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The Importance of Identifying and Adapting to Cultural Differences
International trade is a large and important component in today's business world. Understanding culture and cultural differences can determine whether you can make a deal or not. Your understanding of cultural differences can not only affect business immediately but also affect the overall reputation of your business.
Embracing Cultural Differences in Business
Often in today's business environment, one must recognize that to be successful internationally it may require you to put aside your sensitivities and do what is necessary to close the deal. Is it really worth losing a multi-million dollar contract to insist someone conform to our cultural views gender equality? Probably not. However, there are cultural differences that warrant the collapse of a deal.
For instance, in some countries, it is culturally acceptable to use child labor while in other countries bribing government officials is seen as part of the normal course of a tendering process. Refusing to deal with these people will very likely result in you losing a deal, however, your stance on human rights and corruption will enhance your reputation with other countries and benefit you more in the long run.
As is the case with people and situations around the world, first impressions matter and you don't want to start by unknowingly showing disrespect to the people of the country you wish to deal with. Power distance, individualism, masculinity, femininity, uncertainty avoidance, and short-term/long-term orientation are some of the concepts to be considered very carefully. The bottom line is that to make the essential connection for an ongoing business relationship, you must understand the culture of the people you are dealing with.
While western culture still currently dominates the business world, the growing Asian markets are opening and expanding rapidly. Many norms of body language accepted in the West convey the exact opposite of meaning in the east. Direct eye contact in the West is generally associated with honesty, paying attention, and being respectful. However, in many Eastern countries, it is disrespectful. Clothing, time of day, and multiple other factors can come into play, as well.
Technology has made the world a lot smaller in terms of building personal and professional relationships around the world. Creating genuine business relationships with others across the world means communicating who you are, what you do, and why you do it is more important than ever.
Lets Create the Best First Impression For You
Your online presence will often be the first impression so you want to make it impeccable. Convergent1 has the experience and knowledge to help you make the most of every first impression. Our Marketing Action Plan, as well as our Business Recovery Plan, will meet you where you are at and improve your messaging and first impression which will lead to lasting relationships.
Contact us today to get started!
The Importance of Tags for Search Engine Optimization
Top 10 Things to Consider When Hiring a Marketing Agency
Marketing: Why It Matters Now
Using your Social Media to Make a Connection
Impact Marketing: A Viable Option
If you are new to search engine optimization you may have read or heard a lot about tags or tagging. Tags are used in many
The world is constantly changing, which means consumer buying behavior changes continually. To ensure that your business is always connected to your target audience, you
It's been said a lot of different ways, but the fact remains that we are living in unprecedented times. COVID has changed the way we
We believe in making marketing matter by creating a marketing action plan, optimizing your online presence and automating your marketing efforts. Let's start making your marketing initiatives matter today!
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Today's post is by Kim Shay. Kim and her husband live in southwestern Ontario, where she's spent the last 22 years primarily as a stay-at-home mom while teaching the Bible to women and serving on the Women's Ministries committee at her local church. Kim blogs regularly at The Upward Call; follow her on Twitter at @UpwardCall.
As Christian women, it is inevitable that at some point we will be in a position to counsel another woman. Whether it is in a formal setting or an informal one with family or friends, as women, we need to be prepared to answer questions and advise in a biblical manner. We want to avoid handing out platitudes or, worse, error. Women Helping Women: A Biblical Guide to Major Issues Women Face is a valuable tool in that process. The editors, Elyse Fitzpatrick and Carol Cornish, set out to provide tools to help women counsel other women in order that they may live abundantly in Christ.
We believe the Bible is sufficient to answer every problem and meet every need that we, as God's children have.
The following chapters are an outflow of that foundation. One of the necessities of biblical counselling is that women are encouraged to see how sin affects their circumstances. If a woman is not willing to accept that possibility, she will continue to struggle with her situation. This approach is not the approach of secular counseling, which frequently directs the counselee to place blame for her circumstances. Yes, people will sin against us, and we may have no control over how someone treats us, but that does not give us the freedom to sin in our reactions. Many of our problems are of our own making or are made worse by our own sin.
There is also a chapter at the end with medical questions women commonly have. The book was written by a number of qualified women, and the last one by a medical doctor.
Whether you are formally counseling someone or just counseling your own child, this book offers a wealth of guidance on how to do that. Each chapter encourages the counselor to direct the women to the Word of God first and foremost. I appreciated the many suggestions that a woman memorize scripture as a way to put right thoughts into her mind. There is a continued emphasis on replacing wrong thoughts with biblical ones, and putting off the old man and putting on the new. Whether it is the post-abortion woman, or the woman in the afternoon of life, the counselor is directed to emphasize that our sufficiency is in Christ, not our circumstances nor in ourselves. The counselor is not guided to remind her friend that she needs to "empower" herself, but rather to yield to the power Christ. The counselor is repeatedly advised to invest in her counselee, developing a relationship based on selfless love. I really appreciated that reminder. Counseling someone involves getting into very personal, intimate details. If we go into that situation expecting thanks or pats on the back, we will not be a good counselor.
Women Helping Women was written in 1997, and it begs to be updated. I would love to see a second edition (the closest thing to one would arguably be Fitzpatrick's Women Counseling Women: Biblical Answers to Life's Difficult Problems). There is an excellent selection of other resources, but in the past fifteen years, many more resources have been made available which I think would be beneficial. For example, in the chapter on teen rebellion, one of the recommended reads is Tedd Tripp's Shepherding a Child's Heart. While I liked that book, I thought Paul Tripp's Age of Opportunity more helpful, personally. I also felt that the chapter about children with learning disabilities could benefit from more recent information about situations such as ADD/ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome. I also thought the book would do well to include a chapter dealing more specifically with anxiety and depression. All of the scenarios discussed in the book involve that, but many women have general anxiety whose cause they may not have isolated.
How would I guide my daughter if she came to me to say she was struggling with infertility issues? Would I have a clue? How would I guide a friend who confided that she was struggling with an addiction to online gambling? Before I read this book, I wouldn't have had a clue. While Women Helping Women does not pretend to be exhaustive or a course in counseling (there are recommendations for women wanting to pursue further training), it gives the average woman like me the tools to answer questions biblically and responsibly as I seek to build up other women for the Kingdom of God.


Rainbow Friend $25 Thank-you for your wonderful donation! A 4x6 Metallic Dolphin Print is coming your way, and ocean hugs!
Bottlenose $50 Thank-you for your lovely donation! A 5x7 Metallic Dolphin Print is coming your way, and E-Book copy of "Dolphin Talk"!
Orca Friend $100 Thank-you for your amazing donation! A 5x7 Metal Dolphin Print, and E-Book copy of "Dolphin Talk" is coming your way!
Humpback Friend $200 Thank-you for your sweet donation! A 8x10 Metal Dolphin Print, and E-Book copy of "Dolphin Talk" is coming your way!
Beluga Buddy $300 Thank-you for your super donation! A 8x12 Metal Dolphin Print is coming your way, plus a paperback copy of "I am Dolphin", & Credits on Educational Series!
Sperm Whale Luv $500 Thank-you for your da'kine donation! A 8x10 Metal Dolphin Print is coming your way, paperbacks "Dolphin Talk", "I am Dolphin", & Credits on Educational Series!
Blue Whale Mate $750 Thank-you for your aloha donation! A 8x12 Metal Dolphin Print is coming your way, paperbacks "Dolphin Talk", "I am Dolphin", & Credits on Educational Series!
Holographic $1,000 Thank-you for your awesome donation! 16x20 Metal Print, paperback copies of "Dolphin Talk" & "I am Dolphin", & Associate Producer Credits on Educational Series!
On your statement, this donation will appear as "WPY*I am Dolphin Educatio"


Item was not in stock. We have 99% of items in stock, so this is rarely the case.
Your order was placed after UPS has already picked up for the day. If you enter an order at 3:00PM on a Tuesday Next Day Air, the order will not actually be picked up by UPS until Wednesday which means you won't receive the order until Thursday. If you had placed the order by Tuesday morning, there is a good change we can get your item packed and ready for UPS pickup that day.
You placed order during or before a weekend. UPS does not ship Saturdays (at least with us). An order placed on early Friday morning can ship on Friday. Next Day means Next Business Day. So you should receive your order on Monday.
Why are international shipping charges so high? We just pass along our UPS shipping costs. UPS Worldwide Expedited service usually provides delivery within 3 or 4 days anywhere in the world. UPS also provides detailed tracking information which helps track down any problems. However, the first pound shipped is very expensive - usually $60.00 or $70.00. Subsequent pounds cost much less. If you are buying a low cost item, you might be better served to find the item locally or consider buying a larger quantity so that the shipping cost is a lower percentage of your order cost. We also charge a $17.00 Customs paperwork fee because we must hand fill out shipping documents, Customs requires 5 copies of some documents and packaging is handled specially.
If I order UPS Next Day, when will I receive the order? UPS counts each business day as a day. Weekends don't count. Holidays don't count. Remember that orders placed after UPS pickup will not ship until the following day.
1: How come my billing and shipping address need to match for a first time buyer?
Because of high rates of attempted internet fraud. We verify all shipping addresses with the credit card company. If we don't have a match, we have a potential problem. Once we get to know you, we are more trusting about where we ship.
2: My shipping address is my work address, but my credit card gets billed to my house.
Most credit card companies can hold two addresses in their system. The first address is usually the billing address. The second address is called an Alternate Address which can be your work address. If your work address is listed with them, then we will get a match when we verify your card.
3. Do you take American Express, Discover, PayPal, etc?
We only take Visa or MasterCard for online orders. American Express charges higher fees which in turn makes are items cost more for everyone else. The vast majority of people have access to a Visa or MasterCard. If you don't have a Visa or MasterCard, you can pay via check, money order, cash or wire transfer.
4. My billing address is a PO Box and you say you can't ship to a PO Box.
We use UPS for shipments because they pickup at our location daily, we can track shipments and insure packages if needed. UPS cannot deliver to a PO Box because the postal service doesn't let them. You need to get your shipping address listed as an Alternate Address with your credit card company.
5. I placed an order on 8:00 PM last night and requested Next Day service. How come I don't have the shipment today?
Because it didn't ship out last night. When your order does ship, it will ship with the class of service you request. If we receive orders before 11:00 AM EST, we usually get the order out the same day. We stock everything we sell, and try to keep sufficient inventory on-hand. If we get an order when we are closed, then we probably won't be shipping that day.
6. I sent you an email on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. Why won't you answer my questions?
Because we were closed. We don't have people waiting 24/7 to answer your calls or questions. We try to respond quickly, and we usually ship the same or following business day. We are open from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM EST Monday to Friday. Sometimes we work on the weekends.
7. We are a business and want to send you a purchase order.
We do accept purchase orders from government agencies. If you are a business and are going to be a repeat customer regularly ordering over $1,000 per order, we can review your credit history and make a determination. if you are placing a small, one-time order, you need to use a credit card or send a company check.


Find the fabric you're looking for with no need to variety via pointless info. meant for undergraduate and graduate scholars and execs within the box of aeronautical/aerospace engineering, the Aerospace Engineering Pocket Reference is a concise, transportable, go-to advisor overlaying the full variety of knowledge at the aerospace undefined. This certain textual content presents readers the ease of pocket-size portability, and offers professional wisdom on formulae and knowledge in a fashion that's quick available and simply understood.
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The Aerospace Engineering Pocket Reference covers uncomplicated facts in addition to historical past details on arithmetic and thermal processing, and homes greater than a thousand equations and over two hundred tables and figures in one consultant.
Controlling a system's vibrational habit, no matter if for decreasing destructive vibrations or for boosting worthy varieties, is important to make sure secure and low-priced operation in addition to longer structural and gear lifetimes. A similar factor is the impression of vibration on people and their atmosphere. attaining keep an eye on of vibration calls for thorough realizing of process habit, and Vibration tracking, checking out, and Instrumentation presents a handy, thorough, and updated resource of instruments, suggestions, and information for instrumenting, experimenting, tracking, measuring, and studying vibration in various mechanical and structural platforms and environments.
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Poll closed Jul 9, 2017 .
Barrows and Rammas Echor got the same amount of votes. The next Themed Build will be Rammas Echor because it was in the poll for the last time and Barrows will get 3 more chances to be selected.
The next Themed Build will be started tomorrow as I was too busy to prepare it for today. Sorry for the delay.


Featuring 14 exclusive previously unreleased tracks from Agoria, Eric Volta, My Favorite Robot , Martin Buttrich, Tim Green, Pezzner, Timo Maas and many more!
Following the inaugural 'Crossing Wires' compilation by Toronto trio My Favorite Robot, next to mix it up for the exciting series is global electronic music icon Timo Maas. Coupled with an imminent North American tour throughout cities including Miami, Austin, Denver, Washington DC, Montreal and New York, Maas will celebrate his forthcoming 'Crossing Wires 002' release on June 23.
Timo is also a revered DJ and in 2013 celebrated 10 years as resident at one of underground house and techno'smost mythologized clubs: Circo Loco at DC10 out in Ibiza. As such, this new 'Crossing Wires 002' compilation draws on his skills as both selector and sequencer and proves few can do it better than this long-standing talent. The mix features 14 brand new and exclusive tracks from a range of artists old and new – some are closely associated with MFR, some less so, but together they paint a perfect picture of the state of modern electronic music.
Man of the moment Eric Volta kicks things off with the serene synth stylings of "Dreams Don`t Turn to Dust," a suitably lush affair that sets a soothing tone. From there we soon drop into a compelling groove courtesy of My Favorite Robot's "Dead of the Dance" and Timo masterfully balances the tempo through his ensuing selections. Never does he get stuck in one place for too long, instead coherently going from spaced out sci-fi house (Discern & Signal Flow's "Coarse Language") to tripped-out tech (Tim Green's "Plenty of Spiders") and kinetic and synthetic sounds (Martin Buttrich's "Bubble Heat") with ease. Timo's own productions appear twice, first in the form of the growling, shadowy "Watching The Robots" then in collaboration with long time partner Santos on "Z Panorama." Tracks and remixes from Chris Carrier, Villanova and Daniel Stefanik then make up the latter half of the mix in which energy levels are kept up and heady, futuristic imagery is never far away.
This is a compelling mix that showcases both the modern sound of house and techno whilst proving that Timo Mass has an understanding of dance-floor dynamics that few could ever question.


UK: Ableton is to showcase its Live 8 software at selected UK venues during May, writes David Davies. Following a successful trek last year, Ableton and Novation will team up once again for a series of events in the North of England and Scotland that incorporate demonstrations and workshops on products including Ableton's new Live 8 software.
According to Ableton, the sessions will offer "something for everyone" - from new initiates to seasoned users wishing to check out the latest features.
In addition to the showcasing of the Live 8 software, various Ableton 'goodies' will distributed, along with exclusive Loopmasters sample disks containing over 500MB of copyright-free samples. Ableton and Novation will also give away one of Novation's Nocturn MIDI controllers, worth _90, at each event.
Simon Halstead at Focusrite/Novation told PSN-e: "After the success of last autumn's tour of the South and Midlands, we wanted to give people in the North and Scotland an opportunity to attend similar workshops and introductory sessions. It also marks the launch of Live 8, so we're sending an Ableton/Novation specialist around to give many people their first glimpse of the new feature set."
The Ableton/Novation tour will call at Sheffield College of Music (1 May, 1pm), Nottingham Confetti (8 May, 11am), Manchester Futureworks (6 May, 4pm), SAE Liverpool (9 May, multiple sessions starting at 11am), Middlesbrough College (13 May, 2pm), Newcastle Sound Live (14 May, 3pm), Glasgow SAE (15 May, 1pm), Edinburgh Academy of Music and Sound (16 May, 12pm), London SAE (20 May, 11am) and Romford Digital Village (21 May, 11am).
UK: The NOTION Music Realize Music Challenge will enable one fortunate songwriter to have their composition performed and recorded by the LSO at Abbey Road. Composers from around the world are invited to submit an orchestral piece completed in NOTION software by the deadline of May 31st, writes David Davies.
Audio over IP and green touring practices are among the topics that will be under discussion at the 127th AES Convention, reports David Davies. Set to take place in New York from October 9-12, the 127th AES Convention will include a comprehensive live sound programme devised by Henry Cohen and Mac Kerr (pictured).
A series of equipment demonstrations announced by SSE Audio Group at each of its sites in London, the Midlands, and the North of England. The roadshows take place from March 6-8, 2012.
UK: M-Audio's Torq Xponent DJ controller is to make its debut UK appearance within the DJ Live arena at dance music conference London Calling in June. The product will be showcased by M-Audio alongside a range of DJ-focused software and hardware products including X-Session Pro, Trigger Finger and Ableton Live, reports PSN-e.


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Antoine Cyr and Katherine Stewart-Jones Storm into Top-15 at Cross-Country Skiing World Cup in Norway
LILLEHAMMER, Nor.—Antoine Cyr and Katherine Stewart-Jones each threw down one of the best races of their World Cup cross-country skiing careers, striding into the top-15 against a deep international field in Lillehammer, Norway.
Cyr (Gatineau, Que.) finished just five seconds off the leading pace in 12th of the men's 20-kilometre classic-ski mass start race. Stewart-Jones (Chelsea, Que.) was 10 seconds off the winning women's mark while smashing her career-best result after crossing the finish line in 13th.
The youngest member of the Nordic squad, Olivier Léveillé of Sherbrooke, Que., was also 10 seconds back of the men's race winner in 27th.
'This feels awesome," said Cyr, who was sick last week, forcing him to miss the season opener. "I needed this one bad. My morale was so down last week. I wasn't sure where my shape was so this one is for all of the support staff. It shows I'm still in the game."
The 24-year-old skied with calmness and poise while tactically working his way in a large pack that stuck together for each of the six loops on the Norwegian trail, posting a time of 48:19.6.
"It was such a chaotic race. You had to fight for every position in the pack," added Cyr, who credited the advice of four-time Olympian, Devon Kershaw, for inspiring the strong performance.
Now living in Norway, Kershaw played a support role to the Canadians on Sunday.
"He just told me when you are skiing in a large group to look at the guys around and see if you're skiing the smoothest and calmest, that is where you will get some confidence. It gave me a lot of power and juice that I needed."
Competing in just his third year on the World Cup, Cyr went stride-for-stride with the greatest names in the sport on a course that is challenging to drop skiers. Cyr put the hammer down in the long finishing stretch to grab precious spots in the pack and secure his second-best result ever.
"This is a big result. I skied very well," he added. "There was a downhill about two kilometres out, and then a long, gradual uphill about one kilometre to go in the stadium. If you weren't completely out of gas you could take a step back and see the pack open. I saw an opening, went as hard as I could and moved up a few spots."
Cyr is part of a new generation Canadian skiers loaded with potential and belief they can compete for the World Cup podium. He teamed up with Graham Ritchie at the 2022 Olympics where the Canadian duo put down an impressive fifth-place finish in the team sprint event.
Another Olympic teammate, Olivier Léveillé, also showcased his talent on Sunday. The 21-year-old was also in the large pack of the top skiers on the planet jostling for position in the chaotic dash for the finish.
The young Quebecer was the fifth fastest athlete under 23 years old, clocking-in at 48:24.4 for 27th – just 9.9 seconds from the gold medal time.
The Norwegians swept the podium while finishing eight in the top-10.
Paal Golberg ended up on top at 48:14.5 when the dust settled at the finish corral. Sjur Roethe was second at 48;15.4, while Martini Nyenget snagged the bronze medal at 48:15.6.
The Canadian squad is feeding off each other's success early in the new Olympic quadrennial.
Katherine Stewart-Jones also had the race of her life, rocketing to a 13th place finish of 54:02.1 in the women's 20-kilometre mass start.
"It was great to see the standout results from the whole team today," said the 2022 Olympian. "Toni (Antoine) had an insane race. The staff always work so hard to give us fast skis every day, and you see the excitement in the whole team when you do well, everyone just wants to work that much harder."
Feeding off one of her most consistent starts to the World Cup season and the energy in the program, Stewart-Jones exercised her race tactics to near perfection, finishing just 10 seconds shy of the top time on the day.
"It feels pretty awesome, and it was a really fun race," added Stewart-Jones. "It was tight from start to finish in super-fast conditions so there was lots of yo-yoing happening.
"I knew from the start tactics would be important. I knew that I had to pass in a smart way and not waste energy, so I held into the pack and waited for someone to go and made my move then."
Stewart-Jones kicked it into top gear from the midway point of the race until the end, breaking away from the field with a large group of 20, dropping one athlete at a time through to the finish.
"It is so hard to get away on this type of course. I knew I had fast skis which allowed me to relax on the downhills. We went pretty much full out from the third lap on. I'm proud of how I skied," added Stewart-Jones who has always been strong in mass start races. "I'm confident in my fitness and know that if I can make smart moves then I can have a good result."
Sweden's Frida Karlsson won the surge for the gold medal with a time of 53:51.9, edging out Norway's Tiril Weng who placed 53:52.5. Ebba Andersson, of Sweden, was third at 52:53.1.
Canada's Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt (Morin Heights, Que.) was 43rd at 57:58.7. Dahria Beatty (Whitehorse) did not finish.
Stewart-Jones and her Canadian comrades will look to build off the breakthrough performances next weekend when the World Cup travels to Beitostolen, Norway.
"It's been really good to be super consistent. I am confident that I have really good shape, and (this result) gives me the confidence I can trust my body," said Stewart-Jones. "It's been so fun on the World Cup this year. We have an awesome crew. The team dynamics are really good, and it is so fun."
Complete Results:
Nordiq Canada is the governing body of para nordic and cross-country skiing in Canada, which is the nation's optimal sport and recreational activity with more than one million Canadians participating annually. Its 60,000 members include athletes, coaches, officials and skiers of all ages and abilities. With the support of its valued corporate partners – Swix, Lanctôt Sports and Pembroke – along with the Government of Canada, Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Own the Podium, Nordiq Canada develops Olympic, Paralympic and world champions. For more information on Nordiq Canada, please visit us at https://nordiqcanada.ca.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Hey guys, guess where we are? JAPAN! After an extremely long flight of ten hours, we landed and our party got separated in half! We didn't expect their to be two exiting tunnels, and half the party went one way, and the other the other way.
After we meet up again, most of us had to go to the bathroom, but when we went in, the toilets were super weird.
So, which end is the front?
After going through customs and arrivals, we bought our train tickets. After we got on the train, I somehow fell asleep and missed over half the ride, which I am grateful for.
It was a five minute walk to the apartment, which is cool!
Anyways, see you guys later!
Hey guys, did you know we were going to Japan soon? We started planning a few days ago, but we just now have started naming the places we want to go.
One place that I definitely don't want to go is the public baths. Seriously, who would want to get in a hot tub with other people while naked? That is just weird!
We also found out about the Legoland Discovery Center, and I am really excited about it.
And I definitely can't wait for the food like rice and sushi!
I'm still not even sure how to go about planning! But nonetheless we are gathering materials and have a wish list board. We have a shared spreadsheets on our devices. And a Flipboard magazine full of articles. And a Pinterest board for packing ideas. Have you any idea how many hours of YouTube we have watched of not only destinations but on all of the different "best" backpacks ever?
I just want to go! I want to see! But there are some things things that should be sorted out ahead of time. But right now I don't want to think of the details of going. I am having the hardest time making a grocery list and menu plan (Yes, Honey, I do always have one, even if it is just in my head.) for this week because our Japan trip is taking up all of my available brain space!
I am not a writer, but I love telling stories. I have a tendency to ramble at times and my grammar is certainly not the greatest. At other times, my writing ability (or, better said, energy) is limited to bullet points or twitter-like 140 characters (or less). If you can overlook these quirks, you may hear a story from time to time that challenges you, makes you think, or perhaps just makes you laugh. I suppose all of that has the potential for goodness at the end of the day.
I won't be the only one contributing. I guessing many of you have questions like "How will you handle school for the kids?" or "How are you able to put up with Paul 24×7?" I'd like this place to be one where Laura will speak for herself. Trey and Kamaile will also contribute on a regular basis–writing about their experiences and posting pics/vids whenever able–as part of their education while on the road. We have not seen an abundance of travel content produced by Tweens and Teens on the interwebs, so our hope is that what they share will be valuable for other young people.
You'll get the good, the bad, and the ugly. This is not just about us showing off all the places we're visiting or the cool things we're doing. We will do our best to be transparent about our doubts and struggles, too. While we have big hopes for how this next season unfolds, there are many moving parts which could turn it all upside down or make it fizzle out at a moment's notice. Should that occur, you'll see it here on this blog, too.
Please know that we forcing ourselves to be open to possibilities and giving ourselves the permission to change course at any time. What does that mean? You may read about us putting a ton of energy into zigging only to find out later that we're zagging. What starts out as a quick visit to one locale could very well be a long-term stay; or, vice versa.
Ultimately, we're very excited and a little scared about what's on the horizon. And that's totally OK. Happy Reading!
Laura and I met in England in the summer of 1995 while volunteering for Youth With A Mission (YWAM)–an international, non-denominational, non-profit Christian organization. It was there where we developed an understanding that the world was much more than our respective hometowns, gained a deeper appreciation for other cultures, and cultivated a desire to both connect with and serve the people we met along the way. We returned to the US later that year, were married the following summer, and have hit the typical milestones that one might expect out of people riding the "Conveyor Belt of Life" (more on this in a future blog) through the years: college, car, house, kids, corporate career, etc.
Laura and I have never lost our desire to experience the world and love it's people. We've spent most of our marriage involved in local churches, local schools/co-ops, and earnestly serving teammates in the workplace (quick shout out to my friends at T-Mobile USA). However, our opportunities to see the world were relatively limited as we raised our young family. It seems like I've either heard or uttered the phrase "someday let's visit [place]" hundreds of times in recent years.
As amazing as those experiences have been, over the past 18 months, we have been dreaming about spending more time traveling together before the kids got too old. Reality often quickly set in as we considered the time/resources/guts required to take a 6-month Sabbatical, or even a Gap Year. Yet, a series of recent events suddenly make those barriers, those excuses, go away.
We are now ready to embark on a journey to see the world and provide our family opportunities for service, adventure, education, and fun! This journey is our attempt to not let so many "somedays" pass us by. Somedayletsvisit.com is our attempt to chronicle that journey. We're starting out with very little clue about where we're headed, when we're going, or even how to begin. We invite you to join us. Perhaps we'll entertain you. Perhaps we'll inspire you. At minimum, perhaps you'll learn from the mistakes we're bound to make along the way.


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The Free Library > Literature > James Fenimore Cooper > The Pioneers > CHAPTER XXV.
CHAPTER XXV.
"Cease all this parlance about hills and dales. None listen to thy scenes of boyish frolic. Fond dotard! with such tickled ears as thou dost Come to thy tale."—Duo.
Mr. Jones arose on the following morning with the sun, and, ordering his own and Marmaduke's steeds to be saddled, he proceeded, with a countenance big with some business of unusual moment to the apartment of the Judge. The door was unfastened, and Richard entered, with the freedom that characterized not only the intercourse between the cousins, but the ordinary manners of the sheriff.
"Well, 'Duke, to horse," he cried, "and I will explain to you my meaning in the allusions I made last night. David says, in the Psalms—no, it was Solomon, but it was all in the family—Solomon said there was a time for all things; and, in my humble opinion, a fishing- party is not the moment for discussing important subjects. Ha! why, what the devil ails you, Marmaduke? Ain't you well? Let me feel your pulse; my grandfather, you know—"
"Quite well in the body, Richard," interrupted the Judge, repulsing his cousin, who was about to assume the functions that rightly belonged to Dr. Todd; " but ill at heart. I received letters by the post last night, after we returned from the point, and this among the number."
The sheriff took the letter, but without turning his eyes on the writing, for he was examining the appearance of the other with astonishment. From the face of his cousin the gaze of Richard wandered to the table, which was covered with letters, packets, and newspapers; then to the apartment and all it contained. On the bed there was the impression that had been made by a human form, but the coverings were unmoved, and everything indicated that the occupant of the room had passed a sleepless night. The candles had burned to the sockets, and had evidently extinguished themselves in their own fragments Marmaduke had drawn his curtains, and opened both the shutters and the sashes, to admit the balmy air " of a spring morning; but his pale cheek, his quivering lip, and his sunken eye presented altogether so very different an appearance from the usual calm, manly, and cheerful aspect of the Judge, that the sheriff grew each moment more and more bewildered with astonishment. At length Richard found time to cast his eyes on the direction of the letter, which he still held unopened, crumpling it in his hand.
"What! a ship-letter!" he exclaimed; "and from England, ha! 'Duke, there must be news of importance! indeed!"
"Read it," said Marmaduke, pacing the floor in excessive agitation.
Richard, who commonly thought aloud, was unable to read a letter without suffering part of its contents to escape him in audible sounds. So much of the epistle as was divulged in that manner, we shall lay before the reader, accompanied by the passing remarks of the sheriff:
"'London, February 12, 1793.' What a devil of a pas sage she had! but the wind has been northwest for six weeks, until within the last fortnight. Sir, your favors of August 10th, September 23d, and of December 1st, were received in due season, and the first answered by return of packet. Since the receipt of the last, I' "—here a long passage was rendered indistinct by a kind of humming noise by the sheriff—" 'I grieve to say that '—hum, hum, bad enough to be sure—' but trusts that a merciful Providence has seen fit'—hum, hum, hum seems to be a good, pious sort of a man, 'Duke; belongs to the Established Church, I dare say; hum, hum—' vessel sailed from Falmouth on or about the 1st September of last year, and'—hum, hum, hum, 'If anything should transpire on this afflicting subject shall not fail'— hum, hum; really a good-hearted man, for a lawyer—'but Can communicate nothing further at present'—hum, hum. " The national convention '— hum, hum—' unfortunate Louis'—hum, hum—'example of your Washington'—a very sensible man, I declare, and none of your crazy democrats. Hum, hum—'our gallant navy'—hum, hum—'under our most excellent monarch'—ay, a good man enough, that King George, but bad advisers: hum, hum—'I beg to conclude with assurances of my perfect respect.'—hum, hum—'Andrew Holt. '—Andrew Holt, a very sensible, feeling man, this Mr. Andrew Holt—but the writer of evil tidings. What will you do next, Cousin Marmaduke?"
"What can I do, Richard, but trust to time, and the will of Heaven? Here is another letter from Connecticut, but it only repeats the substance of the last. There is but one consoling reflection to be gathered from the English news, which is, that my last letter was received by him before the ship sailed,"
"This is bad enough, indeed! 'Duke, bad enough, indeed! and away go all my plans, of putting wings to the house, to the devil. I had made arrangements for a ride to introduce you to something of a very important nature. You know how much you think of mines—"
"Talk not of mines," interrupted the Judge: "there is a sacred duty to be performed, and that without delay, I must devote this day to writing; and thou must be my assistant, Richard; it will not do to employ Oliver in a matter of such secrecy and interest,"
"No, no, 'Duke," cried the sheriff, squeezing his hand, " I am your man, just now; we are sister's children, and blood, after all, is the best cement to make friendship stick together. Well, well, there is no hurry about the silver mine, just now; another time will do as well. We shall want Dirky Van, I suppose?"
Marmaduke assented to this indirect question, and the sheriff relinquished all his intentions on the subject of the ride, and, repairing to the breakfast parlor, he dispatched a messenger to require the immediate presence of Dirck Van der School.
The village of Templeton at that time supported but two lawyers, one of whom was introduced to our readers in the bar-room of the "Bold Dragoon." and the other was the gentleman of whom Richard spoke by the friendly yet familiar appellation of Dirck, or Dirky Van. Great good- nature, a very tolerable share of skill in his profession, and, considering the circumstances, no contemptible degree of honesty, were the principal ingredients in the character of this man, who was known to the settlers as Squire Van der School, and sometimes by the flattering though anomalous title of the "Dutch" or "honest lawyer."
We would not wish to mislead our readers in their conceptions of any of our characters, and we therefore feel it necessary to add that the adjective, in the preceding agnomen of Mr. Van der School, was used in direct reference to its substantive. Our orthodox friends need not be told that all the merit in this world is comparative; and, once for all, we desire to say that, where anything which involves qualities or characters is asserted, we must be understood to mean, "under the circumstances."
During the remainder of the day, the Judge was closeted with his cousin and his lawyer; and no one else was admitted to his apartment, excepting his daughter. The deep distress that so evidently affected Marmaduke was in some measure communicated to Elizabeth also; for a look of dejection shaded her intelligent features, and the buoyancy of her animated spirits was sensibly softened. Once on that day, young Edwards, who was a wondering and observant spectator of the sudden alteration produced in the heads of the family, detected a tear stealing over the cheek of Elizabeth, and suffusing her bright eyes with a softness that did not always belong to their expression.
"Have any evil tidings been received, Miss Temple?" he inquired, with an interest and voice that caused Louisa Grant to raise her head from her needlework, with a quick ness at which she instantly blushed herself. "I would offer my services to your father, if, as I suspect, he needs an agent in some distant place, and I thought it would give you relief."
"We have certainly heard bad news," returned Elizabeth, " and it may be necessary that my father should leave home for a short period; unless I can persuade him to trust my cousin Richard with the business, whose absence from the country, just at this time, too, might be inexpedient."
The youth paused a moment, and the blood gathered slowly to his temples as he continued:
"If it be of a nature that I could execute-"
"It is such as can only be confided to one we know— one of ourselves,"
"Surely, you know me, Miss Temple!" he added, with a warmth that he seldom exhibited, but which did some times escape him in the moments of their frank communications. "Have I lived five months under your roof to be a stranger?"
Elizabeth was engaged with her needle also, and she bent her head to one side, affecting to arrange her muslin; but her hand shook, her color heightened, and her eyes lost their moisture in an expression of ungovernable interest, as she said:
"How much do we know of you, Mr. Edwards?"
"How much!" echoed the youth, gazing from the speaker to the mild countenance of Louisa, that was also illuminated with curiosity; " how much Have I been so long an inmate with you and not known?"
The head of Elizabeth turned slowly from its affected position, and the look of confusion that had blended so strongly with an expression of interest changed to a smile.
"We know you, sir, indeed; you are called Mr. Oliver Edwards. I understand that you have informed my friend Miss Grant that you are a native—"
"Elizabeth!" exclaimed Louisa, blushing to thc eyes, and trembling like an aspen ; " you misunderstood me, dear Miss Temple; I—I—it was only a conjecture. Besides, if Mr. Edwards is related to the natives why should we reproach him? In what are we better? at least I, who am the child of a poor and unsettled clergyman?"
Elizabeth shook her head doubtingly, and even laughed, but made no reply, until, observing the melancholy which pervaded the countenance of her companion, who was thinking of the poverty and labors of her father, she continued:
"Nay, Louisa, humility carries you too far. The daughter of a minister of the church can have no superiors. Neither I nor Mr. Edwards is quite your equal, unless," she added, again smiling, "he is in secret a king "
"A faithful servant of the King of kings, Miss Temple, is inferior to none on earth," said Louisa; "but his honors are his own; I am only the child of a poor and friendless man, and can claim no other distinction. Why, then, should I feel myself elevated above Mr. Edwards, because—because—perhaps he is only very, very distantly related to John Mohegan?"
Glances of a very comprehensive meaning were exchanged between the heiress and the young man, as Louisa betrayed, while vindicating his lineage, the reluctance with which she admitted his alliance with the old warrior; but not even a smile at the simplicity of their companion was indulged in by either.
"On reflection, I must acknowledge that my situation here is somewhat equivocal," said Edwards, "though I may be said to have purchased it with my blood."
"The blood, too, of one of the native lords of the soil!" cried Elizabeth, who evidently put little faith in his aboriginal descent.
"Do I bear the marks of my lineage so very plainly impressed on my appearance? I am dark, but not very red—not more so than common?"
"Rather more so, just now."
"I am sure, Miss Temple," cried Louisa, "you cannot have taken much notice of Mr. Edwards. His eyes are not so black as Mohegan's or even your own, nor is his hair."
"Very possibly, then, I can lay claim to the same de scent It would be a great relief to my mind to think so, for I own that I grieve when I see old Mohegan walking about these lands like the ghost of one of their ancient possessors, and feel how small is my own right to possess them."
"Do you?" cried the youth, with a vehemence that startled the ladies
"I do, indeed," returned Elizabeth, after suffering a moment to pass in surprise; "but what can I do—what can my father do? Should we offer the old man a home' and a maintenance, his habits would compel him to refuse us. Neither were we so silly as to wish such a thing, could we convert these clearings and farms again into hunting grounds, as the Leather-Stocking would wish to see them."
"You speak the truth, Miss Temple," said Edwards. "What can you do indeed? But there is one thing that I am certain you can and will do, when you become the mistress of these beautiful valleys—use your wealth with indulgence to the poor, and charity to the needy; indeed, you can do no more."
"And That will be doing a good deal," said Louisa, smiling in her turn. "But there will, doubtless, be one to take the direction of such things from her hands."
am not about to disclaim matrimony, like a silly girl, who dreams of nothing else from morn till night; but I am a nun here, without the vow of celibacy. Where shall I find a husband in these forests?"
"There is none, Miss Temple," said Edwards quickly; "there is none who has a right to aspire to you, and I know that you will wait to be sought by your equal; or die, as you live, loved, respected, and admired by all who know you."
The young man seemed to think that he had said all that was required by gallantry, for he arose, and, taking his hat, hurried from the apartment. Perhaps Louisa thought that he had said more than was necessary, for she sighed, with an aspiration so low that it was scarcely audible to herself, and bent her head over her work again. And it is possible that Miss Temple wished to hear more, for her eyes continued fixed for a minute on the door through which the young man had passed, then glanced quickly toward her companion, when the long silence that succeeded manifested how much zest may be given to the conversation of two maidens under eighteen, by the presence of a youth of three-and-twenty.
The first person encountered by Mr. Edwards, as he rather rushed than walked from the house, was the little square-built lawyer, with a large bundle of papers under his arm, a pair of green spectacles on his nose, with glasses at the sides, as if to multiply his power of detecting frauds by additional organs of vision.
Mr. Van der School was a well-educated man, but of slow comprehension, who had imbibed a wariness in his speeches and actions, from having suffered by his collisions with his more mercurial and apt brethren who had laid the foundations of their practice in the Eastern courts, and who had sucked in shrewdness with their mother's milk. The caution of this gentleman was exhibited in his actions, by the utmost method and punctuality, tinctured with a good deal of timidity; and in his speeches, by a parenthetical style, that frequently left to his auditors a long search after his meaning.
"A good-morning to you, Mr. Van der School," said Edwards; "it seems to be a busy day with us at the mansion-house."
"Good-morning, Mr. Edwards (if that is your name [for, being a stranger, we have no other evidence of the fact than your own testimony], as I understand you have given it to Judge Temple), good- morning, sir. It is, apparently a busy day (but a man of your discretion need not be told [having, doubtless, discovered it of your own accord], that appearances are often deceitful) up at the mansion- house"
"Have you papers of consequence that will require copying? Can I be of assistance in any way?"
"There are papers (as doubtless you see [for your eyes are young] by the outsides) that require copying."
"Well, then, I will accompany you to your office, and receive such as are most needed, and by night I shall have them done if there be much haste."
"I shall always be glad to see you, sir, at my office (as in duty bound [not that it is obligatory to receive any man within your dwelling (unless so inclined), which is a castle], according to the forms of politeness), or at any other place; but the papers are most strictly confidential (and, as such, cannot be read by any one), unless so directed (by Judge Temple's solemn injunctions), and are invisible to all eyes; excepting those whose duties (I mean assumed duties) require it of them."
"Well, sir, as I perceive that I can be of no service, I wish you another good-morning; but beg you will remember that I am quite idle just now, and I wish you would intimate as much to Judge Temple, and make him a ten der of my services in any part of the world, unless— unless—it be far from Templeton."
"I will make the communication, sir, in your name (with your own qualifications), as your agent. Good morning, sir. But stay proceedings, Mr. Edwards (so called), for a moment. Do you wish me to state the offer of travelling as a final contract (for which consideration has been received at former dates [by sums advanced], which would be binding), or as a tender of services for which compensation is to be paid (according to future agreement between the parties), on performance of the conditions?"
"Any way, any way," said Edwards; "he seems in distress, and I would assist him."
"The motive is good, sir (according to appearances which are often deceitful] on first impressions), and does you honor. I will mention your wish, young gentleman (as you now seem), and will not fail to communicate the answer by five o'clock P.M. of this present day (God willing), if you give me an opportunity so to do."
The ambiguous nature of the situation and character of Mr. Edwards had rendered him an object of peculiar suspicion to the lawyer, and the youth was consequently too much accustomed to similar equivocal and guarded speeches to feel any unusual disgust at the present dialogue. He saw at once that it was the intention of the practitioner to conceal the nature of his business, even from the private secretary of Judge Temple; and he knew too well the difficulty of comprehending the meaning of Mr. Van der School, when the gentleman most wished to be luminous in his discourse, not to abandon all thoughts of a discovery, when he perceived that the attorney was endeavoring to avoid anything like an approach to a cross-examination. They parted at the gate, the lawyer walking with an important and hurried air toward his office, keeping his right hand firmly clinched on the bundle of papers.
It must have been obvious to all our readers, that the youth entertained an unusual and deeply seated prejudice against the character of the Judge; but owing to some counteracting cause, his sensations were now those of powerful interest in the state of his patron's present feelings, and in the cause of his secret uneasiness. He remained gazing after the lawyer until the door closed on both the bearer and the mysterious packet, when he returned slowly to the dwelling, and endeavored to forget his curiosity in the usual avocations of his office.
When the Judge made his reappearance in the circles of his family, his cheerfulness was tempered by a shade of melancholy that lingered for many days around his manly brow; but the magical progression of the season aroused him from his temporary apathy, and his smiles returned with the summer.
The heats of the days, and the frequent occurrence of balmy showers, had completed in an incredibly short period the growth of plants which the lingering spring had so long retarded in the germ; and the woods presented every shade of green that the American forests know. The stumps in the cleared fields were already hidden beneath the wheat that was waving with every breath of the sum mer air, shining and changing its hues like velvet.
During the continuance of his cousin's dejection, Mr. Jones forebore, with much consideration, to press on his attention a business that each hour was drawing nearer to the heart of the sheriff, and which, if any opinion could he formed by his frequent private conferences with the man who was introduced in these pages by the name of Jotham, at the bar-room of the Bold Dragoon, was becoming also of great importance.
At length the sheriff ventured to allude again to the subject; and one evening, in the beginning of July, Marmaduke made him a promise of devoting the following day to the desired excursion.