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Episode #35: How I Fell in Love With Golf Again 06/04/2021
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Meredith:
Welcome to episode number 35 of the Gimme Golf Podcast, powered by myrtlebeachgolftrips.com. I'm your host, Meredith Kirk, and today I'm joined by Caledonia Golf and Fish Club and True Blue Golf Club's PGA general manager, Bob Seganti. Today's episode is all about how I fell in love with golf again. If you have had an up-and-down relationship with golf and need some tips on falling in love with the game again, we are here to help you spark a new love affair with the game.
Bob, we're sitting here on the veranda at Caledonia Golf and Fish Club, and our topic for this podcast is why I fell in love with golf again. If you have never been to Caledonia, I can tell you, you're going to fall in love with golf instantly if you sit about five minutes on this veranda. This is truly probably the best view in all of Myrtle Beach, I have to admit. I was just mesmerized coming into this place, so gorgeous, the oak trees and everything. Bob, this is your view every single day. Certainly, you love golf.
Oh, I do love golf, and I'm incredibly blessed, and a quick story of how I got into the golf business. Years ago, back in the very early '90s, I was involved in a seasonal business somewhere else and would come down here in the wintertime and actually would tend bar up at Webster's. It's a different name now, the Litchfield Beach and Golf Resort. I had gotten into golf in my late teens, and the first time I drove in here, I'd heard about this amazing golf course, Caledonia Golf and Fish Club, and I had a day off or something. I said, "Let me go check this place out."
By the time I drove in the entrance road under the canopy of live oaks, I made the turn to come down to the clubhouse, I'm looking at the first hole, which would be on your left coming in, and the 10th hole, well, what was the 10th hole, on the right. By the time I got to the clubhouse, I literally decided that I wanted to be in the golf business, and I was not in the golf business at that time. I said, "I need to make this happen." That's how much I love golf.
Wow. It's almost like a self-prophecy. Here you are, a young kid, driving in here. This leads you to the golf business. Did you ever think that you would be the general manager, which you are now, for the years and the amount of time you've been here? That's pretty cool.
It is cool. I'm blessed. There was a lot of hard work, and I also worked for a company that recognized, I don't want to say my talents, but my hard work. I started, and I wasn't that young. It was actually a second career for me. So by the time I started here, I was probably 26 or 27, I guess, before I'd fully moved down here. I'd sold out. I had a share in a restaurant, like I said, in another place in South Jersey, which I belonged to a super awesome golf course up there called Avalon Country Club, which was where I learned to play golf and do a little bit of drinking, too, quite frankly.
I started like most people start in the golf business, right? I started outside. I was a full-time starter ranger five days a week, and I'd catch a bag drop shift to make a little cash money. I've worked in every position, and I loved every one that I did, but there was just an always opportunity to move up, and we have an amazing team here. We've always had an amazing team. I'm just fortunate to get to this position. It's rare to hear that title. It's on my business card and when folks say, "Hey, Bob, the general manager," or something, but I'm just part of the team, and I'm happy to be part of the team.
Well, that's why we love you so much, because you're just such a down-to-earth person. You're so real. I have found, and Nate, you and I have discussed this, we've been in the golf business for several decades now. Like you, Bob. We've all been in it a long time. I can say my perspective is this, when you have been in pretty much every position and you have worked every position, I have found that the best GMs are the ones that have been cross-trained like that, that have experienced every single position, because that's how you can lead and really operate a golf course functionally, when you know what it's like to be in every position. You certainly have, and I think that's what makes you so cool, is because you're not ... Even though you're at the top technically in the triangle, you don't look at it that way. You see everyone as equals no matter what you're doing because you've been there.
Yeah. Well, thank you for saying that, and I think my kids would check your coolness factor there. They may not think I'm so cool most of the time. But it's funny you say that because we were having a conversation with our team one day. The older you get, you sort of like these business phrases or inspirational quotes. I've kind of leaned into them, and you're trying to have perspective in your life and in your golf and in your workplace. We have young people or older folks, whatever, start here all the time. Everyone has their first day or first week on the job and trying to meet everybody, you don't meet everybody the first day, and say, "Hey, look, here's where we're at." We say, "Welcome to Caledonia. Welcome to True Blue. The rest is up to you. You use your personality."
I said, "I will tell you this, that no one here should ever ask you to do something they're not willing to do." I said, "Hey, have them clean the toilet," or, "Hey, where does the trash go in the dumpster? Come here and I'll show you." You take the trash out there, right? "Hey, let's pay attention to litter." You have to lead by example. Telling someone to do something, that is not leadership. You lead by example. You can have directives and everything, and you need to have those. But if you're not willing to do whatever you would ask anyone of the 120 people that work in our company, which is True Blue Caledonia, Caledonia Golf Vacations, if you're not willing to do that, you're not going to be very successful.
You'd have to survey the staff to see how successful I am as a general manager, but I know as a company we do very well because we've really evolved in the team aspect and there's no job too small. I could never ask you to, "Hey, Meredith, you have to clean out the dumpster." "Well, I don't know how to do that." "Well, I'm not going to show you because I'm the general manager or I'm the head professional, I'm the director of golf." That's not the way it works.
Nate:
You hit it on the head because when we started, you had to start ... You started as a starter ranger. You had to start and work every job to work your way up. That's just the way it was. It's funny you say that because I had the same philosophy. Never ask anyone something you wouldn't do. There was one day we had a tournament when I was at River Club and the porch had cobwebs on it. So I got the power washer out myself, put on grubs, went out, power washed. A guy was coming to talk to me about a golf tournament, and he goes, "I want to talk to the head golf professional," and a guy points to me, he goes, "That can't be him." The guy comes out, and he was literally upset with me. He's like, "You're the head pro and you're out power washing?" I said, "Well, it's got to be done." I subscribe to that. The hard work and dedication of that actually gets you to where Bob's at today.
That's just ...
Well, it gets all of us to where we are. At some point along the line, someone will pat us on the back and say, "Hey, you're doing a great job." You say, "Hey, thank you," but you lean into the next task, whatever it is. I never got to what I thought was my, I don't even want to say [inaudible 00:07:53] because I get so distracted, so excuse me, because we're just so used to multi-tasking. So I saw that and I said, so when you start in the golf business, or I would imagine this is true in any business. I've been in other businesses. You start at the bottom of the totem pole, right? Everyone gives you direction. When you're the low person on the totem pole, you get direction from everybody. I've noticed when you become the general manager, technically, you're at the top of the totem pole. Everybody gives you direction, right?
Yep, yep. This is true.
Everybody gives you direction, right? You're here when you start. I hate to use the term bottom, but that's where you start, and you get direction and everybody and kind of ... And when you get to the top, you get direction from everybody. Everyone's looking for you not to make a mistake, but they want good, solid direction, good, solid leadership.
That's a good thing because [crosstalk 00:08:44]
Yeah, it is a good thing.
They've seen that you will do their job and they see you're a down-to-earth person, and they say, "I can go to him and say, 'This needs to be better,'" whereas if you were just someone that came in, dress shirt every day, sat up in your office, and it's, like you said, just directing people, they would tend to not do that. But they know that you've done their job and they know they can relate to you, so that's important. But that kind of gets to what the topic is because when you work so hard in this industry, you kind of get away from playing golf.
What brought you into this anyway? It's golf. So, I mean, with your responsibilities here being the general manager, how do you take the time out for yourself to get out there and find that passion and love for golf?
Well, I'll say this, and you are 100% right. I have not ever met anybody, anybody who works in the golf business who did not get into the business because they didn't love the game. Because no one looks at it and says, "Hey, this is going to be an amazing career," if wealth is what makes you happy. No, you simply get into it. I love golf. I want to be around it. I want to see if I can make this work in my life. That's how it started for me. I just loved it so much, I wanted to be a part of it.
I went from making a very nice living owning a seasonal restaurant, supplementing that income, to rolling back, as a matter of fact, to the point, I had just gotten married at that time, and my wife was looking at me like, "What are you doing? Your income level goes from here, and then you're working for minimum wage and tips." I said, "Well, we'll be okay. We have some savings," and it's all worked out beautifully for us. So yeah, finding the time to play golf.
It becomes back burner.
It becomes back burner. At some point we're all PGA professionals or LPGA professionals. Clearly, we had enough ability to get those credentials to play, right? Whether we were accomplished players or not. I could've never made a dime playing golf. I used to be able to play good golf handicap-wise, scratch or better. But it can get away from you if you start focusing on other things. What had happened to me and how I fell in love with golf again, and this is just recent, I'm not saying I didn't play for 15 years, but when I did play, it was pretty crappy most of the time.
How crappy?
Well, now, it was rare, really, to be honest with you, really since ... I hardly played any 18-hole rounds scoring my own ball since 2013, and there's a different reason for that, too, but we can circle back on that. I basically just played captain choice events. You hit a few long drives, you hit a couple decent iron shot swings, but, man, I'll nail topping the ball, just a couple of [inaudible 00:11:44] rockets out there just out of the blue.
Yeah, I mean, come on, guys, let's just get nitty-gritty on this.
[crosstalk 00:11:50] I've got the feeling, I know.
I mean, no. I mean, pretty terrible.
It's not like the guys and gals I'm playing with, they're like yeah, okay, just rusty. It got to the point where it was kind of like I'm hoping, it kind of go to the point of where playing with strangers or folks I didn't know, I was not comfortable.
It's tough, isn't it?
I'd be the guy out there giving clinics, back in the day. Hey, I don't care, you want to have 50 people sit behind me, I'll hit these flying shots all day long and I'm not worried about blading one. Then all of a sudden it got to the point where I'm just playing with three men and women who I just kind of met, some captain's choice fun, and they're like this guy's supposed to be a PGA pro and he's hitting it all over the lot. So it was pretty bad. Pretty bad.
Here's the other thing. They don't know you. Here is the PGA general manager of Caledonia and True Blue. So there are expectations, regardless of that PGA beside your name. Oh, he's the pro, I'm playing with the pro.
Automatic pressure.
If you don't play and keep up with your game it can go south so quick. I took 15 years off. I mean, I was injured and couldn't play the way I played. I wasn't a really good player, I shot below 75 to 80 I was ecstatic. So par turned into 80. But it's the pressure of playing with people with the expectation level. And then you have expectations of yourself. It's like I don't want to go out there today.
Because you don't have time. When you've got that responsibilities that you have, you don't have time to spend working on your game, going out and playing. You kind of get away from it. It's kind of like, "I just want to go home today."
I'll debate you on one point. Folks will say, "Oh, you're in the business. You can't play golf." That is bull crap. Our ownership group, our whole management, myself, we encourage everybody to play. Our ownership group wasn't like I don't want to see the pro out there playing two or three times a week. Of course if it's 9:00 in the morning and you're squeezing it in between a full morning that's a different story. But no, we encourage everyone to play golf.
So I could never use that as an excuse. I could say I don't make the time to play golf. I would find excuses not to play. It wasn't because I couldn't play because of work responsibilities. There's always time in the day. Of course raising kids and coaching other sports and doing all those things, they all take time. Golf does take time. But there is no excuse for ... True Blue has got an amazing practice facility. There's no excuse not to go to Steve Dresser Golf Academy, which has been there for 14 years.
Steve is awesome.
Or all of it, right? There was just no excuse for that. So it was all just self inflicted. There was no outside pressures. Now, could I get out and play three times a week? No. Could I get out and play once a week? Not every week.
The question is, did you want to?
Yeah, no I didn't want to because ... When I hear oh I'm working on my game or I'm grinding it out there, to me, I have a whole new perspective on that. It's not a grind. It's not work. I want to do it. I'm enjoying the process of getting better at golf again.
No, I didn't want to do it. Because I knew that I hadn't practiced enough or kept up with anything. I wasn't keeping up with technology and equipment. I didn't know where my swing was. I had probably for a dozen years I had this over the top move that I would never take literally five minutes to figure out why I was doing that. It was just a natural move for me to come over, so everything was just super solid at impact, it felt that way, and then you look up and there's that ball going middle target and it's moving left.
It's moving left, yeah.
It's not a draw, it's a pull. Man, it is hard to talk to that. For years I figured it out, and I know I'm rambling on here, but in the last eight weeks I fixed that. I fixed that by watching a 30 second video clip. A 30 second video clip.
See, video tips.
They work.
I'm rambling on here. My wife set me straight back in February. Here's how I ...
It takes a woman sometimes to do that.
It does. Well, it does. My wife will suffer fools occasionally, but not all the time, and not under her roof. Every February I get together with guys I played softball with for years. So like 28 guys go out, we went out and played True Blue. Of course, pre-requisite round of golf. I practiced for 30 minutes two days before. I go, all right, most of these are airborne. Oh yeah, there's a few that are like ...
Captain's choice.
There's a few that are professional quality. I'm like, eh, you know. This other couple, skanky ones, we'll just pretend they didn't happen and we'll just go about our business. We get out there and it's a good bunch of guys, mixed group of golfers. Basically go out there, it's captain's choice, we go out there and proceeded to play like crap. Literally probably hit three good shots, a couple of putts, our team is in dead last. It wasn't a great weather day, we had had amazing weather. A couple of beers on the course, it's fine, it's good to see the guys.
I came home, my wife was like "How was it?" I was like, "Well it was great to see the guys, and everything was fun." She said, "How was your golf?" I said, "It was terrible." I go, "I'm embarrassed about my golf game." I'm a decent softball player. These guys know, good athlete and all that stuff. She goes, "You know, you do this like four times a year. Six times. You go play in these events, these captain's choice events where it's supposed to be fun, you come home miserable, you come home saying you're embarrassed." She goes, "You know, you're going to be 55 years old in November." She goes, "You've got more life behind you than you do in front of you." She goes, "Are you going to suck at golf the rest of your life or are you going to get good?"
"You used to be a good player." She goes, "Now we couldn't make a living on your paycheck," she goes, "but you used to come home annoyed if you shot higher than 75."
She goes, "I'm sick of it." She goes, "Either get better at golf, because the whole reason we got into this business," now my wife's been in business for a long time too, she manages Caledonia Golf Vacations. "The only reason we got into this business is because you loved it. You'd better love it again, or what are you doing?"
The next day I booked an appointment with Stewart Clark to get fitted and everything. My equipment was complete crap. Junk. Didn't even fit. My irons were 18 years old. The shafts were an inch too long because my posture and body had changed. He's like, "What are you doing, man?" But he's like, "Hey, you've still got a good swing speed. Your swing actually looks good, but we need to start you on a process." So it happened in February, my wife kicked me in my butt, and that's how I fell in love with golf again.
That's great. And you got perspective. She gave you perspective on it. That's the best.
I think it's awesome that she did that. There's probably men listening to this right now saying man, does his wife have any sisters? Usually it's the women keeping the men home. Women are like no, don't go play golf, because they know their man's going to be gone all day, and here your wife is the opposite and a lot of men are like, I like that. There needs to be more chicks like her.
Yeah. Well, yeah, be careful what you wish for. No, she's awesome. I will say this about her and she probably won't listen to this but she might. Yeah, you have to get the deal set up in the beginning. If your wife's a golfer or you're a golfer, I have never, and I used to play a lot of golf, missed a tee time for my wife's like no, you can't play golf. Her dad was a golfer, my brother-in-law was a golfer, they get it. My wife was a golfer for a while. She had a goal to break 50 for nine holes, she worked hard at it for a year and did it and then she was done. It was the weirdest thing ever. I'm like, "What do you mean you're done?" She goes, "I accomplished my goal. I'm good. I'm good with it."
Been there, done it.
I'm like, okay. So anyway, if anyone needs a set of expensive left handed Titleist whatever I've got a whole bag just sitting there.
You could talk her back into it.
I love that you're in love with the game again. Does it feel good? Is your confidence coming back? Do you feel like this is going to continue now?
Oh, there's no doubt about it. I'm having these amazing practice sessions. I'm not going to say tour quality, that's ridiculous, but very good quality, high quality shots. I'm just totally in love with the new equipment, which fits me. Everything feels comfortable. I like technology, I'm not as gifted with technology like y'all are, but I use it. It has made the process of practice so much more enjoyable. Everything. I bought all this great stuff. This is how out of golf I was, I didn't even have a range finder.
I didn't either.
I bought a range finder. In the last three months I bought a range finder, alignment sticks, my equipment perfectly fits me. Now video.
I had to have someone show me how to use the range finder. Yeah.
Yeah. That's pretty bad. That's how far away ... Oh, but I'm absolutely loving it. All I think about is golf now. I'm playing softball last night and I'm in the on deck circle and I'm swinging the bat. All these guys play golf, it's a senior league and we're all big, "Man, your golf swing looks good." I'm like, "Yeah, it feels right." I'm not even, I'm playing with softballs. You know what, my golf swing is so good right now, my softball swing is not great, I go I'm hitting everything it's about a foot off the ground coming in. A great night at the plate, it's like I was hitting four irons or something all over the field. I totally love it. It's never going away now.
Now the only thing I do need to do, I do need to get out there and play more. I'm playing six or seven holes, or seven or eight holes. I need to get out some 18. But practice sessions three or four times a week, absolutely love it.
My problem is, and I was telling Meredith this yesterday, is I practice too much and don't get on the golf course enough. I'll hit balls. My goal is to hit balls at least every other day, but I'll take three weeks before I play again. You can't do that. Because I'm not good at practicing, I just pound it, I just pound balls.
I've even gotten better at that. Again, we're fortunate here, there's great practice facilities and amazing golf courses all over Myrtle Beach, that's what we're about here. Most of us in the business take it for granted that we have these opportunities and places. But over at True Blue, multiple practice greens. Never trying to hit three balls at any target and just switch target distances and everything.
Absolutely head over heals love. My older son played junior golf and he was turning 11 with that old [inaudible 00:22:43] program, stopped and then played soccer.
I was in that program.
Oh you were? Then stopped and played soccer so that he's doing a couple of different things. He works hard, he makes a little bit of money, and he's gotten back into golf. All of a sudden, because a couple of his friends were like, "Hey, your dad's [inaudible 00:23:02]" and all of a sudden he's like, I'd better get into golf now. He is completely hooked. All we do is we'll send each other video clips. We communicate more, we've always gotten along well, he's just very quiet believe it or not. My wife's like, "You and I probably just out-personalitied him. No one has room to speak in this house."
We talk about golf all the time now. "Hey, how was your session?" "Oh man, I had a great session, I was hitting a six iron. You know I'm thinking here, I'm tweaking ..." It's just opened up this whole new avenue of commonality or something we have in common. So now we have a soft goal of playing in a father and son next year.
Ah, that's awesome.
Which would just be nuts for us. It would be super exciting for me. It would be his first kind of tournament like that. It would be the first kind of tournament for me in a super long time. I used to play in a couple of section events back when I was assistant, I couldn't break an egg in those. It was always like, "Hey, great round." 75, or it was 68. 75, 79. I'm like, I'm just wasting my money here. I'm just filling up the purse.
Yeah, so it's kind of infectious, right? Love kind of infects everybody, it's all positive.
We've seen that with COVID and the number of people coming into the game this last year. I've been the busiest that I've ever been instruction-wise. In fact I am booked out right now, I can't even take appointments because so many people are wanting to come into the game and learn the fundamentals, the basics and everything. Golf courses are booked right now, people are out playing. So it is contagious.
Yeah. Six and a half, depending on national golf, six and a half new golfers coming in. And certainly, as we all know, folks who used to play six times a year are playing 18 times a year. Everyone's playing more golf. I think what's amazing for us, and they don't have the hard numbers, but you can just see it every day. If we're good at our jobs, which we are, you're good with senior students and you're amazing with social, I mean, you walk around with your eyes and ears open. But every day the amount of 25, 30, 35 year old groups of men and women, a lot of younger couples coming through the door all the time.
I see that too.
We call it the flat brimmers and the flat front shorts. Stuff all guys like me came up with.
You still wear the pleats, right?
Yeah, whatever. Every now and again. Anyway. Look, I'm happy to be an almost 55 year old man, right? I figure hey, I've got another good 40 years on the planet if I start taking care of myself. I'm not knocking that age group but when your business and you're looking at hey, all our customers are 55 and older, 65, it's like that's not going to last forever. So this whole influx, brought on by COVID, I mean, and all these that work from home and this crowd. My son's 24 and all his buddies are out playing and they're driving me nuts trying to get them tee times all over town. I'm like, hey, go and get a Prime Times card or a Passport and quit bothering me. You all have jobs. I don't want to call every golf course.
Anyway, that's exciting for me. Because it's exciting to see young people. And they love it. They love the social aspect and the music. Now we're all selling craft beer and all this stuff. It's perfect. I mean, selfies and videos. It's perfect. Our responsibility now, we, I mean golf industry, we can't screw this up. I don't know how we can, but we can't, and we shouldn't.
I'd be interested to see what you guys both think about this, but the knock on golf was it takes too long. My answer is what do you have to do? You're playing four hours and 20 minutes, what else better could you be doing? They always said well I'll just play nine holes. It's like shortening a baseball game. Is that going to bring more people into baseball? You either like it or you don't, right?
I think it depends on the courses, too. I think when we were all growing up a lot of courses weren't as long as they are. I grew up, yardage-wise, playing shorter courses. It was, to me, maybe that could play some role. Courses are a little bit different.
I'll admit, I lose interest sometimes after 16 holes. I'm thinking 15, 16 holes would be great. But I just think the excuse of golf just takes too long ...
It's the technology too. It's like we're wired where everything is little sound bites.
You're on your phone, I've got to answer this email, I've got to do this, I've got to do that.
That is a great talking point because golf tours solutions, all these marketing co ops, we have these amazing associations in this marketplace, relationships. It's a huge cooperative between all the golf courses, even though they're ownership groups. Three years ago, four years ago, well, probably as little as three years ago, we were golf business wasn't great. Young people, they don't want to play golf because it takes too long. Everything is technology, everything has to be now. It's amazing all of a sudden now, again trying to take positive things out of COVID, is people realize you know what? I want to be on the golf course for four or five hours.
I want to be in an outdoor space. I want to spend time with friends.
I really enjoy this. Yeah, life is fast paced and technology is like this, but this time out here is awesome. On the other side, I can work from home. It's completely flipped.
Yeah, it is.
Our perspective is golf, all the excuses that were made because people we were making because people weren't playing golf, now we're turning around and realizing we need to sell the positive aspects of golf. Maybe selling it is hey, here's five hours not even away from anything, you're never away from anything, we have USB chargers on the carts. I'm sure you all do too. No one's away from this, right?
You're listening to music now.
You're out chilling, you're having a beer.
Yeah. You can work from the golf course. There's no reason not to be on the golf course now. Before, it was, not that you always want to work on the golf course but let's be realistic. I could, I don't. I don't go out on the golf course without my phone. If you have your phone, you're working. You're plugged in.
I always want to grab a photo. That's why my phone's there.
Oh my gosh, 100%. That is work. I think there's three social media directors sitting here at this table, if I'm not mistaken. If we want to give ourselves that title.
But I know we're responsible for a lot of it.
Yeah, I think a lot of people, especially last year with the pandemic and it was an election year, it was a very intense year social media-wise. I actually detoxed at the beginning of this year from it, a lot of it. I got COVID really bad. When I was really sick, Nate knows this, he's like one of the only people I was texting. It was a life changing thing for me. At that point I said okay, I need to hit a reset button. I want to change the way I do some things.
So for me I don't go on social media quite as much. I mean, I'm active, obviously, every day. But not to the length. I make a conscientious effort now when I play golf to not look at socials, to not open up my email application on there. I'm like Nate, I'll grab some video or some pretty pictures because that's what I really relish about it, just the whole experience of getting out there and playing golf. That's my love for it. But there is definitely a lot of people now doing social media detoxes. You can actually Google it, just social media detox, and you can look at the dates. It's been so much, 2020, 2021, learning how to take a break.
Some of the things that you can do that I have done is actually delete apps on your phone. I did that a lot at the beginning of this year. I deleted Twitter. I deleted apps so I couldn't access it. Like Gmail and Facebook I would actually have to go on my laptop. It would force me to take an extra step of do I really want to get on and scroll and get locked into that scrolling mode of it? I think a lot of people are taking a time out for mental health, because that's just part of our mental well being emotional, physical, everything. Mind, body, spirit, I think it's all connected, and I think science is showing that now. How unhealthy staying too connected to digital can affect every area of your life.
Obviously, it can affect your golf game. We can fall in love with golf again. I think part of that is taking a step back from how active we are on technology. Like you said, Nate, we live in such a digital world. There's a lot of people, well, I don't want to spend five or six hours out on the golf course.
Again, it's like golf's in a different place, too, where when someone sends you an email they expect a response. Why hasn't he responded to me? Back in the day, working within a company, you'd get an inter-company envelope that was sent three days ago and then you'd send it back. We got along just fine then. Things worked, things functioned. We've all gotten our brains it's like, oh, I've got to get that done right away, I've got to do this. It's good to get things done, but ...
Snail mail wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Meredith, I must say that is great perspective. I've found myself the same way. I go out on the golf course, I go out there I just want to enjoy, look around. I take a couple of pictures, a little video. I do feel when I'm on our properties, whether I'm playing or practicing, I hate to use the term work because I love my job.
It's tough to play at your own place sometimes, though, because you're looking at things.
Yeah. It is. But I totally agree with the mental health and spirituality. I am trying to get so much better at that. Phil Mickelson. Phil has always been such an interesting guy. I used to root against Phil because I was a Tiger guy and it's like, with sports you have to root for somebody, root against somebody. But I always admired, he's a talent, he's an interesting guy. But you talk about being inspired, which even made me fall in love with golf more, I'm looking at Phil's condition at 50 years old. Let's be honest, the camera adds weight. Phil was never as out of shape as everyone said he was. That dude looks awesome.
He looks great. What is he, 55?
He's 50.
Phil's 50. I thought he was 55.
I used to root against him too.
I did too.
What I was trying to say is the fact that he played terrible golf, then came back and won the PGA, looks so good, this interval fasting, I've experimented with it but I haven't been strict. But I want to get strict about it. And all that stuff. It's all inspiring now. I'm inspired by seeing positivity in everything.
There is plenty of negativity out there. I don't need that in my life.
Amen that.
That's dragging us all down.
That's not saying you should just walk around with your head in a bubble like all is well.
Exactly, right.
But your point is well made about everything that happened last year, from the political, all the hatred. I don't have time for hate anymore. Hate's a dangerous thing, let's just leave it at that. We don't need to get sideways in that conversation. But golf has become a great, I'm not saying a sanctuary, my life is really blessed. As my wife and I talk about it all the time, why aren't the kids doing this or they should be doing ... It's some perspective, right? You look at everything in a whole and say hey, you know what, it's pretty good. Everything is positive.
But golf, to your point, get out on the golf course or get on the practice tee and you're focused, or you develop a personal par. I find just beauty and joy hitting a solid golf shot. Yeah, I want to go out there and I want to shoot some good scores eventually. That's going to happen soon, I know it's there, but I'm not even worried about that right now. I'm just enjoying playing four or five holes. Hey, I hit a perfect drive, or I hit a perfect approach, man that was a perfect read on that putt, done, good. That's great. I'm just enjoying it.
I'm not, if I kind of knock one into the trees, I'm not really focused on score. A long time ago when I thought I was a good golfer, and I was okay, score was the only thing that mattered. Now, if I've got to start paying some bets out to people, yeah, score is going to matter at some point.
So your expectations have gone down. I'm out here to have fun now.
Yeah, I have goals, but I think, I told my son, he's just getting back into it so breaking 100 is his goal. He'll get there. I said, "You're going to get there, then you're going to break 90. It's going to take a little bit more work to break 80, but if you want to do that you can do it." Because score is important. It's not that important to me, but personal par, like I said, personal par and enjoying time with friends, that's really what golf is all about. Does that make you a serious golfer? Well yeah, you can be serious about having a great time with friends and having your own personal par and seeing joy in a beautiful golf shot. You can be serious about that. Just being a serious golfer doesn't mean that you're someone who's a scratch player or single digit. The most intense, passionate folks I've ever met about golf who are at the practice tee and play all the time are folks who are 15, 18 handicappers. They love it just as much as a scratch guy does.
Or gal.
More, probably. Because if you count score as success they may not have had as much success, but man, they're the ones that support the golf business. They pay the bills. They're our core customers and they love it just as much as anybody playing for a living on tour.
They're out there for the experience.
Golf is a very personal thing. I think we need to emphasize that more. Hey look, don't worry about the score on the score card. The only numbers you should be concerned about on the score card are the yardage of the golf course, where it's going to be comfortable for you based on the realistic distance you drive the ball, not your best drive ever. Find that place and you're going to enjoy the game so much more.
That's one thing I would say to our listeners if you have fallen out of love with golf. My first tip to fall back in love with golf is something you just said. Scoring. Don't keep score. Next time you go out and play golf I would recommend, I mean obviously you need to look at your score card and whatnot, hole placement if you've never played that course and whatnot, and yardages, and all that helps, but don't keep score. Or if you want to keep score, only write down your birdies and pars. Don't write down anything, let's say you triple a hole.
I'd have an empty card.
Well listen, if you have an empty card, you have an empty card. Let's say you're on the tee and you go out of bounds, forget about it. Forget about it. Forget about it. Tee up another one, go out there and have fun. Don't write the score down. There's something about that, especially if you're naturally competitive. That can be detrimental. For me, if I take a break and come back into it, the first couple of rounds I'm just not going to keep score. Or I'm only going to allow myself to remember the two or three birdies, few pars I got, and I'm fine with that. I don't go any more mentally.
See I had good friends, they kept bugging me to play golf again. They were like, you've been in the business so long, you don't play golf anymore. They started off what you were doing. We started off, there were four of us, and we played two man captain's choice against each other. That really got me into not keeping my own score. If I hit a good shot every now and then it's like, oh, I can do it.
That's great, Nate. Really, that's the way to go.
They were super about that. So our first two or three rounds were let's just play against each other, two person captain's choice. It was like, wow, this is good.
What do you recommend? That's really good, Nate. Not keeping score, playing a game like that, what would be the one thing you would recommend for our listeners to fall back in love?
Well I'd have to say it depends on where you play golf, I guess. If you're brand new to the game then you're just falling in love with it for the first time. But I do think, and I almost hate to use the word practice because practice sounds like drudgery and I love it so much now and I didn't always love it before. It's a lot of things that made practice better and easier. I think you have to go in with a realistic attitude. What do I really want to get out of this? You can have a long term goal, but it is just seeing the beauty of the ball flying towards the target in a clear blue sky or whatever, is that what I'm looking for?
Or hey, if I'm really score focused, and some people are and that brings them joy, then you'd better go see someone like yourself. A teaching professional or something. Because chances are you're not going to be able to figure it out on your own. My suggestion would be teaching professional, make sure your equipment is correct. Fitting is incredibly important. I realized that, I've been a PGA professional for 21 years, had my stuff tweaked a long time ago. But then go into a fitting session and realize that your irons are an inch long and all the wafts and lies are wrong? That's crazy.
I mean, that's crazy. You talk about compensating.
I'll bet that was a steep angle of attack right there.
Oh yeah. So to fall in love with it again is to realize, first of all understand why you loved it initially. Maybe, hey, just understand why you fell out of love with it and you want to get back into it for the right reasons, whatever those reasons are. I do think if whatever your level of success is, I think absolutely with all the amazing golf academies and instructors and what is even better for me and things I've picked up online are all the incredible golf tips and videos that are available online that can bolster, hey, I had a great lesson with Meredith and we went over X, I can find her tip online to support that and I can just review that at any time, in between my next lesson. Get your equipment fit right. Then just find a group of people you enjoy being with.
There you go. That's key.
That's important, yeah.
Like who you play with.
I'm at the stage I don't want to play with people i don't want to play with.
That's true. Definitely.
I know that sounds bad. I want to play with people that are fun and energetic and just have fun.
Yeah. When I go play golf I honestly, I dread if I'm getting paired up with someone because I don't know the person. Then suddenly I put pressure on myself, and then I go into performance, I'm a pro, I have to perform. It's not good for me. So when I play I make sure that I book a group that I really like to play with.
But you see it with people on vacation. You'll have a group of people come in, eight people, and maybe they don't like each other. It's like, why did you go on vacation with these people, right?
It's like, I don't want to play with him. Why did you?
Why do you torture yourself?
You're paying money to come play golf and it's like it's torture. Don't make it that hard.
Yeah. It's interesting in our business because if you spend a lot of time on the floor, anyway, you hear people all the time. Welcome to True Blue, welcome to Caledonia, I hope you have a great day. We'll see. Well it's a beautiful day. Well it depends how I play. So here's my stock line. We all probably have about six stock lines we use just to move from conversation to conversation, or person to person. I say don't let the score dictate how your day's going to go. Enjoy your time with friends at a beautiful place.
The hardcore people are kind of like who's this perky Pete over here. It's like, whatever, dude. But a lot of people are like, that's a good perspective there. That's where I'm at.
I don't even like these guys I'm with. That would be the next step.
That's where I'm at. Find the beauty in the day. But I am serious about getting my game back, or whatever semblance that is. I'm serious about getting my 30 year old game back. It's not going to be the same as when I was 30, but it still can be good.
You still want to be good, but it's about perspective and expectations. At this point none of us are going to be on the tour. It's personal growth. I want to be better the next time out than I was the time before, take something positive away from it, right?
Absolutely. Well, for those listening, if you want to fall in love with golf again, I would start at Caledonia Golf and Fish Club or True Blue. We're sitting out here at Caledonia on the veranda looking at a view that is spectacular. The best view in Myrtle Beach golf. Quite incredible. Every time I come out here I am mesmerized.
That is why, speaking of love, you have so many weddings and engagements. There's a lot of love going on here at Caledonia. So if you want to fall in love with golf again you need to book your next round at Caledonia Golf and Fish Club. Also, the sister course, True Blue. Get in touch with Bob Seganti. Bob, let's tell our listeners if they want to come book, fall in love, do you have a fall in love with golf package available?
Well, yeah. Okay, stay and play packages. Book online. We're available everywhere, just like everybody else in this amazing Myrtle Beach golf marketplace. We truly are the golf capitol of the world. If you can't find what you're looking for in the game of golf or anything to do with golf here you're not going to be able to find it anywhere. Caledoniagolfandfishclub.com, truebluegolf.com, myrtlebeachtrips.com. Of course, Meredith, I love your instructional videos online.
If you don't follow Nate's social media stuff at Myrtle Beach Trips and on his own page you're missing out because he's an amazing photographer. Time spent with you all is always time well spent. I truly enjoy our friendship. I really enjoyed talking about this. I don't know if you can tell but I'm super excited about golf.
Yeah, I can see it. Your pupils are now hearts for golf. It's good to see you in love with golf again. It's like anything, sometimes you go through stages where you're not feeling the love, but the love is back. It's returned. A lot of people are experiencing that now, post-COVID. I like to happily say that all of that is behind us now. But yeah, a new love affair with golf, 2021, golf is growing and it feels good to be back out there. So I'm glad you're back out there, Bob, and again thanks for hosting us out here. It's always a joy to come out here.
We could seriously stay out here all day.
Yeah. I want to get some pictures, too, before we go. But for those listening, I hope you enjoyed this podcast. Thanks for tuning in. You can check out our other podcast available on our Gimme Golf Podcast. Don't miss out, we'll be back again next week. Thanks for listening.
Meredith is joined by Bob Seganti, PGA General Manager of Caledonia Golf & Fish Club and True Blue. Bob gives his perspective of how he like so many have fallen in love with playing golf again. Some great insight on how to spark a new love affair with the game!
Show Notes/Time Stamp
To: 40 Introduction
:41 The amazing view on the veranda at Caledonia
1:14 How Bob got into the golf business, first experience in Caledonia, background
4:39 Bob's philosophy on being a successful general manager—some great advice on advancement!
9:36 Why people get into the golf business—Love of the Game!
10:28 Playing golf becoming back burner when in the business
10:58 How Bob fell in love with golf again how was his game when he re-discovered golf
12:34 Expectations being a PGA golf professional, making time to play
14:57 Bob's new perspective on the game
16:06 Some great advice/perspective from his wife, Kick in the butt!
20:07 State of the game, getting better? Technology
22:40 Golf becoming a father and son experience
24:17 The effects of the last year on golf, growth of the sport
26:49 Does golf really take too long?
29:00 Golf industry professionals selling the positive aspects of golf, how it's changed
30:00 Meredith's experience over the past year, changes, social media "detoxing"
33:20 Thoughts on Phil Mickelson
34:14 Positivity, no time for negativity
35:12 New expectations, goals and "personal" par
37:35 Tips on how to fall in love with golf again
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Home > 2022 > June
Video Summarization Through The Extraction Of Keyframes Using Histogram Difference And K-Means Clustering (Ref. CS000117)
Engineersforum June 30, 2022 Library 0
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Engineersforum June 30, 2022 Uncategorized 0
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I can't tell you how long Kaye Wilkinson Barley and I have been online friends. We've never met, but I know that if we finally do, we'll meet with a hug. So, there's no FTC warning about this interview. I've appreciated Kaye's opinions on DorothyL. And, I love to see the pictures of her beloved corgi, Harley. He's the most photogenic dog I've ever seen. I've done a couple guest blogs at Meanderings and Muses, her blog. Now that Kaye is a published author, it's time to turn the tables, and ask her a few questions. When she self-published Whimsey, I was upset that my family couldn't read the book because they don't use e-readers. Now, Whimsey is available through traditional sources for those who want to read an actual paper book. So, thank you, Kaye, for the book, the interview, and your friendship.
Lesa - Kaye, for those readers who don't know you, tell us about yourself. Please tell us where you blog as well.
Kaye - Hmm - that's really not as easy to do as it sounds! Okay.
I ive in the North Carolina mountains with my husband Donald, and our corgi Harley.
I'm retired and I am loving it.
I'm not blogging as much as I once did, but my Meanderings and Muses - http://www.meanderingsandmuses.com/ - is still a spot for guests to come hang their hats once in a while, and a place for me to post photos (mine and Donald's) for the daily challenges in my photo group (which I dearly love!). I do still blog there, but it's on a very loose schedule, i.e., when the mood (or a rant) hits. I intend to get back into it though – it's not going to die. Not ever. It evolves, but it'll never die. There's a lot of my heart at Meanderings and Muses.
Right now, I'm concentrating more on my new webpage for Whimsey - http://www.kayewilkinsonbarley.com – I'm doing a little blogging there. Mostly in the way of promotion, but also I've posted a couple pieces I hope will be helpful to other writers considering self-publishing and all the promoting as a self-published author. What I really, REALLY, wish is that I could afford a professional webpage designer to do the Whimsey page. It deserves better than my mediocre efforts.
I'm trying to remember to post, both at the Whimsey site and at Meanderings and Muses, where I'll be blogging while I'm promoting Whimsey. A lot of my blogger friends have been great about letting me stop by. Seems a little strange though with me being the guest now instead of the host. I've hosted just about every mystery writer you can think of at Meanderings and Muses over the years – along with other bloggers, reviewers and readers, and I'm quite proud of that.
AND – I get to play with the very cool, very gracious, very talented Jungle Red Writers - http://www.jungleredwriters.com/ - on the first Sunday of each month.
Lesa - What made you decide to start writing, and what led to Whimsey?
Kaye - My very first forays into writing were in the form of blogs. I quickly fell in love with it. Having my own place to write about anything I wanted to write about was a lovely feeling. I had no idea if anyone would be interested, but I fell in love with narrative non-fiction. And I still love it.
I had two of these pieces published in regional anthologies, and I will be as proud of those anthologies as anything in my life for as long as I live. Editors Celia Miles and Nan Dillingham took a chance on me and published the first piece, and then invited me to submit to the second anthology. I was grateful, humbled and tickled pink to have those pieces accepted. There's a huge amount of talent gracing those pages.
That, along with some encouragement from Celia, from Earl Staggs and Judith Greber and some others, got me thinking about trying my hand at fiction. I decided I would like to write a book I would love to read – which is, I think, the perfect reason to write. I am proud beyond measure of the final result. I would not have been, however, without the guidance of Earl Staggs who spent two years coaching me, teaching me, guiding me and editing my words. He was always ready for an encouraging word, and also always ready to shake his head when necessary and say, "no, no, this just won't do." I'll be forever grateful. I adore Earl Staggs. And I adore Whimsey.
Lesa - Tell us about the book, Whimsey, please.
Kaye - WHIMSEY is a novel of southern fiction with a splash of magic and a touch of fantasy, topped with a sprinkling of humor.
The magic was already there when cigar-smoking matriarch Elizabeth Calhoun established an artist's colony on an island off the coast of Georgia and named it Whimsey.
Elizabeth's ghost still drops in from time to time to make sure things are going as she planned.
There's also a wicked pixie named Earlene who fancies tight-fitting designer clothes and Louboutin stilettos.
Elizabeth's grandniece, Emma Hamilton Foley, a once-promising jewelry designer who moved away from the island, now fears her talent has deserted her.
Along with her four best childhood friends, she has been invited to be a resident artist at Whimsey's new upscale gallery, Les étoiles. To join them, she'll need to regain her talent, face the demons from her past and her feelings about Eli Tatnall, whom she loved as a girl.
Will moving back to the Island of Whimsey bring the magic back?
Lesa- How much of you is in this story?
Kaye - I think there's a lot of me in the story, Lesa. But not as one particular character. I've had people ask if I'm Emma. I've had a couple people assume that I'm Madeline. And only one person asking if I might be Zoe. I think there's a little bit of me in each of The Wicked Women of Whimsey, and in Zoe and Zelda and Earleen. Even, I think, in Reese (but not much!).
Lesa - You self-published Whimsey. What surprised you about the publishing journey? Is there something you would do differently?
Kaye - What's surprised me most about the journey is who was there for me in support and who wasn't. I do not mean this as a criticism – there were reasons and they were valid reasons, but you know, I am the dumbest kid in town sometimes. I thought everyone would throw their arms wide open and cheer me on. I didn't particularly care if they liked Whimsey or not – although, of course, you hope your work is going to be universally loved – but I expected . . . support. There are still people who I have conversations with who have yet to even give voice to the fact that I've written a novel. It doesn't matter in the least if it sells one copy or however many – that fact is, I wrote a novel. I did it. It's not an easy thing to do, and it's something I'm proud of. Enormously proud. To have that accomplishment dismissed and diminished has been hurtful. Of course, there's the other side of that coin and those people who have supported me and cheered me on and have been there with advice when I've asked for it, and Lordy – blurbs from Margaret Maron and Hank Phillippi Ryan – how cool is that?! So, you focus on the good and move on from what's not so good, and that which might be hurtful. But if anything, it's taught me a very valuable lesson about not being too stingy with kind words – they mean more than people realize.
Kaye - Oh my. Now, Lesa, you know this is an almost impossible question! Writers are my rock stars – I love 'em! And I respect them. Every writer who has written something that has touched me, moved me to tears or laughter, or to think about a subject I might not have otherwise, has been an inspiration. Some are no longer with us. But the writers writing right now are many, and too many to name and be fair – and they range across all genres.
I'm going to grab one name – only one – and you will know why as soon as you see it. Sarah Addison Allen. I can't say enough about how much I love her work. When I read her books I am just transported to a world of magical realism that is just so lovely, so magical, but so – to me – believable, because I believe in the kind of magic she writes about so perfectly. When you, in your review of Whimsey, compared my work to hers, along with Ellery Adams (wow!!!), you had no way of knowing that you had paid me the biggest compliment you could ever pay me. Another reader made the same comparison and really, that comparison is all I need to help me believe I've done something lovely.
Lesa - What are you writing now?
Kaye - I'm trying my hardest to write the second Whimsey novel. As you know, there are five Wicked Women of Whimsey. Book #1 focused on Emma. Book #2 is going to, I think, focus on Olivia. I've written the opening scene (a dozen times), but can't seem to move forward because I'm spending a lot of time right now trying to get Whimsey: A Novel out there. I'm happy to say it's now being picked up by some bookstores and that is such great news! Yay!!!
If anyone out there who has read and enjoyed Whimsey would like to ask their local booksellers and libraries to consider ordering it I will be eternally grateful.
Lesa - And, the question I ask every author. Do you have a story about libraries?
Kaye - Oh, I do. You know me well (even though we've never met face to face – can you believe that??), so you know the home of my heart is where I grew up – Cambridge, MD. Cambridge had the most wonderful library. Perfect! It has a newer library now, but thank goodness, the old one still stands and is being used as county offices. Anyway (I ramble!). As I wrote at Jungle Red a while back, it also remains the quintessential library in my mind. When I walk into the brightly lit libraries of today they still surprise me a tad. And if I hear people talking loudly I'm surprised when no one behind the front desk says "Shhh." I'm an old fogey in this regard, I'm afraid, and miss the library of my youth. An old brick building with gothic arched windows, and worn wooden floors, tall dark oak book cases, corner nooks and crannies, and massive oak tables and chairs. I remember many an afternoon spent wandering aimlessly in this quiet place and browsing the shelves. There may have been books on those shelves I never got around to reading, but it's doubtful there were many I didn't at least touch. And now, my Whimsey is there. I love that .
Lesa - Where is Whimsey available?
Kaye - Right now Whimsey is available at Appalachian State University's Bookstore in Boone, NC, Black Bear Books in Boone, Mystery Loves Company in Oxford, MD, Laurel Bookstore in Oakland, CA and Quarter Moon Books at Topsail Island, NC. And at ArtWalk and Higher Ground Coffee Shop in Boone, NC, along with the Watauga County Library in Boone and the Dorchester County Library in Cambridge, MD. It's under consideration at a few other places I know of, and hopefully at a few I don't even know about. (If anyone spots it, please let me know!).
I joined SIBA and have sent all 250 bookseller members a sell sheet – some of that is beginning to look like it might happen (see what I mean about being busy doing promotion?). Cross your fingers!!
It's also available in Kindle form, and at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Lesa - Kaye, thank you for taking time to answer questions. I know that's a change for you, but now that you have a book out in the world, you better get used to it!
Kaye Wilkinson Barley blogs at http://www.meanderingsandmuses.com.
Whimsey by Kaye Wilkinson Barley. 2013.
Lesa, it IS a change! But, you ask great questions and it's always fun to spend some time with you.
Barb, HEY! Thanks for stopping by. I'll see you at Malice!
I don't know how many comments you'll get today, but just wanted to let you know people are reading it.
Hugs to you, Donald, and, definitely, Harley!
People do not seem to leave comments too much anywhere much any more, I don' think. I keep an eye on my blog when I have guests and while there are not many comments, there are plenty of hits - and that's what counts. But thank you for letting me know!
What a delightful interview between two of my favorite online friends! Kaye, we met ever-so-briefly at Malice last year. Congratulations on Whimsey -- and yes, your sweet Harley is such a picturesque little dog!
Leslie, I remember and I look forward to seeing you again this year. For a little longer visit this time! and thank you for the kind words.
Just want to say Hi! Read your interview.
Lesa, thanks for hosting Kaye.
Kaye, congratulations again on publishing this charming book. Wishing you much success and looking forward to many more books to come from you.
Thanks for stopping by to read the interview with Kaye!
Hi, Betty - Thanks so much for stopping by.
Mason, Hi! Thank you so much.
And, Lesa, Thanks again for having me - SMOOCHES!
I'm coming in late as usual, but just wanted to say I found this post very interesting and inspiring - I will look out for this book, and also for your blog, Kaye.
Good luck with your next work!


The Pro Team Lightweight Gilet is a thin outer layer that can be worn all year round. Extremely lightweight, it can pack down to be stored in a jersey pocket until a cold descent or as the sun drops.
Upgraded for 2017 and made of a new fabric which offers greater stretch for an improved fit. More reflective elements have been included on the gilet this year: down the side seam on either side, on the seams of the shoulders and a logo on the back rear of the gilet. The two-way VISLON® zip, allowing you to unzip from the bottom for easy access to your jersey pockets, is also improved. As with all Pro Team products, everything about this cycling gilet is designed with performance and comfort in mind: a mesh fabric on the inner collar and perforated holes on the neck help you avoid overheating and the directly applied silicon on the front hem helps keep the gilet in place during hard rides.
Whether worn during warm-ups, early morning starts, or as a last resort backup if the weather suddenly changes, the Pro Team Lightweight Gilet has your back.
Rated 5 out of 5 by David Wren from The perfect packable piece! A fantastic gilet that works exactly as you'd hope. I keep this in my back pocket all summer for those slightly chillier starts and longer descents and in the autumn and spring over a warmer jersey. It also does an alright job of keeping light rain and road spray from getting through, what more could you want?! The stretchy venting on the back allows for as much food as your jersey pockets can carry and prevents over heating. Reflective details and double ended zip for pocket access are a nice touch too. Good work, Rapha. The fit, like the rest of the pro range, is snug and aero but the stretchy back panel stops it feeling claustrophobic.
Rated 5 out of 5 by bigringrider from You've done it!!! AS a long time Rapha fan I'd been waiting for a PT gilet for ages but the first version was poor with the dodgy double zip and in my normal small PT size (I'm 171cm and 63kg with a skinny torso) it was way too tight. So back it went, but when this new version was released I thought I'd give it a shot - man I'm so glad I did. It's PERFECT!!! The new double zip is faultless, the new fabric is amazing (stretchy as described) and it fits like a glove. I've marked it as running slightly larger but that's larger than the previous v1.0 gilet. One other feature that I love is the semi perforated PT 'bars' on the lower left of the front that shows through your jersey colour - it's those wee touches that nail it. I've now bought a second one to store away. Well done Rapha.
Rated 2 out of 5 by Le Trick from Disappointed. The gilet is the right size for me and fits ok but there is a lot of flapping from the upper rear section at any reasonable speed which seems to be due to the arm holes being to big. I have the brevit gilet and other gilets with no such problems.
Rated 4 out of 5 by Carbo from Lightweight and looks great but flaps a bit Had this a few weeks and used it on several rides, was great on a chilly(ish) early morning Highland Sportive especially as I could open it up from the bottom of the zip for very easy access to gels etc. Great usual pro fit (I am 5ft 11, thin and got the Medium). Only downside that I have found that it flaps in the wind on the shoulders. It has been windy the past 3 rides I have used it on but it's becoming a bit annoying - pity would have been perfect apart from that.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Alexander Mack from No flapping here I love this gilet. Last version was good but this one is even better. I am experiencing no flapping as described by other users, I suspect they need to size down so that the gilet fits properly (don't size up on pro team or you will get issues like this). This and the previous version breathe very well (i run seriously hot) and are impressively wind proof considering the absolutely TINY pack size. The double zip is genuinely really good and a big improvement for me. This looks very plain in the photos but the detailling is incredible, Rapha have nailed it in this regard this season, great stuff.
Rated 2 out of 5 by Pylsa from Great quality, but too noisy Everything is great until you use it in high speed or in windy conditions. The noise is deafening, a clear design fault not usually associated with Rapha products.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Kirk from Lightweight and Perfect Fot Look no further than this gilet for to shake off an early spring morning chill. The fit is spot on as expect from the pro line and the quality is second to none. Don't hesitate to buy this, it will become a staple piece in any cycling wardrobe.
Hi, i wear XS for pro team lightweight and S size for proteam aero jersey, so, which size fit me well?
Hi, we would suggest to try the Small and should you need to exchange or refund, we have a 90 days return period for new/unused garments with tags and in saleable condition.
Hi Im looking for a light packable gilet for early day rides, with possibility to pack down into pocket. Im 176cm, 80kg with 105cm chest. I want a tight fit, but shoulders is often a problem. Would you recommend Pro Team in L or Classic 2 Gillet in M?
Because fit is not just dependent on height and weight but mostly on each body shape and customer's personal preference to how customer's prefer garments to fit, it is hard for us to be exact in sizing advice. In this case it may be that you need to try on both and make a decision prior to wearing out on the bike. If the shoulders feel loose then you may have a bit of flapping when riding at speed. Should you need to exchange or refund, we have a 90 days return period for new/unused garments with tags and in saleable condition.
Hi, i wear size XS for pro team lightweight and S for pro team aero jersey, so which size should i go for this lightweight gilet?
Hi, this has a full stretch back, we suggest that preference in fit will be down to personal preference and also whether a rider tends to stuff their jersey's back pockets a lot or not. Should you need to exchange or refund, we have a 90 days return period for new/unused garments with tags and in saleable condition.
Hi,I am a large in the classic jersey would a large fit me in this gilet?
Hi, this gilet does have a stretchy back but our Pro Team range is a race fit and therefore more streamlined in fit. If you prefer a looser fit then we suggest you size up, if you prefer a fitted fit then do purchase it large. Should you need to exchange or refund, we have a 90 days return period for new/unused garments with tags and in saleable condition.
Hi, I use M in Brevet jersey. I tested the Brevet Gilet and L was definitly better fit than M. So should I go for M or L on this Gilet?
Hi, after carefully reading your question we suggest you do try this in a Large and should you need to exchange or refund, we have a 90 days return period for new/unused garments with tags and in saleable condition.
Do any of the vests or Gilets have a zipper to access your Jersey pockets or pockets to store items ?
I am M in Core jersey and L in Pro team Aero longsleev jersey. Medium or Large in this?
Hi, the Pro Team Lightweight Gilet is thin, lightweight, easy to pack and store in a jersey pocket and has a full mesh back for exertion. The Classic Gilet II is similar but it is also more resistant to Wind and water and it only has one mesh stripe down the back, so technically a bit warmer.
Thank you for your request. We'll contact you when your Pro Team Lightweight Gilet is available.


Counseling Solvang, CA: Caring and Competent. Find the right therapist near you.
Counseling in Solvang, CA. Find the Right Therapist.
Safe, effective, and caring. Affordable therapists near you in Solvang, California will help you make the changes you want.
In 93463 - Nearby to Solvang.
You Have Found The Best Therapists in Solvang, CA. Let's Get Started and Change Your Life.
Welcome to our California listing of values-centered therapists in Solvang CA. Counseling in California with Theravive aims to be real and effective, going deep to resolve issues, heal broken relationships, and give you the right tools to move forward in a healthy and free way. Contact forms are "open" 24/7 it's free and easy to reach out, so select a Solvang therapist above and start your new journey today.
Solvang is located in Santa Barbara County, California. It has a land area of 2.42 square miles and a water area of 0.00 square miles. The population of Solvang is 5,741 people with 2,426 households and a median annual income of $67,484. .
Therapists in Solvang are often within budget with some potential challenges for longer term commitments. Your mental health and well being are a top priority. If accessibility is a concern, ask your counselor about sliding scale fees or inquire about accepted insurance plans. Low cost counseling and affordable therapy are also sometimes offered by listed city and university level clinics, check with your local Solvang public health department.


The ideal road – what should it be like?
For years now Horst Erdlen, Head of the Business Unit Road Construction at J. Rettenmaier & Söhne in Rosenberg/Germany, has devoted himself to improving our roads – with success! The fiber pellets and additives produced by JRS not only have a positive impact on the characteristics of asphalt roads but are also environment-friendly and make travelling by car safe and comfortable.


text:
Maurice Delanne, né le  à Diors dans l'Indre et mort le  à Nogent-le-Rotrou en Eure-et-Loir, est un ingénieur aéronautique français. Il est célèbre pour ses projets d'avions non conventionnels, reposant sur la formule des ailes en tandem.

Biographie

Notes et références

Bibliographie
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .
 .

Naissance en janvier 1901
Naissance dans l'Indre
Ingénieur français
Ingénieur aéronautique
Ingénieur aéronautique français
Pionnier de l'aviation
Résistant français
Déporté résistant
Décès en septembre 1979
Décès à 78 ans
Décès à Nogent-le-Rotrou

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Home Football Who gets in your combined Chelsea-Man Utd team?
Chelsea host Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday lunchtime as the Premier League returns following the international break.
Can United boss Jose Mourinho build on the morale-boosting comeback win over Newcastle at the club he previously managed over two successful spells?
The Blues are undefeated in the league under new boss Maurizio Sarri and Saturday's game gives them a chance to step ahead of Manchester City and Liverpool and claim the outright lead at the top of the table.
There will be a whole host of talent on show, but who would make your combined Chelsea-Manchester United XI?


text:
Agent Palmer
Of all things Geek. I am…
Proxycast
22 Coffee Scenes from the Big Screen
In: Big Screen, Media
Though presuming isn't the best thing to do, I still have a presumption that coffee makes its way into film because the writing process and production of movies is fueled by the mystical murky beverage.
Therefore, I have compiled a list of some of the more memorable scenes in cinematic history featuring coffee, so brew a pot and enjoy.
The IPCRESS File (1965)
To start, I must include the opening scene of The IPCRESS File, which is comprised of Harry Palmer (Michael Caine) waking up, opening the curtains, and brewing some coffee. It's how I imagine most spies that aren't named James Bond start their days. Bond, of course, probably has some beautiful woman serve it to him in bed. It's a short scene, but from it we can see Palmer is self-sufficient. I think we all originally come from Palmer stock as, for the most part, most of us have to make our own coffee.
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
Another classic on the list is also from another movie opening. The elegant Audrey Hepburn, dressed to the nines with thick sunglasses, is drinking her coffee and eating a pastry outside of Tiffany's in New York on a very desolate street as she is window shopping as "Moon River" plays before the film gets going. The beauty of this scene, short as it may be, is something we've all shared at some point. Maybe it's not a quiet moment alone window shopping, but we can all relate to the simplicity of watching the sunrise solo with a hot cup of java on a Sunday morning…
"This drink… I like it. ANOTHER!" Perhaps this is how we all think when we have our first cup of coffee. Clearly Thor is from another world, but it is his first cup of joe… ever! I can't remember exactly when I had my first cup, but if it was my custom to smash the cup in a celebratory manner as was Thor's, I'm sure I would have done so.
Role Models (2008)
"Large black coffee…" "No, venti is twenty. Large is large. In fact, tall is large and grande is Spanish for large. Venti is the only one that doesn't mean large. It's also the only one that's Italian. Congratulations, you're stupid in three languages." There is something special about Starbucks, but I am not one of those people who get's it and Danny (Paul Rudd) is speaking to me and through me in that moment. At least someone else is good at making my arguments for me.
We've all been there. We've all be asked to do the impossible – though it isn't always as clear as being asked to fit a square peg in a round hole – in order to save three lives. But given the impossible tasks we are sometimes required to complete, no matter the time of day, just as it is in this scene with NASA's best and brightest, I too would require coffee.
Coffee & Cigarettes (2003)
There are days where there never seems to be enough coffee. When a cup seems like too small a serving. When the caffeine intake required is so great that the only option seems to be drinking from the pot. And in two movies a decade apart from each other, Bill Murray, being his phenomenally talented self, did just that. During Groundhog Day it's because he "doesn't have to worry about anything," while during Coffee & Cigarettes he has a heart-to-heart about "delirium" with GZA and RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan.
Everyone knows Jimmie. At some point, there's always someone who's drinking gourmet coffee, and that's all they drink. But don't tell Jimmie his coffee is good, especially when he's got something else on his mind. To quote Jimmie, "I don't need you to tell me how fucking good my coffee is, okay? I'm the one who buys it. I know how good it is. When Bonnie goes shopping she buys SHIT. I buy the gourmet expensive stuff because when I drink it I want to taste it. But you know what's on my mind right now? It AIN'T the coffee in my kitchen…"
"You call this coffee?" "I call this America."
Jean Reno as Philippe Roaché, has a problem with "American" coffee throughout the film. But that doesn't stop him from drinking it, albeit with "more cream." Just like Jimmie from Pulp Fiction, taste in coffee differs from person to person. Some people can drink any coffee you put in front of them while others would prefer to enjoy it. It truly is all a matter of taste.
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
"Coffee's for closers only…" I don't entirely agree with the premise because, like most people, before I'm able to close or finish anything, I start with a cup of coffee. For me it's not a reward, it is a critical part of the journey. But if you're talking about coffee in film, there is no way you can leave out this scene.
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Mr. Pink doesn't tip. And while he's entitled to his opinion, he's failing in his argument with history. Tipping was started in coffee houses, but the punchline from Nice Guy Eddie truly makes this scene.
Mr. Pink: Look, I ordered coffee. Now we've been here a long fucking time and she's only filled my cup three times. When I order coffee, I want it filled six times.
Mr. Blonde: Six times. Well, what if she's too fucking busy?
Mr. Pink: The words "too fucking busy" shouldn't be in a waitress's vocabulary.
Nice Guy Eddie: Excuse me, Mr. Pink, but I think the last fucking thing you need is another cup of coffee.
Airplane (1980)
Airplane 2 (1982)
The writers of Airplane and Airplane 2, enjoy a punchline, but they have two funny scenes with coffee as the punchline. In the original, it's the famous, "I take it black" scene, and in the sequel it's the passengers being fine with danger just so long as they aren't "out of coffee." Both have become classics and require inclusion on this list.
History of Violence (2005)
Anything can be a weapon in the right hands, but aside from, "Ouch, that burns," and, "Hey, great shot," he's wasting coffee! That's not something I take kindly to, but given the circumstances, I'll allow it. That is no way to treat a lady!
Mulholland Dr. (2001)
While this scene may seem a bit far fetched, I can tell you that a bad cup of coffee can make all the difference for your morning, your day, or even just one meeting. Coffee drinkers the world over, whether it be espresso, cappuccino, or just a regular cup of joe, can agree with this.
Sudden Impact (1983)
The lesson here is simple: It pays to be a regular.
Harry Callahan: Every day for the past ten years, Loretta there's been giving me a large black coffee, today she gives me a large black coffee only it has sugar in it, a lotta sugar. I just came back to complain. Now, you boys put those guns down.
This is a nightmare of epic proportions for coffee drinkers. You don't mess with someone's coffee!
We can't all have a Kato, and that's why we go out for coffee. But secretly, or not so secretly, we all want our own Kato! (Probably not just for the coffee either!)
It's impossible not to relate to the end of this clip. Sure, Walter makes a scene, and The Dude walks out, but he's going to finish his coffee… We all just want to stay and finish our coffee.
Everyone's first cup of coffee tastes different, but the result is relatively the same.
Moscow on the Hudson (1984)
Welcome to America my friend! "Taster's Choice…decaffeinated…Maxwell House, El Pico…Chock Full O'Nuts, espresso…cappuccino, Café Français…Sanka, Folger's…Café Caribe. Coffee. Coffee! Coffee!"
Open Season (2006)
We all know people like Elliot that hate the taste but still love the coffee. However, I always think to myself, "How can you not like the taste? It's wonderful!"
Did I miss any of your favorites? Let me know!
Tagged: coffee, list
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Club 55 is our inner circle of favorite patrons. In order to join all you need to do is make a donation of $55 to help Space 55 continue offering innovative theater productions and creating opportunities for local writers and performers. As the newest member, your name will be added to the top of our Wall of Fame inside the Space 55 lobby. If that's not cool enough, you will also get PRIORITY SEATING at all Space 55 shows! That's right, when the house opens, YOU get to enter BEFORE all those non-Club 55 yahoos. Plus you'll receive information about special discounts available only to Club 55 Members! Join today!
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text:
Arlesey bowel cancer sufferer wins national awards for charity work
Oliver Pritchard
Published: 1:55 PM May 25, 2014
Left to right lord mayor of London Fiona Woolf, Gail Allen, and Sir Christopher Pitchers Chairman of the charity Beating Bowel Cancer credit: Beating Bowel Cancer - Credit: Archant
A bowel cancer sufferer has won a national award for her charity work.
Gail Allen, who lives in Arlesey, has received an Achievement Award from charity Beating Bowel Cancer for raising awareness about the disease.
The 54-year-old was diagnosed with cancer last year and has since become a dedicated member of the charity, devoting a lot of time to helping fellow sufferers and sharing her story.
Her activities include taking part in a fundraising dragon boat race, sharing her experience of the disease through the media, attending a reception at the House of Commons in Westminster and supporting other patients through social media.
Mrs Allen recieved her award from Lord Mayor of London Fiona Woolf, during an awards ceremony at the capital's Royal College of Surgeons.
Speaking afterwards, she said: "I'm thrilled to have received this award from Beating Bowel Cancer. It's vital that more people are aware of the symptoms and I want to do all I can to spread the word."
Mrs Allen first noticed something was wrong at the beginning of 2012 when she was experiencing lower abdominal pains. Later that year she was diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer which had spread to her liver and lungs.
7 Cancer nurse's warning over drop in cervical screening
10 Joy for residents as appeal for four-storey apartment block dismissed
Despite her diagnosis, she said: "I try and keep as active as possible and enjoy helping to support Beating Bowel Cancer with their work.
"I really want to shout from the rooftops to get everyone talking about the disease."
Mark Flannagan, chief executive of Beating Bowel Cancer, said: 'Gail's contribution to the charity is incredible and we wanted to say thank you to her for all her fantastic work. Gail's story is one of determination and we are so grateful for her support."
Almost 41,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year in the UK, although more than 90% of cases can be treated successfully if caught in the early stages.
Beating Bowel Cancer advises people to go to their GP if they have any of the following symptoms for three weeks or more: a change in bowel habit, bleeding from the bottom or blood in your bowel motions, pain or a lump in your abdomen, unexplained tiredness, dizziness or breathlessness or unexplained weight loss.
For more information about the charity visit www.beatingbowelcancer.org


You will be well boiled and cooked when listening to that. A cannibal feast is introduced with "Angewandte Muziek" where dry and fierce percussion accompanies the track. Crowd exclamations and synth drum wildfires leave no doubt that you have been stranded on a remote island somewhere in the Southern hemisphere – Planet of Drums and Raoul K would send greetings. "On Stages" is based on a spiralling bassline and jack elements. With shouts and whistles it creates an impression of live performace – that explains the title as well.
On the flip, "Makeshift" runs on a wooden xylophone groove and softer percussion but lacks the excitement of other tracks. For the end you will be rewarded with ample drums: "Primitive, Persuasive, Provocative Percussion" is really a fat rhythm monster and soundtrack for tribal rites.
The Durian Brothers and now Harmonious Thelonious have made Diskant a great launch and it's definitely a label to watch out for. Not an ordinary club fare that expands the horizons.


text:
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import { Slide } from '../../common/model/Slide';
import { SafeHtml, DomSanitizer } from '@angular/platform-browser';

@Component({
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    template: require('./markdownSlide.pug'),
    styles: [ require('./markdownSlide.scss').toString(),
              require('prismjs/themes/prism.css').toString() ]
})
export class MarkdownSlideComponent implements OnChanges {

    @Input() public slide: Slide;
    public content: SafeHtml;

    constructor(@Inject(DomSanitizer) private domSanitizer: DomSanitizer,
                @Inject(MarkdownService) private markdownService: MarkdownService) {

    }

    ngOnChanges(changes: SimpleChanges) {
        let slideChange = changes[ 'slide' ];
        if (slideChange) {
            if (slideChange.currentValue) {
                let fileContent = require(`!!raw!content/${slideChange.currentValue.contentFile}`);
                let markdownContent = this.markdownService.parse(fileContent);
                this.content = this.domSanitizer.bypassSecurityTrustHtml(markdownContent);
            } else {
                this.content = null;
            }
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The Ripley Miller MSAT Mid-Span Access Tool can quickly and easily access fibers in 2, 2.5 and 3mm buffer tubes in a mid-span location without fiber damage. The tool design incorporates buffer tube size gages on the tool body for ease of selecting proper tube splitting channel. All blades are precisely factory mounted in tube slitting channels with no adjustment required by the installer.mounted in tube slitting channels with no adjustment required by the installer.
The Ripley Miller MSAT Mid-Span Access Tool can quickly and easily access fibers in 1.3 mm, 1.4 mm, 1.5 mm, 1.6 mm, 1.7 mm buffer tubes in a mid-span location without fiber damage. The tool design incorporates buffer tube size gages on the tool body for ease of selecting proper tube splitting channel. All blades are precisely factory mounted in tube slitting channels with no adjustment required by the installer.mounted in tube slitting channels with no adjustment required by the installer.


text:
Controversial Sex Story Could Actually Be Good For Yeshiva University
Anna North
An anonymous story in the Yeshiva University Beacon has caused a scandal with its depiction of a premarital sexual encounter. The piece was so controversial that it's led to the resignation of an editor and a schism between the newspaper and the university.
By secular standards, "How Do I Even Begin To Explain This" is pretty tame. It tells the story of a young Orthodox man and woman who are not married, and who meet in a hotel room to drink beer and have sex. Here's how the author describes the sex itself:
My partner in crime improvises with the room key as a bottle opener and we gorge ourselves on Stella Artois and cable television. In between swigs, I glance over at him; my cheeks are flushed and my head feels lighter with every drop. Making him think I'm farther gone than I actually am helps me shut off my conscience when I kiss him hard on the mouth. That little pest of a conscience is screaming again when he starts taking off my dress, so I shut her up with a last gulp of beer.
As soon as my bra hits the floor, the voice is gone.
Between the fumbling, the pain, the pleasure, I convince myself that I've learned how to make love.
It's not very explicit, but the reaction to the piece at Yeshiva University was "very negative," according to Dena Shayne, the student council president of the university's women's college. One student told the Wall Street Journal that the story "contribute[d] to a sense of a moral degradation," and that if it had been written "in either a theoretical way or a less graphic way, it would definitely be much more acceptable." Shayne says that the negative feedback from students convinced her she had no choice but to withdraw the funding the college provided to the paper (it was only $500). Beacon co-editor Toviah Moldwin has also announced his resignation. He writes,
I have experienced a great deal of internal conflict about the many editorial dilemmas with which I am confronted on a regular basis as an editor of a publication of this nature, especially when I see both sides of an issue, and recent events have amplified these difficulties significantly. The publicity surrounding this incident was a result I neither desired nor anticipated, and I fear that some of this publicity may have put YU in a negative light. I have thus become uncomfortable remaining at the forefront of The Beacon, though I still firmly believe in The Beacon's mission of promoting dialogue within the university community.
He also notes that the paper has "decided to part ways from the university" — a message on the Beacon's homepage confirms that "In light of recent developments, YU and The Beacon have agreed to separate. Over the next few days, we will update the site to reflect these changes. The Beacon will continue to publish as always." Yesterday, editor-in-chief Siri Lampert issued an explanation of the paper's decision to publish "How Do I Even Begin." It reads, in part,
This article does talk about sex. Yes, sex. And the premarital kind, too. Yes, this is assur (a sin according to Jewish law). No, we don't encourage or promote the act of premarital sex. However, it happens. It happens in our community, and we as a community prefer to pretend it doesn't happen. This much can be ascertained by the amount of comments objecting to a public discussion of a Stern woman having sex. The only way we can address the issue in any way — to fix it, to make sure it doesn't happen, to make sure if it does happen, protection is involved, etc — is to talk about it. That is why we posted the article — so people would talk about it. And talk they did.
Indeed, a number of commenters on the original article write that they appreciate the chance to talk about issues surrounding premarital sex. Scott Kalmikoff notes that observant Jews who feel guilty about premarital sex may also feel very alone:
So many people [...] feel like they have no one to turn to in a time of need. Could we really turn to our Rabbis, our "friends", or parents if we had this problem? The hurtful and nasty comments that people are posting are part of the reason that people feel like they can't reach out to anyone.
At the end of "How Do I Even Begin," the narrator tries to confide in her cousin about her recent assignation. Her cousin says only, "now you have to learn from it." The piece concludes with the line, "The only thing I learn is how to do the walk of shame the day after." The narrator seems like she could have benefited from the opportunity to talk openly and honestly to someone about her sexual experience, even if she decided not to repeat it. Hopefully the publication of the story will give more Yeshiva University students that chance.
I asked Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, author of The Passionate Torah: Sex and Judaism for her thoughts on the controversy. She wrote,
Passionate Torah, The: Sex and Judaism
It's pretty unusual for the issue of premarital sex to be discussed in an Orthodox publication. There are certainly people (and I have only anecdotal information on this, no statistics) in the Orthodox world who engage in premarital sex, but it's a complicated, loaded issue. The ideal of a woman coming to the chuppah (wedding canopy) a virgin is still held very much as the ideal in a lot of circles. And yet, the tefillin date (in which the male brings his tefillin—phylacteries—on the date so that he can pray with them in the morning, after he stays over) is no myth. I think the Orthodox establishment is afraid to discuss premarital sex openly, lest even having the conversation be understood as condoning it. [...]
I think this current scandal could be a great opportunity for the Orthodox world to take on something that's generally been cast as somewhat taboo, to talk about how they think about the ideal, what people really do, what factors merit discussion (for example, should the fact that people are getting married later and later, and thus have more single years after puberty factor into the conversation?) and what 21st century religious Jewish sexual ethics should look like. I'm not Orthodox; I can't tell the community what it should or shouldn't ultimately think or decide, but I do think that there are possibilities inherent in this conversation, and that it's a great opportunity for a frank discussion.
Essay Sparks Campus Uproar [WSJ, via NY Mag]
How Do I Even Begin To Explain This [YU Beacon]