iPad Pro 10.5" | The last of his species?
The iPad came out in 2010 and it was a flat screen surrounded by wide bezels with a home button. Thick and very heavy, it was capable of just basic functions and iOS was not optimized for the larger screen. Honestly, even today with iOS 12 soon to be released, the operating system should be further enhanced.
The iPad Pro 10.5″ was released in June 2017. The bezels were drastically reduced, especially the lateral ones, giving it a more modern and agile look. This lead to an increase in the screen estate from 9,7″ of the first iPad Pro. It's incredibly powerful and the hardware is all there. The fully laminated screen, now with the True Tone feature, is gorgeous. It also Features pro motion for a 120 hz dynamic refresh rate. Four speakers and a simple thin line for the 4g version are among the other little pleasant enhancements.
The device feels right in terms of weight and slimness. It's a pleasure to hold and the software is optimized enough to filter the involuntary touches out. The edges are taken from the iPhone 5 design, glossy edges with sharp angles define the transition between the screen and the chassis.
The only disgrace in an otherwise great design is the protruding camera module, paired with a flash module that isn't flushed either but, on the opposite, lays under the surface. The module is also encapsulated in a metal ring; a step backwards from the sophisticated solution of the iPhone 7 where the aluminum itself bends to create the case. Disgusting. There are also too many logos and texts on the back, but they will hopefully will be reduced as they did with the iPhone 8.
These little details leave an enduring sense of a product manufactured without a full effort. Apple innovates slowly, for example the flash took forever to arrive to the iPad. This is also because there are no true competitors in the Android or Windows world, the iPad remains The Tablet.
For these reasons i have skipped so many generations of iPad and I was not totally satisfied with this one. Apple needs to push on both software and hardware innovations. The Apple Pencil made the situation much better enabling the iPad to become a unique device where you can draw and create with a new interaction tool.
Rumors about a bezel-less iPhone X-style iPad are stronger than ever. To be more precise we are not talking about the total absence of bezels but the dimension that Apple thinks it's reasonable to reach at the current state of technology. The new iPad will not be presented in the upcoming September event in my opinion but further on, probably together with some new Macs. The design of these concepts will allow to either have the same screen in a much more compact device or to increase the screen size keeping the same dimensions. The overall aesthetic impact is superb, a guaranteed wow effect. There's a chance we won't have the notch again but we will have all the limitations of the Face ID again and we will be forced to perfectly align it with our faces in a device that is much more difficult to handle than the iPhone. Like I said when I reviewed the iPhone X, the current state of the face id doesn't allow a smooth experience. The only hope we have is that they come out with a second gen version with improved range. This is unfortunately quite unlikely because of the technological advantage that they have compared to all the other companies. They are in no hurry, especially in the tablet market. In this way the new iPad Pro will be a transition product between the bezel's world and the true full screen display. The other option would be to introduce the so long dreamed Touch ID under the screen, but the technology is not mature yet (analysts say it will be the main feature of 2019 Android world though) and, by the way, they would have to admit that Face ID is a non-optimal solution.
Back to the 10.5 inches, I think it's still a very valid device at the condition that you find it at a good discount from the retail price. And if you are nostalgic or a collector, this may be the last device surrounded by bezels.
Do you own an iPad? Are you satisfied with it? Leave a comment below and subscribe for more!


Duckfeet is a Danish footwear brand which has been making shoes by hand for over forty years. Founded by a Danish-German couple, Claus and Inga Wiechmann, in 1975, Duckfeet shoes and boots are hand-made without synthetic materials.
Duckfeet's foot-formed design allows room for the toes, and for air to reach the feet. Leather midsoles and uppers give the skin space to breathe and naturally transports moisture away from the foot.
Duckfeet shoes are manufactured the traditional way. The shoe is crafted by hand over a last, then the sole is stitched firmly to the upper. Every pair of Duckfeet comes into contact with many experienced hands before they are put in the box.
No two pairs of Duckfeet are exactly alike. Every pair of shoes is treated individually during production, the natural tanning and processing by hand allows for subtle variations in the leather. These variations are highlighted by the particular way you wear them, which imbues each shoe with personality, a story, a life.


text:
<?php

use Mollie\API\Mollie;
use Mollie\API\Request;
use Mollie\API\Tests\TestCase\ResourceTestCase;

/**
 * Customer payment creation tests
 */
class CustomerPaymentCreateTest extends ResourceTestCase
{
    /**
     * Create customer payment
     */
    public function testCreateCustomerPayment()
    {
        // Mock the payment
        $paymentMock = $this->getPayment();

        // Mock the customer
        $customerMock = $this->getCustomer();

        // Create API instance
        $api = new Mollie('test_testapikey');

        // Mock the request
        $requestMock = $this->createMock(Request::class);

        $requestMock
            ->expects($this->once())
            ->method('post')
            ->with(
                $this->equalTo("/customers/{$customerMock->id}/payments"),
                $this->equalTo([
                    'amount'        => $paymentMock->amount,
                    'description'   => $paymentMock->description,
                    'redirectUrl'   => $paymentMock->links->redirectUrl,
                    'webhookUrl'    => $paymentMock->links->webhookUrl,
                    'method'        => $paymentMock->method,
                    'metadata'      => $paymentMock->metadata,
                    'locale'        => $api->getLocale(),
                    'issuer'        => 'ideal_INGNL2A'
                ])
            )
            ->will($this->returnValue($paymentMock));

        // Set request handler
        $api->request = $requestMock;

        // Get payment
        $payment = $api->customer($customerMock->id)->payment()->create(
            $paymentMock->amount,
            $paymentMock->description,
            $paymentMock->links->redirectUrl,
            $paymentMock->metadata,
            [
                'webhookUrl' => $paymentMock->links->webhookUrl,
                'method' => $paymentMock->method,
                'issuer' => 'ideal_INGNL2A',
            ]
        );

        // Check if we have the correct customer
        $this->assertPayment($payment, $paymentMock);
    }

    /**
     * Create recurring customer payments
     */
    public function testCreateRecurringCustomerPayment()
    {
        // Mock the payment
        $paymentMock = $this->getPayment();

        // Mock the customer
        $customerMock = $this->getCustomer();

        // Create API instance
        $api = new Mollie('test_testapikey');

        // Mock the request
        $requestMock = $this->createMock(Request::class);

        $requestMock
            ->expects($this->exactly(2))
            ->method('post')
            ->withConsecutive(
                [
                    $this->equalTo("/customers/{$customerMock->id}/payments"),
                    [
                        'amount'        => $paymentMock->amount,
                        'description'   => $paymentMock->description,
                        'redirectUrl'   => $paymentMock->links->redirectUrl,
                        'webhookUrl'    => $paymentMock->links->webhookUrl,
                        'method'        => $paymentMock->method,
                        'metadata'      => $paymentMock->metadata,
                        'locale'        => $api->getLocale(),
                        'issuer'        => 'ideal_INGNL2A',
                        'recurringType' => 'first'
                    ]
                ],
                [
                    $this->equalTo("/customers/{$customerMock->id}/payments"),
                    [
                        'amount'        => $paymentMock->amount,
                        'description'   => $paymentMock->description,
                        'redirectUrl'   => null,
                        'webhookUrl'    => $paymentMock->links->webhookUrl,
                        'method'        => $paymentMock->method,
                        'metadata'      => $paymentMock->metadata,
                        'locale'        => $api->getLocale(),
                        'issuer'        => 'ideal_INGNL2A',
                        'recurringType' => 'recurring'
                    ]
                ]
            )
            ->will($this->returnValue($paymentMock));

        // Set request handler
        $api->request = $requestMock;

        // Create first recurring payment
        $firstPayment = $api->customer($customerMock->id)->payment()->createFirstRecurring(
            $paymentMock->amount,
            $paymentMock->description,
            $paymentMock->links->redirectUrl,
            $paymentMock->metadata,
            [
                'webhookUrl' => $paymentMock->links->webhookUrl,
                'method' => $paymentMock->method,
                'issuer' => 'ideal_INGNL2A',
            ]
        );

        // Create recurring payment
        $secondPayment = $api->customer($customerMock->id)->payment()->createRecurring(
            $paymentMock->amount,
            $paymentMock->description,
            $paymentMock->metadata,
            [
                'webhookUrl' => $paymentMock->links->webhookUrl,
                'method' => $paymentMock->method,
                'issuer' => 'ideal_INGNL2A',
            ]
        );

        // Check if we have the correct customer
        $this->assertPayment($firstPayment, $paymentMock);
        $this->assertPayment($secondPayment, $paymentMock);
    }

    /**
     * Create customer payment with invalid recurring type
     *
     * @expectedException InvalidArgumentException
     * @expectedExceptionMessage Invalid recurring type
     */
    public function testCreateInvalidRecurringCustomerPayment()
    {
        // Mock the payment
        $paymentMock = $this->getPayment();

        // Mock the customer
        $customerMock = $this->getCustomer();

        // Mock the request
        $requestMock = $this->createMock(Request::class);

        $requestMock
            ->expects($this->never())
            ->method('post');

        // Create API instance
        $api = new Mollie('test_testapikey');
        $api->request = $requestMock;

        // Get payment
        $payment = $api->customer($customerMock->id)->payment()->create(
            $paymentMock->amount,
            $paymentMock->description,
            $paymentMock->links->redirectUrl,
            $paymentMock->metadata,
            [
                'webhookUrl' => $paymentMock->links->webhookUrl,
                'method' => $paymentMock->method,
                'issuer' => 'ideal_INGNL2A',
                'recurringType' => 'superawesome' // Invalid recurring type
            ]
        );
    }

    /**
     * Create customer payment with invalid metadata
     *
     * @expectedException InvalidArgumentException
     * @expectedExceptionMessage Metadata argument must be of type
     */
    public function testCreateCustomerPaymentWithInvalidMetadata()
    {
        // Mock the payment
        $paymentMock = $this->getPayment();

        // Mock the customer
        $customerMock = $this->getCustomer();

        // Create API instance
        $api = new Mollie('test_testapikey');

        // Mock the request
        $requestMock = $this->createMock(Request::class);

        $requestMock
            ->expects($this->never())
            ->method('post')
            ->with($this->equalTo("/customers/{$customerMock->id}/payments"));

        // Set request handler
        $api->request = $requestMock;

        // Create payment
        $api->customer($customerMock->id)->payment()->create(
            $paymentMock->amount,
            $paymentMock->description,
            $paymentMock->links->redirectUrl,
            'my funny coment and invalid metadata.'
        );
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Bayside - Our Lady of Blessed Sacrament, 203rd 35th, Game play: Bingo-Fri-7:00, Phone: (718) 229-5929.
Milnes to plan the conversion of the 1931 house into a sixteen-room Convent, with its own chapel funded personally by Monsignor and Mae Flanagan, his sister and close advisor.
Grand prize Suprise WeekendGetaway.Fund-raising for air supply cache creek casino and resort may 7 the Church and School actually surpassed 1 million (more than 10 million in 2018 equivalents).Champions Sports Bar, 1042 Wehrle Dr at Cayuga, 14221, Game play: Simulcast horse racing Open7 Days at 11:30, Phone: (716) 834-9338.-, st Leo The Great Bingo, 903 SweetHome Rd, Game play: Bingo-Sun-2:00Mon-7:30, Phone: (716) 835-8905.Work progressed quickly wild cherry casino on both buildings, and by September 1959 the School addition was ready for students.Mother Mary Dominic Ward served as the first Principal and the teaching staff consisted of Mother Mary Aloysius and Sisters Mary Clare, Mary Alacoque, and Mary Aquinas.Baseball, Basketball, Cricket, Football, Volleyball, Softball, Lacrosse, Field Hockey, Track Field and more.We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gym Camps 1341 Blossom Hill Road, San Jose, CA 95118 Contact: Lance Ph: (408) Email: Website: m Digital Media Academy Stanford University Conact: Joanna Doubleday Ph: (866) Email: Website: www.
Finally in 2003, when a deteriorated foundation required extensive reconstruction of the Chapel building (the old Church from 1921 the parish took the opportunity to build a finished basement.
Friendship - Friendship Fire Dept Bingo, 6 E Main St, Game play: Bingo-Tue-7:00, Phone: (716)-973-7732.
Saint Patrick's Parish (founded 1862).Our small classes are taught by credentialed teachers.Father had served for twelve years as pastor of Saint Sylvia's Parish in Tivoli, New York, where he was revered by his parishioners.At a time when transportation conveniences weren't taken for granted, bringing together parishioners distributed over such a large area was no simple task.A 10-year, acre-by-acre campaign against Staten Island mosquitoes finally eliminated malaria as a major health risk - and for the first time, the average American newborn could expect to live beyond age.By autumn of 1963, construction was complete, the rooms were furnished by parishioners, and twelve Presentation Sisters moved.In December, the Sisters sponsored Saint Clare's first Christmas Pageant.


Remember last year's fun Great Clips spots? We thought it would be hard to top that one, but dang if we didn't manage to do it with the Back to School campaign from Great Clips this year! Using older kids this time around, we were tasked with creating even more crazy action than last time.
With a megalomaniacal pizza roll, and an action-packed blockbuster that would make even Michael Bay jealous, we're pretty happy with the results. Check it out!


text:
Q: How do I get Mac system icons, as in the Finder? I want to set the images in my outline view to the system icons, just like on the left in the Finder. I want to get icons like Application, Documents, Desktop, etc. How do I do this?

A: There's a method in NSWorkspace that allows you to set custom icons to folders and files:
- (BOOL)setIcon:(NSImage *)image forFile:(NSString *)fullPath
    options:(NSWorkspaceIconCreationOptions)options

Sets the icon for the file or directory at the specified path.

A: Use -[NSWorkspace iconForFileType:], and pass constants from IconsCore.h (filtered through NSFileTypeForHFSTypeCode, of course).

A: Use NSWorkspace's iconForFile: method
NSImage *icon = [[NSWorkspace sharedWorkspace] iconForFile:@"/Applications/"];

edit:
take a look at these files, are they what you're after? Your question is a little hard to understand
$ ls /System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/Toolbar*FolderIcon.icns
/System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/ToolbarAppsFolderIcon.icns
/System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/ToolbarDesktopFolderIcon.icns
/System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/ToolbarDocumentsFolderIcon.icns
/System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/ToolbarDownloadsFolderIcon.icns
/System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/ToolbarLibraryFolderIcon.icns
/System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/ToolbarMovieFolderIcon.icns
/System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/ToolbarMusicFolderIcon.icns
/System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/ToolbarPicturesFolderIcon.icns
/System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/ToolbarPublicFolderIcon.icns
/System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/ToolbarSitesFolderIcon.icns
/System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/ToolbarUtilitiesFolderIcon.icns

A: This article on Creating icns Icon Files should cover what you want to do. There is also an article on creating an icon so that it looks similar to the standard folder icon, which is good for consistency. Hope that helps.
Of course, this isn't really programming related.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
save_altMedium1024x747
textiles embroidered
Explore: cushions
Rebekah, Laban, and Eliezer from the Story of Abraham
The US Navy (USN) Wasp Class Amphibious Assault Ship USS KEARSARGE (LHD 3) leads the formation followed by Landing Craft, Air Cushions (LCAC) assigned to Assault Craft Unit-4 (ACU-4). They are flanked by USN Ticonderoga Class Guided Missile Cruiser USS NORMANDY (CG 60) (left) and USN Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigate USS KAUFFMAN (FFG 59). The Kearsarge Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG), on the Atlantic Ocean, is returning to homeport Naval Station (NS) Norfolk, Virginia (VA), after a regularly scheduled deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT)
"The Expulsion of Hagar" from the Story of Abraham
Three Landing Craft Air Cushions (LCACs) attached to Assault Craft Unit 4 (ACU-4) sit aboard the USS WASP (LHD 1) loaded and ready to transport vehicles, equipment and Marines from 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) ashore during Joint Task Force Exercise 98-1 (JTFX 98-1)
Cushion Cover (Yastik)
"The Repentance of the Prodigal Son" from a set of six of The Parable of the Prodigal Son
Explore: high resolution
Maps and Charts - All States
I heard the voice of Jesus say
Invincible Minnie
An F-15 Eagle from the 58th Fighter Squadron, Elgin Air Force Base, Florida, arrives at Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal. The F-15 and pilot are part of a group enroute to the US after supporting CORONET EAST Operations in Kuwait
N.W. Ayer & Son's American newspaper annual.1908.Part III.
Treasures from fairy land
AS17-140-21454 - Apollo 17 - Apollo 17 Mission image - Sta 6, Spl 6315, 6320, 6235-39, 6255, 6305-07
The golden ladder; or, The stolen jewel
The rat-trap,
"Shiteki yuibutsuron" taikei
Explore: cushion
A US Navy Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC 80) carries vehicles toward Tinian Island during Operation TANDEM THRUST '99
A Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) approaches the beach for an amphibious assault at Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands, Kauai, Hawaii, during RIMPAC '96
A U.S. Navy Landing Craft Air Cushion, Naval Beach Group 2 (NBG-2), launches from the well deck of the Wasp Class Amphibious Assault Ship USS IWO JIMA (LHD 7) on Sep. 17, 2006 in the Persian Gulf. The IWO JIMA is on a six-month deployment in support of Maritime Security Operations and the Global War on Terrorism.(U.S. Navy photo By Mass Communication SPECIALIST Third Class John Skrzyniarz) (Released)
US Navy (USN) Sailors from USS WHIDBEY ISLAND (LSD 41) unload supplies from a Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), on a Biloxi Mississippi (MS) beach. Sailors are working in shifts to support this relief mission
Air cushion landing craft LCAC9 comes ashore near Fort Story
Cushion Pine at Aoyama (Aoyama enza no matsu), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
A Republic of Korea (ROK) Marine stands on a Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) Amphibious Vehicle just after it came on shore at a Jongsa-dong beach in Republic of Korea, Oct. 31, 1998. The LCAC Amphibious vehicles are landing on the beach to drop off U.S. and ROK Marine troops and their equipment in support of Foal Eagle '98. Foal Eagle '98 is a deployment exercise that takes place once a year in Korea. (U.S. Army photo by SPECIALIST Joel C. Miller) (Released)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


More storyboards for All Bad Things! This is all you get as we don't want spoilers, eh? Followup to this post. Currently editing a promo trailer for the film, so stay tuned!
Simple as they look on the one level, those storyboards certainly proved invaluable on the day, really giving our actors an idea of how you were setting up the shots and where they had to be positioned to keep the flow of the action.


Kevin and Renee were a fun couple to work with in shooting their Engagement Session. We met pretty early on a weekend morning down by Lake Michigan. As you can see, we had quite a bit of fun roaming around the beach and other locations near Lincoln Park!
©2017 John Andrews Photography, LLC.|P4 Photo Blog by NetRivet, Inc.


text:
package gov.nasa.worldwind.retrieve;

/**
 * @author Tom Gaskins
 * @version $Id: RetrievalPostProcessor.java 1171 2013-02-11 21:45:02Z dcollins $
 */
public interface RetrievalPostProcessor
{
    public java.nio.ByteBuffer run(Retriever retriever);
}


text:
Q: Скачать большой файл из ФТП через PHP с подгрузкой На FTP сервере хранятся файлы от 0,1 до 300 мб.
Нужно, чтоб пользователи могли скачивать эти файлы с сайта из браузера.
Сейчас функция, отвечающая за выдачу файлов  выглядит так:
public function save($path, $filename = null) {

    if(empty($filename)) {
        $filename = basename ( $path );
        $file = $path;
    } else {
        $file = $path . '/' . $filename;
    }

    ob_start();
    $result = @ftp_get($this->_conn_id, "php://output", $file, FTP_BINARY);
    $data = ob_get_contents();
    $datasize = ob_get_length();
    ob_end_clean();
    if ($result) {
        $f = ['data' => $data, 'size' => $datasize];

        ftp_close($this->_conn_id);
        if (!$f) {
            error("Error. File ".$file." not found.", true);
        }

        header('Content-Description: File Transfer');
        header('Content-Type: application/octet-stream');
        header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=' . $filename);
        header('Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary');
        header('Expires: 0');
        header('Cache-Control: must-revalidate, post-check=0, pre-check=0');
        header('Pragma: public');
        header('Content-Length: ' . $f['size']);

        echo $f['data'];
        exit();
    } else {
        error("Error!!!! File ".$file." not found.", true);
    }
    return null;
}

Но у нее проблема: файл сначала скачивается полностью с FTP на сервер с PHP, а потом отдается на вывод пользователю. Для небольших файлов это не смертельно, а для больших - приходится ждать минутами, пока в браузере вылезет окно "Сохранить файл как...".
Что тут можно сделать, чтоб ускорить или оптимизировать этот процесс? Как-нибудь файл на части разбивать или еще что...? Потому что скачивать файлы по 300 мб каждый раз на php серв - жирно как-то.


Families love Northfields. It has everything they could want, including spacious family homes, fine parks, a great community feel, and good schools. People who live here tend to stay. There is also high demand for good rental properties because of a number of multinational local employers like Glaxo and Allianz. This means there is potential to earn a healthy rental yield. In addition Finefair can offer the best guaranteed rent Ealing has. This offers even more protection for the income.
Northfields is a fantastic spot for anyone who loves greenery. There are lots of homes with big gardens and the parks we mentioned earlier have great spaces. Gardening is more than a hobby here; it is part of the history. The area once had huge apple orchards. This is why lots of roads near the train station are named after different varieties.
In addition Northfields has the oldest allotments in London. They were established in 1832 and currently have over 140 plotholders. These patches of land have been used to grow all kinds of things over the years, including vegetables, plants and flowers. They are still very popular, with long waiting lists for plots.
There are lots of homes in the area perfect for families of every size. Starting off there are maisonettes, garden flats and conversions. Growing families can opt for Victorian and Edwardian terrace houses. There are also large properties with price tags over £1million. Retirees can choose quaint, two bedroom cottages.
In addition to excellent parks and good schools, there are some other fantastic amenities in the area. On the high street there are lots of independent shops and cafes. You can buy lots of quality produce at the local bakers, deli and cheese shop. Northfields Station is on the Piccadilly Line, providing good connections to Central London and Heathrow.
If you are looking for a place to buy a wonderful investment property, Northfields could be a great option. Finefair can help, offering the best guaranteed rent Ealing has to offer as well as management services and more. Contact us if you want advice or a portfolio review.
This entry was posted in Blog Entry on April 2, 2019 by simon.


A couple of days ago, I was pampered by the new beauty home business Velvet Butterflies (post with brochure). As a thank you for writing a post about them previously, I got a complimentary session of either a relaxing massage or a manicure/pedicure, and I chose the latter. The manicurist came a few minutes earlier than the booking time to set up the pretty lavender themed nail spa complete with candles and loose petals. She was super sweet and her work was pretty thorough! She made sure that my nails were more than perfect while giving me the Velvet Manicure & Pedicure. Their nail polish was all Zoya and she used O.P.I. base and top coats. If you're interested you can purchase O.P.I. and Zoya nail polish colors. The treatments used on my nails were some of the best products I have come across not even supplied in most nail salons in Kuwait. Overall, my impression was that I thought the services provided were really good and the manicurist did an excellent job on my nail. Thank you very much Velvet Butterflies.
Allow me to share my (short-lived) experience with VB.
I've called to book for an appointment 2 days prior, the person who answered me said it was ok, and she would call again and confirm, she took my number.. but..
I keep calling and calling and NO ANSWER !


If there is something that is nearly as fun as travel itself, it is the travel planning. One of the best parts of this hobby is seeing how I can best use our miles and points and/or fantastic travel deals to put together very inexpensive trips. And we have a good number planned for the first half of 2019.
We're coming right up on this trip. Last year I took the older two away for one night over New Year's Eve and Day. We had a nice dinner of Mexican food, swam in the pool at the Best Western Stevenson Manor, and stayed up late watching Sully (SEE: Celebrating New Year's 2018). Mom and our youngest welcomed 2018 with a good night's rest.
This year is very much a repeat of last year, as we are only driving a bit further to a resort hotel in Napa instead of Calistoga. The main different is that we will be gone for more than one night. We're keeping the trip pretty budget. The rooms at the resort condo property have a small kitchen, so we will eat in much of the time. But we'll still do some activities nearby and definitely spend time in the pool.
A few weeks later I'm planning to take my daughter on a long weekend winter trip to Santa Fe. We'll explore this historic city as well as Taos Pueblo nearby. I've not been to New Mexico since a trip when I was 13 years old and traveling back and forth across the country with my grandparents and cousin.
Flights for this trip were booked as an Avianca LifeMiles award for a United ticket, much the same way we booked our flights to Tucson earlier this year (SEE: 2 Tips for Planning a Last-Minute Trip). The return were booked with Alaska vouchers. Our hotel is a mix of cash and points.
Now that our two boys are in school, I have to worry about planning around school schedules (although I am willing to pull him out now and then). There will be a break in February for President's Week, and I'm taking advantage of that to take my older son on a 5-day trip to Seattle and Boise. Seattle, since it is a cool city, and award tickets on Alaska were easy to book. Plus, there is an awesome flight museum, and a Boeing factory to tour!
Boise is on the list because, well, I haven't been to Idaho yet, and I just had to tack on a second destination when an award ticket with an onward segment to Boise doesn't cost any extra. The flight back was super cheap, too, as I used vouchers from our delayed return flight from our Disneyland trip (SEE: Turning 20,000 Amex points into 25,000 miles and $500). All hotel will be covered with Hyatt and Hilton points.
Day-trip to fly the shortest Flight in the U.S.
This trip may seem crazy, as it is a one-night, one-day blast to Los Angeles and back. The intent was for me to fly the shortest flight in the U.S. during the very last week it was offered before United discontinued the service. But the folks at United subsequently changed their mind, and the Santa Rosa to SFO hop will persist. At least for now.
Am I'm still gonna fly it, even though it is no longer being discontinued? Yeah…it'll provide some good material for Points with a Crew.
This is one of those trips where the deals dictated it. After experiencing Beijing, I've been reading about visiting Shanghai, as well as other Chinese cities. I'm completely intrigued with this country now. The history and culture were a thrill when the older kids and I visited back in November (SEE: 5 Days in Beijing: Day 2 – History and Hutongs).
Well…the opportunity presented itself, and I jumped. The trip is super quick over a weekend in March, out on a Friday, back on a Tuesday. I dropped almost my entire stash of remaining LifeMiles for an Air China first class ticket to Shanghai via Beijing where I'll spend a quick two days before heading home via Los Angeles. The return is booked in American Airlines Premium Economy, which I found for the amazing price of $367 one-way!
All of the reviews for this trip will be posted at Points with a Crew, primarily since I'm using money from my side hustles to pay for this one.
This is the biggest trip of the bunch. I'm hoping to take each of the kids one one international trip each year, and this will be the first one for me and my daughter. I cannot wait! We'll spend a week split between these two cities in South America. It'll give me (and her) a good excuse to break out the Spanish again. It has amazingly almost disappeared from our house. Funny to think back to 12 months ago when the kids were still begging us to talk with them in Spanish all the time.
A few years ago you would never have caught me planning international trips that only span a few days. But the miles and points stockpiles make this entirely possible. Over Memorial Day weekend I'm planning on taking the older of my boys to Taiwan for three days, with an additional day in the Chinese city of Xiamen on a long layover during our return flight. Our flights there are in China Airlines business class, thanks to a large stash of Delta miles I've accumulated.
Xiamen is featured as an "up and coming" destination in China by Conde Nast Traveler. I've looked into a few cool things to do in the city. I've heard Taiwan is super kid friendly as well.
Beyond that, I'm not too sure what summer will hold. Work is in a bit of a lull, but I expect that the primary projects I've been working on will pick up more in the spring, with an additional increase in summer. It is possible that from June onward I won't have much of a chance to do anything beyond the work anticipated work travel.
For now, I'm more than content with what we have planned for the first part of the year. It's plenty!
Sedona. I can still recall getting up before dawn and catching my first glimpse of the red cliffs all around before the sun peeked over the hills. Few mornings have felt as enchanting. Unlike that first trip to this spectacular corner of the southwestern U.S. where we had a few days to enjoy hiking in its breathtaking setting, our road trip this past spring was fast-paced; we had a mere afternoon to take in as much as we could. Which meant I wanted to find the easiest Sedona hike possible.
Yet I still wanted to find one that provided us with great views of the beautiful rock formations of this amazing corner of the southwest. I remembered one that was very close to the middle of town. It would be the perfect mix of fast and easy, and also provide an awesome view of the Sedona landscape.
The trail of choice was the Teacup Trail, which would take us to the Sugarloaf Summit trail, which was the real goal. The trailhead is located in the middle of Sedona, in a residential neighborhood. You can find the parking lot on Buena Vista Drive.
The Teacup Trail is fairly well marked. You can generally follow the path easily, although there are places where you could possibly wander away from the main path. Any extra trails made by people who didn't stay on the main path don't disappear quickly in the desert. The damage is done.
If you do get confused as to where to go, you can generally spot a rock cage that will help guide you. These are placed fairly regularly along some of the trails in Sedona.
Even though this may be the easiest Sedona hike, there is no shortage of beautiful scenery. Some of the best is right here in the middle of town. The landscape is mesmerizing.
It will probably take you no more than about 10-15 minutes to come to the turnoff that will take you up Sugarloaf Summit. The Teacup Trail passes alongside the west side of this rocky outcrop, and you must hike back up from the north. You can see Coffee Pot Rock there to the left at the end of the mesa in the foreground.
The Sugarloaf Summit Trail is a bit more strenuous than the Teacup Trail, but it really isn't difficult. The trail is less than a quarter mile from the turnoff up to the top of the rocky dome. We took our time, and the kids enjoyed playing with rocks and looking for critters in the desert.
As you get to the top of Sugarloaf Summit, you start to get the best of the views. Sedona is truly incredible. I was just as amazed by this visit as I was by my first trip here.
There was a storm quickly approaching, and the wind was really moving across the top of Sugarloaf Summit. Luckily, it wasn't cold. The temperature during our short Sedona hike was right around 70 degrees. Better than the cold we encountered later in the trip, and also better than the 90 degree days we spent enjoying Tucson (SEE: Kings Canyon – Gould Mine Loop Hike in Saguaro National Park).
Here is a panorama from the east side of Sugarloaf "Mountain". You can see Coffee Pot Rock clearly in the center, and part of Sedona to the right.
Even though the kids aren't all that crazy about hiking, they were sure enjoying this easy Sedona hike (SEE: 3 Tips for Hiking with Kids in the Desert). I think it was mainly because of the better temperatures and the fact they knew it wasn't going to be all that far.
They were even being loving siblings. Which is sure better than dealing with the alternative.
We hiked a bit farther along the Teacup Trail, ending up pretty much right under Coffee Pot Rock before turning around. It was looking more and more like rain, and I wanted to make it back to the car before it started. Plus, we also had scheduled a time for my daughter to talk with a friend.
Overall, it was a great short hike. Hopefully we'll be back to Sedona fairly soon to enjoy some more great, easy hiking.
Given our time constraints and the weather, our hike was the perfect length. It would have been nicer to see more of the exquisitely beautiful red rock surrounding us, but we had to settle for the easiest Sedona hike I was familiar with and knew would provide us with a lovely view of the valley. We'll tackle something a bit more challenging next time.
Map image courtesy of Open Street Map.
Fare Sale: Fly Nonstop to Paris for $375!
Delta is offering an excellent sale for nonstop tickets from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) on partner Air France. This route is operated by both a Boeing 777 and an Airbus A380 on the two daily flights between these two cities. If you can depart and return midweek, this is one of the best prices I've seen on a full service airline.
For this fare you'll accrue over 11,000 medallion qualifying miles if credited to Delta. You'll accrue 1,250 redeemable miles if booked through Delta.
Here is a link to Google Flights with just one set of travel dates. You can click through to book with Air France or Delta.
Air France's A380 is a very nice way to cross between continents (SEE: Air France A380 Economy Review: Paris to San Francisco). If you've been dreaming of visiting France, this could be a great way to do it cheaply!
Every year I like to take stock of where we went, what we saw, and the amazing experiences we were blessed to have. I ended up taking the kids more places than I anticipated this year, including two international trips. The older two have been great travelers, and I hope to have many more adventures with them. Soon enough their younger brother can be added to the mix as well.
We kicked off the year with a trip to Disneyland in southern California. I'm blessed to have a coworker whose sister works for Disney. She was able to get us all in for close to free one of our two days. We also stayed at the Disneyland Resort, thanks to my in-laws, something I never thought we would have done. I was looking at points hotels close to the park for our stay.
Disney is the sort of vacation that makes you want to take a vacation, at least for me. The kids had a blast, but there is *so* much to do and see that we ended up running ourselves ragged. But they had a wonderful time, which is what matters the most.
When I initially called off our first planned trip to Europe, I decided the older kids and I would still spend a week away, but enjoying our own country. Given that spring is the best time to visit the Southwest, and there are amazing rental cars deals available, we hopped on a plane to Tucson and made our way back to California day by day. Stops included Saguaro National Park, Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Death Valley and Lake Tahoe.
The road trip was a blast. Sadly, I'm not quite done with those trip report posts (Overview). Even though the two had previously gotten car sick frequently [SEE: Trying (and failing) to help our kids with their constant carsickness], they did amazingly well on this long trek. I'm not sure how often we will road trip, but I'd like to work that into our plans now and then. Most of the time I think about traveling to some far-flung place, when there is still plenty to see and experience close to home.
I ended up deciding to rebook a shorter version of our European adventure that was amenable to everyone. Instead of being gone 19 days, we would keep it to 8. This meant we'd really only get to spend six days in Europe, given the long plane rides each way. We could have spent all that in Paris and still not seen everything, but I decided that splitting the time between the French capital and the small principality of Luxembourg would be most ideal.
I'm infatuated with small countries, and Luxembourg was as interesting as every other one I've visited (SEE: 5 Reasons to Visit San Marino). The kids and I had a blast exploring the old city. The highlights of the trip were still back in Paris, though. The Eiffel Tower was everyone's favorite. Except for climbing the stairs. The kids will always remember how I made them hike the tower.
Summer brought two shorter trips, my first solo adventures with each of the older two. My daughter especially liked how we got upgraded to first class on our way to San Antonio to visit her friend (SEE: Treating My Daughter to American Domestic First Class).
When it was my son's turn, I settled on Atlanta, mainly because of the great summer deal I came across, and the fact it cost us barely $7 out of pocket for the flights. But I'd never visited the city, and I figured it was as good a city as any to explore. Sometimes you chase specific destinations, sometimes you just let the deals take you places. We had an amazing time at the Delta Flight Museum and the Georgia Aquarium. Our downtown Atlanta accommodations were also pretty swanky, not to mention free (SEE: The American Hotel Atlanta Review).
The capstone trip of the year was definitely our adventure in China. This was my first time visiting Asia, and it was an incredible experience on the whole. We spent 5 days sightseeing in Beijing, taking in the history of the Chinese capital. Standing on the Great Wall was probably the highlight for me (SEE: 5 Days in Beijing: Day 3 – Mutianyu Great Wall Excursion). It is a truly incredible experience.
Then we traded cold northern China for balmy Hong Kong for a few more days. This eclectic city is like no other I've ever visited, and it is just the sort of place I'd love to stopover in for a couple days at a time. From the food to the hustle and bustle to the exquisite skyline of the skyscrapers of Hong Kong Island, I hope to come back. We had our first Michelin-starred dining as well: a dim sum restaurant that set us back about $25 for all three of us. Cheap and delish.
Now that the year has drawn to a close, I'm looking forward to a travel-filled 2019. We have more than a couple trips in the works, including a quick getaway over New Year's. More on the rest of our adventures later. Merry Christmas, everyone!


We value feedback from all of our customers to ensure we deliver the best service2 for your year-round home comfort.
Geoffrey and I would like to thank you for the supreme service that your company delivered in the installation of our new Buderus Boiler System in the basement of our home. We are looking forward to being warm next winter.
The very professional team of young men that you have working for you are a credit to your company. Every one of the crew members was polite, friendly and willing to accommodate out needs. They work very well as a cohesive team. As you know, working in our old Victorian farmhouse is a challenge, with the cellar's steep entrance way, the various dark spaces with little headroom and the long distance to the driveway. All were a joy to work with and they didn't mind having our dog, Bodie being an honorary member of the Dutch Oil team.
Let us know if you would like to be a testimonial on your web site. It would be our pleasure to recommend you.
Yesterday, Randy visited our home to complete the annual furnace and hot water maintenance. His performance was superb. During the process he made note of the items which were not adhered to in the past, advised me of additional control factors to insure comfortable humidity during the frigid period, discovered a missing part which was patched by the former co., removed the patch and inserted the correct part. If the patch had leaked it could have been detrimental to our family's health. Overall, Randy presented himself in a professional, knowledgeable and courteous manner. Looking forward to his visit next year.
My husband and I want to again thank you for checking on our house while we were gone. Your kindness and generosity, both in watching the house as well as offering to review the Roach price quote for us when we had just moved here. It is way beyond what most people would do. If more people were like you, our world would be a very much nicer place.
We wanted to get you something for your generosity but were not sure what. We decided on getting you some Costa Rican coffee as it is their main agricultural export, and it is supposed to be some of the best in the world. We went to the plantation itself. This particular plantation, "Café Tres Generaciones", has been owned by the same family for three generations and is one of the largest in Costa Rica. Each bean is picked by hand and the "peaberry" bean is the smallest one and is considered the most flavorful. They have a unique way of preparing their beans for roasting and use only water and sunlight. We can only hope you like coffee. Again thank you. We were able to enjoy our trip more knowing someone was watching our property.
Enclosed is the final payment for the new furnace installed by your company last week, I'm very satisfied with the installation and the new boiler runs like a charm. My wife (Anne) was home on installation day, and commented about the professional, industrious manner with which your employees did their job. She said they were very courteous and she didn't think they even stopped for lunch. Hopefully the new equipment will be trouble free for years to come. I know we'll definitely see a savings in our oil consumption, considering the age of our old system.
Wow! What else is there to say? The quality of equipment, the carefully thought out installation and cutting in of duct work and the highest level of service has met and exceeded all expectations. Marna and I thank you and your team for an outstanding job.
Please don't hesitate to use us as a reference.
When a "part" to repair our furnace dial did not arrive with the next day delivery service a special trip was made to the distributor. It was long after the "shop" had closed for the day that Bruce Sr. & son arrived at our home to make the necessary repair and had us up and running in no time flat!
P.s. The Dutch "Boys" are so neat, they always wipe their feet.
Our family has done business with your company for many years. We've been fortunate we never came across an emergency that we needed your service right away. A couple of weeks ago (one of the coldest days this winter) we had no heat in our house when we arrived home from work. My husband called your answering service to let someone know and within minutes one of your servicemen not only returned our call but arrived at our house within the next ½ hour to see what the problem was. Unfortunately in the middle of the night the heat went off again. Early that morning my husband called your service again, and again the same gentleman called right back and came out to our house within minutes. We want to thank you for being so efficient and caring and the fast service we got. We not only received excellent service but the gentleman we dealt with was very professional and polite.
Your son and helper did a great job on a difficult installation. They were very worker like in their approach and very neat. Everything was very pleasant and my wife really appreciated the way they went about the job.
Just wanted to say thanks for all of your help, patience and great service! If all of the companies that we do business with gave the same level of service and dedication that you all do the world would be a much better place!
John and I have always been pleased with the personal service at Dutch Oil. I'm writing to say thank you to you and your terrific staff for all of your exceptional assistance in our recent furnace problems.
Bob discovered the disintegrating part on his annual cleaning appointment, you spent time with me on the phone identifying the correct parts, numbers, then ordered the part on your credit card, Steve made numerous calls to the manufacturer to hold them accountable to their warranty, and the gals in the office made sure our account was credited properly.
Each person that I spoke with went beyond the call of duty, made extra efforts to make it all work, and was exceptionally kind. With all of the oil choices that are available to us, we value and we thank you for making our choice easy. This level of personal service is indeed a rarity. It's a pleasure to continually recommend Dutch Oil to others.
We thank you and we wish everyone at Dutch Oil the happiest of holidays.
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All of you are the best!
Thank you for the excellent work installing my new Peerless boiler and water tank on June 21. I simply love it. It's wonderful to have such a nice unit and a great supply of hot water. Enclosed is a check (#1914) for the amount of 4268.09. Thanks again, your crew was great.
A special not of thanks for your prompt & courteous service for responding to our distress call for "not heat" from our burner and also for looking at the problem with our water tank bursting a fitting. Everything turned out well, thanks to your great staff. We're glad we were at home when it happened and that you responded so quickly.
I am a customer pf Dutch Oil and live in Salem. Last night my furnace had an issue and I called the answering service. Inside of 10 minutes, Chris from your facility called and said he was on the way.
Upon arrival Chris was a personable and professional service technician. He proceeded to diagnose and repair my furnace which only took about 30 minutes.
I wanted to say thank you once again for Dutch Oil's outstanding customer service. Too many times in today's business sector, it seems customer service has been thrown aside. But that is not the case with Dutch Oil.
I have been using Dutch Oil for over 5 years, and will continue to do so as the customer service your company offers is the best I have seen in a long time.
I wanted to thank you for helping me out, and installing my air conditioning so quickly. I really appreciate your consideration of my health problem. Your young men that work for you did such a great job and they are so neat and tidy.
Also they are very nice young men. I enjoyed talking to them. Again please accept my thanks to you and your crew. I would recommend your company to anyone, and be assured that I will.
A quick note to pass along our compliments on how the replacement of our boiler was handled this week by your team. We received a confirmation call the day before to alert us that the crew was coming as scheduled. Your technicians arrived promptly on the day the work was to be done. The installation looks great, (especially since the new boiler was a much smaller footprint than the old one!) and the job site was left clean and all scrap materials were removed as agreed upon.
I received a follow-up call later in the day from the office to make sure everything was working properly as well. It is truly refreshing to receive this kind of "Old School" service in these days where so many places hide behind their voice mail and expect us to "settle" for what they care to dish out to the customers as their perceived brand of service.
Please extend our thanks to the rest of the Dutch team for a job well done!


text:
Journey Out Returning
William Fell-Holden
Journey Out Returning is a street-life story of struggle, sexual discovery, friendship and community told within the 1960s, a decade of 'flower-power' and 'love-ins'. Set against a background of the music of the Beatles "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"; The Small Faces "Itchycoo Park", the bursting forth of Pink Floyd and many other bands and singers, William Fell-Holden's memoir captures his personal history and links this to the major events of the decade.
William recounts a time of youthful bliss, taking readers on a journey of self-discovery to his past to find a core meaning in his life. He recalls how the 1960s gave its mark of joy, freedom and mind-expansion; imaginations eagerly feeding from a feast of new ideas, all hopeful and colourful for a new world of peace, pleasure and love.
Travelling back to the county of William's birth, on the Fylde coast of Lancashire, readers will find a story of friendships and a community of people that helped William to regain his strength after an emotional collapse. Just as the decade was split apart by the assassination of John F. Kennedy, William's is a life of two halves.
Based entirely within the 1960s, William's memoir is written with diary-like immediacy with the spirit of the decade. William captures the soul and social detail of the time within his story, offering readers the opportunity to experience the time and place through his authentic accounts. Journey Out Returning will appeal to readers that enjoy memoirs, as well as those interested in the 1960s.
Troubador Publishing Ltd
More Books by William Fell-Holden
Don't Come Crying Home


text:
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Kristina's Homelessness Story
Owen Pickford
Kristina Sawyckyj is a former marine, serves on the board of the Resident Action Project, participates in a veterans' support group, is an active member of her church, and is pursuing a law degree. She's also homeless and suffers from physical disabilities requiring her to use a wheelchair. Despite holding a housing voucher from the Department of Veterans Affairs (via the United States Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program), she's been homeless since last October. Her current shelter is a van.
Path To Homelessness
Kristina entered homelessness when she separated from her spouse. Beforehand, she lived in Snohomish County and commuted to her classes at Seattle Central Community College.
Two obstacles make Kristina's housing search particularly difficult. First, she was fortunate to have a housing voucher through Veterans Affairs but it was only good for $1,100 a month in rent. In central Seattle, average rents for one bedrooms are likely north of $1,400 and continue to rise. Lower cost housing doesn't fit her needs well either. Even studios in MFTE buildings cost more than her housing voucher. Alternatively, micro-housing often rents in her price range but doesn't work due to the second factor that complicates her search. Kristina needs a wheelchair accessible unit.
Accessible units are hard to find. The small amount of accessible housing she finds, rents quickly, oftentimes to people who don't use a wheelchair but like the additional space. Her best option is spending hours chasing units in Seattle's suburbs, far removed from the community she's established, illustrating that the housing crisis is about more than average rents.
The lack of options in the private market forced Kristina to pursue nonprofit housing. Unfortunately, she didn't have any more luck with that.
In March of 2016, a friend at church told her an accessible unit would be available in a Mercy Housing apartment building. She quickly submitted an application. Within a month, the application was denied. The unit she applied for depended on nonprofit government tax credits that come with various rules. One of the rules is a prohibition on renting to full-time students, a demographic that is seeing rising rates of hunger and homelessness. Kristina learned that a lot of nonprofit housing would be off limits since it uses the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit. Since our original conversation in November, Kristina actually stopped renewing her housing voucher because she couldn't utilize it.
The Repercussions of Homelessness
All this crystallized the stark fact that Kristina had to choose between finishing school and having shelter. So far she has decided to continue school. "I want to get off all government programs," Kristina told me. She wants housing but believes her education is the path to self-sufficiency.
Without housing, Kristina also loses eligibility for other supportive services. Many local social services offer support she needs but require an address. "I don't qualify for the home healthcare services I need. I can't open the bottles I need and sometimes go a week without medication," she said. "In the past, I had a caregiver but it's state policy that you have to have an address to have a caregiver."
"You miss out on a lot being homeless," Kristina laments.
She estimated that 80% of the food she eats is from her supportive community. Since she doesn't have a house, she doesn't have a kitchen. She also can't receive meals from The Chicken Soup Brigade. "You have to have a fridge or freezer for meals on wheels." Instead, her volunteering takes her to meetings that often provide meals. When that's not an option, she sometimes finds herself eating Spaghetti-Os out of the can.
While her community–her church, the veteran's support group, friends, her school–is a large key to successfully navigating her homelessness, utilizing a housing voucher would necessitate moving away from this community.
Despite the long effort to obtain housing, Kristina joked, "The only thing that would make my housing situation worse would be if I had a pitbull service dog" and ended by saying "I'm blessed" after reflecting on all the support she's received. She's planning to enroll at a university in the fall and expects the school will be able to provide housing. Until then, her home is her van.
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Owen does servicing and consulting for a software company to pay the bills. He has an amateur interest in urban policy, focusing on housing. His primary mode is a bicycle but isn't ashamed of riding down the hill and taking the bus back up. Feel free to tweet at him: @pickovven.
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Leah Libow March 20, 2017 at 3:22 pm
Thanks for your article on the complexity of the systems in our country that contradict and cancel each other. This happens in healthcare a lot as well. The system is broken and we are causing a lot of suffering because of it. I truly admire Kristina's persistence despite the difficulties she encounters everyday. Her choice to put up with homelessness and to rely on her current support systems in order to get an education – which will hopefully result in a more stable life – is a noble and courageous one.
Brian Nelson March 20, 2017 at 7:48 am
Sounds like Ms. Sawyckyj could leave homelessness behind pretty quickly if she decided to move to an area that her vouchers will fully cover and/or picked up a part time job that makes up the difference in rent – working 20 hrs/wk @ minimum wage here in Seattle should net her around $960 after taxes. Combine that with her GI Bill benefit that should be paying her tuition and she should be sitting pretty.
pickovven March 20, 2017 at 9:45 am
I suspected before I published this that I would get some unsympathetic comments from people who think the solution is actually easy and all the suffering is just a result of bad personal choices. That seems to be the go to attitude with many people regarding homelessness.
Nevertheless you didn't read very carefully. She can't use a voucher when she's a student. She already enrolled at Seattle Central when she had housing. She didn't have a GI Bill to cover her schooling.
Thanks for you sympathy though.
Brian Nelson April 18, 2017 at 3:45 pm
Yikes, your comment oozes passive aggressiveness!
My problem with the article is that it tells a story of hardship but doesn't seem to offer up any real solutions to help Ms. Sawyckyj. I still believe that the best way for her to leave homelessness behind would be to move to outside of the City into an area that offers disability accessible living under $1,100 /mo. That should be priority #1. After she is housed then she'll be able to once again be eligible for home healthcare services.
You've been in contact with Ms. Sawyckyj since November and rather than taking concrete that helped get her out of homelessness you wrote an article…
Kristina Sawyckyj March 20, 2017 at 9:56 pm
I agree Seattle is expensive. My only support system is here. With my level of constant pain from my back, volunteering, more than the few hours I do, is excruciating. I cant work and attend college. I am not eligible for the GI bill, as I was in the military from 1987-1992. I pay for college out of my pocket, as I have a previous degree that I have been unable to work at due to my back and constant pain. I am hoping to retrain to do something different.
Mindy Woods March 23, 2017 at 10:02 pm
It is also against most voucher requirements to "pay the difference", therefore making you ineligible for most rent rates.
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And if it is your boyfriend who is doing the asking, dating coach Evan Marc Katz says that "any guy who feels strongly enough about you to meet your family should be allowed to meet your family." As the relationship becomes more serious, and you integrate your boyfriend into your home life, it's just a matter of time before he crosses paths with your family members.
This means that if you do decide to bring your boyfriend home, the first meeting will be during a significant event (possibly with a larger gathering of family members).
While Asiana said it was a little weird to meet her boyfriend's parents in an informal way (it was an unplanned encounter while she was at his house), she warns collegiettes about pushing for a premature introduction.
"I feel you should never force meeting the parents because that just make the whole ordeal more difficult and probably [increase] the pressure put on your [significant other]," she says.
If you're unsure whether it's too soon for an introduction, gauge the situation by using their reactions.
Battista agrees that if either your boyfriend or your parents have expressed interest in meeting the other, then it's probably time to arrange a meeting.