as an individual, in their own name), at which point they read and agree to our Terms and Conditions of Service. (That part is really, really important.) Then, the company's account has a 12-digit account number like A1B2-C3D4E5F6 you can use to identify it. Give the other person that number, and then each of you should send a free assistance request to us through the member interface asking to move the company's account from the old manager's membership to the new one. The account, and all the sites/domains/databases it contains get moved over in one easy step. It's very easy to do, and can be handled in a few minutes without any downtime or interruption of service. If you have other stuff hosted in a separate account on the same membership, it won't be affected.


Stamford Hex Angel Worry Incense Sticks will allow you to sit back, relax and enjoy the subtlety of Cinnamon aromas as the incense infuses the air around you.
Simply light the tip of your Stamford Hex Angel Worry Incense Stick and wait for it to glow. Then blow out the flame and place in an incense holder for beautiful fragrance throughout your home.


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← From Russia With Tears: To the Struggle Against World Terrorism
Connection to Tranquility: The Calgary Peace Bridge →
Posted on April 19, 2019	by jrcclark
There are times when a certain custom, way of life, or creative expression make so much sense to the human race that they are adapted to fit other circumstances, with the hope a similar result will occur. "What goes around comes around" – or maybe "the best inventions never lose their purpose" might be sayings that would apply in this scenario. Such is the case with the Paris Wall for Peace, the creation of artist Clara Halter, who conceived of the scheme, and architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, the man who drew the plans and delivered the idea to constructive reality. Wilmotte has earned international fame as the designer of "urban interior architecture," a voguish name for the construction of public buildings that appeal to the same respect and reverence as your own home. Even before joining with Wilmotte, Halter had been very active in the propagation of peace through her efforts with Eléments, a European publication promoting and tracking the progress of peace in the Middle East. Given this experience in her life, it was quite natural that she would draw upon the symbols of Mid-Eastern culture in her conceptualization of the Wall for Peace. In particular, she reached into the religion of Judaism and the traditions surrounding the Wailing Wall of Jerusalem.
Paper Messages or Prayers Are Placed in the Crevices of the Wailing Wall
(Click for Larger Photo)
The Wailing Wall carries strong meaning to those of the Jewish religion, serving as a monument to their faith, a place of prayer, and symbol of Judaism's tenacity in the face of persecution. According to tradition, the Wailing Wall at one time served as the western wall of the courtyard that enclosed the Jewish Temple Mount – upon which rested the actual temple initiated by Herod the Great in the year 19 BC. For this reason it is often referred to as the Western Wall, but it is also denoted as "Kotel" in Hebrew. With the exception of the temple mount itself, the Wailing Wall is held as the most revered site in Judaism and has been frequently photographed – making it a familiar landmark to people around the world. Many historians believe that the custom of praying before the wall gained popularity in the years following the Ottoman conquest of Jerusalem in 1517 – and it has been a point of friction between Judaism and Islam ever since. According to the long-held teachings of Judaism, the very gate of heaven is situated at the Wailing Wall and waiting to hear the prayers of those that approach.
You Can Email Your Messages to the Wailing Wall
Of particular significance to understanding the thinking behind the Peace Wall of Paris is the Jewish custom of placing slips of paper in the crevices of the Wailing Wall, containing wishes and hopes for the future. Ever since the earliest description of this tradition in 1743, there has been a running debate on whether or not worshippers are allowed to place their finger in the crevices of the wall – since in the tradition of more orthodox teaching such an action would breach the very holiness of the temple that once stood on the mount. At one time, the ritual of approaching the wall included the need to remove one's shoes, but this parameter of worship eventually gave way – while the stricture to cover the head has remained. Today more than a million slips of paper are placed in the wall each year, and there are actual online services available – similar to "Window on the Wall" – through which Jews can email their notes to Jerusalem at a time of great spiritual need. Some organizations, such as the Christian Broadcasting Network, even provide a way for people all over the world to tweet their prayers, and in such a manner have them printed and placed in the wall.
The Wall for Peace Consists Mainly of Glass
Through the combined talents of Halter and Wilmotte, the Wall for Peace is a masterful and respectful transference of the Wailing Wall to Parisian society – and it has gained unexpected international fame and survived long past its intended staying time. Originally designed and intended to mark the millennium for the City of Paris, the President of the French Republic inaugurated its presence on the Champs de Mars on March 30, 2000. Sitting in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, the Wall for Peace consists of a metal structure that is covered with glass, stainless steel and wood of exotic origins. In the true spirit of the Wailing Wall, mailboxes are included as "chinks" in the design, intended for handwritten messages – thereby liberally borrowing from Judaic tradition. Inscribed on the monument is the word "peace," written in 32 different languages. In another obvious replication of Jewish tradition, onsite computer hookups allow anyone in the world to send an email message to the monument – which is accordingly displayed on monitors at the actual site. You can send you own message this very minute by visiting the link at the website. Designed to include a scenic walkway, the location is now a gathering spot for progressive thinkers that mill about discussing and debating world issues. Tremendously popular, the Parisian Wailing Wall was originally intended to stand for a short period of time, and it has survived threats for its removal.
An obvious question in reference to this website is whether or not the concepts surrounding the Paris Wall for Peace could be adapted to the design of a national monument dedicated to the victims of terrorism. We think in the affirmative, especially in respect to the topic of world peace. However, you have your own opinion and you can express it with the survey below.
About jrcclark
On October 2, 2001, scarcely one month after the horrors of 911, Representative Jim Turner of Texas introduced H. R. 2982 to the House of Representatives, calling for "the establishment of a memorial to victims who died as a result of terrorist acts against the United States or its people, at home or abroad." The resolution was amended by the Committee on Resources in June of 2002 and eventually approved on September 25, 2002 on a "motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill." It was sent to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, but it has languished there ever since – in effect dead and going nowhere. In 2008, this Senate Committee considered making Dark Elegy, the work of a New York sculptor who lost a son in the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, as the monument called for in H. R. 2982. However, the committee turned down the touching and thought-provoking sculptures of Suse Ellen Lowenstein – on the grounds that "…as compelling and impressive a proposal as has been made for the memorial in question, that we believe that, for the time being, that it relates to a very specific incident and should be treated as such rather than as a generic monument to victims of terrorism for all time." Today the resolution seems forgotten, and it is the purpose of this website to promote a petition to the House of Representatives and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, requesting that H. R. 2982 be reconsidered and revisited.
View all posts by jrcclark →
This entry was posted in Posts for the Cause and tagged Architecture, Current Events, guns and violence, human-rights, intelligence reform and terrorism prevention act, Jean-Michel Wilmotte, Judaism, monuments to the fallen, monuments to victims of terrorism, peace, Western Wall, world brotherhood. Bookmark the permalink.


text:
Sequel.migration do
  up do
    drop_view(:latest_tagged_pacts)
    drop_view(:latest_pacts)
    drop_view(:all_pacts)
    drop_table(:pacts)
    drop_table(:pact_version_contents)
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


2019 French Quarter Festival Funky Straw Hat – French Quarter Festivals, Inc.
We're Restocking From the Event! Check Back Next Week!
Top off your look with a French Quarter Fest-approved straw hat! This straw hat features a woven label in black and white on front, black rope band with adjustable clasp, and wide brim to shield your face from the sun. One size fits most.
© French Quarter Festivals, Inc.


Power is 231 PS, torque is 370 Nm.
When is this car getting updated... Overdue for a technical facelift IMO.
Wow, yeah, that's supposed to be CCs I think.
woah... yeah world's largest engine!
Too bad this happens to have the same name as the legendary Audi S1 rally car.


Dusklight is a Original Character of mine.
His story takes place in the future.
This story is about his past. Although if I choose to RP him, I may change some details.
Dusklight Origins. Dusklight was a young kit and as you may expect of a typical kit, he was adventurous and troublesome, however he was a bit more so than others. Early one morning when his mother was asleep he decided to explore. Being so small he managed to sneak out of a small gap in the side of the camp without being noticed. It wasn't as if he was trying to escape, he knew no better. He simply saw the hole and curiosity moved him forward and into the forest.
He explored the vast world of the forest sniffing around with wide eyes at all the new things and scents around him. After a long trek he found himself getting tired and wanting to return to his mother's warm flank to enjoy some sweet milk. But as he thought this he heard a terrifying noise, or one which should have been for a kit that wasn't quite so curious and naïve of the new world he found himself in. His weariness forgotten, he walked towards where the loud sound had come from and found himself at the edge of a thunderpath. As he slowly padded towards it and was about to walk onto the strange surface, he heard the loud noise again as a monster flew past a mouse length in front of his nose.
This seemed to be a bit too much adventure for the poor kit as he froze on the spot, terrified. He didn't know where he was, or what to do, and even if he did he was too afraid to move, or even wail for his mother. His curiosity forgotten, he was now a scared helpless kit who needed his mother.
As the kit stood frozen to the spot, the monster that had come so close to ending his short life had stopped up ahead and a twoleg climbed out. The twoleg slowly walked back towards the kit and let out a breath. The kit looked up at the twoleg, unsure what it was but all his instincts were yowling for him to run. Yet his body did not listen as he still remained stuck on the spot, as the twoleg bent down and gently picked him up.
The kit did not struggle and just allowed the twoleg to hold him, he was terrified, confused, tired and unsure what to do or what this creature holding him was. The twoleg walked around with the kit, turning, bending down as if searching for something. But after a while he let out another breath and held up the kit to look at him.
Of course the kit did not understand a word of this and just blinked at the twoleg, slightly relaxing as the twoleg seemed to show no signs of aggression.
Cradling the kit in his arms once more, the twoleg returned to his monster and placed the kit on the passenger seat only to find that he had fallen asleep, seemingly his weariness had finally won over. With a smile, the twoleg sat down in his monster and returned to his twoleg nest.
From then on the twoleg began to care for the kit the best way he could. He fed him milk realising he should still be feeding from his mother's milk.
The kit was confused, but no longer afraid as he slowly became use to the twoleg that he now knew he meant no harm. So he took to exploring the huge twoleg den instead, once again curious sniffing around the strange new world he yet again found himself in, all the while the twoleg watched with his strange facial expression which the kit thought meant he was happy.
For several sunrises the twoleg would take the kit out again in his monster, which at first made the kit unsettled but knowing the twoleg meant him no harm he relaxed and became use to the loud noise it always made. The twoleg would drive to where he found the kit, and would again search around while leaving the kit in the monster.
Each time the kit would wait patiently until the monster's side opened and the twoleg climbed in with a shake of his head. Each time saying the same thing.
"No luck, there is no signs of any cats around here. I'm sorry; your mother may not be around here anymore" The kit would simply look at him, tilting his head and blinking still not understanding a word. Eventually the twoleg gave up and took to caring for the kit alone.
The twoleg was an elderly man, his family had long moved away and he lived alone in a remote area far away from other twolegs.
Unlike many twolegs, the elderly man respected animals and loved nature. So he raised the young cat in his own way. He seemed to understand the kitten was no lost or abandoned pet to begin with, he was wild.
So although he gave him milk to begin with, he also tried to encourage him to hunt. He would use some of the ornaments he had in his garden of squirrels and such for the kit to play with in hopes he would retain his wild instincts to hunt. And sure enough as he became old enough he began trying to hunt for himself and after a few failed attempts he caught his first prey, a small shrew.
He walked up to the man dragging along its limp body in his mouth before dropping it at his feet proudly. The man then gave the small kit a gentle pat on the head before nudging the prey towards him encouraging him to eat it. After a few sniffs of uncertainty the kit was soon digging in relishing his first taste of fresh prey.
It had now been over three months since the man had found the kit. He had grown very attached to it, but he was determined not to show it. He chose not to give it a name for if he did it would be as if he was keeping him as a pet, and he did not want that. He knew he wasn't a kittypet and he knew even if he were he would not be able to care for him.
After the first successful catch the elderly man did not feed the kitten milk, and left him to hunt for his own food which thankfully seemed successful. Although the kit often looked at him expectantly at first, wanting some milk, he soon caught on and went to find more food like the juicy shrew he had already caught. He secretly kept some cat food in case the young tom failed in his hunts, and the little kit often smelt the strange animal prey smell, but never found where it came from and soon gave up looking for it. Thankfully it was not needed as the area was bursting with prey, even small prey the young kit could catch.
As the tom grew, he would spend more and more time exploring the area around the twoleg's home, but never strayed too far despite his growing yearning to travel into the forest. He was loyal to the old twoleg, and although he no longer needed him for food, he was still young and the twoleg was kin to him. He could not remember his true kin, but even though he was a twoleg, the young tom saw him as his kin and did not want to leave him. However his yearning to travel into the forest where he thought he may find more of his kind continued to grow.
This was partly his own instinct; he knew he belonged out there, not in a twoleg den. But also thanks to the elderly twoleg. Ever since he found the young tom, he continued to talk to him. Of course the little kit could not understand the twoleg, but he watched and listened intently anyway. The twoleg would sit behind his den with the young tom on his lap, often pointing to the forest as he would speak his weird twoleg words.
The man told the young tom about the forest. The man had explored many places around the world in his younger days so often spoke of his tales in the vast wildernesses he had explored. Although the old man knew nothing about Clans and Warriors and the battles they fought, he had seen cats around the area, wild cats, not pets. He seemed to know the young kit must have been a lost kitten of one of these wild cats. So he would tell him, go to the forest, that is where you belong, go find your family. He knew where the young cat truly belonged and even though he knew the kit did not understand his words, he hoped his message would get through.
Perhaps the tom began to understand a little of what the man was saying, as every time the man would sit down and talk the toms eyes would never leave the forest, sometimes he would fall asleep and dream of what the forest was like, and about his other kin, did they look like him? Did they miss him? The desire to travel into the forest had become strong, but he couldn't go, he could not leave his twoleg. The man lived alone, the only other humans that the young kitten ever saw were young women in white clothes who would come once in a while, he would hide and watch as they spoke to the man and touched him with various weird twoleg things, but they never stayed long and left the man alone again. He didn't understand why they always left him alone.
Despite only knowing life with the old twoleg, the kit yearned for more, he wanted to find more of his kind, his kin. He instinctively felt that one should never live alone, they needed kin… But this was why he couldn't search for them; he loved the twoleg as kin and could not leave him alone. He thought or at least convinced himself he could live happily with the twoleg forever, even if he had a yearning for the forest. He loved the twoleg and enjoyed his time with him, it was enough.
However nature made the decision for the young kit. One day as they always did, sitting behind the twoleg den as the sky turned to dusk, the old man seemed to act a bit strange, rather than just sit and talk to the kit like he usually did, he picked him up. The young kitten was now five moons old and was a lot bigger than when he had first found him, but he still cradled him like he had all those moons ago.
As he held the kit in one arm, he pointed to the forest as he boomed in his raspy voice.
"Go, to the forest, find your kin and live".
Although he did not understand the words, the young tom seemed to understand the meaning.
The twolegs face seemed different than usual, this wasn't just another story, somehow the tom knew he was very serious this time.
The cat blinked at the man, his scent had changed quite a lot over time but it had got much stronger over the last few sunrises, but the young tom did not understand why. The man's face softened again as he held the young tom close and wrapped his arms around him. He then sat down looking out into the forest as time seemed to freeze for the twoleg and the kit. After a few moments the twoleg let out a breath which settled into steady breathing indicating he had fallen asleep. The young tom curled on his nap, as he often did. Lulled by the old twoleg's heartbeat that now seemed ever so faint, the young kit yawned and joined him in sleep.
As the tom woke and stretched on the twoleg's lap, he turned to him and climbed up to lick his cheek to see if he was awake, but as he did, he realized the twoleg felt cold, the usual warmth that comforted the young kit was gone, the heartbeat that had lulled him to sleep so many times was silent. No breath escaped his mouth and his scent was all wrong, it was no longer the scent of his precious kin, it was a horrible scent, one he would come to know as the scent of death.
The kit stayed by the towleg for two sunrises, he continued to hunt and return just before dusk as he always had, hoping the twoleg would greet him and tell him one of his stories, but he remained where he always was, unmoved and unchanged except for the horrid scent growing stronger.
On the third sunrise , the tom woke to the sound of a monster to see one of the women in white climbing out from it. He quickly ran off to hide and watch her. She knocked on the front of the twoleg den with her forepaw and when no one responded she walked around the back of the den. As she saw the elderly twoleg, she called out to him. She quietly approached him after he did not reply, perhaps thinking he was asleep. When she got to him, she called to him again and nudged the man with a forepaw. The women let out a small yowl as she raised a forepaw to her mouth. After a moment she seemed to calm down, and gently put her forepaw to his neck, after a moment she took out a twoleg object, touched it a few times and started talking into it. The tom watched curiously as the women returned to the front of the twoleg den. Shortly afterwards another monster appeared with other twolegs inside. He watched as they walked around the twoleg den and picked up the old twoleg.
Part of him wanted to yowl, attack them, stop them from taking his precious kin away, but he sat in the bushes and didn't move. Although he did not entirely understand, he knew the twoleg was gone and would not return. He did not understand the ways of twolegs, but he could tell these twolegs did not seem to show any signs of aggression and so he decided to leave the twoleg to his own kind, he knew he could not help his twoleg now. He was alone. All he could do now was leave, he would leave for the forest like the old twoleg had wanted, and he would find his kind, his kin. But he would never forget his twoleg kin. He took one last look at his twoleg as he was taken by the twolegs into the monster, he dipped his head in goodbye and turned towards the forest.
And soon after Duskpaw, and then Dusklight was born.
Dusklight was originally a Clan kit called Stoatkit, he found his kin in RiverClan, his father Otterstar and his mother Sleekpelt who had searched long and hard for him, but had since thought he was dead after finding his scent trail disappear at the thunderpath.
RiverClan celebrated his return as he shared his story with his Clan. As he was now almost 6 moons old so he was almost ready to become an Apprentice, although he needed some time to adjust to the Clan.
After a few sunrises of living with the Clan, he was ready to become an Apprentice.
But before the ceremony he made a request from his father. He told him he was happy to be home and be with his true kin, but he never wanted to forget his other kin. So he requested a new name.
Otterstar purred and agreed, and so as the ceremony began he received his chosen name.
"Stoatkit you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Duskpaw. I ask StarClan to watch over you and guide you until you find in your paws the strength and courage of a warrior."
The Clan looked around in surprise at the new name, but only for a moment before they started cheering his new name.
He may have now been with his true kin, but he would forever carry the memory of his twoleg kin in his name, which in turn would always remind him of all the dusk's he sat and watched with his twoleg kin listening to his strange twoleg words.
After his first day as an Apprentice, Duskpaw sat and watched the sky turn to dusk, knowing his kin was out there somewhere in his own twoleg StarClan, he meowed "Thank you for looking after me, I will never forget you".
Perhaps the twoleg saw him and smiled back knowing he had returned to his true home. He had known his time was coming even when he first found the young kit. Knowing Duskpaw had found his true home surely let him rest in peace.
He went on to be a strong Apprentice and later a Warrior named Dusklight.


Thomson who has over 14 years experience in the drinks trade said: "I am thrilled to be the latest addition to the Glenfiddich team."
Thomson's past experience in the trade includes hosting educational training programmes for the on and off-trade, as well as masterclasses and tasting events for several other whisky brands.
"There are exciting things going on in the whisky category at the moment, so it's a great time to join Glenfiddich and help further cement its status in the UK. We have some very interesting new projects in the pipeline and I'm really looking forward to bringing these to life over the coming months," said Thomson.
Thomson also worked with Glenfiddich previously on projects like its Malt Mastermind bartender competition where he was a judge in 2013 and 2014.
Thomson can be reached on twitter at @DramWhiskyMark.
Senior brand manager for Glenfiddich, Sarah Harding, said: "Mark has a compelling enthusiasm and passion for Glenfiddich and for the Scotch malt category as a whole, which makes him the perfect candidate for this role."
Glenfiddich recently underwent a 'facelift' and had its iconic stag logo updated. The new logo rolled out in late October. Last month the brand also launched an online gallery giving whisky fans access to purchase rare and unreleased single malts.
Glenfiddich is produced by William Grant & Sons, founded by William Grant in 1886. The company distils several brands of Scotch whisky, including Grant's, Glenfiddich, and The Balvenie single malts, as well as selected other spirits, including Hendrick's Gin.


The American Society for Aesthetics Board of Trustees has approved a grant of $6,000 in support of an international two-day conference on Food, Art and Philosophy, at the Institute of Philosophical Research (IPR) of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City. The conference will be held in October 3-4, 2019.
The conference, which will be free and open to the public, will include presentations by Prof. Axel Barceló (UNAM), Prof. Ophelia Deroy (LMU), Dr. Eileen John (Warwick) and Prof. Mohan Matthen. The three remaining talks will be by speakers who will be selected on the basis of a publicly and internationally advertised call for papers. One of them will be a graduate student, who will receive a travel grant funded by the ASA from the grant. All presentations will be in English.
The program will also include an interdisciplinary panel with Sarah Bak-Geller (Anthropology, UNAM), Miriam Bertran (History and Sociology, UAM), and Juan Escalona (Chef).
This is the first event that ASA has funded in Mexico.
General topic of the conference: The philosophy of food is an emerging and distinctive area of philosophical enquiry, and much of the work in this area has been informed by philosophical aesthetics. In recent years, philosophers have found it especially productive to explore connections between aesthetics and the philosophy of mind. This conference aims to bring together these two developments to explore what can be learned about food by approaching it from philosophical perspectives that are richly informed by our best aesthetic theories and our best theories of the mind.
CFP: We invite submissions on any issue related to the topic of the conference (and particularly on the specific research areas mentioned above). Extended abstracts should be no longer than 1500 words and should be accompanied by a 100-word abstract and a separate page with your contact details. Please prepare your submission for anonymous review. You can send the extended abstracts to foodartandphilosophy@gmail.com.
Note that, if accepted, your paper must be prepared for a 35 minute presentation and should not exceed 4000 words.
The deadline for submission of extended abstracts (1500 words) is 31st May 2019.
A selection of the papers presented at the conference will be collected in a special issue of Critica: Revista Hispanoamericana de Filosofía, edited by the conference organizers.
Graduate student travel grants: We encourage graduate students to submit a paper. The winning graduate submission will be awarded a travel and accommodation grant to cover her/his expenses. Students do not need to be a member of the American Society for Aesthetics to submit a paper. However, the winner will be required to join ASA within 30 days after notification.
We encourage submission of women, Latin American scholars and other historically underrepresented groups.


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We're thinking about disaster prep all wrong
Preppers are coming from a place of paranoia. Instead, think about preparing for the next disaster like you think about your health: Take small steps to change your habits.
[Photo: Calle Macarone/Unsplash]
By Dan Kessler 4 minute Read
You probably had that weird friend: surrounded by first-aid kits and canned food with an escape plan for that fateful day when "disaster strikes." Now that we're seven months into a pandemic, it's easy to say that the "preppers" were right. Except they weren't, because the fringe prepper movement—obsessed with gear and survivalism and apocalypses—makes all of us less safe.
Pre-COVID-19, many of us rolled our eyes at preppers; their apocalyptic fantasies too far-out and their efforts too extreme. In fact, as of last year, 60% of Americans said they didn't have a disaster plan because they didn't think it would happen to them. And then suddenly in March, grocery store shelves were empty, and even going out in public for essential needs carried an ominous sense of dread. Once disaster did strike, compounded by 2020's record-breaking wildfires and weather events, our lack of preparedness was exposed. There is little question that Americans need to give more thought and attention to preparing their homes and families for the unexpected.
But in order for most American families to be prepared, the culture around readiness needs to change. Right now, it primarily comes in three forms. The first is the fear-based, every-person-for-themselves prepper instinct that drove even everyday Americans to hoard food and supplies at the beginning of the pandemic. The second is the government or nonprofit organizations stepping in and helping where they can once disaster strikes, and ineffectually advising that people get prepared "just in case." The third is gear: prepackaged emergency bags and freeze-dried pad thai—we want to throw money at the problem and "get the thing" that might save our lives.
None of these approaches work. Making a safer home comes from pursuing manageable preparation and peace of mind, not being overwhelmed by fear or ordering supplies that you never take out of the box. Instead, we should think about emergency readiness like any wellness effort. We keep ourselves and our families safe and healthy through routine; we try to eat right, take vitamins, brush our teeth, get our cars serviced, exercise, get annual physicals.
These are habits we form because they make us feel better. I don't want to die young, but that fear isn't my main motivation to do my daily cardio and drink plenty of water. When I worked at Headspace, we helped people incorporate mental health into their daily wellness routine with quick, guided mindfulness exercises through their phone. Meditation, which used to be thought of as an all-consuming, somewhat fringe practice, is now a routine habit for millions because they could feel the ongoing reward for minimal daily effort.
This is how we should think about our homes, which are intimately tied to our well-being, and it's why at my company, Harbor, we're applying these same principles to guide families through customized, gamified emergency-readiness plans. It's critical to normalize disaster preparation as a necessary but manageable category of routine maintenance, because the stereotypical prepper survivalism and long-term self-sufficiency has been largely dismissed as an extreme approach to anticipating disasters in 21st-century America.
After all, the modern prepper movement grew out of Cold War paranoia and a deep recession that never really delivered any truly postapocalyptic scenarios. The fear-based disaster fetishism of preppers is unmotivating, overwhelming, and paralyzing—if you have to think about a worst-case scenario to force yourself to make significant purchases or changes, you'll probably try to avoid the whole exercise altogether. At the same time, there's no magical retail solution; you may feel relieved to have that earthquake kit in your hall closet, but without an evacuation plan or important skills, you are no more prepared.
Just as we can't train for a marathon in a weekend, we shouldn't approach disaster-proofing our houses as a single, massive project—doing so will almost guarantee it doesn't happen. Even small steps can make a big difference, such as stocking bottled water, changing your flashlight batteries (and knowing where the flashlights are), agreeing on an external meeting place with family members, programming key numbers into your phone. To put it another way: If you know your cholesterol level, you should also know where your water shut-off valve is. If you're wearing a mask right now, you should also check your smoke detector batteries.
Because leaving aside huge disasters, things happen: The power goes out, pipes break, gas leaks. Being prepared and even a little informed can mean the difference between a dramatic ordeal and a moderate inconvenience. Panic makes any problem bigger, as we saw this past spring when our basest instincts for self-preservation led to shortages and price gouging of essential goods. But preparation brings peace of mind and confidence to minimize harm for yourself and others.
This is one reason a cultural shift around readiness is so important—community panic leads to hoarding, clogged exit routes, anger, and accidents. Just as public health depends on a social contract of preventive behavior, our ability to weather the unknowns to come depends on a shared understanding that readiness is as necessary and achievable as any routine effort to keep healthy and safe. It won't happen in a day, but by more people practicing readiness—like you'd practice strength training or hygiene—we can get closer to a culture where being prepared is a positive expectation for all.
Dan Kessler is the CEO of Harbor, an emergency preparedness platform. A tech operator, entrepreneur, and wellness advocate, Kessler is passionate about the ways technology can help people form healthy habits and be better connected. Prior to Harbor, Kessler was the VP of business development and partnerships at Headspace, a company dedicated to improving health and happiness in the world through meditation.
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Most holiday goers enjoy scuba diving and snorkeling, as we all do. However, there are a few issues that had for quite a while prevented such people from having the best experience. Full face Snorkel masks have played a significant role in doing away with most of the problems.
Thanks to them, vacation goers can breathe with their nose now and not get the foggy view due to my breath condensing on the mask's face. This also rules out any spitting in your mask during snorkeling.
The Ocean Reef Aria Snorkel Mask addresses all those issues. It is the perfect example of a full face snorkel mask that has come a long way in providing the best experience when snorkeling.
The full face snorkel masks may have been around since 2014, but quite some snorkelers are not familiar with them. They have enriched the snorkeling experience by doing away with jaw fatigue caused by biting the mouthpiece that comes with the more traditional masks and is very comfortable hence we can now take longer dives.
There is a growing market for them, and a lot of brands are entering with a wide range of quality and price. You should, however, not buy a full face snorkel mask if you intend to use it in taking swimming laps or if you like to dive down a lot. It will be a disappointment since they are not designed for that.
The primary purpose is to keep water from reaching your face. Without trying the mask, it is essential to check the sizing of the manufacturer to make sure that it won't leak.
The best other alternative is to check out other buyer reviews and how the manufacturer responds to queries on its functionality. A snorkel mask with double seals stands a better chance at keeping water out.
Where and how you intend to use the snorkeling mask are essential factors to consider. There are more expensive snorkel masks that will keep water out in deep waters if you want to use it in deep sea diving. The purpose of the mask will quickly narrow down to the type of mask you want.
If you prefer to dive a lot during your snorkeling excursions, then a traditional mask might be a better choice for you. They provide less uplift as they don't trap that much air inside the mask and make it possible to dive down.
An excellent snorkeling mask is adjustable to different shapes and sizes. This is to conform to individuals' faces without leaking.
The straps have to be easily adjustable preferably with one hand. Part of this also has to be that you can quickly take the mask off if you need to.
There is quite a variety of lenses that are fitted in snorkel masks with each differing in price. If you do real deep dives, then you might want to consider using glass lens masks that do not fog at all. The glass lenses also do not get as easily scrubbed as the plastic lenses.
An excellent and efficient way to control fog that forms on the face of the mask is to have a good flow of air in the mask. Many masks have the breathing chamber separate from the lens so the breath won't fog up the lens.
Having a lot of airflow and circulation also allows breathing more naturally which makes snorkeling more enjoyable. Air circulation is not only limited to the air inside the mask and how much air you can breathe. When breathing out, it's vital that the CO2 enriched air is quickly transported out of the breathing chamber.
When you're planning to purchase an expensive mask, a solid product warranty is a necessary consideration. In most cases, it will allow you to know that the brand you're considering stands behind their products.
Depending on your needs it can be of importance that specific accessories are available. These can range from action camera mounts to special lenses if you need prescription glasses.
Ocean Reef has made full face snorkel masks for a long time and has gained much traction in the industry. These goggles are a good testimony of their quality.
When you put on the mask, the first thing you will notice is its soft and comfortable feel on the face with smooth edges and a well-designed structure. The product also promises to offer a great view of the underwater world. This is through its flat lens, which does not distort the picture as the spherical lens would.
Among the many more features this premium product offers its customers, the most important is the panoramic view provided by the wide lens. The mask covers your whole face so that you have a 180-degree view in each direction. Since the large lens could be prone to breaking, the Ocean Reef Aria snorkel mask has its lens made out of shatterproof polycarbonate.
The Ocean Reef Aria snorkeling mask is especially useful if you have a problem with your vision and would like to enjoy the same view as everyone else. This is achieved by supporting the Optical Lens Support accessory compatible with Aria sizes L/XL and S/M.
This product is, however, not recommended for duck diving and swim laps. The Ocean Reef Aria snorkeling mask is designed for leisurely snorkeling at the surface of calm water. Though you can dive up to three meters below the water surface with a full face snorkel mask, they are not meant for free diving either.
Full and un-distorted 180 degrees view.
The mask doesn't fog up, and there is no need to spit into the mask.
It has a dry top that ensures no water enters the mask when snorkeling.
One of the most useful features of a full face snorkeling mask is the broad and more unobstructed view of the underwater world that they offer. The Ocean Reef Aria is an excellent example in this as it has a lens that stretches across your entire face.
This provides you with a 180-degree view of every direction, which is exhilarating especially for first-time snorkelers. Thanks to a flat lens design at the front, the view in the Ocean Reef Aria is not distorted as it is in spherical lenses.
A significant addition to the viewing experience is that the Ocean Reef Aria does not fog up thanks to a sophisticated airflow system. You will also not have to spit into the mask to clear up the fog before snorkeling.
It is easy to snap the Ocean Reef Aria snorkel on and off making it easy to bring along on trips. A flutter system ensures that no water enters the snorkel and into the mask while snorkeling.
It will also restrict your breathing the moment it closes off the snorkel to avoid entry of water. In rare cases where water gets into the mask, it's easy to get rid of it. Just breathe out, and the water will run out of the mask through a valve at its bottom.
You can view an exciting video of how the Ocean Reef Aria snorkeling mask is used and the how the snorkel is turned into a selfie-stick.
Since Ocean Reef has experience in making full face scuba masks, they rarely go wrong, especially in design and comfort. This mask will fit perfectly on quite a variety of customer facial dimensions.
Whatever the face size, the mask feels very comfortable on the face with soft edges and high-quality material. The great fit is one of the outstanding features of this mask and is praised in many reviews you can find.
The most crucial aspect in a full face snorkeling mask is probably the efficiency of its airflow system. A mask that allows you to breathe naturally through the nose and mouth gives you a more relaxed time snorkeling especially if you are a first timer.
Traditional masks and snorkels would have you put a snorkel in your mouth. If you rent the set, then you have no idea who used it before and now have to stick the mouthpiece into your mouth. On longer snorkeling trips it also tires the jaws and reduces the thrill of the memorable experience.
Thanks to modern full-face snorkeling masks like the Ocean Reef Aria, your jaws do not have to experience any fatigue. The result is that you can snorkel for extended periods of time and have a richer experience of the underground world.
The Ocean Reef Aria has a camera support mount that will allow you to mount a GoPro or any other similar sports camera at the top of the snorkel mask. You can also remove it and use the mount for better aiming during your filming.
While the mount is not part of the mask, it is reasonably priced if you want to purchase this accessory. It also makes sense to get a float on your camera.
It also teaches you how to connect other accessories like marker wings.
Marker wings come in a wide range of colors and are useful in recognizing an individual's snorkeler when his head is under the surface of the water.
Although standard optical lenses are not included in the product package, the Ocean Reef Aria has a frame that allows the lenses to be mounted for snorkeling. Though lightweight, the optical lens support is also durable and easy to add and remove making the mask suitable for anyone.
The optical lens support accessory is available for the S/M and L/XL sizes of the Aria. However, this is support only; you will have to buy a generic lens to fit or visit your optometrist to get lenses installed in your eyes.
This full face mask is similar to the Ocean Reef Aria in most features including the 180-degree view, the camera mount, waterproof dry top, etc. It's the original mask of this kind.
It does not offer as many optional accessories but in turn is also priced lower. The design is also a little different from Aria's with the water drainage valve located in a higher position along with other minor design tweaks. The material and most of the other features are comparable.
Check out our review of the Easybreath to get more information!
The Seaview 180 Full Face Snorkel Mask is just as Aria in visibility enabling the user to access 180 degrees of visibility. Most of the features are also similar with both having camera mounts and using shatter-proof poly-carbonate for the lens. The Seaview goggles have an action camera mount standard so you won't have to purchase it as an optional accessory.
They are also both available in multiple colors. The Seaview does not provide an option to mount prescription lenses. Otherwise, it's probably a better choice as it's typically lower in price.
Click here to get an overview of all the features of the Wildhorn Outfitters Seaview 180 in our in-depth review!
The X-Lounger snorkel mask is designed for adults and kids the age of seven years and above. It offers similar if not more features at a typically lower price compared to the Ocean Reef Aria.
The snorkel on the mask can be folded for easy traveling and you also have a removable action camera mount included. A lot of the other features are similar. The quality of both masks is impeccable and you'll enjoy snorkeling with either one of them.
The Ocean Reef Aria Full Face snorkeling mask is one of the best of its kind. It stands out in how simple it makes snorkeling while improving the quality of the experience.
If you are looking for a full face mask that doesn't fog easy and supports a horde of accessories, then you found your perfect set of goggles. If you require prescription glasses, then it is the best mask you can get with the optional accessory to mount corrective lenses inside.


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Fredrik Eklund's Husband Found the Coziest Nap Space in Their New LA Pad
January 14, 2020, 4:08 PM ET
The Million Dollar Listing New York realtor's husband, Derek Kaplan, doesn't need much space when it comes to catching some zzzs.
By Tamara Palmer
Photo: Fredrik Eklund/Instagram
When Fredrik Eklund and Derek Kaplan moved their twins, Milla and Freddy, to Beverly Hills last year so that the Million Dollar Listing New York realtor could greatly expand his real estate business, they settled into a spacious dream home in the hills that overlooks the entire metropolis. And while the Big Apple is still an important part of Fredrik's work, he is now also representing jaw-droppingly gorgeous luxury estates in California and is one stop closer to achieving world real estate domination.
From the infinity pool to the unreal sunken living room that has to be seen to be believed, no detail has been overlooked in this abode. The home has a dizzying amount of space for the East Coasters to really spread their wings, especially compared to New York City. We haven't peeked inside Fredrik and Derek's master bedroom, but we're assuming it's not a tiny space.
Still, Derek has demonstrated without a doubt that he doesn't need much space or anything too fancy inside their big home in order to be at his most happy and relaxed.
"When your kids put YOU down for a nap," Fredrik captioned a sweet Instagram photo of Derek asleep in a crib in the twins' nursery.
When your kids put YOU down for a nap 🤣
A post shared by Fredrik Eklund (@fredrikeklundny) on Jan 11, 2020 at 12:11pm PST
Now that's love!
Derek Kaplan
Fredrik Eklund's L.A. Fireplace Is SO Cozy
Ryan and Emilia Say BRB to NYC for a Vacation


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Join the Frog Hollow Bikes Strava club to link up with other riders in our area or to check out some of our favorite rides in and around Addison County.
Explore the Lake Champlain Valley with this rolling hill loop through Middlebury, Weybridge, and Vergennes.
View and download the course details on Strava.
Sample some singletrack right here in Middlebury.


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Twister was changed and the forced bit removed.
yorkie = 'Marlowe' #meet our Yorkie Marlowe!
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