Feeling Human Countdown Deal Celebration!
When Cristie Coffing finally released her first novel there was a whole community waiting to read it. And most of us came out to celebrate the launch at The Black Dog in Snoqualmie. Here's a gallery of photos… Cristie is a key figure at the Arts Cafe', and she's given us all tons of creative support as well as tasty food and friendship. So here's to you, Cristie…Cheers!
You can find Carnival Man on Amazon. It's well worth the read. Get your copy now!
Yes, it's just over a week away…Come and see us and tons of other great authors and books from all over the NW at Evergreen State's Longhouse in Olympia, Saturday, July 16th!
Just Two More Days…Until Donuts!
It's our pleasure to host a blog spotlight on Author, Rachel Barnard to celebrate her new release Donuts in an Empty Field on June 3rd.
This is Rachel's third novel. You can find her others HERE. FreeValley Publishing is proud to have Rachel as one of our Featured Authors. She's an avid reader, book reviewer and great supporter of other authors and her community. You can learn more on HER BLOG. And SPOILER ALERT there are giveaways, fulfillment of Rachel's special request, and other great links at the very end of this post. If you skip stuff, don't miss out on those! And don't miss your chance to meet Rachel this weekend at the FreeValley booth at OddMall in Everett, WA.
DONUTS IN AN EMPTY FIELD Available June 3rd, 2016 (aka National Donut Day).
Vanessa hasn't been the same since her father's death. A hero until the end, he died saving a restaurant owner's son from a burning building. Nessa blames the boy, but her best friend Nichole thinks it's time to let go of the past. In a last ditch effort to break Nessa's obsession, Nichole hopes signing up for the local food challenge will bust her out of her shell. A single choice defines the road ahead for Nessa. Doing the right thing isn't easy, but living with the consequences of doing nothing might be worse.
And let's also find out more about Rachel. First, the basic stuff – her bio. Then I'm going to ask her several categories of questions. We'll do three of each category.
Her resume is in book form.
She's donated at least her height in hair.
She has a geocache in Sarasota, Florida that has more finds than she's personally found as a geocacher.
If your sweetheart wanted to sweep you off your feet, what would they need to do? My sweetheart would have to do something uniquely tailored to me to sweep me off my feet. I love good surprises and I love well-thought out presents. My ideal sweep me off my feet date would include a surprise itinerary, multiple stops, dessert of some sort, and something gushy romantic.
What's your favorite thing to do in the summer? Fall? Winter? Spring? In the summer I love to play outdoor volleyball, go out on my boyfriend's boat, and just be outdoors in the sunshine. In the fall I like to go geocaching and do the same things as in the summer when the days are nice. In the winter I like to take dance classes and work on my writing and participate in NaNoWriMo. In Spring I like to edit what I've written and continue taking dance classes.
What would you do if you were the last person on this earth? How would I know I was the last person on earth? I would probably cry and then go searching for chocolate.
Favorite book quote: One of my favorite quotes is from Closed Hearts (Mindjack Saga Book 2) by Susan Kaye Quinn, "Different isn't a crime, you know." (Kindle locations 7202-7203).
How do you come up with your characters or story ideas? I come up with new story ideas or character ticks every week. My 'story ideas' tab in OneNote on my computer keeps growing and growing. I surround myself with interesting people and do new and interesting things (like juicing or random meetups or going to Norwescon) that tempt my imagination at times and prompt me to add a new note in my 'story ideas' tab. My characters are amalgamations of people I've known, people I've read about, and the person I want to be.
What kind of stories do you write? Currently I've delved into young adult, middle grade and recently, a romance, but I plan on branching out into the thriller/romance/fantasy genres more. I like to write stories with strong relationships between characters.
How long have you been writing?My Linkedin account states that I've been writing over 26 years (since birth), but I've truly been writing since the fourth grade when I learned how to write creatively. I started writing long form (novels) after I graduated from college.
Date/Time: 06/25/16, 3:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.
Local author Rachel Barnard will read from her most recent publication, Donuts in an Empty Field. Bring your used books for store credit and to get more entries into the free raffle. This event features a blind donut tasting of several local donut shops. Come try some local donuts and vote on your favorites. Got something cool to say about donuts? Don't forget to add it to the "All about the Donuts" comment/quote box. First five purchases after 3:00 P.M. will receive a FREE mini donuts swag pack.
Date/Time: 06/25/16, 6:30 P.M. – 7:30 P.M.
Come listen to Ksenia Anske and Rachel Barnard as they read from their new books The Badlings and Donuts in an Empty Field (For the Love of Donuts Book 1) respectively. There will be challenges, a raffle, and other fun stuff.
We love to spotlight authors we've met or who support FVP's site with comments and are interested in sharing their work with us. Mari Collier's book, MAN, TRUE MAN is available on Amazon Print & Kindle.
A spaceship crashes into the planet Tonath. The lone occupant, a mutant with two hearts, survives and fights his way to the sunlit part of the planet. A passing freighter finds him and takes him to the Western Starshift Institute of the Way where the Teacher resides. Tonath is a planet being torn apart by the forces of nature. Only the Teacher can predict the movements of the Stars and interpret the prophesies. Will the Teacher be able to recognize True Man and True Foe in time to save Tonath from a thousand years of burning?
The man knew he was in trouble as his ship squalled in protest against the physical forces that had battered the shields into oblivion and was now shredding the metal surrounding him. Outside the atmosphere had thickened to a liquid gray-green gelatin. The forces of two conflicting dimensions were pulling and stretching the ship's seamless construction, the stress thinning the hull rapidly. He knew the dangers of a one man flight, but had risked it. When he awoke from his last sleep, the anomaly was there, no longer a subject for hypothetical conjecture in the halls of science: A planet caught between two different space time dimensions existed with life forms.
He locked himself into the scouting craft, his brain calculating the approximate length of time it could sustain him once the main structure failed. He shrugged mentally. Life was life, no matter how long sustained.
He switched on the life support systems and sealed the hatch. A bitter smile snaked across the lean face, the scar on the right cheek barely discernable since his last rejuvenation. What a hell of an end: alone with none to mourn his passing. He had been looking for a new land, not too raw, but a promising land with enough technology to insure more than a primitive existence. He wanted a place where he could match his strength and his wits against nature and physical weariness permitted sleep to overtake the loneliness.
He felt the ship buckle. A quick glance at the instruments showed he had plummeted through the atmosphere into the ocean. With a final, protesting metallic shriek, the outer craft disintegrated, swept away into the roiling, green liquid.
The smaller craft was undamaged, but the vibrating from the force of the rolling water made the craft yaw and the wind pitched the craft as he broke the surface. He kept adjusting the craft's balance while piloting toward the land mass, hoping that it was more than just rock. Land would offer some measure of safety. The planet circling the sun had shown promise of blue and brown belts. The scanners indicated a safe environment for human life and then the storm had swept in and caught his ship in the changing atmosphere.
Beads of sweat dripped from his dark, curly hair as he looked down, his grey eyes roved the panel, hoping for some reassurance. There was none. Already the craft's interior lights were dimming and he could hear the metal buckling. The waves caught the ship, first tossing it upward to slam it down into the froth, and then spinning it towards the rocks. The man had fought and knew he had lost.
With rapid motions he belted a sheathed knife around his waist and tied a rope over it, looping the rest around his shoulder; a rope of twenty feet, no more. God knows, they've saved me before, he thought. Within seconds the small Scout rammed into the rocks and broke, hurling him into the outside.
Wind and green water tore at his body, knocking him flat and tossing him nearer the rocky shore. One brief glance showed him the high green rocks were being scoured by moving water. Still he struggled in the water and prayed to the God taught to him so long ago. As if in answer, the waves lifted him higher, swept him over the crags, and slammed him headfirst onto the rock covered ledge.
Gradually the wind died as the green rain continued to pelt the earth. He came to and looked blankly at his hands, moving them in front of his eyes as if they were some disembodied tool of strange complexity. The heavy air rasped at his lungs and irritated his throat. His clothes were wet and reeked with the odor of the sea. He looked down at the grey-green water foaming around his perch. Obviously, he had come from the water. What if the sea rose higher?
It was, the brain decided, a bad place to be and time to leave. He glanced upward and realized there was no other way and began to climb. Hand pull by hand pull he brought himself to higher ground, his head and body protesting every inch.
Once at the top, he fell forward, panting, looking at the water pounding at the rocks below, the weaker limestone crumbling while the heavier rock glistened dispassionately, oblivious to the forces beating against it. His breathing slowed and he stood.
His head throbbed and he noticed his hands were caked with blood. Gingerly, he probed at his skull, wincing with nausea. It's been cut, he thought, the whole left side felt swollen. I wonder where I am, or how the hell I got here. Then a larger puzzle hit at his core. Who am I? He looked down and discerned he was male, not female, but trying to think of his identity increased the pain. His knees met the ground. Not good, he thought. Just keep moving to some place safer.
He looked at the surrounding strange foliage before moving. He saw green scraggly bushes growing out of ground that seemed covered with reeds or grasses. The ground cover blending into higher shrubs and then becoming a forest of brownish green trunks heading towards where? He forced wobbly legs to move and headed into the forest away from the sea. Once there, he leaned against a tree and considered what he knew.
Nothing, he concluded; nothing but blurred images from a past that wouldn't focus. He knew there had been a storm and a ship. But what kind of a ship? He gulped at the unsatisfying air. It was heavy, irritating, and his lungs seemed filled with phlegm rather than oxygen. Once again he examined his hands, the green light casting a jaundiced color where instinctively he knew pink flesh should be. He shuddered.
This much he knew. Man can live without food, but lack of water on the prairie would kill. Prairie? This wasn't a prairie, but the principal remained the same. Men and animals cannot live without water. He wondered if animals could exist in this forsaken land. He felt the strength flow back into his body and flexed his arms and hands. He felt himself and discovered a good body. He could survive. Some dim memory of survival said he had survived worse. But where? Can't think about it. The process made his head hurt and his vision blur. He knew survival depended on all senses being alert and he began to listen: listen to what the forest could tell him.
It was quiet and he was alone. No, not alone. Even on this green, dappled world life fed, propagated, and died. He heard scuttling in the underbrush and spotted an insect, a brown creature with splotches of green and then the forest began to talk to him. Birds flew and chortled in the background, the wind whispered, and the leaves rustled back, the very earth seemed to quiver with the arrival of a new comer.
The bark on one tree was dislodged and he bent over to examine the ground. There was a narrow path that had been beaten down by hoofs. A game trail like those he knew from somewhere long ago. Animals were food and animals knew where water flowed. He had a knife and a rope: tools that animals did not possess. He began following the trail. The pain made his vision blur and his knees wobble, but he kept going, one dogged step after the other.
As the trail led downward, he passed vegetation he could not name. There were huge trunks wrapped with corded vines, ferns that belonged in a climate forever damp, and everywhere the shallow green light highlighted darker shades of green. He stooped once to examine the soil and sniff it. It looked like moss, but it was moldy, dank smelling earth. Then he saw the faint imprint of a larger hoof not obliterated by the others, nor washed away by the rain.
A horse! God, a horse. A horse could be caught and ridden out of this green hell. There had to be a sun somewhere.
The bleeding from his head and hands had quit, but he desperately needed to find water. Follow the trail, he told himself. It means water. Steady, hold your pace; you know you can go for days once you find it.
Hours later the pool appeared in a low area; green, rippling water welling up between green, granite like stone. He circled the spring before approaching. It was obvious that animals watered here, although now it was quiet and devoid of animal life. Was it too early for them? There was still light illuminating this world. He lowered his head and drank, then spat. The water tasted bitter, but not brackish. It was more like the air that didn't satisfy and had a sting to it. He forced himself to drink. There were no dead mammal bodies lying here. Then he washed the wounds on his arm and head before retreating to the trees.
Back in the forest, he selected the moss and ferns that resembled some he must have seen or used sometime somewhere. Sheer instinct guided him now as he applied the mosses to his wounds and used the vines for tying the improvised bandages. Once finished, he used the heavier vines to fashion a small snare and covered it with the fern fronds. It was as though his hands remembered how to do this while his brain could not. He hoped his smell would not be so alien as to drive any creature away. With luck, the strange smell might make them curious. He then used the rope to pull himself up into a tree and lash himself into a crook. Light or no light, he needed sleep.
He awoke to the light of green-grey moonlight and the feeling of being totally lost and disorientated. Then he remembered the pool and the snare. Something gurgled below and then skittered away as a small animal squealed. He loosened the rope and leaned over. Something was thrashing in the bushes where he had hidden the snare. He rappelled to the ground.
The caught animal was no larger than a rabbit, but its teeth were sharper, the ears shorter, more like a rat's, and it was busy chewing at the vines clutching its forelegs. It probably has green fur, he thought, as he approached. The creature struggled and hissed, baring long teeth. He threw the knife, impaling the animal and ending its struggles.
He set about skinning his catch, wondering at the two musk glands in the hind quarters. Strange, musk glands aren't part of a rabbit's anatomy. On some level, his mind could still reference past events. Where did I learn to skin an animal so efficiently? Instantly, the throb returned to his head. Quit thinking, he told himself and carried his catch up to his perch.
In the morning, he woke early and watched the rising sun spilling its green-gold rays to illuminate the darkened world with lighter shades of green. In one direction (he presumed it northeast if the sun rose in the east) he could see golden haze spread out like an arc. That would be his destination. There had to be a safe earth away from this green world and air that clogged his lungs and his head.
It took considerable effort to light a fire with rock flints and his knife before the dry fern fronds caught flame and his small fire burned bright and clean. Once cooked, the creature tasted like slime. His stomach protested, but the food stayed down. He scaled the tree again and marked the lay of the land by the high rock towers to point as a guide. He clambered down the tree, coiled his rope, and drank from the bitter pool. He began to run at a steady lope toward the northeast. His arm was better, but the head still throbbed.
He spotted a camp about midday. It was deserted, but man, or man beings, had left their imprint. Their sign was like a letter to him. They had used furs to sleep on. A few scraps of grease and splintered bones were scattered about the fire pit. These were beings not worried about an enemy. They had also ridden horses, or hoofed creatures.
What kind of man beings lived here, he wondered. If they slept in furs, were they primitives? He examined a long strand of hair from the ground. Was it black or dark green? In the canopied forest he could not determine its color. He straightened and considered. It would be best to keep away from them. They couldn't possibly be like him and certain to be distrustful of any stranger. Hunger and thirst gnawed at him. He sniffed the air. There it was: water on the air. He knew water should be near a camp. Primitives would not befoul the water or scare away game by camping too close.
He found the spring several yards away. It was green water again, but water. He bent to drink his fill. He would survive.
Once sated, he continued in the general direction of the far off golden glow. His movements were slower now, the air sticky, scraping at his lungs. At nightfall, he sought another high tree after setting his snare and eating the last of his cooked meat.
Morning brought a soft, green light filtering down through trees and rocks and showing an empty snare. His hands seemed overcast with green and he was afraid that if he had a mirror it would show green eyes in a green face. Careful, he told himself, sanity can slip away. He lowered himself to the ground and squatted. Then he sat still, letting the forest and ground talk to him. Something big was stirring, silencing the wild life.
The morning sound of birds had stilled. When he first looked out from his perch, there had been a large, dark bird swooping in the sky. It had not been a familiar hawk, but the outlines were similar. Now the bird was gone and the forest was quiet, too quiet. Something or someone was hunting and he moved behind a boulder. Wildlife became quiet when man hunted, and instinct told him that he was the hunted.
Some mechanism, deep within him, enabled him to ignore the throbbing pain in his head. Instead, he concentrated on the clopping hooves bringing the beings nearer. The vibrating earth carried the news that there were two quadrupeds. He slunk closer to the ground, easing the knife into his right hand, waiting until he could smell the stink of rancid grease before moving enough to tense his muscles.
The two approaching dark, horse-like creatures each carried a biped being clad in furs and buckskins. One leaned over towards the right, watching the ground for changing signs. Indians on mustangs his mind whispered, they're tracking me.
They stopped when they realized his stride had changed and they caught his alien man-scent. With a scream they rushed forward swinging their clubs of rawhide wrapped sharp stones. Tomahawks registered in his mind and the muscles in his legs bunched and launched upward. His knife flashed and a yell tore from his chest as he leaped to meet them.
The quadrupeds reared and screamed, his unknown odor frightening the beasts into a frenzied fight to flee. The man jumped and caught the weapon arm of the being on his right, the extra weight causing the horse-like creatures to collide. No longer was he thinking consciously, but patterns of training and past deeds worked his muscles and his hands. He pulled the man down and forced the knife through and across the throat, then flung the man from him, stuck his knife into the sheath, and picked up the tomahawk as the other regained control of his beast and wheeled toward him.
He flung the tomahawk directly into the male chest. The being toppled from the bolting creature and in a second he was on top, driving his knife down into the heart, or where the heart should be. Realizing that perhaps this being was different, he used his knife to rip the throat and stomach of the man beneath him and rolled to the side. There was no movement from the two prone beings and a darkening teal liquid pooled the ground beside them.
The reins of one quadruped had caught in the vines and underbrush. The beast was pulling, but the reins remained fast and the creature quieted. Good, he could use it for transportation.
He turned to look at the slaughter and felt no revulsion. It was as though the scene was a replay of long ago events and he knelt to examine the victims.
They were small, compact men with muscular builds, dark, green hair and eyes, olive skin, and wide chests. The chests were probably necessary to utilize the air that dragged at his lungs and left him feeling in need of more. He stripped a rawhide vest off one and put it on. He did not bother with the bows or quivers of arrows. He emptied the bundle tied to one waist and sifted its contents.
The contents of a small, leather pouch smelled like pemmican. He sniffed at the lump and cautiously chewed a bit. It was tough and bitter, but whatever the dried contents were they would sustain life.
The other man had a twisted rawhide rope wrapped around his shoulder and slung under his arm. The man removed it and then coiled it loosely, fashioning a noose at the end. Slowly, he approached the horse caught in the bushes.
The horse had caught his smell and was trying to rear, its eyes rolling wildly. The man's head was still throbbing and his arm was bleeding again, but he started twirling the rope over his head, keeping the noose moving in a circular motion. The lasso whirled over the beast's head and settled around the neck. He dashed in and leaped on the beast's back. There was no saddle, but he managed to slash the longer reins free, grasp the mane, and dig his knees inward to send the creature loping along the bank towards the light.
Bushes and rocks blurred as he urged the creature forward and he fought for control. The golden light crept closer and he knew there were others following. They would want revenge for the olive bodies lying in their dark life-liquid.
The air seemed to lighten and turn a softer, yellow-green. Something whistled past his head as he guided the beast towards the hazy light. There had to be real life sustaining oxygen in that golden light.
Half-way across a low, running river he broke through into brilliant sunshine. He was temporarily blinded and almost lost control of the beast as it fought his every move. He had managed to turn the animal towards the opposite side again when something thudded into his back. Another missive hit the animal. The animal rose on its hindquarters and he slid into the stream.
The cold water revived him and he used his hands and knees to crawl to the sunlit side. He could hear his pursuers screaming at him, but they were not following him. He gulped in the air: real, life giving air. He threw back his head to howl his survival and liquid gushed down his back and his legs buckled. He forced his way up the bank onto beige sand strewn with white and brown-rose boulders.
He rested. Pain wracked his body and thirst burned his throat. Did he dare go back for water? It was a necessary decision or soon it would not matter. He tried to stand and instead sprawled onto the ground.
Eight satisfying short stories, short enough to read in a sitting and long enough to develop into stories to remember. Free-flowing Stories is FreeValley Publishing's first Anthology! You can get your copy on Amazon or come to see us at The Holiday Bazaar in North Bend today, December 6th 10-3. See flyer below.
Be sure to mark your calendar for our Release Party on December 18th. We'll read from the Anthology and sign books and celebrate with you! Come and see us! See flyer below.
Click on the flyers to learn more about these upcoming events.
As you may know, FVP's new Anthology, Free-flowing Stories, will be released online and at our sale on Dec. 6th.
There comes a time in all of our lives when enough is too much. In this prequel to SECRET ORDER OF THE OVERWORLD the young Glendra is shaken from enlightened vision to fury. She influences the direction of the Sisterhood, mixing Darkness and Light into a complex brew that boils into the future of the Overworld.
The young Glendra stood, her face flushed with emotion. She held high a small piece of Catalyst in her hand, and a wide gap opened in the hearth in the midst of the flames. The room caught its breath as Glendra rushed forward, charging into the back of the man's chair and knocking him to the stone floor. "Bind him!" she screamed.
Three of the youngest Sisters awaiting her cue subdued and bound him in seconds. Before the others could stop her, Glendra kicked him repeatedly, rolling him into the gap in the fire created by the black block she held. He fell into the hole, tumbling as if down a stairwell. The gap snapped away, back into crackling flames. He had disappeared from the Overworld into the realm Underneath, where none of them could follow even if they dared.
"Glendra, you…" Kestra's admonishment dropped off into the silent awe of the women surrounding her. All eyes were fastened on Glendra's as she turned toward them. They had become shining inky black—even where the whites had been. They were darker than the robes she wore. The flickering flames reflected on their eerie surface and chilled them all to their ceremonial bones….
Want more? You can get the Anthology December 6th, December 13th & December 18th at our events. We'll have a link to Amazon for online purchase as soon as it is released.
A Release Party…And YOU are Invited!!
Also, to celebrate with us, please LIKE our brand new Facebook Page, Free-flowing Stories from FreeValley Publishing. We hope you'll enjoy this new place to see what's up at FreeValley and to learn more about and interact with our featured authors!
We'll be reading from the new anthology, chatting and sharing a good time with you all. The new anthology and our authors' other books will be available for signing and purchase… just in time for last minute gifts for book lovers!
The combo release party for Dawn of Steam and birthday party for Jeffrey Cook was fun and fabulous.
RETURN OF THE MACA is the fourth novel in my series. The alien that has been trapped on Earth for over one-hundred years returns to his home planet with some of his Earth family. This will be a new world and the Earth-alien beings will have their own difficulties adjusting to a different world with a different culture.
The Ab woman, Di, stood between the merchant stalls located close to the waterfront's walkways and piers in the city of Bretta. Her massive fists were clenched and her eyes a vacant stare. The wind tore at her long, thick, chestnut-brown hair. Her short, brown kirtle flapped against the muscled thighs. Her body quivered while her mouth drew in and blew out air in short, quick gasps. At first, some in the crowd had jostled against her, but others backed away, unsure of what held that magnificent Thalian body enthralled. Soon members of the Sisterhood in their black warrior uniforms, Abs in their brown garments, the Tris of Betron in their light green summer outfits, and Krepyons (derogatorily called Kreppies) in their green uniforms gathered around her. A sturdy man child of about five held onto her left leg and looked upward. He was shaking her leg to draw her attention, but nothing could break her concentration. Finally, she turned to the crowd, her eyes cleared, and she pointed to the people directly in front of her.
"Thalians, Abs, Tris, people of the Houses, and Krepyons listen to me. I am the Kenning Woman, and I have a message." Her voice was as strong as her body, and it rolled over the crowd.
Her voice rose as she pointed a finger at one from each group standing before her. "The Tris will supplant the Abs, and the Sisterhood is doomed.
She stooped, picked up the wee laddie and strode through the hissing Abs, the growling Kreppies, and the smiling Tris, her long legs eating away at the tarmac. A desire to hide and sleep overrode any desire to explain away her outburst. What madness had possessed her? There was no Kenning Woman for the broken land of Thalia; none for almost eighty years. She was Di, the magnificent Ab, once the Handmaiden to Martin. Now she had damned Martin as the False Prophet and there would be retribution from that bitter, aging man. She hugged Wee Da closer.
Di knew she must find Is. He would guard them while she slept. She unlimbered her legs and began to run. She disappeared from view among the broken storefronts of what once was the proud city of Bretta on the continent of Betron.
She found Is in the old inner district as he returned from a day of scrounging. He was dirty, unkempt, but unbowed. Since Martin had decreed he was not acceptable to the other Abs until he proved he would do the menial tasks of Abs during the work season, he was denied the rations and the safety of Martin's House of Abs. The House of Ishner still managed to get supply packets through to him and his condemned younger sister, but he had given the last packet to his renamed sister, Il, who was allowed to remain with Martin. The Handmaiden claimed she would protect Il, but Is wondered if that were possible. At least his sister had a place to sleep, but she was having difficulty adjusting to the life of an Ab, the loss of her name, and the security of the House of Ishner.
His bag was slung over his shoulder and he was congratulating himself on his take when Di ran up to him.
"We must hide. I spoke the vision." Her light brown eyes were wide with distress.
Is gaped at her. "Ye did nay." Horror was in his voice.
Wee Da; however, had a firm grasp around his mother's neck, and she could not remove him. Is shook his head. "Nay, we'll go to this new place I've found. Quickly." He turned and sped up the broken street with Di loping behind.
They were in a part of Bretta once lined with small craft shops and Tri housing overhead. Before the Justines had enforced their rule with Krepyon guards, Tris and members of Thalia's Houses would fly in on their flivs, the four-seat vehicles of Thalia, and park at the padports for a fee on a celebration day or to shop. The rounded buildings of concrete and Ayranian alloys were deserted; the padports vacant. The remaining Tris had left this area for the waterfront where food was distributed. In the back of one building, Is had found a door that opened. For over one hundred years the owners never returned to lock it, nor was it likely that they would return now. The three disappeared within and Is blocked the doorway with a carved statue of a wild elbenor raised on hindquarters showing fangs below the snarling lips.
Di spied the long couch and then the hall leading to the still furnished sleeping areas. "Dear Gar, a real bed. Is, tis perfect." She swept into one sleeping room and set Da on the bed, pulled off her brown, ankle boots, and collapsed.
"I must rest. Wee Da, be good for Is." She closed her eyes.
Is set his bag down and looked at the child. Wee Da regarded him with a smile and started to run. Is shrugged and ran after him. He did nay mind watching the wee one, although he kenned it was Troyner's get. At present Troyner, Maca of Troy, stood in the docket before the Council of the Realm. Is doubted if Troyner could fend off the Sisterhood much longer. They would bar Troyner from House and make him Ab. Damn the Sisterhood and their strict obedience to the rule of the Justines and the Kreppies. Only once had a Justine died on Thalia since the war ended and that had been in Ayran, deep in the mines, a dangerous place in the best of times.
She sat up and her vision of the bulky Maca of Don and his handsome, hard-faced laddie with the strange grey, blind eyes faded. She hugged Wee Da and sniffed. The smell of food and the burning of oil came from the front area. She pulled on her boots, swung Da onto her hip, and walked out into the front.
Is had devised some sort of lamp from a slender-necked ceramic vase by filling it with oil and inserting a wick twisted from an old mat. A golden flame from the wick wedged into the vase stood above the neck. The improvised light cast a glow over the table. At least there was bread and a spread for it made from onions and some sort of shriveled red vegetable or fruit.
"The Sisterhood goes after any Maca that tis male. It has nay to do with ye." Is held the door for her and they went outside.
Di handed Da to Is before scooting around the corner of another building.
NOTE: If you'd like an excerpt and promotion of your book posted on FreeValley Publishing's home page, please inquire and submit it to Sheri J. Kennedy at freevalleypublishing@gmail.com.


When it comes to eating right and exercising, there is no I'll start tomorrow. Tomorrow is disease.
Ensure that your exercising techniques are not wrong, as that is worse than not exercising at all. Exercise right, avoid injury.
Start your day off by eating a big breakfast. It helps you eat fewer total calories throughout the day.
The witch in Hansel and Gretel is very misunderstood. I mean, the woman builds her dream house, and these brats come along, and start eating it.
If you are a host, ask your guest to start first. If you are a guest never start eating before any signal from your host.
Place tomorrow's top priority task at the center of your desk before you leave work today. You will start your day focused.
Never Start your Day With Broken Pieces Of Yesterday, It Will Definitely Destroy your Wonderful TODAY and Will Ruin your Great Tomorrow! Good Morning.


Hellas and Rome, The Classical World in Pictures.
New York: Universe Books, 1960. sm. 4to. 65 pp. of text plus 304 pp. of b/w plates. The illustrations are organized around subjects such as Deities, the theater, trade and commerce, etc. fine in chipped dj.
More: Classical, Classical Art, Greek Art, Roman Art.
By This Author: Zschietzschmann, W.


The Pelican Project helps young people and their carers through collaboration with others in the area and by running events and getting involved in the community. We were asked to design the new logo and brand and we came up with this great shape and vibrant colours. We also help Pelican with their marketing through social media and other means.


Emperor Justinian I Byzantine Empire gold solidus coin minted at Constantinople between 527 to 565 CE, 4.47g, Sear 137, 5th officina denoted by Greek letter epsilon.
Obverse: D N JVSTINIANVS PP AVG, helmeted and cuirassed bust three-quarter face to right, holding spear and shield.
Reverse: VICTORIA AVGGGE (E, epsilon officina letter), Angel standing facing holding long cross composed of pellets and globus cruciger, to right star, in ex. CONOB (mint mark).
Certified authentic by NGC to Ch XF (die shift), Strike 3/5, Surface 4/5.
Justinian the Great was the Eastern Roman emperor from 527 to 565 CE. During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the historical Roman Empire. Justinian's rule constitutes a distinct epoch in the history of the Later Roman empire, and his reign is marked by the ambitious but only partly realized renovatio imperii, or "restoration of the Empire".
Because of his restoration activities, Justinian has sometimes been known as the "last Roman" in modern historiography. This ambition was expressed by the partial recovery of the territories of the defunct Western Roman Empire. His general, Belisarius, swiftly conquered the Vandal Kingdom in North Africa. Subsequently, Belisarius, Narses, and other generals conquered the Ostrogothic kingdom, restoring Dalmatia, Sicily, Italy, and Rome to the empire after more than half a century of rule by the Ostrogoths. The prefect Liberius reclaimed the south of the Iberian peninsula, establishing the province of Spania. These campaigns re-established Roman control over the western Mediterranean, increasing the Empire's annual revenue by over a million solidi. A still more resonant aspect of his legacy was the uniform rewriting of Roman law, the Corpus Juris Civilis, which is still the basis of civil law in many modern states. His reign also marked a blossoming of Byzantine culture, and his building program yielded such masterpieces as the church of Hagia Sophia.


Version 1.2 of Py6S has recently been released (including a couple of bug fix releases, taking the most recent version to v1.2.2), and the major new feature in this version is the ability to use any spectrum as the ground reflectance for a model run. Previously, users were restricted to using the built-in 6S ground spectra (vegetation, clear water, lake water and sand) or doing some complicated parameterisation to set the user-defined reflectances up in the correct manner – so complicated that it was almost never worth doing!
A two-dimensional array containing wavelengths (column 0, in micrometres) and reflectance values (column 1, as a fraction). This array will then be taken by Py6S, resampled to 2.5nm, subset to only the range of wavelengths being used for the current simulation, and used with the underlying 6S model.
Generate it within our code somehow – for example, using a simple model, or interpolation between some hard-coded values.
Both of those are ways that you might want to use, but I've added functions to Py6S to simplify a couple of ways of doing this that may be useful to people.
(Either of the URLs could be replaced with a simple local file path instead, which is particularly useful if you have downloaded the USGS Spectral Library archive file, or obtained the CD of the ASTER Spectral Library).
when I set up pyprosail by : pip install pyprosail, errors happened: gnu: no fortran 90 complier …. so i set up f90, however, errors still existed…. so i do not know i could i solve this problem ??
It looks like you've got a problem with your Fortran compiler. Does running f90 from the command line give any response? What about running gfortran?
my system is win7(64-bit).In C:\G77\bin, no f90 existed after downloading FORT99.zip file and extracting G77. After analyzing the error blog, I found that g77 was 32-bit, in my 64-bit machine, when installing and compiling pyprosail, the error happened because my computer couldn't compile by use of 32-bit g77. So now I am trying to install 64-bit gfortran…and compile it.
However,if the problem was not mentioned above, I suggested that g77 could not compile the code written in form of f90?


Of Counsel interviews remarkable lawyers about their careers in law. What motivates these lawyers? How do they manage to stay focused under intense pressure? How do they harmonize it all with their personal lives? How do they overcome fear and defeat? What insight and tips do they have for others? Court is now in session...all rise!
Listen to Of Counsel now.


wow Congrats on a very successful 1st trip to the dentist!
They made it so easy by having him stay where he was comfortable!
Teef!!And, wow...first tooth at 4 months! My son didn't cut his first until he was 10 months old (and at 4, just finished getting them all...!!!
How cute! My oldest has her first appointment to the dentist scheduled next month.
I'm glad he did well for the dentist!! My son loves going to the dentist- until it's time to actually lay down & clean his teeth. He hates the cleaning stuff & it makes him gag so from that point on, he freaks out.
So glad it went well. After two bad attempts for me, I assigned that task to daddy. Of course, there were zero problems, so he gets to keep it!
Yay! Way to go little man!
Such a little trooper. Way to go!
Sounds like things went pretty well. I'm so nervous about taking Nick to the dentist. I finally just got him calmed down enough to let me brush his teeth. I can't imagine how he'll be at the dentist.


Much has been written about the CIOs role in 'customer experience,' but what about the foundation for great customer experience, employee experience and engagement?
Should 2018 be the year of employee experience?
CIOs had a variety of answers to this question. Some honestly asked if they had missed a new buzz word. Fortunately, this was not the case for all CIOs. CIOs--in the know--suggested that 2018 should be the year that employee experience becomes a real trend. They were glad that the employee experience had emerged as a topic. For some of these CIOs, employee experience was a continuing rather than a new theme. They claimed that IT's biggest clientele is peer employees, so why wouldn't there be a focus upon employee experience.
Other CIOs suggested that 2018 is becoming the year of everything. These CIOs, nevertheless, suggested that employee experience should be considered in every project. They said a better question for the CIOs is how do you balance employee experience in projects? They suggest that employee experience is one dimension of a radar chart for project decision-making. It's should be—in their opinion--a key factor in project quality attributes. They claim that today's focus should be on transforming culture and 'digital dexterity'. The goal, they say, should be to create a better experience, especially for the growing digital workforce of millennials and Gen Z.
CIOs, in general, get the connection between employee experience and achieving business market goals. They say you cannot achieve your business/customer goals if the tools to do so are hard for your employees to engage effectively. CIOs see two themes driving technology investment today, experience and speed. They say that every initiative should fall into one of these two buckets.
Where can better process and technology improve employee experience?
If employee experience is the sum of all interactions with your business, how can process and technology improve it. CIOs believe many processes must change. They shared that we still do performance evaluations that are somewhat tied to compensation. And even though they are online, they remain tedious. The process needs to improvement and then we can have better software.
CIOs smartly say that everything starts by identifying, contacting, and attracting the right talent. This means creating different types of online materials for recruiting and for positioning job descriptions. Personally, I have found in the past that many large companies make it difficult to apply. They require you to convert your resume via an arcane translator that never gets anything right. These firms, that do not get what Geoffrey Moore calls the move from 'systems of records' to 'systems of engagement', will soon find themselves unable to acquire the best talent. Confirming this one CIO said that in talking to their recent job applicants, they learned that they wanted jobs sites to look more like the places that they shop online. This CIO suggested that it is important to empower internal teams to improve processes to serve customers and employees better.
CIOs added on by saying that poor employee experience is a death by 1000 paper cut issues. There are lots of small processes. These include everything from reimbursements to vacation requests that get in the way of employee happiness and engagement. CIOs said that when they think about the root problems here, a big cause of poor employee experience is corporate 'legacy tech debt'. Amazingly, they suggest that lots of leaders use 'legacy tech debt' as an excuse for not creating a plan for changing things. One CIO said that they talk to executives in information security, analytics, and technology all the time and have not found one that doesn't say the debt of past tactical engagements are not a drag against future investment.
CIOs think it is a good idea to make things easier by updating process or using better technology. One CIO gave the example of Major US Healthcare Company located in the Southwest. The CIO said when you talk to their people, they will tell you tasks require 2 and 3 different healthcare systems. Billing is a minimum of 2. And this complexity adversely impacts their customers.
In streamline processes with employee experience in mind, CIOs say that they don't want to make employees jump through silly hoops. Instead, they want to use technology to connect people, personalize their experience, and enable flexible work models. All contribute to a better experience and most important happier, more engaged employees. CIOs think the goal for all projects should not be what process or technology to use. The outcome with employee experience should be well defined first, then you can apply culture, process, and technology to improve the journey.
Do your business stakeholders get the relationship between employee experience and customer experience?
CIOs were somewhat surprised by this question. One asked me whether I knew the key difference in Zappos mindset? They said, the customer is already on the employee's mindset. This CIO continued by saying if your culture is already customer obsessed, then your place of most friction is going to be removing blockers from employee to service.
CIOs say that employees may be going through 'administrivia hoops' to make something happen, and the customer and business manager both are asking "why is it taking so long?" One CIO shared that his company's CEO addressed an internal innovation summit recently. The CEO challenged every leader attending to focus on the evolution of the customer to an information managed business. The employee-customer interaction points were a critical part of that focus. CIOs were candid with me that most businesses are making two transitions at once - how they use and provide information and how they support their customers using information. Building employee and customer experience simultaneously, however, was not seen as an easy task.
What are the biggest gaps to IT employee engagement?
On the IT side of things, CIOs suggest that it's always important to take care of your team. With so many unfilled jobs in technology, it has becoming more visible how well you are doing. CIOs suggest that there are many organizations who need to think more about employee experience and figure out how to move IT from a 'culture of compliance' to 'a culture of trust'.
CIO said that it is critical to empower teams to assess and respond. There should clear away layers of authorizations. It is critical to trust your IT teams. Employee Engagement starts by re-discovering empathy. IT isn't a place of power—it is a place of service. We serve each other and we seek to find the best answer together. This can start by saying an authentic thank you when it is deserved and then recognizing an employee in front of the whole team.
One CIO wondered here if Delta employees felt the technology has improved their experience. Delta has a single system feeding their customer and employee systems, but gate attendants still use terminal emulation software for some tasks. Overall, the CIO position shouldn't be a place of where unilateral decisions are made. The interlock with the business isn't a single project entity. There must be long term strategy. Growth in employee experience is often a result of that strategy.
CIOs find the biggest gap tends to be around culture and how IT is treated and valued by others. As an intermediate step, CIO say look at graduated governance. They discussed here the use of risk and change impact as metrics to 'right size' the authorization. We all want faster time to market. This is a key area of pent-up value to be released.
IT employees want to be trusted partners, involved in all stages of problem-solving and innovation. This means processes should connect with them at all stages. Automated processes need to do the same. CIOs suggest that we live in the age of UX and transformation! Think creatively. Great leaders, engage and know their teams. Great leaders demonstrate real concern and compassion and they are in the front when needed and in the back when the team is recognized.
How are you helping managers to engage their teams?
CIOs say that whether employees work for the CIO or not, if they have an idea, they should raise it. CIOs suggest that having customer passion matters. To be fair to any leadership team you need a variety of personalities at the top for good execution.
In IT, we sometimes lose sight of the fact that people are not widgets. They aren't uniform. One CIO said that we are wetware - messy by design. For all the AI and machine learning to enable them, employees are still people. Buyers are still people. And investment needs to go toward delivering to people in the end.
CIOs are concerned that many organizations do not consider employee experience as valuable to their business success. Does the organization even have a shared vision? If not then it is difficult to drive any initiative like improving employee experience meaningfully across the organization. The balance of power has been with employees for at least a decade. The ability to start a business or freelance or leave has never been higher.
I had a boss once that viewed his employees as tools or even worse, expendable material. CIOs are clear that employees are asset that can grow in business value with organizations and managers that are focused on employee engagement and changing for the better employee experience. For this reason, business and technical teams need to aim at improving employee experience one interaction at a time.


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Q: Jquery if css value not working Hey guys so I'm working on a gallery, and I have the selector images being moved left and right 15vw.
I want it so when you click to the edge of the gallery it wont let you keep on scrolling past the images.
https://jsfiddle.net/9z3g7L3s/6/
This is my code:
$(".left").click(function() {
    if ($('#image-selector').css('left') == '129vw') {
        //some code here
    } else {
        $('#image-selector').animate({left: "+=15vw"});
    }
})

I can't get it to work, when the image-selector's left="129vw" and I click #left, it still moves over 15vw as per the else.

A: The jquery css  will always give you the computed value and not what you have specified in the css file , for eg if you give '129vw' , it will give you the computed value in px , for eg: 338px. You can try this in the browser with element.

A: You should work with px values. $('#image-selector').css('left') gives px value, run the below snippet to see it in action:

console.log($('#image-selector').css('left'))
#image-selector {
  left:10vw;
  }
<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<div id="image-selector">
  Lorem ipsum
</div>

vw's unit is cm.
1vw = %1 of viewport
viewport = size of browser window (cm)
https://www.w3schools.com/cssref/css_units.asp

The relation between cm and px depends on client's DPI. You should first get that relation.
Another thing is that you use $('#image-selector').css('left') in comparison which has output like this: 20px. It's output is not a numeric value. You can use offset().left or position().left depending parent element is document or another DOM element in the document. Check these for the difference: position() and offset()
One last thing: using <= in comparison is better than ==
So here is the solution you can try:
 var windowWidth = $(window).width(); // in px
    var vwInPx = windowWidth/100; // because 1vw = %1 of viewport
    var checkConditionOfLeftVal = 129;
    var animateVal = 15;
    $(".left").click(function() {
        if ($('#image-selector').offset().left <= checkConditionOfLeftVal*vwInPx) {
            //some code here
        } else {
            $('#image-selector').animate({left: "+=" + animateVal*vwInPx});
        }
    })

Here is the jsFiddle example forked from your's: https://jsfiddle.net/er_han/cx4Lr9gf/1/

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


95% of the flats for sale have pictures. On average an advert for Flats Harrow has 9.92 pictures.
The most common number of bedrooms for properties in Harrow is 2, followed by 1 and 3.
We found flats in Harrow in Ha1 and Ha2.
Estate agencies in Harrow with flats for sale include Rouge Property - Harrow, Major Estates - Harrow and Collins Sarwar Estates - Kenton.


(New York, NY) - To address the crisis of forcibly separated children at the border, New York State Senator Brian A. Benjamin today announced legislation to increase accountability of the federal government's detention of children being held in facilities in New York state. Next week, August 4, 5, & 6, the faith community across the state will be lifting up the moral argument of this legislation to ensure that the New York State Legislature acts quickly to pass it.
Failure to report this information completely and accurately will be punishable as filing a false instrument under the Penal Law. The Commissioner of the Office of Family and Children's Services may revoke the license of any authorized agency for failure to provide information as described her. The data collected by the Commissioner of the Office of Family and Children's Services shall be made public in real-time and to government officials upon request.


Sulfur in gasoline reduces the effectiveness of catalytic converters in vehicles, thus increasing tailpipe emissions that adversely affect human health and the environment. Mobile sources of air pollution, including light-duty vehicles and trucks, contribute 49 percent of total nitrogen oxides inventory, 40 percent of volatile organic compounds including hydrocarbons, about one-quarter of particulate matter smaller than 10 microns, and nearly 80 percent of carbon monoxide. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is studying whether to limit the level of sulfur in gasoline in order to protect vehicle catalytic converters and vehicle on-board diagnostic systems, and as away of facilitating lower vehicle emission standards in the future. EPA sent proposed regulations imposing limits on sulfur in gasoline to the Office of Management and Budget for approval. Bills introduced during the 106th Congress would limit sulfur- in gasoline. Reports indicate that EPA wants a nationwide, year-round standard of 40 ppm of sulfur in gasoline or, alternatively at the discretion of each gasoline producer, 80 ppm so long as the average over a year is no higher than 30 ppm. Auto manufacturers and states support setting that standard, while petroleum refineries seek less stringent and more localized limits.


This soup freezes well making it a great one for batch cooking.
Add a few toasted almonds, a spoonful of cashew cream, or a dollop of pumpkin seed butter for additional protein.
This contains at least two portions of vegetables per serving.
A simple comforting dessert for autumn.
Turn the oven on to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6.
Sit each apple on the chopping board and push the apple corer into the centre of each one. Alternatively, use a knife to remove the core.
Score around the circumference of each apple with a small, sharp knife. This will help to prevent them splitting open.
Mix the sultanas, muscovado sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.
Stand the apples, side by side, in a baking dish. Using your fingers or a teaspoon, push a little bit of the sultana mixture into each apple, using up all the mixture equally between them.
Divide the butter into 6 equal blobs and add a blob of butter to the top of each apple.
Bake in the oven for 20 mins or until the apples are cooked through.
Apples are a good source of fibre and therefore helpful to keep our digestive tract healthy.
Research has shown that cinnamon can improve insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar levels. This suggests that including cinnamon as part of your daily diet can help to manage blood sugar levels, therefore reducing cravings for sweet foods and helping to stabilise energy levels.
A sweet and crunchy salad with plenty of nutrients.
Toast the seeds in a dry pan on medium heat until they start to brown.
Peel the carrots and beetroot.
Grate then into a bowl.
Add the toasted seeds and raisins and bean sprouts/alfalfa and mix well.
This salad will store in the fridge for up to 2 days and works well to take as part of a healthy lunch box. it works well with some smoked mackerel.
Gently warm oil on medium heat.
Add onion and sweat on a medium heat for approximately 5 minutes until soft.
Add peas, mint and stock.
Cook for 3-4 minutes until peas are cooked.
To serve, add a dollop of natural yoghurt and a sprig of fresh mint.


The dress is true to size and fit perfectly.
I absolutely love this dress! It runs a little big but The fit was good; I could've went down a size, but it still looked good. The quality of the dress far exceeded what I thought it would be. Overall, the dress is a good buy.
I loved it! This is a very nice, good quality dress!
Super! The quality is good! Color bright! Very beautiful dress!
Great. Perfectly corresponding to the presentation. Excellent workmanship, elegant and of excellent material. Very satisfied !!


"implemented WorkflowMax and Xero in my 25 person legal practice, and the transformation has been phenomenal.
Software setup and implementation is just the start. In order to extract the maximum benefit, clearly defined processes are required if optimum efficiency and effectiveness are to be attained.
Streamlined managerial control over every aspect of your legal practice is what we would like to be able to deliver for you.
Legal Integrated Solutions is a UK registered company providing worldwide enablement, training and support services to legal service providers who require a feature rich matter and financial management solution, at an affordable price.
Once the decision to proceed has been made, implementation can begin. Legal Integrated Solutions will take your existing data bases and enable a full matter management, billing and reporting system tailored to your specific requirements.
Implementation can be completed in as little as four weeks, dependent on the size of your practice and your ability to supply the required data in a suitable format and in a timely manner.


Under The Deck Storage Sheds – Finally obtaining a moment to relax on the deck is sacred, so why be bothered by the thought of having to go inside to get something you wish you can store outdoors anyhow? There are ways to save any items you may need outside using a wooden deck storage chest. There are a number of things to search for before buying a deck storage chest to make sure a durable product which will store your things safely and effectively.
Being certain that the deck storage chest can really deal with the outdoors is a fantastic place to start prior to a buy. Moisture and sunlight don't affect cypress and cedar as much as other woods but it may be beneficial to buy sealant or varnish to maintain the natural colors and prevent splitting. Researching the maintenance instructions for the material it is made of is important since some woods are more prone to cracking, warping, and breaking compared to others.
Size is a very important factor. Obviously it is crucial to think about size since you will want to make sure that it will all match. Length, width, and depth are different for every deck storage chest on the industry and understanding these measurements is important not just so all your things will match, but also because you will need to make sure that the deck storage chest will fit nicely in the space designated for it in your deck.
The length, width, and range of motion of the lid on top is necessary to keep in mind. The lid ought to be able to open and shut in the quantity of space you give it to the deck.
The quantity of weight which will be put inside of it ought to be contemplated. When some people like to shop modest things like books and towels while others like to store grill and pool equipment, a few deck storage chests may hold more weight than others. To be sure the products you place inside are not broken, the bottom should offer ample support. 2 x 4s might be put to support the bottom if it is prone to falling out.
Because a great deal of deck storage chests may be used as extra seats, the amount of weight the lid may encourage is also important to think about to reduce harm.
The quantity of construction and maintenance required is another important consideration when purchasing a deck storage chest. Assembly can sometimes be hard, particularly since the alignment is key, particularly because almost all of them have a lid. Becoming sure you're capable of constructing the box is the trick to its efficacy in protecting your things later on.
Springs , springs, hinges, and bolts included for meeting of their deck storage chest are helpful but not always reliable. Sometimes these break easily, causing the storage chest to fall apart, so it would be a fantastic idea to buy extra screws, springs, hinges, and bolts prior to beginning assembly.


This platinum white pearl sedan has an automatic transmission and is powered by a 192HP 1.5L 4 Cylinder Engine.
Our Accord Sedan's trim level is LX CVT. This Accord LX is an outstanding value. It comes packed with desirable standard features like collision mitigation braking, lane keeping assist, a rearview camera, an AM/FM radio with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, a USB input, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, automatic headlights, aluminum wheels, and more. This vehicle has been upgraded with the following features: Heated Seats, Rear View Camera, Bluetooth, Aluminum Wheels, Air Conditioning.


After what felt like an endless week, it's finally (!!!) Friday. And I honestly wish I was typing this intro while chilling in the relaxation dome at the Chester Grosvenor Spa. A girl can dream, right? Meanwhile, here is the review of this fab place and some tips on what to expect and how to make the most of your spa experience.
As you might remember, before we had to move, we were lucky enough to live in the city centre of Chester for over a year (we are still based here but just a little bit away from the hustle & bustle). The apartment we rented was alright (but ridiculously expensive at the same time!) and being in the city centre sure did have the perks of having everything literally minutes away.
Including the oh-so-elegant The Chester Grosvenor Hotel.
You know the kind of building you only dare to eye from the distance because you think you're not "posh" enough to go inside (not sure why but let's not open that door lol).
Back in February when it was time to come up with a knock-the-socks-off gift idea for my Valentine, I decided to come in and get my better half a gift card for the Spa.
It definitely wasn't an impulse buy.
I carefully read the reviews of the Spa at The Chester Grosvenor and was excited to visit it. Not only did we use that V. Day gift card (together – yay!) but I was also contacted by a lovely team at The Chester Grosvenor Spa* to come in and try out other spa treatments. So my plus 1 (= hubby) and moi got to experience and enjoy it (so far) twice in 2017.
We loved every minute of it. That's why this review is pretty much writing itself.
I'm bursting to share about it with you guys and gals, especially if you live close enough to pop over for a visit.
The Chester Grosvenor Hotel couldn't possibly have one of the most central and unique locations. It is right in the middle of the city, next to the famous Eastgate Clock.
Which is, apparently, said to be one of the most photographed clocks in England.
After Big Ben, of course.
From the moment we came in through the door we've been treated by lovely staff who look after you like you're royalty.
When we made it to the Spa (after what felt like ages trying to park on a busy Saturday afternoon in town), a lovely receptionist gave us the forms to fill in. They were very detailed so that the therapists wouldn't miss a thing (they follow each guest's individual requirements and wishes).
I made sure to jot down the information about my severe allergic reaction (including the name of the oil) which was thoughtfully noted by my lovely therapist Kairit.
Before we booked the treatments, it took me a while to make a decision what to try. The Spa offers so much! Starting from a Thermal Suite to Body Treatments, Holistic to Facial Rituals and Half-Day/Day Packages to Spa Breaks – everything sounded ahhhmazing.
We were first suggested to enjoy the Thermal Suite. It included a sauna, ice fountain, crystal steam room, salt grotto and foot baths along with their most divine relaxation area.
Starting off from breaking a sweat in a sauna, followed by a crystal steam room, we moved on to the foot baths. That's where these lovely salts came in handy.
After about an hour at the Thermal Suite we were invited to our individual rooms (the Spa currently doesn't offer couple's treatments done in one room). Both hubby and I went for one of the most popular Holistic Treatments – a 60-min Stress Recovery Massage.
We both did not regret that decision for a second.
My therapist Kairit went through my form with me discussing what areas I'd like her to concentrate on and what pressure I'd prefer.
I always go for medium to strong. The firmer the better.
Because that's how you get rid of those knots.
Then, she talked me through the selection of the treatment oils, let me smell the scents and told me about the results I'd get after using each one.
Even though I tried and enjoyed the Elemis De-Stress Massage Oil the previous time I went for a massage at the Chester Grosvenor Spa (it's more on a relaxing and soothing side, very lavender), I decided to go for something different this time.
I picked the Elemis Cellutox Active Body Oil. And, to be honest, I didn't go for it because of the anti-cellulite and body-cleansing benefits. Though, I could use both of those any day. I just really loved the energizing marine citrus'y scent.
The massage was everything I expected and more.
Both times I visited the Spa I had a lovely experience with the therapists, and my hubby did too. You can't fault their professionalism, attentiveness and attitude.
After the massage we went to the Relaxation Area to rest and recover. This was probably one of my favourite places to be at.
Picture the dome shaped room with 5-6 most comfy beds in a circle. Dimmed lights. Soothing music. Aroma candles and oils. Unlimited refreshing drinks.
– The Chester Grosvenor Spa is open every day from 10 to 6 (to 7 on Fridays).
– If you're aged 16 to 18, your visit should be supervised by a parent or a guardian.
– The Spa is currently running 3 beautiful winter retreats which you can book here.
1. Shower at home/in your hotel room before your visit.
2. Arrive early (or at least on time).
It will give you enough time to fill in the form and prep for your treatment. Each minute you're late takes away from those precious moments you could be melting your stress away.
3. Bring your own swim suit.
If you're going to use the facilities like a swimming pool, a hot tub or a sauna. Every spa should be able to be provide you with towels, robes, slippers and disposable underwear for your treatment (you can wear your own, of course).
4. Do the form right.
Even if the form you're given to fill out might seem pointless, it's a very important piece of paper. Make sure to jot down your allergies, any medication you're taking, your health details, etc. If you're pregnant (in most spas you would be offered treatments from 12 weeks onward), inform the staff about it and they will tailor your experience accordingly.
If you have booked a sauna visit and a massage, head over to the sauna first. Always start with your "wet" treatment followed by a massage and/or facial.
6. Don't shave (or exfoliate).
Boy, did I learn this one the hard way! Make sure not to shave or use harsh scrubs at least a day (preferably two) before your visit.
7. Neither hungry nor full.
Just before you go into the spa, make sure to stay away from a big breakfast or a heavy lunch. Do eat something light an hour or two in advance.
8. Speak up if something isn't right.
At any stage of your visit, if you're not comfortable about anything or feel like something is not right, always speak up. Also, if your therapist is applying the pressure that's either too light or too heavy, let them know.
I remember my very first visit to the spa and the most valuable advice I was given – drink drink drink. If you skip on staying hydrated after your treatments, you might end up getting a headache or feeling light-headed.
10. Make it a relaxing day.
Your visit to the spa shouldn't end with a huge to-do list with a lot of errands and strenuous work. Make sure your plans after it involve a lot of chill time.
Treatments were kindly gifted for review purposes. Content isn't sponsored..
Leave a comment and let me know if you've ever been to a spa.
If yes, what are your favourite go-to treatments?
If no, which treatments would you like to try?


Big Shout out to Gilmore!
Which current wrestlers are HOF locks?
What are some matches you'd like to see again?
Will Sting ever perform at Wrestlemania?
Can anyone identify this auto?
How many have been to the TNA iMPACT Zone at Universal Studios??
The Most Illegal Move in Wrestling!!
What was the best PPV you attended?
How do you guys want to handle RAW?
Walmart has a huge wrestling DVD sale right now.
Was that a face turn by The Shield on RAW?
Wrestlers you'd like to see come to WWE?
I still can't get WWEN to work on my laptop.
JTG is still employed by WWE.
What wrestling stuff, if any, do you collect ?
What is your favorite wwe wwf moment?
How's everyone planning on watching WrestleMania?
Can't find Austin/ Simon Dean promo on YouTube...anyone?
Which Title Belt Should the WWE Bring Back?
Does Bryan win the belt at mania?
Dr. Shelby is a miracle worker!
Sting apparently has signed with WWE.
Who cuts the best promo?
Wrestlers annoyingly living their gimmick.
Just how "real" is total divas?
Chris,how was your Mania party?
So how many autos can Cena sign in over an hour?
I LOVE these "who knew" type photos!
Another long shot, anyone know where to find this video clip?
How much do wrestlers actually know in advance?
Monday Night Raw Thread: 4/28 ... Sting in the house ?
Are you guys losing interest in Bryan?
WTF is with WWE changing guys names?
Are the Wyatt Family heels?
This Punk situation really makes me angry.
Anyone else catch Hobie on Total Divas?
Any chance one of the shield joins evolution?
Did/does anyone here have WWE stock?
Show your favorite Wrestling cards.
So apparently CM Punk's in Chicago tonight, site of Payback.
Your favorite raw opening and entrance themes?
What's the difference between a stable and faction?
Daniel bryan to be stripped of title tonight on raw.
The promo Ambrose cut on RAW was awesome.
Double Double E dropping the HAMMMER today!
Going to meet Goldberg, Flair, Hart, Edge, Lita & The Outsiders!
WWE really botched The Shield's disbandment.
SMACKDOWN Thread: Rollins looks like Black Widow in his new ring gear.
WOW! 2011 FCW slamarama set $300!
Who do you want to win the MITB ladder matches?
Great face turn by The Real Americans!
HHH's "Plan B" for Battleground is not Seth Rollins.
When WWE began pushing Cena?
Harlem Heat reuniting for first time in 14 years!
KENTA signs with WWE officially.
New Punk (in suit!) Video "NEVER EVER RETURNING"
Spike TV is canceling Impact.
A super long shot with a video, can you help find it?
The McMahon family is just plain awesome!
Are all of you renewing your subscription?
New doc on The Shield on WWEN now.
Favorite WWEN programming so far?
Paul Heyman's client just lost!
Have you been bored with WWE lately?
Pleasant surprise seeing the NXT guys on RAW.
If you had Sean O'Haire in the 'Next Dead Wrestler' pool you win a prize.
Future of WWE all in one picture.
Henry and rusev to close the show??
Don't get WWE burying KENTA already.
Biggest pet peeves in wrestling?
WWEN Monday Night Wars series.
WWE didn't really think out this Ambrose train thing.
Anyone know if Hot Topic is carrying the pink WWE shirts?
Ever seen The Rock look small?
Finn Balor made his NXT debut this week.
The Ryback turn was done terribly.
Don't waste your time on ECW Exposed.
Bought Survivor Series tickets today.
Awesome Black Friday TopRopeTuesday.com deal.
Ring of Honor PPV tonight; who's watching ?
WWE Network down for anyone else ?
Shouldn't "the ascension" look intimidating?
I really dig Finn Balor's entrance music.
NJPW on AXS TV now.
Your WrestleMania 31 dream card?


text:
Different types of feminism in the world based on history
Is Studying in the United States for you?
Is physical relationship important in true love?
Sometimes wars are needed to get peace
Employee vs Entrepreneur: Which is better suited for Nigerians?
Business ideas in Nigeria to start with low capital
How to transfer money from WeChat wallet to Alipay
14 profitable products to import from China
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Eight strategies on how to excel in academics
Has dating apps ruined love and relationship in the modern era?
How to add WhatsApp link to Instagram bio
What to do after NYSC?
Why the central bank of Nigeria can't print more money to make Nigeria rich?
Best online stores for shopping clothes in Nigeria (2020)
The difference between Racism, Bigotry, and Prejudice.
10 Signs of true love from a man
How to build self-worth and the importance of true self-worth.
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What does it mean to be a feminist in Nigeria?
The signs of fake love in a relationship
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Five signs of deep love
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Adaora Ezike
By Adaora Ezike 19 August 2020
Many people, especially those living in low-resource countries, want the opportunity to study abroad. When I was in high school, the most common countries people wanted to study in were the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. These countries have world-renowned institutions and are also English-speaking. The occasional adventurous student would look into France or Germany, but for the most part, these three countries topped the charts.
However, when it comes to studying in the U.S., people aren't asking themselves all the right questions. By the time they get here, they are left in a difficult rut to come out from. So today, I will be sharing with you some questions that you should be asking to figure out if studying in the U.S. is right for you. Please note that these questions can be applied to studying abroad in general.
What course do I want to study?
Many U.S. universities offer a wide range of courses. One thing I love about the education system is the ability to change your course after being admitted. The flexibility in course selection is amazing. However, many professional courses are not offered at an undergraduate level. What do I mean? Courses such as medicine, law, physical therapy, etc are post-graduate level courses. You already have to complete a first degree (usually within the U.S.) before pursuing them. This means that a lot of resources will be dedicated to pursuing such degrees. Other professions such as therapists require at least a graduate level degree to even be licensed. If you want to pursue any of such degrees straight up, you may need to reconsider coming to the U.S.
Read Now: What's happiness to you?
Where do I want to end up after school?
This goes hand in hand with choosing your course. A degree may apply in the U.S, but may not be applicable in your home country. Take for example, physician assistants. This is a well-recognized profession in the United States, but many countries do not accredit them. If staying in the U.S is not part of your long-term goal, you need to be careful about studying a course that wouldn't be applicable in the country you wish to live.
Read Now: What to do after NYSC ?
Am I looking for a path to citizenship?
Some international students come to the U.S. with the intention of going back home after their studies, while others do not. If your plan is to live and work in the U.S., you need to start familiarizing yourself with the various paths to citizenship. Certain fields such as engineering and healthcare have better chances with H1B visas (a type of work permit which has at the time of writing been halted by President Trump). As well, immigration in the U.S. is constantly changing depending on the presidency. If remaining in your country of study is very important to you, I would suggest starting now to research various options. I would also suggest looking up more countries with friendly immigration policies for international students.
Do I have a family and other dependents?
If you are the breadwinner of your family, this is very important. International students are only allowed to work on campus, not more than 20 hours a week. It is very difficult to sustain a family on such an income. Depending on the type of visa that your dependents are on, they may not be able to work at all in the United States. You also need to show proof that you can care for your dependents before being issued a visa. If the limited ability to work will affect your family, you may need to consider schooling in a different country that allows off-campus work opportunities.
How much am I willing to spend?
More money talks. International students are not always aware of how they can cut costs while schooling abroad. Options exist such as attending community college, going to state schools, scholarships, and grants, etc. I suggest looking into these options and contacting your school's financial aid office for more information. As well, various countries have programs where they send their citizens to study in the U.S. in return for service for a number of years. That may be something to look into. whatever it is, you want to be able to cover your expenses. It's one thing to be broke, it's another thing to be broke on foreign soil.
Well, that's all I have today. Please let me know if I am missing out on anything else in the comment section. Check out my other posts on Adabekee.
By Adaora Ezike
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By Chisom Favour Eze 18 May 2020
By Tadese M Oluwakemi 1 May 2020
THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY IN NIGERIA
By Tadese M Oluwakemi 5 April 2020
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Jonathan Millien will be your trainer to boost your wellbeing, relaxation or fitness.
He is state-qualified and trained in a range of health and wellbeing methods and techniques.
He's a former member of the French Kung-Fu Wushu and Sanda boxing teams with over 10 years of experience.
TRAINER at CLUB MED GYM and currently TRAINER at CMG.
THAI MASSAGES and ACUPUNCTURE (for relaxation and wellbeing).
You can either book a session when you book your room or when you arrive.


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Voyages Ayers Rock Resort Mossman Gorge Centre Trade Longitude 131˚
Voyages Story
Voyages Destinations
View All Our Destinations
Ayers Rock Resort
The gateway to Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park, in Australia's Northern Territory. The Resort lies hidden from view to those visiting the National Park precinct.
Visit Ayers Rock Resort
Mossman Gorge Centre
Staffed by local residents with a breadth of knowledge on the area, you will find an official welcome area, a contemporary café, art gallery, gift shop and tour desk.
Visit Mossman Gorge
Voyages Experiences
View Our Experiences
Voyages Careers
Indigenous Training & Employment
Voyages Celebrates New Wave of Indigenous Graduates
Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia is delighted to announce the graduation of 37 Indigenous trainees from its National Indigenous Training Academy (NITA), based at Ayers Rock Resort. NITA was established to develop an Indigenous workforce for Ayers Rock Resort and the wider tourism and hospitality industries and this round of graduates brings the total to an amazing 411 graduations since the program commenced in October 2011.
"These 37 inspiring young Indigenous people from across Australia are graduating with a nationally recognised qualification in tourism and we would like to congratulate them on their hard work and achievements. We wish them every success for their ongoing careers at Ayers Rock Resort and beyond," said Voyages CEO Grant Hunt.
"Voyages core purpose is to create opportunities for Indigenous Australians in tourism and we are committed to educating and transforming lives by creating skills that allow these young people to work. Today, 38% of the team at Ayers Rock Resort are Indigenous. "
Through NITA's incredibly successful program, trainees receive accredited, enterprise-based, residential training in hospitality and related disciplines, and are guaranteed employment at Ayers Rock Resort upon completion.
The graduation ceremony was held at Ayers Rock Resort on Saturday 18th May and was attended by senior representatives from Voyages, the Mutitjulu Community, the Central Land Council, William Angliss Institute and Charles Darwin University.
Special awards presented included the Academic Excellence Award for William Angliss, awarded by Nick Hunt, CEO of William Angliss, to Nathaniel Lowery-Barsah from Ayers Rock Resort's Food and Beverage Team; the Academic Excellence Award for Charles Darwin University, awarded by Mike Keating of CDU to Jayden Cook from the Central Landscaping Team, and the Most Outstanding Trainee of the Year, awarded to Jai King of Ayers Rock Resort's Food and Beverage Team.
"The strong Indigenous workforce at Ayers Rock Resort creates a more authentic travel experience for our guests, who are increasingly seeking more meaningful connections during their stay," added Grant Hunt.
Ayers Rock Resort is listed in the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards Hall of Fame for excellence in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Tourism.
For more information go to: www.ayersrockresort.com.au or 1300 134 044.
Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia acknowledges the traditional custodians of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them, their culture and to the Elders past, present and future. Copyright 2022 Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. All rights reserved.


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The exhibition will run through September 27, 2015 and once it's over the walls will be painted white once again. While the thought will sadden many who enjoy the works, the ephemeral nature of the exhibit reflects an aspect of street art these artists know all too well.
In "Too Many Names", graffiti artist SABER wrote the 534 names of people killed by police in the United States in 2015 to date, including local Long Beach teenager, Hector Morejon.
Special thanks to Ron Nelson (pictured above), Executive Director of the Long Beach Museum of Art and Bob Maguglin and Loren Simpson of the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau for the gallery tour.