The YotaPhone 3 is the 3rd-generation dual-screen smartphone. The YP3 features a 5.2" E Ink display on the back and a 5.5" FHD AMOLED as the main display. Other features include a Snapdragon 625 CPU, 4GB of RAM, 64/128 GB of storage and a 13MP camera.
YotaPhone will start accepting pre-orders in early September 2017, with the 64GB priced at around $350.


Here's what's going on in the waters of South Florida at the end of November, beginning of December 2018. In these reports our guides address the most current state of their specific fisheries and make short-term predictions based on their own historical experiences. Remember that there are many variables that can affect the fishing from day to day, so use these reports as a general outline to help you prepare for your next trip.
From what we're seeing it looks like we're going to have another incredible winter and spring in the Glades. Up in the north end of Whitewater Bay we are getting into hordes of small snook (10-20″), and baby tarpon. Just like last winter we're attributing the numbers of fish to great spawns a few years ago.
Out on the gulf along the capes and points we are seeing a lot of small redfish. This is very inspiring. The fish themselves are small, but we haven't seen numbers of redfish like this here in a very long time. One theory is that they've moved down to evacuate the mess on the west coast and there's enough food to sustain them here.
Before this cold front we had a few days where the big tarpon made there way inside. Streaks of warming weather in-between cold fronts leads to incredible big tarpon fishing this time of year.
The skipjacks are here. We've been getting them as they migrate following the food.
The dolphin have been on and off. We found some good ones last week hanging around debris. If you're out looking for the tunas is worthwhile to check any debris you come across.
This is a great time to get tight along the beaches. The jacks, bluefish, ladyfish and spanish mackerel are plentiful as they move south looking for warmer water.
The lake has been pretty solid with peacocks, sunshines and largemouths. The colder it gets the better for the sunshine bass. A little chill also gets the peacocks all antsy, a few warming days after a front can get the peas extremely fired up.
Snook fishing by the bridges continues to be hot. Docklight fishing this time of year can be pretty good as those lights act as warming stations.
This entry was posted in Everglades Fishing Reports, Fishing Report, Fly Fishing, Lake Ida & Palm Beach Inshore Reports, Palm Beach Fishing Reports. Bookmark the permalink.


It was quite a day! I did a lot of stuff around the house, including washing General in the bathtub, and now my lower back is getting its revenge.
I didn't want to give General a bath in the bath tub. At home I either had the vet wash him or I took him to one of those do-it-yourself places so the mess was never in my house. General sheds A LOT and with me being pregnant trying to wash him wasn't high on my list. BUT, he needed it and I still haven't found a good place here so it had to be done.
Our house here is 4 stories total (basement, ground, and 2 levels above). Our only tub is on the 2nd floor. General is scared of stairs period, but ours are made of wood planks and are the kind you can see through. He doesn't even recognize them as steps. So he stays on the 1st floor, which is ok. There's plenty of room down there and it confines the hair, which I like.
Jason had to carry him up to the second floor today though. It looked like he was carrying a baby calf! When we got up there General was completely freaked out, like he was on roller skates. I don't know what his deal was - maybe he was still confused about how he got up there and where he was - this magical place above the floating wood planks? It was a little funny but I also felt bad for him. He would have preferred not to have a bath as well.
A couple hours later though (I had to completely dry him too with my hair dryer so it took forever - spoiled dog!) he smelled like oatmeal, happily back on the ground floor and my bathroom was back in one piece and hair free.
On another note, we went back to what is quickly becoming our favorite little bar in Wiesbaden - the Belgian beer bar called La Petit Belge. When we went to Belgium I was told about how I needed to try Speculoos. I didn't see any while we were there and therefore didn't try any, but continued to hear people rave about it.
Well they had some for sale last night and its awesome. It tastes like gingerbread cookies ground up in a peanut butter like paste. Its better than Nutella in my opinion, but I'm partial to anything gingerbread.
Last, we have had three friends this week give birth to three beautiful healthy babies and I'm just so happy for them all and thankful that everything went well for each. Each one of these friends has their own unique path they had to weather in order to get to this day and I couldn't be happier for them.
Welcome to the world Paul, Colette, & Audrey! Can't wait to meet you in person!
Jason and I have a little tradition of celebrating our anniversary on the beach. Our anniversary is right before Thanksgiving. Four years ago we celebrated on our honeymoon in Mexico, Three years ago we celebrated on the cliffs of Santorini, and next week we'll be doing it for a third time. I can call it a tradition if we've done it three times, right? We'll be toasting from this view in the Canary Islands next week.
The 10 year old inside of me wants to pack my bags tonight out of excitement!
We did a quick trip to Brussels last weekend. I had a swim meet that I was coaching there and Jason drove up with me and spent the night. We only spent one evening in the city, but really want to go back.
We stopped at the Delerium Cafe, saw the Grand Place (above), and bought some Belgian chocolate.
Next time it'd be nice to take the train there so we didn't have the stress of driving. Its about a 4 hour trip from us.


text:
The Times Union: Rick Bedrosian
Posted by Rick Bedrosian
By Michael Eck
Special to the Times Union, Albany, NY
Elsmere's Rick Bedrosian likes the simple things in life — good music, good movies, good beer. He's smartly managed to turn most of those pleasures into employment.
"I've basically taken everything I enjoy doing — except, at this point, for drinking — and turned it into work," he says.
Bedrosian is best known in the area as the founding bassist of Hair of the Dog, the popular Irish band that has been packing houses around the Capital Region and beyond for 15 years. But his musical resume stretches back even further, with stints in Capital Region favorites like Silver Chicken, Square One, The McKrells and the Fabulous Newports along with a chunk of the '80s spent in Nashville.
More recently, Bedrosian has been reviewing films online under the banner of Rick's Picks; and in November, he'll lead the ultimate Beatle fans journey, a Magical Mystery Tour for fellow fans through Beatles hotspots in London.
Q: You play Irish music; do you like Irish music?
A: Yeah, I really do. There are so many different kinds of it. One person's Irish music is different than another's, depending on their opinion. But I really do like it. And I like our band now more than I ever have before, because I've always been a rock guy. I like bluegrass and folk, too, but now that we have drums and electric guitar in the band, it's more of a rock band than it ever was. So for me, it's way more fun. Playing rock electric bass is a lot more fun than playing bluegrass bass.
Q: You've played bass since middle school, what turned you on to music?
A: It almost sounds like a cliché, and it does date me, but like millions of other Americans I had heard about this band from England that was really huge over there and exciting and different, called The Beatles. I sat around the TV with my parents and my brother and we watched them on the "Ed Sullivan Show," and I just thought, well that looks like a lot of fun.
To me, it was like four guys from outer space. I was very young at the time, so I didn't start playing right away, but eventually in seventh grade, my father bought me my first electric bass. It was a Vox Panther. At the old Westgate Plaza, they had Westgate Piano & Organ and they were a Vox dealership. He made me promise I'd go to Sunday school every Sunday if he brought me an electric bass.
I knew if I played bass I would be necessary; I would be needed. I didn't know how thankless a task it would be for the rest of my career, which is kind of why I've become a bit of an overachiever. As Cheese Blotto used to say, nobody notices the bass until you stop playing.
Q: A Beatles fan, eh? Is that what prompted this upcoming trip to England?
A: This is something I've always wanted to do, this Magical Mystery Tour, so I did some homework and I picked a date and I'm very excited about it.
I've read over 30 Beatles books and I've done a lot of research, and I know where I want us to go and what I want us to see. We'll have a motor coach with a driver and a guide, and I'm going to get with the guide beforehand and talk about what I want us to do. I don't think they need me to act as any kind of host, because they do this all the time, but when we first get there I'm going to scope it out and see if he needs a hand.
I'm really psyched about this trip. The biggest disappointment for me is that The Cavern Club (where The Beatles got their start) was torn down in the mid-70's to put in an air-conditioning shaft for a the subway. About three years after they tore it down, there were like, "Whoops." So now, down the street from the location, they have a place called the Beatle Experience, which has a brick-by-brick recreation of the Cavern. We'll go there.
Q: Early in the decade, you dated Rachael Ray for about a year. How did you meet?
A: I met her when she was doing "30 Minute Meals" on WRGB. She was doing a "30 Minute Meals" demonstration at the Price Chopper in Slingerlands, and me, being a foodie, I met her there. I thought she was cute and she knew how to cook, so I got talking to her and told her I was in a band.
She's a big music fan, so she came out to see the band up at the Parting Glass.
We got talking and we just really hit it off.
We both really loved each other, but it was just bad timing for both of us. She was really struggling and working long hours and driving back and forth from Lake Luzerne. In order to see each other, I would have to take a few days off and go stay with her or she would have to come down and stay with me and we were both living with our parents at the time. The timing was just bad. We're still friends. I'm still crazy about her, and I'm so happy for her success.
Q: For the past few years, with Rick's Picks, you've been independently reviewing movies, tell us about that.
A: I'm a huge movie aficionado. I love 'em.
My earliest memory of the movies is my mom taking me to see a revival of "Doctor Zhivago" and "Gone With The Wind" at the old Hellman Theater, with the huge screens. I remember being blown away by the spectacle of it and by the sheer size of the screen. But, unfortunately, I didn't get to go to the movies a lot as a kid, so as soon as I got to be an adult and have the money and the access to movies, I started going all the time.
Consequently, people found out that I went to the movies all the time and they started asking, , "Hey, what movies are out there? What movie's good?" I got so sick of answering questions that I started writing movies reviews on our band's Web site.
I did that on and off for about four years, and during a lull when I wasn't doing so many reviews I got a call from Cotton Hill Studios, saying they were doing podcasts, so now I do them at Cotton Hill (and they're posted) as audio reviews online.
Interview by, Michael Eck

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Motor imagery drives brain plasticity that ultimately underlies learning. But despite knowing that motor imagery can help us learn, we don't know very much about the best way to use motor imagery to help us learn. In this study, we are examining what changes are happening in the brain as we learn a new skill through both motor imagery and physical practice. This study will help us understand how imagined practice helps us learn a new skill compared to physically practicing the skill, and how we can leverage the effects of imagined practice for learning.
Motor imagery widely activates the sensorimotor network, leading to brain plasticity that underlies learning. One drawback to motor imagery is that it is considered to be mentally fatiguing. When we are mentally fatigued, our brains are less excitable, which means that the effectiveness of motor imagery for learning is hindered. In this study, we are looking at how brain excitability is reduced after different durations of imagery practice. Ultimately, this research contributes to our understanding of using motor imagery for learning.
Motor imagery, the mental rehearsal of movement, can help us learn and improve skills. Because motor imagery is performed 'in your head', it is difficult to assess someone's ability to perform motor imagery. Assessing imagery ability is important as one wants to make sure that their method of practice is effective before engaging in it. While there are many different tools to assess motor imagery ability, we still don't know which tool is the best. This study seeks to determine which assessment tool is the best, by comparing the tools against how well we learn through motor imagery. Ultimately, this work will help us understand how we can assess motor imagery ability.
After a brain injury, a person can lose the ability to move parts of their body. After a brain injury, mental practice of movements, or motor imagery, can be used to promote recovery. However, one part of the brain that we think is necessary to do motor imagery is commonly damaged after brain injury, particularly stroke. To use motor imagery to help people with brain injury recover, we need to make sure that damage to this brain area does not impact on practicing skills using motor imagery. This study is looking at the specific role of this brain area in using motor imagery.
Learning and rehabilitation are dependent on our brain's ability to change. We can make our brain more susceptible to changes by increasing its excitability, or 'priming' the brain. Aerobic exercise is an exciting method of priming the brain, and has been shown to increase excitability in brain areas that weren't involved in controlling the exercise, for example, pedaling a bike can prime brain areas of the hands. Priming the brain before therapy may improve clinical outcomes, so understanding how aerobic exercise does this is important. In this study, we will investigate whether regular physical activity behaviour has an influence on this priming effect at various different aerobic exercise intensities. This will consist of tracking young adults with two accelerometers and then measuring brain excitability before and after a low, moderate, and high aerobic exercise bout using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.
Motor imagery (MI) can help us improve skills by driving brain plasticity that underlies learning and relearning after brain injury. But we don't know how damage to different parts of your brain (e.g., after brain injury) might prevent a person from being able to do motor imagery. To use motor imagery to help people with brain injury recover, we need to make sure that damage to brain areas does not impact on practicing skills using motor imagery. This study will look at the role of one particular brain area in using motor imagery to practice and learn a new skill. This study will also help us understand the roles of different brain regions in MI performance and learning.
Motor imagery (MI) can help us learn new or improve motor skills without actually moving. In typical motor learning, information for the outcome of a movement (i.e. we reach for a coffee cup and knock it off the table) is compared against our plan for the given movement (i.e. how we decided to move our arm to grab the coffee cup). When this information is compared, we can adjust our motor plan to make our movement more accurate. However, in MI, we don't move and therefore there is no way to compare our motor plan against the outcome of a movement. The goal of this study is to determine how we learn in MI by making it harder to use a brain area known to be involved in MI. The results of this study will help us better understand which parts of the brain are involved in error detection and correction MI based motor learning.
Motor imagery (MI) allows us to learn new or improve upon existing motor skills, however the content of what is being learnt is unclear. Visual illusions have been used in the motor execution domain to dissociate visual control of movement into two streams, vision for perception and vision for action. In this context, participant's perception reflects the illusion but within a few trials, their motor performance "solves" the illusion without participants being aware of this change. However, these illusions are solved in different ways. Some require kinematic feedback from the movement whereas others only require perceptual feedback about the movement performed. The goal of this project is to employ two illusions, one that is solved perceptually and one that requires kinematic feedback to solve, to characterize changes in performance on these illusions after MI training. From the results of this study we can make inferences about what type of feedback is being simulated during MI training (perceptual vs kinematic).


The Sheraton Dubai is an upscale hotel which is tailored toward providing high quality services and facilities for both business and leisure clientele.
Strategically located in the heart of New Dubai, the hotel rises proudly above the bustling metropolis and showcases a seamless blend of contemporary French elegance with Middle Eastern hospitality.
The main architectural lighting aspect is a striking glass feature wall at the core of the building. This design, which was prepared by NORR Group Consultants and Light Touch PLD, called for a matrix of ultra-bright LED pixels which were to be mounted in the curved façade of the feature wall.
Illumination Physics created a custom version of the popular 'SPECK' - a compact high powered LED fixture designed for insertion into curtain wall panels.
To function in the harsh Middle Eastern climate, the Sheraton SPECK was designed to withstand non-operating temperatures of 90 degrees Celsius and operating temperatures of 75 degrees Celsius, making the SPECK extremely robust. Six Rebel LEDs were used (RGB), driven at 350 milliamps.
The SPECK series of products incorporate domed lenses that provide high visibility even from shallow viewing angles.
Ninety pieces were used spread over 18 storeys. Illumination Physics provided all of the control equipment and drivers.
The display is controlled using Illumination Physics X-Soft, a graphic interface PC based product. This project has been operating for more than 8 years and has been faultless, which is a true testimonial to Illumination Physics gulf spec.


The British Council invited us to design a series of activities to support their international Darwin Now exhibition.
Darwin Now was a global initiative, run in centres across the world throughout 2009, to celebrate the life and work of Charles Darwin and the impact his ideas about evolution continue to have on today's world. It was designed to complement UK celebrations of the bicentenary of his birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his major work 'On the Origin of the Species by Natural Selection'.
We developed a suite of resources, including quizzes and a series of activities to accompany the exhibition. The quizzes were targeted at 5-11 year olds and 12-16 year olds respectively, and were designed to encourage visitors to interrogate the exhibition. The supporting activities were designed to engage visitors aged 5-14 with principles such as the evolutionary advantages of different characteristics and the impact of a creature's environment on natural selection and survival.
Activities included: Survival of the Fittest Game; Design your own Animal; Design your own Ecosystem and Colourful Butterflies. We developed 'learning packs' which were translated into a number of languages and consisted of a series of guides for running a Darwin Now exhibition, (for use by British Council international offices), complete with instructions on how to run the accompanying PE activities.
We supported the British Council's international touring exhibition, Darwin Now.


Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton Solid are delicious and it was there that the suggestion of having a color card would help round out my own stash of Kona solids.
How did I end up with so many yellows?
I was easily convinced that I "needed" my own color chart and a quick search of the net led to a chart jumping into the shopping cart, and no sooner than a week later it landed on my veranda. Thanks Jackie.
It's big! Kona Cotton now comes in 221 different colors. My most frequently used Kona Cotton color is obviously WHITE, and I order it in lots of 5 yards. Often.
It seems I have a penchant for yellow, blue and green.
I have already spent time with my color card and have discovered some new favorites. What's your favorite color? And do you prefer WHITE or SNOW?
I like both White and Snow. It depends on the other colors I am using or how well it blends with the background colors of prints. I have been using a lot of the blues with a few greens lately, and I like Copen and Windsor. To me Windsor works a lot like the Coal -- it works almost like a dark neutral that really makes other colors pop. There are still so many colors left to explore. 221 colors -- endless possibilities.
I think I need a new color chart. Mine has nowhere near 221 colors.
I saw that Jackie had the color chart available but I'm not sure if I need it really. When I order I sometimes get the snow a bolt at a time and save dollars. I love using that color with the scraps - but I like how white your quilts are all the time and might switch to white. It looks much crisper.
My favorite is the black - I use it all the time. Everything and every color looks good with it. I have the color chart too - a big help.
I love snow and white equally, depending on the project. Sometimes I can't even remember what I used when delving back in to a long-term project, and have to hold the pieces up to something white. I think that means it's doing its job!
I have been thinking of ordering a whole stack of color...one of each if I could! Just to check them all out (tiny squares just doesn't do it for me)...I only wish yardage came to you labeled!
I like White or Snow equally, depending on the other fabrics in the quilt. My other favorite colors are aqua and olive. I'm slowly making my own chart but cutting a small square of each kind when I buy some and stapling it onto sheets of paper with its name and number. But an official chart is still tempting me! I'd love to hear what other's favorite colors are. I've read some about Ice Frappe and want to try that one next.
Wow, it is hard to believe that Kona makes that many colors of solids. That is amazing. You have quite a stash going, but hey, isn't it fun? Love & blessings from NC!
Ms. Red Pepper!!! You need to come over to the Bella side -- and then buy it in BOLTS of 15 yds, rather than your 5 yds -- you'll save money!!!
Hi Rita! I love your blog and want to thank you for all the amazing inspiration you provide. I recently ordered some Kona cotton in "Ash" - I think you blogged about it recently as a good substitute for linen. It has greyish overtones and goes beautifully with the cooler colours like blue and green but I'd love to know if there's a Kona amongst the neutrals that also has a "linen" look but with a bit more of a warmer or "creamier" hue?
Hi Rita, I, too, have a Kona Color chart via Jackie. It is yummy, and I like that it stands up on its own so I can look at it now and then when I look up from my sewing. Originally I thought I bought it because I had ordered a number of Kona colors and ended up not knowing which color was which! However, I think I just "needed" to have one. I am currently putting together my wish list for my next order for more Kona colors! I am surprised to discover that I lean toward everything blue, purple, with a healthy dose of pink. I am trying to stretch beyond my comfort zones, which also includes my use of color. I have to say I prefer the white to the snow for most projects. That said, I also have used the snow where it is more approriate and the "right" one to use. Thank you for all of the inspiration you provide!
Gorgeous stack of solids you've got going on there, YUM! Gee, that chart got to you quickly, don't you just love it?
I bought snow instead of white, because I'm always scared of marking white fabric, but it looks lovely in your quilts.
Enjoy your chart! I love to spend time gazing at mine and enjoying all the gorgeous colours.
I haven't been able to locate Kona Snow locally, so I recently bought a bolt of this new Cotton/Bamboo blend in white. It's super soft and is pretty easy to work with. I haven't finished a quilt with it yet, though, so I have yet to find out how it washes up.
I usually go to snow.
And I ♥ my color card. so much.
I love my colour card !!
I recently ordered some snow & am happy with the results but I love the crispness of white .
I also received some cactus & seafoam & they are lovely.
Rita, you are too cruel. I have been trying to find one of those for the last couple of weeks. Everywhere that I have looked has sold out. It's not fair!!!! I am going to cross to the other side and get a Bella colour chart in the mean time.
I just got my very first color chart (also from Jackie) and I can't stop looking at it and touching all the wonderful colors. I have a few on my wish list already.
Did you see my post where I just showed some additions to my Kona stash?? I think I prefer white but I like snow when others say that is what they have used. I like the crispness of the white though. My faves are the reds and I think they need more of them. I don't own any purples although some are beautfiul. School Bus should not be Orange.
I prefer Snow. In fact, I thought that WAS white when I started buying it like crazy from my fabric store years ago. I recently bought White as well, but it's a bit too stark for me at times.
My new favorites are Pepper (an awesome blue-black), Coal, and a couple of spicy oranges that I can't remember the names of suddenly and my Kona card is downstairs and I'm too lazy to go there. They start with an A and a C though. Geez.
I like white over snow.
Have fun withyour card - they are fab.
Snow... I've never done white. Its too white. I like a little Bone as well sometimes. I wish there were more oranges to choose from.
I love my kona card! I prefer snow over white, but I am also into natural, and bone for off whites. I adore peridot and olive greens and tomato red. Sometimes I wonder why they named it 'old peach' because that just conjures up something horrible smelling, and not a good color. I too wish so much that there were more oranges, particularly a burnt orange. There is a color called squash, that I belive is now discontinued. ACK! It was a good orange.
My Kona Colour Chart is a highway to unstoppable solids shopping I have found! I am a Snow girl, I also love Ash, Stone, Maize, Coal, and Zucchini. I know that 221 colours ought to cover every eventuality(!), but I still find they could do with a different orange ( something to match the Lizzy House Ducks orange would find a home with me) and I also struggle with very pale yellow, a kind of soft custard? Should I check out Moda solids?
I love the Kona Colour Charts and I have been lusting after one for quite a while!
i'm kind of a snow person myself. i love my color card...it's so inspirational. i have it sitting open on the window sill in my studio. it's fun to glance over at it every once and awhile while i'm sewing.
I like both white and snow. And finally ordered complete bolt (15 yards) of each, and Ash. My color card is fabulous. Sometimes I think of framing and hanging it on the wall of my sewing room, like art.
I'm in love with my Kona color card. I'm actually neither a snow or white girl--I use a lot of natural. I've been on a neutrals streak lately, and love Espresso, Coal, Ash, Stone and Brown. But I've recently fallen in love with Maize, Zucchini, Sweet Pea and Slate. :) Who am I kidding? I don't think there's one in the lot that I'm not eager to work with!
I love white. Today I used Kona white for a fabric dyeing class I took. Can't wait until I see the final results after rinsing, washing, pressing. That process will take place tomorrow. Do you have a favorite site from which you order Kona fabric?
I'm a snow girl although I occasionally jump to starkness of white. I am thinking about trying bella moda...hmm.
I love the aqua color, and it seems to go with so much of my stash! However, I don't have any...gotta fix that soon I guess.
You are welcome!! New Kona Colors are constantly arriving!


this short video clip answers a a common question which lingers in the minds of some youngsters that Why do we Muslims compare Holy Quran with Medical Science or any other branch of secular science ? Is it fanaticism to relate every thing with Religion Islam ? Is it because of our religious sentiments or does it have some rational behind this?


Vitamins and minerals are nutrients your body needs in small amounts to work properly and keep wholesome. This vitamin also helps your physique resist an infection Which means that although you may't at all times avoid getting sick, vitamin C makes it somewhat more durable in your body to turn into infected with an illness.
As new discoveries are made and outdated claims are both debunked or reinforced typically, it is safest to say that extra is understood about the penalties of lack of vitamins than what specific vitamins may do. For example, deficiency of vitamin A results in break-down of the photosensitive cells in the retina of the eye, causing evening blindness.
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text:
Flogometer for Richard. Would you keep reading?
What's a first page in publishingland? In a properly formatted novel manuscript (double-spaced, 1-inch margins, 12-point type, etc.) there should be about 16 lines on the first page (first pages of chapters/prologues start about 1/3 of the way down the page).
Richard has returned for a reflog. His first 16 lines:
There was a bang on the door. William flinched, breaking the pen he held. He looked up from the report he was reading to see the door tremble on its hinges.
Rising from his chair he froze when there was another bang. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He looked to Mr Prince's door. It was his doing he was in the office this late. He wanted to call out but fear held him.
He shuddered at the sound. He walked to the door but stopped when he almost gagged. What was that? It smelt like rotten meat. He held his nerve and opened the door. His eyes watered at the increased intensity of the smell but he could tell it was someone of imposing stature. He rubbed his eyes and looked again. It was a man, looking completely out of place wearing a travelling coat with a hood. The rim of the hood came down to his nose, covering his eyes, yet William had a feeling he was being looked at. The sight of several scars around the man's mouth made William recoil. He was soaking wet, a trail of mud footprints following behind him. But it hadn't rained today?
'I'm here to see Mr Prince.' He sounded like a heavy smoker.
Flogometer for RIchard. Would you turn the page?
I balked
Richard is working to give us a tense scene at the opening of his novel, which I think is the right thing to do, but at this stage craft issues are holding this reader back. There are places where I feel it's overwritten, and underwritten in others. And there's a staging issue, too. Notes:
There was a bang on the door. William flinched, breaking the pen he held. He looked up from the report he was reading to see the door tremble on its hinges. A staging issue here, for one thing. He sees the door trembling some seconds after the bank on the door, which suggests that it keeps vibrating after the blow. And that doesn't seem possible to me. A door just wouldn't do that. This could be considerably more crisp, to. Thoughtstarter: William flinched at a bang on the office door, breaking his pen. He looked up from the report, and a second bang made the door tremble. This is not polished, but you get the idea. And it eliminates the "sound" narrative that follows this paragraph.)
Rising from his chair, he froze when there was another bang. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He looked to Mr Prince's door. It was late and his doing he was in the office this late. He he wanted to call out, but fear held him. (The cuts here are to illustrate making the action crisper. Also, I found the "his doing he" wording confusing and it took me out of the story for a moment to sort out the pronouns.)
He shuddered at the sound. He walked to the door but stopped when he almost gagged , but he could tell huge man, maybe seven feet tall, looking completely out of place wearing a travelling coat with a hood. The rim of the hood came down to his nose, covering his eyes, yet William had a feeling he was being looked at. The sight of several scars around the man's mouth made William recoil. He The man was soaking wet, a trail of mud footprints following behind him. But it hadn't rained today.? I think we've got the "banging" part down, and adding more didn't build suspense for me—rather, it delayed the story. Same for the hesitation about identifying the smell—just let the reader know and keep moving. For me, "imposing stature" is telling, so I added a suggestion. "several" scars is vague—how about a number? A half dozen sounds gruesome. And you don't need "the sight of"—just see them. The antecedent for the pronoun in the "soaking wet" sentence is William, the last person mentioned, so clarification was needed.)
'I'm here to see Mr Prince.' He sounded like a heavy smoker. ("sounded like" is telling. Can you show? For example, His voice had the rasp of a heavy smoker. Just a thoughtstarter.)
Keep at it, Richard, there's a good story waiting. I feel that the writing at this point is weighing it down, and that you need to focus on keeping it crisp and experiential.
Comments, anyone?
send 1st chapter or prologue plus 1st chapter as an attachment (cutting and pasting and reformatting from an email is a time-consuming pain) and I'll critique the first couple of pages.
Please format your submission as specified at the front of this post.
Flogometer for Miriam would you keep reading?
Miriam has sent a very brief prologue (below is all there is, just 8 manuscript lines) and a first chapter. The prologue:
At the age of seven, in the one-thousandth year of the Sangitian Empire, Katrin Satogo was left at the gates of the Houses of a Thousand Dolls. She had three things she could call her own: a memory of loving parents, a tiger-shaped mark under her left collarbone and a puffy yellow kitten who insisted on being called Jerrit.
Too young to be useful, and too old to be Groomed, Katrin spent her days running errands, and exploring the Houses. But her favorite place, her secret place, was a hidden clearing in the maze-like, central gardens. Here she belonged as nowhere else, staring up at the gray roof of Beyond, while her fingers stroked Jerrit's fur, and the House's tribe of cats slept in piles around her...
The first 16 lines of Miriam's first chapter:
1017 B.E. The Year of the Serpent
Twelve days.... Twelve days...
The refrain pounded in Katrin Satogo's head as she stared up at the slate-gray of Beyond. Twelve days until the yearly Redeeming Ceremony, where the girls from the Houses were claimed by their Spokens or set up in a trade.
Twelve days...
Hello? Katrin? Did you hear my question? The low mind-voice cut into her thoughts. Katrin shook herself and looked down at the heavy weight of cat in her lap. Jerrit's yellow fur was turning dark gold, a sure sign that the light was dimming.
Katrin took a deep breath to steady herself, savoring the smell of ginger and beef vindal as it drifted over the garden.
"What do you think is up there?" she asked out loud, trying to change the subject. "Past the gray, I mean. On the other side of Beyond?"
Who knows? Jerrit sent, bending his head back to lick his shoulder. I asked you what you were going to do about the Redeeming?
Katrin rubbed her hand over her face. "I don't know, Jerrit. What can I do? I have no Spoken and no trade. It's not as though I can just walk up to random people at the Redeeming (snip)
Would you turn the page on Miriam's prologue? First chapter? Be tough. Share insights with a comment.
Both worked for me
The prologue: the brevity helped—it was easy to absorb in one quick bite. It introduced an interesting new world, and a unique character. It may be because I like cats that that element helped bring me through. The voice is strong and clear, too, and it confidently promised more good writing ahead.
The chapter opening would probably have done fine without the prologue. Same good voice, and story questions were raised about a character in whom I was already interested by virtue of the mini-prologue. Nice work.
Two clarity questions, though: There's this sentence:
Jerrit's yellow fur was turning dark gold, a sure sign that the light was dimming.
This could have two meanings. 1, it was getting dark. If that's it, then it's overwritten, IMO, and could have been done much more crisply. 2, the light available to her world was decreasing. If that's so, then make it more clear as it would raise another good story question and perhaps add to jeopardy.
Then there's an age question: since Katrin was 7 when she arrived in the 1000th year, 1017 would make her 24. Is that what you mean? If so, she's a young woman rather than a girl.
A third thought: I'd consider increasing the tension by adding something like this to the end of the third paragraph:
The refrain pounded in Katrin Satogo's head as she stared up at the slate-gray of Beyond. Twelve days until the yearly Redeeming Ceremony, where the girls from the Houses were claimed by their Spokens or set up in a trade. Except, she feared, for her.
One last thought: if it were possible to include one more element in this opening, perhaps by cutting the reference to the light or the spicy aroma, a hint of the stakes for not being properly "redeemed" might increase tension. She gets to that later, but why not now? Also at the end of the third paragraph, for example?
Flogometer for Mike would you keep reading?
Mike's first 16 lines of a YA fantasy:
Jealousy! No, too strong..., more like… envy, Shaylar corrected himself.
A magnificent gray wolf materialized from the swirling mist over the Pool and jumped to Pajdo's side. Murmurs of approval and astonishment erupted from the previously apprehensive crowd. A few respectfully quieted cheers joined the murmurs.
Wrong! Definitely jealousy!
Moving forward to congratulate his best friend, Shaylar stepped on the inseam of his ceremonial robe. Cursing the oversized robe under his breath while stumbling forward to right himself, he found himself precariously approaching the edge of the Summoning Pool. Stopping just short of falling in, he flushed angrily as muffled laughter bubbled from the crowd. The laughter abruptly hushed as the now calm waters began roiling again; emitting chaotic tendrils of vapor several times their earlier size.
"Step back from the Pool at once!" yelled the Summoning Seer, making no attempt to hide the fear in her usually calm voice, "Get back now! Everybody!"
Shaylar stood transfixed, staring at the wispy shape starting to take form, paralyzed by a set of glowing eyes boring into him. The figure rose menacingly, towering above him. Horrified, unable to run, he found his mind wrestling to identify the creature congealing (snip)
Would you turn Mike's page? Be tough. Share insights with a comment.
Craft issues a barricade for me
The good news is that Mike started with a scene, and a potentially dramatic one at that. The not-so-good news is that, for me, it's overwritten, with way too many adjectives and adverbs killing the pace and clouding rather than clarifying the scene. Some notes:
Jealousy! Shaylar corrected himself. No, too strong..., more like… envy. Shaylar corrected himself.
A magnificent gray wolf materialized from the swirling mist over the Pool and jumped to Pajdo's side. Murmurs of approval and astonishment erupted from the previously apprehensive crowd. A few respectfully quieted cheers joined the murmurs. (Later we learn that the wolf is Pajdo's "familiar," and that these people have them. This would be a good time to include that interesting tidbit, and it would be easy to do. Thoughtstarter: …cheers joined the murmers at the sight of such a powerful new Familiar for Padjo.)
Wrong! Definitely jealousy! (I realize that you're working on characterizing this character, but if the jealousy thing doesn't affect the story that follows, and reading ahead I got the idea that it doesn't, I'd cut it here. It takes up space where you need to hook the reader, and Shaylar's envious feelings are not a terribly dramatic hook for this reader.)
Moving forward to congratulate his best friend, Shaylar stepped on the inseam of his ceremonial robe. Cursing the oversized robe under his breath while stumbling forward to right himself, he found himself precariously approaching to the edge of the Summoning Pool. Stopping just short of falling in, he flushed angrily as muffled laughter bubbled from the crowd. The laughter abruptly hushed as tThe now calm waters began roiling again, emitting chaotic tendrils of vapor several times their earlier size. (Likewise, if his clumsiness doesn't affect the story later, you don't need hit here. Just get him to the edge of the pool. The reference to tendrils refers to things the reader hasn't seen—all we know about is swirling mist. If you want tendrils, they belong up front, too, as in: chaotic tendrils of vapor settled into a swirling mist over the Summoning Pool, and a magnificent gray wolf sprang from it to Pajdo's side. This way, the "larger" reference has some meaning. However, if you gave the reader pictures—for example, if the first tendrils were as thick as a finger and these were as think as a man's wrist, we can actually see something.)
"Step back from the Pool at once!" yelled the Summoning Seer, making no attempt to hide the fear in her usually calm voice, "Get back now! Everybody!" (A point of view shift here—Shayla can't know that the Seer is making no attempt to hide the fear. Just show us, [her voice tight and sharp instead of its usual smooth tone] the fear.)
Shaylar stood transfixed, staring at the wispy shape starting to take taking form, paralyzed by a set of glowing eyes boring that bored into him. The figure rose menacingly, towering and towered above him. Horrified, unable to run, Captivated, he found his mind wrestling tried to identify the creature congealing (snip) (I suggest avoiding the "ing" words and use past tense instead for a crisper, more active narrative.
Mike, you need to work on maintaining a consistent point of view (in a later page you head-hopped into Pajdo's mind in the midst of a Shala scene), and start cutting adjectives and adverbs—an example that stood out in latter narrative was where a character "took a few reverse steps back." Instead, "stepped back" would do just fine. But the story (a dragon seems to be trying to come from the mist to Shala)sounds fascinating.
Flogometer for Jessica: would you keep reading?
Jessica's first 16 lines:
The orb pulsed coldly in the nest of gears above Maria Codrescu's left cheekbone. Its brass fittings whirred as the eye tracked Inspector Ravenwood's path across Codrescu's cluttered laboratory. Ravenwood wondered whether the eye was as all-seeing as it was rumored to be. When discomfort finally caused her to glance back over her shoulder, deliberately passing over the body parts that littered every horizontal surface -- hammered from brass and iron, welded together, and twitching independently of any visible stimulus -- Codrescu's plump Carpathian lips twisted in a smirk.
"Are you satisfied, then, Inspector? There are no witches here, only a humble craftsman."
"Craftsman," Ravenwood mused. "Much too modest a word for someone who makes the blind see, the deaf hear, and the lame walk."
And 'humble' was hardly the word Ravenwood would have used to describe someone who had become fabulously wealthy from the recent fad for unnecessary prosthetics. Codrescu had been in the country only two years, and already no ball or dinner party was considered fashionable without the soft clank and hum of her machinery just beneath the conversation.
"We all do what we can."
The words sounded heavy in Codrescu's mouth, possibly because of her accent, and (snip)
Would you turn Jessica's page? Be tough. Share insights with a comment.
( surveys)
A "yes" from me
The glimpse of a fascinating world, strong writing, and an attractive voice pulled me on despite the technical lack of tension elements. The whole point of the first 16 lines is to raise story questions that the reader is so motivated to learn the answers to that she will turn the page, and the "what's going on here?" question that this opening raised for me was enough to move me on.
However. . .at the end of this 4-page chapter, Jessica finally revealed what the mystery was about, and I saw no reason for her to withhold it. Perhaps intended as a surprise, I think it would have served her better on this page. In the notes below, I'll insert the few words where I think they would add tension. Otherwise, there's not much to pick at.
The orb pulsed coldly in the nest of gears above Maria Codrescu's left cheekbone. Its brass fittings whirred as the eye tracked Inspector Ravenwood's path across Codrescu's cluttered laboratory. Ravenwood wondered whether the eye was as all-seeing as it was rumored to be. When discomfort finally caused her to glance back over her shoulder, deliberately passing over the body parts that littered every horizontal surface -- hammered from brass and iron, welded together, and twitching independently of any visible stimulus -- Codrescu's plump Carpathian lips twisted in a smirk. (I would have given Inspector Ravenwood her first name, for one small thing. If she's to be the protagonist, it helps connect the reader. And I'd cut "Carpathian"—I didn't know what that referred to, and I suspect that many wouldn't, and it pulled me out of the story. I looked it up, and it refers to the Carpathian mountains of central Europe. Who knew? I don't think it's necessary, and it was a speed bump.)
"Are you satisfied, then, Inspector? There are no witches here, only a humble craftsman. And certainly not a missing heiress." (For me, the addition of the focus of the inspector's investigation helps create more story questions that I want answered.)
Very nice work, Jessica. I wanted more at the end of the chapter, so you've done your job. I do, however, think you could work a little more tension in related to what's going to happen next, and what the inspector needs, and what's at stake for her.
Flogometer for Joseph: would you keep reading?
Joseph's first 16 lines:
The first Friday the Thirteenth after my thirteenth birthday was an unexpectedly disaster-free day. No crossbeams collapsed at assembly. No water sprinklers went off in the middle of morning classes. No grease fires flared up in the cafeteria. It was quiet, too quiet, and the silence clogged my skull with questions like: Why couldn't I be normal like everyone else? Why was I an accident, not just waiting to happen, but almost always happening? And why in the world was the Curse taking its sweet time in showing up today?
A sense of dread dangled over me, and the rest of the school, like a sword hanging by a horse's hair. Students, teachers, and administrators inched closer to the edge of their seats with every tick of the clock and jumped a little higher after each bell.
By the beginning of fifth period, I lost all focus and flunked my math quiz. During sixth period, I twitched at the slightest sound and failed to listen to a lecture on Lewis and Clark. By seventh period, all I could do was stare out the window and wonder when and where the foot of misfortune would fall.
"Avery," said Ms. Sofer from across the room, "Will you be joining us today?"
"Sorry," I said snapping my attention back to the front of the class. "I was just…"
Would you turn Joseph's page? Be tough. Share insights with a comment.
The voice is fine and plenty of story questions are raised—I wanted to learn what disaster was about to hit (unfortunately, Joseph sent only 3 pages, so I don't know). The way Joseph escalates the character's tension works to escalate mine, too. Some notes:
The first Friday the Thirteenth after my thirteenth birthday was an unexpectedly disaster-free day. No crossbeams collapsed at assembly. No water sprinklers went off in the middle of morning classes. No grease fires flared up in the cafeteria. It was quiet, too quiet, and the silence clogged my skull with questions, like: Why couldn't I be normal like everyone else? Why was I an accident, not just waiting to happen, but almost always happening? And why in the world was the Curse taking its sweet time in showing up today? (A tense question—the day isn't over, right? So, especially in order to maintain tension, shouldn't this open with something like: So far, the first Friday the thirteenth after my thirteenth birthday had been an unexpectedly disaster-free day. This way, the outcome of the day is still to be determined.)
A sense of dread dangled over me, and the rest of the school, like a sword hanging by a horse's hair. Students, and teachers, and administrators inched closer to the edge of their seats with every tick of the clock and jumped a little higher after each bell. (I didn't think he'd have been in a position to see what administrators were doing. A nit, I know, but . . .)
By the beginning of fifth period, I lost all focus and flunked my math quiz. During sixth period, I twitched at the slightest sound and failed to listen to a lecture on Lewis and Clark. By seventh period, all I could do was stare out the window and wonder when and where the foot of misfortune would fall. (I liked the way this builds.)
"Sorry.," I snapped said snapping my attention back to the front of the class. "I was just…"
Flogometer for Dan: would you keep reading?
Dan's first 16 lines:
There is a searing quality to the cold, something unrelated to temperature. Something numbing, something primal. The mind is forced to focus on immediate survival, and has no time for extraneous thought or emotion.
Outside the twentieth story window of his hotel room, back against the concrete, Dominic Grey faced the Manhattan skyline, a speck of dust on a glittering circuit board. The wind popped his sleeves, flattened his face. He closed his eyes and let the monstrous March wind cut as deep as it wanted.
Nya had been everything to him. His muse, his corner in a crowded room, his quickening. Perhaps what had happened to them in the caves beneath Great Zimbabwe had affected her more than he had realized. He thought not: he thought he didn't know how to stay.
Nya was a child of Zimbabwe. He was not. He didn't know how to live in her world and not remain a visitor. He wanted so much to have her peace, her sense of self, her sense of place. He had tried to make it his own, adopt it.
Somehow, disconcertingly, agonizingly, it had not been enough. He had thought her perhaps his soul mate– but what does that even mean to a restless soul?
He had left Zimbabwe a month ago and bought a one-way ticket to New York, because (snip)
Would you turn Dan's page? Be tough, leave a comment.
(Note: the poll site seems to be down again, so please use comments to give a yes or no until the polls appear.) Didn't capture me
Despite clean writing, this introspective moment, even if on the outside of his hotel window (but is he on a ledge? Not clear.), is backstory, and the last sentence on the page signals that the narrative is going into yet more backstory.
You might think this man is contemplating suicide, but that isn't the case. Why he has chosen to stand on a ledge (yes, we later learn there is one, he's not Spiderman) isn't clear. Other than the possibility of suicide, there isn't much tension here for me.
There's nice writing, some interesting description, but in places more than enough for my tastes (I'm thinking of "Somehow, disconcertingly, agonizingly…"). Could be signs of overwriting to come. This makes pace an issue, and this story seems to be very slow-moving to start.
In my view, backstory like this should be woven in at the moment in the story where it's needed to explain the character's motives and actions as he deals with achieving whatever it is that he needs to achieve. Here it seems we're experiencing a little bit of info dump—information the writer believes we need to understand what's going on.
Rather than a line-by-line critique, I'll snip 16 lines from page 5 in the manuscript. Dan, I've taken some liberties, snipping what seemed like excess to me and adding a few words to it. See if this is more likely to get you to turn the page (vote in comments until polls appear, please)
The phone exaggerated the Professor Viktor Radek's clipped Slavic accent. "I just returned from Prague, and am sorting through requests for my–for our -- assistance. A ritual murder in Berlin interests me most."
Dominic Gray gazed out his hotel room at the brown air of New York City. It had been long enough for him to be safe in Germany. "Want me to meet you there?"
"There is something more immediate with which I would like your assistance."
Good, anything to take his mind off of Nya's face, her voice. . .
"It's an unusual request. A man contacted me, and we had a very brief conversation. Something very important to him has been stolen, and he would like to hire us to help him retrieve it."
"That doesn't sound like our line of work."
"He wants a private investigator with an open mind and international experience, and that the matter might involve my expertise. That is all he would say."
"Cryptic."
"The affair might be nothing. My qualifications can attract a fringe element, but this man, something about his voice suggested otherwise. I would like you to meet with him. Are you available?"
Would you turn the page on this version?
Flogometer for Julie: would you keep reading?
Julie has sent a prologue and first chapter. How does each work for you? The first 16 lines of the prologue:
In his first life, he'd been Greek, but his skins dark tone wasn't the result of heritage; it was a reflection of his ideals. The chaos he adored had seeped into his appearance and turned his skin the rich color of a festered sore, or malignant cancer. In this life, he was Necroti.
Alkibiades idled in a black sedan and watched as sunrise peeked over the houses to outline the faint green mist of new leaves. He checked his watch; he had waited and planned for three millennium to begin his revenge. He trembled with anticipation; his knuckles shone white where he gripped the steering wheel.
At the bottom of the hill, a small boy in his bright red coat and Superman backpack waved to his mother and cut across the yard to the street. He dragged his feet through the wet grass to make oversized footprints in the dew. Before he crossed to his bus stop, the child carefully looked both ways.
Alkibiades tried to remember being a boy but there was nothing. He had been Necroti for three thousand years. He'd earned the right when he'd discarded the last remnants of his soul. He began to chant words no human had heard in living memory. He gunned the engine, still chanting, and headed for the small target. The impact barely made a thump as the powerful car hit the boy. He was thrown into the air to fall in a lifeless heap. The mother's mournful wail rang out.
And now the first chapter:
The bomb shone with symmetric beauty. Red, white, yellow, and blue wires entwined through the C-4, the shapes almost geometric. Arturo focused on the colored lines. There had to be a pattern. If he snipped the wrong wire, Kansas City would explode. So would he, along with two million other people.
Arturo wiped a trickle of sweat from his brow, and took a deep breath. Breathe in with the calm air, out with the stress. He settled the controller more firmly in his real hands. The cyber hands on screen mimicked his movements. His mission was to save humanity he couldn't fail.
His fingers flew over the buttons on the game controller. They moved with smooth precision between the hundreds of colored wires on the explosive device.
"I own you, man," Arturo crowed into the head mic. Excitement filled him. ExCIA had beaten him at Homeland Security, everyday for almost a month. It had been one of the most frustration-filled months of his life. At last, he'd get his revenge.
"Heh, you think you do, Junior," the hollow voice of ExCIA echoed through the headset. "You teenagers think you rule the world, but we old guys still have it going on."
Arturo had been trying his best to defuse the cyber-bombs ExCIA had created. He had to admit his friend was amazing. He was a real-life ex-agent; one of the few adults he could tolerate (snip)
Would you turn the page on Julie's prologue? First chapter? Be tough. Share insights with a comment.
Despite my usual antipathy for prologues, this one (which was only a part of a page longer) was interesting and, even more important, when I got to chapter 1 I knew that this was no ordinary thriller.
There was some missing punctuation (skins – skin's; save humanity he couldn't = save humanity; he couldn't) and an adjective or two that I'd prune away, but the writing is good, and the story questions raised provocative. Nice work, Julie.
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Flogometer for Sheri: would you keep reading?
Thank you to everyone who contributed to my quest for a better title for my writing book. I chose one suggested by Jeanne Tomlin: Flogging the Quill: Crafting a Novel that Sells. There were many good and thoughtful suggestions, but this one seemed to be the best combination of the "brand" and a benefit to the writer. The new website is up and running, please visit. This may shift the availability of the book to February because I now need to get a new ISBN number, among other things, before printing. Now back to flogging.
Sheri's first 16 lines
Lily laughed. She couldn't believe she was taking her friend Victor's advice. She had to give the guy credit though, he was a psychologist. He also knew how stubborn she was and the therapist in him couldn't stand to see her in her present condition.
"It's called journaling therapy." He had said. "Just give it a try."
Alone in her home, Lily picked up her pen and a notebook, and began to write.
"I don't know why I didn't do this sooner. I have had decades to do it…now is as good a time as any. Victor said 'letting it all out' on paper would help, and 'keeping it in is destructive'. I'm not sure what he meant but I'll give it a try. I'm unsure of where to start, so I'll start from the beginning.
"Although I do not like to reflect on my past, I do so for therapeutic reasons…to keep myself in perspective. So it is to you, my invisible reader to not judge me. Although you may not really exist in any form, you are my confidant. You will not judge me and you will not betray me. It is a lonely world I live in, I guess it doesn't have to be; there are others like myself, but not really. They come from different times than I do. They understand some things about me, but not all. There is one big difference between most of them and myself, but I feel I must explain first, you know, for my own benefit.
Would you turn Sheri's page? Be tough. Share insights with a comment.
I didn't move on
Despite a nice, conversational voice, the result for me was that this seemed like all "talk" and little story. In fact, the chapter, 14 pages, turned out to be backstory as related by this character—"throat-clearing," the exposition of things the author feels we need to know so we'll understand the story to come. I'd rather get to the story. I haven't seen more, but I have a feeling that the best start is in chapter 2 or later. If, as I suspect, this chapter isn't really necessary, then I'd have to question the journaling device. Even if it is needed, I'd want to learn why the psychologist is having her do this—what problem is it supposed to deal with, what is her "present condition"?
Bottom line, if the whole novel is this chatty narrative that takes side trips—in scanning the rest of the chapter, I came across several "back to's" ("back to my mother. . ." and "back to my childhood. . ."), and that wandering isn't, well, compelling for this reader. Some picky notes:
Lily laughed. She couldn't believe she was taking her friend Victor's advice. She had to give the guy credit though, he was a psychologist. He also knew how stubborn she was and the therapist in him couldn't stand to see her in her present condition. (What condition? Specifics make it real. For example, "couldn't stand to see her waking up every night screaming from night terrors." Give the reader something they can understand.)
"It's called journaling therapy," Hhe had said. "Just give it a try."
Alone in her home, Lily picked up her pen and a notebook, and began to write. (If we're in her point of view, she wouldn't be thinking "I'm alone in my home." This could use some more scene-setting through experiential description [covered in my forthcoming book]. For example: Feeling safely alone and comfortable in her parlor, surrounded by antiques that were more old friends than furniture, she placed a blank journal on a lap desk and readied a pen. Just a thought-starter for direction.)
"I don't know why I didn't do this sooner. I have had decades to do it…now is as good a time as any. Victor said 'letting it all out' on paper would help, and 'keeping it in is destructive'. I'm not sure what he meant but I'll give it a try. I'm unsure of where to start, so I'll start from the beginning. (What he said seems pretty clear to me. If she's an intelligent woman, would she really not be sure of what he meant?)
"Although I do not like to reflect on my past, I do so for therapeutic reasons…to keep myself in perspective. So it is to you, my invisible reader to not judge me. Although you may not really exist in any form, you are my confidant. You will not judge me and you will not betray me. It is a lonely world I live in, I guess it doesn't have to be; there are others like myself, but not really. They come from different times than I do. They understand some things about me, but not all. There is one big difference between most of them and myself, but I feel I must explain first, you know, for my own benefit. (The part I cut was, for me, overwriting. This narrator is very concerned with herself, while the reader is concerned with the story. Where is it? What is it?)
It would take a look at more of the book, but my sense of it with this limited information is that Sheri has a good story to tell, but needs to make it come alive. First-person narration doesn't have to feel like "telling" instead of "showing," but this does, for me.
Last day for feedback on my book's title
UPDATE 2 Wouldn't you know it, Bill Peschel's suggested subtitle, "How to Craft a Novel that Sells," is already in use by a romance writer. So today's poll offers a variation suggested by Sarah Jensen.
Which title/subtitle combo appeals most to you?
PLEASE give me your feedback and thoughts. It will be greatly appreciated. I'll post the chosen title and a link to the updated website Wednesday, and will resume flogging at that time.
January 11, 2009 in Miscellaneous | Permalink | Comments (18) | TrackBack (0)
The last blurb for my new book on writing craft has come in (another good one!) and I'm ready to produce and release it. However, a couple of industry pros I respect greatly, and who have given very positive blurbs for the book, think the title is bad. The current title and subtitle are:
Jump-start Your Novel with Kitty-cats in Action
And keep the pages turning with coaching from Flogging the Quill
Please give me feedback and suggestions
So I'm asking you for your input via the polls below. Please take a moment and give me your thoughts. Because this is important to me, I'll probably leave this request up until I've heard from a goodly number of folks. The more people who respond quickly, the sooner the flogging will resume.
I'm asking your help specifically because, according to the who-are-you poll on the blog, about 80% of FtQ's readers are unpublished and working on a novel—my "target" audience. You are likely to be the person my book is designed to help.
Please respond to both polls for your gender.
There's a gender separation because I suspect a gender difference in response to the title, and want to see if there really is one.
UPDATE New question added below.
WOMEN: how do you feel about "Jump-start Your Novel with Kitty-cats in Action" as a title for a book on writing craft?
MEN: how do you feel about "Jump-start Your Novel with Kitty-cats in Action" as a title for a book on writing craft?
MEN: which of these titles appeals most to you:
WOMEN: which of these titles appeals most to you:
New Question! Mai makes an excellent point about "Flogging the Quill" being my "brand," and having a certain attention-getting quality of its own--the "quirk factor" that Kathleen mentioned in comments. Also, while "jump-starting" a book is a vital part of the book, it is broader than that. So here are more title ideas that spring from that. What do you think? Alternatives welcome in the comments.
Which title/subtitle combo does the best job of interesting you in this writing craft book?
If you're curious, there's more about the book here, including a sample.
PLEASE give me your feedback and thoughts. It will be greatly appreciated.
ALSO I don't want to deprive the writers who have material here for a flogging, so please scroll down and visit if you haven't yet. The newest one, Renee's, was a page-turner for me.


Your Assemblies of God Christian education missionaries in Vanuatu.
Welcome to our page! Feel free to look around and get better acquainted with us. We are just a small family from Missouri who God has called to step out and see the world through His eyes. His Eyes Education endeavors to reach the people of Vanuatu through establishing Christian schools, adult literacy and teacher training. Thank you for taking the time to stop by, and please remember to pray for the people of Vanuatu.
We are currently starting four new school plants for the 2018 year. One is located far south of Santo island on the cusp of a custom village. We are hoping that teaching children daily about Christ will open doors for these future generations. We begin construction on one of our new school building this next month! To contribute to these new schools, click the "donate" button below and type "project #5808" in comments. Every gift is tax deductible and part of a brighter future here in Vanuatu! Thank you for your help!
As of February 2018 we now have seven kindergarten and primary school plants in Vanuatu! Each one operated by amazing Christian locals with a heart and a passion to reach the children of their nation! We are so thankful we get to be a partand want to say, "thank you" to those who partner with us regularly to see that this ministry is provided for. We are in this together and making a difference every day! Pray for us as we work to bring "hope" for an education in this village community.
"Olsem wanem?" - How are you?
"Yu tuff tumas -" This is a newer slang amongst the young people meaning you are strong or just really cool.
"I stret" - it is good, or "ok".
"Bae yu givhan long mi?" - Will you help me?
"Taem we mi luk long yu, ai blong mi i harem gud tumas" - I think you are really pretty/handsome.
Could we be apart of a brighter future? We are partnering with the local church to offer education to the hard to reach places in Vanuatu. We are believing God to open doors for Christian education to shine His light in village communities across the islands of Vanuatu!
Living generously, with our hands wide open, giving hope for education and literacy in the nation of Vanuatu!
Join our team and catch the vision!


سواءً كنت مسافراً بغرض السياحة أو العمل, Majestic Old Lion Apartments هو خيار عظيم للإقامة خلال زيارتك أديليد. إن موقعه الجيد الذي يبعد 2.5 km فقط عن مركز المدينة يساعد النزلاء على الاستمتاع بمعالم المدينة ونشاطاتها. بالنسبة لمن يريد الخروج، هذه بعض المعالم السياحية المتوفرة للزوار اديلايدي زو, Womens And Childrens Hospital, The Memorial Hospital.
إن الخدمات الممتازة وحسن الضيافة العالي في Majestic Old Lion Apartments تجعل إقامتك تجربة لا تنسى. يمكن الاستمتاع بمجموعة من الخدمات على أعلى المستويات في الفندق كمثل واي فاي مجاني في جميع الغرف, مرافق مخصصة لذوي الاحتياجات الخاصة, تسجيل وصول/خروج سريع, تخزين الأمتعة, واي فاي في المناطق العامة.
تنعكس أجواء Majestic Old Lion Apartments في غرف الضيوف.تلفزيون بشاشة مسطحة, اتصال لاسلكي بشبكة الإنترنت (مجاني), غرف لغير المدخنين, مكيف هواء, تدفئة هي بعض الميزات الموجود في العديد من الغرف. صممت خدمات الاستجمام في الفندق والتي تتضمن مسار جولف - ضمن 3 كم, حديقة لمساعدتك على الاسترخاء والراحة. مهما كانت أسبابك لزيارة أديليد، فإن Majestic Old Lion Apartments هو الخيار الأفضل لإقامة مثيرة وممتعة.
الحد الأقصى المسموح به لارتفاع السيارات في ساحة الانتظار هو 2.4 متر.
Wow, what a gem. I had a two-bedroom apartment which was perfect in every way. There were no issues. Nothing missing. Staff were lovely. Walking distance to Botanic Park, Botanic Gardens, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Zoo and many other Adelaide highlights. Many, many food choices within walking distance. Particularly loved The British (pub) on Finness Street, nearby. Would recommend wholeheartedly.
In Adelaide for few days staying with friends, going to the fringe on our last night before the flight home, staying at the Old lion is good access to all that Adelaide offers in the month of march.
This is our second stay at the old lion apartments. We will on our next visit to Adelaide also stay here as it's a great location. We stayed a total of 8 days and found the easy access to city and entertainment a bonus. Self-contained apartments meet our requirements and would recommend staying either for couple or business trip. We had both a single and double room as we were attending a 21st and other family member fly down for a few days. The staff were great and all requests meet.
Great location. We always stay here because of it's location. Rooms are what you expect when looking at the photos. Will be back again for sure.
Excellent location, very quiet and yet not too far from the hustling city CBD. We stayed at the 2 bedroom apartment, very spacious and comfortable however it is a bit dated and not the cleanest place hotel - perhaps it is due for a refreshment.
Dragging the suitcases up stairs was a pain, so a ground floor unit might be the go. Also the 2 bed apartment would have been better if it had 2 bathrooms as we had 4 adults. Some luggage racks are needed for the rooms also. Don't leave a pj on bed or cleaning staff will not make bed. Beds were very comfy and units clean and tidy and central to everything. Free wifi worked well and we had a lovely time. We booked 2 units and were pretty happy with them.
Location, location, location! Perfect, local dining with superb quality, Festival Center only minutes away, museums, art gallery, great shopping, underground parking, honestly could not fault the place.
Lovely 2 bedroom apartment, nicely decorated and very spacious. Staff friendly and helpful. The arpartment had everything we need including washing machine and dryer. The gardens are lovely and well maintained. Secure undercover parking which is free! Lots of cafes and resturants close by and its in walking distance of the Children's hospital, Memorial Hostpital and the Zoo. In all great place to stay only negative is the stairs to the rooms no elevator.
Great location, really nice well kept grounds, free secure parking, nicely appointed rooms with cooking facilities if you really wanted to cook considering all the great restaurant choices from Melbourne Street to O'Connell Street to the city centre. Friendly staff. We were not put off by the bands playing until midnight next door at the pub, as we were out late most nights, but it might be a bit annoying for some early to bed customers?!
Lovely apartment in a great location. Easy to find with secure undercover parking. The apartment was well appointed and was very comfortable. Very friendly staff and fast check in. High recommended for both business or holiday travel.
It should have been a great place to stay, large, clean, well equipped apartment unfortunately it was let down by a mattress so rock solid we both woke with aching necks and backs the next day. I wouldn't go back again for that reason.
Apart from helpful staff, I'm often drawn to this accommodation, in particular the Annex, every time I visit Adelaide for work purposes. Its quiet location, yet accessible to nearby restaurants, makes it ideal to relax after works. The undercover parking and free wi-fi are icing on the cake!
Always a great option in Adelaide - close to local cafes and restaurants, parks and other attractions. Clean and spacious rooms/apartments, friendly staff and free secure parking (and Wi-Fi). Recommended.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. The rooms was clean and the staff very helpful and friendly. We have no hesitation in returning. The only thing that might have made our stay perfect is a little more sound proofing on the windows facing the hotel - it was a little noisy at night.
Fantastic location in North Adelaide close to the new Adelaide Oval, restaurants and lovely shops of North Adelaide. We booked the three bedroom apartment. Beds were comfy and all linen really clean. My only negatives and this was because I was travelling with my 76 year old mum, was the shower being over the bath and it's a bit of an effort getting up and down the stairs to the car park with luggage etc.
Enjoyable, but I didn't appreciate someone elses address and phone number on my sign-in sheet. Don't presume just because the name is the same - my details were on my booking form, so there's no excuse for carlessness. The staff member who booked me in couldn't have cared less, just shrugged and said "cross it out and put your details in".
First time we stayed here, excellent place, secure parking, clean rooms, next too melbourne street. loved it.


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Trump Drops Requirement for Employers to Validate Citizenship of Employees
E-Verify is an electronic system, managed by Homeland Security, that allows employers to determine if new hires are authorized to work as US citizens. The program is voluntary, but many companies refused to use it because they can pay lower wages to illegal immigrants. President Trump campaigned on requiring employers to use E-Verify, but this year, he cut $3.7 million from the program and appears to have dropped his support. Instead, it is said he is following the advice of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who has prepared a 600-page immigration proposal to create a more 'business-friendly' system. -GEG
President Trump's new budget retreats on his campaign promise to require all U.S. businesses to use E-Verify to check their new hires, signaling the White House's surrender on one of the best tools to shut down the jobs magnet that spurs illegal immigration.
In the budget, released Monday, Mr. Trump says he backs the current mostly voluntary version of E-Verify.
E-Verify, run by Homeland Security, is an electronic system available to employers to run their new hires' information. They are told, usually instantaneously, whether the person is work-authorized.
Currently it's voluntary for most companies, though federal contractors are supposed to use it, and some states have passed laws mandating use as well.
Though not infallible, the system is considered the best way to prevent illegal immigrants from taking jobs, and has long been the Holy Grail for security advocates and those pushing for stricter immigration limits.
The Trump budget retreat was dismaying to them.
"I hope it was simply an oversight, rather than an indication that the Trump administration is abandoning the most effective tool we have to limit illegal immigration and protect the jobs and wages of American workers," said Rosemary Jenks, vice president at NumbersUSA, which runs television commercials backing use of E-Verify.
Gone is language from the previous two budgets calling for "mandatory nationwide use."
Immigration experts said the administration is setting the table for the 600-page immigration proposal Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, has been preparing for months. That plan would shift American immigration to a more business-friendly system — and, sources say it does not include mandatory E-Verify.
Having the budget say otherwise could have been an embarrassing conflict, said Jessica Vaughan, policy studies director at the Center for Immigration Studies.
"It had to be changed to stay consistent with Kushner's proposal, which is at odds with what the president has been saying," Ms. Vaughan said. "It's a takeover of the president's immigration agenda by the special interests who benefit from illegal immigration."


In my previous article, How to Best Utilize the TSheets and QuickBooks Integration, I mentioned that Intuit's acquisition of TSheets will lead to continual improvements in the way the two systems interact. This has been made evident with the brand-new QuickBooks Online and TSheets Auto-Sync feature, which will help save accountants, bookkeepers, and CPAs hours of stress. If you or your clients live in a fast-paced world, this feature is right up your alley!
What Is the TSheets and QuickBooks Online Auto-Sync Feature?
The TSheets and QuickBooks Online auto-sync feature recognizes when new data has been entered (or existing data has been edited) in QuickBooks, and automatically sends it over to TSheets. This is just one step to make the integration more streamlined, as many TSheets and QuickBooks Online customers run businesses where each day is vastly different from the previous day.
In the past, as companies gained contracts and new customers throughout the day, this information had to be entered into QuickBooks by the admin first, and then manually synced over to TSheets. Only at this point would employees be able to track their time against the new customer. This process was not ideal for a fast-paced work environment. Thus, auto-sync was born.
How Exactly Does Auto-Sync Work?
Once TSheets and QuickBooks Online are integrated, the systems will check for new or updated information in QuickBooks every five minutes. If new or updated information is detected, the system will run a sync, importing the data into TSheets. If no changes have been made to data within the QuickBooks Online account, the systems will not sync for that five-minute time frame.
Note: This auto-sync only sends data from QuickBooks Online to TSheets. Time data in TSheets will not automatically sync to QuickBooks — the current approval-and-export process must be used.
What Data Will Automatically Sync to TSheets?
New or edited employees, customers, service items, classes, and payroll items will all automatically sync to TSheets in five-minute intervals.
Who Can Benefit From This Feature?
Anyone can! However, companies that add multiple new customers or contracts throughout the day will see the most benefit. With auto-sync, admins can enter in new customer information and know it will be available in TSheets for employees to track their time against before they even get to a job site.
Many innovative features will be coming to the TSheets and QuickBooks Online integration in the next couple of months. In other words, we are just getting started! For updates, stay connected with Accountex and contact the TSheets customer support team if you have any questions. We'd love to hear from you!
Wayfair Is Decided: What's Next?
interesting blog.. thanks for sharing and keep it up!


If you're looking to impress a visitor to your home, few things are more impactful than a wine cellar. Aged, fine vintages are a sign of class and sophistication – as well as being a great conversation starter. The times are a-changing, however. Whilst enthusiasm for wine and spirits such as whiskey will always be high, it's just a matter of time before baijiu takes its place at the top table.
Not heard of baijiu? You're in the majority – for now. This Chinese beverage has yet to make any real inroads into Western culture. This is sure to change soon though, as manufacturers of the spirit are launching a charm offensive to bring the drink into bars, restaurants and living rooms throughout the world.
It may take a while before baijiu comes the national beverage of any country other than China, as it's something of an acquired taste. You'll need an iron constitution to remain standing after your first few shots, as baijiu is hugely strong! Once you have mastered the method of consuming baijiu, however, you'll be at the forefront of a brave new world.
You see, baijiu isn't just a drink for Chinese nationals. It's a way of life. Baijiu is consumed at state functions, and the right bottle can make a treasured collector's item. Much like wine that can be dated to pivotal moments in history, well-aged baijiu can auction for eye-watering sums in China.
That's right – auction. Christie's in Shanghai hosted the first ever all-baijiu auction in 2018, dubbed Treasures of the Chishui River – Kweichow Moutai. It's an undeniably attention-grabbing name, and some of the lots on offer certainly grabbed attendees by the throat.
Let's break it down a little. There are a great many different brands of baijiu available in China, with every distillery using their own preferred techniques. The Christie's auction focused on Moutai, which is arguably the country's best-known brand of baijiu – and undeniably the most prestigious. It's Moutai that is served at state banquets and functions throughout China, and it's Moutai that can sell for substantial sums.
A curious drinker looking to bring a bottle of Moutai into the UK would be looking at spending an average of £288. Sure, that's not chump change, but we're not talking supermarket plonk here! Moutai is a very prestigious drink. If it's good enough for state visitors to China, it's certainly good enough for a dinner party in Stoke Newington.
Moutai also remains prestigious due to the celebrated region in which it's distilled. Whilst there are countless baijiu brands throughout China, only those created in the Kweichow Moutai distillery can use this name. Moutai isn't just a brand with a catchy and memorable name. It's a seal of quality and reassurance of luxury born of the region it was created within, just like champagne.
In fact, this baijiu is used in a similar way to champagne in the west. If there's an occasion to mark in China, whether that's a birth, wedding or professional achievement, expect Moutai to flow.
This is why Moutai was chosen as the focal point of China's first ever all-baijiu auction. Many collectible bottles were placed up for sale, in an auction hosted by two celebrated consignors. The top lot was undoubtedly a dozen bottles of Fei Tian Moutai, dating back to 1980. These bottles sold for a total of RMB660,000, which translates as around £74,000.
Despite this, a pair of individual bottles reaches similar sums by themselves. As we have mentioned, baijiu is measured in worth by its age – alongside other factors. This is why two vintages, dated back to 1957 and 1958, each sold for RMB600,000. That's circa £67,000. It may seem like big bucks to drop on a single bottle of spirit, but that's the baijiu market for you – Moutai is hugely collectible!
Despite this, the auction was not a record breaker. The world's most expensive bottle of Baijiu was a 1935 Moutai brewed under the Lay Mau umbrella. Such baijiu bottles are extremely rare, as this distillery ceased to exist in 1953. Three disparate distilleries were merged into one to become the nation's primary state-sponsored baijiu HQ at this point.
As a result, anything that pre-dates this era is a highly sought-after collectible. This bottle of baijiu sold for RMB 10.7 million (£1.4 million). Imagine how sickened you'd feel if you dropped that on the way out of the auction house. Even earlier in 2018, a single bottle raised RMB 1.97 million (£227,000).
In total, the Christie's auction raised around RMB 25.5 million. That's around £2.8 million. It may not sound like a bad day's work for an auctioneer, but it was actually considered to be slightly disappointing, with an expectation that the next auction will raise a little more.
Don't go thinking that the auctioneers were greedy, either. Even higher bids next time are a fair assumption. The baijiu collectors market is a huge business in China, estimated to be worth around RMB 30 billion (£3.5 billion) by 2020.
If you're looking to muscle in on this action, you may need to crack open your piggy bank. All signs point to collectible baijiu becoming a failsafe nest egg in the future, especially when the drink does crack the western market.


The first four Sparky books are also available in Spanish: El Paseo de Sparky, No Descanso de Sparky, Sparky de Costa a Costa, and La Gran Carrera de Sparky.
For Sparky, her nightly walk is anything but uneventful. What should be just a leisurely jaunt around the neighborhood and a prelude to a good night's sleep turns into a memorable journey, with surprises, both good and bad, lurking around every corner. Rabbits and raccoons, bats and cats, they all cross Sparky's path this night.
"How can a tired dog get some rest?"
Sparky just wants to be left alone, but her housemates won't cooperate Speedy the tortoise, Molly the rabbit, the hamsters, the frog, and even Floyd the crazy squirrel all conspire to make Sparky's day anything but restful, until Kristen comes to the rescue. But what kind of creature will David bring home next to this "zoo of a house"?
This Halloween night has it all: ghosts and goblins and witches and Sparky! And some big bullies, too, who like to steal candy. No worries, though, because it's Sparky and her pals to the rescue. But will someone have to rescue them?
The kids are off to school, and Sparky's coming, too!
Sparky in school? That's against the rules … but a whole lot of fun! There's art and gym and music, and don't forget lunch! Yes, Sparky's in school, but the mean principal is not far behind, and he's out to get her. Where will Sparky hide? How will she escape?


Apparently, you can buy more than just groceries at Harpo's in Greene County.
If you went shopping at Harpo�s Store in Greene County, you could come away with more than just groceries. Crack cocaine wasn�t on the shelves, but it was available, according to the Greene County Sheriff�s Office.
Deputies on Friday arrested two men at the Walstonburg business on crack cocaine charges. A search of the store and a nearby trailer turned up 80 grams of crack, a.38-caliber revolver, two Ecstasy tablets and a stolen trailer.
Kevin Chonta Hall, 34 of Walstonburg was charged with two counts of maintaining a dwelling to keep or use a controlled substance, one count of possession of a firearm by a felon and one count of intent to manufacture, sell or distribute a Schedule II controlled substance.
James Earl Hardy, 61 of Stantonburg was charged with of intent to manufacture, sell or distribute a Schedule II controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and conspiracy to sell cocaine.
Detectives James Hinson and Charles Boyette searched the 4237 Apple Road location with assistance from the Wilson County Sheriff�s Office K-9 unit.
Hall, also known as Little Shawn, was jailed under a $310,000 bond. Hardy�s bond is $300,000. Their next court date is Dec. 7.


Holiday City Berkeley is an adult community of single family homes in Berkeley/Toms River, NJ. There are over 3,000 homes in this community and features two clubhouses and outdoor pools and so much more. Holiday City Berkeley was built during the 1970's and features smaller single family homes with 2 bedrooms and attached garages. The community residents benefit from low taxes and HOA fees.


Sun beams stream into the living room, making it so easy to succumb to the warm seduction of a nap. For me, there's nothing quite so luxurious as having the freedom to let yourself drift off for a few moments in the middle of the day. The heaviness of drooping eyelids seem to outweigh the book wavering in one's hand and the head drops to one side in delightful snooze.
Miss Kitty has been calling me... seems she's been feeling the pull for a nap too and wants me to join her. How can I say no!
I'm with YOU!! You make it sound so hypnotically inviting! Yes, it is wonderful to have the freedom to nap! Did I tell you earlier that my husband falls asleep at the drop of a hat and once while trying to stay awake, fell asleep standing up eating popcorn! Now I'm feeling very tired, your post is so suggestive, but I do NOT want to nap after 6:00 P.M.!
Naps are always great and especially with a little slant of sun!!
Nothing better indeed. I had a ten minute nap this afternoon in the sun...not long enough! Love the way you describe giving in to the sleepiness.
Of *course* naps are essential! Isn't *that* what we've been saying all along?


Another all-reader-contributed week of doom!
It is not, of course, a fur baby. It is an animal. Which, if cooked properly would be delicious.
Goucher College described its move to phase out math, physics, music, Russian studies, and four others as part of an "academic revitalization," reported The Washington Post. The private school has slightly fewer than 1,500 students.
Colleges should be in the business of instructing students, who by definition are ignorant, not in what they want, but what is good for them. Catering to student whim leads to idiocy and ideology.
Seems to me one of the current overarching philosophies, particularly in the tech sector, and courtesy of merging evolutionary metaphysics and religion (a la later Teilhard de Chardin), is the progression of humanity to a brave, new trans-human level of development, soaring ever higher in proud ascent through the deep firmament of the Ubermensch, fabricating a world completely in our own image (devoid of God and charity, of course). The Tower of Babel was nothing in comparison, and nothing's off the table; we can do all things through Tech who strengthens us.
I'm all for medical advancements (and pray for improving treatments and cures for all the ills that ail us), but at what point do you cross the threshold into madness? Just because we can begin to manipulate the structure of DNA doesn't mean it's a good idea; the author himself stats, "Biologically, the path to Human 2.0 is underway – regardless of the fact that we don't know the long-long-term consequences of these edits." God confounding the plans of the proud aside, and given that we actually can devise a future according to our sci-fi intentions, how much do you wanna bet that there's a strong correlation between one's degree of augmentation and one's net worth?
"Pet-ternity" would be petriarchal. Down with the petriarchy!
fur-ternity discriminates against reptiles, birds and many others. Down with fur privilege!
Of course, I would never have taken furternity leave for any DOG I ever had—they're dogs. Lovable and entertaining, but DOGS.
Yes, some of you probably would have eaten the yorkie and I can't say I would blame anyone for doing so. He was mean little snot. He was entertaining enough I let him live, but he was the equivalent of a psychopath for a kid.
I like the idea of fur-ternity leave for a sick pet. Last Saturday I realised my dog was paralysed from a tick, and he got the antivenom in time. After three days at the vets he could come home however I have to nurse him for another 4 weeks~ to minimise a heart attack/choking on food. Thankfully I work from home. He's my companion not my baby and once well he (they) will be outside again.
I don't blame your Yorkie either.
Catering to customer whims is what businesses do. Today most colleges are driven very strongly by business concerns. If an institution wants to be an arts college, then that's its business plan. It may succeed or fail depending on many factors, some of which are critical ones out of the college's control. Lately, a whim of increasing numbers of students is obtaining satisfactory employment after graduation. Let's make a distinction between idiocy/ideology and appropriate responses to market demands when criticizing colleges.