“This is what the LORD says – your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.’” (Isaiah 48: 17, NIV)

Rain, rain, rain – this is all we’ve had lately. I listen to the radio each morning just to make sure I know what the day will be like and on my way out the door, I grab my raincoat. I don’t want to get caught in the downpour without proper gear!

A friend once said we can be like that with God. We seem to only grab Him when we need Him, or when we’re sick (not always of course). We don’t talk to Him when things are going well; we take Him off like we discard our raincoats. And in times of great weather and lots of sunshine, we may even go months without thinking about God.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be one of those people who put-on and take-off God as our circumstances dictate. I don’t want to come to God only when I’m not feeling well or in need of physical refreshment. I want to come to God all the time, especially when I’m feeling good.

I am ashamed to say I don’t tend to thank God for the daily provision He gives me. It truly is God who directs my path and inspires my creativity and I do want others to see that. What about you? Do you only talk to God on rainy days? Or do you converse with God daily and thank Him for all that you have?

Dear precious Father, I’m sorry for neglecting You sometimes, for putting You away when all You want is to be part of my world. I acknowledge Your provision in my life – for helping me on my bad days and for guiding me on my good days. Without You I would be nothing! Forgive my worldly-conscious ways and help me to see You in everything I do. And most of all, may others see You in my life. Amen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bridget Gazlay resides in the beautiful West Michigan. She struggles with Fibromyalgia, Endometriosis, IBS, arthritis and migraines. She works full time but writes and designs fabric cards on the side. Bridget’s prayer is that readers who come across her writing or fabric cards would see that she allows, “God’s creation to be my inspiration.” You can reach Bridget at: fabricards102@… or www.pfccreations.com.

Bridget turned 6 months on Thanksgiving day. She finally figured out how to crawl forward a couple weeks ago. She’s not cruising, but when she sees something she wants, she certainly moves with determination. She’s been sitting up for a little over a week too, but she usually topples over after a few minutes.

She is a sweet girl with such a happy disposition. She usually likes to stay close to Ben or I, but as long as she’s feeling safe, she flashes lots of smiles and laughs lots. She just seems delighted with life.

Have I mentioned that she loves to suck on tags?

Nikon D300s + Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 VC at 50mm f/5.6 ISO200 1/30 Second, Post in LR3 Beta and Photoshop CS4

Until today (literally), I’ve tried my hardest to stay away from using Photoshop to edit my photographs. I’d open up the program and think “Oh man, what in the world do I do with all these tools….what’s this layer thingo? Agh, forget it,” and that’s as far as I’d get.

Today I had a lot of time on my hands. I’ve got a fever and sore throat that kept me away from work, so between naps and copious amounts of tea, I’ve begun studying how to use Photoshop CS4. The result is the image you see above. This one of Bridget’s favorite close-ups from our little impromptu shoot on Saturday evening (being out in the cold that evening is probably what made me sick!).  Most of the editing and retouch was actually done in Lightroom 3 Beta, including brightening the eyes and spot removing blemishes, as well as minor adjustments to color.

In Photoshop CS4, I quickly fell in love with the stamp tool, which allowed me to very easily remove lines on her face, particularly under her eyes, and bring out a little more detail in her hair. Here’s the shot straight out of the camera for reference:

Nikon D300s + Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 VC, same settings as above, SOOC

Huge difference here! (Bridget still looks very lovely of course). This image was a great catalyst for my beginnings in the world of Photoshop. In all, the entire process took only about 10-15 minutes from start to finish, showing how a little touch-up work can go a long way in portraiture. What really impressed me is how seamlessly Lightroom works with Photoshop. Once I was done with initial editing in Lightroom 3 Beta, a Command + E keystroke (Mac) opened the image in CS4. When I finished with CS4, I simply saved the image and closed the window, which brought me right back to Lightroom 3 Beta with the CS4 edits applied. Doesn’t get any easier than that!

Here's the touched-up version (top) right over the out-of-camera image for easier comparison

Her nose is a little red from the cold, but I’m sure that’ll be fixed as WordPress seems to desaturate my photos! What gives, WordPress?! They look how I want them too while I’m editing the HTML, but as soon as I publish the post, the colors look off. Different browsers seem to render the colors differently as well, so I’m really not sure what you’re seeing if you’re reading this! Oh well….

And so, with my fear of Photoshop gone, I’m going to hit the books and see if I can’t really see what this program can do. I’m excited!

*Cough Cough*

]]> http://deadlinescotland.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/susan-boyle-dedicates-debut-album-to-mum-2216/ Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:35:47 +0000 carasulieman http://deadlinescotland.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/susan-boyle-dedicates-debut-album-to-mum-2216/

By Cara Sulieman

SUSAN Boyle has dedicated her record-breaking debut album to her mum – saying she promised her she would “do something” with her life.

I Dreamed a Dream hit the shops today, but had already broken the sales record for pre-orders on website Amazon.

With bookies refusing to take bets on the CD reaching the top spot in the album charts this week, the debut was a success before it even hit the shelves.

And SuBo makes several references to her mum on the cover sleeve, dedicating her most famous song I Dreamed a Dream to Bridget Boyle, who died in 2007 aged 91.

“This is for you”

She writes: “It (I Dreamed a Dream) is about a mother living in hard times.

“Very similar to my dream on a more personal level of my ‘life gone by’ with mum who died at the age of 91 and who’s ‘dream’ it was that I should ‘do something’ with my life.

“Mum this is for you.”

And elsewhere in the sleeve notes there is a picture of Susan with Bridget, along with the dedication.

It reads: “I would like to dedicate this album to my beloved mother, to whom I made a promise to ‘be someone’.”

Diversity

The 48-year-old has said before that every song featured on the album means something to her, and the lyrics are accompanied by an explanation.

These comments provide an insight into the singer, who has struggled to cope with her meteoric rise to fame since she appeared on Britain’s Got Talent in April.

After losing the final of the talent show to dance troupe Diversity, the singer was checked into the Priory suffering from exhaustion.

But the note about the hymn ‘Amazing Grace’ suggests that she had now come to terms with her new-found fame.

It reads: “About finding your way. Everything was new to me. I was scared, hope its better.

“I know it can be with your continued support which I find both touching and humbling.”

And she goes on to promise more than just a one-hit wonder as she writes about ‘The End of the World’: “Don’t be silly! It’s only the beginning!

“I want you to enjoy some more!”

With millions of copies of the album already sold in pre-orders, and millions more expected to fly off the shelves this week, it is anticipated that the star will still be in the number one spot at Christmas.

Bookies William Hill have put her as favourite for the festive top spot as some bookies refuse to accept bets.

And Margaret Mitchell, 69, from Edinburgh was one of the first fans to grab herself a copy in Edinburgh today (Mon).

“Just brilliant”

Out Christmas shopping with a friend, she had made the music shop her first stop to buy the CD.

She said: “I saw her on Sunday night on the X Factor and she was just brilliant.

“I’m a big fan and have been following her since she was on Britain’s Got Talent.

“She’s just so unusual and not what we were expecting. She’s just so good. I’m looking forward to hearing the album.”

Music store HMV have braced themselves for the rush to grab the singer’s album this week, expecting more than 300,000 copies to fly off the shelves.

“Biggest release of the year”

A spokeman for the company said: “Susan Boyle’s I Dreamed A Dream is set to become the biggest week-one album release of the year.

“Our online store, hmv.com, has received one of its largest-ever customer pre-orders for any album, whilst our high street stores around the country have been receiving numerous enquiries from fans for weeks now, especially those in her native Scotland.

“Based on this huge level of expected demand, which can only be boosted by SuBo’s much-anticipated X-Factor appearance this weekend, HMV predicts that the début album from the Britain’s Got Talent finalist will shift more than 300,000 copies in just six days – making it the biggest and fastest-selling week-one release of 2009.”

See more of our pictures at our Flickr site and videos at our dedicated channel,  Deadline TV.

Nikon D300s + SB-900 (Camera Left) + Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 at 14mm f/5.6 ISO100 1/200 Second

Bridget and I attended a wedding today that was right across the street from the beach. I didn’t take any photos at the wedding, but I seeing as I always have my camera with me, I decided to take some photographs of my lovely wife after the event with a beautiful sky and ocean as a backdrop.

Nikon D300s + SB-900 (Camera Left) + Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 at 16mm f/9.0 ISO100 1/250 Second

The above shot reminded Bridget of a CD album cover. I really like the warmth in this photo, which gives it a very “golden sunset” appearance.

Nikon D300s + Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 VC at 17mm f/5.6 ISO200 1/20 Second

There’s a reason why Bridget is so bundled up here. It was really cold, no more than around 50 degrees. There were also lots of cold and annoying gusts of wind that kept threatening to topple over my lighting rig. I used a smaller shoot-through umbrella to prevent this, but as you can see, there were times when Bridget had to step in and save my SB-900 from falling into the dirt. I’d post all the pictures of Bridget making miserable faces due to the cold, but I’d rather spare her the embarrassment (more like spare my myself a butt kicking!).

Nikon D300s + Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 VC at 50mm f/5.6 ISO500 1/13 Second

This shot (above) was the last one for the evening, and I was running out of light fast at this point. I started having to nudge my ISO up to avoid shutter speeds I couldn’t hand hold. Plus, at this point, we were freezing! I love the coat Bridget is wearing here too. I actually picked it out and bought it for her at a store in Ginza, a large and beautiful shopping district in Tokyo.

Nikon D300s + Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 at 11mm f/5.6 ISO200 1/30 Second

Can you tell I’ve been experimenting with hot shoe flashes? I thought I’d finish this post with this goofy shot I took of Bridget in our home last night. She has this great umbrella that we got at the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco. It has a blue sky with white cloud design on the inside. I lit Bridget with an SB-900 on camera left and kicked some light into the umbrella from behind her with my SB-800, both fired wirelessly using the built in flash on my D300s as a commander. Please excuse the mess in our living room! (it was a very impromptu shoot)

Howdy there fellow travelers,

Basil just settled in for his afternoon nap after a marathon eating session.  Since our last posting Basil has learned to take naps and to keep his mama up all night.  This results in a semi-productive, zombie-like state, which is not conducive to blog writing, but things have been happening.  Some of Basil’s lack of sleep seems to be from his overabundance of boogers.  Eric picked up a humidifier today, and hopefully that will help liquefy the contents of his nostrils.

At the beginning of the month we received a Minnesotan visitor when Bridget met Basil.  Both Basil and I are rooting for her job search to end in Chicago.

On the 10^th Basil got vaccinated for the second time.  It was far less traumatic.  The wails were as strong but subsided far more quickly.  Dr. Osta confirmed that Basil remains wonderfully average.  He weighed in at 15lbs 5oz, and was 25in long.  Apparently his head is proportionate to these measures.

Basil and I have been attending a Hyde Park playgroup.  There are two boys very close in age to Basil (one born on July 2!) and both of them are much, much bigger than Basil.  It’s been a lot of fun to meet their mamas and to watch them grow.  Hopefully there will be photos soon.

On the 20^th Eric turned old.  We attempted to celebrate with a family date to Sak’s restaurant and lounge in Ukrainian Village.  Unfortunately, we were thwarted by a group of Jamaicans, who were in the process of opening a new restaurant were Sak’s used to be.  After consulting our trusty Magellan®  navigation device, we walked to another restaurant, called Old Lviv.  The restaurant appears to be the front room to a catering business, serving a buffet.  The three of us were the only customers aside from one man who came in to pick up some varenyky (?).  The hostess and cook spent the entire time staring at a Ukrainian (or Russian?) soap opera and then the Ukrainian Jerry Springer while we enjoyed our dinner in the opposite corner.  The food was sub par, but the borscht, which began the meal, was quite tasty.

Tonight two-thirds of the family will reprise date night at a different locale (we hope!).  Basil will be joining his friend Evangeline for the evening.  Don’t worry, they will be chaperoned.  This will be Basil’s second time without a parent for more than what it takes to get a bath in the hospital nursery.  He seems unconcerned and perhaps excited for the event, especially since he’s learning to get along with all sorts of characters and expanding his world.

Eric is also excited for the event.  And his recently trimmed facial hair has him looking quite sharp for date night.

I, on the other hand, am not sure what I’ll do if I can’t catch spit up.  Hopefully, there will be a projectile vomiting baby at the next table who I can catch for and I won’t feel too out of sorts.

On Wednesday, the Stiffs are flying into our fair city.  Basil and I will have a few moments with them before we all meet Eric at school, greet his class, and go our separate ways – Saathoffs to Minneapolis and Stiffs back to Hyde Park to keep the home fire burning.  We can’t wait to meet Stella in Minnesota.

And for those of you unlucky people who will not be spying Basil in the immediate future, here’s a collection of recent pictures of extreme cuteness.

Be sure to scroll down to catch LIVE ACTION BASIL (sorry, not Ukrainian television).

~Elizabeth

It’s not the time of the year for them, but I wear them regardless! Just as a fashion accessorie. My friends think I’m crazy for it. Well, maybe I am. But I just love sunglasses, the bigger the better. These sunglasses from ASOS: I want them!

Especially the first one with the red, transparant and purple glasses. I’d love to add that one to my collection!

September 29, Oct 18, 25, Nov 12, 15 – the dates of my last 5 blogs — one in Sept. 2 in Oct. Not doing very well, hmmm.  I really enjoy this site, and I love readining everyone else’s blogs. I know it was probably my fault that we all became slackers – if one reads a blog from ones friends and family, then one is more in the mood to blog… it is self-feeding, and so is the decline. So, let’s try this again?

btw, here is a run-down — Liv 3 days (since the last blog) (prev. Sept); Gail 9 days (Gail gets the prize with 4 in Oct); LW 10 days (prev. Sept); Sadie 103 days; Zac 103 days; Carolyn 119 days; Bev 158 days; Teresa 171 days; Christie 226 days; Renda 235 days; Debby 7 months, Patsy over a year…

what’s on your mind today?

this morning, I am thinking

… got to clean house each evening this week instead of reading (having a jewelry party Sunday afternoon). That is hard for me to work in the evenings! Love to relax with coffee and a book and the t.v remote.

… going to see New Moon on Friday nite (yes, I am a big fan!) I have re-read the books the last couple weeks, and am ready for it.

… am ready to get decorated for Christmas (having company in November always puts me in the mood). I love decorating for Christmas and I always want it done before Thanksgiving since my kids will all be home then. especially this year, since Olivia might not get to come home much if any more before Christmas as she works weird schedules.  So with the party Sunday afternoon, Thanksgiving next week, open house December 5; it is now time for me to get it done! I am pondering how long I can keep a live tree.

… the weather is great today, but turning to rain and chilliness tomorrow

… which brings me to the biggest thing on my mind today. This is seven years since our Bridget had her car wreck . Seeing that beautiful crooked smile in my mind.

Nikon D300s + SB-900 + Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 VC at 17mm f/4 ISO1600 1/15 Second

This past Saturday evening, we were invited to a friend’s house in North Beach for some cocktails. We met lots of new people and had a great time. The hosts asked Bridget to sing a couple jazz tunes with Chris on the trumpet, and set up a spot on the roof for the performance. Ambient light was provided by…nothing…except for some hanging, incandescent, decorative lighting. Photographic yikes!!! I had one SB-900 to work with, so I set up my camera in manual, cranked up the ISO, set the flash to fire at rear curtain, and draaaaagged the shutter to get as much ambiance as possible, trying to make sure the little event looked like it happened on some sort of rooftop and not in outer space. As I uploaded these images to Lightroom 3 Beta, I was amazed at how well the new noise reduction tool worked on these photos. More on that in a bit.

Nikon D300s + SB-900 + Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 VC at 26mm f/3.5 ISO1600 1/15 Second

Nikon D300s + SB-900 + Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 VC at 28mm f/2.8 ISO1600 1/15 Second

Bridget and Chris (above) entertaining the many guests (below) crowding the small San Francisco apartment. Those small hanging lamps you see on the wall there were the only lights helping me expose the scene. Gaaah…

And then….there was Alex:

Nikon D300s + SB-900 + Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 VC at 50mm f/4 ISO1600 1/15 Second

Nikon D300s + SB-900 + Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 VC at 38mm f/3.5 ISO1600 1/15 Second

Alex sang something interesting. Yes, very interesting. And Chris did his best to keep up with him on the trumpet. Here was their audience:

Nikon D300s + SB-900 + Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 VC at 17mm f/2.5 ISO1600 1/15 Second

We headed back downstairs after the performance and enjoyed some drinks. Bridget and I brought a bottle of Absinthe, a spirit that was banned in the US for nearly 100 years. It’s some potent stuff for sure, and cannot be enjoyed without a good amount of dilution in water. Bridget made me a great mix by pouring ice water through sugar cubes on top of a specially made spoon into an ounce of Absinthe. The green alcohol turns a milky white as you pour the water in, which I believe is the result of releasing the herbs that the spirit is distilled in.

Nikon D300s + Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 VC at 31mm f/4 ISO1100 1/15 Second

____________

Adobe Lightroom 3 Beta: Noise Reduction

For a few days now, I’ve been using Lightroom 3 Beta to handle my processing needs, and so far I’m really impressed by the new features they’ve added. One of the highlight features for me is the new and improved noise reduction tool in the develope module. The noise reduction tools available in Lightroom 2 are just sorta-kinda ok. It looks like Adobe really worked at improving noise reduction this time around. As of now, luminance reduction is not available in Lightroom 3 Beta, so I’ve only had a chance to work with the improved color noise reduction slider. But boy does it work! Check out a couple of 1:2 crops from the first image I posted above that demonstrate the new color noise reduction’s effectiveness in Lightroom 3 Beta:

Left: LR3 Beta Noise Reduction Applied / Right: No Noise Reduction Applied

You can see a drastic difference in color noise between the two crops above (cropped from the upper left part of the frame from the top image in this post). The color noise reduction algorithm employed by Lighroom 3 Beta is extremely effective. In the image on the left, color noise was virtually gone at a mere 19% reduction setting.

That’s all for now!

Ah, good times…..

]]> http://justmetoyou.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/today-aunt-bridget-you-are-missed/ Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:05:29 +0000 justmetoyou http://justmetoyou.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/today-aunt-bridget-you-are-missed/

Love this shot. Reminds me of my favorite Fly shot.

It’s been a busy few days in Kentucky, which means that sometimes you get in the car, and this is what happens:

Our family share friends. It’s what we do. For the last few days, I’ve been with some of Bridget’s best friends. She is missed, so we made her belated birthday cards. Good times were had by all. Wanted to share they merriment for Aunt Bridget.

Leslie was very enthusiastic…

And Lucy wanted in on the action too. She required a bit of assistance.

Though Aunt Bridget has been missed, Uncle Erin has had a blast. These travel photo ops are making my year.

But alas! She was very plain and her name was Bridget . . . Nothing therefore could be expected from her . . .

(Jane Austen, “Love and Freindship” 1790)

This one is a little longer than the others, I believe, but I like it better.  It’s based on true story form my family before my great-grandmother, Nellie, came from Ireland to America.  It isn’t done yet (I mean, the day is only half way through), but I’m hopeful for it.  Even though I don;t have the setting down quite yet.

The Day 3 Generations Died

There was a cool chill to the air when Nellie woke up, the sun peeking through the window and touching her face. Suppressing a shiver, she got out of bed, dressed quickly, and scurried out of the little room she shared with her two younger sisters, Mary and Bridget. Since her older sister Katherine had married last spring, it was Nellie’s job to help her mother take care of the family.

Once in the kitchen, Nellie found the various pots her mother had pulled out for her start breakfast in. Every morning her mother was the first one up. She got what Nellie would need to start breakfast, and then she would go for a quick walk around the block, stopping at the market for anything they might need. Even now that her mother was eight months pregnant, she never wavered from her daily routine.

Setting the pots of water to boil for the porridge, Nellie heard her father stirring upstairs as he got ready for work. Taking care of their large family was a lot of work, and she knew her father was tired of his job doing construction. He would come back at night, tired and grumpy. And especially now that their mother was pregnant, he was often worried, and he was easily upset. He was a big man and could be intimidating if he wanted to, so all the children would try to stay out of his way. If you got him angry, you were on your own. Not that he was ever mean to them, they knew he loved them, but he could be so gruff, and had a way of cutting you to the core with a look. But when he was relaxed he made everyone joyful.

Nellie left the kitchen and went back to her room to wake her sisters. Mary was ten and was in charge of helping little Bridget, the baby of the family, at least until the new one came, get dressed and ready for school. As soon as they moving around and rubbing the sleep out of their eyes, Nellie went to make sure her brothers were up.

Three of her four brothers shared a room not much bigger than hers. It was worse when her older brother John slept in there, too, but after Katherine moved out, he got her little closet room in the back of the house because he was the oldest. Eventually when he left Nellie would get the room, though she thought she would miss listening to her sisters’ calm breathing at night. It was one of the few times they didn’t bother her. But here her little brothers were curled up in little sleeping balls. William had his own cot on one side, while Paddy and Kevin, the twins, shared the bigger bed on the other side. It took more cajoling from Nellie to rouse them. They were much more stubborn than her sisters in the morning, and by the time they had stopped whining and actually gotten up, she could hear the sounds of everyone moving around.

She went back to the kitchen to stir the porridge just as her mother was coming through the door.

“Good morning, Nellie dear,” said her mother, a little out of breath and shutting the door. “Are you brothers and sisters awake yet?”

Nellie told her they were, but noticed that her mother’s cheeks were a little paler than their usual rosy red. Her mother continued on doing her work in the kitchen. Putting things where they belonged and cleaning things, but she did seemed slower. Nellie assumed that being pregnant was finally catching up to her mother, who hated having to be still when she could be doing some work.

“Has your father come down yet, dear?” her mother asked.

“No not yet, but I heard him moving around.”

“Well I’ll just go check on him so he won’t be late for work.” And she huffed her way out of the room.

After she left, Nellie’s brothers and sisters started coming in to get their food and do their chores. John was the first one, saying good morning and getting his food so he too could be ready to join his father at work, where he had just started. As the oldest boy, he was typically their father’s favorite. Mary and Bridget came down next looking a little messy, but not too bad. Then came the other boys, pushing and shoving to get their place at the table. They were all talking and making noise now, but Nellie thought she heard a cry come from upstairs in her parent’s room. She thought she was making it up, till she caught John’s eye across from the table. He had a little frown on his face, but didn’t make a motion as if to leave.

It was as Nellie and John were trying to get the kids to clean up that their father came rushing into the room. He looked slightly frantic and nodded to John, who put down the bowls in his hands and left the house without saying a word or even grabbing his coat.

“Hey, where’s he goin’,” asked one of the boys.

“Oh nowhere, don’t you worry,” said their father, forcing a smile on his face. “But I have a treat for you kids. How about today for lunch, you go to your grandmother’s house?”

The kids all exclaimed and smiled at the idea of visiting their grandmother. The mother of their mother, she lived in the city with them, but on the other side of where they went to school. Although they saw her often, for she liked to visit them, it was still fun to go to her house, especially for something like lunch. Only William, the next oldest after Nellie, looked as concerned as she did about this sudden new plan, but their father was trying to hustle all the talking kids into leaving for school, and she had to help so she would be ready, too.

The morning at school passed well enough, but Nellie couldn’t help be worried. Something about her father’s look made her nervous, and they never went to Grandma’s house unless their mother couldn’t cook for them, which rarely happened. She was sick once. And another time she was visiting a friend in the next town over, but other than that she was always home, there for the children. It dawned on Nellie that her mother must be having the baby. It was too soon, but there was no other reason for what was going on.

As soon as school let out for lunch, Nellie hastened to collect all her siblings, with William helping her, anxious to hear any news from home. Getting to Grandma’s house wasn’t too difficult, as the kids were excited, and she welcomed them hugs and kisses. She sent them out to play while it was still warm, asking Nellie to help her finish lunch in the kitchen. As soon as they were alone, her grandmother turned to her.

“So I’m sure you know that your mother is having the baby, right?”

“Yes, is everything okay?”

“Well it’s difficult for her. It’s early, and she’s much older than she was when Bridget was born, and you know your father was worried about that. Of course, nothing ever bothers your mother, and she just goes about her day no matter how many times you tell her to take a rest, even with you and even Mary there to help her.”

“But everything will be fine when it‘s over, right?”

“Oh I’m sure it will be, my dear. John ran for the doctor and came to let me know, and then he went to go tell your sister Katherine before he went to work. She should be there now. Now come help feed your brothers and sisters before they tear my house apart.”

Nellie helped serve everyone and took a small plate for herself. She felt better talking to her grandmother, who like her mother never stopped going, although she too seemed to be slowing down as she got older, but she really just wanted to be home, sure that her mother and the baby were safe. The kids finished lunch and Nellie helped her grandmother clean up. She hugged them all before sending them back to school.

But when they had almost reached the school and knew the bell was going to ring for them soon, Nellie came up with a plan. She was worried about home, and she wanted to be there. She knew she could help. So when they reached the school house, Nellie sent them in without her. William tried to protest, but Nellie used her best Katherine imitation.

“You hush. I’m older and I know what I’m doing. Now go back to class or you’ll get in trouble. Don’t you worry about me.”

And with that, she began to walk home. She picked up her pace as she got closer, and she was almost running by the time she got to her street. She didn’t know if her father would get mad at her for coming home, but she knew she could help. Quietly, Nellie came in through the kitchen door. The house without her mother bustling about was eerily unwelcoming, and the tension was oppressive, dangerous. Nellie could hear quiet murmurs coming from upstairs. She recognized her father’s voice talking to who she assumed was the doctor. Occasionally she thought she heard Katherine’s voice. Every once in a while there was a loud moan of pain.

Suddenly, Nellie didn’t want to be home. She was feeling sick. She wanted to be back at school with her brothers and sisters, waiting to hear about their new brother or sister, not knowing what the house felt like right now. And then the screaming started. She could hear the voices and footsteps running around, taking care of her mother, helping her, and Nellie was frozen to the middle of the kitchen floor.

It was hard to breathe as she heard the agonizing screams from of mother. There was so much pain in those cries, and Nellie couldn’t listen anymore. Not thinking, she ran across the floor to the small kitchen closet and threw herself in. She squeezed the door shut and slid to the ground, crouching among the brooms and mops, the rags and boxes, the dust and cobwebs. She was terrified. She knew she wasn’t brave or strong or loud like any of her siblings, but she didn’t think she was this much of a coward. She couldn’t even get herself off the floor to help her mother in pain.

Another scream came muffled through the door and she covered her ears, trying not to cry. Why wouldn’t it stop? Why was her mother hurting so much? She was too young to really remember her other siblings being born, so she didn’t know how bad childbirth could be, but it didn’t seem like it should cause her generally stoic mother so much pain.

She didn’t know how long the screaming lasted, but it seemed forever. Finally, when they subsided, she took her hands off her ears. Silence. Carefully, she opened the closet door and crawled out on her hands and knees. She sat on the kitchen floor, ear cocked towards the doorway for any more sounds.

Once she thought she heard a feeble baby cry, but she wasn’t sure, the silence of the house obstructing her ears. And then she heard something she never imagined. An anguished wail like no other came from her parents’ room. It barely sounded human. It was a man sobbing his heart out. Her father was crying. She had never heard her father cry before. Nellie wanted to go back in her closet forever, because she knew what it meant.

Friday’s for us are usually for going out. But I didn’t do anything but watched some shitty movie. So tonight, satuday, it’s party time! I’m probably wearing something casual like jeans, white sneakers and a polo. But what I really want to wear is this:

I’d love to go out in a sexy and flirty dress like this! A dress that keeps all eyes on me is what I’m looking for! This sure looks like it would do the job, right? I like it how the skirt part is tighter than the rest of the dress. That just makes it very playful. The best part of the whole dress of course, it so short! There’s just something I love about skirts and dresses that scream: look under me. I’d totally jump up the blocks around the dancefloor to give the guys something to fap over when they get home.

Anyway, it’s mid-november and it’s chilly outside, so I’d wear some tights under it as well. For shoes I picked these great pink Bordello shoes. They just go great with black tights and the color of the dress!

So now I’m dressed up! Ready to hit the clubs and party inthevip style! Just dancing, drinking and making the guys to crazy. So who would take me home with them?

Someone requested this! Enjoy.

Every time I’m on my way to school or whatever, I always wander around in dreamland. My most common thoughts are: what I really wanted to wear that day! These thought shouldn’t go unused, so I decided to visualize them and write about it weekly!

Anyway, my would-be outfit for today:

I like being sexy, but it’s also important for me to be fashionable doing so! I’m wearing a plaid dress and black tights! It’s kinda cold outsitde so I’m wearing a jacket! Black too, I just felt like wearing black! But not all-black. For contrast, I’m wearing these super hot red slingback heels. Nicee!! I shouldn’t forget lingerie:

Can’t go wrong with a sexy leopard print. So that’s my would-be outfit for today! I’m open for any outfit suggestions you might have.

It’s no biggy in Holland and that’s a damn shame. Whenever I see pictures of Halloween parties you guys have in the States, it makes me want to be there! For girls it’s the perfect excuse to dress and act slutty. And I’d love to be in the middle of it! Though I don’t need an excuse to dress and act slutty, I just am. But a lot of girls do. I could totally imagine myself as a sexy nurse covered with blood or some shit like that, like this girl:

Or maybe a sexy witch eager to take a ride on your broomstick. Ever wanted to fuck a slutty cartoon girl, like Snow White or Princess Peach ? I’d be one! But for this Halloween I would be a flirty stewardess! As a kid I always wanted to be a pilot. Later on, I figured I’d rather be a stewardess instead. I love travelling and I love meeting new people. But most of all I’d love being that sexy stewardess you fantasized about banging in the plane’s toilet!

Want something to drink? A cushion? Anything you want! *wink*

I really wanted this costume, but it’s a little too late now. I’m broke anyway lol, so it doesn’t really matter. Better luck next year guys!

….And she’s scooting all over the place – but only in reverse. So, when she manages to get herself under the furniture, she’s stuck, though that doesn’t seem to bother her.

And here’s one of big brother doing one of his favorite activities. He loves to draw and color. I believe that is Lightning McQueen he’s working on there.

Retirado da enterbrain mook ARCADIA EXTRA Vol.41 [GGXXAC Break Encyclopedia]

===[Movelist]===

[Special Moves]

Yoyo Haichi: qualquer direção + HS (pode ser feito no ar)
-> Yoyo Hikimodoshi: depois do Yoyo Haichi, HS (pode ser segurado)
-> Roger Rush: depois do Yoyo Haichi, 236+HS
-> Jagged Roger: depois do Yoyo Haichi, 214+HS (pode ser feito no ar)
-> Roger Hug: depois do Yoyo Haichi, 623+HS
-> Roger Get: depois do Yoyo Haichi, 421+HS
-> Rolling Idou: depois do Yoyo Haichi, 214+K (pode ser feito no ar)
Kick Start My Heart: depois do Yoyo Haichi, 236+K
-> Teishi: depois do KSMH, P
-> Hassha: depois do KSMH, K
Starship: 623+P (pode ser feito no ar)

[Force Breaks]

FB Roger Rush: depois do Yoyo, 236+D
FB Jagged Roger: depois do Yoyo, 214+D (pode ser feito no ar)

[Overdrives]

Loop the Loop: 632146+S
Maintenance-chuu no Higeki: 4123641236+S
Ore to Killing Machine: depois do Yoyo Haichi, 632146+HS

[Instant Kill]

Shoot the Moon: 236236+HS em IK Mode

===[Por onde começar]===

Dominando a posição do Yoyo e lutando no ar!”

[Poking no chão e no ar]

No chão, use os pokes básicos f.S e 2S. Eles são rápidos e tem alcance, sendo fácil acertar o oponente. O 6S também é bom, principalmente contra personagnes altos (ex: Testament, Dizzy, Potemkin…), tomando cuidado contra dashes baixos (ex: Millia, Sol…) ou golpes rasteiros (ex: Grand Viper).

Depois de acertar o poke, cancele com Yoyo. Bridget depende do Yoyo para a maioria dos seus ataques, então você terá que manipulá-lo constantemente.

Depois de colocar o Yoyo, use o Rolling Idou para avançar. O Rolling Idou pode ser usado até duas vezes no ar e seu movimento pode ser cancelado com FD (ver “Mais técnicas” adiante), sendo uma maneira eficiente de pressionar pelo ar.

Com o Yoyo no ar, use o Rolling Idou para subir, cancelando com FD -> Roger Get. O Roger Get, quando está no alto, acerta duas vezes, segundo o segundo hit baixo.

Aproveite o Roger Get para avançar com air dash e pressionar o oponente. É possível acertar unblockables com o Roger Get também (ver “Mais técnicas” adiante).

[Contra-ataque com Starship]

Contra-ataque o oponente com Starship para tirá-lo de perto. Se acertar, continue com {FRC, 6S, JC, air combo}. Se o oponente defender, use o FRC e aproveite para passar para a ofensiva.

===[Okizeme]===

“Use o Yoyo para melhorar o okizeme!”

[Okizeme com Roger Rush]

Depois de derrubar o oponente, use o 6HS para posicionar o Yoyo e solte o Roger Rush no oponente se levantando. A partir daí, corra e faça um mix-up com 6K/2K ou 6K/2D.

Acertando o 6K, espere o próximo hit do Roger Rush e continue com um combo simples com knockdown (2D ou KSMH -> Brake). Acertando o 2K o dano será baixo, então siga para o knockdown e repita o okizeme.

O 2D é o que possibilita o maior dano, seguindo com {2D, Roger Rush acerta, 5K, 6S, air combo}, mas ele não causa knockdown então use-o só de vez em quando.

No canto, você pode usar um IAD após o Roger Rush e seguir com {j.K, j.2S} ou voltar ao chão com 2K. Quando acertar o oponente, siga para o knockdown e repita.

Sempre que tiver tension use o FB Roger Rush! Ele dá até 5 hits, aumentando sua liberdade no mix-up (+114 Frame advantage!!).

Você pode fazer, por exemplo, {IAD j.K, j.S} ou {IAD j.K, land, 2K/6K} como mix-up, ou usar o 2K várias vezes antes de seguir com 6K ou 5D.

[Usando o 4HS]

Se não tiver tension, uma boa alternativa é o setup com 4HS. Ele posiciona o Yoyo nas costas do oponente, e permite que você cancele um chain em Rolling Idou para acertar um overhead!

Faça um chain como {2P/2K, c.S/f.S} cancele em {Rolling Idou -> FD, j.P/j.K…}para o overhead e, se o oponente defender, use o Yoyo Return para segurar o oponente e continuar pressionando.

===[Mais técnicas]===

[Rolling Idou Cancel]

Você pode cancelar a animação do Rolling Idou com FD mantendo o movimento. Isso é útil para passar para o ar em qualquer golpe sem abrir a guarda e pressionar pelo alto. Depois de um poke como f.S ou 2D, cancele com {Rolling Idou -> FD, air dash} para avançar.

Essa técnica é extremamente útil para a movimentação do Bridget e deve ser dominada para conseguir pressionar e confundir o oponente!

[Roger Get Unblockable]

Como Bridget não tem muitas opções de dano, o dano garantido do unblockable é mais que bem-vindo. Quando derrubar o oponente com 2D, use o FRC, posicione o Yoyo acima do oponente e solte o Roger Get enquanto o oponente se levanta.

Em seguida, use um j.S para acertar junto com o Sliding do Roger Get, resultando no unblockable. Se o oponente defender em pé, o Sliding acerta e você continua com {5K, 6S, air combo}. Se o oponente defender o Sliding, o j.S acerta e você pode seguir para um combo simples com knockdown.

O unblockable também é possível a partir do Ore to Killing Machine ou Maintenance-chu no Higeki e dispensa o FRC do 2D se o Yoyo já estiver posicionado.

[Mais informações]

Caso tenha alguma pergunta a respeito do Bridget ou deseja saber mais sobre ele, acesse GGBR: Seção Bridget e tire suas dúvidas com outros players!

Nosso amigo Thanatos também publicou um guia lá que vale a pena ser conferido!

We had a great time Saturday (and Friday night!) doing Fight Gone Bad. Everyone did great, and I’m so proud of you all! This is a tough workout, and who knew that 15 minutes could leave you hurting that bad?!

For those who chickened out couldn’t make it, the workout consisted of 3 rounds, 5 minutes each, where you spent one minute on each exercise below. After each 5 minute round, you rest a minute then do it again. The exercises are:
- Wall Ball
- Sumo Dead Lift High Pulls
- Box Jumps
- Push Press
- Rox
Counters logged the number of reps for each workout, and you get a total score at the end.  While we did award prizes to the winners of the male and female categories, the true competition is with yourself as you push to get that one more rep in.

Here’s the final scores:

Here’s some pictures we took during the event. Admittedly, we got excited about working out and missed some people, so please accept my apology!
!!!

A seqüência da “Coleção Calças Viajantes”, “O Segundo Verão da Irmandade” é recheada de emoções, novas descobertas (umas felizes outras bem decepcionantes), aventuras e reencontros. O livro narra o segundo verão em que as “setembros” Carmen, Lena, Tibby e Bridget, passam separadas.

Tibby viaja para outra cidade para fazer um curso de cinema e criar o seu próprio vídeo. Lá conhece novas pessoas, faz novas amizades, redescobre a importância das amizades verdadeiras, aprende muito sobre as técnicas da 7ª artes, ouve conselhos errados, luta contra o preconceito, percebe como é fácil deixar de ser quem realmente é para se sentir e fazer aceita e ao enfrentar uma situação de confronto com a mãe, percebe como estava agindo de forma imatura, dando a volta por cima ao ouvir conselhos verdadeiros de pessoas que realmente gostam dela, produzindo um vídeo emocionante e merecedor de todos os tipos de elogios e reconhecimento.

Carmen enfrenta mais uma vez problemas devido ao seu mau gênio. Não aceita que a sua mãe tenha um namorado e arma tremendas confusões por causa disso, enquanto ela mesma perde o seu namorado por causa da sua confusão de sentimentos e comportamentos. Depois de muita revolta, brigas, confusões, desacertos, rompimentos e conselhos das suas melhores amigas, ela percebe como estava sendo infantil e egoísta e tenta consertar as coisas antes que seja tarde demais para a sua mãe, enquanto isso vê degringolar a sua frente o que poderia ter sido um relacionamento legal com Porter, seu namorado. Em meio a esse turbilhão de acontecimentos e sentimentos, ela acaba recebendo uma visita inesperada que a deixa em uma situação um tanto delicada.

Bridget, após os acontecimentos do verão passado, desiste do futebol, esconde a sua beleza através de uma tinta no cabelo e uns quilinhos a mais. Ela enfrenta o pai depois de descobrir uma verdade que sempre foi velada. Querendo conhecer um pouco sobre o passado da sua mãe morta e sobre a sua própria história, deixa o irmão, o pai e suas amigas para trás e viaja para a cidade onde mora a sua avó materna.  Ela só conviveu poucos anos com a avó quando era criança e pouco conhece ou se lembra dela, decidindo então se passar por uma estranha. Ao longo da temporada ao lado de sua avó, Bridget adquire conhecimentos fundamentais sobre a vida de sua mãe e seu pai, conhece a história de sua própria família e reencontra um amigo muito especial da sua infância. Através deste reencontro, ela retoma a paixão pelo futebol e assume a sua verdadeira essência e identidade, voltando ao seu corpo original e descolorindo os cabelos. Ao regressar para casa, Bridget está mais madura e até passa a olhar com mais condescendência para seu irmão gêmeo que sempre viveu à sombra da sua alegria e espontaneidade.

Lena ainda está sofrendo com o rompimento com o grego Kostos. Passa o verão em casa e consegue um emprego em uma loja de roupas feminina. Em meio a sua tristeza e lamentação recebe uma visita que nunca imaginou: Kostos está na cidade a trabalho. Ela então revive de forma intensa e feliz o seu primeiro amor. Tudo estava perfeito até que ele é chamado com urgência a Grécia. Sem maiores explicações ele abandona Lena e retorna à Grécia. Continua se comunicando com ela por cartas, até que um dia ele escreve rompendo o namoro, também sem dar maiores esclarecimentos. Lena volta a ficar arrasada e se afundo em uma depressão, se escondendo das amigas e pouco se importando com o trabalho, perdendo, aos poucos, o interesse por tudo. Até que um dia recebe a notícia de que seu bapi teve um problema de saúde, comovendo toda a família, fazendo-os viajar as pressas à Grécia. Lena se tortura imaginando um reencontro com Kostos, mas para sua terrível surpresa, descobre que ele está noivo e sua noiva está grávida. Mas Lena se mostra forte e tem uma linda, reveladores, esclarecedora e franca com a sua mãe. Ao voltar para casa, o destino a coloca frente a frente com uma pessoa que lhe desperta um sentimento um tanto quanto curioso.

Vale lembrar que todas essas aventuras vividas pelas meninas, mais uma vez tiveram como testemunha crucial e participante ativa, a calça jeans mágica e viajante.