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As a spreadsheet application, Microsoft® Excel is used to enter text and numbers to be organized, calculated, and analyzed. Entering formulas allow any changes in the original numbers to be automatically recalculated throughout an entire worksheet. Data may be formatted creating an attractive, readable presentation of tables or charting, and text manipulation features produce attractive and informative reports.
By following the steps outlined in this overview, a basic understanding of Microsoft® Excel should be achieved. Although examples in this overview reference Microsoft® Excel 2007, fundamental concepts should be relatively easy to apply to other versions of Excel.
Lesson Navigation
The Worksheet and Cells
Changing the Active Cell
Scrolling Through the Worksheet
Entering and Editing Data
Entering Data
Editing Data
Inserting Columns, Rows, and Cells
Working with Formulas
Entering and Editing Formulas
Copying Formulas Between Cells
Formatting the Worksheet
Creating a Chart
Printing the Worksheet
Saving the Worksheet
Microsoft® Excel is a spreadsheet application. Work performed in Excel is done on a worksheet which is a grid of rows and columns. The rows are numbered along the left of the grid while the columns are headed by letters along the top. Each intersection of a row and a column is called a cell and has a unique reference identifying it. For example, the cell where column B and row 5 intersect is cell B5. Cells are used to store data such as labels and numbers, and cell references are used when writing formulas or referring to cells.
Data is entered into single cells. The cell that has been selected to enter data is called the active cell and is identified by a heavy border.
To change the active cell, move the mouse pointer into a cell and click. For example, if we wanted B4 to be the active cell, simply click that cell. Upon selecting B4, the formula bar would display the contents of that cell or, in the illustration above, 67800. Demonstrated in the illustration is cell E4 as the active cell and the formula =C4/D4 displayed in the formula bar since the contents of cell E4 is the formula dividing the contents of C4 or $489,000.00 by D4 or $225,000.00.
There are several methods that can be used to scroll through the worksheet:
Move the pointer to the down arrow in the vertical scroll bar on the right edge of the window and click. The worksheet scrolls down.
Move the pointer to the right arrow in the horizontal scroll bar on the bottom of the window and click. The worksheet scrolls to the right.
Click, hold and drag either the vertical or horizontal scroll bars. This scrolls through the worksheet for as long as you hold the scroll bar.
As previously pointed out, data is entered by selecting a cell and entering the data. In the illustration below, if you wanted to enter the year column (column A) you would click on cell A2, type 2011 and press [ENTER]. Entering the data would automatically advance the active cell to the next row or cell A3.
The reason A2 in the illustration below was chosen as the first cell to start entering the year labels is to allow a row (row 1) to be used for headings of each of the columns. Subsequently, columns B, C, D, etc., were entered. This was done by first entering the column heading, e.g., Net Income, and then the values 80000, 78900, 67800, etc. Note the values entered were "plain" numbers such as 80000 instead of the formatted number $80,000.00. It is important to enter the number as a plain number and format the cell to the required specification. We will do this later.
Once you have entered data into a cell, that data can be edited by first clicking on the cell to make the cell active and then clicking on the formula bar above the worksheet. This allows you to insert or delete characters in that cell. An alternate method of editing the contents of a cell is to click on the cell to make it the active cell and then press the [F2] function key at the top of the keyboard. You can delete the contents of a cell by clicking on the cell and pressing [Delete] on the keyboard.
To insert a column, click anywhere in a column you wish the new column to appear ahead of or to the left of, and then on the Home tab, in the Cells group, on the Ribbon at the top of the Excel screen, click the arrow by Insert, and then click Insert Sheet Columns. Selecting an existing row to insert a new row ahead of or above is done the same way.
When you click the arrow on the Insert button, you will notice the options to Insert Cells, Insert Sheet Rows, Insert Sheet Columns, or Insert Sheet. When requesting a new cell, Excel asks if you wish to move the existing cells to the right or down.
The power of a spreadsheet application is demonstrated most clearly by formulas. Formulas can be simple, like dividing the values in two cells, or they can be very complex. The scope of this overview will focus on a more simple example of working with formulas.
A formula can always be identified because it starts with an equal sign (=). To enter a formula, click on the cell that is to contain the formula and start the formula by pressing the equal sign (=). This tells Excel to handle the contents as a formula instead of a label or simple text. In cell E2 (1.724137931) in the illustration above, we entered the formula =C2/D2. After pressing [ENTER], Excel automatically advanced to cell E3. Cell E2 displayed the results of the formula or 1.724137931. The formula =C2/D2 is still the content of the cell, only Excel has displayed the result of the formula.
In our illustration above, to determine Total Assets Turnover for each year, we would continue entering formulas into each cell in column E referencing the cells for Sales divided by Total Assets for each year.
As stated, when a cell contains a formula, the value produced by that formula is displayed, as in cell E2 in the illustration above. The formula itself, however, is displayed in the formula bar above the worksheet. Once the formula is entered in the cell, it will be displayed only if the cell is being edited. Again, to edit a cell, click on the cell making it the active cell and either click on the formula bar above the worksheet, or press the [F2] function key at the top of the keyboard.
Since our example is relatively short, it is not much of a problem to type each individual formula. However, if our example required 500 formulas instead of five, it would be very cumbersome to enter each formula. Once we have entered a formula into cell E2 we can copy that formula to cells E3 through E6. When we do this, Excel automatically adjusts the formula's references so that each formula refers to the cells in each respective row, meaning the formula in row 3 becomes C3/D3, the formula in row 4 becomes C4/D4, and so on. To do this you would:
Click on cell E2 to make it the active cell. Again, notice the formula =C2/D2 in the formula bar.
On the Home tab of the Ribbon at the top of the Excel screen, identify the Clipboard group, and click Copy. You will notice a marquee around cell E2.
Click on cell E3, however, when you click on the cell, hold down the mouse button and drag through cells E4, E5, and E6. You will notice each of the cells (E3…E6) become highlighted. Don't get confused that cell E3 is not "grayed out." Notice there is a heavy border around all cells.
With cells E3 through E6 highlighted and the marquee around cell E2, click Paste on the Clipboard group of the Ribbon at the top of the screen.
Cells E3 through E6 will fill with the results of the new formula that was just copied. Scroll through the cells and notice that the formula in each cell reflects the appropriate cell references. (You can cancel the copy marquee by pressing the [ESC] key on the keyboard.)
There are many formatting tools that can be used to enhance the appearance of a worksheet and make it more readable. Headings are better defined when they are in bold text and dollar amounts are better understood when they reflect a standard currency convention.
In our illustration, we have made row 1 the heading row. To better distinguish it, we have made the contents of each cell bold by selecting each cell and clicking on the Bold font style button B located in the Font group on the Home tab of the Ribbon. A bottom border can also be added using the Borders style button in the Font group.
When first entering text into the heading cells, you may notice that the headings do not appear entirely. This is because, by default, columns might be too narrow to display the full text of the heading. To widen columns:
Select the entire column by clicking on the worksheet column heading. For example, if we want to select column B, click on B at the top of the column. This will select the entire column.
Once the column is selected, click Format in the Cells group on the Home tab, then select Column Width… The Column Width dialog box will appear, from which you can enter a new width for the column.
In the illustration above, column E (Total Assets Turnover) is the best example of the need to increase the column width.
Next, when entering number values into cells, it is best to enter the "plain" number and then format the cell to reflect the appropriate purpose of the number. For example, when entering a column of dollar amounts such as column B (Net Income) in our illustration, enter the simple numbers 80000, 78900, 67800, etc. After entering all of the numbers:
Select the cells to be formatted by clicking on the first cell in the column that you want formatted, in this case B2, hold down the mouse button, and drag through all of the cells that are to be selected (B3…B6). You will notice a heavy border around the cells included in the selection.
With the cells to be formatted all selected, click the arrow in the format dropdown box in the Number group on the Home tab. (The default option is General.) You'll notice a list of format types appear. Select Currency. Each of the cells included in the selection are now formatted to the currency format, or $80,000.00.
In our example we formatted the numbers as currency. By clicking the small arrow on the lower right corner of the Number group, you will notice the Format Cells dialog box. From here you have greater formatting options, including the number of decimal places and the appearance of negative numbers.
Charts are visual representations of worksheet data. Various types of charts can be created in Excel, such as bar, line, and pie charts. Charts can be used to clarify trends or relationships that might not be apparent in the worksheet data alone. Once a chart is created, as data points on the worksheet are updated, the chart automatically changes to reflect those updates.
To demonstrate charting data, let's consider the illustration above. We have a worksheet that contains data cells on the left and those same data cells charted on the right. To chart the data cell range L9:N14, do the following:
Using the illustration as your source, type the numbers and headings into a blank worksheet starting at cell L9. You will only type the data included in the range of cells starting at L9 on the top left to N14 on the bottom right or data range L9:N14. The chart to the right is what we're about to create. Try formatting the data as shown to practice what has already discussed, and remember to input "plain" numbers and format using Excel's formatting tools. (TIP: 16 = 1600%, .16 = 16%)
One you have completed the data entry, select the range L9:N14 by clicking cell L9, holding the mouse button and dragging down and to the right until you reach cell N14.
With the cell range highlighted, click the Insert tab on the Ribbon at the top of the Excel screen, and in the Charts group click Line. You will notice an option box appear presenting various line chart style options. Select the top left 2-D Line style. When you click this option, the line chart is inserted onto the worksheet.
Once you've inserted the chart, notice that the tab on the Ribbon at the top of the screen has switched from the Insert tab to the Chart Tools Design tab. Within Chart Tools, you have an assortment of options including chart style, layout, and format. However, for our purposes, the default styling of the inserted chart works well.
To prepare a worksheet for printing, Excel offers several options to control how it will appear on the printed page. It's always a good idea to review the layout before printing—checking for things like orientation and margins—to verify that the worksheet will print as intended.
To do this, select the Page Layout tab on the Ribbon at the top of the Excel screen. From there, notice the Page Setup group which includes options to control page orientation, margins, and paper size, among other things. Click on each option and select the parameters you desire.
Note the Print Area button in the Page Setup group. If you have a worksheet that has multiple components to it and you wish to print those components separately, you can define specific areas or cell ranges of the worksheet to be printed, ignoring the other areas.
It is a good idea to always preview before you print so that you can make any adjustments before printing and save yourself repeated attempts and wasted paper. To preview what you're about to print, click the Microsoft Office Button at the top left of the screen, click the arrow next to Print, and then click Print Preview. From in the Print Preview page, notice the Page Setup button in the Print group on the Ribbon. By selecting this option, you have control over all of the Excel page setup options.
Once the worksheet has been prepared for printing, it can be printed by selecting the Print button in the Print group on the Ribbon within Print Preview, or by clicking Print from the Microsoft Office button.
You should save your work frequently. If you have a power outage or some other problem, you can start working again from your last saved version.
When you create a new worksheet and save it for the first time, you are always asked for a name to assign to the worksheet. Click the Microsoft Office Button at the top left of the screen and then click Save. If the worksheet is new, a dialog box will appear asking for a name and location to save the worksheet. If the worksheet you are working on as been previously saved, clicking Save will save a new copy of the previously named worksheet overwriting the previous version.
If you would like to save an existing worksheet to another name, thus keeping the original version in its original condition, click Save As. A dialog box will appear asking for a name and location to save the new worksheet.
The purpose of this overview is to give a general understanding of some basic features of Microsoft Excel. By no means is it comprehensive. There are several places to go to learn more about Excel.
You might start by taking advantage of the tutorial features available within Excel itself. From Excel Help, search for "tutorials." In addition, online help is quite extensive and is best used for finding information quickly. Use your favorite Internet search engine to find answers.
Also, if you would like specialized information, there are many comprehensive books available.
This overview was developed by Dr. Sharon Garrison.
No adaptation of its content is permitted without permission.
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A few years ago I wrote a blog about the relay in TMS market leadership and kept following the market as an interested bystander. Last years I saw an increase in parties that steer away from traditional solutions for corporate treasurers like banks, consultants and TMS houses. What I saw was the rise of firms like Cashforce (forecasting), TIS (bank independent payment platforms) and NWBM or Kantox (FX dealing). The result is a very diverse landscape of many solutions that cover various aspects of the treasury value chain. Even for experts it's not easy to oversee what is happening.
Currently I observe the market entering the next phase in maturity. I expected firms like Google, Microsoft, Amazon or SAP to step in, acquire a number of smaller suppliers and start an integration. This is not (yet?) happening. What I see is an increase of cooperation between smaller firms. TIS and Cashforce organize sales meetings together. By now Cashforce has also started a partnership with the traditional bank BNP Paribas. TMS supplier Bellin works together with transaction platform 360T and today I saw that TIS enters a partnership with FX broker Ebury. Apart from this, the traditional bank ABN AMRO launches an Ebury competitor Franx and ING launches a TIS competitor Cobase. All exciting developments and I am not able to predict what will happen next.
What I do know is that it will not be easier for corporate treasurers to make decisions about their infrastructure and services. Modern solutions can offer a lot more and often at a better price level. But what is the best solution? And if you choose for one solution, do you automatically also choose for others? Does your supplier advise you about the best solution or the one where he can get the highest kick back fee? How hard will it be to say goodbye if you are not satisfied anymore?
So for you as a corporate treasurer, the world gets better and more complex. A number of the issues already existed in the past, but were not so obvious. Personally I love to see all new possibilities. I think, at the end of the day, you will have to put in the effort, read, listen and speak, then analyse and decide for yourself. The responsibilities that come with being a treasurer cannot be outsourced.


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Home Arts & Culture College of Entertainment and Music Business Belmont Hosts International Country Music Conference
Belmont Hosts International Country Music Conference
The 26th annual International Country Music Conference honored some of the top authors and journalists in the field of country music May 21-23 during an annual gathering at Belmont University.
The Belmont Book Award, Lifetime Achievement Award and Charlie Lamb Awards were presented during a special noon luncheon, underwritten by the Mike Curb Family Foundation, on Fri., May 22 in the Frist Lecture Hall. This year's Belmont Book Award was given to Patrick Huber for Linthead Stomp: The Creation of Country Music in the Piedmont South. The University of Illinois Press received the Lifetime Achievement Award for their series, Music in American Life.
In addition to the book awards, the Charlie Lamb Awards for Excellence in Journalism were presented to Alanna Nash in the Career category and Barry Mazor in the Contemporary category. The Charlie Lamb Awards are underwritten by Gary and Peggy Walker.
The 26th annual ICMC featured authors of books on a variety of country music subjects, including Jimmie Rodgers, Ernest Tubb, Eddy Arnold, Gene Autry, Johnny Cash, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. Events included a Thursday evening panel at the Quonset Hut with Shelby Singleton, Jerry Kennedy and Bob Moore, moderated by Don Cusic, and a panel discussion at RCA Studio B on Friday evening with Harold Bradley, Fred Foster and Ray Edenton with moderator John Rumble. There were also several presentations from prominent country music historians and scholars, including panels "The Songs of Jimmie Rodgers" and "Defining Country Music: What It Is and Does It Matter?"
For more information, visit www.internationalcountrymusic.org.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The two Berlin-based labels combine forces to create a supreme independent Hip Hop release. A mere dozen of artists, utilizing two different languages, to simply provide you one thing: Good music. While Spoken View holds a good share of top notch German Rap artists, Project: Mooncircle delivers the wide diversity of its intercontinental network of musicians. The likes of Netherland's newcomer Joe Kickass , British dynamic duo Obba Supa, German avant-garde lyricists Sichtbeton, UK-Rap legend Lewis Parker, rhyme-roughnecks Morlockk Dilemma and Hiob, go-to-guy Damion Davis, John Robinson from former Fondl'em fame – all unite in the strong believe in the culture of Hip Hop.
Following the labels' ideals, you'll get a cinematic artwork on top of that, collectively composed by Gordon, V.Raeter and The Binh.


Foreign Language Annals 50(2): 306-322.
Pinyin is a sound-annotating system for Chinese characters using Roman letters. Teaching and learning Pinyin has been an important educational practice in Mainland China for native Chinese children, and it is also typically taught to beginning learners of Chinese as a foreign/second language in tertiary-level classrooms. However, whether it should be taught to nonnative children who are studying Chinese as a second language has been controversial. This study examined the roles of Pinyin skill in Chinese-English biliteracy learning among a group of second-grade learners in a Chinese immersion program across one academic year and found that Pinyin facilitates subsequent Chinese word reading at no cost to students' English literacy learning. Results are discussed in the context of learning Chinese as a nonnative language among young learners in school settings. Implications for teaching Chinese reading, curriculum, and material design, especially for Chinese immersion programs, are discussed.
Source: East Asian Pragmatics, 2016, 107-126.
Abstract: This article argues that, when analysing formulaic language use in Chinese, besides the three main groups, proverbs (yànyǔ 谚语), idioms (chéngyǔ 成语), and guànyòngyǔ 惯用语 compounds, we need to distinguish and pay special attention to a fourth category: situation-bound utterances (qíngjìng zhuānyòngyǔ 情境专用语). Situation-bound utterances (SBUs) constitute a unique group within idiomatic expressions because their use is tied to particular situations. SBUs fulfil social needs in conversation. People know that if they use these prefabricated expressions they are safe: nobody will misunderstand them because these phrases usually mean the same to most speakers in a speech community. The article aims to introduce SBUs as a separate category among Chinese formulaic expressions, discuss its relationship to yànyǔ, chéngyǔ, and guànyòngyǔ compounds, explain why it is important to handle it as a separate lexical category, and highlight the unique nature and use of SBUs. However, it is not the goal of the article to give a full and detailed description of the new category, which will need further research.
Abstract: A growing tree-structured self-organizing feature map network was developed to simulate the acquisition of Mandarin tones by native English speakers. This network has a dynamic network construction and capacity that is better than the traditional Kohonen self-organizing feature map. This network also more effectively preserves the global topology mapping than early dynamic tree-like maps.Simulations of the acquisition of Mandarin tones are consistent with experimental results. These show the dynamic developmental process of Mandarin tones. The results show that self-organization is an important mechanism for tone emergence and that tone feature teaching is important for Mandarin tone-teaching strategies.
Source: Journal of Tsinghua University (Sci & Tech), 2011, 51(9), 1201-1204.
We report on a study of first-exposure learners with different first languages (L1s: English, Japanese) to examine their ability to process input for form and meaning. We used a rich set of tasks to tap respectively into processing, comprehension, imitation, and working memory. We show that there are advantages to having a first language (L1) that brings familiarity with the target language. We also show that when presented with natural auditory input, learners are able to process form only minimally. These findings are inconsistent with other studies that suggest that segmentation is easy and rapid. Additionally, we show that such learners comprehend meaning by relying on 'top-down' strategies. These findings challenge some of the claims on Input Processing theory.
Source: Second Language Research, 2013, 29(2), 145-164.
Papers: Natural or artificial: Is the route of L2 development teachable?
Title: Natural or Artificial: Is the Route of L2 Development Teachable?
Abstract: The current study was designed to assess the central claim of the Teachability Hypothesis (TH), a corollary of general Processability Theory (PT), which predicts instruction cannot alter posited universal, hierarchically organized psycholinguistic constraints behind PT's developmental sequences. We employed an interventional design, which adhered to instructional procedures of Systemic Theoretical Instruction, and we taught four university learners at Stage 2 (subject-verb-object) Chinese topicalization for Stage 4 (object-first, e.g., Pizza tā yě chī le, Pizza 他 也 吃了, 'Pizza he also ate'). We believe the findings show that, under the instructional conditions utilized in the study, the predictions of TH do not hold. We conclude it is possible to artificially construct a developmental route different from the one predicted by natural developmental sequences, in agreement with the claims of Vygotsky's developmental education.
Source: Language Learning, 2015, 65(1): 152-180.


Mission Bay Aquatic Center Blog: This month's Watersports Camp Clinic is fun for the whole family!
This month's Watersports Camp Clinic is fun for the whole family!
The second event in our year-round series of Watersports Camp Clinics is coming up February 23rd and if you've ever wished you could attend camp alongside your child then you won't want to miss it! The Youth and Family Intro to Surfing Clinic is an opportunity for campers, parents and families to enjoy a morning of one of most popular camp activities.
On Sunday, February 23rd, from 9:00am-12:00pm you and your camper can join your favorite surf instructors for a half-day surf session that will be a fun and unique family experience. We'll start with some basic instruction, wetsuit up, and head out for some family fun in the waves! The cost of the activity is $50/person and spaces are limited, so sign up today!
If you've ever wanted to try surfing there's never been a better opportunity than to learn with your loved ones by your side to laugh, smile, and yell in excitement when you catch your first wave. This event is designed for beginner and intermediate surfers, providing an opportunity for you to learn in a welcoming environment with our qualified (and very patient) surf instructors.
We want to create a place to get the whole family involved and enjoy the sports we love! Keep your eyes open for more youth and family events coming each month, like a moonlight kayak, and family sailing day, as we lead into summer! We can't wait to see you on the water!


Eyelid surgery, commonly known as Blepharoplasty, is an operation to correct premature ageing of the eyelids. By restoring the contours to the eyelids, and reducing the size of the fat bags under the eyes, Eyelid lifts can reduce hooded or droopy eyelids, giving a more youthful look to the eye.
The skin loses its elasticity and our muscles slacken with age. For the eyelids this results in an accumulation of loose skin which collects as folds in the upper lids and forms deepening creases in the lower lids. At the same time there is slackening of the muscle beneath the skin allowing the fat, which cushions the eyes in their sockets, to protrude forward to give the appearance of bagginess. Heredity can also be a factor for bags to develop during early adulthood before any skin changes.
This operation will remove excess skin and bags to give the eyes a fresher look but will never remove the wrinkles or 'laughter lines' from the sides of the eyes (although they may be improved with laser resurfacing).
The incision for the upper eye is in the natural crease line, approximately 1 cm above the eyelashes, and extends out into the 'crows-foot' area. The excess skin is trimmed, any fat (usually present in the area adjacent to the sides of the nose) is removed and the lid is then sutured using one continuous stitch. The operation can be carried out both under general anaesthesia, or local anaesthesia with sedation, and usually involves a one night stay in hospital.
The incision for the lower eye is just below the eyelashes, again extending out into a natural 'laughter line'. The tissues are elevated, hinged forward and the excess fat removed. The skin is then lifted upwards and outwards, gently tensioning the area and the overlapping skin is removed, the area is then sutured with multiple small single stitches.
Following surgery you will be carefully observed for the first three to four hours to ensure that no bleeding occurs.


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Q: Why does if-let need wrapping with Some? I am new to Rust and just came across the nice if-let construct. I have values a and b which are both Option. I use if-let as follows:
if let (Some(a), Some(b)) = (a, b) {
    println!("You passed in {:?}, {:?}");
}

This works but I am confused about why I need wrap my values like Some(a) which are already an Option.
Isn't Option already one of Some or None ?

A: This is one of the places when you use pattern matching in rust. In simpler example:
let x: Option<i32> = Some(42);

if let Some(x) = x {
    println!("{}", x);
}

Rust knows that x is a type Option and this being an enum has two possible variants. So what this pattern matching express is to look at x and compare it to Some(x). If x is None that the matching will fail (because None and Some(_) are different variants). But if x is Some than the pattern will match and value inside of Some will be assigned to variable x. This will in turn shadow previous variable x and be only valid inside this if let scope.
What you are doing is practically the same, only you match as a pattern a tuple of two Options. Read this chapter from The Book on pattern matching to understand it better and see all the other places you can find it in rust.

A: The thing to be aware of here is that you're not wrapping your values. When you use if let Some(x) = y { you are testing if the variable y matches the pattern Some(x) and if it does, binds the value of x to be the thing wrapped by the option. You can read up on pattern matching in the book here
In your example, the fact you used a and b on both sides is a little misleading. You are shadowing your original variables with new variables. You could have written if let (Some(x), Some(y)) = (a, b) { and it would have worked but a and b would still have been options and x and y would have been available as the previously wrapped values.
Also, your print statement needs to have a and b passed in. Presumably your original code did have them.

A: You're unpacking the contents of a "maybe-Some" to the value it holds, and only entering the block if both were Some. If you could just write if let (a, b) = (a, b), how would it know to unpack (rather than just copy) and to not run at all when it's None? Your code is performing meaningful work, both testing for Someness and unpacking (and shadowing) the original a and b with the contents of the Some object they originally held. If you didn't have Some, neither the test nor the unpacking would be something Rust could infer on its own.

A: First, lets forget the tuple for a moment, it is just noise for this issue.
You do not need to wrap them, you can do:
if let a = a {
    println!("{:?}", a);
}

But what would be the point of the if? In Rust such an assignment never fails!
In fact, when you write a let LEFT = RIGHT;, the LEFT part is technically called a binding, that is a special syntax that binds names (variables) to values.
In general bindings may be fallible, if you type let Some(inner_a) = a; then if a is Some(42) then inner_a will bind to 42; but what if a is None, the variable inner_a` will be unassigned, and that is not good.
The usual way to tackle that is with a match, that tries multiple bindings until one succeeds:
let inner_a = match a {
    Some(x) => x,
    None => 0,
};

The if let construct is just syntactic sugar for a match:
if let Some(inner_a) = a {
    do_something(inner_a);
}

is desugared to:
match a {
    Some(inner_a) => {
        do_something(inner_a);
    }
    _ => {} //catch-all binding
}

TL;DR; The Some() at the left of a = is not wrapping the value, it is unwrapping it!.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


An early pair of grape dishes by James Dixon & Sons when they were basically swapping from Old Sheffield Plate to Electroplating. They have wooden pedestalled bases with baised undersides. Beautiful applied grape & vine rim decoration. The dishes interesting bear the 'D&S' marking usually associated with their Old Sheffield Plate, not electroplate.
Condition: Both gleaming silver, one has some slight nickel bleed and utensil marks. Both have some small pieces of the grape decoration to rim missing.


U.S. biopharmaceutical firm AbbVie Inc. (North Chicago) on Thursday said it will acquire cancer biotech company Stemcentrx Inc. (South San Francisco) in a roughly $5.8 billion cash and stock deal that would expand AbbVie's development of oncology drugs.
The deal was announced as AbbVie also reported its first quarter net earnings rose nearly 32%. The transaction terms call for AbbVie to pay approximately $2 billion in cash and fund the rest of the acquisition costs with stock.
Investors in closely held Stemcentrx would be eligible to receive up to $4 billion in cash if certain regulatory and clinical milestones are reached. AbbVie said it expects the transaction's cost will cut approximately 20 cents per share from its 2016 earnings, and boost the company's financial results starting in 2020.
Subject to customary closing conditions and antitrust review, the deal is expected to be finalized in this year's second quarter, AbbVie said.
Stemcentrx has five cancer drugs under testing in human trials. The pipeline includes Rova-T, a medication aimed at treating small-cell lung cancer. Rova-T is a therapy derived from cancer stem cells that target a protein found in more than 80% of small cell lung cancer tumors but not found in healthy tissue, AbbVie said.
Long-term data on Rova-T, including overall survival results, is scheduled to be presented at the 2016 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in early June, AbbVie said.
Expansion of AbbVie's roster of cancer therapies could also make the company less reliant on its top-selling Humira rheumatoid arthritis medication, which faces looming market competition.
In all, AbbVie said its first-quarter net earnings totaled $1.35 billion, or 83 cents a share, an increase from $1.02 billion, or 63 cents a share, for the same three-month period in 2015. Excluding one-time items, diluted earnings per share were $1.15, up from 94 cents last year, AbbVie said. Shares closed the week off 1% at $61.06.


In common with health and care organisations throughout England, we have been working with our partners across South Gloucestershire, Bristol and North Somerset to develop a sustainability and transformation plan.
The plan will sets out how health and care services will work in partnership to develop plans that will enable us to continue to meet the health needs of our local population at a time of increasing demand and constrained resources.
This sustainability transformation plan summary describes how we propose to organise and deliver services in a different way to meet the needs of the population across South Gloucestershire, Bristol, and North Somerset.
To read the plan and the summary document and watch an video providing an overview, please see the South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group website.
We are inviting you to get involved in the ongoing development of the South Gloucestershire, Bristol and North Somerset Sustainability and Transformation Plan. The publication of the draft STP is your chance to get involved at this early stage. Your feedback is important. We don't yet have all the answers but this is the start of a conversation to develop the plan with your input.
To provide your feedback visit the South Glos CCG website.


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Vettel dominates in Shanghai
Sebastian Vettel's perfect Chinese Grand Prix weekend continued on Saturday as he eased to a dominant pole position in Shanghai.
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The Red Bull driver topped all three practice sessions coming into qualifying and did not disappoint his legion of fans when it mattered most, taking top spot with a best time of one minute 33.706 seconds.
McLaren's Jenson Button took second, over seven tenths down on the German, while the Briton's team-mate Lewis Hamilton was third.
Despite Vettel's crushing display, it was not all plain sailing for Red Bull. Mark Webber was the victim of more KERS drama and poor tyre selection as he went out at the first hurdle, leaving the Australian with it all to do from 18th place on Sunday afternoon.
Button set the benchmark early in Q3 with a 1:34.421, but championship leader Vettel, as he has done all weekend, duly responded with six minutes remaining, setting a time that would not be bettered to claim his third pole in as many races this season.
Nico Rosberg impressed as he took his Mercedes to fourth place, while the Ferraris of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa were fifth and sixth respectively.
Toro Rosso enjoyed a hugely encouraging session, with Jaime Alguersuari seventh and team-mate Sebastien Buemi ninth, sandwiching the Force India of Britain's Paul di Resta, who celebrated his 25th birthday with eighth place. Renault's Vitaly Petrov will line up 10th after failing to feature in the shoot-out having suffered a car failure moments after posting the fourth-fastest time in Q2.
"Yesterday was very good, a strong day and a lot of laps, so we were very happy with our pace. Today was smooth," said Vettel.
"I was as happy as I can be in Q1 and Q2, and in Q3 we were able to get more out of the car again. I was very happy with the lap I did.
"But it all starts again from zero tomorrow. I'm very happy with the team and the way we all remain focused, but tomorrow is a new day."
Liverpool FCLiverpool hero Fernando Torres shocks fans with post-retirement body transformationLiverpool hero and Chelsea flop Fernando Torres has stunned fans with his new body transformation 18 months after calling time on his successful playing career


Unless you retreated into a total theatre news blackout in August, you probably have heard about (or even read) Stephen Sonhdeim's snarky takedown of the team behind the new "revised" and Broadway-bound Porgy & Bess.
The revival has now premiered at ART in Cambridge, MA, where it has been developed by director Diane Paulus, the company's AD. Ben Brantley's largely unfavorable review of that pre-Broadway opening has spurred gossip over whether the project will basically fold as a commercial venture, not come to Broadway, and simply play out its limited run at ART. Riedel today quotes a source as confiding, "You'd better rush up to Boston if you want to see the show." Maybe he/she was joking.
I don't right now feel like getting into the substantive arguments about the show itself and Porgy's dramaturgical challenges--I haven't seen the ART production, for one thing. But I do want to come to Brantley and NYT's defense in reviewing that opening, despite Riedel's claim that the critic "broke the once hard-and-fast rule that New York critics don't review out-of-town tryouts of Broadway-bound shows."
In fact, I even received a press invite to the ART opening myself. (I'm on their press mailing list.) And I'm one of those pesky bloggers that's supposedly ruining artists' supposed right to privacy in public performances. So what does that say?
But there's a very simple explanation for this curious title-- branding. Or to be precise, updating the brand. ("New Coke" serves as perhaps a depressingly instructive model.) Remember William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet? That was the official title of the film that should have been called "Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet"--certainly the least "strict constructionist" version of the play out there. In movies, though, there's at least one very simple reason for such a tweak: product catalogues. When someone wants to rent (or now download, stream, etc) a movie of Romeo and Juliet, several versions will show up. But there's only one William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet! Even though it's arguably the one that least reflects the Bard.
No, Porgy doesn't have to worry about competing versions on sale at the same time. But who knows, they eventually probably want to put out a CD, maybe even a video.
And there, people, is the lovely logic of corporate branding.
PS. This should also serve as a cautionary tale of the perils of commercial collaboration and "enhancement" for nonprofit regional theatres. The B'way "Porgy" producers are basically using ART as a cheap out-of-town tryout venue. Notice what ART loses in the process.


The 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro were to catalyse and signify Brazil's final transition into a modern, developed nation. Yet, many were skeptical of the city and country's ability to host the event successfully, citing levels of pollution, crime, and a lack of infrastructure. Could hosting in a city like Rio simply exacerbate such issues?
By all accounts, Rio de Janeiro's successful bid for the 2016 Olympic Games was remarkable. For the first time since 1968, the IOC awarded the Games to a city in a "developing" nation within the global South, and for the first time ever bestowed the Olympics upon a city in South America. Many within Brazil saw this successful bid as affirmation of the country's newfound standing within the international community, and a catalyst for its final push towards becoming a modern, developed nation. Then President Lula da Silva made clear the significance of the Olympics in this regard, declaring that the Games marked "Brazil's chance to present itself to the world, [by leaving behind] its status as a second class nation."1 Lula's claims drew on the popular logic of Olympic hosting, namely that holding a sports mega-event provides an opportunity for a host city and country to unlock significant capital towards the reconfiguration of cityscapes, particularly the construction of facilities, transportation, and commercial and tourist areas, as well as an opportunity to broadcast an image of a modern, advanced state to the rest of the world.2 Notably, Lula also claimed that the event would provide "an opportunity to improve the living conditions of the people of a country,"3 a particularly significant statement given Rio and Brazil's legacy of poverty and inequality, as well as the rather dubious track record of the Olympic Games when it comes to leaving a positive, sustained social legacy.
Nonetheless, the promises attached to Rio 2016 were not out of the ordinary. Such potential benefits of hosting an Olympic Games – as well as other sport mega-events like the FIFA World Cup – have become increasingly attractive for emerging nations like Brazil that seek to project an image of "development" to an international audience and to reap the benefits of increased tourism, foreign investment, and international prestige. Thus, the awarding of the 2016 Games to Rio continued the trend of sport mega-events being taken up by non-traditional powers as part of their development strategies, with the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China, the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil all serving as prior examples.
However, while the development potential of Rio 2016 was promoted from the outset, it was quickly accompanied by doubts and fears surrounding the city's ability to stage such an event successfully, with many citing crime rates, pollution levels, and the lack of infrastructure as barriers to hosting the Games. During the event, such concerns intensified. Coverage of Rio 2016 was replete with tales of incomplete competition venues and accommodations, polluted water for aquatic sports, poor event management, crime, and general civil unrest throughout the city. Such reports fed the notion that the Brazilian Organizing Committee was not prepared to host the event, or worse, that a "developing," global South nation is unable to host an event of the magnitude of the Olympic Games.
Potential benefits of hosting an Olympic Games have become increasingly attractive for emerging nations like Brazil that seek to project an image of "development" to an international audience and to reap the benefits of increased tourism, foreign investment, and international prestige.
At the same time, such concerns about the practicality of staging the Olympic fortnight in a city like Rio are only the tip of the iceberg. A plethora of critical scholars and social activists cited concerns about the efficacy of hosting the Olympics in Rio during the entire 7-year run-up to the event. In particular, they argued that while the benefits of hosting sports mega-events are attractive to emerging, semi-peripheral or non-traditional states, the stakes are higher for such polities, with fewer resources available and slimmer margins for error as compared to traditional host cities.4 From this perspective, a city like Rio was always in a precarious position as host; when unforeseen problems emerged or costs overran (as they inevitably have done in the recent history of the Games), the "winners curse" meant that resources simply had to be found. In turn, the opportunity costs are higher – in Rio and Brazil where poverty and inequality is multi-generational, and basic public services lacking amidst a crippling recession, the fact that so much money was spent on a sports event is increasingly difficult to justify.
Simon C. Darnell is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on the relationship between sport and international development and peace building efforts, the development implications of sports mega-events, and the place of social activism in the culture of sport.
Rob Millington is a SSHRC Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on how international organizations like the United Nations and International Olympic Committee implement sport-for-development in policy and practice, in both historical and contemporary contexts.
2. Cornelissen, S. (2010). The Geopolitics of global aspiration: Sport mega-events and emerging powers. The International Journal of the History of Sport, 27(16-18), 3008–3025; see also Gaffney, C. (2010). Mega-events and socio-spatial dynamics in Rio de Janeiro 1919-2016. Journal of Latin American Geography, 9(1), 7–29.
4. Black, D. (2008). Dreaming big: The pursuit of 'second order' games as a strategic response to globalization. Sport in Society, 11(4), 467-480.
5. Boykoff, J. (2013). Celebration Capitalism and the Olympic Games. Abingdon: Routledge.
6. Millington, R. & Darnell, S.C. (2014). Constructing and contesting the Olympics online: The internet, Rio 2016 and the politics of Brazilian development. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 49(2), 190-210.


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VISIONARY FICTION FOR KIDS!
Posted on July 28, 2020 by ellisnelson
What is visionary fiction? It's a new term for a collection of highly engaging stories.
According to the Visionary Fiction Alliance, "Visionary Fiction embraces spiritual and esoteric wisdom, often from ancient sources, and makes it relevant for our modern life. Gems of this spiritual wisdom are brought forth in story form so that readers can experience the wisdom from within themselves. Visionary fiction emphasizes the future and envisions humanity's transition into evolved consciousness."
My work falls in this category and I'm going to introduce you to a few more books by my fellow visionary writers. Grab one or two and enjoy. If you've read other books in this category (and you probably have, you just didn't know it), feel free to leave a comment below.
The Dreams of Phillip Aisling and the Numinous Nagwaagan (Vol 1) by Brandon Bosse
Phillip Aisling is just like any other boy, or so he thought. On the night of his 13th birthday he has a dream so vivid that he is convinced it was real! He soon learns that he has begun training with the Dream Masters. They practice lucid dreaming to be able to fully control their dreams, giving them immense power. But when his vivid dreams turn into nightmares he never wants to fall asleep again! In his struggle to understand his remarkable dreams and prevent terrible nightmares, he finds The Dreamer's Dictionary written to help young Dreamers make sense of their new powers.
Dragon Boy by Jim Murdoch
Eric daydreams of dragons. In his imagination, he believes he is, in reality, a dragon. As a dragon, he discovers Dreamland, a place where dreams come true.
But not everything we imagine is good. Fear and worry trap the only person to help heal Eric's sick mother. Eric sees no hope of rescue until his friend, Enya, mentions the middle eye.
Orville Mouse and the Puzzle of the Clockwork Glowbirds (Orville Wellington Mouse Bk 1) by Tom Hoffman
Orville Wellington Mouse lives with his Mum in the quiet fishing village of Muridaan Falls, Symoca. His life takes an unexpected turn when he learns his best friend Sophia Mouse is not only from another planet, but is also a member of the Shapers Guild, a group of powerful mice who are able to convert their thoughts into physical objects.
Ana's Dream of Flying by Mary R. Woldering
Ana, a young girl in Tennessee in the 1960's, discovers the truth about her art, it's connection to other realms. Something from beyond Earth is watching her as it searches for the pieces of her shattered soul. Tonight, when she thinks she is dreaming, it will take her flying, to remind her of the time when they were Gods.
My books can be found by following the link below.
https://amzn.to/33TcrTh
Interview with Bianca Gubalke
Posted on April 19, 2018 by ellisnelson
Today I welcome Bianca Gulbalke to talk about her book, Born With Wings: The Immortal Life of Piu Piu. Bianca is an award-winning screenplay writer and artist, a passionate gardener, teacher and metaphysics student.
I recently finished her incredible work of visionary fiction. It's one of those rare books that starts off immediately in the spiritual realm. From start to finish, this is visionary fiction at its finest and most bold. Swept up in the tale of incarnation, life, struggle, and purpose we follow the beautifully drawn characters as the author weaves a wonderful tale. An injured gosling and a little girl come together in lush and magical South Africa. There's a call from ancestors and a drive for purpose, and danger's never far away. It's a captivating tale, a journey of emotions through life, death, and rebirth.
Thank you for joining me, Bianca!
What were your first glimmers of this story? Was it of the characters, the setting, or the plot itself?
Thank you for your kind introduction, Ellis, I'm grateful and thrilled to be here!
The glimmer came with a kind of magic: Piu Piu, the main character – pronounced 'phew-phew' – was real. The setting in the floral kingdom along the Western Cape coast of South Africa was – and is – real. The fire was real. Very real! The idea for the plot revealed itself when, shortly after Piu Piu was killed, causing much heart-break, a new Piu Piu appeared!
Coincidence? I don't think so . . . but definitely a story that needed to be told Piu Piu was quite an attraction in our garden. She was intelligent, funny and very protective of us, her adopted family. I was encouraged to write about her, but this only happened when disaster struck: I had a macular hole in my eye that needed major surgery. But the real ordeal came thereafter: I had to hold my head down for three weeks – no PC, no TV, no sport – the time for the wound to heal, which depended on my discipline in keeping the healing liquid right on top of the wound.
That was tricky at night, as I naturally turned on my back. Eventually, I ended up sitting in the lotus position and meditate all through the night. Even with a long history in meditation and yoga, it seemed like a daunting task – but it turned out to be an amazing experience.
It was during those long solitary hours in the dark, with owls hooting softly outside, that the magic happened and the story appeared. Typing blindly, with the keyboard on my lap and the laptop on the floor, the first glimmer took shape in form of a draft.
With hindsight, those challenging three weeks were rewarding in many ways. Instead of being my usual pro-active self, I simply let go and 'listened' and observed . . . just as Pippa does at a crucial turning point in her life.
The author and the real Piu Piu
How did being a filmmaker aid the process of writing this story?
In a movie, you have to know within the first few minutes where the story is playing, who the main protagonist is, what has to be accomplished and what hurdles are in the way.
In a novel, your first pages are important to draw your reader in, but you can take your time.
As many readers may believe in reincarnation but are unfamiliar with say the latest afterlife research, I decided to start (and end) in the spiritual realm, giving the story a frame. I would probably also do this in the screenplay. It sets the tone and the reader immediately identifies with the heroine on her magical journey called 'life'.
Also, as a filmmaker or photographer you observe the world around you in a different way. You wear a storytelling lens. You're always on the lookout to discover something worth sharing with the world. You tell a story by showing pictures . . . and a picture tells a thousand stories. This methodology and art probably influences your writing style, possibly defines it. To see and absorb something for myself, I have to leave the camera at home.
The screenplay is the blueprint for a visual medium. Yes, sound is just as important as well. The point here is that you essentially develop a clear focus in showing pictures filled with significant or relevant details that tell that story in terms of setting, characters, action, plot.
When writing a novel you create the 'movie' directly in the reader's mind.
As a filmmaker, you have many constraints. The underlying principles and structure are the same, but in a screenplay you have to be succinct, genre-specific, and extremely focused as everything depends on time and money. This often means to strip away scenes you love. You have to compromise. It can be very painful.
As a writer, you have much more time to develop your characters or reveal the details of your settings. You can even express internal thoughts. Once the real editing process starts, you may find yourself in a similar position, but certainly not as radical as you are not tied to those 90 to 120 minutes.
Some say that screenplay writing hones your skills with dialogues.
In a film, actors add their own personality and flair; dialogs are tweaked and adapted all the time. It becomes a co-creation. As we watch a movie, we deduct thoughts or emotions from a character's action and/or reaction. Silence becomes a carrier for meaning and mood . . .
In a novel, you have to bring your characters to life with and through your writing: the way they talk, what they say how and when or what they keep to themselves. I find it's best to draw one's inspiration from real life people – their voices, language, slang, expression, pitch. Anything that defines them as the character they are in your mind. They can be pretty loud and possessive while developing a life of their own!
As a writer, you never know how big your family really is 😊.
The gosling, Piu Piu
One of the wonderful things about the book is the passion you show in describing the human/animal bond. Can you talk a little about a special animal who was fundamental to your spiritual development?
Life is filled with cosmic humour in the way it teaches us.
When I was a little girl, and I was tiny, we had a huge aviary in our garden and many owls in the trees. Our neighbor, an elderly lady, had 20 giant tortoises, eating giant salads while turning in circles within the narrow confines of a giant fence, which really worried me.
That wasn't all. She also had 25 cats, who got over that fence and traumatized our birds.
My dad hated cats with a vengeance, which blocked me over my early childhood years.
On the other hand, I couldn't stand seeing birds in a cage, but when I secretly helped one out now and then, it had no chance against flying cats and freaky owls. Nor had I against dad. He hated cats so much that I was convinced they were coming after me. . .
Weirdly enough, cats taught me all through my life, both in reality and on a spiritual level. This became very clear in my healing work following my studies of the way of the shaman as taught by the late scientist Dr. Michael Harner. As you may have noticed, I shared my first OBE in the introduction of my novel, following the death of one of those 25 cats. That early incident set me on a spiritual path where I had to learn to balance the animal energies of birds and cats, which is reflected in my book and that I'm very aware of as I answer your question.
As of age 11, I was on horseback all the time, accompanied by a bunch of speedy cocker spaniels, obsessed with chasing birds across the strand; an alarm clock of a dackel, especially if he was up with me on the saddle, meaning on top of the world; and a German shepherd, the fiercest and most loyal animal protector I ever had. The way he was at my side in really scary situations – suddenly going over a high entrance gate, just by pure animal intuition, even when I was miles away – is beyond grasp. There are too many stories to tell. Anyone with pets has their own. Pets are our teachers and loyal friends. We are vibrational units.
It's a totally different situation with animals from the wild. You won't escape your teachers, even if someone tried to block their energy from your soul!
Cheetah, leopard, lion, lynx, wild cat – I had many thrilling encounters on the farm or in Etosha, outside the secure camp. Or, in the Okavango Delta in Botswana, where Nature peels away those pompous layers of 'I, me and myself' until the soul emerges and resonates with the stars. I sensed their vibration, even when the big cats were invisible in the dark. In the morning, the ranger would point out the tracks around our hut or tent: "Look who was here."
I believe this was a natural response to my animal spirit energy, which can be harnessed in many ways – just as the San when they painted an animal on a rock. Everyone has their own; it's a matter of being aware of it. It's hardly a few months ago, that I encountered a wild lynx right outside my studio here, clashing with my hooligan tomcat who wasn't impressed!
Having said that, it's crucial to be well grounded at all times, but the spirit needs to be free. This is where the bird energy comes in. In my years as an artist, I painted a whole series on 'Birds'. I painted a series on 'Dogs'. I never painted cats. Perhaps . . . not yet?
Close eyes. Think CAT. What do you feel?
When I think cat, I feel a tremendous energy. Flexibility. Action. It's Pete in motion, when he jumps over that high fence and speeds up the mountain to save his wife from the flames.
Now close eyes and think BIRD. What comes to mind?
When I think bird, I fly. I let go. I see my shadow gliding under me. I feel free. I am Piu Piu on that first glorious flight across the valley and the ocean . . . I am Piu Piu in the turbulence above the swamps . . . I feel her clearly on her way home. I hope my readers do the same.
We all were born with wings, why don't we remember to fly?
Based on the quote of one of my favorite poets, the Sufi mystic Rumi, 'Born with Wings' not only tells the true story of the immortal life of Piu Piu, it also takes us on a magical journey – a meditation if you will – within ourselves. That's the power of the bird spirit energy.
One last note: I close my eyes when my tomcat gets those mice and other critters – but we have a deal: NO BIRD. Whenever I hear that heroic yowl, I cringe. I accept. But now and then he comes with a sweet meow announcing that he brings me – a gift! The last one was on Easter morning. A little sunbird. It still freaks me out, but I learned to respond with grace and love. He lets me take the tiny feathered being from his deadly jaws, unharmed. I prepare a mix of honey and water and feed it from my finger until the shock subsides and its eyes are shining again.
Then I let it fly . . .
Oh yes, and there's also the buzzing life of bees . . . As Pippa says: "It's all in the book!"
The character of Pippa is deeply connected to nature. With her we explore ancestral themes and Pippa finds her purpose here. Yet, many of us have lost touch with this primal connection to the earth. Is Pippa's journey calling us back home?
We are living in disintegrated times with everyone searching what's lost and needs to be regained 'out there'. "More, more, more," demands Charlot in the story. "This is a ruthless world and one must be ruthless to cope with it".
Pippa reminds us to listen to our intuition, to follow our inner light, to live our life with passion and purpose from within: "Spread your wings and fly, no matter what others say!"
'Would you be afraid, if there were nothing to fear?' asks our heroine when warned that she could '…fall from the sky and die'.
'The soul of man is immortal,' was already taught – well over 2000 years ago – by the Greek philosopher Plato, founder of the prestigious Academy of Athens in ancient Greece. This was the first institution of higher learning in the world. Isn't it time for us to apply?
In what was called a 'divine comedy' by film historian and critic Dr. Inga Karetnikova, Piu Piu takes us through her own inferno, her purgatory and, ultimately, into paradise.
Back home.
White protea in the Silvermine Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa
The book contains wonderfully written scenes of altered states of consciousness and meditative states. Can you talk about your experience or practice that guided your writing?
Born in Namibia, just a few miles away from the Spitzkoppe, I was fascinated by the San, the oldest tribe in southern Africa. They are widely known for their rock paintings, which was a way for the medicine man to honor the sacredness of the animal spirit and to harness its essence. I resonated with their love and respect for the earth and the animal kingdom right away. But what really fascinated me was their metaphoric storytelling and how they slipped away into an altered state of consciousness during their ritual, the 'trance dance'.
I knew that it was something I wanted to explore.
"Africa's rock art is the common heritage of all Africans, but it is more than that. It is the common heritage of humanity." ~ Nelson Mandela
Did the absence of fear in a young child ever surprise you?
My parents caught me many times when I walked right off into the sea. Hat, dress and shoes. As I grew older, I was in the sea almost daily, sometimes with wild dolphins playing around us in the waves, often followed by sharks. I still remember that dark and stormy day when a giant wave crushed me onto the ocean floor. A strong current sucked me further and further away. The inevitable happened. Within an instant, the thundering rush gave way to silence and a sudden lightness of being. I found myself within an endless realm of light, that felt familiar: "Ah, that's where I am."
Well, it wasn't my time to cut the silver cord. There was a reason for me to return. A wave laid me gently on the beach at the feet of my terrified mom. So, here I am.
The gift of that NDE was my absolute certainty that there is a loving, eternal connection with what I call Consciousness on the 'other side of the veil'. We all have access to it in dreams, meditation, prayer, the vibrational power of pure intent and during moments of pure ecstasy. We come from it . . . We evolve back towards it . . . Life after life after life . . .
My path was laid out for me . . .
Story telling – in words and/or pictures – became the defining factor of my professional life, interwoven with my continuous search to heal, free and lift the vibration of body, mind and soul. It led me to practices like Zen meditation, Kriya yoga, the way of the shaman, spiritual healing techniques, clinical hypnosis, past life regression . . . amongst other paths.
There was one crucial incident, however, that really shifted my understanding. It happened during my academic training in Paris, when an old man suffering from excruciating pain and abandoned by his family, died in my arms, begging for spiritual help during his passing.
When I saw the dreaded transformation unfold before my own eyes during that communion, my perception truly changed. No matter how peaceful or traumatic the situation, what other loved ones reflected during their final surrender was a sense of release, peace and completion. Recognizing the immortality of their spiritual dimension, they knew again who they were and, gracefully, ascended into Light.
All this inspired me to write this story, not only but also for those who might need it most: the baby boomer generation, which faces its own mortality. I'm one myself; I know how it feels. Life's fast pace and personal fears may have kept many from addressing the most important existential questions. As a result, fear – in its many hidden expressions – not only wreaks havoc with our health, our mental wellbeing and happiness, but can bring us even to the point of fearing the light. Let's not allow that to happen!
In her very last moments, Piu Piu turns around and changes the course.
It's never too late!
"We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time." ~ T. S. Elliot
Piu Piu in the mist
Has spirituality always been a part of your life, as with your character Pippa?
Yes, absolutely! There's so much wisdom in the world and never there has been a time to access it that easily. Certain books I read again and again, always learning something new. I am grateful for the wise teachers out there – both in the visible and the invisible world.
Beyond that, I believe that the most intense learning takes place through life itself during highly challenging times. Times when you stand with your back to the wall and you learn who you are in the way you react. That's why fire plays a significant role in my story. And if you read carefully, you also find the theme of the drought, which we've been experiencing over the past 3 years and, more drastically than ever, right now with 50 litres per person per day. Which we have to share with our pets and plants . . .
Coincidence? I don't think so.
We are part of Nature and Nature is part of us. We are intrinsically connected. What affects one, affects the other – separation is an illusion. When Piu Piu descends into despair and confusion, a thick fog covers the valley, in which Pippa loses her way. Once she incorporates 'that other part of myself' she feels complete again and follows her inner light.
Isn't this a mirror of what's happening in the world?
I'm writing this on Friday, the 13th April 2018 – a memorable day . . .
Golden sunset over Noordhoek Beach, South Africa
What role do books like yours and other works of visionary fiction play in helping to shape the future?
I see visionary fiction under the umbrella of esoteric wisdom. It has always existed, venturing into unknown territories and courageously pushing boundaries to expand readers' awareness: "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy". ~ William Shakespeare, Hamlet:
The emphasis here is also on 'fiction'. Instead of expressing our thoughts or expert knowledge in a non-fiction book, we gently weave a message, a specific intent, into the tapestry of a visionary story, where readers can identify with characters on their magical journey into that un-remembered non-local domain or altered states of consciousness.
We all were born with wings, but we forgot how to fly. Isn't it time we try?
'Born with Wings – The Immortal Life of Piu Piu' is Book 1 in the series 'Dance between Worlds'. I'm working on Book 2
So! Just as in real life, the magical journey continues! Our heroes will be back in a different constellation. They've already embarked on a new adventure filled with mystery and suspense. The tension between Anata and Charlot has been playing itself out over many lives. Will there be another tragedy or a happy ending?
We'll see . . . Expect to be surprised!
THANK YOU for a magical moment in time that unites us, you, me, our readers and Piu Piu!
For more information about Bianca or her work, please follow the links below:
http://biancagubalke.com
http://facebook.com/BiancaGubalke
http://twitter.com/BiancaGubalke
https://plus.google.com/+BiancaGubalke
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14843995.Bianca_Gubalke
Ebook: http://amzn.to/2rb0Izc


They lose the substantial amount of money they paid to go in the first place.
They lose trust in themselves or even you, and might not return to try again, making all of that effort and work worthless.
It might negatively impact your pass rate for the year, if you're a teacher that does a lot of exam classes, that's not ideal.
So how to spot this kind of student early and manage their expectations a little? I've put together a little post for just such an occasion!
Although it might sound obvious, it's very important to make sure that students are in an appropriate group for their level. Putting them with people of lower ability can lead to a mistaken belief that they must be exam ready! Better to have them surrounded by students they can see have similar journeys to the exam, so that they can all go together.
Carry out effective level testing at the beginning of the course, preferably with elements of listening, reading and speaking mixed in. This way, you get a pretty accurate idea of where they are at.
Be flexible with your groups If you can see that it's not working out, don't be afraid to tell them that you think another class would suit them better.
All students should have a pretty good idea, from the beginning of the course, when their exam is. Leaving them with a list of exam dates and no guidance will have them pushing themselves to do it as early as possible, which isn't always a positive thing.
Let them know that it takes time, Rome wasn't built in a day!
Give the whole class an idea of which exam you think is a good objective to work towards, but be prepared to change this as early as possible if your monitoring doesn't reveal as much progress as you'd like.
Encourage all the members of one class to go to exam on the same date, ensuring that everybody works as hard as each other and nobody feels like they can slack off.
Make sure that you constantly keep an eye on a student's progress. Homework is quite effective for this, if students are clearly struggling with aspects of the material, communicate this and suggest extra work they might do.
Set homework regularly throughout the year and try to spot if and where they are having trouble.
Do practice exams at least once every few months, in the run up to the exam they should do a complete test, under exam conditions at least every two weeks. Mark these correctly and share the results in each section with students, making sure that they know what it takes to achieve a pass.
If results are not favourable, give the student a realistic idea of how long and how much effort it will take to get their marks up to standard.
I always find it best to mark conservatively for anything involving writing or speaking. Giving a high mark might encourage the class to rest on their laurels a little. I obviously don't lie to them and mark them way down, but I do always give them a smidge under what I think they would really get on the day.
Go a little lower, but don't mark arbitrarily, make sure that you have your reasons for giving that score and are able to explain yourself if they ask.
If necessary, break down the scores you give into sections, tell them their interaction is great when speaking but that their language accuracy needs work, for example.
Be as honest as possible and tell them you have their best interests in mind when you say you're not hopeful.
Combine all of their practice exam results together and let them see the progression if they are being stubborn, intervention style!
Accept that it's their decision one way or the other.
Know that you've done all you can do and be prepared for a few disappointed phone calls when the results come in.
Be optimistic! They may well surprise you, you never know!
Did you find this helpful? Have any more tips or experiences to share? Let me know in the comments!


Back in the Shire following a 10/10 summer's walking season in Austria. Realisation that by generally doing mountain days by myself, it was a surefire way to learn what to do/not to do sharpish.
Does what it says on the bottle.
The pros and cons of walking with our best pals.
Walking the Cumbria Way, Day b'Day.
Tent flooding incidents, broken boots and lots of food related text.