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Reviews at Amazon-July 2017
We're posting some reviews at our Amazon account, as either they've been sitting in queue for a while and deserve their time in the sun, fall under our new featuring policy, or they're new reads that we couldn't wait to post at the blog. You can check them out at the links below. Hope we can help you find your next favorite book!
Becky's Review
Sara:
Melissa A:
Review (Goodreads)
Posted by Melissa at 7:15 AM 1 comments
Guest Book Review: Lost and Found Sisters
By Shana Javery
They say life can change in an instant…
After losing her sister in a devastating car accident, chef Quinn Weller is finally getting her life back on track. She appears to have it all: a loving family, a dream job in one of L.A.'s hottest eateries, and a gorgeous boyfriend dying to slip an engagement ring on her finger. So why does she feel so empty, like she's looking for a missing piece she can't find?
The answer comes when a lawyer tracks down Quinn and reveals a bombshell secret and a mysterious inheritance that only she can claim. This shocking revelation washes over Quinn like a tidal wave. Her whole life has been a lie.
On impulse, Quinn gives up her job, home, and boyfriend. She heads up the coast to the small hometown of Wildstone, California, which is just a few hours north, but feels worlds apart from Los Angeles. Though she doesn't quite fit in right away, she can't help but be drawn to the town's simple pleasures…and the handsome, dark-haired stranger who offers friendship with no questions asked.
As Quinn settles into Wildstone, she discovers there's another surprise in store for her. The inheritance isn't a house or money, but rather something earthshattering, something that will make her question everything she thought she knew about herself, about her family. Now with a world of possibilities opening up to Quinn, she must decide if this new life is the one she was always meant to have—and the one that could finally give her the fulfillment she's searched so long for. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)
Lost and Found Sisters was the first book I've read by Jill Shalvis, despite the fact that I've got one of her books sitting by my bedside. So, I had no idea that Ms. Shalvis was so adept at weaving humorous tales. I chuckled A LOT throughout this book. Given the title of the book I don't think I'm giving too much away when I tell you that this book is about two sisters who discover the existence of one another through an unfortunate turn of events. Thirty year old Quinn struggles with the decision of whether or not to become the legal guardian of her fifteen year old sister Tilly, while Tilly battles her adolescent demons and waivers between hating her newfound sister and worrying that Quinn will desert her and return to Los Angeles. Which reminds me, this story takes place in Wildstone, a small, cowboy town just north of LA. The small town descriptions are priceless, at least to this city girl. And what's a book without a sexy leading man? Enter Mick, the ruggedly, good-looking character who begins an on-again, off-again relationship with Quinn. Poor Quinn…commitment phobe extraordinaire. Anyway, this was a quick, fun read thanks to Ms. Shalvis' ability to catch and keep my attention the entire time. Treat yourself and read this book when you've got a chance.
Thanks to William Morrow for the book in exchange for an honest review.
Shana Javery is an attorney mediator with a background in employment law. She is thrilled to have renewed her lifelong love of reading over the past few years. Recently, Shana even had the chance to edit a friend's book, something which she thoroughly enjoyed. Shana resides in Plano, Texas with her husband and the family dog Smoochy. Shana's renewed interest in reading is partly due to her empty nest, something she doesn't enjoy as much as others might.
More by Jill Shalvis:
Tess Woods' travel takeaways...plus a book giveaway
We're thrilled to have Tess Woods back at CLC to feature her sophomore novel, Beautiful Messy Love. Melissa A enjoyed Love at First Flight (reviewed here) and is excited to see what Tess has up her sleeve for us this time. Tess is here to finish off shopping month for us and she has one e-book to give away!
Tess Woods is a physiotherapist who lives in Perth, Australia, with one husband, two children, one dog and one cat who rules over them all. When she isn't working or being a personal assistant to her kids, Tess enjoys reading and all kinds of granny-ish pleasures like knitting, baking, drinking tea and tending to the veggie patch. She's also moderately obsessed with the TV series Nashville and taking Buzzfeed quizzes. Visit Tess at her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
What happens when love and loyalty collide? Two couples must deal with the consequences of their messy love not just for themselves but for those who depend on them. For lovers of passionate romance in the vein of Nicolas Sparks.
When football star Nick Harding hobbles into the Black Salt Cafe the morning after the night before, he is served by Anna, a waitress with haunted-looking eyes and no interest in footballers famous or otherwise. Nick is instantly drawn to this exotic, intelligent girl. But a relationship between them risks shame for her conservative refugee family and backlash for Nick that could ruin his career.
Meanwhile, Nick's sister, Lily, is struggling to finish her medical degree. When she meets Toby, it seems that for the first time she is following her heart, not the expectations of others. Yet what starts out as a passionate affair with a man who has just buried his wife slips quickly into dangerous dependency.
Through attraction, breakups, triumphs and tragedies, these two couples learn just how much their beautiful messy love might cost. A West Side Story for the modern day.
Where did you enjoy shopping most when you were a kid/teen?
Without question at bookshops. I would spend hours in bookshops – whether it was looking up new releases or going to second hand bookshops and picking up classics.
Last item you purchased online:
I do ALL my shopping online, I don't have time to shop in person so I online shop almost every day – for groceries, everything I need for the house, my kids, gifts, you name it, I online shop it. Today I bought mermaid dollies for two special little toddlers in Melbourne, I designed a set of bibs that said "Buy one" and "Get one free" for my cousin's twin babies and I bought my daughter Lara three pairs of leggings from Black Milk Clothing which is one of my favourite Australian labels. She had worn her old ones out so these are the ones we're looking forward to getting in the mail next week for her- I especially love the Daily Prophet Harry Potter design!
Least favorite thing to shop for.
Pet worming tablets. Honestly is there anything more miserable to spend money on than pet worming tablets?
Most amusing purchase:
I buy a lot of jokey gifts for friends. So we're often in stitches at my day job in the physiotherapy clinic when my purchases arrive. I particularly love this "Happy Man" bottle stopper we bought for a few friends at Christmas.
What store that no longer exists would you like to bring back?
The DVD store that was across the road from my house. It's now a personal training studio. I don't want exercise equipment I will NEVER use across the road, I want Hollywood at my fingertips dammit!
Do you like to purchase souvenirs when you travel? If so, what do you usually get?
Haha, ah yes. My husband will attest to the fact that I like to buy many, many souvenirs when we travel. Sadly for him the things I want tend to be heavy – as in wooden wall plaques from France, woollen full size blankets from Scotland, trestle table tablecloths from Italy – if it's big and inconvenient, you can guarantee I will want it! Here's a glimpse inside our world when we travel, we're only a family of four, but hubby has to hire min-buses when we travel to accommodate my souvenir-ing ☺
Thanks to Tess for chatting with us and sharing her book with our readers.
Giveaway ends August 1st at midnight EST.
Posted by Melissa at 7:15 AM 11 comments
Labels: authors, contests, interview, shopping
Book Review: G*d-Shaped Hole
By Sara Steven
When Beatrice Jordan meets the unpredictable Jacob Grace, the two wild souls become instant allies. Together they discover an escape in each other's creativity and insecurities, while running from secrets they cannot seem to shake – or a fate that could throw them to the ground . . .
This 15th Anniversary reissue of Tiffanie DeBartolo's classic love story introduces a new audience of dreamers to a quintessentially real and raw vision of spirit, and inspires everyone to live ― and love ― as vividly as possible. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)
Fifteen years ago, I was a twenty-three year old young adult living on my own in an apartment I could barely afford, working a full-time job in property management, a part-time job as a bartender who would also run the Nebraska Big Red Keno machine when customers asked for it. I had a different voice then, a completely different outlook on life than I do now. Reading G*d-Shaped Hole reminded me of that girl I used to be. The one who struggled to make it but reveled in it. The one who, as Jacob would put it, had been "seeking a friend for the end of the world".
Beatrice didn't know what to expect when she met Jacob for the first time. The unusual circumstances which brought them together only compounds it, yet she's drawn to him in a way she can't explain. He feels the same way, catapulting them into coupledom. Kirkus cites G*d-Shaped as "this generation's Love Story", and I can see why. The two main characters, the love they have for one another burns so brightly, it made me yearn for my more youthful days, when expressing my feelings and the severity of those feelings, even when they drove me insane, had been totally acceptable. Sadly, though, like Love Story, there's also a lot of tragedy involved within this story, only making me cling more to the two doomed lovers.
Tiffanie DeBartolo has done a fantastic job of taking us along on Beatrice's experiences, of seeing the world through those young woman's eyes, really digging into who Beatrice is as a character. Sometimes, I feel like the voice of a protagonist doesn't match up to the persona of who the person is supposed to be. That did not happen here. I felt like there was no mistaking who any of DeBartolo's characters are. I knew them inside and out, like they were real-life individuals, which made me want to read on and find out what would happen for everyone involved.
G*d-Shaped had originally been released in the spring of 2002, and while I didn't have the chance to read it then, I'm so glad I was given the opportunity to read it now. I appreciate the reflections it allowed me to have within my own life, and while I'm no longer a young adult with that youthful voice, she's still inside me, somewhere.
Thanks to Sourcebooks for the book in exchange for an honest review.
More by Tiffanie DeBartolo:
Heading to the mall with Jayne Denker
Jayne Denker and I have many entertainment interests in common: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Jane the Virgin, Younger, The Bold Type, and, of course, Hamilton! When I heard she had a novel coming out this summer, I knew we had to feature her at CLC. That novel is Your New Best Friend and it's now available for 99 cents on Kindle! She's here to celebrate her pub day and talk about shopping.
Jayne has worked as an editor and proofreader. After becoming a stay-at-home mom, she started writing romantic comedy novels. Your New Best Friend is her sixth! She lives in a small village in western New York with her husband, son, and a very sweet senior-citizen basement cat. When she's not hard at work on another novel (or, rather, when she should be hard at work on another novel), she can usually be found frittering away stupid amounts of time online. (Another thing we have in common.)
Visit Jayne at her website, Facebook, and Twitter. She may become your new best friend!
Jane Austen's Emma made a habit of meddling in other people's lives, but Melanie Abbott has turned it into a cottage industry.
As "modern American royalty" living in Abbott's Bay, Massachusetts, a town founded by her ancestor, Melanie Abbott feels it's her right—even her duty—to employ her uncanny knack for knowing exactly what everyone needs to improve their lives. She eagerly shares her wisdom and insight with her friends and neighbors . . . whether they ask for it or not. If only Conn Garvey, her dearest friend, agreed with her.
Connacht Garvey has been keeping an eye on Melanie since they were kids. A bit older, far more level-headed, and infinitely patient, Conn feels it's his duty to pull Melanie back from whatever cliff's edge she's about to wander off. Conn thinks Melanie is egotistical, self-centered, irritating, infuriating, relentless, ridiculous . . . and irresistible. Not that Conn's confessed to that last one. Yet.
When Melanie impulsively starts up a new advice-giving business, it's an instant hit. Conn doesn't approve, as usual, which is too bad, because Melanie's convinced he needs her VIP package. (Of advice!) His coffeehouse is showing signs of financial trouble, plus his toxic ex is suddenly sniffing around, acting like she's having second thoughts about their breakup. Will their friendship be blown to bits because of Melanie's meddling . . . or will it become something more? (Courtesy of Amazon.)
Tell us about a time you experienced buyer's remorse:
I've bought quite a few things that I've regretted, I admit. Let's just say the clothes in the clearance section of the Sundance Catalog are there for a reason, mmmkay? Most recently...probably the fidget spinner I bought my son. He had bought his first one on a class trip to Canada, but it broke, and he was experiencing fidget withdrawal (I swear it's a thing—I've witnessed it!) When I saw a bunch sitting on the counter of a respectable store that shall remain nameless, selling for $4, I bought him one. It lasted a week before it fell to pieces. One. Week. Lesson learned about stress fractures in plastic when it's up against spinning metal bearings. Science!!
I miss the old-fashioned, independently owned, local department stores. My hometown used to have a teeming downtown with three major department stores—two inside one of the oldest malls in the country (since torn down) and one across the street. The freestanding one, which dated back to the turn of the 20th century, was called Sibley's. It was fabulous. Several floors of clothes, jewelry and accessories, household goods, toys, etc., plus a lunch counter and a bakery. There was a large clock high up on a pillar on the main floor, near the escalators, and people would say "Meet me under the clock at Sibley's" when they needed to find each other in the heaving mass of people during a weekday lunch hour or on a busy Saturday. At Christmas, it was like something out of a fairy tale—or a Hallmark Channel Christmas movie! The whole store was decorated, the toy department was insane, and there was a long, darkened hallway, with lit-up holiday dioramas on either side, that you'd walk down to see Santa. And after you sat on Santa's lap, you'd get a gold kazoo shaped like a trombone. Ah, parental migraines.
Would you consider yourself a shopaholic?
Not really. It's not a recreational activity for me—I don't go shopping if I don't have something specific I need to buy. Although that might be more of a reflection on my financial state than my interest in recreational shopping!
What is something you purchase on a regular basis (excluding stuff you need)?
Oh, you know a writer is going to say books, right?! From browsing bookstores to one-clicking on Amazon, I cannot resist a good story. I also have a bad habit of buying blank notebooks and pens—definitely stuff I don't need, but I neeeed, you know? And I love antiques and decorative household items.
Favorite splurge purchase?
Aside from books, I don't tend to splurge on much. I don't have a well-developed designer gene (my wallet thanks me), so designer clothes, shoes, and handbags and such can float right past me and I'd never notice. I do, however, have a weakness for graphic tees, movies (I like to buy digital versions of my comfort-flicks on iTunes so I can watch them dozens of times without having to root around for the DVD), earrings, and beads-with-which-to-make jewelry. I mean, I always swear I'll find the time to get crafty, but I hardly ever do, so the beads sit in nice compartmented storage boxes, taunting me.
What would be your main character's favorite place to shop?
Unlike me, Melanie loves to shop—for herself, for others, doesn't matter. She feels it's her mission in life to help people discover their personal style—clothes, household décor, you name it. She frequents the cute, trendy, unique boutiques in her hometown of Abbott's Bay, Massachusetts, on the North Shore, both as a way of finding unusual items and stimulating the local economy (very important to her), but she also likes to travel to Boston and New York City for the absolute latest fashions.
Thanks to Jayne for visiting with us today!
Labels: authors, interview, shopping
Book Review: Amanda Wakes Up
By Jami Deise
In 1987, James L. Brooks released what some call his best romantic comedy ever, the Holly Hunter vehicle Broadcast News. The love triangle featured producer Jane Craig, who's torn between field reporter Aaron (Albert Brooks) and pretty-boy anchor Tom (William Hurt). Refreshing because Jane ultimately chooses herself and her journalistic ethics over either man, the film is also an inside look at one of the major issues in broadcast journalism at the time—hiring attractive people as anchors over more intelligent, less pretty people. (It was rumored that William Hurt's character was based on Peter Jennings.) One of the most iconic scenes in the film is when Jane feeds Tom questions through an earpiece, making it seem that he's conversant on the foreign crisis he's reporting on.
A lot's happened in journalism in the past thirty years. Broadcasting has become narrowcasting, as viewers follow only the news sources that reflect their particular world views. Teenagers make up stories about politicians and watch them go viral; politicians cry "fake news" whenever news breaks that makes them look bad. Journalists receive death threats. With the stakes so high, is it still possible to set a romantic comedy in this world?
CNN co-host Alisyn Camerota certainly thinks so. Her debut novel, Amanda Wakes Up, is Broadcast News for the reality-TV presidential era. And while her heroine, Amanda Gallo, is more Bridget Jones than Jane Craig, the political environment she's thrust into is very serious.
After stringer Amanda reports on a hostage situation in her bikini, her profile explodes and she's hired by Benji Diggs, the millionaire who owns FAIR News. (DC insiders may wonder if Camerota deliberately uses the same name as one of the most anti-immigrant groups there is, the Federation for American Immigration Reform.) FAIR runs a morning show, Wake Up America, and Benji promises Amanda that he wants to air both sides of the issues. But Amanda, raised by a liberal mother who's supporting the country's first female presidential candidate, Virginia Wynn, seems to be the only one who cares about the other side. Former actor Victor Fluke is running on a pro-business, anti-immigrant platform ("They're American'ts!") and Wake Up America is the only show where he can speak unchallenged. With a co-anchor, Rob, who seems more interested in his looks and his celebrity friends, and producers fresh out of college, Amanda is out of her league and can't challenge bad statistics about gun control and abortion. As Fluke and Wake Up America become more and more prominent, Amanda's liberal friends and her boyfriend Charlie accuse her of helping Fluke's campaign, and Amanda begins to see them as close-minded when it comes to Fluke's supporters. Depending on which questions she asks that morning, she's attacked by conservatives or liberals as being against or for Fluke. At the same time, there's whispers of scandals around Fluke's past, and Amanda would love to report on them…if only Benji would let her.
Although Camerota swears she did not have a crystal ball, Wynn and Fluke do seem to be modeled on Clinton and Trump, and some of the events in the book (violence at Fluke rallies, for instance) are eerily prescient. Although the presidential campaign provides a timeline for the book, it does not dominate it. Rather, Camerota artfully demonstrates the hollowness behind news coverage; executives (Les Moonves, anyone?) who were more interested in their ratings than examining the damage that was being done to the country. Amanda herself, who was hired because she looked good in a bikini, may actually be the Tom in this case rather than the Jane. She's too uninformed to hold her own in a debate with Fluke, blaming producers for not giving her enough information when Fluke badmouths Planned Parenthood. (Reporters who cover abortion issues are well-versed in the research provided by the Guttmacher Institute; Amanda seems to have never heard of them.) She naively believes that Fluke supporters are good people because they are nice to her, never wondering what their attitudes might be if she weren't the reporter making Fluke look good. Amanda tries earnestly to live out the promise Benji made when he hired her, to see and report on both sides, never realizing that in some cases, there is really only one.
Camerota seems torn between whether she's writing chick lit or a satire. That may be the result of decisions made at the editor or publisher level, though. While there were several plot points that had me cheering on Amanda, ultimately the book's ending feels forced. It's a reminder that while truth may be stranger than fiction, fiction is often happier. (And, as Amanda tells her mother, so are conservatives.) Still, the book works until the last few pages. And even if Camerota set out to write a satire, unfortunately events transpired to make Amanda Wakes Up too close to reality to be called an exaggeration. In fact, with a Twitter-happy President under investigation for colluding with Russia, real life has become the satire.
Thanks to Viking for the book in exchange for an honest review.
I Need a Lifeguard Everywhere But the Pool by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella from St. Martin's Press
The Address by Fiona Davis from Goldberg McDuffie
The Captain's Daughter by Meg Mitchell Moore from BookSparks
Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak from Penguin Random House
The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay by Kelly Harms (paperback) from St. Martin's Press
Wish You Were Here by Renée Carlino from Atria
Look Behind You by Iris and Roy Johansen from St. Martin's Press
The People We Hate at the Wedding by Grant Ginder from Macmillan Audio (won from Goodreads)
Eden by Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg from BookSparks
A Work of Art by Micayla Lally from BookSparks
American Family by Catherine Marshall-Smith from BookSparks
The Shark Club by Ann Kidd Taylor from BookSparks
Holly Freakin' Hughes by/from Kelsey Kingsley (e-book)
Close Enough to Touch by Colleen Oakley from Simon and Schuster
What could be in YOUR mail:
I've Got Sand in All the Wrong Places and I Need a Lifeguard Everywhere But the Pool by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella
Since Melissa A just celebrated her birthday, she wants to share these summer treats with a lucky reader!
The New York Times bestselling mother-daughter team returns with a new collection in the series that Oprah Magazine calls the "Perfect Summer Must-Read," of funny and relatable true stories in the everyday lives of modern women. Lisa and Francesca give their multigenerational take on a variety of topics, from the terrors of Tinder to the indignities of the gym, and from fleece as formalwear to playing the lotto as financial planning, sounding like two girlfriends you've known your whole life. As with all mothers and daughters, Lisa and Francesca sometimes joke, sometimes fight, but always love their way through life's best and worst moments. You'll laugh along with them, and when you finish, you will want to share the fun with your mother, daughter, or best friend.
So join Lisa and Francesca as they travel from the beach to the city to the suburbs and all the places in between, exasperating, supporting, and enjoying each other along the way. (Courtesy of Fantastic Fiction.)
The bestselling and "perennially hilarious" mother-daughter team is back with a new collection of stories from their real lives, guaranteed to make you laugh out loud. Join Lisa and Francesca as they regret drunk-shopping online, try smell-dating, and explore the freedom of a hiatus from men - a Guyatus. They offer a fresh and funny take on the triumphs and facepalm moments of modern life, showing that when it comes to navigating the crazy world we live in, you're always your own best lifeguard. (Courtesy of Amazon.)
Giveaway ends July 26th at midnight EST.
Posted by Melissa at 11:00 AM 25 comments
Book Review: Crimes Against a Book Club
By Melissa Amster
Best friends Annie and Sarah need cash—fast. Sarah, a beautiful, successful lawyer, wants nothing more than to have a baby. But balancing IVF treatments with a grueling eighty-hour workweek is no walk in the park. Meanwhile, Annie, a Harvard-grad chemist recently transplanted to Southern California, is cutting coupons to afford her young autistic son's expensive therapy.
Desperate, the two friends come up with a brilliant plan: they'll combine Sarah's looks and Annie's brains to sell a "luxury" antiaging face cream to the wealthy, fading beauties in Annie's La Jolla book club. The scheme seems innocent enough, until Annie decides to add a special—and oh-so-illegal—ingredient that could bring their whole operation crashing to the ground.
Hilarious, intelligent, and warm, Crimes Against a Book Club is a delightful look at the lengths women will go to fend for their families and for one another. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)
Crimes Against a Book Club is one of those books I was recommending before I even finished, as I was that confident it was a winner the whole way through. And I was right!
The premise is creative and the dialogue and characters are humorous throughout. I love how the characters played off of each other. Everyone and everything was easy to visualize without needing an overwhelming amount of detail.
It's basically Odd Mom Out meets Breaking Bad. It also reminded me of some books I read. The "criminal" aspect reminded me of The Assistants by Camille Perri and the parts where you feel bad for women you're not supposed to like reminded me of The J.A.P. Chronicles by Isabel Rose. Even with all these comparisons, the story is fun, fresh, and celebrates friendship.
There was nothing I didn't like about this book and it's going on my 2017 favorites list. Definitely pick it up for a dose of fun and entertainment. I'm impressed that it is a debut and look forward to more from Kathy Cooperman!
Dream movie cast:
Sarah: Christina Hendricks (I had her cast in this role from the moment I started the book.)
Annie: Linda Cardellini
Valerie: Mira Sorvino
Kim: Catherine Bell
Chloe: Joanna Cassidy (perhaps the Odd Mom Out connection made me think of her, but she'd be so perfect in this role!)
Natalie: Rachael Harris
Priscilla: Kristin Chenoweth
Dawn: Heather Graham
Labels: friendship, humor, review
Spending time (and money) with Camilla Isley
Today, we welcome Camilla Isley to CLC. Since our theme for July is shopping, she's here to answer some fun questions on the topic. Her latest novel, I Have Never, is part of the First Comes Love series. (First Comes Love is a series of interconnected romantic novels. However, each book in the series can be read as a standalone novel.)
Camilla is an engineer turned writer after she quit her job to follow her husband in an adventure abroad. She's a cat lover, coffee addict, and shoe hoarder. Besides writing, she loves reading—duh!—cooking, watching bad TV, and going to the movies—popcorn, please. She's a bit of a foodie, nothing too serious. A keen traveler, Camilla knows mosquitoes play a role in the ecosystem, and she doesn't want to starve all those frog princes out there, but she could really live without them.
Visit Camilla online:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest
Twenty-nine-year-old Blair Walker is a girl with a plan, or more a girl with a list. A list of dos and don'ts to live the perfect life, land a dream career, and marry Mr. Right.
When Blair loses her job and gets dumped by her boyfriend all in one day, she starts to wonder if she's had it all wrong. And what better way to find out than experience everything the list forbade?
With hilarious consequences, Blair will discover some items are trickier to tick off than she'd thought…
A laugh out loud romantic comedy perfect for fans of Lindsey Kelk, Sophie Kinsella, and Mhairi McFarlane.
A pair of boots. There's an episode in Friends where Monica buys a pair of gorgeous—for that era―very expensive boots and then can't wear them because they're too uncomfortable and make her feet blister. The same happened to me. In the shop, for the five minutes I had the boots on, they seemed like the most sensible purchase. After wearing them for an entire evening, I knew I had just thrown out of the window a good chunk of my shopping budget for that year.
I have cycles. Dry seasons of shopping followed by splurging weeks, then I'm good for some months. Of course the aftermath of my birthday and Christmas always end up in a little shopping spree. The only unseasonal item are books, I buy them all year round…
Do you like to shop alone or with family/friends?
Alone. This way I have all the time in the world to spend in the shops I want to visit, try on whatever ridiculous amount of items, choose what I like, change my mind, not buy anything, and repeat in another shop. The only woman blessed with enough patience to go through this process with me is my mom, so sometimes she comes along.
What is the oldest item of clothing still in your possession? What year is it from?
Moving houses helps with keeping the hording in check, so I'd have to say a twin pair of strapless beach dresses 2008 circa, in white and green.
But if I go to my parents' house in my old room the 90s are still raging in some drawers.
Weddings are always the best excuse to splurge, and I can't resist the temptation to buy a new gorgeous dress to attend a ceremony and subsequent party. So my favorite purchase for this year has been a long aquamarine gown all flow-y and with a coral flowers print.
Blair lives in New York, so I'd say SOHO. A good mix for different budgets and both unique and chain shops.
Thanks to Camilla for chatting with us and to HCL Author Services for including us in Camilla's tour.
Check out the full tour:
Rachel Brimble Romance - Author Q&A
A Beautiful Book Blog - Book Review
Writing Pearls - Book Review
With Love For Books - Book Review
For the Love of Chick Lit - Book Review
Kristin's Novel Cafe - Book Excerpt
JenaBooks - Book Review
He Said Books or Me - Author Guest Post
Judging More than Just the Cover - Author Q&A
I Heart Fictional People - Book Review
Chrissi Reads - Book Review
Books and Photographs - Book Review
Rebecca Book Review - Book Excerpt
Monique McDonell-Author - Book Excerpt
One Book At A Time - Spotlight Post
CosyCuteKnits - Book Review
The Writing Garnet - Book Review
The Belgian Reviewer - Book Excerpt
Girl vs Books - Book Review
kraftireader - Book Review
Reading Is My SuperPower - Book Review
THE CHLOE DOUGLAS BLOG - Book Review
Simona's Corner of Dreams - Author Guest Post
Bookish - Book Review
TheBlossomTwins - Book Review
Grass Monster - Book Review
Chick Lit Central - Author Q&A
Living Life with Joy - Author Guest Post
July 21st
ItaPixie's Book Corner - Book Review
Rae Reads - Book Review
Novelgossip - Book Review
Whispering Stories - Book Review
Ali - The Dragon Slayer - Book Review
A Daydreamer's Thoughts - Book Review
Steamy Book Momma - Book Excerpt
July 22nd
BookLoverWorm - Book Review
Pretty Little Book Reviews - Book Review
Book Lover in Florida - Book Excerpt
Go-To-Gay: Shop 'til you drop!
We're so glad to have our Go-To-Gay, Keith Stewart, back this month. He took some time off from CLC in May, but definitely made up for it with a fabulous post that needs no introduction.
Stay tuned for August, when Keith and our Chick Lit Cheerleader, Jen Tucker, pair up on a post.
I CAME. I SAW. I SHOPPED.
I have a love-hate relationship with shopping. I still abide by the tried and true maxims, "Shopping is cheaper than therapy," and "Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life," but as I aged over the years, I also fattened up and lazied out, dulling my shopping habits a bit. I no longer allow myself to buy expensive designer brands of clothes because, obviously, I am not going to be wearing this massive size two months from now when Weight Watchers finally kicks in on my body (also, why in Hell do they make size 40-waist pants in SLIM FIT?! If you wear that size, nothing is going to fit you slimly. YOU AREN'T FOOLING ANY ONE, RALPH LAUREN).
I have never been a bargain shopper. You will never find me at a Black Friday sale. I did that one time only, and as I stood my ground in the electronics section of Wal-Mart in Douglas, Georgia, protecting my place in line against an angry mob of heathens who had waited until 4:00 AM to come out for a deal instead of 3:30 AM like us sane folk (as if you can hope for a 40-inch, off-brand, LED television for $99 after 3:30 AM), I swore to God above if she just got me through this anarchy with all my fingers and toes intact, I would never attempt to shop on Thanksgiving weekend. I kept my word. In fact, I don't think I even have been back inside the Wal-Mart in Douglas, Georgia since that fateful day.
The only time I really lost control while shopping was my first experience in a DSW Shoe Warehouse. My husband was attending a conference in San Francisco, and I tagged along for fun. We soon discovered that San Fran is a SHOPPING MECCA for men, for obvious reasons. Our guard was already down by the multiple floors of men's clothes in the downtown Macy's, Saks, and other department stores, but when we happened into the DSW Shoe Warehouse, WE LOST OUR FREAKING MINDS. Men's shoes as far as the eye could see called our name. Designer shoes. On Clearance. Even a percentage off the clearance price. All sense and sensibility went out the window then and there. Andy and I ended up having to buy an extra bag to pack our fourteen pairs of shoes (seven each) in so we could get them home to Florida.
I occasionally still get excited at the thought of shopping. In fact, just last week I had two big shopping-related events. First, I went to Houston to visit my best friend, and I am not sure how many of you know this, but Dillard's Department Stores sends all of the leftover clothes that have already been placed on sale and put on clearance in your local store to Houston to a humongous facility I like to call the Dillard's Dump. The store is crammed with clothes at rock-bottom prices. We are talking prices so cheap, I will allow myself to purchase expensive brands even at my current pre-Weight-Watchers-kicking-in size. In fact, I bought $563.50 worth of clothes for a mere $72.00. I'm telling you, it's worth a trip to Houston just to shop there.
The second shopping event of last week truly explains where I am in my life. Amazon Prime Day had me on edge the entire time I was in Houston. I didn't really need anything in particular, but the news outlets kept touting it, calling it Christmas in July, which eventually led me to begin thinking of it as a loophole in my deal with God not to shop on Black Friday. As Prime day went on, I saw nothing that struck my fancy, until around 9:00 PM. Then it finally happened. I saw it. The item I'd secretly coveted for a while. The Squatty Potty. HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?! It is something every middle-aged person should own. I was so excited about finding it for half-price, I not only bought myself one, but also one for my parents and one for my sister. Overall, the items I purchased on Prime Day were as follows:
• 3 Squatty Potties (50% off)
• 1 CPAP Replacement Mask (33% off)
• 1 My Pillow (40% off)
• 2 Orthopedic shoe insoles (25%)
As I said, I think that clearly tells everyone where currently I am in life.
Shopping can be therapeutic or it can be gut-wrenching (and gut-wrenching is another reason you need a Squatty Potty in your life). Either way, I hope when you do decide to go, you find the best deals out there. In fact, if you want to share some places you've found something cool for a great price, help your Go-To-Gay out and list it in the comments below. And always remember, when in doubt, go shop.
Keith Stewart is the author of Bernadette Peters Hates Me – True Tales of a Delusional Man. A native of Appalachia, he splits his time between his hometown of Hyden and nearby Lexington, Kentucky. His blog is www.astrongmanscupoftea.com. You can find him on Twitter at @Shiglyogly and Facebook at @AMSCOT (A Strong Man's Cup of Tea). He is a regular contributor to HumorOutcasts.com and the GoodMenProject.com. He lives with his husband, Andy, and their two dogs, Duke and Dudley.
Posted by Melissa at 1:00 PM 5 comments
Labels: go-to-gay, shopping
Book Review: Fitness Junkie
I hate going to the gym.
This might come as a surprise for those who know that I've been going three to five days a week for the past five years. But I have to force myself every morning. Most days it's only knowing that I have a good book to read on my Kindle while I'm walking on the treadmill that gets me there. And if the book doesn't pass the "Kindle test" – keeping me distracted enough that I can almost forget I'm exercising – I delete it and cue up the next book.
Fitness Junkie definitely passed the Kindle test. And I enjoyed the irony of reading it while on the treadmill. The second novel by authors Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza, the book centers around Janey Sweet, CEO of couture wedding dress company B, whose dresses only go up to size four. When Janey makes headlines stuffing her face at a fashion show, her partner and best friend, Beau, demands she take three months off and lose thirty pounds – or else.
Immediately, this sends Janey into the insane world of New York City fitness, where she meets a shaman and begins attending the ultra-exclusive The Workout. At the same time, Janey's cousin Ivy, a former ballerina turned spin class instructor extraordinaire, is tasked by her bosses to learn more about The Workout, to whom they fear they are losing their best customers.
It's hard to say whether Fitness Junkie is standard chick lit fare or satire, as some of the most outlandish ideas – an all-clay diet, for instance – may very well be popular in certain areas of New York. Many scenes reminded me of the Bravo TV series Odd Mom Out, where protagonist Jill Weber once wondered if NYC women were so mean because so many of them were on starvation diets.
Every aspect of the book is exaggerated just beyond believability, from the boot camp-like environment of Ivy's classes to Janey's dumpster-diving date with a hipster juice bar owner.
As Janey learns more about Beau's actions behind her back – and flashbacks reveal he's always been more frenemy than best friend—the book becomes more episodic. Janey continues her fitness and diet antics, while the reader wants her to do everything possible to get back at Beau and regain control of her company. And while Ivy's dilemma is interesting, she's not the character readers will identify with. Janey is, up to a point.
While this is definitely a book about the crazy fitness culture, it is also a book about privilege, and I'm not sure the authors are fully aware of that. While Janey is momentarily startled that a weeklong fitness retreat will cost fifteen thousand dollars, that doesn't keep her from going. Not only is she not bothered by unemployment – she does own half the company – she is also an heiress to her family's candy company, which sounds big enough to rival Snickers-manufacturer Mars. Although Ivy occasionally worries about money, none of the other women think twice about paying enormous amounts of money for classes. Even the dumpster-diver does it more for environmental reasons than monetary ones. Any reader who lives paycheck to paycheck will be so turned off by this attitude that she might miss the book's humor entirely.
This casual outlook toward money seems to stress that fitness is another area that's reserved for the one percent, or at least the top ten. And indeed, with obesity being directly related to poverty and stress, the authors may have a point in placing their story in the richest city in the country. It just may be a point they did not intend to make.
Thanks to Doubleday for the book in exchange for an honest review.
BookSparks #SRC2017 July Novels
Today the spotlight is on the July books for BookSparks' Summer Reading Challenge of 2017. We already featured Hello, Sunshine. All synopses are courtesy of Amazon.
A Game of Ghosts by John Connolly
Internationally bestselling author John Connolly returns with another "superb fusion of noir and the supernatural" (My Bookish Ways) in this latest thriller in his gripping Charlie Parker series.
It is deep winter and the darkness is unending. A private detective named Jaycob Eklund has vanished and Charlie Parker is assigned to track him down. Parker's employer, Edgar Ross, an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, has his own reasons for wanting Eklund found. Eklund is no ordinary investigator—he is obsessively tracking a series of homicides and disappearances, each linked to reports of hauntings. Now Parker is drawn into Eklund's world: a realm in which the monstrous Mother rules a crumbling criminal empire, in which men strike bargains with angels, and in which the innocent and guilty alike are pawns in a game of ghosts...
Eden by Jeanne McWilliams Blasberg
Becca Meister Fitzpatrick―wife, mother, grandmother, and pillar of the community―is the dutiful steward of her family's iconic summer tradition . . . until she discovers her recently deceased husband squandered their nest egg. As she struggles to accept that this is likely her last season in Long Harbor, Becca is inspired by her granddaughter's boldness in the face of impending single-motherhood, and summons the courage to reveal a secret she was forced to bury long ago: the existence of a daughter she gave up fifty years ago. The question now is how her other daughter, Rachel―with whom Becca has always had a strained relationship―will react.
Eden is the account of the days leading up to the Fourth of July weekend, as Becca prepares to disclose her secret and her son and brothers conspire to put the estate on the market, interwoven with the century-old history of Becca's family―her parents' beginnings and ascent into affluence, and her mother's own secret struggles in the grand home her father named "Eden."
A Work of Art by Micayla Lally
Letting go after her abrupt break-up with Samson is harder than Julene thought it would be, especially since her ex has wasted no time in burying himself in the local dating scene. But during an extended visit to her parents overseas, Julene rediscovers her love of art, and a burgeoning career develops. Samson, on the other hand, after trying valiantly―and unsuccessfully―to forget Julene, has settled instead on his own new career.
When Julene returns home to Australia, a coincidental meeting leads to an emotional reunion―but her love and patience will be tested when she finds out just how busy Samson has been in her absence. Yes, they have both made mistakes they can work through and move past―but when a specter from Samson's past looms, Julene wonders: Can she trust him again?
The Captain's Daughter by Meg Mitchell Moore
Growing up in Little Harbor, Maine, the daughter of a widowed lobsterman, Eliza Barnes could haul a trap and row a skiff with the best of them. But she always knew she'd leave that life behind. Now that she's married, with two kids and a cushy front-row seat to suburban country club gossip in an affluent Massachusetts town, she feels adrift.
When her father injures himself in a boating accident, Eliza pushes the pause button on her own life to come to his aid. But when she arrives in Maine, she discovers her father's situation is more dire than he let on. Eliza's homecoming is further complicated by the reemergence of her first love--and memories of their shared secret. Then Eliza meets Mary Brown, a seventeen-year-old local who is at her own crossroad, and Eliza can't help but wonder what her life would have been like if she'd stayed.
Filled with humor, insight, summer cocktails, and gorgeous sunsets, THE CAPTAIN'S DAUGHTER is a compassionate novel about the life-changing choices we make and the consequences we face in their aftermath.
American Family by Catherine Marshall-Smith
Richard and Michael, both three years sober, have just decided to celebrate their love by moving in together when Richard―driven by the desire to do the right thing for his ten-year-old-daughter, Brady, whom he has never met―impulsively calls his former father-in-law to connect with her. With that phone call, he jeopardizes the one good thing he has―his relationship with Michael―and also threatens the world of the fundamentalist Christian grandparents who love Brady and see her as payback from God for the alcohol-related death of her mother. Unable to reach an agreement, the two parties hire lawyers who have agendas far beyond the interests of the families―and Brady is initially trusted into Richard and Michael's care. But when the judge learns that the young girl was present when a questionable act took place while in their custody, she returns Brady to her grandparents. Ultimately, it's not until further tragedy strikes that both families are finally motivated to actually act in the "best interests of the child."
The Shark Club by Ann Kidd Taylor
One summer day on the beach in Florida, two extraordinary things happen to Maeve Donnelly. First, she is kissed by Daniel, the boy of her dreams. Then, she is bitten by a blacktip shark.
Eighteen years later, Maeve has thrown herself into her work as a world-traveling marine biologist discovering more about the minds of misunderstood sharks. But when Maeve returns home to the legendarily charming and eccentric Hotel of the Muses where she was raised by her grandmother, she finds more than just the blood orange sunsets and key lime pies she's missed waiting for her.
While Maeve has always been fearless in the water, on land she is indecisive. A chance meeting on the beach with a plucky, irresistible little girl who is just as fascinated by the ocean as Maeve was growing up leaves her at a crossroads: Should she re-kindle her romance with Daniel, the first love she left behind when she dove into her work? Or indulge in a new romance with her colleague, Nicholas, who turns up in her hometown to investigate an illegal shark-finning operation?
Set against the intoxicating backdrop of palm trees, calypso bands, and perfect ocean views, The Shark Club is a story of the mysterious passions of one woman's life: her first love and new love; the sea and sharks that inhabit it.
Kevin Dickson has the item we're looking for...plus a book giveaway
We're pleased to have Kevin Dickson here to talk about shopping with us today. He was introduced to us by Lindsey Kelk (author of the "I Heart" series), who I devoured his book on her holiday and says "it's a super fun, sexy romp through the lives of three young Hollywood insiders." "What book is that?" you ask. Why, Blind Item, of course! Thanks to Imprint, we have FIVE copies to give away! Blind Item was also written by his friend Jack Ketsoyan and it sounds like a perfect chick lit read for the summer!
Kevin Dickson grew up obsessed with pop culture in his native Australia. He became an entertainment journalist and worked his way up to being the TV Critic for the national newspaper, The Australian. Moving to Los Angeles in the late '90s, Dickson eventually ended up working for a start-up tabloid called In Touch. Over the next decade-plus, Dickson covered the entertainment world from both sides of the fence - as a reporter and as a friend and confidante to some of Hollywood's most scandalous names. He also formed a punk band called The Chew Toys, who toured and recorded one well-received album. He put down the guitar to work on Blind Item with his friend Jack Ketsoyan. Dickson is synesthetic, globophobic and outdoorsy. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his fiance and two wonderful dogs, and is working on three upcoming novels. (Bio courtesy of Amazon.)
Visit Kevin on Facebook and Twitter.
No one knows her name, but now everyone wants to.
As an assistant publicist in Hollywood, Nicola spends her days (and nights) sweeping up the scandals of singers, movie stars, and TV actors. Fresh from Ohio, she's rapidly discovering the real Hollywood is rotten under its glittering skin. Everyone is a hustler with a hard bottom line and a soap opera sob story.
When she breaks her own rules and starts dating a movie star, the Los Angeles scene starts to spill into her own life. As the paparazzi begin the hunt for sexy star Seamus O'Riordan's new mystery girl, Nicola's best friend Billy has her back while he prowls parties for the latest scoop to sell to the tabloids. Her roommate Kara keeps tabs on things too—in between befriending a former child star and transforming herself from stylist to reality TV sensation.
As the scandals pile up behind them, their pasts will be exposed… And every secret can be sold.
Written by two Hollywood insiders, Kevin Dickson and Jack Ketsoyan, Blind Item's jaw-dropping scandals are real, but the names are not. And they'll never tell. (Courtesy of Amazon.)
My mother believed that taking kids shopping was torture for both parent and child and so we rarely got to go shopping. There was a Woolworth's near my school bus stop and I'd go in while I was waiting for a bus, and I'd see all the toys I wanted, and I'd save my lunch money so that I could buy a Star Wars figure every couple of weeks. I grew up beside a postcard-perfect beach in Australia, and that was always more interesting to me than going shopping anyway.
Last item you purchased in a store:
I fell in love with a pair of Sperry sneakers, super lightweight and comfortable but also stylish. They had them in teal and peacock blue and I could not decide which so I bought both. I don't regret my lack of control, they're super cool.
Least favorite thing to shop for:
Jeans. There are so many options and variations in cut and fit that it's overwhelming. When I find a pair that fit well, I usually wear them to death and then it's time to panic again when I have to replace them.
Favorite purchase from the past year:
I splashed out and bought a beautifully tailored Paul Smith shirt for my book launch event. Even though it is a simple black long-sleeved shirt, it fits and wears perfectly. I love it so much.
Retail or thrift?
A thrilling combination of both: I love to find things new, but dramatically reduced in price. If I fall in love with anything - a clothing item, homewares - I will wait patiently until I can get it for around 70% off. It's pretty easy in Los Angeles, stock has a high turnover and old stock gets discounted quickly. The key is to know when a department store is going to do a "take an additional 50% off lowest marked price" sale - that's when you get to make a killing. I was obsessed with a pair of $145 Sundek swim shorts for this summer and I was able to finally get them for $22.50.
My friend Katia has opened an art space slash fashion store in Tijuana called Studio 664 and the last time I was down there, they had a range of lingerie slip dresses for dogs, and I bought my chihuahua-pomeranian runt Tuna this ridiculous outfit. It's sheer lace on top with a satin skirt. Tuna hates wearing it so much, she keeps burying it behind the couch cushions. It's hilarious.
Thanks to Kevin for visiting with us and to Imprint for sharing Blind Item with our readers!
Giveaway ends July 23rd at midnight EST.
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text:
Q: Using loop to check if variable is in dictionary So for class I'm making a crummy text adventure game. I want to check what the user enters against my dictionary of acceptable words. However, when I do as follows I get a 'TypeError: 'set' object is not subscriptable'. How would I go about fixing this?
Small section of code for the 'game':
def butts():
    southLib={"long thing", "rough thing", "cylinder thing", "floor thing", "home"}

    userPoop = str(input("Would you like to poop in the long thing, rough thing, cylinder thing, floor thing, or home? None?"))

    while southLib[userPoop] == None:
        print("I do not understand")
        userPoop = str(input("Would you like to poop in the long thing, rough thing, cylinder thing, floor thing, or home? None?"))

butts()

A: Perform proper containment checking.
while userPoop not in southLib:

A: If you want to check if something's not in a set, just use the not in operator:
>>> my_set = {"foo", "bar", "baz"}
>>> "foo" not in my_set
False
>>> "qux" not in my_set
True

(Similarly, you can use in to check if something is in a set.)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
package com.intellij.testIntegration;

import com.intellij.openapi.editor.Editor;
import com.intellij.openapi.project.Project;
import com.intellij.psi.PsiFile;
import com.intellij.psi.PsiElement;
import com.intellij.testIntegration.createTest.CreateTestAction;
import com.intellij.util.IncorrectOperationException;

public class JavaTestCreator implements TestCreator {
  public void createTest(Project project, Editor editor, PsiFile file) {
    try {
      CreateTestAction action = new CreateTestAction();
      PsiElement element = file.findElementAt(editor.getCaretModel().getOffset());
      if (action.isAvailableForElement(element)) {
        action.invoke(project, editor, file.getContainingFile());
      }
    }
    catch (IncorrectOperationException e) {
      throw new RuntimeException(e);
    }
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Slipknot and Behemoth Combine Forces For Enormous 2020 UK Tour
Jamie Giberti
Slipknot have finally confirmed the timetable for their enormous UK and Ireland tour for 2020, and what a tour it will be.
Following on from their groundbreaking success with new album We Are Not Your Kind hitting number one in the UK album charts, as well as number one in America, Ireland, Canada and elsewhere, Corey, Clown and the rest of the nine are delighted to confirm their UK return will come in January 2020. Kicking off across the Irish sea in Dublin on the 14th of January, Slipknot will play nine (funnily enough) arenas across Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. The tour culminates with Slipknot's biggest ever UK headline show at The O2 Arena in London on January 25th.
What's more, is that they are bringing Behemoth with them as special guests! Currently destroying crowds in America as part of the Knotfest Roadshow tour, Nergal and friends will continue to accompany Slipknot on their UK and European tour of destruction.
The word directly from Corey Taylor about the tour:
"It feels good to be coming back for an extensive tour of Europe and the UK. No matter how many times we come there, it always feels like we can never get enough, nor play ALL the cities we want to. But one thing's for certain: the audiences are ALWAYS some of the best in the world."
Full confirmation of the tour follows below:
Slipknot & Behemoth – UK Arena Tour Dates January 2020
14th – Dublin – 3Arena
16th – Manchester – Arena
17th – Newcastle – Utilita Arena
18th – Glasgow – SSE Hydro
20th – Sheffield – FlyDSA Arena
21st – Nottingham – Motorpoint Arena
22nd – Cardiff – Motorpoint Arena
24th – Birmingham – Arena
25th – London – The O2 Arena
Tickets will go on general sale on Friday August 30th at 9am on Live Nation for UK shows and Ticketmaster IE for Dublin. Those who pre-ordered We Are Not Your Kind through the Roadrunner online store will gain access to their special pre-sale at 11am on Tuesday. Members of the Outside The 9 fan club will get access to their pre-sale on 9am on Tuesday, while those with O2 Priority will also get access on Tuesday.
Stay tuned for further Slipknot updates here at Rock Sins!
Features and Live Editor for Rock Sins. Co-founder of Rage PR. Forever juggling the worlds of journalism, PR, web development, SEO and photography.
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Slipknot & Behemoth – Live At The O2 Arena, London, 25th January
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Steven Laniers Esoteric Bookstore provides ALL the background framework to understand what is really happening in the world today. The three below are the most important to understand the who, why and how of the worldwide political and economic landscape today. (and are the most relevant in my collection to the article which you just read.
The Ultimate Freemasonry Library : 1300+ Tomes! 5000+ Articles, Pictures and Resources!
Esoteric Initiate Library - 3500+ Tomes, Articles, Pictures and Resources in Total!
From education to the environment, business to banking, housing to health care, it seems that there is no issue in the world that the industrialized western democracies cannot reduce to a simplistic paradigm of "liberal" vs "conservative." In fact, this point has been so hardwired into the modern political system that it has been distilled into a childlike shorthand: political positions are "left" or "right," "blue" or "red." These convenient, color-coded political choices infantilize the political process, making the public little more than spectators at a sporting event, rooting for one team or another without even having to understand the issues being debated.
Nowhere has this process of simplification become so refined as it has in the United States of America, sometimes laughingly referred to as the "leaders of the free world."
True unity is your round table formation, King Arthur and his knights, standing as one, united within the circle. Within the circle all have sight, all have a voice and all are unified in their true service and support of the circle itself.
Channelled, written and narrated by Magenta Pixie. Video by Catzmagick. Media c/o freeimages, Catzmagick, stockfootageforfree and Kevin Macleod.
HIDDEN IDENTITY OF BLACKS IN THE BIBLE from Yosef on Vimeo.
Freeman is joined by co-host Jamie Hanshaw to interview Jay Dyer to discuss topics related to the occult connections in Hollywood and how intelligence agencies like MK Ultra have been using psychological techniques within pop-culture films, music, and advertising as they attempt to get complete social control over the masses… as everyone is lead to believe they are simply being entertained when in reality they are having their imaginations hijacked and engineered.
What does it take to become a Conspiracy Theorist? Is it in our genetics or is this sense of wonder divinely inspired. This is my strange life.
Andy Hoffman from Miles Franklin is back to document the current state of the collapse of the global economy - and the situation is only getting worse by the day. From Caterpillar to Glencore Mining, the future is as clear as it is bleak. And most American still have absolutely NO IDEA what's in store for them as the FED dominoes of fraud begin falling. TRILLIONS have been printed with no "trickle down" in sight.
The media is supposed to tell us everything important. We need media outlets that will direct its mass audience towards what truly counts: justice, truth and wisdom. So why is it that after spending just a few hours watching a news broadcast, you're likely to feel overloaded, confused, unfocused, and distracted from what really matters? Below is a thoughtful video that explores what is wrong with mainstream media and what tools it uses to exploit our psychological weaknesses.
Video – Jeremy Narby, Ph.D., author of Intelligence in Nature, shares what he's learned through his collaboration with scientists from around the world about how nature learns. Narby's uncovered a fascinating thread of highly intelligent behavior within the natural world and now explores what humanity can learn from nature's economy and knowledge.
In our world of progress, law and industry, most citizens of the United States live under the guise of sovereignty and freedom. Most were raised to believe that America is the greatest country in the world, that its government works for the people and is formed by the people, and that they are the example other countries strive to follow.
Then, the mass awakening began. People started to find little truths, or little lies, that have been used to manipulate them and create a veil around them. As more information surfaces in alternative media and as brave individuals speak out about injustices and lies, many people in the United States are realizing that they have been misguided and misinformed, about their food, their health, their history, their government, their freedom, etc.
There is a wealth of truth hidden from us…or conveniently omitted in mainstream media and mainstream education. Here's a list of 20 lies used to gain political or financial power that every person should know.
Research into the structure and function of the human brain continues to accelerate. Collaborations, such as the Human Brain Project in Europe and the BRAIN initiative in the United States, are exploring making great advances in understanding the brain's circuitry and computing principles.
The supposed goals of these research initiatives are to understand the cause of and to improve treatment of brain disorders, to create neuromatic and neurorobotic technologies that advance developments in Artificial Intelligence and supercomputers, and also to uncover the patterns of neural activity that produce human cognition, decision making and actions. In 2014, over $300 million in public and private funding was made in support of the US BRAIN initiative, and EUR 8.3 million was invested in the European Union's Human Brain Project.
Simultaneously, technologies are being developed to create a new brain-computer interface, which will be able to manipulate the brain using "neural dust," light beamed from outside the skull, and by implanting memories by altering neuron DNA.
The human mind is an electrical device. If they reverse engineer the brain to figure out how to invade and program the electrical mind, it can be taken over and anyone can theoretically be controlled remotely, and the affected persons would have little to no clue what was going on.
In the interviews below, Neil Sanders, author of Your Thoughts are Not Your Own, and Steven Jacobson, author of Mind Control in the U.S., expose evidence of officially sanctioned mind control programs and the effects of media programming on human behavior.
As innovations that understand and alter brain function continue to mature, can we trust their creators to use them to benefit humanity, versus using them to further manipulate the masses and influence specific individuals?
It's not too often that you see the mainstream be honest about what it is that makes themmainstream. Media is big money and has significant influence in our lives, and at present a mere 6 corporations own 90% of all the mediathat makes it into your mediasphere. Voices critical of this power structure are rarely heard on the big networks, however, sometimes the truth gets through.
Take this eye-opening cartoon for example.
In 1998, cartoonist Robert Smigel created an animated short for 'TV Funhouse,' a weekly skit on the popular NBC sketch comedy television show, Saturday Night Live (SNL). Dubbed 'Conspiracy Theory Rock,' the episode is two and half minutes of rich parody of the well-known kids educational program of the 1970's and '80's, School House Rock.
It's a rather well done piece of anti-propaganda that tells the truth about the consolidation of media, media censorship, war profiteering and election-engineering. It even mentions the JFK assassination… who believes the official story about that?
Many think Conspiracy Theory Rock was banned from SNL, supposedly deemed too offensive to the corporate overlords at NBC, GE and the other corporations who fund the production of SNL. This is totally plausible, however, NBC did originally approve this cartoon to air on SNL in 1998, which it did, and although it never aired again, it does not appear to have been officially banned.
The merit of this hilarious cartoon is not in whether it was banned or not. It's merit is in its brutally truthful commentary of the incestuous relationship between national media, politics, and war-profiteering. Most importantly, it reminds us that those who work in the high offices of the big networks, those who produce the programs that make it on the air, and those artists who contribute their creativity to the networks, all know just how broken and corrupt the media industry is. Yet, they continue to choose to participate, self-censoring as necessary to stay on the team. They all know the truth.
Take a look for yourself. Did Robert Smigel hit the nail on the head about how our media, politics and war machine really operate?
Vic Bishop is a staff writer for Waking Times.
Video – In this critically important talk, clinical psychologist Julia Rucklidge explores a range ofscientific research, including her own, showing the significant role played by nutrition in mental healthor illness.
Video – Let's be honest, the Bible is not exactly a peaceful tale of universal love and kinship. Jesus had his impression on the world, but it was indeed a cruel, cruel world at times. FTF Films takes a trip through some of the many horrific acts of violence of one of the most influential pieces of human literature ever.
Video – Abby Martin goes over the 6 corporations that control nearly everything in the mainstream media, and discusses a few of the most famous cases of media censorship with BTS producer, Manuel Rapalo.


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New Books Listed at Adoptee Reading September 15, 2018
We've just added more books to the Adoptee Reading catalog. Check them out!
All You Can Ever Know: A Memoir
by Nicole Chung
Forthcoming October 2018. Available for pre-order.
What does it mean to lose your roots―within your culture, within your family―and what happens when you find them? Nicole Chung was born severely premature, placed for adoption by her Korean parents, and raised by a white family in a sheltered Oregon town. From childhood, she heard the story of her adoption as a comforting, prepackaged myth. She believed that her biological parents had made the ultimate sacrifice in the hope of giving her a better life, that forever feeling slightly out of place was her fate as a transracial adoptee. But as Nicole grew up―facing prejudice her adoptive family couldn't see, finding her identity as an Asian American and as a writer, becoming ever more curious about where she came from―she wondered if the story she'd been told was the whole truth. With warmth, candor, and startling insight, Nicole Chung tells of her search for the people who gave her up, which coincided with the birth of her own child. All You Can Ever Know is a profound, moving chronicle of surprising connections and the repercussions of unearthing painful family secrets―vital reading for anyone who has ever struggled to figure out where they belong.
by Celeste Ng
From the bestselling author of Everything I Never Told You, a riveting novel that traces the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and the enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives. In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned – from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules. Enter Mia Warren – an enigmatic artist and single mother – who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenaged daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community. When old family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town–and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia's past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs.
Found and Lost: An Adoption, An Agency and A Search for Self
by Suzette J. Brownstein
Growing up with a secret is never easy. While mine seems innocuous now, it caused me a lot of pain in 1978. As an adoptee from the closed system where secrecy ruled, I felt adopted but never born. So when my birth father called me out of the blue at 18 years old, I was instantly traumatized. The call sets in motion a decades long journey of truth seeking, to search for the pieces of my past that were denied me but I also feared knowing. After gaining the courage to meet my birth parents, two people who experienced traumas of their own but survived, I built a wall around myself. I needed to protect myself from the feelings of confusion, sadness, anger and guilt. But by the strange and eventually healing coincidences of life, my call to volunteer with foster children at a residential treatment center who had been removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect, landed me in my own realization: that I did not have to fear going back to my own beginnings. I was finally ready to make peace with my past. My time there brought new understandings of the lives of children in foster care and unexpected surprises. Found and Lost: An Adoption, An Agency and A Search for Self is a a memoir about the power of family secrets, the complications that adoption can bring in spite of the best of intentions, and how truth seeking and acceptance can set us free.
Adoption Is a Lifelong Journey
by Kelly DiBenedetto, Katie Gorczyca, and Jennifer Eckert
Meet Charlie, an adoptee who opens his heart and shares what's on his mind through various phases as he grows up in his adoptive home. As the narrator of Adoption Is a Lifelong Journey, Charlie invites readers to see the adoption journey from the perspective of a child adoptee. This illustrated book — a tool for families touched by adoption and foster care — provides insight into emotions and thoughts an adoptee or foster child might encounter while also equipping parents and caregivers with timely responses and resources. While every adoption story is unique, Charlie's voice brings to light common themes the authors encounter as post adoption therapists at Boston Post Adoption Resources (BPAR). The book begins with Charlie settling into his adoptive home and progresses as he grapples with challenges such as building trust, feeling a sense of worth, relating to his beginnings, and establishing his identity. The illustrated portion connects to recommendations for parents: things to think about, tips for conversations, family activities, and additional resources. Who can benefit from the book: adoptive or foster parents, mental health professionals, adoption and foster care agencies, prospective adoptive parents, teachers and school health facilitators.
Sorry to Disrupt the Peace
by Patty Yumi Cottrell
Helen Moran is thirty-two years old, single, childless, college-educated, and partially employed as a guardian of troubled young people in New York. She's accepting a delivery from IKEA in her shared studio apartment when her uncle calls to break the news: Helen's adoptive brother is dead. According to the internet, there are six possible reasons why her brother might have killed himself. But Helen knows better: she knows that six reasons is only shorthand for the abyss. Helen also knows that she alone is qualified to launch a serious investigation into his death, so she purchases a one-way ticket to Milwaukee. There, as she searches her childhood home and attempts to uncover why someone would choose to die, she will face her estranged family, her brother's few friends, and the overzealous grief counselor, Chad Lambo; she may also discover what it truly means to be alive. A bleakly comic tour de force that's by turns poignant, uproariously funny, and viscerally unsettling.
Other Words for Grief
by Lisa Marie Rollins
"The poems gathered in Other Words For Grief, are a spotlight turned inward. As Lisa Marie Rollins relentlessly searches the interior with a hot light scanning blood and baby pictures; sexual encounters nearly gone awry as well as family encounters that fall short, we are moved through her fantastic string of action: 'What I know is black bodies are dropping. Crickets after the crop duster flies overhead. Mist to inhale and wrap our little shells so we disappear from the land quietly. What if his body was already coated in blood from watching reels and reels and miles and miles of footage of black bodies falling.' Here is activity that not only provides detailed motion of an experience, but Rollins also elevates the moment, and brilliantly leads us to fully see ourselves, 'this is how you call impossible/ ideas into being […] this is how you light candle spells. this is how you be.' Other Words For Grief is a consuming debut that asks the hard questions one rather avoid, but leaves us better off than where we started, 'so all we need do now is raise the dead.'" –F. Douglas Brown
You Don't Know How Lucky You Are: An Adoptee's Journey Through The American Adoption Experience
by Rudy Owens
Nearly 50 years after he was relinquished for adoption, Rudy Owens learned how fortunate life can be. In 2014 in San Diego, Owens met his biological half-sister for the first time. That meeting inspired Owens to tell his adoption story set against the larger adoption narrative that has impacted millions of adoptees, their birth parents, and their collective biological and adoptive families. Owens's memoir offers insights on the widespread American institution of adoption, a national social-engineering experiment that remains mired in discriminatory laws and partisan politics, not equality and fairness. Owens's lifelong journey as an adoptee unravels the controversies and complexities of adoption. That adventure started in the mid-1960s, with his birth in a Detroit hospital created to serve socially scorned single mothers and place their infants for adoption. Twenty-four years later, he finally met his birth family and learned of his biological family history. It would take another quarter century and a bitter legal battle for the State of Michigan to release his sealed birth certificate that it illegally held for decades. Owens combines his successful family discovery story with public health and evolutionary biology research to highlight the importance of kin relations and the damaging myths and archetypal prejudices that still cloud popular views of illegitimate children and adoption in the United States. Instead of seeing his experience as a loss, Owens finds greater purpose in having dedicated decades of his life to answering life's most essential question, "Who am I?" His lifelong journey for his original birth records, full equality before the law, and his ancestral history ultimately gave him the makings of a meaningful life.
The Adoption Machine: The Dark History of Ireland's Mother & Baby Homes and the Inside Story of How "Tuam 800" Became a Global Scandal
by Paul Jude Redmond
MAY 2014. The Irish public woke to the horrific discovery of a mass grave containing the remains of almost 800 babies in the "Angels' Plot" of Tuam's Mother and Baby Home. What followed would rock the last vestiges of Catholic Ireland, enrage an increasingly secularised nation, and lead to a Commission of Inquiry. In The Adoption Machine, Paul Jude Redmond, Chairperson of the Coalition of Mother and Baby Homes Survivors, who himself was born in the Castlepollard Home, candidly reveals the shocking history of one of the worst abuses of Church power since the foundation of the Irish State. From Bessboro, Castlepollard, and Sean Ross Abbey to St. Patrick's and Tuam, a dark shadow was cast by the collusion between Church and State in the systematic repression of women and the wilful neglect of illegitimate babies, resulting in the deaths of thousands. It was Paul's exhaustive research that widened the global media's attention to all the homes and revealed Tuam as just the tip of the iceberg of the horrors that lay beneath. He further reveals the vast profits generated by selling babies to wealthy adoptive parents, and details how infants were volunteered to a pharmaceutical company for drug trials without the consent of their natural mothers. Interwoven throughout is Paul's poignant and deeply personal journey of discovery as he attempts to find his own natural mother. The Adoption Machine exposes this dark history of Ireland's shameful and secret past, and the efforts to bring it into the light. It is a history from which there is no turning away.
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People with diabetes have difficulty changing food into energy. Your body converts food into a sugar called glucose, which is carried by your blood to cells in your body. The cells need a chemical called insulin to help them process the glucose into energy.
When a person has diabetes their body may not produce enough insulin or their cells may not be able to use the insulin to convert the glucose into energy. So, the glucose builds up in the blood, where the cells can't use it.
"Type II" diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, accounting for 90-95 percent of all cases. Other types of diabetes include "Type I," which occurs in children and young adults, and "gestational diabetes," which can occur during pregnancy.
People with diabetes have high levels of sugar in the blood that can hurt parts of the body. They are often too heavy and have high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Here's what you can do to keep your diabetes under control.
Eat less and don't eat too many sweets or starches.
Check your blood sugars and write them down to show your doctor.
You can lower your risk of getting Type II diabetes by making a few simple lifestyle changes. Eat a healthy diet high in fruits, vegetables, fish, poultry and whole grains. Exercise regularly. Lose weight if you are overweight.
Diabetes has no cure, but can be managed. Diet control and exercise are important, and home monitoring of blood glucose may be required. Pills or insulin injections may also be prescribed to help lower the blood glucose level.
If you are taking diabetes medicine and you feel shaky, sweaty or confused, eat some candy, check your blood sugar, and call the doctor right away.
The best way to diet, exercise and lose weight.
An A1c test and urine protein test.
Your blood pressure and cholesterol level.
A flu shot and pneumonia shot.
An eye exam and foot care.


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Victory! Final Passage of Pregnancy Discrimination Bill
Statement of Khadine Bennett Legislative Counsel, American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois:
"Today's vote advances basic fairness for pregnant women in Illinois. When enacted into law, House Bill 8 ensures that pregnant women in our state no longer have to choose between a safe, healthy pregnancy and maintaining their employment. We are grateful that Representative Mary Flowers and Senator Toi Hutchinson exhibited such passionate, skillful leadership in moving the measure through both chambers and on to the Governor.
As the bill has worked its way through the legislature, more and more women across Illinois have come forward with reports of hardships faced during their pregnancy. In many instances, women were coerced into taking unpaid leave during a pregnancy, when modest accommodations would have permitted these women to continue to work during the duration of that pregnancy. In some instances, these accommodations can be as modest as being able to carry a bottle of water; in other instances, the accommodations may include placing reasonable limits on the amount of weight the pregnant woman has to lift.
These women who have come forward to tell their stories are the real heroes of this legislative effort and we thank them for their courage and commitment. The passage of this modest, reasoned legislation is a testament to their assistance.
We urge Governor Quinn to quickly sign this legislation."
Experienced pregnancy discrimination in the workplace?


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Christopher James Roberts
Christopher James Roberts is an American composer, pianist and producer, best known by music industry insider's as Chris Roberts, one of the bright stars in music business. In the '90s Chris was the head of Classics and Jazz at PolyGram and then as the CEO of Universal Classics and Jazz until 2011. Chris has signed and worked with some of the music world's biggest stars–from Pavarotti, Renée Fleming, Bocelli, Chris Botti, Wayne Shorter, Elvis Costello and Sting–but his real passion has always been making music. Even while Chris was an exec, he would record solo under the radar (and pseudonym) as Christopher James and as a duo which he dubbed Val Gardena. No surprise, when Chris decided to put the corporate side of music in the rear view mirror, he wasted no time picking up where he left off with Val Gardena and he recently released, The Sad Waltz, an entire album under his pseudonym. I hope you'll enjoy this conversation that spans Chris's early years when a young pianist from a small town in Oregon took a journey up the corporate ladder, working with some of the world's most celebrated talents and places he could have never imagined (like when he was managing the German rock band Scorpions which led to a meeting at the Kremlin with Mikhail Gorbachev). Hear about this and more in this edition of JAZZIZ Not What You Think.
https://assets-jazziz-com.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/10/Christopher-James_mixdown.mp3
Intro music: "Kickin' It" by Jeff Lorber
https://media.blubrry.com/jazziz/p/assets-jazziz-com.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/10/Christopher-James_mixdown.mp3
Tags: Christopher James, Christopher James Roberts, Podcast, The Sad Waltz
Bill Bruford
Michael Fagien February 14, 2018
Michael Fagien January 18, 2018
Keyon Harrold
JAZZIZ Magazine October 28, 2017
Christopher James Roberts is an American composer, pianist and producer, best known by music industry insider's as Chris Roberts, one of the bright stars in music business. In the '90s Chris was the head of Classics and Jazz at PolyGram and then as the CEO of Universal Classics and Jazz until 2011. Chris has signed and worked with some of the music world's biggest stars--from Pavarotti, Renée Fleming, Bocelli, Chris Botti, Wayne Shorter, Elvis Costello and Sting--but his real passion has always been making music. Even while Chris was an exec, he would record solo under the radar (and pseudonym) as Christopher James and as a duo which he dubbed Val Gardena. No surprise, when Chris decided to put the corporate side of music in the rear view mirror, he wasted no time picking up where he left off with Val Gardena and he recently released, The Sad Waltz, an entire album under his pseudonym. I hope you'll enjoy this conversation that spans Chris's early years when a young pianist from a small town in Oregon took a journey up the corporate ladder, working with some of the world's most celebrated talents and places he could have never imagined (like when he was managing the German rock band Scorpions which led to a meeting at the Kremlin with Mikhail Gorbachev). Hear about this and more in this edition of JAZZIZ Not What You Think. [audio mp3="https://assets-jazziz-com.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/10/Christopher-James_mixdown.mp3"][/audio] Intro music: "Kickin' It" by Jeff Lorber Save Save Save Save Save


Which was all part of Homepolish designer Jennifer Talbot's plan.
When Homepolish interior designer Jennifer Talbot set out to make over this Chicago home, her mission was ambitious but simple: "I wanted the space to be like a good book that gets better with each chapter," she said. Or in this case, each room.
A big fan of pattern play, Talbot used both large and small prints to add unexpected texture to the living room.
The deep grey ceiling in the master bedroom (about two shades darker than the walls) compresses the space and creates an intimate, warm vibe.
Splatter paint-inspired wallpaper adds style without stuffiness to the master bath. Matching gold accents with the mirrors, drawer handles, and sink fixtures completes the look.
Even though dark brown doesn't exactly scream "little girl's room," in this case it adds sophistication to a playful design. We're making it official: Chocolate brown is totally underrated.
Talbot wanted each individual room to tell a story. Here, she gave a young boy's space a zoo theme with wall-mounted animal heads and an animal print bedspread.
Originally the beams were the same color as the walls, but their architectural details got lost in the ceiling. Talbot opted to highlight them in white and draws the eye up for a dramatic focal point.
A hanging chair transforms a lost corner into a cozy reading nook — although the swing will undoubtably entertain the kids way longer than their books.
When selecting a rug, Talbot always considers the "major players" in the room, like the pillows and furniture. Here, a graphic rug adds texture to the white walls and couch while complementing the natural-colored pillows.
Because no home is complete without a cute dog (and a perfect perch for said pooch).
Talbot considers light fixtures "the jewelry of a room." In this case, a trendy brass pendant light makes a statement against a light, neutral palette.
Looking to push the boundaries in the dining room, Talbot explored a combination of high and low everyday materials, like the concrete table and the glam hutch and chandelier.


We are looking for native English speakers for a summer job in Cádiz (Andalusia) in Hacienda El Barriche.
-TEACHERS: native English speakers and teacher qualification or degree required. Responsible for teaching English to 12 and 13 years old children during the camp. They must learn step by step, taking advantage of the immersion.
-CAMP COUNSELOR or ACTIVITIES SUPERVISOR: native English speakers and monitor certificate required (recreational course). Responsible for motivating and inspiring kids to use and learn English through running activities and supervising the different aspects of the camp daily routine.
The camp will take place from 1st to 29th July in Alcalá de los Gazules in Cádiz. The teachers and the monitors will be provided of housing in the camp.
We need people who are fun and active, but at the same time organized and responsible.
Work contract (according to Spanish labor legislation), all accommodations and food are included in the conditions. Trip and flight from England to Spain may be also included in the conditions if that's the case.
This is a remunerated job offer. Please contact me via Facebook or by e-mail in case you are interested or if you have any questions.


Consolidated Operating EBIDTA at INR 6.3 crores (6% of Revenue), for the quarter ended 31st December 2018, as compared to INR 1.2 crores (1% of Revenue), for the corresponding quarter in previous year. Improvement of INR 5 crs.
crores compared to INR (4.2) crores for the corresponding quarter ended 31st December 2017.
December 2018, a growth of 4% over corresponding period ended 31st December 2017.
India business reported a Revenue growth of 5% and International business Revenue grew by 4% over 9M LY.
Consolidated Operating EBIDTA at INR 15.5 crores (5% of Revenue), for 9 months ended 31st December 2018, as compared to INR (0.3) crores, for the corresponding period in previous year.
Consolidated Profit after Tax and Minority Interest for 9 months ended 31st December 2018 is INR (3.3) crores compared to INR (13.0) crores for the corresponding period ended 31st December 2017.


Leaders today are made—not born. Whether you're a leader of one or one thousand, modern leadership takes many forms. Yet, in our digitally paced world, modern leaders all practice similar habits to achieve success & happiness.
Keynote speaker Denise Lee Yohn has cracked the code on brand-building and shows you exactly what you need to take your brand from good to great. You know how great brands dominate their fields.
There's no doubt, business could be the ultimate lever for making a difference in the world. This resource gives you the counterintuitive roadmap to shift from a transactional company to transformational and even transcending business as usual.
2 Second Lean will flip your world right-side up. It's a practical way to improve your life every day by making a simple 2 second improvement.


trauma-free birth - The Soul Channel - Conversations on spirituality, soul therapy, past life regression, fragmentation, exorcism, channeling, auto-writing, angels, meditation, hypnosis, spirit guide, and more.
I have been asked many times whether hypnosis can be used to minimize pain during surgery (referred to as 'medical hypnosis'). The short answer is 'yes', although it is most commonly limited to those surgeries involving local anesthetics. In 1958, both the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association recognized hypnotherapy as a valid medical procedure. Since 1995, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has recommended hypnotherapy as a treatment for chronic pain (NIH reference).
From personal experience, I commonly use self-hypnosis for pain control during any dental procedure which would normally involve a local anesthetic, and I recently used it for minor surgery on my arm involving 18 stitches; no pain. One excellent self-help book on self hypnosis is Instant Self-Hypnosis: How to Hypnotize Yourself with Your Eyes Open by author Forbes Robbin Blair. A more advanced book for practicing hypnosis and for hypnotherapists is Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy Basic to Advanced Techniques for the Professional , written by Calvin D. Banyan and illustrated in the above image.


Part 1 The total risk approach to prevention of cardiovascular disease . ... When can treatment decisions be made without the use of risk prediction charts?. . . . . .
appropriate to various stages of cardiovascular disease (CVD) management. ( acute, subacute and ..... better quality of life and improved symptoms.5 Cardiac.
Pregnancy † Cardiovascular disease † Guidelines † Risk assessment † Management † Congential heart ..... the optimum treatment of both must be targeted.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, killing ... Even if you have no symptoms, you may still be at risk for heart disease.
A loss of blood supply, even for a few minutes, injures or kills heart cells leading to disability or death.1. Heart Disease in Alaska. Heart diseases was the 2 nd.
Archives of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, 2015; 4: 66–76. DOI: 10.12740/APP/ 60532. Symptoms of cardiovascular diseases in the course of mental disorders.
Mar 5, 2013 ... treatment of cardiovascular disease in England. ... prevention and treatment of CVD over the last decade, with a 40% reduction in under 75.
Arkansas Department of Health Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Section Background .......2 ... Data: Signs and Symptoms of a Heart Attack and Stroke .
Kidney disease is both a cause and a consequence of cardiovascular disease, the ... Hypertension increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, and severe.
the use of acupuncture as a treatment for cardiovascular disease, with specific ... Utilizing acupuncture as prevention and treatment of heart disease with the.
2005 : USA – total costs for treatment of cardiovascular diseases are estimated to ... Medical treatment of CVD represent 126 million hospital-bed days and 268.5.
and left ventricular hypertrophy in low and moder- ate risk patients without a background or symptoms. Cardiovascular Diseases in Hemodialysis Patients.


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Q: jQuery string parsing logs a 404 Here's the setup, I have a mustache template stored as a string, like so

I've inserted it into the page, all good
But now I need to get a part of that template and re-insert it into the page, the problem is jQuery keeps on logging 404 errors because it's trying to download the image for some reason. (no image pre-loaders or plugins here)
var newTemplate = $(Template).find('#two').html();

I thought this would just operate on the string, but it seems to be parsing it as actual DOM elements and trying to download the images... here's the error from Chrome
GET http://localhost/src/%7B%7Bphoto%7D%7D 404 (Not Found) /src/js/libs/jquery.js:5952
   jQuery.fn.extend.html /src/js/libs/jquery.js:5952
   jQuery.extend.access /src/js/libs/jquery.js:855
   jQuery.fn.extend.html /src/js/libs/jquery.js:5928
   Backbone.View.extend.search /src/js/views/vote.js:39
   jQuery.event.dispatch /src/js/libs/jquery.js:3332
   jQuery.event.add.elemData.handle.eventHandle

I've also tried a few variations like
var foo = $('
').html(Template).find('#isotope').html();

and
var foo = $('
').detach().html(Template).find('#isotope').html();

what really bugs me is that this works fine if i write the html i want as a plain string,
but that defeats the point

A: You should use separate strings for your templates. As soon as you pass strings to jQuery's $() they are turned into DOM elements.

A: var data = {foo:'/images/foo.jpg',bar:'/images/bar.jpg'};
var html = $.mustache(Template,data);
var two = html.find('#two');

Please read http://zudolab.net/blog/?p=221 (Japanese)


Brand New Genuine Peugeot 106 ENGINE OIL GAUGE (DIPSTICK). This slots into the front of the engine and measures the oil level. Very common for these to get damaged or go missing. This is listed for these Peugeot 106 models: PEUGEOT 106 SERIES 2 MODELS ONLY 1996> & TU9M, TU1M+ & TU3JP (QUIKSILVER).
Part Description: Brand New Genuine Peugeot 106 ENGINE OIL GAUGE (DIPSTICK). This slots into the front of the engine and measures the oil level. Very common for these to get damaged or go missing. This is listed for these Peugeot 106 models: PEUGEOT 106 SERIES 2 MODELS ONLY 1996> & TU9M, TU1M+ & TU3JP (QUIKSILVER).