As always, Shannon Hale’s Books of Bayern do not cease to impress me. The series continues with Razo’s younger sister, Rin, who has always felt isolated from her family. Rin has a special connection with the trees that no one understands; they seem to calm her instantly. But lately, the trees have not been “speaking” to her. When her older brother Razo comes with his girlfriend (or beau, I suppose. I’m not sure what they would call her in that point in time.), Dasha, she sets out with them to see the city, and find who “Rin” truly is.

Shannon Hale’s use of magic as “languages” brings you even closer to the characters, as you discover with them what their true potentials are: whether it be water speaking, animal speaking, or fire speaking. I always find her books refreshing from the typical stories out there, and I look forward to other books she may write.

To reserve Shannon Hale’s Forest Born, click on the picture

~Lindsay

Op zondag 29 november organiseerde de v.z.w. Happy-Team in de mooie Studio Hall te Brugge een schlagerrevue. Lucy ging er een kijkje nemen en zag er Nils, Paco Garcia, John Dennis, Christoff en Lindsay aan het werk. Het was weer een zeer geslaagde shownamiddag volgens Lucy.

I had been looking for a Rachel Zoe-ish Tranny platform for a while. I wanted something that was uber high but still had a little class. Bring in Baybe, by Steven Steve Madden, which is almost identical to the YSL “Imperiale.”Mine are black but I could only find a picture in plum. Don’t you love the heel?

Particularmente, amo a Lindsay Lohan. Até respeito o seu uso de drogas, pois ela tem como desculpas os pais problematicos e uma vida de trabalho desde os 8 anos de idade (cada um na sua).

Agora se tem uma coisa que me deixou sem palavras, foi ver  a nova invenção da Lilo: uma Hello Kitty de calçinha e soutien.

Acredito que não seja um mau exemplo vestir roupas íntimas, mas acho que crianças devem ter infância e se ela não teve, só posso lamentar. Por quê um ícone infantil, tão puro e ingênuo, precisaria de lingerie?

Li em algum lugar que Courtney Love comentou que Britney Spears foi molestada pelo pai e neste mesmo lugar faziam piadinhas sobre isso. Fiquei muito triste com essa declaraçao de Courtney, que pelo o que eu saiba não tem vínculo nem proximidade nenhuma com Miss Spears.

Fiquei ainda mais triste pela forma como a imprensa MARROM está tratando desse assunto. E até hoje, a assessoria de imprensa de Britney não se manifestou, (e acredito que nem vá) pois isso já e com a Lei.

Courtney está falida e parece querer cavar mais seu buraco, já Lindsay quando está se levantando faz uma m… dessas.

Me pergunto o que essas pessoas têm na cabeça? Será que é legal fazer uma brincadeira desse nível? Será que é essa educação que as crianças vão ter no futuro? Preocupando-se em fazer dinheiro, mesmo que seja com a desgraça alheia?

Não sei como será o futuro, mas sei que no meu passado aprendi outras virtudes.

Acorda Lilo! Se manca Courtney… Go Britney, Go Hello Kitty!

Gilvan Oliveira
XX

We (I) could not have had much a much better day today! It started off with a haircut, which I haven’t had since August 1st. I travel 1 hour each way to get my hair cut because I love my stylist so much that I can’t bring myself to switch to someone closer. When I called in October she was booked until JANUARY for a cut and color, so I had to settle for the cut only. Well we get halfway through my cut and she says she has time to give me a color too! So needless to say, cut, color, hand and scalp massage and paraffin wax dip for my worn computer fingers…..let me tell you…I felt like a new woman. I knew it was going to be a great day.

Kory and I were planning on going to a matinée with some friends this afternoon, but after feeling the sun beating on my face and taking Sconnie for a walk, I knew I didn’t want to spend my day cooped up in a movie theater. We rearranged our plans to go on hike at Devil’s Lake. We decided to bring the puppy….ambitious, I know. We were fully prepared to have to let our friends go ahead without us if Sconnie got too tired, but we were going to give it a try. Well we ended up doing the WHOLE north shore trail, then hiked all the way up the bluff to the very very top, then all the way back down. Sconnie was SUCH a good girl. She walked on her leash so good for her dad… she had WAAY more energy to make it up the very very steep steps than her momma! Here are some pictures from our great day!

FRIENDSGIVING TOMORROW!! Pictures and stories to come!

This is one of our favorites to bring to a party. Super easy, very few ingredients and oh,  so yummy!!

prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus with Marinated Carrots

Ingredients:

1/2 c. shredded carrots

1/2 bunch of asparagus

1 package of prosciutto

olive oil

1/8 c. balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

Marinate carrots in balsamic vinegar for 1/2 hour. While marinating, steam asparagus spears for only about 2-3 minutes, you still want them crispy. Blanch in ice bath. Cut asparagus in half. Cut prosciutto in half, as well. Place asparagus on top of the prosciutto along with a few marinated carrots, wrap up the prosciutto, and there you have it!! Add freshly cracked pepper and salt and drizzle with olive oil. Refrigerate before serving!

I have two new things to be thankful for this year!

My wonderful husband!

..and our little love, Sconnie!

Slechts één week hield het gelegenheidskwartet Christoff, Lindsay, Mieke en Dennie met de remake van “Zaterdagavond” stand op de eerste plaats in de Top 15 van JouwRadio. Die eerste plaats werd overgenomen door Clouseau met het nummer “Zij aan zij”. Guustje blijft op drie staan met zijn “Vliegtuiglied”. Er is deze week slechts één nieuwkomer namelijk Mega Mindy met haar “Megamobiel”. Zij komt binnen op twaalf. 

Je kan zelf deze hitparade mee helpen samenstellen via www.jouwradio.be . Je vindt hier ook de ganse hitparade terug. De uitzending heeft plaats op zondag tussen 12 en 13 uur. Er zijn heruitzendingen op zondagavond om 23 uur  en op maandagavond om 18 uur.

Ao que tudo indica, Lindsay Lohan é à prova de cagadas e críticas…
Pois mesmo depois de toda a imprensa especializada e até mesmo o próprio Emanuel Ungaro críticar ferózmente a sua coleção de estréia de Li-Lo como conselheira artística da marca que leva o seu nome.
Ela continua no cargo oficialmente confirmadíssima pelo CEO da Ungaro.

OK?!

I turned 23 today.  I’m still not sure how I feel about it.  I mean, I was just 22, and 22 is a great age; it’s a palindrome, so how could it not be?  Then to move to 23… well, let’s just say that I’m not too trusting of prime numbers.  Plus, Blink-182 says no one likes you when you’re 23, and that’s kind of disheartening.  (Warning: Facetiousness, Will Robinson.)  Thus far, I’m not keen on the age, but I’m going to give it the benefit of the doubt.

Once of the gifts my roommate gave me for my birthday is a gift card to B&N.  I thought I knew what book I wanted to purchase with it (still leaving money left over for another one), but after telling my brother that I was thinking of taking his advice to read a particular book, he said, “You can just read my copy when you come home.”  And I mentally huffed, because while that is a good point, that leaves me clueless as to which book(s) to buy.  There are just so. many. options.  If I don’t decide, I’ll be hiding that gift card for months trying to decide what to purchase, because I will want everything.  Also, if the book he suggested is good, then I’ll want my own copy.  I’m all about the sharing, but not so much when it comes to my books.  So, now I am torn.  Ideas, people?

I was going to post more, but I am very exhausted, and I figure that since it’s my birthday, I reserve the right to post or not post whatever I want.  If you disagree, save it for tomorrow.

Fingers crossed summer is here to stay. check out the weather forecast for this week…like wow! HELLLO SUNSHINE. I’m really looking forward to a busy & exciting week. It’s going to be a goodie because it’s my last week of TAFE. I finished printing all my photos last week Thursday. Cut all the boards + windows, they look great (so proud of myself). I need to do some spotting on some photos, maybe reprint 2-3. and i need to stick the photos in the matt’s and try not to freak out to much. I will scan and put all the photos up soon i promise

Also the Rockingham photography club is having their annual photography exhibition down at the waikiki shopping centre this week. So if you are in the area pop in and vote for your favorite photo!

Dream 2 of this week was scribbled down, this time in my regular messy writing, not all-caps but joined and very scruffy. I also drew a little drawing to try and remember an element of me dream. A beach. It had a statue on it which looked kind of like that American Rod thing in Washington DC, or like the black towers in Digimon. Was weird. Here we go with the badly structured, written and remembered notes.

“I have special powers (levitation) when A and his sisters take me to a beach (used to be Palestinian, Serbian?) – There is a statue and I close my eyes and can levitate – either no-one sees me or cares. (Dream, Weds 18/11/09)

Then L has powers takes ring pull of can removes from inside from the side and re-attaches. - Friend talks about living with father as does unknown, quite large South Asian guy?

I, in different kind of story pass through building (dome shape) land in chair seating area – only little girl notices – I make my way somewhere. Don’t remember.

At work and watching a movie from 2 producers - a woman (looks like Lindsay Lohan but is nice / friendly) is there – I keep taking oranges from reduction and putting back in place while B does opposite. This happens twice before he explains – comes to scene where woman is naked and with a man – she explains the movie is called terminator, but rather than it being a joke she looks upset – starts crying while she is comforted by me – I feel sorry - don’t know why.”

Right. It isn’t exactly a pornographic movie but it seems to be that this woman really didn’t like seeing the movie being played seemingly in a random place on a rubbish old television with video in a supermarket. On top of this was me not being able to understand either why this whole idea existed or why it was at my work and including people I’d never thought I’d dream about.

The way it started was very different, with the superpowers. It felt so cool. What I didn’t seem to write down but remember is that we took public transport after the first part on the beach to a bridge. That’s where the discussion about father came up and where I, from the free way, levitated towards a building with quite a bit of teeth gritting difficulty to land on the side of this building which was more harsh a curve than the millennium dome but very similar. I then, with more eye closing and teeth gritting passed through it to land on a chair standing upright, only to be noticed by a single person. A little girl.

At the beach part it seemed like I knew a lot about this almost mythical history, of some different culture that had been forgotten and where this scene with the statue, also right near a bridge – albeit a lot quieter with seemingly no nearby traffic, released dormant powers in chosen people. This was another cool dream I thought would be a good adaptation to a story. But it’s not complete, the picture is bare and it seems to make little sense to me why it’s so random, jumping from about 3 to 4 different scenes and changing faces of friends and people I know while inventing about 3 new people at the same time.

I wrote a note on my phone a little bit later on, like something hit me suddenly about the dream that I had to record…

“It was night time on the tiny beach. Moon and stars were out. It was beautiful.”

The Beach with the Statue

I know we are just getting to know each other but sadly, I will not be around for the next two weeks. Why? CAUSE I’M GOING TO THAILAND! I am so excited that I look like a 5 year old kid at Christmas.

To truly honor the spirit of this epic trip (not to mention my first vacay in two years), I have decided it should be internet free. Yes, this is making my palms sweat a little. No, I would never leave you without a parting gift.

Since I’ve already spoken of my love for both Atlas Sound and Panda Bear, what better way to leave you then with these two forces COMBINED?! “Walkabout” is on Atlas Sound’s new album Logos but Bradford Cox previously released it over the summer. If you read the extensive and utterly charming interview that Pitchfork posted this week, Cox goes through the album track by track and discusses “Walkabout” at length and said he created this song with the listener’s happiness in mind.

Whenever “Walkabout” is playing, I do, in fact, find it literally impossible to be unhappy. Therefore, even though it’s not necessarily a “new” tune, it really captures the spirit of how I’m feeling today on the verge of an adventure. Plus, it’s one of my favorite songs of the whole year. I hope you enjoy and I’ll get back to posting as soon as I return.

MP3: Atlas Sound (ft. Noah Lennox) – “Walkabout”

[Ed. Note: We'll miss you Lindsay!!!!!!!]

xo,
Linds

Lilyrae (parents Louise and Lindsay)

Sienna (Chloe and Liam) (parents Naomi & Paul)

Makayla (parents Cassie & Sam)

Louis (Henry) (parents Nichola & David)

Edward (Benji & Samuel) (parents Ruth & Nick)

Jade (parents Sita & Henry)

Kelsey (parents Teresa & Lee)

Sapphire (parents Vanessa, Kevin, Shareen & Nathan)

courtesy of google maps

If you’ve been in New York for longer than a day, you’ve been here: standing on the subway platform, watching the rats scurry, wondering how a person’s ONE sock somehow fell beneath the tracks below you. In waiting for the subway, one is left with much time to dwell in the mysteries of the underground, made realities by the New York City Transit Authority.

What happens at the end of the line? How do the trains turn around? For years, I’ve assumed there’s a trick that I’m just not seeing in plain sight – something that happens when I’m not looking or because I’m not paying enough attention. Well, yes and no.

“You clearly don’t live in New York,” said a slightly irritated Charles Seton, a Spokesperson for The New York City Transit Authority, when I reached him on the phone. Evidently,there’s no magic. And there’s really nothing to it either, according to Charles, who has been with the MTA for 18 years. When each train reaches the other end of the track, he explained, the engineer walks to the other end of the train, and it just goes back the other direction. “There’s only one line in the city that turns around, and that happens on a loop track – the 6 and the turn around is at the Brooklyn Bridge stop,” said Charles.

Sure, it made sense. But I still didn’t quite understand all the nuts and bolts of the process. Take the L train, which Charles says has “thirty cars on the track at one time”: if the cars just go back and forth without turning around, won’t they collide at some point en route? Charles, not-so-patiently, explained that the L train pulls into 8^th Avenue on one track. The train operator then goes to the opposite end of the train, pulls out of the station, and switches to another track. A HA. I hadn’t thought about switches before – therein lies the key to my confusion.

Onto my next question: How do the trains get underground to begin with? “I always assumed that the subway cars were built underground somehow,” said Eric, a twenty-something daily subway rider. But Charles had the answer. “Our trains are built in Yonkers and upstate. They access underground through the tracks on the street level. Tractors bring them in to the city and they get lowered down.”

The Spokesman for the MTA also told me “newer cars travel up to 600,000 miles between break downs.” If a subway were to break down or require repair, they are fixed in one of the 15 subway yards scattered throughout the city. Which, of course, brought up a new question – how do those cars get aboveground for repairs? But something in Charles’s tone told me it was time to just hang up.

In an effort to reach out to our larger community and make a difference, our friends at Gay Visalia presents their first annual Holiday Toy Drive. This year they are supporting Child Welfare Services (CWS) and their “Brighten a Child’s Winter Sky” program. There are many, many children who are in the system that deserve to have a happy holiday season. Please help them in putting smiles on those innocent little faces. Please open your hearts to those children who might not otherwise have a reason to be joyous.

You may visit the CWS website (click link here) to learn more about their program and also to get gift ideas. You can select an age group and even buy for individual children if you wish. Otherwise, we really need toys for ages 5+, boys and girls. Let’s not forget about those teens either! Gift cards are accepted and would make an easy purchase for you. Also, if you don’t have time to go out and buy something Brooke will accept cash donations and do the shopping herself.

You may drop off your UNWRAPPED toys at Lawrence Tractor Co. in Visalia or at Brooke’s house (address upon request) Also, if you are a business owner or individual who would like to provide a drop off location please contact Brooke so she can let people know (thank you!). If you work or go to school you can always have co-workers and friends get involved too.

GayVisalia would love to collect 200 toys, please help them reach that goal! The toy drive will last through December 10th. GayVisalia will be dropping off their collection on CWS’s deadline of December 11th. Those wonderful social workers will then have the pain staking task of wrapping them all but then the emotional satisfaction of delivering them and seeing happy little faces.

Thank you all in advance for your participation! Thank you for making a difference in our society. This will be the first of many outreach activities GayVisalia will be hosting. Change is on the horizon and it’s up to us to make that change. A better world is everyone’s responsibility. We can do a lot of good while trying to sway mindsets. After all, the quickest way to an adversaries mind is through his heart. Let’s love them to death!

~Peace be with you all~ Brooke  GayVisalia.com

This upcoming weekend has many tree lighting ceremonies and festivals of light events north of Toronto including the towns and cities of Barrie, Goderich, Tottenham,
Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Collingwood,Lindsay, Kapuskasing, Wasaga Beach. Family Fun north of Toronto

Normally I would tell you all to beware of those musical projects that are crazily over-hyped. They only tend to disappoint in the end.

But around a month ago, Sub Pop filtered out Teen Dream, the new LP from Beach House, to a few select bloggers who immediately began tweeting that it was sure to be the best album of 2010. Then Ed Droste from Grizzly Bear got in on that action and said it was actually one of the ten best albums of his entire life.

Naturally I was completely jealous and moped about, enraged that I had to wait for January to roll around. UNTIL TODAY.

Victoria and Alex were lovely enough to post their new single “Norway” on the interwebz and give the blood-thirsty crowd a taste of what’s to come.

I won’t say too much about the song as it’s already been written up to death. But I will say this.

BELIEVE THE HYPE.

MP3: Beach House – “Norway”

xo,
Linds

I had a little crisis of conscience a few days back after posting about that Dirty Projectors cover. I decided that it is much better to share music that I like and find interesting with all of you then contribute to more negative shiz on the internet. (I mean, there’s enough of that isn’t there?) So apologies and please know that is what you’ll be seeing from me from this point onwards.

Now about Animal Collective. I am still in the process of learning to genuinely enjoy this band so I am not quite as fanatical as most of their audience tends to be. Even after catching them live at ATP earlier in September, I was still sort of on the fence. But I truly adore Panda Bear and after listening to Merriweather Post Pavilion for the better part of a year, I’m coming around. At dinner the other night, a friend pointed out to me that nearly all their lyrics concern social responsibility and becoming good people, so I think that’s a good starting point from which to listen if you struggle with them as well.

“In the Flowers” is actually quite the love song and if I was forced to make an interpretation, I would say its about the guys missing their wives when they’re on tour. Simple but potent. This particular track has a dark, ominous overtone, which fits perfectly. The dark side of love is being kept from your loved one and missing them; torture in and of itself.

According to Stereogum, the video was directed by Abby Portner (who happens to be Avey Tare’s sis).

MP3: Animal Collective – “In the Flowers”

xo,
Linds

The amount of time that I spend busy really means little in comparison to the amount of time I spend being fruitful. If nothing is coming from my business, then of what good is it. Things have been amazing. Really, more than amazing. I have set up plans to attend two different schools; one to complete my associates in general studies and one to get credit toward classes for my bachelors in neuroscience and behavioral biology. I am too excited for words on beginning these classes in January . I feel like all of a sudden, He woke me up. I fell in love with Him, and he woke me up!! As I’m writing, that I got goose bumps all over my head . I feel like He just took over my eyes and now I can see what I am supposed to do. And I love it.

And to top it all off. I am seriously, wonderfully in love. With, of all people, my high school sweetheart. I adore her in every way. It seems like every time I give myself up as an offering, the most amazing things happen. So now I am working on the art of allowing. My biggest hurdle.  I ask for things in faith but I do not allow them into my life because I have felt unworthy. But that ends here and now. That is a cycle that I saw presented in my parents and I no longer with to continue on that path. I am deserving of beauty in life because I am a co-heir with Christ. He has come so that I may have a life and have it more abundantly. I am aware of that now. I am waking up. Thank you Lord.

De eerste vier plaatsen in “De Vlaamse Top 15″ van volgende week blijven dezelfde. Dat betekend dat K3 op één blijft staan met “MaMaSé”, Eric Flanders blijft op de tweede plaats staan met “Wil jij met mij naar buiten gaan” en het schlagerkwartet Christoff, Lindsay, Mieke en Dennie blijven op drie met hun nieuwe versie van “Zaterdagavond”. Ook Paul Severs blijft staan op vier. Er is één nieuwkomer namelijk Christoff op veertien met “Ga nooit meer van huis” .

De “Vlaamse Top 15″ wordt samengesteld door de bezoekers aan de website www.devlaamsetop15.tk . De hitparade wordt uitgezonden op verschillende niet openbare en internetradio’s.

There is an old Chinese saying which may have been attributed to Confucius and it goes like this,”有朋自遠方來,不亦樂乎.“  Translation:  There are few things more delightful in life than friends visiting from far away places.  Yesterday was such a day–blessed by mild weather, and having riders, both from here locally and as far away as Houston and Louisiana, with whom to share a ride, some local culture, and a nice meal together.  It was just fantastic!–Lorenzo

(L~R) Lindsay, Bruce, Ron, Linda, Jim, Bell, Ed, Brian, Butch, and Larry

Bruce rode up on his new 09 Honda VTX 1300R

Sporting a new look well-suited to his new bike, Bruce also broght his lovely wife Linda

Butch in a "Code: Orange" reflective hoodie

Mike came to visit with us...

...On his new Jeep Grand Cherokee

Lindsay and Ron moments before departure

Just after we got on FM365, Brian (from Houston) joined us for a ride to the Louisiana-side of Sabine Lake

Bruce and Brian, next to his Aprilia Scarabeo 500ie

Code name: Thundercats

Loaded with every gadget known to contemporary men

Very clever Signalfly Wireless Helmet LED brakelight and 3M SOLAS reflective tape

Group takes lake-side snapshot...

And, another (thanks, Linda, for the nice pic)...

Next to the soon-to-be-completed (TX to LA) causeway bridge

Caught up with Ed and riders from Louisiana at the museum--my first time here so the obligatory run up to the 2nd floor to see this...

Replica of Janis Joplin's psychedelic painted '65 Porsche 356 Cabriolet

There is also a bronze sculpture of Janis by local artist Douglas Clark

Of course, not to forget the Robert Rauschenberg exhibit and many other wonderful displays of the rich gulf coast history and culture

Ron had suggested earlier the newly-opened GEO Burrito in Nederland for lunch

...And I ordered three delicious tacos (carnitas, pollo and carne asada), why, are you having problems seeing the tacos?

Parting shot (thanks again, Linda) and a fitting end to a wonderful day...

But of course, the day just wouldn't be complete for Brian, who scooted from Houston to Louisiana, then crossed over both the Veterans Bridge and the Rainbow Bridge, the tallest bridge in Texas!

I rode with Brian to Winnie, then on the way home, feeling so happy, I made some doughnuts to celebrate the day (not really; but I wished that I could)!

*For more photos from our ride today, including the visit to to Port Arthur’s must-see Museum of the Gulf Coast, please go here and comment whenever you feel like it.  Thanks!

Oh! And how can I forget??!! ERIN COMES HOME NEXT WEEKEND! I am in serious serious need of hearing Erin’s laughter in person! I can’t believe it’s been 3 months since she and Dani moved to Denver. That is way.too.long. to go without seeing them!….waaaay too long! Erin, if you are reading this, please be warned, you are going to get the biggest SQUEEZE ever!!  Unfortunately, I have to wait to see Danielle until Christmas

I am lucky enough to have some AMAZINGLY wonderful girlfriends. I love them like my sisters, but over the past couple years, my friends and I have slowly scattered ourselves across the country, so the thought of seeing a few of my best girlfriends next weekend and over Thanksgiving makes me feel all excited like when I was in grade school and my mom said I could go to a sleepover!!

Waiting for Danny to try on shirts at American Apparel.