The Twisted Sifter Cake Shoppe was very fortunate to be chosen to create the cakes for the Miss Kentucky USA and the Miss Teen Kentucky USA pagents held at Centre College in Danville, KY.  For the Miss Kentucky USA we wanted to create a cake that was both feminine, but modern at the same time.  We covered the 4 tier cake in a pink marshmallow fondant and decorated it with swarovsky crystals, pink satin ribbon and a replica of the actual Miss Kentucky USA crown. 

To order a  cake call The Twisted Sifter Cake Shoppe at 859-285-0306 or email Pam@TheTwistedSifter.com

For more information, visit our website at www.TheTwistedSifter.com

This cute and colorful marshmallow fondant birthday cake was created for a girl’s sweet 16. 

To order a birthday cake call The Twisted Sifter Cake Shoppe at 859-285-0306 or email Pam@TheTwistedSifter.com.

For more information, visit our website at www.TheTwistedSifter.com

This two tiered red fondant bandana western themed birthday cake was created for a close friend’s birthday.  One tier was strawberry cake with a fresh strawberry filling and the second layer was a white cake with a fresh lemon filling.  Both cakes were iced with a vanilla buttercream under the marshmallow fondant.  The design was piped on using  royal icing. 

To order a birthday cake call The Twisted Sifter Cake Shoppe at 859-285-0306 or email Pam@TheTwistedSifter.com.

For more information, visit our website at www.TheTwistedSifter.com

--This 2 tiered Max and Ruby birthday cake was for a little boy.  The cakes are two different flavors and they are covered in marshmallow fondant. 

To order a birthday cake call The Twisted Sifter Cake Shoppe at 859-285-0306 or email Pam@TheTwistedSifter.com

For more information, visit our website at www.TheTwistedSifter.com

Enjoy a rockin’ holiday extravaganza at the Trans Siberian Orchestra Concert. With over five million Christmas albums sold over the past decade, this Trans Siberian Orchestra Concert will be an experience of a lifetime!

Next Shows:
Dec. 13, 2:30 PM: Albany, NY
Dec. 13, 7:30 PM: Albany, NY
Dec. 13, 3:00 PM: Milwaukee, WI
Dec. 13, 7:30 PM: Milwaukee, WI
Dec. 16, 4:00 PM: Memphis, TN
Dec. 16, 8:00 PM: Memphis, TN
Dec. 16, 3:00 PM: Pittsburgh, PA
Dec. 16, 8:00 PM: Pittsburgh, PA
Dec. 17, 7:30 PM: Lexington, KY
Dec. 17, 7:30 PM: New Orleans, LA
Dec. 18, 8:00 PM: Bossier City, LA
Dec. 18, 8:00 PM: Cincinnati, OH
Dec. 19, 3:00 PM: Cleveland, OH
Dec. 19, 8:00 PM: Cleveland, OH
Dec. 19, 3:00 PM: Little Rock, AR

Tickets Now On Sale at NationalShowTickets.com

It’s been 14 years since Trans-Siberian Orchestra debuted with the single “Christmas Eve (Sarajevo/1224),” inspiring generations of fans to rediscover the multi-dimensional art form of the rock opera. TSO has sold more than seven million copies of its first four rock operas — 1996’s CHRISTMAS EVE & OTHER STORIES, 1998’s THE CHRISTMAS ATTIC, BEETHOVEN’S LAST NIGHT in 2000 and 2004’s THE LOST CHRISTMAS EVE. On the road, meanwhile, they have become one of the world’s top touring acts, with a $20 million-plus production that by 2008 played to over 5 million people in 80+ cities, selling more than $230 million worth of tickets. And, oh yeah, there was that crazy beer ad with the insanely decorated Christmas house whose lights were synced to TSO’s “Wizards in Winter.” Now TSO is taking us to a bold and exciting new place — NIGHT CASTLE.

Tour a Bluegrass bourbon distillery and you’ll not only learn how bourbon is made, but you’ll start to understand why the “good old whiskey of old Kentuck” has inspired pride, passion (and even poetry) among Kentuckians. Distilleries in the Lexington area have regular tour programs. And just like the different brands of bourbon they produce, the distilleries themselves have distinct personalities. Children are welcome. The tours do involve a fair amount of walking and stair-climbing, so wear comfortable shoes. For more information, visit the Southeast Tourism Society Destination Guide.

I created 3 differnt options that you can take a look at….

Option #1: I used the starfish and sand dollar layout.  The last layer of cardstock is a striking aqua blue and the middle layer is a light purple shimmer textured cardstock.  The Swarovski crystal Mickey Mouse head is place above all the wording on this invitation….

Option #2: 

For this one I used almost the same cardstock color scheme…the only difference is that the bottom layer of cardstock is slightly darker in color and more blue than the previous and also this one has shimmer sheen to it where the first one was a matte cardstock.  I used the starfish layout  and placed the Swarovski crystal Mickey head accent above your names.  I also used the font that you had mentioned that you liked and accented the names in a sea foam green color….

Option #3:

Here is the same starfish layout as the previous one.  For this one I decided to try a sand colored pattern paper for the middle layer and I used the shimmer lavender for the bottom layer.  The same font was used for this one but instead I accented your names in lavender. 

Numbers show that with increased education on spay/neuter programs and shelter animals, adoption rates have gone up significantly, and the numbers of animals killed in shelters have seen a great decline. Before the 1970s dogs and cats were being killed at a rate of about 100 for every 1000 people. Through the 1970s and 1980s sterilization of pets became more widely practiced and heavily advocated. Low cost spay/neuter centers became more common and many more veterinarians began to advocate sterilization for puppies and kittens as a part of their routine checkups. In the 1990s and continuing into the present, the number of animals euthanized has decreased by about 90% from what it was in the 70s and spay/neuter rates have continued to rise. However, the major reason for the decrease in euthanasia has been the three fold increase in animal welfare spending from shelters from the 1970s to present day. We have also seen a dramatic increase in the number of animal shelters in the United States; we presently have over 3,000 animal shelters currently taking in and treating animals. While we should be proud of the gains we have made in the reduction of euthanasia rates, the fact that we still have over 10 million homeless pets at any given time should be enough for this to be recognized as a current and serious issue.

Sterilization of household pets is vitally important to reducing pet overpopulation. On average, a healthy cat or dog can produce up to 20 kittens or puppies per year if allowed to do so. While many dogs and cats in the United States are spayed or neutered, there are still 18.4 million dogs and about 11.5 million cats living with families that are not sterilized. This could result in a combined total of about 600 million puppies and kittens being born in one year alone. Remember, these are animals that are living in homes, this does not account for any other unsterilized animals living on the streets, animal control, shelters, and unaccounted for breeding farms. Stray animals alone produce millions of puppies and kittens per year.

People who keep their pets at their home, and truly care about their welfare should realize that by not spaying or neutering their pets, they are greatly adding to the number of pets placed in shelters each year. If the people who care for their pets had them sterilized, shelters could better deal with the numbers of pets coming in, and therefore would be able to better relocate and care for the animals that are stray and neglected. Unfortunately, people don’t make the connection between their unsterilized dog and the stray puppy running down the street, or hit by a car. Owners buying their pets from places other than shelters need to be educated on and prompted to sterilize their new pet. Spaying and neutering by private pet owners is one of the most effective methods to ending pet overpopulation in shelters, as well as on the streets.

The Lexington Humane Society sterilizes all of their incoming animals, and they also spay or neuter the animals who come in through Fayette County Animal Care and Control. You can have your own pet spayed or neutered at the Lexington Humane Society through the “Spay’s the Way” program. Based on your income, you can have your pet sterilized at an affordable cost. While you can have your animal sterilized at any personal veterinarian, the Spay’s the Way program is a great option for those people who want their animal sterilized by a veterinarian, but may not be able to afford the procedure.

More information can be found about the Spay’s the Way program through the Lexington Humane Society website.

Boxers & More!!

Greenville, SC; Hickory, NC; and Atlanta, GA
to
Plainsfield, IL and Minneapolis, MN
December 12 – 13, 2009

I had to take a few weeks off and the boxers have been backing up down south! Lots of dogs needing to move on this one folks – please help us out! This will also be the last transport I do for quite some time as I’ve had personal issues come up, so we can’t delay this one – this kiddos need to move!!

Summary of Legs:
“A” LEGS: Atlanta, GA to Nashville, TN and Louisville, KY
“B” LEGS:  Greenville, SC to Asheville, NC – cancelled
“C” LEGS:  Hickory, NC to Louisville, KY
“D” LEGS:  Louisville, KY to Minneapolis, MN

NOTE: Letters assigned to LEGS do not correspond to those assigned to senders/receivers/passengers.

Please, please, please – I need crossposting help from EVERYONE!!

Transport Coordinator:
PLEASE CONTACT DIRECTLY IF YOU CAN HELP
Kelly Gibson
mdgrrrl@msn.com

Please provide the following:
Leg offered:
First & Last Name:
Location (city/state):
Please provide full address if volunteering for an overnight.
Email:
Is email available from home or only work?
Home phone:
Cell phone:
Vehicle make/model/color/etc:
Name of coordinators or groups for whom you’ve driven before. If none, please give vet name and contact number.
Recommended meeting place, if any:
How many of these dogs are you comfortable carrying?

Passenger details are at the bottom of the post.

SATURDAY, DEC 12

**********************
“A” LEGS: Atlanta, GA to Louisville, KY
Buoy (1 lg)
**********************

LEG A-1: Cartersville, GA to Chattanooga, TN
Buoy (1 lg)
77.6 miles; 1 hr 20 min
8:55 AM – 10:15 AM EST
Filled – thank you Jeanie!!

LEG A-2: Chattanooga, TN to Manchester, TN (I-24)
Buoy (1 lg)
Time zone change, -1 hr
75.1 miles; 1 hr 23 min
10:30 AM – 11:55 AM EST
9:30 AM – 10:55 AM CST
Filled – thank you Jeanie!!

LEG A-3: Manchester, TN to Nashville, TN (I-24)
Buoy (1 lg)
65.9 miles; 1 hr 5 min
11:10 AM CST – 12:15 PM CST
Filled – thank you Lisa!!

LEG A-4: Nashville, TN to Bowling Green, KY (I-65)
Buoy (1 lg)
65.6 miles; 1 hr 9 min
12:30 PM – 1:40 PM CST
Filled – thank you Lisa!!

LEG A-5: Bowling Green, KY to Elizabethtown, KY (I-65)
Buoy (1 lg)
Time zone change, +1 hr
73.5 miles; 1 hr 15 min
1:55 PM – 3:10 PM CST
2:55 PM – 4:10 PM EST
Filled – thank you Andrew!!

LEG A-6: Elizabethtown, KY to Louisville, KY (I-65)
Buoy (1 lg)
45.6 miles; 50 min – MAY EXPERIENCE CONSTRUCTION DELAYS
4:25 PM – 5:15 PM EST
Filled – thank you Jessi!!

**********************
“C” LEGS: Hickory, NC to Louisville, KY
4-6 adult boxers
**********************

LEG C-1: Hickory, NC to Asheville, NC
4 adult boxers
78.6 miles; 1 hr 20 min
7:35 AM – 8:55 AM EST
DRIVER 1: Filled – thank you Catherine!! (Boxie)
DRIVER 2: Filled – thank you Barbara!! (Lacey, Sammy, BamBam)

LEG C-2: Asheville, NC to Johnson City, TN (I-26)
4 adult boxers
69.3 miles; 1 hr 16 min
9:10 AM – 10:25 AM EST
DRIVER 1: Filled – thank you Joan!! (2 dogs)
DRIVER 2: Filled – thank you Jaynie!! (2 dogs)

LEG C-3: Johnson City, TN to Morristown, TN (I-26 to I-81)
4 adult boxers
60.2 miles; 1 hr
10:40 AM – 11:40 AM EST
DRIVER 1: Filled – thank you Julie!! (2-3 dogs; has crate)
DRIVER 2: Filled – thank you Jaynie!! (2 dogs)

Molly added in Morristown

LEG C-4: Morristown, TN to Knoxville, TN
4 adult boxers, 1 doxie x
46.6 miles; 42 min
11:55 AM – 12:40 PM EST
DRIVER 1: Filled – thank you Kim!! (2 lg, 1 sm)
DRIVER 2: Filled – thank you Tom & Debbie!! (2 lg – has crate)

LEG C-5: Knoxville, TN to Corbin, KY (I-75)
4 adult boxers, 1 doxie x
83.8 miles; 1 hr 20 min
12:55 PM – 2:15 PM EST
DRIVER 1: Filled – thank you Caryn!! (2 adults, 1 sm)
DRIVER 2: Filled – thank you Karolyn & Ed!! (2 lg)

LEG C-6: Corbin, KY to Lexington, KY (I-75)
4 adult boxers, 1 doxie x
89.6 miles; 1 hr 20 min
2:30 PM – 3:50 PM EST
DRIVER 1: Filled – thank you Lauren!! (2 lg, 1 sm)
DRIVER 2: Filled – thank you Leslie!! (2 lg – need someone with a lg crate)

2 boxers join transport in Lexington.

LEG C-7: Lexington, KY to Louisville, KY (I-64)
6 adult boxers, 1 doxie x
76.4 miles; 1 hr 10 min
4:05 PM – 5:15 PM EST
DRIVER 1: Filled – thank you Lisa!! (3-4 adults)
DRIVER 2: Filled – thank you Kathy & Russ!!

**********************
“D” LEGS: Louisville, KY to Minneapolis, MN
6 adult boxers, doxie x & Buoy (7 lg, 1 med)
**********************

LEG D-1: Louisville, KY to Columbus, IN (I-65)
6 adult boxers, doxie x & Buoy (7 lg, 1 med)
73.1 miles; 1 hr 17 min
5:45 PM – 7:00 PM EST
DRIVER 1: Filled – thank you Jessi!! (3 lg)
DRIVER 2: Filled – thank you Leslie! (2 lg)
DRIVER 3: Filled – thank you Connie!! (2 lg, 1 med)

LEG D-2: Columbus, IN to Indianapolis, IN (I-65)
6 adult boxers, doxie x & Buoy (7 lg, 1 med)
43.2 miles; 48 min
7:20 PM – 8:10 PM EST
DRIVER 1: Filled – thank you Susan & John!! (4 lg)
DRIVER 2: Filled – thank you Tammy!! (2 lg)
DRIVER 3: Filled – thank you Jenn!! (Buoy & Molly)

**********************
OVERNIGHT IN / AROUND INDIANAPOLIS, IN
6 adult boxers, doxie x & Buoy (7 lg, 1 med)
1 adult boxers: Filled – thank you Sue!! (Lacey)
4 adult boxers: Filled – thank you Kim P!!
2 adult boxers: Filled – thank you Lisa M!!
Doxie X: Filled – thank you Laura & Matt!!
**********************

1 adult boxer joins transport in Indy.
Bianca joins transport in Indy.

SUNDAY, DEC 13

LEG D-3: Indianapolis, IN to Lafayette, IN (I-65)
3 adult boxers, doxie x, Bianca & Buoy (9 lg, 1 med)
62 miles; 1 hr 9 min
8:00 AM – 9:10 AM EST
DRIVER 1: Filled – thank you Tara!! (3 adult boxers)
DRIVER 2: Filled – thank you Krysha!! (Bianca)
DRIVER 3: Filled – thank you Jenn!! (Buoy, Molly)

Dogs overnighting with Kim rejoin transport in Lafayette.

LEG D-4: Lafayette, IN to Crown Point, IN (I-65)
7 adult boxers, doxie x, Bianca & Buoy (9 lg, 1 med)
Time zone change, -1 hr
81.1 miles; 1 hr 20 min
9:30 AM – 10:50 AM EST
8:30 AM – 9:50 AM CST
DRIVER 1: Filled – thank you Lisa & Rob!! (all but 3 boxers)
DRIVER 2: Filled – thank you Margarita!! (3 boxers)

LEG D-5: Crown Point, IN to Hinsdale, IL
7 adult boxers, doxie x, Bianca & Buoy (9 lg, 1 med)
46.1 miles; 1 hr 5 min
10:10 AM – 11:15 AM CST
DRIVER 1: Filled – thank you Angie & Oren!! (Molly, Bianca, Buoy)
DRIVER 2: Filled – thank you Cheryl!! (3 boxers – has crate)
DRIVER 3: Filled – thank you Pam & Bill!! (4 boxers)

Doxie X meets new mom in Hinsdale.

LEG D-6: Hinsdale, IL to Kenosha, WI
8 boxers, Bianca
60.5 miles; 1 hr 10 min
11:45 AM – 12:55 PM CST
DRIVER 1: Filled – thank you Diane K!! (4 dogs)
DRIVER 2: Filled – thank you Debbie!! (3 adults)
DRIVER 3: Filled – thank you Ian!! (2 adults)

LEG D-7: Kenosha, WI to Milwaukee, WI
8 boxers, Bianca
41.2 miles; 49 min
1:25 PM – 2:15 PM CST
DRIVER 1: Filled – thank you Mary C!! (3lg)
DRIVER 2: Filled – thank you Diane R-H!! (3 lg)
DRIVER 3: Filled – thank you Debbie!! (3 adults)

LEG D-8: Milwaukee, WI to Madison, WI
8 boxers, Bianca
70.9 miles; 1 hr 11 min
2:45 PM – 3:55 PM CST
DRIVER 1: Filled – thank you Diane P!! (2 dogs)
DRIVER 2: Filled – thank you Jackie!! (3 dogs)
DRIVER 3: Filled – thank you Paul & Bernadette!! (1 dog)
DRIVER 4: Filled – thank you Diane S!! (3 dogs)

LEG D-9: Madison, WI to Tomah, WI (I-90 / 94)
8 boxers, Bianca
94.6 miles; 1 hr 30 min
4:15 PM – 5:45 PM CST
DRIVER 1: Filled – thank you Kim!! (4 dogs)
DRIVER 2: Filled – thank you Rhonda!! (1 dog – Lacey)
DRIVER 3: Filled – thank you Peggy!! (4 dogs)

LEG D-10: Tomah, WI to Eau Claire, WI (I-94)
8 boxers, Bianca
76.6 miles; 1 hr 16 min
6:00 PM – 7:15 PM CST
DRIVER 1: Filled – thank you Maurine!! (2 dogs)
DRIVER 2: Filled – thank you Kelly!! (3 dogs)
DRIVER 3: Filled – thank you Kim!! (4 dogs)

LEG D-11: Eau Claire, WI to Woodbury, MN (I-94)
9 boxers, Bianca
82 miles; 1 hr 18 min
7:30 PM – 8:50 PM CST
DRIVER 1: Filled – thank you Jodi!! (2 dogs)
DRIVER 2: Filled – thank you Maurine!! (2 dogs)
DRIVER 3: Filled – thank you Bruce!! (2 adult boxers – has crate)
DRIVER 4: Filled – thank you Kelly!! (3 dogs)

*************************************
PASSENGER DETAILS
NOTE: All dogs on the transport are UTD on shots and will be accompanied by a health certificate.
Any intact dogs will be altered by receiving rescues prior to adoption.
*************************************

RECEIVER A:
Minnesota Boxer Rescue
Woodbury MN
www.mnboxerrescue.org

SENDER A-1:
Blue Ridge Boxer Rescue
Ute Davidson

PASSENGERS (3 lg):

LACEY
Adult female boxer – MUST BE CRATED AS SHE IS IN HEAT – CRATE IS NOT PROVIDED
Approx 5 yrs old & 60 lbs; very underweight

SAMMY
Adult male boxer
Intact, will be altered by receiving rescue
Approx 5 yrs old & 60 lbs

BAMBAM
Adult male boxer

*************************************

SENDER A-2:

Temporary foster home
Tara Harris
Indianapolis, IN

Pulled from Brown County, OH shelter on 12/6

PASSENGER (1 lg):

HARRISON
Adult male boxer

*************************************

SENDER A-3:

Pulled from:
Greenville County Animal Control
Greenville, SC
In temp foster with:
Charlotte, NC

PASSENGER (1 lg):

BOXIE
Adult female boxer

*************************************

SENDER A-4:

Temp foster
Moran Murphy
Lexington, KY

PASSENGERS (2 lg):

OZZIE
Adult male boxer
Approx 2 – 3 yrs old
Altered

TIMMY
Adult male boxer
Approx 2 – 3 yrs old
Has just had front right leg removed – PLEASE BE GENTLE
Will be travelling with medications.

*************************************
*************************************

RECEIVER C:

MARS
Brooklyn Park, MN
www.midwestanimalrescue.org

SENDER C:
Temporary foster home
Elise Cohen
Rockmart, GA

PASSENGER (1 lg):

BUOY
Adult male boxer
Altered
BEST buds with Josh, the hound mix above

*************************************
*************************************

RECEIVER D:

Screened and approved adopter via Saving Furry Friends rescue

SENDER D:
Saving Furry Friends
Glade Spring, VA

http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/VA496.html

PASSENGER (1 sm):

MOLLY
Female, sheltie/doxie mix, 25 lbs.
Altered, UTD on shots; in good health to travel; gets along with other dogs; has no known behavior problems; and is traveling with leash, collar, health certificate, rabies certificate and vet paperwork.

*************************************
*************************************

RECEIVER E:

Wags & Whiskers
Minneapolis, MN
www.wagsmn.com

SENDER E:

Humane Society for Hamilton County
Noblesville, IN
www.hamiltonhumane.com

PASSENGER (1 lg):

BIANCA
Adult female pit bull
Very sweet and affectionate
Shots UTD and JUST ALTERED – please be gentle!
Also just had surgery for a prolapsed rectum – PLEASE BE GENTLE

The raw-edged emotions of my second sober year revealed that I had few coping skills. Alcohol had been my go-between, followed by self-absorbed dramas during early recovery. With both of them gone in 2001, I felt prickly, waspish at gatherings other than an AA meeting or church service, and hollowed out—particularly during the holidays. Whenever I was in public, I clutched at cans of soft drink or cups of coffee, and I chain-smoked cigarettes as if expecting some passer-by to snatch what I held in my hands. Everyday encounters with people triggered flare-ups in me of anger, bitterness or depression. I was miserable.

Counselors in Kentucky’s Drug and Alcohol Program (DAP) and my AA sponsor advised me to consider underlying emotions: Fears of failure, change or loss. Fears of spirituality or Alcoholics Anonymous. Distrust of health-care providers—even fears of recovery itself.

AA old-timers call this white-knuckled or second-stage sobriety. It is a state of continual disturbance, the aftermath of detox, rehab, early recovery, alcohol cravings and/or relapses—all of which gives way to insufferable, dry, lackluster, empty realism. Part of the time, second-stage sobriety feels like a Six Flags roller coaster. You’re strapped in, and your mind races forward. It feels as if everyone screams from laughter or fear. You argue with a family member, then with an old drinking buddy. You cannot control your emotions or the ride, and you regret choosing this whirling blur. Finally, the day screeches to an abrupt halt.

At other times, second-stage sobriety feels like Groundhog Day, the movie: Each morning, you climb aboard the same roller coaster for yet another day, just like the previous day, and you wonder, In whose face will I scream while at work? What will I knock over, break or spill? If a stray dog sniffs at my pant leg, will I kick it? A British writer says some religious leaders call Groundhog Day “the most spiritual film of our time.” For us alcoholics, second-stage sobriety seems to signal that our recovery needs to pay greater attention to spiritual matters.

 With hindsight I see that pride reigned in my life, long after my collapse. At the core was my refusal to accept my job as a janitor or my bleak existence at the halfway house or the slowness of my recovery. Alcoholics Anonymous (the book) cautions against such attitudes:

The men who cry for money and shelter before conquering alcohol are on the wrong track…. Burn the idea into the consciousness of every man that he can get well regardless of anyone. The only condition is that he trust in God and clean house…. He should concentrate on his own spiritual demonstration. Argument and fault-finding are to be avoided like the plague…. Follow the dictates of a Higher Power and you will presently live in a new and wonderful world, no matter what your present circumstances.

That’s true emotional sobriety—but my 2001 reality was emotional immaturity. One step forward, two steps back. Indeed, spiritual growth is like that, I’ve subsequently learned. So we alcoholics in AA are best served by working the steps, regardless of how we feel about ourselves at any given time. The steps will take us to the goal, even when we feel miserable during various stages of the journey.

Copyright © 2009 by Randall E. Greene

(pic from Kentucky.com)

Kentucky.

Are there really any worse fans than those who support Big Blue? ………..Well, I can think of a few.

But anyway, a link tweeted by Adam Lucas  has me fuming this morning. A light snow is falling in Lexington, but it was already a cold place before that. It’s not that they don’t have the history to be as boisterous as they are, it’s that they don’t have any respect for any other program. They are too good for your team who has less wins than them, too good for your team that has less championships and too good to hire a respectable coach. For UK, the ends justify the means. Thing is this time, those ends (wins) might not eventually be counted. It’s a theory known as “Cali-vacate-ology.”

Fine. It’s their choice. But please don’t go crying when your wins record disappears (UNC has 1,991, UK 1,995). Don’t get mad when Roy Williams makes UNC the team with the second-most national titles (not that they had any respect for UCLA anyway). And certainly don’t get mad when Easy Ed and company wipe the floor with you in Rupp today.

I hope the snow keeps falling. It’s gonna be a long, cold afternoon.

Spiritually, AA’s Fifth Step demonstrates that people need one another and that recovery extends far beyond one individual’s pain or healing—as this next story affirms. Over a century ago, Samuel Logan Brengle authored three compact books, Heart Talks on Holiness, The Way of Holiness and When the Holy Ghost Is Come. Moreover, he wrote these after having been attacked by an intoxicated man, according to Dr. Dennis F. Kinlaw, an inspirational writer who founded the Francis Asbury Society:

…Brengle was a brilliant young preacher whom God led into the Salvation Army. He became the … army’s great spokesman for the message of personal holiness. One night a drunken man continually interrupted a service Brengle was leading. Finally, Brengle put the man outside the service. After the meeting was over, Brengle was the last one to leave, so he turned the lights off and stepped into the street. The drunken man was waiting for him. He struck one side of Brengle’s head with a paving stone, and smashed the other side against the building. Brengle was in the hospital for an extended period, hovering between life and death. When he finally began to recover, it was a long time before he could resume his former activities, so the editor of the Salvation Army’s magazine asked Brengle to write some articles while he was recuperating…. Those [became the] little books which have profoundly shaped many Christian leaders, [but the books were first] the fruit of that [seeming mishap with a drunkard].

During the last forty years, I have also been the preacher, the drunk and the writer (among other roles in my life). More than a few times, the Salvation Army fed me in Lexington, Kentucky. As well, I have purchased clothes and household items in their store. Most importantly, however, spiritual healing teaches what the army has practiced for decades: Nothing is all about us—not even our recovery from alcoholism.

Therefore, most of us recovering alcoholics are related to the preacher, the drunk and the writer. We even owe the Salvation Army for the phrase being “on the wagon” because, over a century ago, canvassers on hay wagons roamed New York City and took willing alcoholics to The Salvation Army. That practice led to us alcoholics in recovery being described as “on the wagon” when we purposefully remain abstinent. So, yes, there may be diseases whose treatments only consist of pills or other medications—but alcoholism is not one of them. Our disease is best treated when we alcoholics accept that our individual recoveries are not isolated and singular experiences—we are not islands unto ourselves.

Copyright © 2009 by Randall E. Greene

 I am loving how this is turning out….too cute!! 

 I added some red/oranges to the female cardinal. and also changed the rose on the bottom left hand corner and on the response card.  Also, overall the images on this invitation have better coloring than the last version I created…I thought that it was a bit washed out overall…this one the graphics are a touch brighter and slightly bolder…what are your thoughts?…do you like this coloring better?

 Also, I kept the red and white middle layer since you mentioned you liked that.  For the back layer of cardstock I used the blue shimmer textured cardstock that was used on the very first sample that I sent you in the mail….which blue cardstock do you prefer?

 I used the “dark blue matte textured” cardstock for the middle layer instead of the pink like we discussed.  The size of the invitation is 6 3/4 x 4 3/4….I made it slightly smaller than the 5”x7” invitation that I originally sent you…does that size work for you? 

 What do you think?

So many great opportunities exist in the city of Lexington and the surrounding area to volunteer and help care for the pets who truly need help. Most of these wonderful rescue groups survive on volunteer help alone, and others have very few paid staff. Volunteering for one of these groups is a great way to spend your time, and is a very rewarding philanthropy. You love your pets, why not love some other animals who don’t have an owner?

The major shelter in the Lexington area is The Lexington Humane Society. They have a very large facility and require loads of volunteers to keep up with the numbers of animals they have on hand. They have a great volunteer program that allows you to view needs and options for volunteering online and sign up for them with your own username. They handle many fundraising events throughout the year and require volunteers for all kinds of activities. Aside from walking and socializing with their animals, they need people to handle paperwork, fundraise, work in their store, run their events and even help create original artwork.

Other smaller groups in the area include Woodstock Animal Foundation, The Way Home Rescue and The Haven for Dogs. They need volunteers who can lend a hand to caring for their animals and bring them to areas where they can be adopted. Most of these groups do not have permanant locations and are instead a group of foster homes for animals that operate under one name.

Some of these groups are featured on the “Lexington Animal Groups” page of our website. All others and those in the surrounding areas can be found through Petfinder.com. Simply type in your zip code and animal rescues and shelters in your area will be listed.

Gina Chen at the Nieman Journalism Lab recently published an article about a shift she wants to see in how journalists write. Where once the goal was “avoiding the near occasion of subjectivity, not true objectivity” now she wants journalists “who are bold and perhaps sometimes brash but who aren’t afraid to tell it like it is. I want journalists who feel something way down in the pit of their beings, and who aren’t afraid to show it.”

I don’t usually see this kind of attitude in newspaper articles (not including editorials and such things). But in blogs? All the time. For example, take a look at this excerpt from Daniel Fienberg’s blog, The Fien Print:

I Don’t Like Everything. Sorry. No matter how much TV I watch and no matter how much TV you watch, we’re not going to like all of the same things. So if you really enjoyed “Sex and the City” or “Carnivale” or “Boston Legal,” we’ll just agree to disagree on those shows. That’s just how these things go.

Some people reading The Fien Print might be turned off (especially if they’re fans of “Sex and the City” or “Boston Legal”). But the benefit of writing without trying to hide your personality outweighs the loss of a few readers: everyone who can agree to disagree with Fienberg or simply agrees with him will feel a bit more connected to the blogger behind the blog.

So while the article in question from Fienberg isn’t exactly a hard-hitting news story, readers of blogs may have come to expect a similar connection to their favourite newspaper columnist. This might have something to do with why Gina Chen from the Nieman Journalism Lab now wants to see more of who journalists are rather than simply reading their report on, say, the latest election. I know that this is true for me. I enjoy reading articles from journalists or bloggers whose personality I am familiar with from more than just the material they choose to write about.

A more subtle example of personality coming across through writing is the current Lexington columnist/blogger for The Economist. Take an excerpt from the short post, “Banning straight marriage by mistake”:

This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognise any legal status identical or similar to marriage.

Got that? The state may not recognise any legal status identical to marriage. Such as marriage.

This sounds like the libertarian argument that we should separate marriage and state, but I guess that wasn’t what they meant to say.

In my opinion (look, an opinion!) this post gets two things across: the fact that Lexington (Economist writers are anonymous) has a personality and that he isn’t afraid to let it shine through in his writing. Maybe this type of writing will catch on in newspapers or other forms of offline journalism; I for one hope it does. The growing popularity of blogs (blogosphere revolution? blogstorm? blog bang?) as substitutes for traditional journalism outlets is a sign of change in the industry, and journalists should choose to learn and adapt rather than stagnate.

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