text:
The Testament is an adventure story by American author John Grisham. It was published in hardcover by Doubleday on February 2, 1999.

Characters
Troy Phelan, an eccentric, reclusive, ruthless billionaire businessman, commits suicide. In order to cut his family out of his will, he makes a fake will a few hours before his suicide, putting his family into that will. Minutes before his suicide, he shows his lawyer a new will that he would like carried out. This will leave only enough money to each of his heirs to pay off their debts up until the day of his death, and leaves everything else to Rachel Lane, an illegitimate daughter that none of his family and associates know about.

Josh Stafford, Troy's lawyer, confidant, and executor, must find Rachel, but he knows only that she is a missionary somewhere in Brazil. He decides to assign Nate O'Riley, a former high-powered litigator and recovering alcoholic, to find her. Nate is emerging from his fourth stay in rehab, and he reluctantly agrees to go. Josh manipulates the situation from behind the scenes.

Rachel Lane, an illegitimate daughter who Troy wills eleven billion dollars to. She is a missionary in Brazil who wants nothing to do with the money and refuses to sign any legal papers. She was re-contacted by her father when she was a teenager. Troy paid for her to attend college, but she then disappeared into medical school and seminary. She dies after contracting malaria.

Nate O'Riley, the lawyer sent to find Rachel Lane. He has been off-and-on drugs/alcohol several times, crashing harder every time. A workaholic whose habits have shattered both of his marriages, he is sent to Brazil to get him away from the office. He has two children from his first marriage and two younger children from his second marriage. His encounter with Rachel eventually sets him on a path to spiritual redemption. He grew feelings for Rachel, before she dies.

Father Phil Lancaster, the Rector of Holy Trinity Church in St Michaels, Maryland, who makes Nate welcome.

The Phelan Children, six children who were born to three different women (a seventh one died in a car accident). All of them, despite being given a gift of $5 million at the age of 21, are either broke or heavily in debt. They are desperate for a cut of Troy's wealth and employ even greedier lawyers.
 Troy Junior: The oldest child. On his second marriage, his business ventures always end in failure. He was kicked out of college for selling drugs. Completely spent his $5 million before he was thirty and was fired from multiple positions in his father's company.
 Rex Phelan: The second child. Currently owes more than $7 million and is under investigation by the FBI for being a director in a failed bank. Runs a series of strip clubs although all his assets are in the name of his wife, herself an ex-stripper.
  Libbigail Phelan Jeter: The oldest daughter by Troy's first marriage with a long history of drug abuse. Currently married to her third husband, an ex-biker she met while in rehab.
 Mary Ross Phelan Jackman: The youngest child from Troy's first marriage. The only Phelan heir still married to his or her first spouse. Considered the least volatile and most level-headed of her siblings, being the only one without any arrests, addictions or expulsions. She and her husband (an orthopedist) live a wealthy lifestyle but are heavily in debt.
 Geena Phelan Strong: The surviving child of Troy's second marriage (her brother Rocky was killed in a car crash in high school). Married to her second husband, whose business ventures have all been poor investments. Described with her husband as being "two immature kids living a pampered life with someone else's money, and dreaming of the big score." Shifty, dishonest, glib and quick with the half-truth, thus considered as being the most dangerous of the heirs.
 Ramble Phelan: The youngest child overall, and the only one from Troy's third marriage is fourteen years old and hasn't received any money yet. Only attends school when he feels like it, lives in his basement, avoids his mother as much as possible, has never had a paying job, played any sports or seen the inside of a church. Likes to play the guitar and dreams of being a rock star. Considered to be the "scariest" of the Phelan heirs.

Film adaptation

According to The Hollywood Reporter, in 2009, producers Mark Johnson and Hunt Lowry were developing a film adaptation of The Testament. Stuart Blumberg was attached to direct the film adaptation.

References

1999 American novels
Novels by John Grisham
Doubleday (publisher) books

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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KK - THE MESMERIZER View topic - In which Cain goes into insane depth re the new releases
Board index » Welcome To Faneteria » Cain Express
In which Cain goes into insane depth re the new releases
simplecoffee
Post subject: In which Cain goes into insane depth re the new releases
TEAM THE MESMERIZER
Here I am - only two days late this time.
Which, incidentally, I would not have been - if it hadn't been for all that lovely, lovely electricity they shunt from Gurgaon to Delhi at odd times of night. Jeez.
I decided to put this in a new post by itself because it ran to so many words. Really - it practically sprawled, and I couldn't control it, so here it is.
Warnings for a) a possibly disturbing theme that may just freak people (what the hell am I getting myself into?) and b) what may come across as SRK-bashing. I'll state right here that I'm quite fond of Shah Rukh Khan (indulgently fond, as it were - and Red Chillies Entertainment has been pretty good to KK, so no complaints on that score), but in this case I'm indignant about a certain issue - which you, gentle reader, shall witness.
I have, however, no intention of bashing him. I don't often bash anything if I can help it - except the Chevrolet Beat, which I am extremely happy to bash.
Humko Pyaar Hua (Ready) is another of those fluffy romances a la Sajde, except that Sajde isn't as fluffy. Where Sajde, for instance, is ice cream at night, Humko Pyaar Hua is candyfloss in blinding sunlight reflected off traffic. That's how fluffy it is. I mean, what's with the whole 'Bay-bee, I can see the su-un rising in your eyes' thing? And the intermittent shouting of 'Bay-BEE!'? Each does exactly nothing to help its cause.
My mom loves this song, because she can never get enough fluff and can't understand why I like O' Mama. In other words, she is not kinky. XD
I make no secret of my opinion of Tulsi Kumar, so the less said of her the better - except that she does seem to have taken a liking to KK, which means she has good taste. XD
The stanza quite saves the song, incidentally - Chaahaton ka khudaa mujhko itnaa yun degaa is so cute it goes a little beyond candyfloss and almost ends up at actual candy.
Rock candy, KK is. XD
(Notice almost all the paragraphs in this segment ended with 'XD'?)
I'll go deeper into Chadhta Suraj (Coke Studio) when there's more of Coke Studio to go into. For now, I'll just say it's got heartrendingly beautiful lyrics, a nice bit of discoursing by the Sabri Brothers (with the emphasis on 'discourse'), and KK simply surpasses himself. He's power incarnate, as always, but he's restrained power - a power that confines itself to a mere undercurrent through the more-than-eight-minute song until towards the end it finally breaks free - and then not quite free. The only trouble I had with it was the repetition - his lines are beautiful all right, but couldn't there have been at least a little more for him to say? I mean, it's an eight-minute song. Unless it's merely the genre, which I frankly don't know much about.
Also, this song cemented my parents' positive opinion of my taste in music, because the man's versatility is freakin' indisputable.
Antenna (the so-called Reloaded SRK Mix) (Always Kabhi Kabhi)
I must admit here to being extremely lucky in that I have open-minded parents - they listen to my point of view on most things, and logic works with them (almost always). The so-called older generation does not, however, consist of only my parents.
All right, now - I love this song. I love it quite manically for lots of reasons: one is that it's manifestly insane - and somehow, through that insanity, contrives to make its point. Apart from that, no one in the industry can pronounce antenna correctly except KK - everyone says an-tee-na, which is wrong and I hate it, hate it, hate it - and the crisp, confident way he says it drives me crazy with glee. Also the fact that I'm, you know, the so-called new generation which the song defends.
Also, I have a science thing, and in the absence of chemistry, goddamn I'll take whatever I get. In this case, what we're getting is electronics. XD
KK is confident with the point he's making, and ever-so-slightly naughty because of the way he's saying it (one-way sunenge kyon ye lecture FM tumhaara - seriously, KK? XD) and it's that tongue-in-cheek style that no one else could ever have carried off. He's messing with people's minds, making actual logic seem crazy, and he's enjoying it to the hilt.
I love it when he enjoys himself. It is delicious. XD
Now to the issues at hand.
One, the girl is no great shakes at all - in fact, there would have been no hindrance to the song if she'd been removed entirely. I appreciate the requirement for a female part here, but why someone who makes no sense? As I've said somewhere before, a partner for KK needs to sound, at the very least, like an intellectual equal - not like someone who's just there for the heck of it.
Two, it has the laziest. mixing. ever. And I mean it. I don't know if anyone else has noticed this, but the backing echoes of the first stanza (that faint echo of the last word of each line) are simply repeated for the second stanza - even though the words are different. I ask you. This almost put me off the song altogether - however, it didn't, which is a testament to KK in itself. (If you hadn't noticed it, I'm sincerely sorry for spoiling the song for you.)
Now this sloppy mixing made me think this song was done in a hurry - which in turn led me to listen to it more closely, because there was something else about it that bothered me. Eventually I figured out that it was this: Why is KK speaking in the third person?
And, after a lot of puzzling, I figured out that the two were connected.
The song is basically an item number for Shah Rukh Khan, right - SRK Mix, remember? says the (freakin' ridiculous) video was shot in the space of two days, over stolen hours between IPL matches - because Always Kabhi Kabhi is a Red Chillies production, and was likely to flop (which it did), and therefore had to be promoted. Well, if the video was done in such haste it probably means the entire thing was a snap decision, which is why the sloppy mixing - and that brings me to the fact that getting hold of KK was also probably a snap decision on the part of either the production team or SRK himself. (Possibly SRK himself, because of Delhi and the Marian/Columban thing. Just throwing that out there for anyone who might get it.)
Why KK, then? Because - and the lyrics support me here - of the fact that he and SRK are sort of the same age, and they're both surviving in an industry full of youngsters.
What SRK didn't reckon with was the differences between them. That KK's not barely surviving, but has almost the entire industry eating out of his hand. That KK is ideologically youthful and evergreen. That KK comes across as Eighteen-Till-He-Dies - that he sounds like a member of neither my generation nor SRK's, but somewhere in between. He's got the vigour of youth and the maturity of experience: he's got the best of both worlds, and in all this tirade if you've only read the word best, it's enough, because that's what he is.
KK himself should have been in this video - and it should have begun with a shot of him in a formal-ish coat, and ended with a shot of him in denim. Now that would have conveyed the essence of the thing without it looking like a sunglassed, gold-jacketed anomaly.
In other words, KK works with this song. SRK does not.
Enough said.
I'm not going to stop loving it, though. XD
Let me confess now, at the outset, that the songs from I Am didn't exactly...catch on with me at first. This was probably due to the fact that it was mid-afternoon and my brains were nonexistent (due to various entrance exams the result of which was not worth a damn in any case because I am going to DU) and I can only think decently in the dark. Nevertheless, it happened - but as is often the case, they hovered in my subconscious for days until it finally culminated in the desire to listen to them and actively make sense of them. (Active listening is a definite requirement for any KK connoisseur, which is why we're such an elite force. /gratuitous use of the word 'force', please tell me you get it.)
Anyhow, the Urdu Word Fetish was triggered, the songs grew on me and I fell for them, and I'd better begin before I mix any more metaphors.
Bojhal Se (I Am) is a clear translucent sort of fifty-percent gray, with tiny, subtle hints of flaming orange. I've no other way to describe it, which probably means I'm a freakin' semi-synaesthete.
It's got a dreamy not-quite-real, not-quite-imagined feel to it - a little restrained, a little drugged; sensory deprivation comes to mind, and the peculiar state of calm it eventually produces - the calm of despair, and not quite despair.
Like those iconic first few bars of Main Khudaa, Bojhal Se is bare, stripped (simple, beautiful lyrics - minimal score to maximum effect) to the ideological equivalent of a splinter-floored garret - and yet, somewhere, at the very instant of dawn or dusk, lies the realization that there is a skylight.
The lyrics reminded me at once of Shelley - compare Bojhal se lamhon ki shaam hai / Khaali si in aankhon mein to A heavy weight of hours has chained and bowed / One too like thee - tameless, and swift, and proud. It is partly that reference (Shelley's second line - 'thee' is the proud and free West Wind) that is the skylight: the rest of it is KK himself. There's something noble about him, something indomitable in spite of the pain that is so tangible that it translates into mere numbness, in spite of the calm that - as I mentioned before - is the calm of despair.
There is a recurring eye motif, strengthening my association of it with sensory deprivation (unless I'm the only one who made that connection - hello, geekery), but without someone who can carry the lyrics off, all those delicate implications would have fallen flat - or worse, fallen on deaf ears. KK puts the subtlety in the song, suffuses it with both desperation and the aforesaid nobility. His character has been through so much, been tortured so long it's ceased to feel like torture; he's weary and worn and alone, and all he wants or needs is the emotional equivalent of a good night's sleep - and he clings to the thought that he might just get it.
There's a mysterious, suspenseful feel to the song throughout, as though you're tiptoeing gingerly forward for fear you may find out too much - as though you're in the garret with him and a mere glance of his piercing, barely-seeing eyes might slay you with its intensity. Witness, however, Toote hain jo khvaab rehte the in...aankhon mein...: there is no mystery about the situation itself - it is definitely psychological; the question is as to its origin. Why is he trapped in an intellectual garret - and how long has it been? Was an occurrence in his past (dher saari yaadein) really so terrible - what is it that troubles him so and haunts him yet - and how can a mere mortal have suffered so and survived?
He's exhausted, drained out of his senses, driven almost out of his mind, and he hasn't given up hope. It's another reason the analogy with sensory deprivation stands - there is a minimum of physical discomfort involved, but it takes a great deal of emotional and intellectual strength to come through such an ordeal alive.
It takes a great deal of emotional and intellectual strength to portray such an ordeal through the power of one's voice.
It's one of the many, many reasons I love KK so much - the man is strong. He's unfathomably strong - he has the courage to make no secret of his ideals, and the integrity to stay a steadfast anchor; he's a delicious, delicious variable and a universal constant.
None of the questions I listed are answered by the song. None of them need to be. His haunted, hopeful voice is glorious agony enough.
Isi Baat Pe (I Am) is, on the face of it, simple enough, but on delving deeper one finds that it's chock-full of paradoxes - which pleases me. X)
Much was made of this KK/Amit Trivedi thing; I hear the latter's music is exemplary, and indeed the score of Isi Baat Pe is pretty damn good; it is not, however, by any means exemplary. However, I'll own that, due to its length and lack of variation (an intro and a couple of choruses? seriously?) the song was an extremely limited canvas - which means I'd like to hear more of this particular collaboration, because it has potential, and a lot of it.
Isi Baat Pe is technically supposed to be an inspirational number, but it goes far deeper than that. There's a grim note to it, an undercurrent of almost unnatural determination that speaks of set jaw and tortured eyes, a suggestion in both the lyrics and his voice of having had enough of the hypocrisy of the world, and that it's damn well time to break out of the mould and finally set forth on one's own journey. Maanga nahin hai kabhi aasmaan...Haan magar ek jharokha khulaa toh rakho... could, for instance, be taken as merely inspirational, but Jeet dum tod de naa kahin, isi maat pe... puts an entirely different complexion on the earlier line.
Bojh banke rahe kyon subah kisi raat pe...Haan, badal daale rasme sabhi, isi baat pe... has the same implication, because it makes perfect sense: why should the blinding light of day be revered above the blessed freedom of night? Why should stereotypes be adhered to, and why shouldn't they be broken - and why has no one dared to snap their chains before?
Because they needed a KK - a determined, righteous, quietly strong, sublimely powerful KK - to do it for them. That's why.
Well, 'night, all. I've got to catch the words flying around in my head, or I'll never get 'em.
I'm still awake, though, so send me your love and I just might get it.
(Did I just say something that sounded like a corny pop song? XD)
Post subject: Re: In which Cain goes into insane depth re the new releases
I have no idea how you'll react to this, Cain, but I'd never known this one to exist before today.
It's all a bit weird for me right now, the world is kind of re-shaping itself before me (at least that's how I sense it, following 3 months of.... well, a pseudo-alive state (if I may) in some ICCU - I only have others' versions of this, and dropping off into a coma following a head-trauma wasn't exactly part of my plan ).
But thing is, it's over. Now isn't that really a wonderful thing? Although, looking back (now this is something I've got to condition myself not to do), all that was a damned unnecessary thing so far as I can gauge. At least it's fairly engaging.
As it appears, this one is somewhat dated, too. Still, you know, it shocked me to some extent. Because what you say about 'Bojhal Se' and 'Isi Baat Pe' almost exactly mirrors what I thought, or rather, still think. Of course, the association of colours with music (and the inflections that come) is something you do with conviction, and what I admit I do not really grasp. (That is not to say it does not amaze me. I'd not be exaggerating if I said it scares me slightly.)
Also, I've never read Shelley. 'The eye motif' was something, though, that I couldn't fail to notice. It's like he's become disillusioned about a great deal in his past, but that hasn't unhinged him a bit. He is in pain, without a doubt, in fact so much of it that he has ceased to feel it as sharply as it had first hit him.... and all he wants to do is close his eyes and wait for it to pass, only it doesn't. It is in the mind, as you say, and it does not go so easily. The memories. All is not blissful oblivion.
That never breaks him, though. Somewhere deep down, he knows he will pull through.
What 'Isi Baat Pe' brings forth is the unshakeable will to walk the path, guided by one's own conscience. It's heady - the fire that's stoked in the heart never blazes, but burns steadily.... it testifies to a new-found determination, even the slightest hint of obstinacy, which drives the person not only to go off the beaten track if it should turn out so, but also to encourage others to do the same (Aa badal daale rasmein sabhi, isi baat pe....). And each and every time I'd opened my eyes after listening to the song, I'd almost believed it was nearing sunrise.... that the calm, cool, steady breeze of early morning would brush my face any moment now.
Am I glad to be alive.
(P.S. I'm yet to go through the newest ones, Cain. I'm sure they warrant all the understanding I can muster, and a temperature of 102.5 doesn't help out on that front. )
Cheers. And, thank you.
miaow
Hi Kappa, your absence was kind of scary. It seems that something went terribly wrong. Extremely delighted to have you back. Life will always give us a myriad of reasons to be happy and recover.
I pray that your temperature soon falls down to normal.
All the very best buddy.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


One of the best places for jungle trekking in Thailand is near the Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary. The area was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 and remains one of the most beautiful and remote areas for trekking in Thailand. Pass by spectacular limestone cliffs, raft down the Mae Klong River and spot gibbons, snakes and giant lizards along the way. Trek through the dense jungle and take a refreshing dive into Thailand's largest waterfall, Tee Lor Su. Spend the night in the local Kho Ta village and experience the simple life style of these locals. This is a jungle trek that goes remote; that takes you off the beaten track.
Not included: · Guide during overnight bus rides and soengtaew from Mae Sot to Umphang.
You will have the opportunity to sleep in Mr. Lar's Resthouse for a couple of hours (expect basic shared accommodation). After breakfast you will be taken a short ride to the Thai-Burmese border market at the river Moi.
After lunch you will go by public songthaew (half-open pick-up truck) to Umphang. It is a beautiful 4-hour ride up the mountains with more than 1,000 turns in the road (if you suffer from motion sickness you might consider bringing motion sickness pills). Accommodation for the night will be in basic huts/houses. You may leave some of your belongings in Mae Sot in order to lighten your load for the trekking ahead. You can collect it again on day 5.
Day 3: Umphang – Rafting and trekking past limestone cliffs; through the dense jungle and bamboo forest After breakfast the easy rafting takes you on the narrow Mae Klong River through the forestscape.
From the riverside there are three to four hours of fine trekking to the camp area in Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary where your guides will pitch tents and cook dinner.
In front of you there are 3 hours of trekking through the jungle and over a small hill to Palatha. Here your transport back to Umphang is waiting for you.
When back in Umphang you can take a shower before heading back to Mae Sot. In Mae Sot a short rest and dinner will await you, before you board the overnight air-conditioned bus back to Bangkok.
Expected arrival at the Northern bus station Mochit early morning around 05:30 am. The tour ends at the bus station and you will have to get to your next destination on your own.
Night bus, Guest House, Tent and Homestay.
·	Good trekking/walking shoes ·	Sandals (for rafting) ·	Warm sweater and long sleeved shirts and pants for night time as it can be cold ·	Mosquito repellent ·	Sleeping bag (can be borrowed locally but simple sleeping bags) ·	Rubber boots, if preferred (can be borrowed locally for free against a small deposit) ·	Waterproof poncho (A very simple one can be bought in Mae Sot for 100 Baht) ·	Long socks for treks ·	Passport and Motion sickness pills (if needed).


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How Long Does It Take to Get Good at Guitar?
Those interested in learning how to play the guitar always ask if it's easy to learn it. How long does it take to get good at guitar?
It takes two years to get good at playing the guitar. After two years of practicing regularly, you are expected to have already mastered most technical elements. By this time, you are already capable of learning a song real quick.
However, it's also possible to get good at playing the guitar in less than two years. All it takes is 100% determination and perseverance to master guitar playing.
Read on to learn more about how long it will take you to get good at playing the guitar.
It takes two years to master playing the guitar. After two years of practicing regularly, you are expected to have already learned most technical elements. By this time, you are also expected to learn a song real quick.
But it's also possible to get good at playing the guitar in a shorter time. All it takes is your full determination and perseverance to master playing it.
Being interested in playing the guitar may mean that you have a good ear and already have the talent you want to enhance. But you must remember that learning how to play the guitar depends not only on how talented you are.
You have to have other skills such as perseverance, determination, and diligence. These skills will allow you to master guitar-playing, even in less than two years.
Guitar Progress Timeline Depending on Playing Level
PLAYING LEVEL 2 HOURS OF PRACTICE PER DAY
Newbie Three weeks
Beginner Five months
Intermediate 2.1 years
Advanced 6.8 years
Rockstar 13.7 years
Guitar Player Skill Levels
If you seriously practice at least one hour a day, you can get good at guitar playing in two years. You are expected to be already an intermediate player who can quickly learn a song by this time.
There are several stages that you will go through before you can call yourself an expert. These stages include the following:
Newbie Player
Beginner Player
Almost Intermediate Player
Intermediate Player
Advanced Intermediate Player
Advanced Player
Guitar Guru
Let me briefly discuss these stages.
1. Newbie Player
As a newbie, you can learn the basics in one to two months. Within this time frame, you can learn to play easy guitar songs. You will learn how to strum the basic chords and shift from one chord to another. It is during this time, too, that you will learn single-string plucking songs.
2. Beginner Player
You become a beginner player from being a newbie player. You can master this stage within three to six months. By this time, you can already play slightly difficult songs, and you get to learn more technical elements.
As a beginner, you get to learn easy pull-offs and hammer-ons. You will learn all the easy lead guitar techniques.
Some popular songs that beginners play are "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana, "Wonderful Tonight" by Eric Clapton, and "Love Hurts" by Nazareth. You may not yet be able to play these songs flawlessly, but they can help you advance to the intermediate level.
3. Almost Intermediate Player
After a year of regularly practicing, you get a bit closer to becoming an intermediate player. During this time, you can already play intermediate-level songs, which may already include the popular ones we typically hear on the radio, TV, or even in concerts.
The songs you can play include "Tears in Heaven" by Eric Clapton, "Fire and Rain" by James Taylor, and "Crash into Me" by the Dave Matthews Band.
It's alright if you still can't play those songs flawlessly. The key is to practice every day until you master it. But even if you still haven't got playing the songs, you most likely have a more definitive feel for barre chords at this time.
4. Intermediate Player
If you have already practiced regularly and seriously for two years, you are now considered an intermediate player. By this time, you already know how to play a lot of popular songs. You can easily read chords and quickly learn to play songs. This is because you have already mastered most technical elements.
Also, by this time, you can confidently play intermediate guitar songs. It's possible to smoothly finish playing the intro solo of "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd.
Its intro solo involves several basic guitar techniques such as the following:
Bends,
Slides,
Pull-offs, and
Hammer-ons.
Playing this will enhance your skills in playing solos.
It's also possible to master the classic song "Like a Hurricane" by Neil Young during this time. Learning to play this enhances your skills in perfectly integrating the melody of a song into your strumming.
One of the most popular songs by Sting is "Fields of Gold," and intermediate guitarists typically practice it. It is great for practicing fingerstyle guitar playing.
5. Advanced Intermediate Player
Consider yourself an advanced intermediate player if you have started to learn improvising on the guitar. Becoming an advanced intermediate player typically takes two to three years of consistent practice. By this time, you are inching closer to becoming an expert.
Also, some advanced intermediate players start forming a band. It is one effective way of practicing if your goal is to become an expert in guitar playing eventually.
6. Advanced Player
Being an advanced player means that you can now play any song that you want to play. You can amazingly learn to play any song in no time. It usually takes a person five to six years to eventually reach this level.
Advanced players are capable of playing "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen, and "Belief" by John Mayer. As an advanced player, you can play songs impromptu, and you have probably memorized a hundred pieces or more already.
Most professional players are advanced players. They perform in hotels, bars, and restaurants. They may not be as famous as Metallica, Carlos Santana, and Eric Clapton, but they also have gigs and play the guitar professionally to earn a living.
7. Rockstar
You are considered a rockstar if you perform like a beast, as they say. People admire you for your flawless performances, and you can play any song that anybody requests you to play. Typically, rockstars reach this level after ten years of consistent practice.
Most of the time, rockstars do jaw-dropping performances. They can play "Cacophony," by the Speed Metal Symphony, "Tornado of Souls," by Megadeth, "The Dance of Eternity," by Dream Theater, "Cliffs of Dover," by Eric Johnson, and "CAFO," by Animals as Leaders.
Rockstars typically have 7 to 12 guitars at home. They don't think twice about buying guitars because they know that they can maximize all of them.
8. Guitar Guru
A guitar guru can do everything and not just merely play the guitar. They can compose, arrange, improvise, and do everything else that other guitar players can't do. Guitar gurus have distinct styles in playing the guitar, which makes them stand out from everyone else.
If typical rock stars have 12 guitars at home, guitar gurus most likely have 20 or more. And, in most cases, they have only bought three or four guitars out of those 20 because the rest are endorsements.
So, how long does it take to become a guitar guru? It takes 20 or more years of consistent and serious practice.
Tips on How to Quickly Learn to Play the Guitar
Practice Consistently Regardless of Skill Level
If you're a newbie, try to do at least two hours of practicing playing the guitar each day. This will surely advance you to the Beginner Level in three weeks.
Once you are a beginner, continue practicing for two hours each day. This way, you will surely notice your big improvement after five months of consistent practice.
If you are serious about mastering your guitar skills, continue playing for two hours a day. This should not be difficult for you if you are truly passionate about guitar playing.
Learn a New Song Each Week
Try to learn a new song each week. Once you have mastered a song, try a more difficult one this time. In two years, you have most likely improved and have moved to the advanced level.
As an advanced player, you're most likely very serious about your craft. If you still consistently practice for two hours a day, you will surely reach the rockstar level after six years. Of course, consistent practice within your life will lead to your success as a guitarist. Who knows, with the right discipline, you can also be a guitar guru someday.
Again, how long does it take to get good at guitar? If you consistently learn to play the guitar, you will master the most technical elements after two years. Also, by this time, you can expect that you can learn to play a song quickly.
Can I Learn to Play the Guitar in a Shorter Time
Can you learn to play the guitar in a shorter time? The answer is yes, but only if you are also determined to learn it quickly. Nobody else can assure that, not even your guitar coach, but only you.
The time mentioned above is based on the years that an average player learns to play the guitar. It is also possible for people to learn longer than what is indicated in that time frame.
In essence, what I am saying is that it still all boils down to the learner's willingness. Ask yourself how serious you are in learning to play the guitar? What is your end goal? Why do you want to learn quickly?
Unfortunately, some students don't learn fast despite spending at least two hours practicing each day. The reason? They don't practice wholeheartedly.
Why do you think Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and Carlos Santana have achieved success as guitarists? Because from the start, it was their goal to excel in playing the guitar. The guitar became a part of their lives. Playing the guitar became part of their lifestyle.
Do I Have to Practice Two Hours per Day to Learn Guitar
Maybe you are curious, "Do I have to practice two hours each day to learn guitar?"
The answer is yes and no.
No, you don't have to practice for two hours each day to learn guitar, but at least practice for an hour. If you're very engrossed in practicing, you might overlook the time and end up practicing for more than two hours.
Suffice to say that it's not all about the hours you allot for practicing. But how much you have learned while practicing. You can learn so much in an hour, but if you're not practicing wholeheartedly, it can take you weeks or even months to learn.
Also, we all have different learning capabilities. Some learn quickly while some don't, and this is alright. The important thing is that you improve all the time.
Conclusion – How Long Does It Take to Get Good at Guitar?
On average, it takes two years to master playing the guitar. After two years of practicing consistently, you are expected to have already learned most technical elements. By this time, you are also likely to learn a song real quick.
But it's also possible to get good at playing the guitar in less than two years. All it takes is 100% determination, perseverance, and diligence to master guitar playing.
The bottom line is, never stop learning. Even world-renowned guitar masters don't stop learning. Keep on playing; you will surely amaze yourself as you uncover new guitar skills.
What's the Easiest Way to Learn Bass Guitar?
Best Way to Learn Guitar [12 Tips for Learning Acoustic or Electric Guitar]
How Long Does It Take to Learn Violin?
Rap Songs with Good Bass [Best 15 Songs]


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Opinion/Op-Ed
Utah leads out on win-win solution to climate controversy
By Deseret News Apr 17, 2015, 12:06am MDT
Mike Noel, For the Deseret News
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HCR8, which is now signed, states that soil sequestration of atmospheric CO2 in forests and rangeland soils is Utah's preferred approach regarding any federal efforts to deal with climate issues.
Utah is taking a leading role in promoting a noncontroversial and truly win-win solution to the increasingly strident and divisive debate over climate change. With overwhelming bipartisan support, the Utah Legislature passed HCR8, which I sponsored along with Sen. David Hinkins, R-Orangeville, and which Gov. Gary Herbert has now signed.
This resolution states that soil sequestration of atmospheric CO2 in forests and rangeland soils is Utah's preferred approach regarding any federal efforts to deal with climate issues.
Through enhancing the natural process of photosynthesis and plant growth, healthy, well-managed farms, forests and rangelands can sequester vast amounts of atmospheric carbon for very long time periods. As the resolution notes, scientific calculations show that doing this could sequester all of the additional CO2 produced by human activity from the beginning of the Industrial Revolution to the present day. So this is a "win" for those concerned with atmospheric CO2 levels.
HCR8 focuses largely on federal land management agencies because roughly two-thirds of our land is federally managed. It notes that President Obama's Executive Order 13563 already directs federal agencies "to focus on program and policy adjustments that promote … carbon sequestration." Yet, none of the federal land management agencies in Utah appear to be taking this directive seriously. So the resolution calls on the president to direct these agencies to develop specific plans to sequester the maximum amount of CO2.
Efficiently sequestering CO2 on federal lands requires healing forest and range ecosystems. In too many cases, as the resolution notes, these are steadily deteriorating under current unwise and unsound federal management practices. The resolution points out that restoring ecosystem health to better sequester carbon also generates many additional important benefits, including healthier watersheds, increased water quality and quantity, greater drought security, improved wildlife habitats, enhanced biodiversity, greater food security and food quality, the recovery of endangered species populations, greater resistance to wildfire, increased forage production, stronger rural economies and more. Again, win-win.
All this can be achieved with simple management changes and at little or no added cost. In fact, in most cases these techniques more than pay for themselves. So this is also a winning solution for those Americans who are rightly concerned about the economic impacts of the hugely expensive, high-tech, industrial-based, impractical, forced compliance alternatives now being considered.
There would also be no need for severely restricting the use of some fossil energy sources. Doing that would put the U.S. at a huge international economic disadvantage and increase costs for consumers. Utah's recommended approach is better. It can end the "war on coal" and enhance our energy self-reliance.
These advanced land management and agricultural techniques are well-developed and extensively demonstrated in the U.S. and in other countries, including Australia and Portugal. In Utah, for example, Deseret Ranch near Woodruff in Rich County has applied these practices for decades. It is a world-famous demonstration of the many environmental and economic benefits that flow from profitably using livestock to restore the health of ecosystems while sequestering large amounts of carbon.
Other findings show that healthy, biologically active, organic matter-rich soils can consume more methane than the livestock and wildlife living on them produce. Because methane has been labeled a greenhouse gas, this is yet another "win."
The resolution notes and encourages the implementation of "advanced farming methods" to further improve carbon soil sequestration on agricultural lands. These methods increase drought resistance. They can also greatly reduce or eliminate use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides on agricultural lands, lessening or eliminating the environmental problems they now cause. Another "win."
All Utahns should be very proud of the leadership Utah is showing in proposing a responsible, truly win-win solution to the climate controversy where everyone benefits and there are literally no downside impacts.
Rep. Mike Noel has represented House District 73, the largest district geographically in the state, for 13 years. He has made land management issues and legislation a major focus.


Previously it was thought that people with PWS would not live much past their early middle age, but there are now a significant number we know of who are in their 40s and 50s, and a few in their 60s. The oldest person we know of lived to be 74 years old. However, our knowledge of how PWS affects people in their later years is quite limited because very little research has been done in this area, and the number of people in this age group remains comparatively small.


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Q&A: MONIQUE LHUILLIER MARKS 25 YEARS OF DESIGN
BY INGRID SCHMIDT
The LA designer discusses her journey in developing a successful lifestyle brand
Celebrating 25 years in business, Los Angeles-based designer Monique Lhuillier made a name for her dreamy bridal gowns and has since built a lifestyle empire. Her brand is known for a distinct aesthetic that she describes as "feminine and glamorous, but with a modern twist."
To mark the occasion, Lhuillier has debuted a 25th anniversary dress produced in a limited run of 25 and inspired by her red carpet gowns worn by Taylor Swift and Kaley Cuoco. Also in the mix is her new book Monique Lhuillier: Dreaming of Fashion and Glamour, which includes a foreword by long-time client Reese Witherspoon.
Monique Lhuillier 25th anniversary dress
"If you look at my work from early on until today, you'll see that my point of view hasn't really wavered."
– Monique Lhuillier
The center is a fitting venue for marking the anniversary, given that her achievements in creating a coveted brand are manifested in her year-old boutique, the only store to carry the widest range of products reflecting the Monique Lhuillier lifestyle. They include her signature bridal, evening and ready-to-wear collections as well as the more affordable ML Monique Lhuillier ready-to-wear and Bliss bridal collections, shoes, accessories, lingerie in collaboration with Hanky Panky, home fragrance, and a namesake eau de parfum that debuted last year.
Lhuillier's design signatures are omnipresent, including every hue of pink, wedding gowns crafted in fresh iterations of lace, and convertible dresses with details such as detachable sleeves or capes.
At the Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids and Pottery Barn Teen stores at South Coast Plaza, collaborative Monique Lhuillier collections span bedding, lamps and rugs to tabletop, toys, wallpaper, home accessories and holiday decor.
Since launching her company in 1996, Lhuillier has worked alongside her husband, Tom Bugbee, who serves as CEO. She talked to us about this experience, her advice for fashion entrepreneurs, and what's on the horizon.
A conversation with Monique Lhuillier about 25 years of design:
Tell us about how you grew your brand.
When we started our company, I was a bride-to-be looking for a wedding dress and I had graduated from fashion school (the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising) in L.A. I didn't think that there were a lot of options for brides, so I decided to start this brand. The struggle wasn't just breaking through, which was the biggest challenge, but also keeping it owned by us and growing, because we never took outside money.
So we were always very lean and smart about our decisions. At the same time, we were not an overnight success. We did not have access to PR, marketing, or funding, so we did a lot of things by ourselves.
After four years, I could see that the tide was turning. People started to say my name correctly, and I knew we had some momentum. We opened our first retail store in Beverly Hills in 2001. Because so many celebrities are based in Los Angeles, I had stylists saying, 'If you could make that dress in a color, I would love to put it on the red carpet.' That really helped to build our brand and our name recognition and visibility for the world to see. I became a member of the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) in 2002 and showed during New York Fashion Week for many years. That also helped cement our place in American fashion.
As our brand grew, I wanted to expand into other categories. I didn't want to just be in a woman's life for her wedding. What about for her special occasions? So that's where the evening gowns came from.
Then it was, what does her home look like when she gets married? And when they have children, what does the nursery look like? So we started designing home products with Pottery Barn.
Most recently, my fragrance is part of finishing the look. All the puzzle pieces are coming together.
Any mistakes you've learned from along the way?
Sometimes our collections were too large, because I wanted to be something for everybody. Then I realized that people come to us for a specific thing. It's so easy to over-design and make big collections. But then when you go to produce, it costs a fortune and you never get to regroup before the next collection comes out.
Can you call out a dress moment that was particularly meaningful to you?
In 2019, I dressed a record eight women on the red carpet for the Golden Globes. I mean, that's unheard of! Normally you dress two, maybe three. That night was really remarkable because I knew two were going to wear my designs, but I didn't know that all the others were going to decide to go with it at the last minute.
Dressing celebrities, you don't know until they hit the carpet what it is they decide. So we were watching, saying, 'Oh another one! Another one! Now there's four, now five!' They all looked completely different and beautiful in their own way. So that is a night that I will cherish forever.
How has it been to work side by side with your husband, Tom, from day one?
Back then, Tom was getting his MBA at USC and working for Deloitte & Touche, so he has a business background. Our roles were defined, business and creative. But when you're a start-up, you wear many hats. Now 25 years in, we are still involved in everything from day to day, but have great teams in place, so we can function more efficiently and effectively.
Tom and I have been married for 26 years and the first ten years, we didn't start a family because the business was our child. It can be challenging. We may have different opinions about something and then sit down for dinner in 20 minutes. The benefit is we both really want what's best for the company. We've stayed authentic to what it is that we do.
What's in the future for you and your business?
I would like to see more international growth from our brand. South Coast Plaza was a fit for us because they have a lot of international clientele. I'd also like to explore getting into the beauty business, because I feel that a color makeup palette makes sense for our brand, especially on those special days. We have more footwear coming in the fall and are expanding our accessories collections. I now want us to go on vacation with the customer, so I have a resort collection coming out in December for spring 2022 that is new to my offering.
An exhibit of Monique Lhuillier's favorite archival gowns from the past 25 years is on display steps away from her boutique on level 1 in the Saks Fifth Avenue wing through Nov. 15
What advice would you give to young designers who want to succeed in the fashion industry?
If you look at my work from early on until today, you'll see that my point of view hasn't really wavered. My biggest advice is to have a very clear vision of what it is you stand for and stick with it.
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an entire page of words about one damn thing: "Little Wild" by Curtis LeBlanc
Sonnet for the Driveways of Our Childish Years - Curtis LeBlanc
All the tennis balls that our Gretzky curves
couldn't guide past the taut rubber screen
of a Shooter Tutor cratered garage doors.
Personal moons for the parties we missed,
where some young men made the porch-like climb
to violence. For instance: I knew a kid
who got pushed to bite the curb, lost his two
front teeth on the concrete foot of his own front lawn.
We heard stories like that everyday, dribbled down
the driveways of this Northern-most America.
Shaq's hand burned into our basketballs, dishing
high-fives to the pavement, eclipsing our palms.
Forced outdoors by our fathers and mothers,
we learned to forget each other and be alone.
from Little Wild
(Nightwood Editions, 2018).
"Don't tell me what the poets are doing / Don't tell me that they're talking tough / Don't tell me that they're anti-social / Somehow not anti-social enough, all right." Those lines, from the song "Poets" by The Tragically Hip, have looped in my mind for the last few months, in part because I've titled my forthcoming book of poetry conversations after it, but also because I've been reading and rereading Curtis Leblanc's debut poetry collection, Little Wild (Nightwood Editions, 2018).
Little Wild
The book is a traditional "first collection" in that its content, speaker and style shift from poem to poem, section to section. Yet at the book's core is a consistent study of the socialization (or lack thereof) of the young Canadian male (perhaps specifically the young Albertan male). Nightwood's description of the book sums this up as "explor[ing] the performance of masculinity in contemporary Canada, with a focus on how toxic masculinity relates to mental health, aggression, substance abuse and crises of identity."
The characters in the poems, who participate in destructive (and self-destructive) activities while also longing for liberation from those same actions, take us right to the heart of the term "anti-social" (which means both "contrary to the laws and customs of society" and "not wanting the company of others"): the simultaneous desires to belong and to be apart; to follow the expectations of society and to upend them. As the book advances, these tensions make room for tender poems on family and new love (two of the later poems are dedicated to Mallory Tater, fellow poet and Curtis' fiancée - you can read my interview with Mallory about her debut collection here), without ever fulling dissipating their nervous energy.
There is a good deal of tough talking in Little Wild, and plenty of anti-social behaviour. But also the best kind of "anti-social" behaviour, which is often in short supply: the eye that sees, and the mind that questions, the customs around how we engender young boys. And the voice that offers an alternative.
I had the pleasure of getting to ask Curtis a few questions about, among other things, his new book, his unexpected rhymes, Kelly Buchburger, milk separators, and releasing his debut collection at the same time as his fiancée. I hope you enjoy!
Curtis LeBlanc, being anti-social enough, alone in a garage.
Rob: The promotional copy for your book says that Little Wild "focus[es] on how toxic masculinity relates to mental health, aggression, substance abuse and crises of identity." Indeed, the characters in these poems drink, steal, and burn their way through their teenage years - never more harrowingly than in "An Outdoor Education", in which the speaker is tied to a birch tree and set on fire by "Those other kids--friends of mine, I'd say still" (a scene hinted at in the cover image). There appears to be a gulf, needless to say, between the people you describe in the book and the man you are now (running a poetry chapbook press and a reading series, and also teaching youth). Could you talk a little about your youth, how it informed the writing of these poems?
Curtis: I think I've always been interested in characters who are at odds with the world around them, struggling with how people expect them to be. A lot of the speakers in Little Wild—and they are definitely not all 'me' per se—feel this way. Growing up, and still to this day, I've always pushed back against the kinds of behaviours and beliefs that are so often celebrated in men—the recklessness, the violence and aggression, the one-upmanship.
When I was younger and really struggling with the cognitive dissonance of wanting to be better than the person I was expected to be—to be a different kind of 'good' than what the world around me defined in a 'good man'—I anticipated a great deal of shame in the words and actions some of my peers took pride in. I've never been a reckless person. In fact, a big facet of my mental illness (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) compels me to be extremely careful. But when I was a kid I took risks in exchange for laughs and high fives from friends, and it tore me apart mentally and emotionally and even sometimes physically. In the book, I tried to make sense of some of that dissonance, to illuminate it for readers through the retelling of stories and past experiences. Some of the good I wanted to do with these poems was to give a window for other men to look into and see themselves and maybe realize that that resentment they feel and felt towards the way they were expected to be wasn't misplaced. That it was and is very real and very valid.
Vivek Shraya recently wrote a piece for Vice explaining how the term "Toxic Masculinity" should probably be retired because there isn't really any kind of masculinity that isn't toxic. I think she's probably right and if I could go back in time I would erase the word "toxic" from the promo copy you quoted above.
Rob: Though you grew up in Alberta, you've spent the last few years here in Vancouver, completing your MFA at UBC. Two of the "blurbers" on the back of Little Wild - Kayla Czaga and Raoul Fernandes - also lived in Vancouver with you while you were writing much of your book. I see so many ways in which your themes align with theirs - suburban teen years (yours in St. Albert, Raoul's in Tsawwassen), 90s pop-culture nostalgia (Kayla's VCR tapes, your basketball with Shaq's palm print), etc. Can you speak of the influence those two, and their writing, has had on yours? Can you suggest a few others who have shaped your writing, or in some way shown you the way?
Curtis: The first time I met Raoul was at a reading for my first ever undergraduate poetry workshop organized by our professor, Rachel Rose. All the students in the class read a handful of poems and Rachel invited a few local poets to headline the night. Raoul was one of them. He read a number of poems that ended up in his Nightwood collection, Transmitter and Receiver, and I was just blown away by the tenderness of the work and how it dealt with the everyday. I was still in the process of learning that I could write about the commonplace aspects of my own life and Raoul was one of the poets that showed me how to find significance in those things. He approached me after the reading and we started a bit of a correspondence. He would pass along opportunities he thought I might be interested in, offered to read some of my poems, and I thanked him endlessly—and still do. His encouragement was a big push for me early on.
Fast forward to my first MFA poetry workshop and that's where I met Kayla. For Your Safety Please Hold On was published during the course of that workshop and I was so in awe. I absolutely adore that book—the similarities you mention probably weren't even present in my own writing until after I'd encountered Kayla's work—and there I was in a class with the person who wrote it. She's incredibly kind, generous and sharp with her feedback. Overall she's just the best person.
In terms of other poets who have helped shape my writing, I'm so fortunate—ridiculously so, it feels—to be part of a community that is so nurturing and supportive. We're always reading each other's work, listening to each other at readings and events or sometimes just around the campfire, and in that way I'm constantly surrounded by inspiration and also getting useful feedback on my work.
Rob: I very much enjoyed your occasional use of rhyme in Little Wild. A reader might go for pages without the hint of a rhyme, and then all of a sudden you'll drop a delightful one (say, "stripped down to briefs..." / "reconstructed streets" midway through "Public Works", or "chrome machine" / "heavy cream" to open "Milk Separator") and just as quickly you move on with the rest of the unrhymed poem, as if tricking the rhyme-averse reader into thinking nothing had happened at all - but an energy has been shot into the poem, nonetheless. In this way, rhyme feels at once of minor importance to most of your individual poems and vital to the larger energy of the book. What is your thinking on if/how/how best to deploy rhyme in contemporary poetry? Has your thinking changed over time? And did pulling this manuscript together make you think about the use of rhyme in your poems in a new light?
Curtis: Before I ever wrote a poem, I was writing song lyrics in my teens. That's probably the real reason for the presence of those occasional rhymes. I'll be writing a poem and all of the sudden find myself driven by the sound and rhythm of work in progress, sometimes even more so than the content. I'll find the perfect word contextually but scrap it because it doesn't land the way I want it to sonically. I can't say there's any rhyme (*haha*) or reason to the way I do this. It's more of an organic, spontaneous thing. When I was first beginning to write, I was told that poems don't rhyme anymore, so I fought the urge to employ rhyme. Now I see it as something integral to my work that I really do enjoy working with. I absolutely love Natalie Shapero's collection Hard Child and it uses rhyme and sound beautifully to charge the poems with a gripping energy. Her poems are musical and conversational all at the same time.
Rob: Sticking with craft for a minute, another of my favourite elements of Little Wild is how physical it is. The poems are usually anchored in physical objects, often right off the bat in the title, and even abstract ideas are made tangible (I'm thinking of that wonderful line in "Milk Separator" in which a large sum of money is explained as "ten tanks of gas or one month's rent"). Most of the students I work with struggle with this mightily - much of what they say is watery and floats off as soon as it's said. Has this physicality always come naturally to you, or was it something you had to learn (and if so, how)? Given the subject matter you chose to explore in Little Wild, did you have extra desire for the poems to be felt in a visceral way?
Curtis: It's funny, my grandpa was reading the book while I was back home this summer and he came up to me and said, "Curtis, how do write an entire page of words about one damn thing? Like porridge. You wrote a whole page about porridge." Most of this comes from meditating on an object for a long time before writing. In the case of that milk separator, he'd shown it to me during one of our visits and I thought I'm going to write a poem about that. I had no idea what it would be about, but I find that if I'm stubborn and think about an object/subject for long enough, a poem will come spilling out eventually, usually all at once. I write a lot of poems this way. Editing always follows, of course.
I came of age reading the short fiction of Amy Hempel and she's a writer who I think is exceptional at meditating on the physical world around her characters. I think of Hempel's story "In a Tub" which opens her collected stories; three separate spaces, physical and chronological, are connected intimately through the image of a tub. In "San Francisco," it's a watch that is central to the story in this way, and it draws together a lifetime of familial complexities for the two sisters wanting to inherit it and their mother who left it behind.
Rob: Though all its poems are not autobiographical, Little Wild feels like a deeply personal book, centred around family and friends, and sitting at its centre is a long poem, "Bucky" - an erasure drawn from a conversation you recorded with your grandfather, Bill McPherson. It's interesting, then, that the conversation focused on the career of NHLer Kelly Buchberger, and not, say, your grandfather's own life, or that of your parents or yourself. Could you speak a bit about how that poem came to be, and how you think it speaks with the rest of the poems in the collection?
Curtis: I was worried that "Bucky" might be too much of a departure in the middle of the book but the feedback I've received so far about that section has been really positive. It's still a family poem in the sense that he's my mother's cousin and Bill's nephew. Being from Edmonton and having cheered for the Oilers for as long as I can remember, it was hugely significant for me to have that sort of family relation to the captain of the team (at the time). For me, as a kid, Kelly took on mythic proportions. He's also a topic that my grandpa, who has always battled a thick stutter and will sit for long periods of time in rooms full of people without saying more than a few words, will actually talk at length about. So one day, with his permission, we sat down and I recorded him telling Kelly's story much like he always tells it. I added line breaks and removed words or sentences here and there for efficiency, but I really wanted to preserve his voice.
Rob: Speaking of family, I interviewed your fiancée, Mallory Tater, back in March, and she mentioned that one of her upcoming writing projects was her vows for your fall wedding (Congrats!). In the months since then, you've toured much of the country with your debut collections (hers, This Will Be Good, also came out this Spring, with Book*hug), making yours the most revoltingly heartwarming love story in the Canadian poetry world. Both of your books explore your childhoods and the gendered expectations that you had to navigate, especially in your teenage years. Do you think of them as united in some way? In conversation with one another? Any plans to co-write book #2?
Curtis: The books coming out at the same time was a bit of a fluke, but getting to tour our first collections together and share that experience was something we'll never forget. I think there are some overarching similarities like you pointed out, but on a poem level I think the two books are very different, stylistically, tonally, thematically—you name it. Overall, I've been given a tremendous amount of space to speak, both in the form of the physical book, at readings on tour and elsewhere and in interviews like this one, and I'm so grateful for this opportunity, and to have been able to share much of it with my best friend and closest kindred spirit.
Mallory has her novel, The Birth Yard, coming out in 2020 with Harper Collins and I'm currently working my way through a second poetry collection, so I'm not sure we'll overlap like we did this year anytime in the near future. It's been a blast.
Have a blast, yourself, by picking up a copy of Little Wild. You can pick one up at your local bookstore, or via the Nightwood Editions website or, I suppose, from Amazon.
Labels: Curtis LeBlanc, interview
Insightful interview! It's always a treat to get insight into a poet's process behind the content.
an entire page of words about one damn thing: "Lit...
caught unawares at the centre: "Years, Months, and...


text:
Hotel and restaurants planned for £75m Elwick Place development in Kent
04 May 2016 by Katey Pigden
A 58-bedroom hotel and seven restaurants will form part of the £75m Elwick Place development in Kent, after Stanhope PLC was granted planning permission last year.
Ashford Borough Council has agreed to fund the construction of the town centre leisure complex, which will also include a six-screen cinema and retail units.
The 6.42-acre complex will be built on a vacant brownfield site in Ashford town centre, which previously housed the town's cattle market.
The council acquired the site last year and will own the development once completed.
Leader of Ashford Borough Council, Gerry Clarkson, said: "This investment, and our continued commercial approach, has the potential to significantly contribute to our ability to be self-reliant despite reduced government funding. We firmly believe that enabling this regeneration project to be brought forward quickly is in the best interests of the borough. This investment will enable services to be maintained, and will also continue the revitalisation of Ashford town centre.
"Taking this bold decision underlines the importance of the town centre to the council and shows residents, existing businesses and those considering Ashford as a location for their business, that Ashford is a place of positive action with a can-do authority that continues to place its faith in a revived and reinvigorated town centre both during office hours and into the evening. These really are exciting times for Ashford."
The scheme is expected to create 250 jobs.
Maunsell Forts could be converted into luxury hotel >>
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TGI Friday's and All Bar One to open in Southampton's WestQuay >>
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text:
Slovenske Konjice és una ciutat i un municipi d'Eslovènia. Té 13,600 habitants. Fa frontera amb Šmarje pri Jelšah i Šentjur pri Celju al sud, amb Vojnik a l'oest, amb Zreče al nord-oest, amb Oplotnica al nord, amb Slovenska Bistrica a l'est, i amb Rogaška Slatina al sud-est.

Ciutats agermanades
  Hlohovec, Eslovàquia
  Liptovský Mikuláš, Eslovàquia

Enllaços externs

 Slovenske Konjice video sul YouTube

Ciutats d'Eslovènia


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Erica Lustig: NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation
Cover charge: $25 – $35
Cover Charge Additional $5 At Door
Food & Beverage Minimum: $25
Tue, Mar 11 9:30p Doors 8:45pm Buy Tickets
*Tickets on the day of performance after 2:00pm are only available by calling 646.476.3551.
The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) comes to 54 Below as they proudly present the winner of 2013's "Next Broadway Sensation," Erica Lustig, in a special one-night-only concert. The talented Florida native and swing-dancing enthusiast took the competition by storm when she walked away as the winner of this highly competitive program, which has become not only a highlight of the NYMF season, but a New York musical theatre tradition amongst those in the know.
In her NYC cabaret debut, Erica presents This is 30, the musical tale of a girl with the eating habits of a toddler, the backaches of an old-timer, and the spirit of a teenager who has unexpectedly found herself trapped in the body of a 30-year-old. In this intimate evening full of wit, heart, comedy (and of course, fierce belting), Lustig will venture on a light-hearted journey featuring some pop favorites, jazz and Broadway tunes, as well as a few special self-penned originals. Whether you've yet to hit your 30th year or you're long past, you'll want to laugh along with this incredible talent! www.ericasings.com
Joining Erica will be Grand Finalist Jacob Keith Watson, who will share a few songs inspired by the move to his dream home, New York City. www.jacobkeithwatson.com
Tue, Mar 11 :9:30 pm


This page details the Master Of Business Administration (advanced) course offered by Curtin University of Technology in Australia. You can search for similar courses from this provider or others. If you are interested in studying the Master Of Business Administration (advanced) then contact Curtin University of Technology directly for further information.


text:
September 2021 Macroeconomic Update
by YF Economy and Finance Network
Posted on 02 October, 2021 · Follow YF Economy and Finance on Twitter
HEADLINERS: Main economic developments
UK unemployment rate: The number of vacancies increased to more than 1 million in Aug 2021 while unemployment rate continued its downward trend to 4.6% in quarter ending July 2021
Inflation rate: Inflation spiked dramatically. Consumer Price Inflation was well above target, hitting 3.2% whilst Producer Price Inflation rose to 5.9% in August
Exchange rates: GBP remained largely stable against the Euro and the Dollar throughout August into September with a small drop in GDP/USD in mid-August
UK and US stock indices: Market anxiety grew in during August, with all major stock markets peaking and then falling during August
Oil prices: Throughout August, the Delta variant and OPECs decision to slowly raise production limits has caused an overall drop in oil prices with the prices increasing slightly in September
Purchasing Managers' Indices (PMIs): All PMIs fell in August 2021, albeit only slightly for Manufacturing
Consumer Confidence Index:YouGov/Cebr Consumer Confidence decreased slightly from 113.2 in July to 112.9 in August and the GFK Consumer index reached pre-pandemic levels at –8
Figure 1: The number of vacancies increased to more than 1 million in Aug 2021 while unemployment rate continued its downward trend to 4.6% in quarter ending July 2021
The unemployment rate has decreased further from 4.7% in the quarter to June 2021 to 4.6% in the quarter to July 2021, continuing its decreasing trend from May 2021. The ONS notes that young people aged 16 to 24 years old have seen a robust growth in employment rate and a corresponding fall in unemployment and inactivity rates, thereby reversing a trend seen earlier during the pandemic.
From June to August 2021, the estimated number of vacancies hit its highest level since records began, reaching over 1 million. Vacancies have grown by 35.2% from the previous quarter, and the ONS highlights the Accommodation and food services industry as the highest driver of growth, rising by 57,600 (75.4%). The size of the workforce was estimated to be 34.8 million in June 2021, representing a decrease of 856,000 (c.2%) from December 2019.
Figure 2: Inflation spiked dramatically. Consumer Price Inflation was well above target, hitting 3.2% whilst Producer Price Inflation rose to 5.9% in August
Note: Producer Price Inflation (PPI) is now calculated with the annual chain linked methodology and headline indices on a gross sector basis, both of which have been reflected on the above chart
Both Consumer Price Inflation and Producer Price Inflation saw a steep incline in August. CPI reached an alarming 3.2%, far ahead of the Bank of England's 2% target. 'Transport' was the largest contributor of the increase (responsible for 0.87 percentage points of the change) driven by shortage of transport staff. According to the ONS, a further factor driving the CPI increase was the 'Eat Out to Help Out' (EOtHO) scheme which was active in August of last year. Since the scheme subsidised food in restaurants, the 12 months price increase has consequently been higher in 2021. Indeed, other major drivers of the spike were 'restaurants and hotels' and 'food and non-alcoholic beverages' (each contributing c.0.7 percentage points of the increase). Besides the EOtHO scheme, staff shortages also impacted both industries. Likewise, of all of the ONS categories only 'Health' saw a meaningful decline (0.03 percentage points).
PPI also saw a continued rise, moving from 5.1% to 5.9% from July to August. Similarly to CPI, this was driven predominantly by an increase in 'Transport Equipment' and 'Metals Machinery and Equipment,' (2.07 and 1.71 percentage points respectively) whilst being offset slightly by a decline (0.31 percentage points) in the price of 'Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals.' Fuel price increases also contributed somewhat (0.65 percentage points). This suggests supply chain and other supply-side issues can be expected to continue to provide inflationary pressure in the future.
Figure 3: GBP remained largely stable against the Euro and the Dollar throughout August into September with a small drop in GDP/USD in mid-August
The GBP/EUR and GBP/USD exchange rate has remained relatively stable throughout the month of August which has continued into September, despite recent announcements of tax rises in the form of a national insurance increase. The pound slipped against the dollar during August but has since moved to 1.38.
On 9th September, the ECB had a key meeting resulting in announcements to slow down its bond-buying programme, a key tool used throughout the lockdowns to support the eurozone economy. Analysts accredited this decision to a desire by the ECB to create a stable and sustained recovery get inflation to reach its 2 percent target. This has helped to create mild optimism in the markets and the Euro made modest gains, but with the persistence of COVID cases in the US, UK and Europe, there is still caution.
Stock Indices
Figure 4: Market anxiety grew in during August, with all major stock markets peaking and then falling during the month
After months of steady increase, the FTSE 100 was largely flat in August and dipped slightly in September. FTSE 250 and S&P 500 indices, meanwhile, grew in the first half of the month and fell in the latter half with the downward trend continuing into early September. As a result, whilst they still closed net higher, the stock market conditions looked less favourable in August than previously. This came as the Federal Reserve indicated it may soon reduce support for the economy, which boosts the stock markets indirectly through asset purchases. There were also signs of weakness in the Chinese economy and increased anxiety over coronavirus globally, both of which damaged confidence.
Figure 5: Throughout August, the Delta variant and OPECs decision to slowly raise production limits has caused an overall drop in oil prices with the prices increasing slightly in September
Throughout August, the average daily price per barrel of Brent crude oil was US$70.75, a significant decrease from $75.16 in July. The delta variant continued to put pressure on the market with OPEC's decision to slowly raise production limits causing a further overall drop in price. In August, oil experienced the biggest week of losses in 9 months, with countries such as Australia and China imposing strict travel restrictions and tighter disinfectant controls at ports. Furthermore, global jet fuel has also not experienced a confident market this summer. The oil price has since shown a slight increase to reach US$73.59 on 20 September.
Figure 6: All PMIs fell in August 2021, albeit only slightly in Manufacturing
All PMIs declined in July and August 2021 after peaking in May or June 2021. Services and Construction Purchasing Manager's Indices fell steeply in both August and July, from 62.4 in June to 59.6 in July and 55 in August and from 66.3 in June to 58.7 in July to 55.2 in August respectively. IHS Markit attributed this to a tightening labour market, reduced tourism and Brexit supply-chain disruption in the service sector, and supply chain disruption and rising costs in Construction.
While Manufacturing PMI fell very slightly from 60.4 in July to 60.3 in August, it remained high compared to its long-run average. The slight decline can be attributed likewise to supply chain disruption and input price increases, which was offset somewhat by a growth in manufacturing exports. Producer confidence remained high in the Manufacturing sector, but inflationary pressures on producers continues to build.
Despite the decline in these PMIs, it should be noted that they all remained well above the 50-point mark, a trend which has continued since March 2021. This indicates continuing expansion in each service but at a slowing rate.
Consumer Confidence Indicators
Figure 7: YouGov/Cebr Consumer Confidence decreased slightly from 113.2 in July to 112.9 in August and the GFK Consumer index reached pre-pandemic levels at –8
In the month of August, the YouGov/Cebr Consumer Confidence Index decreased slightly from 113.2 to 112.9, but overall remained high due to the lack of lockdowns and social restrictions. YouGov/Cebr attributed the largest fall in measures to home value (measure has declined by 2.6 from July), highlighting that more homeowners believed their property was worth less in August. GfK's Consumer Confidence Index also showed a small decrease from -7 to -8 with GfK's Client Strategy Director noting that the decrease was following a cooling of inflation and expectations for the consumer's finances for the next year stabilising. Despite these small decreases, both values show a continued positive outlook amongst consumers as the economy makes a slow recovery from the COVID restrictions. The GfK also noted that in August, consumers may be moving towards saving more than spending as the five-point fall in the major purchase index had been counteracted by a five-point rise in the savings index.
This post was co-authored by Robyn Arthey, Emerging Market Specialist of the Young Fabian Economy and Finance Network, Matthew Oulton, Secretary of the Young Fabian Economy and Finance Network and Chris Wongsosaputro Co-Chair of the Young Fabian Economy and Finance Network
If you would like to be involved in the next edition, please reach out to us via the e-mail address [email protected]
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YF Economy and Finance Network published this page in Blog 2021-10-02 14:52:20 +0100


2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71. You can see in the 50+ photographs we provided that this is a beautiful and hard to find 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71 Crew Cab 6.5 Foot Bed 4x4. This Silverado is very well equipped with the LTZ Package, Z71 Package, Crew cab configuration, Black factory wheels, 4X4, Navigation, Rear View Camera, Memory Drivers Seat, Heated Front Seats, Heated Steering Wheel, Power Sliding Rear Window, Front & Rear Parking Sensors, Brake Assist, All Power Options, BOSE Premium Audio, Bluetooth, Traction Control, the powerful yet economical 5.3L V8 Motor with Automatic Transmission, and more. This is a beautiful truck to look at as it is to drive and use. A truck you'd be proud to own and use.
OVER 50 PHOTOS ARE INCLUDED FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE. The exterior is in excellent condition. The interior is very clean, all original and in great shape.
This Chevy was claimed as a loss due to water damage. The water lever inside the car was just enough to wet the carpet. The carpet has been removed, cleaned and thoroughly dried.
Needless to say, everything is working perfectly, and it is trouble free. This Silverado has been fully serviced and test driven. It runs great and has no known problems or issues. This Silverado comes with a PA Salvage Title.
We can obtain a rebuilt title for your convenience. In a nutshell, if you are in the market for a late model Silverado you wont find one as good as this, at a price like this. It is discounted for it's history only.
YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. 16 City / 22 Highway. Engine: 5.3L Ecotec3 V8 W/Flex Fuel. Leather Wrapped Heated Steering Wheel.
Style Name: 4X4 Crew Cab 6.5 Ft. Engine Description: 5.3L V8 16V.
Fuel Induction: Gasoline Direct Injection. 4WD Type: Part And Full-Time.
Wheels Spare Rim Type: Aluminum. Door Pockets: Driver, Passenger And Rear. Overhead Console: Mini With Storage. Steering Adjustment: Tilt And Telescopic.
Steering Power: Speed-Proportional Electric Power Steering. Auto Dimming Mirrors: Electrochromatic, Driver Only. Power Mirrors: Power Remote W/Tilt Down.
Reverse Tilt Mirror: Dual Mirrors. Satellite Communication: Onstar Directions & Connections. Memory Features Number Of Drivers: 2.
Mats: Vinyl/Rubber Front And Rear. Reading Lights: Front And Rear. Vanity Mirrors: Dual Illuminated Vanity Mirrors. Aux Engine Cooler: Regular Duty. Aux Transmission Cooler: Regular Duty.
Head Airbags: Curtain 1St And 2Nd Row. Headlights Auto Delay: Auto Delay Off. Rear Center Seatbelt: 3-Point Belt. Safety Signal Mirrors: Turn Signal In Mirrors. Stability Control: Stability Control With Anti-Roll.
Front Head Room: 42.8 Inches. Front Hip Room: 60.7 Inches. Front Shoulder Room: 66.0 Inches. Front Leg Room: 45.3 Inches.
Rear Head Room: 40.5 Inches. Rear Hip Room: 60.3 Inches. Rear Leg Room: 40.9 Inches. Rear Shoulder Room: 65.7 Inches.
Ground Clearance: 8.9 Inches. Max Gross Vehicle Weight: 7,200 Lbs. Curb Weight: 5,433 Lbs. East Windsor New Jersey 08520. Check out similar vehicles in our inventory.
The item "2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 1LZ" is in sale since Friday, March 15, 2019. This item is in the category "eBay Motors\Cars & Trucks\Chevrolet\Silverado 1500". The seller is "idealautousa" and is located in Hightstown, New Jersey. This item can be shipped worldwide.