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Search Results for: fiction
Arundhati Roy: "Fiction is a Universe"
Posted by Michelle Weber
Arundhati Roy talks to a student during a 2016 march demaning the release of Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University students who were arrested on sedition charges. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
In The Guardian, Tim Lewis curates an unconventional interview with Arundhati Roy: all the questions come from fans, famous and not. I particularly love her articulation of the ways in which all her writing, fiction and non-fiction, is political, in response to a question from writer Lionel Shriver about whether Roy worries that her activism detracts from her fiction.
I have always quarrelled with this word "activist". I think it's a very new word and I don't know when it was born, but it was recently. I don't want to have a second profession added to writing. Writing covers it. In the old days, writers were political creatures also, not all, but many. It was seen as our business to be writing about the world around us in different ways. So I don't feel threatened or worried about that. For me, my fiction and my nonfiction are both political. The fiction is a universe, the nonfiction is an argument.
What I do worry about is the fact that writers have become so frightened of being political. The idea that writers are being reduced to creators of a product that is acceptable, that slips down your throat, which readers love and therefore can be bestsellers, that's so dangerous. Today, for example in India, where majoritarianism is taking root – and by majoritarianism, I don't just mean the government, I mean that individuals are being turned into micro-fascists by so many means. It is the mobs and vigilantes going and lynching people. So more than ever, the point of the writer is to be unpopular. The point of the writer is to say: "I denounce you even if I'm not in the majority."
Read the interview
Categories: Arts & Culture, Editor's Pick, Profiles & Interviews, Quotes
Tags: activism, Arundhati Roy, fiction, Lionel Shriver, The Guardian, Tim Lewis, Writing
The Writers' Roundtable: Fiction vs. Nonfiction
Eva Holland
Illustration by Kjell Reigstad and Katie Kosma
Eva Holland | Longreads | April 2018 | 23 minutes (5,900 words)
A lifetime ago, it seems, I used to write fiction. I wrote little stories on scraps of paper as a young kid; throughout grade school, I filled my unused notebooks with attempts at novels; I wrote a few short stories in high school and college. But since I started freelancing full-time a decade ago, I haven't written a single line of fiction.
For a few years now, I've been intrigued by the writers who manage to produce both fiction and nonfiction work — the ones who excel on both sides of the divide. How do they do it? Why? Do they prefer one to the other? Does one feed the other? I had so many questions, I finally decided to convene another writers' roundtable (last time around, we talked freelancing) and I asked a few writers I admire to weigh in.
Benjamin Percy is a Minnesota-based writer of novels (most recently, The Dark Net), comics, and the nonfiction book Thrill Me: Essays On Fiction. His nonfiction stories have also appeared in the likes of GQ, Esquire, Outside, and Men's Journal. Taffy Brodesser-Akner is a staff writer at the New York Times, a contributor to GQ and many other fine magazines, and the author of a forthcoming novel. Mary H.K. Choi has written for Wired, GQ, The Atlantic, and more. Her first novel, Emergency Contact, recently debuted on March 27. Adam Sternbergh is an editor at New York magazine and the author of the novels The Blinds, Shovel Ready, and Near Enemy.
Eva Holland: When I was younger, I admit I barely even understood that nonfiction writing existed, outside of daily hard news reporting. My understanding of "writing" was entirely "fiction writing," and I only fell in love with magazines and narrative nonfiction much later. So, my first question is: What came first for you as a writer — fiction, or non?
Benjamin Percy: Growing up, my only doses of nonfiction came from The Oregonian, Time, Newsweek, Fangoria, National Geographic, and Archaeology Magazine. Most of my reading was devoted to novels — mass-market paperbacks with embossed titles and dragons on the cover — and that's what I hoped to become when I stepped into my first creative writing workshop: a genre novelist. The first time I wrote something that resembled "creative nonfiction," I was in my mid-20s and only attempted it because a magazine approached me about an assignment.
Taffy Brodesser-Akner: I was absolutely, definitely, without a doubt going to be a fiction writer or a screenwriter. And then I wasn't! When I left NYU with a BFA in screenwriting, I realized I had zero version of a plan. I didn't know what to do, so I got a job that was advertised in the New York Times classifieds (a fiction writer might call this foreshadowing). It was to work at a Soap Opera Magazine. I was still writing screenplays, but they weren't good—they were cynical, in the way that '90s screenplays were cynical. And I was taught how to write those things so that they would sell, not so they would be meaningful. So I worked at the soap opera stuff, and I wrote profiles of the actors. I was going to get back into fiction…one day. But it was always hovering in the background. It seemed very fancy to me, to write a novel. And very big and out of reach. I became a freelance writer after a time, and realized I couldn't devote the amount of time to a novel that a novel would need because I couldn't bet so many working hours on something that wasn't a sure thing. Read more…
Categories: Arts & Culture, Discussions, Nonfiction, Profiles & Interviews, Story, Writing
Tags: eva holland, interviews, roundtable, writing fiction, writing magazine stories
The Truth About Writing Fiction From Your Life
Elisa Albert and Emily Gould talk with Longreads Essays Editor Sari Botton about the decisions involved in writing fiction with autobiographical underpinnings at Rough Draft Bar & Books in Kingston, NY on Sunday, February 11th, 2018.
Sari Botton | Longreads | March 2018 | 17 minutes (4300 words)
I've been working on a few different book projects for years — okay, decades — without yet publishing. There are many, many reasons it's been taking me so long, but one of them is that I keep vacillating between memoir and fiction.
In the early 90s I dabbled in MFA programs, focusing on fiction. What I began writing in those days was somewhat based on my own experiences, yet also very made-up.
Then in the mid-90s, after I dropped out of two different programs in succession, books like Elizabeth Wurtzel's Prozac Nation, Kathryn Harrison's The Kiss and Mary Karr's The Liar's Club appeared and sparked a memoir boom. As a reader I became a nonfiction junkie. As a writer, I switched gears, started publishing personal essays…and then spent a lot of time freaking out about upsetting people by writing the truth — or my version of it, anyway.
These days I go back and forth, working on both memoir and somewhat autobiographical fiction, and spend a lot of time debating the merits of each with other writers.
On Sunday, February 11th, I turned to two of my favorite authors, Elisa Albert and Emily Gould, for their take on this. I sat down with them at Rough Draft Bar and Books in Kingston, New York, for a conversation ranging from the choices around writing fiction with autobiographical underpinnings, to the differences — mechanically-speaking and otherwise — between memoir and "autofiction."
This interview was edited for brevity and clarity. Below you can listen to the audio — including Albert reading a passage from After Birth, and Gould reading a passage from Friendship, plus a Q&A with the audience.
Sari Botton: Elsewhere, both of you have talked a lot about, and written about, writing fiction from your life. I've been intrigued, and I thought that other people would want to hear about this too. So, is there a difference in your mind, either one of you, between straight up fiction and fiction that does have autobiographical elements, and what would be the difference?
Elisa Albert: We could do like a one word answer on the count of three, yes, or no. I don't think there's a difference. I think it's like a spectrum, you know? Like a continuum, if you will. We are all bound by the limits of consciousness such as it is. Unless we alter our consciousness, but even altered consciousness is consciousness. It exists, you know? I mean, I can't get into the physics too deeply, but even if you set something on Mars, you're still coming from what you have to bring to bear, which is your consciousness. So, is that always necessarily autobiographical? No. But it does come from you. Or the one you, the eternal you, the shared collective you.
Emily Gould: Elisa and I obviously don't write books that are set on Mars or in 18th century Scotland. No aliens are going to show up at the temp agency where Bev [a character in Friendship] is going to have her interview. There are no fantastical imaginative elements. But that also doesn't mean that we didn't make this stuff up. This book is actually so made up. And it's actually really frustrating sometimes when people are like, "Oh, so what was it like for you when …" [name of my best friend] "decided to have a baby after getting pregnant after a one night stand?" And I'm like, "I don't know, because that didn't happen in my actual life."
At the same time I want credit for being such an imaginative person, but then I look at any individual page of this book, and I'm like, well, yes, I did eat at that restaurant, and have basically that exact same interaction. But you know, then it became fictionalized. And we both have also written a lot of nonfiction, and think there is a shining line in my mind between the two forms.
Botton: You've both also written a fair amount of essay and memoir, and so people recognize certain things from your lives, which they can project on to your books, saying it's totally just your life. But now you're calling it a novel.
Albert: Change the names and there you go.
Botton: Right, exactly. But a lot of other novelists choose to completely invent worlds and that's not what you're doing, so it's an interesting choice. Emily, I read something that you wrote about where the choice started. That you were having a hard time after writing a memoir, And the Heart Says Whatever. That after that you were having a hard time writing in the first person. Do you want to talk a little bit about that shift?
Gould: Oh sure. Yeah. In order to trick myself into being able to write again at all after the, sort of, critical and interpersonal disaster that was the reception to my first book, I sort of just started writing in the third person as an exercise even though I was still basically writing memoiristically. And then very gradually that became something other than memoir. It just started as a sort of thought exercise, and now this is something that I tell my students.
I'm teaching fiction now, and students come to me all the time and say things like, "I'm just so sick of myself. I'm sick of my perspective. I'm sick of all of my thoughts about everything. I'm sick of my themes. All of my fellow people in this workshop have heard the same story from me a thousand times already, and they're sick of my shtick too. What can I do to break out of the aspects of me that I'm so bored with?" And I just tell them, "You're stuck with you. I'm sorry." They haven't perfected head transplants yet, so we're all stuck with ourselves.
But what you can do is just shift your lens. Try a new form even if it's something that you're really bad at. Draw a comic book even if you can't draw at all. Switch point of view, like I did. Write a song or a poem about the stuff that you usually write about instead of just doing whatever it is that you usually do. It sounds so goofy, and 101, but it really works. You can pull the wool over your own eyes. You really can lie to yourself and trick your brain.
Even if you set something on Mars, you're still coming from what you have to bring to bear, which is your consciousness. So, is that always necessarily autobiographical? No. But it does come from you. — Elisa Albert
Botton: So once you start writing about yourself, or write your story in the third person … although, Elisa, After Birth is in the first person, right?
Albert: Yeah. Because my first novel was in the third person, and I found it was the same thing anyway. Everybody still was kind of like, Oh, well, it's just you, obviously.
Gould: Which is so weird because you didn't die of brain cancer.
Albert: Right, I know. The narrator of my first book dies of a brain tumor at the end of the book, so I don't know how that could be autobiographical. I mean, I think ultimately it's a compliment. It has to be a compliment, you know? Because what people are saying when they're sort of assuming those things or projecting, or whatever, is that you have created a world that is so visceral and immediate and convincing that oh, of course it's you. You know? So you've done what you set out to do then. I mean, I wouldn't want to write a book where people reading it would think, like, geez, this shit's totally invented. You know?
And the other thing is a novel, anything you write, but a novel especially, just the scope of it, it has to be an obsession. So even if you're obsessed with 17th century Germany, that's your obsession, and there are deep-rooted ways in which that's very autobiographical even though obviously you weren't there in your current form. So whatever it is, it has to be an obsession. You can't spend years working on something if you're not obsessed. So even if it's not about you, it is encompassing your deep need to think about, look at, explore something.
Botton: So then once you've started writing, either in the third or first person — but deciding that it's fiction — how do you then take the elements of your life and make them into something that isn't your life? That becomes another story, more than just your life? How do you make that leap? Or does it start with, like, I have this particular story I want to tell?
Albert: Lorrie Moore said in her amazing story, "How to Become a Writer," which is in the second person, and is very autobiographical, that "it's like recombinant DNA." You change one little strand of something, and then watch how that ripples out. Then it's a very different story suddenly. I like to use things from my own life that I'm not interested in inventing. I'm not interested in inventing an origin story. Like, the thing I'm working on now. It's a girl from LA. I grew up in LA. I'm not interested in inventing a different origin story. That's now where my obsession lies, so I'm going to use that. I don't give a shit.
So that's autobiographical. I mean, this person is not like me in many, many other ways, but I know that origin story, so I can make use of it. It would be wasteful otherwise. I would be wasting my energy. I'd be reinventing the wheel. I have a pretty deep identification as somebody who was raised in a really religious household. I'm not interested in reinventing that at this point. That's not what I'm looking at. So that's a given. I'm going to use that. That's there. I'm fluent in that, you know?
Botton: That frees you, then, to create the other aspects of the story.
Albert: The things I'm kind of obsessed with looking at or turning over or flipping around or inverting or whatever, that's what I'm going to spend these years doing. And I don't have to then waste my energy on the other elements because, you know, maybe in a different book those elements might need tweaking, but yeah. It's like butterfly wings, right? Like, tsunami on the other side of the globe because, like, one little movement here.
The narrator of After Birth — her mother is dead. My mother's not dead. She has an unnecessary surgical birth that was like super inhumane and traumatic. That didn't happen to me. She's an academic. I'm not an academic. Whatever. But, see, then we get into this weird thing where I'm like, see! Whatever.
Elisa and I obviously don't write books that are set on Mars or in 18th century Scotland. There are no fantastical imaginative elements. But that also doesn't mean that we didn't make this stuff up. 'Friendship' is actually so made up. — Emily Gould
Gould: I'm sure this is something that you guys definitely all already thought about before, but I find myself thinking about writing fiction sometimes in terms of almost like method acting a little bit. Like, you can take an emotional experience that you've had and transmute it into another form. I've never experienced a shattering romantic betrayal, which is one of the things that I write about in Friendship. Yet. But I have experienced betrayal on a deep level in a relationship, but just not, like fucking someone else. You know?
So I was able to use that emotional experience and turn it into something else, the same way that I imagine actors do. I don't know. I'm a terrible actress, so I actually don't know how that works. But that's what people talk about in "The Actor Prepares," which I totally read in drama class.
Botton: That's so funny. An article came up in my world today, in my social media world, with a title like "Apply acting techniques to your writing."
Albert: People come at me sometimes, like about opinions spewed by the character, and they really want to fight me about it, and it's like, dude, you're not going to go after Al Pacino for his mafia activities. Like, get your shit straight, okay? This is like a role, this is a performance, okay?
Botton: That's a good way of putting it. When I emailed you guys and was asking like, "Are we talking about autofiction?" Emily, you were like, "Well, I don't write autofiction." And then Chloe Caldwell [who had to bow out of the event] was like, "I write autofiction." It's a really hard thing to get a handle on. What exactly is autofiction? Emily, I know that you're a big fan of Chris Kraus, and her stuff kind of falls into that category, maybe? So I wondered if you could just talk a little bit about what it is and why it isn't what you're doing.
Gould: Well, I mean, the most straightforward, I think, contemporary example of autofiction that probably the most people in this room have read, just based on the bestseller list is Knausgård. Has anyone read any of those My Struggles? All of the struggles? Yeah, there were a lot of them. But what he does, I think, is — it's just this amazingly super detailed tracking the movements of his own consciousness thing, but filling in the gaps in his memory with imaginative detail, I assume, and that's what makes it a novel rather than a diary. So, for example, there's a famous scene at the end of the first My Struggle volume that's just this virtuosic scene where he is cleaning out his disaster alcoholic, hoarder, dead father's house for days on end. Just like, you're there. You are in the house, smelling the smells, moving the specific objects from room to room with him, like almost in real time, for as long as it takes. That, to me, is autofiction. That form. And that's just so, so different from what either of us have done, even though we have written about characters who are our same ages who have our same hair colors.
Botton: I was also thinking about Lisa Halliday's new book, Asymmetry.
Gould: Ooh, yeah, that one's good.
Botton: It's about a relationship with a Philip Roth-like character. That's part of it. And the author did have a relationship with Philip Roth, and she was interviewed in the Times and she talks about how she uses the basic details from her life to just kind of set up the universe, and then she makes a story and works from there.
Albert: Well, then there's the idea that, is there such a thing as nonfiction? You know, its arguable. Even if you're trying to write a memoir, somebody else who was there might have a very different memoir.
Gould: I think there are formal distinctions that we just have to make. It's like the difference between painting oils or painting watercolors or something? And for some reason that's really important to me to draw those distinctions. And I also have incredibly strong feelings about "nonfiction" that is written without faith, you know? Like A Million Little Pieces-style stuff. That bugs me.
I like to use things from my own life that I'm not interested in inventing. I'm not interested in inventing an origin story. Like, the thing I'm working on now. It's a girl from LA. I grew up in LA. I'm not interested in inventing a different origin story. — Elisa Albert
Albert: Well that was written as a novel.
Gould: Oh, but published as a memoir.
Albert: Right.
Gould: So then we're also talking about market forces and marketing categories informing what gets called fiction and what gets nonfiction. But we don't have to bring commerce into this room tonight.
Albert: Let's not bring the market into this.
Gould: We can just keep this in the lofty realm of art for now.
Albert: But you know that old line about how if you say it's a memoir, they'll say you made it all up, and if you say it's fiction, they'll say every word is true.
Botton: I was just going to say that. Yeah, so then why does somebody write autofiction as opposed to a memoir? It's so close.
Gould: It's not. It's totally different!
Botton: It is? Okay.
Gould: Yeah, like a memoir has all these imaginative story elements and structures, and autofiction is really about living inside someone else's mind, no matter how boring it gets there. It's really trying to just transport you into someone else's consciousness, which to me is like a super fascinating, trippy experience.
Albert: Done well, it's, like, the best.
Gould: It's transcendent when it's done well. When it's done badly, of course, it's as boring as being someone boring is. And that's just a world away from what we do as memoirists. Which is so much to do with eliding the boring part of the story and getting into the propulsive part of the narrative. That's the craft of memoir. Sorry that I'm like, Duh, Sari.
Botton: That's okay. I'm here to learn. But I have writers in my studio who talk to me all the time about what to do with what their writing. They are writing stuff that feels like memoir, but they want to explore different outcomes. I've been sharing Michelle Tea's The Black Wave with people. There's magical realism in there. I just love the way she goes from stuff that is so recognizable to, like, she's just out there in another world. And so, I can never specifically know what is the best way for anybody to go, and this is kind of what this conversation came out of. I'm really trying to always get a handle on what are the differences. And I guess for different writers, it's different things.
In order to trick myself into being able to write again at all after the, sort of, critical and interpersonal disaster that was the reception to my first book, I sort of just started writing in the third person as an exercise even though I was still basically writing memoiristically. And then very gradually that became something other than memoir. — Emily Gould
Once upon a time, everything was called a novel. There wasn't the memoir category, and people wrote stories from their lives and called them novels, and so it got more confusing actually when the memoir genre got added. But I think for you, you're very clearly writing fiction.
Albert: Well, I think I'd be out of material pretty quick. I mean, stories from our lives can be really interesting, and many of us have lived intense lives, but there's only so much of it. Whereas, if you're willing to sort of go off on little digressions and make up little details and see how that spins out, and bring your perspective to bear on things that are not your experience. Or try to inhabit somebody else's perspective on something that maybe you have experienced, you have endless material. Then there's just no end to it.
I think I would get bored. I mean, I write nonfiction sometimes, but it's not as fun for me. It's like a good muscle to exercise, but it's like that playfulness, that kind of mischievous kind like, what can happen? What could I get away with? What if I push it this way?
Gould: Whereas, I feel like actually for me, nonfiction is where I started, and it's my comfort zone, and fiction is a lot harder, and it comes a lot less easily. It is this arduous process whereas, it just is easier to come up with a halfway decent first draft of something memoiristic for me, at least. Whereas to come up with a halfway decent first draft of something fictional is just … My shitty first drafts of fiction are like so shitty. I think also there's the hard, cold, horrible reality that just because something comes more easily to you doesn't meant it's good. God, that's sad.
Botton: I mostly write nonfiction, memoir, essay. But I dabble in fiction. I started graduate school to write fiction. I published one short story on a website, which had autobiographical underpinnings, but also a lot of made up shit. But I started writing something like a year ago, and I was having so much fun doing it, but when I went back to it, I had to keep reminding myself — and it was also based on a character similar to me — but I had to keep reminding myself of the rules of this universe that this person lives in. That this person's boyfriend is 18 years older and Italian. Having to orient myself again and again in this fictional world, I find hard. That doesn't mean, though, that it isn't something worth putting more time and effort toward and trying harder at, but for me it's like a harder exercise to remember the rules of the universe I've created. Do you ever run into that?
Albert: Sometimes. I mean, like, plot mostly. Just to be like, okay, this happened, this happened. I can sort of hang out in a voice for a long time, but then to just keep the facts straight. But that's administrative stuff, you know? A couple index cards.
Gould: Yeah. Those aren't structural things, so if you're thinking of it like a physical project? Like if you're building something, that's more like — the rules of the universe stuff you can always straighten out at the end in the same way that if you're renovating a house, you can fix up the door frames and the windows. I don't know anything about this metaphor.
Albert: It's like curtains.
Gould: I'm going to stop. Yeah, it's like you're going to put in furniture and decorate and the wall paper and stuff, and that's like the fun stuff that you do at the end. Also, copy editors will do some of it for you. And good line editors. Friendship was written a long time ago in my life, and I had never been pregnant. And now I've been pregnant a bunch, and I think the character who gets pregnant in Friendship was pregnant in the first draft, like the draft that sold, for like 11 months. Like an elephant. And no one caught it. A copy editor caught it. It was like, oops. And all I had to do was change some details about the weather, and it was fine, you know?
But that's the kind of thing that — if you get bogged down in that stuff in the first draft, you're going to prevent yourself from ever moving forward.
People come at me sometimes, like about opinions spewed by the character, and they really want to fight me about it, and it's like, dude, you're not going to go after Al Pacino for his mafia activities. Like, get your shit straight, okay? This is like a role, this is a performance, okay? — Elisa Albert
Botton: One of my obsessions that I've written a lot about, and interviewed people a lot about, and I've interviewed both of you about, is people getting pissed off at you for what you've written that has to do with them. And sometimes, when I'm working on memoir and afraid of people being mad at me, I think, All right, I'm just going to change my name. That's one solution. The other is, All right, I'm totally going to fictionalize, and it will be more fun. But they're still going to recognize themselves. Is this something that you run into or care about, or does fiction solve that?
Albert: I don't think fiction solves it. People just tend to then pick out people who are not remotely related to them and be offended by stuff that they're imagining might have something to do with them. I don't tend to have a lot of people in my life who I need to protect that way. That's been a long process, but I find it useful to have pretty honest relationships so that anyone I actually have in my life is a) not somebody I'm going to feel the need to fucking burn in literature, and b) not somebody who's going to come at what I'm doing with a narcissistic vengeance. But that takes time, and not everybody has the luxury of narrowing down their intimate circle in such a way. But it's served me pretty well so far.
Botton: I think, Emily, you've had a different experience, at least with memoir, yeah.
Gould: Well, yeah, there are definitely sacrifices involved in being honest always, for anyone. Not just writers, I think. And like Elisa, I think the list of people whose opinions I give a fuck about at all has been winnowed down over the course of my life from like, you know when I was in my 20s, it was like everyone. And now it's just people I care about. So yeah, I think this has always been really hard for me, and it continues to be hard for me. I definitely don't have all the answers about it at all, but like the tattoo on Sari's arm says, there comes a point when it becomes harder for the flower to stay in the bud than it is to bloom. I'm paraphrasing her tattoo badly, sorry.
So, it's like you choose between two different kinds of pain, right? It's like the pain of keeping whatever it is inside versus the pain that you're going contend with when you have to deal with the consequences of having written your story. And it's a personal choice.
Botton: Incidentally, Emily was my tattoula. You know, like a doula. She went with me. She brought me gluten-free cookies so I wouldn't faint.
Gould: It's really important to eat before and after you get a tattoo.
Botton: And for those of you who can't see, my tattoo, I recently learned, does not quote who I thought it did. So, yes. It's that quote that you see on mugs and candles. "And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." Usually it says it's by Anaïs Nin, and it is very much not, which is fine.
Albert: Are you going to edit it on the tattoo?
Botton: I didn't attribute.
Albert: Oh.
Botton: It's actually a woman [a playwright now] who was a publicist in California for an adult ed college in the 70s. She'd put that on a press release to encourage adults to go back to school. So, go back to school. That's what we're doing here. Yeah, so. I still like it.
Gould: Me too. It's great!
Botton: It's a good one, right?
Gould Yeah.
Botton: And then I got cherry blossoms on my other arm, so we're all blossomed out here. I actually interviewed that woman. One of these days I'll write about it…
Elisa Albert is the author of After Birth, The Book of Dahlia, and How This Night is Different, and the editor of the anthology Freud's Blind Spot. She has taught at Columbia's School of the Arts, The College of Saint Rose, and is currently Visiting Writer at Bennington College. She lives in upstate New York with her family.
Emily Gould is the author of And The Heart Says Whatever, Friendship, and the forthcoming Perfect Tunes. With Ruth Curry, she runs Emily Books, which sells and publishes books by women as an imprint of Coffee House Press. She is a contributor to Bookforum and The Cut. She teaches writing in New York City, where she lives with her family.
Sari Botton is the Essays Editor for Longreads. She edited the anthologies Goodbye to All That: Writers on Loving and Leaving NY and Never Can Say Goodbye: Writers on Their Unshakable Love for NY.
Recording by Brian Macaluso of Clandestine Productions. Event sponsored by Kingston Writers' Studio.
Categories: audio, Fiction, Highlight, Podcasts, Profiles & Interviews, Story, Writing
Tags: Aspects of the Novel, autobiographical novel, autofiction, craft, Elisa Albert, emily gould, fiction writing
What Happens When a Science Fiction Genius Starts Blogging?
Longreads Pick
After giving up writing fiction at age 87, fantasy, science fiction, and speculative fiction author Ursula K. Le Guin has started a blog. Internet citizens may want to know: does she write about her cat, Pard? Why yes, yes she does — while examining the human condition, of course.
Author: Robert Minto
Source: The New Republic
Published: Sep 7, 2017
Length: 6 minutes (1,734 words)
Why Fiction Haunts Us: Pulitzer Prize Winner Viet Thanh Nguyen on His Ghosts
Posted by Krista Stevens
(Photo by Primo Barol/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
In a profile at New Republic, Josephine Livingstone talks with Viet Thanh Nguyen about the ghosts that inhabit his life, his writing, and his birthplace in Vietnam. Nguyen's book, The Sympathizer won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
The ghost is an apt figure for the war that is fought a second time. It is a metonym for the memory of a living person, as well as the vocalizing embodiment of death itself. The ghost is a kind of walking death-in-life principle. "I don't think I have ever seen a ghost," Nguyen told me. "But I do know people who have." He believes in them "as a figurative sign of haunting, given everything that [he] experienced growing up in the Vietnamese refugee community." Back in Vietnam, Nguyen explained, "I had an adopted sister that we left behind." He only knew her by a black and white picture that belonged to his parents. "So I grew up literally knowing there was a missing person in the family, and not really understanding why. That is a kind of a haunting."
In a way, the novelist's role in the culture is similar to a ghost's within a family. A work of fiction haunts us: It watches over the shoulder, inspires memories, encourages reflection. Viet Thanh Nguyen's books are almost overwhelming in their capacious embrace of a war that was so very, very big. But Nguyen's career is evidence that patience and memory are intertwined parts of the brain. Sometimes a writer must wait and remember, until the voice of memory emerges. Then, like a ghost, it can never die.
Categories: Editor's Pick, Featured, Nonfiction, Quotes, Writing
Tags: fiction, Josephine Livingstone, Literature, memory, new republic, pulitzer prize, short stories, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Vietnam
Walter Mosley, The Art of Fiction No. 234
A prolific writer of fifty-four diverse books, and widely known for his Easy Rawlins crime series, Walter Mosley talks with The Paris Review about race, creativity, the book publishing industry, the confines of genre and his three decades depicting Black American life.
Author: Thomas Gebremedhin
Source: The Paris Review
Published: Mar 8, 2017
When 'The Handmaid's Tale' Isn't Fiction
Posted by Pam Mandel
Sunday school at a Baptist church in Kentucky, 1946 (Wikipedia)
I watched the first episode of The Handmaid's Tale with an increasing sense of dread. While I can easily draw parallels to anti-feminist sentiment in modern society, the specifics of the story remain, for me, primarily fiction.
Not so for Hännah Ettinger, who grew up in the fundamentalist Christian "Quiverfull" movement. Ettinger first read The Handmaid's Tale in college and saw herself in the story. At the Establishment, she describes the similarities between her life under the shadow of a repressive misogynistic religion and that of the women in the dystopian novel.
I was raised in a fundamentalist Christian community — the church we attended could fairly be called a cult, and my parents took things a step further than even our church did, homeschooling and raising nine kids. I was the oldest. We were part of a larger movement now called "Quiverfull," the term taken from a Psalm where the writer talks about God blessing the man whose "quiver is full of arrows." The metaphor refers to children, and our community understood this to be a command: Have children and raise them in this aggressively conservative faith, and then there will be more "true" believer Christians in the world to bring about cultural revolution in the name of Jesus Christ. Children like me were raised to see life as apocalyptic, and ourselves as serving on the front lines of a culture war to make America Christian.
And me, the oldest child in a family of nine? As was common in the movement, I was my mom's right hand. She sometimes called me her strength, because I helped her co-parent my younger siblings and keep the household running. When she had twins shortly before my 13th birthday, it was me who got up with her during the nighttime feedings, not my dad. When things were too busy on Sunday nights, I took over doing all the family laundry and ironing. And I did the dinner dishes almost exclusively for about 10 years, foregoing activities with my peers at church and in the community because I had too many obligations to fulfill at home. Like Offred, my life's purpose was subsumed into serving the "greater good" of my far-right Christian community.
Categories: Arts & Culture, Books, Essays & Criticism, Fiction, Quotes, Unapologetic Women
Tags: cults, Margaret Atwood, misogyny, religion, television, The Handmaid's Tale
'Pretend I'm Dead' Author Jen Beagin Wins 2017 Whiting Award for Fiction
The 2017 Whiting Awards honorees have been announced. Among the winners is Pretend I'm Dead, a novel by Jen Beagin, which has been among my favorite titles from Emily Books. Every time a friend or colleague seeks recommendations for a novel that has both humor and heart, I refer them to this book about Mona, a young woman cleaning houses for a living and volunteering at a needle exchange program.
The Paris Review has a brief excerpt from the beginning of the book, when Mona has become hung up on a needle exchange client she calls "Mr. Disgusting."
For the next few weeks she mentally projected Mr. Disgusting's face onto whatever surface she was cleaning, just for the pleasure of scrubbing it off. The procedure worked best on tiled bathroom walls. She lathered the tiles with Ajax, then, covering her mouth with the collar of her T-shirt to guard against bleach throat, she scrubbed out his left eye, obliterated his right with a furious scribbling motion, and then expanded her stroke to remove his mocking eyebrows and long black hair. She scrubbed vigorously, her hands sweating in rubber gloves, her breath moistening her T-shirt. When his face was gone at last, she doused the tiles with water from the tap. Her mind often seemed to clear itself of debris, and in its place, she felt the pleasant but slightly irritating sensation of having a word on the tip of her tongue.
A month later her anger suddenly dissipated and was replaced again by longing. So he'd almost killed her and then told her she looked like a fish — big deal, people made mistakes. She was getting over it. Besides, he'd apologize profusely via voicemail, and on her doorstep he'd left a Japanese dictionary in which he'd circled the words for contrite, shame, repentant, confession, apology, remorse, touch, please, help, and telephone. That certainly counted for something.
She dialed his number but his phone was disconnected. She stopped by the Hawthorne a few times, but he was never in his room. She checked his other haunts — the Owl Diner, the Lowell Public Library, and the Last Safe and Deposit, a bank turned dive bar — all without luck.
Other honorees for the prize, which recognizes "early accomplishment and the promise of great work to come," include:
Clare Barron, drama
Francisco Cantú, nonfiction
Clarence Coo, drama
Kaitlyn Greenidge, fiction
Lisa Halliday, fiction
James Ijames, drama
Tony Tulathimutte, fiction
Simone White, poetry
Phillip B. Williams, poetry
Categories: Fiction, Quotes, Unapologetic Women
Tags: Emily Books, Jen Beagin, Pretend I'm Dead, The Paris Review, Whiting Award
Xenu's Paradox: The Fiction of L. Ron Hubbard and the Making of Scientology
Author Alec Nevala-Lee surveys the fiction of L. Ron Hubbard, gaining new insights into the life of the founder of dianetics and the origins and nature of Scientology itself.
Author: Alec Nevala-Lee
Source: Longreads
Published: Feb 1, 2017
Length: 30 minutes (7,744 words)
Posted by nevalalee
Illustration by Pat Barrett
Alec Nevala-Lee | Longreads | February 2017 | 28 minutes (7,744 words)
L. Ron Hubbard published over four million words of fiction in his lifetime, but his most famous story consists of just a few handwritten pages. Before their contents were leaked in the early '70s, they could be viewed at the Advanced Organization Building of the Church of Scientology, a hulking blue edifice off Sunset Boulevard where visitors were handed a manila envelope to open in a private room. Most had paid thousands of dollars for the privilege, which made it by far the most lucrative story Hubbard, or perhaps anyone, ever wrote—a spectacular rate for a writer who spent much of his career earning a penny per word.
The story itself, which has become more familiar than Hubbard or any of his disciples ever intended, revolves around the figure of Xenu, the tyrannical dictator of the Galactic Confederation. Millions of years ago, Xenu, faced with an overpopulation crisis, threw hordes of his own people into volcanoes on the planet Earth—then known as Teegeeack—and blew them up with atomic bombs. Their spirits, called thetans, survive to the present day, clinging to unsuspecting humans, and they can only be removed through dianetic auditing, a form of talk therapy that clears the subject of its unwanted passengers.
One of the church members who read this account was screenwriter and director Paul Haggis, who was a devoted Scientologist for over three decades before resigning in an ugly public split. Haggis told Lawrence Wright, the author of the seminal New Yorker piece that became the exposé Going Clear, that after finishing the story, he got the wild idea that it was some sort of insanity test—if you believed it, you were kicked out. When he asked his supervisor for clarification, he was informed: "It is what it is." Haggis read it again, but the same thought continued to resound in his brain: "This is madness." Read more…
Categories: Featured, Nonfiction, Story
Tags: fiction, L. Ron Hubbard, Science Fiction, Scientology


A new report from the drug company GlaxoSmithKline concludes that its antidepressant Paxil might make adults with major depression more likely to become suicidal.
But the rate of suicide attempts was low, at 0.34 percent for people on Paxil and 0.05 percent for people who got sham treatment with a placebo pill in clinical trials.
And it couldn't be entirely ruled out that the difference was due to chance, according to the report, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
"The scientific evidence does not establish that paroxetine" – the ingredient in Paxil — "causes suicide, suicide attempts, self-harm or suicidal thinking," said Sarah Alspach, a spokeswoman for the drug company.
But the link between suicide risk and antidepressants has long been a thorny issue for regulators and drugmakers alike. The current data were initially published in 2006 on GlaxoSmithKline's website in response to widespread concern.
In 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning that children and adolescents taking antidepressants might have an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
Specifically, the agency found that 4 percent of children taking antidepressants in clinical trials thought about killing or harming themselves, or actually attempted suicide.
By comparison, only 2 percent of children on fake medications did so.
In 2006, the FDA extended its warning to include young adults up to age 25. All antidepressant labels must now carry a "black box" warning stating that they can increase a person's likelihood of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
For adults, though, the picture has been less than clear-cut.
GlaxoSmithKline's report was based on 57 trials of Paxil for different psychiatric illnesses, involving a total of nearly 15,000 patients. Overall, the drug did not appear to increase suicidal thoughts and behavior.
The authors did see a difference when zooming in on 18- to 24-years-olds; 2.58 percent of Paxil users thought about or attempted suicide, compared to 1.29 percent of study participants on placebo treatment.
Again, that finding could have been due to chance because of the low rate of suicidal behavior.
The 19 trials that included only people with major depressive disorder also found a difference. Among 3,455 Paxil users, 0.34% attempted or succeeded at suicide, compared to 0.05% of the 1,978 people getting placebo.
And most of the suicide attempts were seen in young adults.
Despite those troubling findings, the report notes that Paxil was effective overall at treating symptoms of mental illness.
"Paxil has proven efficacy and has helped many people battling mental illness lead more productive, happier lives," GSK's Alspach told Reuters Health in an email.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, antidepressants are one of the most commonly prescribed drug classes in the U.S. One study found that 10 percent of the U.S. population was taking these medications in 2005.
Last year, researchers found that the suicide risk among children is virtually the same for a wide range of antidepressants — including Prozac (fluoxetine), Zoloft (sertraline) and Paxil (paroxetine).
People who are taking antidepressants should never stop taking them without talking to their doctor, because stopping too quickly can cause side effects.
People who are having suicidal thoughts should talk to their doctor; they can also call the free, 24-hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or go online to http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/.
I haven't been blogging for a while due to other commitments– such as life, survival etc etc..
Also, Fid had just published his book about his Seroxat experience and his long and noble journey trying to find answers from the UK regulators (amongst many other things).
A true activist and a true gent..


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National Disability Law Appellate Competition
2022 NDLAC Competition Link
Syracuse University College of Law and the National Disabled Law Students Association (NDLSA) will co-host the inaugural National Disability Law Appellate Competition (NDLAC), to be held virtually March 25-27, 2022.
This new advocacy competition will feature teams from law schools across the United States. The competition problem will cover a significant and timely legal issue in disability law and will consist of an appellate brief writing component and an oral argument component. The Syracuse Law's Travis H.D. Lewin Advocacy Honor Society and the Disability Law Society are co-sponsors of the competition.
Each team may be comprised of two or three students. Teams will be assigned to represent either the petitioner or respondent and will write an appellate brief on behalf of that assigned party. During the preliminary rounds, each team will argue on behalf of each party. The highest-scoring teams will then move on to the quarterfinal round, the semifinal round, and ultimately the final round where a winning team will be decided.
The competition will feature law schools from across the country, and oral arguments will be held virtually March 25–27, 2022.
* Invitations to compete are given out on a rolling basis, until the field is complete.
* Teams may consist of up to 3 students.
* The Problem Statement and Rules are now posted.
* Briefs are due Tuesday, February 15, 2022
* The registration fee is $150.00

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


If you have never heard of L-Theanine and become interested in supplements enhancing your mood, concentration, and focus, you will be surprised that you probably already get one while drinking green tea.
L-Theanine is a natural amino acid called L-Glutamic acid or gamma-glutamylethylamide.
This compound was isolated in 1949 in Green tea (in particular, primary compound – Camellia Sinensis).
L-Theanine is also presented in certain types of mushrooms.
Chemically this supplement is similar to formula of another amino acid – Tryptophan, and analog of glutamate and glutamine.
In its turn, L-Glutamic acid is a precursor of Serotonin – a neurotransmitter responsible for wakefulness schedule and sleep pattern, and therefore L-Theanine's main effect is in increasing a level of Serotonin.
The first studies which provided complete research on beneficial effects of L-Theanine were conducted in 1999 (Food Science and Technology), read on Pubmed.
Patients were given the dose which had become a standard one after it.
All nootropics have a similar mechanism of action.
Though not all aspects of this mechanism are well understood, the main resemblance is an ability of nootropics, in particular, L-Theanine, to cross over the BBB (blood-barrier and) coming directly to CNS (central nervous system).
Such ability is a key factor for a quick absorption into the bloodstream, fast-response and direct transfer of elements to the brain.
This compound reaches four areas of neurotransmitters regulating arousal reaction of CNS, stress, pleasure, and attention.
These are Serotonin, Dopamine, GABA, and Norepinephrine.
But why is this mechanism so important?
First of all, the ability to cross BBB fast allows to save time and directly target required areas for reducing anxiety, preclude restlessness, stress, or improve motivation, energy, and concentration.
It happens because L-Theanine is able to prevent over-activity of the brain and balance neurochemicals for a good mental performance.
By stabializaing the brain's excitation state, this supplement provides such benefits as feeling of calmness, relaxation, to tranquility.
But not only is Serotonin affected by L-Theanine, as this supplement also involves Dopamine and Norepinephrine.
In fact, Dopamine and Norepinephrine are those neurotransmitters which promote positive attitude, good mood and motivation.
L-Theanine is one of the supplements which offers a wide range of focus boosting and anxiety relieving qualities.
It has been used for years as a commercial product specifically aimed to improve concentration, focus, mood, and memory.
Mental performance is highly increased by L-Theanine as your brain gets more energy, oxygen, and good blood flow for persistently high performance.
As a result of taking L-Theanine, users perceive a great sense of focus and concentration.
That supports a high level of performance which is required during studies, exams, and a stressful work.
Mood disbalances have been often the reason for low performance, motivation, drowsiness and many others which are effectively cured by L-Theanine.
L-Theanine is quite often recommended by users and considered to be safe for a regular use.
Anxiety itself could be either independent disorder caused by different neurological deficits, or a symptom of depression.
That is why some users are specifically looking for an effective anti-anxiety drug.
In this respect, L-Theanine is one of those drugs.
Same as Ginkgo Biloba, L-Theanine was used for thousands of years and initially was started to be used in Chinese medicine.
Unlike recently produced nootropics, L-Theanine was tested for a long time in practical aspects of its usage like side effects, tolerance concerns, safety, interactions with other medications etc.
These aspects are well-documented and experienced for a great while.
This fact makes this supplement a "no surprise" herbal remedy, fully natural and safe for children and adults.
It's also worth mentioning that L-Theanine can be an independent agent for dealing with symptoms of ADHD, stress, sleep problems.
Or as a complementary remedy used in a lower dose for normalizing your daily regime.
The detailed description of L-Theanine benefits below will help you to find a required intended use.
Summary: L-Theanine is amino-acid structurally analog similar to excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. It's able to cross the BBB (blood–brain barrier) and it shows an ability to reduce mental and physical stress, anxiety, improve cognition and boost mood especially if taken with caffeine.
In 2004 Harvard Medical School reported on important L-Theanine benefits of the immune system boost and promoting freeze-thaw resistance.
Today this nootropic is widely used to improve mental performance, focus, concentration, mood, energy level, motivation along with relaxation and calmness.
Benefits of L-Theanine are directly related to its mechanism of action.
In two words, L-Theanine blocks neurotransmitters (L-Glutamic acid) responsible for the arousal of CNS.
Being blocked, this acid is not able to send many signals to activate stress reactions.
So L-Theanine reduces signal of neurotransmitter and slows down all excitatory processes and reactions in the brain.
Visually it manifests itself in a feeling of calm, tranquility, relaxation, decreasing heart rate and blood pressure, preventing seizures if any and many others.
This mechanism also exhibits in the neuroprotective effect of L-Theanine as decreased stimulation of synaptic receptors which does not allow them to "burn" and oxygenates brain tissue for a better performance.
This supplement brings a great synergetic effect on muscle and mental performance.
It also has an impact on the cardiovascular system by not only fighting with hypertension but also by activating production of nitric oxide inside the walls of blood vessels, which helps to open blood vessels.
According to user's reports, L-Theanine boosts alpha brain waves.
But what does it actually mean? As per scientists, these are electrical impulses normally produced in the brain and associated with periods of intensive brain activity and concentration.
Alpha waves are an important factor which make you feel relaxed, calm and a sort of stimulant bringing forth clarity of mind, inspiration, creativity, motivation and incredible productivity.
According to studies in this area, L-Theanine demonstrated an ability to keep safe healthy cells from unhealthy ones and thereby poison of chemotherapy brings no harm to healthy cells and promotes their normal work.
This began to take a new meaning when it comes to side effects of chemotherapy which are very heavy ones and in some cases may lead to death.
L-Theanine eases damage of those side effects reducing its negative impact.
Other beneficial effects of L-Theanine include enhancement of energy levels, mood, cognitive performance and motivation by affecting Dopamine, fights with anxiety and stress.
L-Theanine stimulates the growth of nerves by producing proteins for them.
Also, capability to produce an anti-oxidant effect is one of the well-known. It prevents oxidation of LDL cholesterol.
L-Theanine'a mechanism of action is mainly concentrated around two factors.
First of all, it binds to the receptors of glutamate and blocks them, it is possible because L-Theanine has almost the same molecular structure as glutamate. This, in its turn, provides an inhibitory effect.
Also L-Theanine increases synthesis of GABA (relaxing neurotransmitter) so that also does the trick resulting in calming and relaxing effects.
Note: We gather data from different social media sources.
Note: The data is based on user's feedbacks across different social media sources.
Normally L-Theanine should be taken in the dosage of 100-200mg once or twice daily.
Researches also indicate the fact that many people don't obtain any adverse effects at even much higher doses, but exceeding the regular dosage is still not recommended.
Note: L-Theanine can be used along with caffeine (recommended).
L-Theanine is potentially safe when taken orally in recommended doses.
As was already mentioned in the overview section L-Theanine is considered to be anxiety/stress relief agent which is able to boost GABA and other brain calming chemicals.
Not only does L-Theanine leverage level of GABA, but it also facilitates an increase of serotonin and dopamine in the brain.
Studies show that L-Theanine enhances alpha brain waves which are associated with a state of "wakeful relaxation" – a state of mind when meditating or daydreaming.
That actually brings one of the most important benefits of L-Theanine – being relaxed without sedation.
So it could be a good solution for ones willing to relax without being fatigued or sleepy.
It could also be potentially helpful in fighting off some sleep disorders, but it should not be considered as the first line treatment in such cases.
L-Theanine supplied as a dietary supplement and can be easily bought over the counter in most of the countries.
In the US L-Theanine has granted GRAS status in doses up to 250 mg by FDA.
We strongly recommend buying L-Theanine only from reliable online retailers.
An average price for a pack of L-Theanine if buying online is $12 depending on a form (pills/tabs/powder etc) and the brand name.
Almost the same situation is applicable to offline retailers such as Walmart, where you can buy L-Theanine for as cheap as $8-$10 per bottle containing 250 capsules.
Q: What is the best time of the day to take L-Theanine?
A: Many users report that the best time for taking L-Theanine is the morning and the middle of the day.
Q: Can you take L-Theanine with antidepressants?
A: Yes you can. There are no contraindications for this.
Q: Does L-Theanine help with sleep?
A: Partly. L-Theanine does not provide a direct sedative effect rather it helps to gain so-called "wakeful relaxation", but the relaxation itself can indirectly help you to fall asleep.
Q: Does L-Theanine increase dopamine ?
Q: How much L-Theanine is safe to take?
A: According to the official studies L-Theanine is non-toxic to mammals, so it's hard to say precisely what the safest max dosage for a patient is.
Many people claim they take 800+ mg of L-Theanine daily with no negative consequences.
But you should take into account your particular condition and needs, so normally it's not recommended to exceed a regular dose of 100-200mg once or twice daily.
Being an amino-acid analog of the proteinogenic amino acid L-glutamate L-Theanine is effective in dealing with stress and anxiety.
Its relaxation properties along with an ability to raise levels of dopamine, serotonin and GABA coupled with lack of the sedation effect make this supplement standing out from many other modern nootropics.
The fact that L-Theanine is totally safe and non-toxic gives that nootropic even more advantages compared to other treatments.
So if you face any of conditions relevant to L-Theanine's use cases, you should definitely give it a try by taking it solely or in a stack with caffeine or other eligible nootropics.


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How long will I need to use Willby's Wind and Colic Mix?
As long as you follow the correct dosage, it is safe to use the mix for as long as the colic symptoms persist. We advise that, after two to three bottles, try missing a dose here and there to test if the colic has abated. If the symptoms worsen, return to the four times a day dosage. We will consistently monitor your baby's weight gains so that we can adjust dosages when necessary. Do not use other colic remedies with Willby's without checking with us first.
Also please remember that the combination of Willby's and Qiara usually results in a shorter colic journey.
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Copyright © 2017 Willby's Wind and Colic Mix. All Rights Reserved.


This particular Hibiki whisky is a special 21 year old released in 2004 with beautiful artwork on its handmade ceramic bottle. It comes with an original box. With only limited bottles ever released, it is truly a collector's item!


A fascinating book reminds us to get our heads and hearts together, in the company of the cloud of witnesses.
"Evangelicals," gather round. Fellow-travelers and outsiders, lend an ear. For we are about to talk about evangelicalism's "dirty little secret." It's what historian Richard Lovelace has called "the Sanctification Gap." And it was the subject of a conference held in October, 2000 at Beeson Divinity School, Birmingham, Alabama, which has now resulted in a book worth reading.


February 18, 2014 Brian Berg Jr.
Austin Dillon won the Coors Light Pole Award for the Daytona 500. There is a lot of prestige in winning the pole and leading the field to the green flag in the Daytona 500. Dillon also gets to start the first of the Budweiser Duel qualifying races from the Pole. He is guaranteed that he will be in the Daytona 500 no matter what happens in the qualifying races.
In years past we have seen those that win the pole or are otherwise guaranteed a starting spot,race in a timid or conservative fashion such that there would be no damage to their proven fast car. The question is why?
Just about every team changes engines after the qualifying races so there are no guarantees that the car will be just as fast. Rarely does starting the Daytona 500 from the front increase the odds of winning. Recent winners started from 9, 4, 32, 13, 39, 7, 34, 9, 15, and 3rd.
In racing you never get a "Do Over" or Mulligan for those golfers out there, but by winning the pole for the Daytona 500 you get the closest thing. You get the opportunity to race in a qualifying race without any inhibitions. It doesn't matter if you wreck, you are in the Daytona 500 anyway.
Austin Dillon should have the advantage over everyone else in his qualifying race. He has nothing to prove but lots to learn about the new car. No stress, no worries. He should be able to win this race.
When he gets back to Daytona in July he can get the pole and race to win, because in July four of the last ten races have been won from the pole eight from the top ten. Until then he should use the power of the pole to make his Daytona 500 experience the best it can be.
If you cannot get to Daytona International Speedway the Budweiser Duels will be shown live on Fox Sports 1 Thursday February 20that 7 PM ET. Austin Dillon will be leading the first of two Duels to green.


The DOHaD Society of Australia and New Zealand (Developmental Origins of Health and Disease) is an initiative directly aligned with the global agenda to combat the devastation of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The integrated cross-disciplinary approach will build on the inextricable link between maternal, perinatal and early childhood factors and the risk of developing NCDs in later life.
Their mandate is for 'disease prevention' as the ultimate approach to reducing the burden of NCDs. Early life is a critical time of risk, but also a critical time of opportunity for promotion of health and prevention of future disease. The greatest potential for success lies in early intervention and there is already substantial evidence that initiatives to promote a 'healthy start to life' can reduce the risk of both early and later NCDs with wide social and economic benefits.
The theme of their 2018 meeting is Genes, Environment and Evolution which recognises the critical contribution of evolutionary medicine to the DOHaD field, by exploring why evolution has led to the adaptations across generations that have made individuals more susceptible to disease. The 2018 program will emphasise the essential role of multi-disciplinary partnerships in DOHaD research, and aims to encourage academics, clinicians, allied health workers and representatives from industry to engage in dialogue, based on their collective experience, to help improve the health outcomes of current and future generations. The meeting will also feature some of the most talented early and mid-career DOHaD researchers, many of whom have already made significant contributions to knowledge and translation in the field.


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Posted on Tuesday 12 April 2016 by Stephan@CrowboroughLife.com
New funding to boost the employment prospects of thousands of young people in East Sussex
Around 3,000 youngsters are expected to benefit from £200,000 secured by East Sussex County Council on behalf of Skills East Sussex, the county's employment and skills board.
Martin Ellis, chairman of Skills East Sussex who lives in Crowborough, said:
It's wonderful to secure extra funding for the Progress project, which will help us to steer more young people towards the world of work.
It will help young people make informed choices about the options available to them and will raise their aspirations.
It's especially pleasing that East Sussex, out of so many applications from around the UK, was successful, which reflects on how seriously we are taking the skills agenda generally.
The East Sussex scheme is one of only 33 to be funded by the Government-backed Careers and Enterprise Company and the only employment and skills board nationally to receive funding.
The money will be used to fund Progress – a new project aimed at equipping young people with the skills needed by business's and preparing them for the world of work.
The scheme will help increase work experience opportunities, boost the uptake of apprenticeships, increase the take up of science, technology, engineering and maths subjects, and reduce the number of young people not in education or training.
Cllr Nick Bennett, East Sussex County Council lead member for education and inclusion, said:
It's vital to the economic success of the county that our school leavers have the skills employers need.
This funding will allow us to create even stronger links between the education and business sectors, to ensure our young people get the best possible opportunities and are fully prepared for the world of work.
Activities to be offered through the Progress project include work experience for pupils in years 10 and 11, visits to businesses, work readiness programmes and specially-tailored support for young people wishing to access apprenticeships.
Some of the funding will also go towards the STEMfest project, aimed at encouraging students to study science, technology, engineering and maths subjects.
The Progress scheme, which runs until June next year and will work with all secondary schools and colleges in the county, supports the East Sussex employability and skills strategy, aimed at ensuring the county's workforce has the skills businesses need.
The project also aims to build on the success of a scheme launched last year which saw the county council employ two enterprise co-ordinators to help create a network of volunteer enterprise advisers to work with schools and colleges .
Claudia Harris, CEO of The Careers and Enterprise Company, said:
We are delighted to award Skills East Sussex with funding to continue its amazing work. There are a huge number of extraordinary organisations working across the country to connect business to schools and colleges, creating encounters that inspire and inform young people about the future.
We look forward to working with Skills East Sussex and seeing the impact it continues to have on the young people it works with.
Tagged Beacon Academy, East Sussex County Council, Jobs & Training
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In the past few years, the Hype Machine that is Hollywood makes it pretty hard to be surprised by any movie. That is why I get a special enjoyment out of films that are better than my expectations. After the break, read my list of the five motion pictures that surprised me the most this year.
First, a disclaimer. I am in no way saying these are the best films of the year, nor are they the only films that were better than I expected. This is just the five movies that MOST surprised me this year, in order of how much I liked them.
Disney's latest animated adventure Frozen was one of my favorite movies of the year. I should have expected it to be good considering the recent track record of Walt Disney Animation Studios (re: Tangled and Wreck-It Ralph), but I actually didn't know much about this film. Staff writer and soon-to-be Editor in Chief took point on covering the film, so I got to go into my screening without much information. I was pleasantly surprised to see that my lack of excitement for the film was unwarranted. I would argue that this is the best non-Pixar animated film since the Disney Renaissance. It has great music, beautiful imagery, an interesting story with a twist, relatable characters, and genuine humor. With Pixar's latest endeavors hovering around mediocrity, I'm glad to see Disney taking the animation baton and running with it. Also, who knew that Kristen Bell could sing?
As you'll soon see, I have two zombie films on this list, which is another discussion all by itself. I'd argue that Warm Bodies is the best zombie flick since Zombieland, which I would never have guessed when word of the project first came out. The buzz around the film before any footage was shown was that it was Twilight with zombies. The one mythical creature in modern pop culture that we thought was safe from "sexifying" was safe no more. However, when the first trailer came out, my opinion did a 180. It looked more like a parody of the Twilight concept, which I could be down with. The film itself is more subtle than that, teetering between parody and earnestness. It took what could have been a terrible idea and turned it into a clever romantic comedy that never took itself too seriously.
I should have had more faith in This is the End before I saw it. The apocalyptic comedy had some of the funniest actors of this generation playing themselves, was written and directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (who previously teamed up to write Pineapple Express and Superbad), and had a cool sic-fi premise that didn't look cheap. It seemed too good to be true, which is why I was so skeptical. However, this turned out to be one of the funniest movies I've ever seen, including some great cameos. I loved that no one was afraid to take shots at themselves, and the plot tied in nicely with the main characters and the personalities of celebrities.
There is no reason why World War Z should be good. It had everything stacked against it. First of all, it has very little in common with the popular novel it's based on. The film follows a completely different story structure (while keeping a select few elements from the book) and even makes the zombies move fast when author Max Brooks was very specific about how zombies would move slowly. There were also all kinds of issues with the production, which ran over budget and had several rewrites and reshoots. Even the initial trailers didn't look very good, focusing almost exclusively on star Brad Pitt and never showing a zombie up close. The experiment of making a big budget zombie film looked to be a failure, but then the first reviews came in. People actually liked it ("not bad" is probably the most common phrase I saw used). Still, I went into the theater skeptical. I came out a believer. I don't know how they did it, but the filmmakers made a cohesive film that was entertaining, scary, and even a little thought-provoking. Sign me up for the sequel.
Wow, did The Croods look dumb. I didn't even catch it until it came out on home release (read my review here). However, I was surprised to see a genuinely heartwarming and adventurous film with quite a few laughs. The film is about a family of cavemen who have to leave their secure home after an earthquake. They meet a more evolved caveboy, leading to possibly the first interspecies relationship I've seen in a Dreamworks Animation feature. Even so, Emma Stone is lovable as ever as Eep Crood, and Nicolas Cage plays the protective father Grug with a great sincerity. The film doesn't rival Disney's latest projects, but I still enjoyed it.
What movies surprised you this year? Let us know in the comments below.


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3 Easy Ways to Create Customer-Winning Content
Solid content that speaks to customer needs will boost business.
By Stephanie Mann • Nov 11, 2016 Originally published Nov 11, 2016
What's the point of a top-notch content strategy when your writing doesn't appeal to your target audience? The answer is, there is no point. You can write status updates for eternity, and you can kneel before the Google gods. But without engaging, quality content, you'll still struggle to win customers.
The best content strategy for entrepreneurs -- the strategy that will actually help drive your business and attract more customers -- is quite simple. It's all about writing solid content that speaks directly to your customers' needs. Entrepreneurs with the most successful content strategies will ensure that all content is relevant and engaging for their intended audience.
Related: Why Big Business Must Proactively Manage Their Online Reputations
Below are the top three ways to create content that wins customers and builds your business. From now on, before you hit publish, ask yourself -- Does this piece of content meet all three of these criteria? If it does, you're good to go. If not, rethink it.
1. Help your readers solve a specific challenge.
I call this "the problem-solving factor." If your content has this, it's golden. If it doesn't, it needs serious work. Whenever people click on a link to your content, they're expecting to find value. They could be looking for value in terms of entertainment or amusement, but most likely, they're looking for value in terms of useful knowledge. Specifically, the type of knowledge that can help solve their business problems. Your content should aim to give potential customers the value they're looking for, right off the bat -- knowledge about how to solve challenges specific to their field of business.
Let's say you're a sales consultant. If most of your clients struggle to make successful prospecting phone calls, then you would be wise to write a series of blog posts or articles about how to prospect effectively by telephone. In doing so, you write content that attracts your ideal potential clients -- those who are struggling with prospecting by telephone -- and at the same time, you position yourself as an expert on your prospects' biggest challenge.
If all of your content helps readers solve a challenge in this way, the benefits for you are two-fold. First, your content begins to establish you as an authority and thought leader in your area of expertise. And second, readers begin to trust your advice, making it exponentially more likely that they'll eventually give you their business. Not bad, huh?
2. Write conversationally, not formally.
Customers want to read content that helps solve their problems. But no matter how helpful your content is, it will always fall flat if you use the wrong tone. Far too many entrepreneurs take on a formal, stuffy and even pretentious, tone when writing business content. Pretentious is the last thing you want your content to be. Not only will it make your content less engaging, but it will also alienate your customers. Ouch.
Related: Want to Develop a Memorable Blog? Here Are 3 Keys for Doing Just That.
If you write with a friendly, conversational tone, you'll appeal to your customers as a knowledgeable peer with the expertise to help them. That's exactly what good business content should do. Formality is one of the biggest pitfalls of business writing. In their attempts to sound professional, entrepreneurs frequently end up writing content that doesn't connect with anyone at all.
Keep these five tips in mind to help you write conversationally:
It's OK to start a sentence with a conjunction such as but, so, and or yet.
Prepositions like with, for, in and on can be used at the end of a sentence.
You can use exclamation points! Just use them sparingly and wisely.
It's OK to use "I" in your writing, when it makes for a stronger story.
Contractions such as I'm, don't, can't and doesn't are fine additions to business content.
3. Provide your readers with actionable ideas.
It's time to start creating actionable content for your customers. After all, it's the only kind of content that reliably converts to actual business. Instead of offering vague ideas that could theoretically help your customers, give them specific calls-to-action throughout your content. This approach will dramatically improve your writing, and engage prospects on a deeper level.
Related: How to Boost Customer Loyalty Using Analytics and Actionable Insights
Tell your customers exactly what to do -- right now -- to begin to see results. First, determine what results your customers are most interested in achieving. Then create doable, actionable tips that your customers can easily implement today, tomorrow or next week. Content that compels readers to take specific actions is the most powerful business content out there. Why? Because once your readers begin to implement your ideas in their business -- and see good results -- they'll be much more likely to reach out to you to do business.
No matter what industry you're in, creating customer-winning content is central to a successful business strategy. Implement these three easy steps, and watch as your business content attracts more customers to your products and services.
Stephanie Mann
Stephanie H. Mann is the author of the book, The Entrepreneur's Guide to Business Writing. As a content strategist, she helps entrepreneurs attract customers and build credibility with exceptional content.
Entrepreneurs Content Marketing Writing Content Strategy


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Tiny bones pull India into the story of early primate evolution
Bones of an ancient rat-sized, tree-dwelling primate have recently been discovered in a coal mine in Gujarat, India, and may represent the most primitive known remnants of the divergence between the two great primate clades.
Kate S. Zalzal
Zalzal is a freelance writer and former editorial intern for EARTH. She holds a master's degree in geoscience from University of Massachusetts Amherst and most recently studied paleoclimatology at the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Iceland in Reykjavik.


Unstructured: - between an anthropologist and an informant.
-the anthropologist has some information of the topic.
-The study is highly subjective, which means a researchers point of view and cultural background can shape his or her conclusions.
Problems with participant observation. It can be very subjective based on your own personal biases.
Femminist Anthropology is the female role in anthropology and including women's voices as well as studying how their roles have changed: Ex. Childcare, healthcare, etc.
What questions would a feminist anthropologist ask?
How come men make more money than women do?
How have women's roles changed over time? Why?
How do views of genders vary between age groups?
Cultural Materialism: the materials or conditions within an environment that influence how a culture develops.
Ex. The sacred cow is used for agricultural purposes but cannot be eaten because it is seen as sacred in the Hindu culture.
Functional theory is the idea cutters function to meet the needs of individuals: interdependence within the social system to ensure long term survival. Ex. Trobriand island during World War One exchanged necklaces. It was not for economics but represented status and peaceful relationship - ceremony with political functions.
Postmodernism is the idea that there is no definitive truth due to our own cultural biases. Another aspect of postmodernism is subculture; which refers to the idea that a culture is made up of many other smaller groups. For example, within the culture of heavy metal, there are many subcultures that vary on location. To each subculture, it has its own importance and representation.
-an examples of a sociolinguistics anthropologist Roger Brown and Marguerite Ford🚗. In 1964 they showed how people addressing eachother can express the relationship between them.
the study of human ansestors based on evidence from evolutionary past.
Paleoanthropologist investigate evidence about human past, mostly in preserved skeletal remains, animals bones, biological matter or fossils. They use this information to construct details about human ancestry.
Frequently debate how species are related to our hominin ancestors, when the species lives and what they looked like.
All primate society's have dominance hierarchies.
Relationships between infants and mothers.
All primates have rotating arms, grasping arms and feet, forward facing eyes and relatively larger brains.
humans are the only primates with a symbolic spoken language and the ability to speak.
Sociology, which is the study of the development, structure and functioning of human society. Sociologists believe someone can only be understood, by comparison to other similar individuals .
is a systematic study of people's thoughts, feelings and behaviour. Psychologists thinks that personality and behaviour is determined, by prior experiences and biological factors.
Anthropology is the study of culture and customs of human beings. Anthropologists study subcultures and how people behave in different cultures. So, how culture impacts behaviour.


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Elin Hilläng
Actress and acting teacher, Sweden
"If it wasn't for your fantastic performance, I believe the film wouldn't have been as great as it was. Thank you."
-George Carrillo, director of "Damned are the Lost"
"You're a wonderfully, natural actor"
-Jeanette Lee, Trustee at Park Slope Civic Council
"She has a great personality, very talented and very easy to work with. I would definitely recommend working with Elin!"
-NPPhotography, photographer
Photo: Steven Crawford.
Recent Roles
Elin Hilläng recently played Nanaya in "Damned are the Lost" (Short), which was shown at Art Slope '19 Film Festival April 6th 2019, Manhattan Rep's STORIES Film Festival May 15 - May 19 2019 and Brightside Tavern Film Festival August 4th 2019. She also played Jane in "Happy Anniversary" (Short), Anna in "The Assistant" (Short) and Scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz" (off Broadway play). See full resume.
News and Upcoming Projects
Elin Hilläng teaches acting classes (Meisner Technique, Introduction to Acting for the Camera, Monologues for Film and Script Interpretation) at Studiefrämjandet in Uppsala, Sweden, and online through Skype (see more). She's lead actress in three upcoming short films: "Stay", "Kulverten" ("The Culvert") and "För att jag borde" ("Because I should").
Watch Reel
© 2018 by Elin Hilläng.


What Classes To Take To Get Maximum RESULTS!
As we've grown over the years so has our schedule and our experience. We are proud to say all our trainers at HIP have over 8 years or more experience!! Through our experience we've seen and done a lot. We know what works and what doesn't work. We've been cardio junkies, gym rats, boutique fitness hoppers... you name it we've done it. Through trial and error we've learned you need a balance of Cardiovascular Training, Resistance Training and Pilates.
With each class on the schedule there is an intention and a purpose. To help guide you we like to break the schedule up in 3 categories: Pilates, HIIT & Sculpt.
The reformer is where you build strength, you work on form and alignment and learn how to engage muscles groups correctly. This is your foundation for everything else you do in the studio and outside the studio.
Bag of Tricks, Cardio Kickboxing, Plyojam and our 30/30 classes get you in fat burning mode. HIIT training is one of the most effective way to burn calories, build muscle and boost your metabolism. Not to mention the amazing detoxifying benefits for the trampoline. We work the bigger muscles groups in these classes giving you the ultimate calorie burner!
Cardio Band, Burn & Sculpt and Barre-10-sity are design to work the smaller muscle groups. We work deep into your intrinsic muscles. You will lose inches in your arms, waist, hips and thighs with these moves. These classes are no joke and are designed to reshape your body. Say hello to defined arms, flat abs and sculpted legs! A must add in your weekly routine.
We challenge you to get a mix of all 3 categories throughout your week so you see and feel the difference!


The 10 Best Road Races in Arizona!
Are you ready to break a sweat while traversing stunningly beautiful, yet challenging terrain? Or maybe you're just interested in watching one of those thrilling events? Arizona has exhilarating races sprinkled all throughout the state, just waiting for you to join in or come watch. Here are the 10 best road races in Arizona.
This country-themed marathon has a variety of tracks ranging from 5K, 10K, 10K plunger or relay and Country Mile. The event also consists of a fancy dress competition of sorts that anyone can participate in.
This rugged and intense race course is full of obstacles such as "Frog Hop," "Tipping Point, "Pyromaniac," and 25 other challenges that would get you all muddy.
From "Cage Crawl" where you'll have to crawl under a 60 feet steel fence to "Electroshock Therapy" where you have to jump over bales of hay that are covered by live wires, you get it all here!
Dashing through the vineyard wrapped in a toga and getting free wine and snacks at the end of the day. Sounds fun right? Well, that's what the Dionysus Dash offers. This race course runs through a thick vineyard where participants get free wine and complimentary t-shirts plus a whole lot of goodies for winners.
This is an all women race that involves a lot of mud, running and fun without a time limit! The Dirty Girl Mud Run features a whole lot of events such as "You Go Girl" "Hot Mess" and "Get Over Yourself" were participants are judged on their running, climbing, and jumping capabilities.
This 12K race track consists of 12 obstacles including the notoriously famous "Goliath" where participants have to climb a two-story wall and slide down the other side. In another event, the "Warrior Roast" you have to jump over a line of fire. Now that sounds fun!
The Tucson Extreme Terrain stays true to its name offering participants a series of complex obstacles that involves a lot of sliding, jumping, dodging, and crawling. Not to mention the muddy path and wet tracks where you are bound to get dirty! Also your kids can enjoy the monkey races while you get all messy.
Held at the pretty and picturesque Arizona Falls, participants have to overcome a series of fun hindrances set along the 5K or 10K race track.
The 5K and 10K running tracks run along the pine trees of Flagstaff offering you a stunning view of the deciduous forests. You'll also have to encounter six-foot walls, climb cargo nets, and crawl through muddy trenches to finish first.
The race track runs along some pretty iconic locations starting from the Mill Ave Bridge and finishing at Tempe Beach park. This path runs along the Tempe Lake and is followed by a festival featuring live bands, good food, and other entertainment stalls.
View more Arizona Road Races.


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Hurricane Dorian evacuations: 'The only people on this block who left have the money to do it'
Uncertainty of when and where Hurricane Dorian will hit has left Floridians in evacuation zones frustrated, saying it will cost them a week's worth of wages.
Sherry Estrada, 54, and her daughter Stasia Ponitowski, 28, watch the latest Hurricane Dorian update with Ponitowski's husband and daughter in Volusia County, Florida on Sept. 2, 2019. The family had decided to ride out the storm together at Estrada's home on a barrier island under a mandatory evacuation order, but they continued to debate whether to depart their homes and livelihood for what could be an unknown period of time.Ed Ou / NBC News
Sept. 3, 2019, 3:43 AM UTC
WILBUR-BY-THE-SEA, Fla. — Typically on Labor Day, Sherry Estrada and her family go boating or relax with a drink on the beach a quarter-mile from their home. But this year, they huddled around the television waiting for the latest updates on Hurricane Dorian and what path it might take.
The Volusia County Sheriff's Office also provided Estrada an update, driving by her home and announcing over a loudspeaker that this Florida barrier island was considered a mandatory evacuation zone. But with the hurricane only a day out, about a dozen people in this tight-knit neighborhood remained Monday and planned to ride out the storm together and coordinate over walkie-talkies.
Evacuating is easier said than done, Estrada said. The unclear trajectory of the storm has closed businesses and cost people nearly a week's worth of wages. The expense of evacuating and the missed income made leaving almost impossible for many, including Estrada.
Download the NBC News app for news alerts about Hurricane Dorian
"The only people on this block who left have the money to do it — a dentist, a pilot, an anesthesiologist," Estrada said, as her granddaughter tugged on her arm. "I'm a hairdresser and am not going to be able to work this week. My son-in-law owns his own business. My daughter is a nurse, so she's on call. I have another son who is an electrician, and he's not working this week. My other daughter is a waitress, so this was supposed to be a big shebang weekend for them — they're losing that money. My husband's a machinist, and his work probably won't be open."
She said she started getting prepared for the storm nearly a week ago, but a day before slow-moving Dorian was set to arrive, her family had eaten through the food they'd bought for the storm. And though she didn't go into details, she said they also spent a fair amount of capital on storm preparations.
Teenage boys run toward the waves, stirred up by the outer winds of Hurricane Dorian, in Melbourne Beach, Fla., on Monday. Throngs of curious people gathered on the beaches of the state's barrier islands, many of which were considered evacuation zones, as the storm continued to make its way toward the Florida Coast.Ed Ou / NBC News
The cost of evacuation keeps many like Estrada at home — even if that home is in the danger zone. Beyond the travel costs and missed wages, every day they're not at home means they're paying for food and shelter somewhere else.
More than a million people across the Southeast are making the same calculations about getting out of town, and Hurricane Dorian's unclear trajectory and the exasperating slow place has complicated their decisions.
The storm was expected to hit the Florida coast early this week, but the forecast began to shift over the weekend.
Dorian then stalled over the Bahamas on Sunday and Monday as a Category 5 hurricane, moving no faster than 1 mph. At least five people are dead in what Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis called a "historic tragedy" that left many on the islands homeless.
Hurricane Irma survivor fears for home ahead of Dorian
Sept. 3, 201904:17
In Florida, not far from the beach in Port Orange, Bob and Linda Younkins said they thought they had escaped having to make evacuation decisions when they relocated from Panama City after Hurricane Michael — a Category 5 storm that killed dozens of people when it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle almost a year ago.
Linda Younkins, 55, said she had transferred from her job at a TJ Maxx store in Panama City that permanently shuttered to one near Port Orange. When Hurricane Dorian seemed imminent last week, the store closed. Since then, she's called every day, hoping that she could go back to work.
Losing that paycheck was one reason why the couple had already told their friends and family that they wouldn't evacuate their home on the barrier island. The other issue? They weren't sure where to go even if they wanted to leave.
"We could drive north or to Tampa, I guess, but we don't have anywhere to go," Younkins said, noting that the closet family is in Pittsburgh. "We could sleep in our car if I have to, but I'd rather be here in my home."
NewsAs Dorian looms, hundreds of Florida nursing homes still not prepared for major storms
And while some like Younkins were weighing the cost of evacuating, others were trying to capitalize on the storm.
Clay Baldwin, 28, drove a rental truck full of electric generators from his home in South Carolina to a spot on the side of the road in Allandale, Florida. Baldwin said he works for Elite Power, a company that builds generators. On Monday, he sold the gas-powered contraptions to worried Floridians for $650 to $750 a pop, not much more than they would be if they were still available at stores, but said he planned to get out of Dorian's path in the next day.
"This storm's only moving 1 mph right now, so we're checking the updates whenever we can — update, update, update," he said, sitting on a cooler in the back of the truck.
Many stores between Port Orange to Palm Bay, Fla., were either closed or sold out of generators — as well as other hurricane preparation items. The 90-mile area was under hurricane warning from the National Hurricane Center on Monday.
People along that stretch shared their frustrations and anxieties Monday while searching for last-minute items at gas stations that remained open.
Irving Surdam, 55, is joined by a friend as he fills gas cans Monday, a day before the effects of Hurricane Dorian are supposed to be felt by his home in Melbourne Beach, Fla., which was under a mandatory evacuation order. A construction worker, Surdam said that he planned to leave if things got bad but felt prepared for the storm's current forecast.Ed Ou / NBC News
Irving Surdam, 55, a construction worker, filled up gas cans of various sizes in Melbourne Beach, Florida, as a band of heavy rain and wind lashed his white passenger van.
"If I think it's gonna hit, I'm gonna get out of here," he said, noting he was worried about the storm surge hitting his beachside home. "I just want to know what's going on with my house, but it's been so damn slow. It's been almost a week already. This thing has a mind of its own, and nobody really seems to know what's going on."
But not everyone appeared that conflicted.
On the nearby beach, throngs of people braved the wind and rain to watch as the Atlantic Ocean's crashing white-capped waves hinted at the strength of Hurricane Dorian, fewer than 100 miles from Florida's coast.
Bradley Eris, 23, a roofer who lives nearby, eyes popped when he saw a group of teenagers rush into the choppy surf.
"When there's storm's like this, the riptides are pretty bad," he said, as the tropical rain turned his hair into a wet mop. "People need to be careful. They can get sucked out there if they're not strong enough to swim back. Some of the best surfers I know wouldn't go out in that."


Pests come in all shapes and sizes and each bring their own annoying habits. Some pests such as roaches, mice and rats spread germs and may cause health risk for your family. Other pests such as carpenter ants and termites are extremely destructive. They feed off of the wood in your home and may cause serious damage. Pests such as bees, spiders, fleas, bed bugs and mosquitoes may bite or sting. Ants will try and invade your food supply. If you are experiencing a pest problem, it is important to contact a professional who is trained to deal with the problem. It is a good idea to choose an experienced Pest Exterminator in Auburn WA. Their services should be affordable and they should respond quickly to your request for service.
It is important to choose a provider who offers the very latest in technology and treatment options. Many people try and deal with the problem with costly over the counter products. They become discouraged when they cannot get rid of the pests on their own. It is much better to hire a professional who is highly trained and quite knowledgeable in this industry. It is wise to choose a pest control expert who has a great reputation for providing quality services. A great reputation and a wealth of experience are two of the most important qualities to look for when making your choice.
Many people choose to visit the website of the provider that they want to learn more about. There is a lot of helpful information available and this can help you to make an excellent choice. It is also helpful to read more about the specific services that they can offer. It is a good idea to learn as much as possible about a pest control provider before making your final decision.
It is very important to choose a Pest Exterminator in Auburn Wa who can handle all of your pest needs. They will determine their entrance source and eliminate the pests. Another great benefit of working with a specialist is the fact that they can also prevent the pests from returning.


Another class of house repairs pertains to restoring one thing to a useful condition, such as sharpening tools or utensils, changing leaky faucet washers, cleaning out plumbing traps, rain gutters Due to the required precision, specialised tools, or hazards, a few of these are finest left to consultants equivalent to a plumber One emergency repair which may be essential on this space is overflowing bathrooms Most of them have a shut-off valve on a pipe beneath or behind them in order that the water supply will be turned off whereas repairs are made, both by eradicating a clog or repairing a damaged mechanism.
In the event you do not need the remainder of the cash, the City of Battle Creek may be able to assist with that as properly by having the required match to be deferred, no interest mortgage in opposition to the property. There isn't a must do all of those initiatives unexpectedly but doing them just a little at a time will enable you deliver pleasure to your property. Contact your local authorities housing workplace or nonprofit packages in your area that may have obtained funding from HUD.