In today’s Torah reading we read “and it was in the morning, and behold it was Leah”. Jacob had been tricked and had married Leah instead of Rachel, and apparently didn’t realize it until the morning! How on earth is this possible?

The X Factor: Kyle enters The X Factor to follow his passion of singing and love of Girls Aloud. Will his idol Cheryl put him through to the next round?

El Peor Cantante del Mundo

La Mas Agresiva Del Factor X

This is probably the angriest contestant we’ve ever had on The X Factor. Rachel thinks she’s got what it takes to win – but her reaction turns nasty when the judges don’t agree.

The X Factor 2009: 40-year-old Daryl from East Sussex is a cabinet maker by day, but is following his passion in his brother’s memory. Will he make it through?

Eighteen-year-old, Leon, shop assistant wants to sing, but his mum’s not too sure. Has he got what it takes?

John & Edward The X Factor: Twins John and Edward from Ireland bound onto the stage with incredible confidence – but have they got the voices?

X Factor – Crazy girl, she is angry. Enjoy!!

The X Factor 2009: Olly Murs is an ‘ordinary geezer’ but dreams of making it big. Does he have The X Factor?

These girls certainly make an entrance! They give Dermot quite a surprise too!  They call themselves Fallen Angels

Lloyd Daniels The X Factor 2009: 16-year-old Lloyd has only ever performed in school plays, and is nervous about his audition. Will the judges be impressed?

The X Factor 2009: With a member of the group who has failed The X Factor before, have Miss Fitz got that spark the judges are looking for?   MISSFITZ

18 year old shop worker Matthew thinks he can be the next Robbie Williams… but he starts with some impressions of previous winners…

Thanksgiving was yesterday… I am still awestruck because it was actually a lot of fun. For the first time in many years I enjoyed the company of my mothers side of the family. It was a traditional thanksgiving dinner but my Cuban mother threw in some good Spanish dishes. The food was all fabulous … I gave my sister a hug and a kiss before I left and it was also for the first time in a long time not forced. Her boyfriend was there his name is Will and I expected him to be a total creep…. But he was actually really nice, he has a bit of a speech impediment but he at least seems like a nice guy. My step dad stayed pretty much out of the way of everything and did not have the autocratic presence he usually does. This is also the first family function I have been to since I escaped from my moms house last year… Yeah escaped. My next thanksgiving is with the Millers out in the boondocks, I have the car ready to go and now I am just waiting for the call from Lexie. I have already eaten to much…. I can’t believe I was able to enjoy thanksgiving. I guess it is true what they say about space fixing family problems =).
Well I jsut woke up around 12:30am it is still “today” so I have time to get this blog entry in! Last ngiht with Lexie was a lot of fun, I drove her and her siblings way out into the boonies to her uncle Steve’s place. The car ride there was funny Eli showed us he can’t count very well and Xylie just kinda laughed at him. I found it funny that I was going 80mph down a dark curvy road just to keep up with Lexie’s parents ><. When we finally got to steve's place everyone was there and there was a ton of food. I was already pretty stuffed from the night before and couldn't eat much. Haze the puppy (not actually a puppy per say) was adorable and calm as usually, sonny the doxin was also cute as can be. It is sad because you can tell that both dogs are still getting over Lincolns death… The time at Steve's house as a whole was pretty fun right as uncle Pete and aunt Sandra were leaving Lex and I took off, but not before she beat my high score on paper toss.
What happened next was strange, Lex navigated me back to Gainesville; which is typical because I have no sense of direction, and we found a dark place to well… "watch the submarine races." Long story short after some fancy positoning the sex was FANTASTIC, Lex was really into it and it was hot and heavy like it is suppose to be =). Afterwards Lex and I just lied down with each other and cuddled in the warm slightly humid SUV… Yeah I have a big car so no worries. I drove her home and watched the godfather with her and her parents for a bit and then drove home and fell asleep.
So I wake up this morning and I go out to the mail box and find that I have two things in the mail for me. A slightly late package from Lexie and a letter from Mandi. Both were great and I can't wait to write back. Chemistry class is trying to have a reunion sometime this week and Rachel wants me to see New Moon with her and creepy Zach kid. We will see how things turn out. I certainly had a lot to write today, I am happy to say my week is just getting better =].

Just a small town girl, livin’ in a lonely world
She took the midnight train goin’ anywhere
Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit
He took the midnight train goin’ anywhere

A singer in a smoky room
The smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on

Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the nights
Streetlights, people, living just to find emotion
Hiding, somewhere in the nights

Working hard to get my fill,
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin’ anything to roll the dice
Just one more time

Some will win, some will lose
Some are born to sing the blues
And now the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on

Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlight, people, living just to find emotion
Hiding, somewhere in the night

Don’t stop believin’
Hold on to that feelin’
Streetlight, people oh, oh, oh

Don’t stop believin’
Hold onto that feelin’
Streetlight, people oh, oh, oh
Don’t stop

“Hairography”

November 25th, 2009

Last week, I had an extensive Twitter conversation with Jace Lacob about Glee, and the argument boiled down to the question of whether or not the show’s characters were one-dimensional. And what was interesting is that Jace and I don’t disagree: the show’s characters are, on occasion, blindly one-dimensional. However, I argued that the show is still in its infancy, and that considering its identity crisis it’s actually doing a decent job of slowly sketching out its characters.

However, I do think that one of the show’s problems is its decision to have characters waver between substantial character development and broad archetypes week by week. While a show like Friday Night Lights, with a similar ensemble cast of characters that often move in and out of the show’s narrative, is dealing with fairly grounded and realistic characters, Glee is slowly humanizing caricatures. And as a result, you have a character like Artie fluctuating from a handicapped student struggling to relate to his classmates to a random background character in a wheelchair, which feels false. Rather than the character development compounding over time, changing the way the show’s dynamics operate, the exact opposite is happening: while individual episodes give Kurt or Quinn or Puck storylines that expand on their identity, outside of the main serialized storyline (Finn and Quinn’s baby) they revert back to their original modes.

It creates a sense that, for a show which is at its best when characters are being developed and explored in a concentrated fashion, the plots of the show itself don’t actually seem to be changing in kind, and the show reverts back to a farcical comedy more often than not. At the heart of “Hairography” is the fairly simple premise that beneath the distractions we create for ourselves is a sense of our true identity, as various characters test out potential distractions only to find that their heart takes them in a different direction.

However, Glee is a show that is all about distractions, and while this individual episode may have peeled everything back to show the supposed true colours of the various characters the show is never going to stop delivering show-stopping musical numbers or interjecting random musical sequences into largely unrelated scenes. The result is an episode that, rather than representing a legitimate step forward for the series, only draws attention to some of its long-term, cumulative limitations: it can tug at the heartstrings and build character when it wants to, but this is never going to start being a show about twelve kids singing on stools.

Especially not with a fake pregnancy storyline hanging over it.

Now, I am aware that this show (as Twitter user Genshikenn points out) is never overly subtle, so I shouldn’t be annoyed that “Hairography” throws the distractions narrative done our throats with numerous mentions of the term (Quinn wanting to distract Finn, Terri wanting to distract Will, Kurt self-identify as a distraction, Sue talking about being distracted from winning, and of course the eponymous hairography). But when your central theme is the idea that things should be simple and clear, stripped down of the big hair and the crazy dancing in order to fall into a natural pattern, and your episode works for every second of that emotional impact without an ounce of subtlety, that’s problematic for me. Ian Brennan’s script argues that no distraction will ever truly satisfy you, and that you’ll always return to what feels natural and right; however, while I thought the episode resulted in a number of compelling moments (especially the Sign Language collaboration on “Imagine,” which went for the emotional jugular), it never felt particularly natural in the least.

It’s an episode that also demonstrates that the idea of developing each character individually isn’t actually improving on their overall dynamic, as the Glee Club itself felt bizarrely splintered in this episode. When Kurt commented that this was the first time Quinn had ever spoken to him, it reverted back to the stereotypes (Kurt as the social outcast, Quinn as the stuckup and opportunistic cheerleader) that have largely been written out of the two characters through episodes like “Preggers” and last week’s “Ballad.” It’s one thing if every episode doesn’t feature a scene that clearly shows an evolution of a particular character, but Quinn and Kurt could have had this conversation five weeks ago and it would have been just as relevant. In fact, the entire episode could have taken place after “Preggers” and it wouldn’t have been that much of a stretch. And while I understand it’s still early in the season, a lot of substantial character development has happened since that point that should be reflected in how these characters act that just isn’t. Yes, we read Quinn’s efforts to distract Finn and get to know Puck as less problematic since we’ve both seen Quinn humbled (in “Ballad”) and Puck humanized (in “Mash-Up”), but the episode did nothing to reflect this (especially in terms of turning Puck into a complete and total cad).

There was a lot of criticism of “Mash-Up” (where Puck and Rachel got together, and where we saw the Emma/Will story front and center), which was also written by Brennan, but I liked the episode at the time because it showed different sides to characters and connected the three stories together with a central theme that made sense for each of them. However, now I realize that what really made me like the episode was that Terri Schuester was entirely absent from it. I like Jessalyn Gilsig, but this episode reminded us why we were all so glad they put the storyline on the back burner for a while. Not only is Terri’s sister unquestionably the worst character on the show (compared to her, Terri’s downright compelling), but the storyline is the ultimate sort of distraction from where the heart of the show really lies. And perhaps what made Brennan’s theme fall so far short here was that there is no way he is capable of convincing the argument that there is an honest, heartfelt reason why Terri continues to fake a pregnancy considering the potential long-term ramifications. The show has shown us too much of Will and Emma’s flirtations for us to actually root for this marriage to survive, and any chance of having pity for Terri was gone the moment the character was conceived as a shrill drain on Will’s spirit. There’s no redeeming this storyline, no matter the amount of times the theme is drilled into our heads, and it certainly coloured my opinion of the episode considering its prevalence.

There were, of course, elements of the episode I quite liked. I thought that meeting the two other Glee clubs was a solid extension of the show’s world view, and both Eve and Michael Hitchcock (who I recognized most as Ira Gilligan from Arrested Development) were strong as their respective leadership. The scene with Hitchcock’s Dalton Rumba (which is an amazing name, by the way) and Will going back and forth with the partially deaf Rumba misinterpreting what Will is saying is a very simple comedy scene, and with Hitchcock’s timing was really well done. I thought getting a preview of the other schools ahead of Sectionals is also smart in terms of making that event seem like an actual event, as “Sectionals” has seemed like an ambiguous goal up to this point. The episode also nicely used the schools to provide the episode’s broadest storyline, as the Jane Adams Academy girls provide the inspiration for hairography and the Academy for the Deaf provides the impulse to switch to something much simpler.

And if the episode had just been about that idea, perhaps it might have been a more consistent episode, but it just tried to do too many things. Sue suddenly back and gunning for Glee club came out of nowhere, and although it creates tension for Sectionals it never really fit into the episode other than some great delivery from Jane Lynch. And when you pile in Rachel and Kurt’s love for Finn, Quinn’s concern over Puck, Terri’s attempts to distract Will, and then try to throw them all together, you realize that nothing really got accomplished: Quinn’s back where she belongs, Will is still devoted to his child, and Finn and Quinn are still together with Kurt and Rachel still pining after him even while acknowledging they don’t have a shot.

Brennan’s approach to the script seemed to be that they had the central idea (dictated by the big musical numbers), so what they needed was ways to tie the characters into that idea in order to effectively fill time. There was no specific character development that needed to happen in the episode, and you could sense this as the stories were happening. Twitter user ageekinthepink notes that it seems like the show keeps raising the same issues as if they are new, and that nothing ever seems to conclude, and while I’m not sure the show is going to be able to “wrap up” storylines just yet (Terri will be the first real test) I do agree that it seems like an episode like this one invented or repeated conflict to fill time more than letting things follow through naturally. It went into characters’ heads to show them hatching crazy schemes in a way that kept things moving but that never felt natural even when everyone got together and sang a stirring version of “True Colours” in the end.

As a result, “Hairography” is unfortunately devoid of the quality that made me argue the show’s merits with Jace in the first place. Its sense of incremental character development requires an acknowledgement that some things have changed, and for episodes to give a clear sense that our changing perspectives on these characters are in some way reflected in their behaviour (as none of the character beats have taken place entirely isolated from the show’s other characters). Instead, we get an episode that in an effort to fill out an intelligent story decision (previewing and setting the stage for Sectionals in two weeks’ time) reverts the characters to their original archetypes and accomplishes nothing substantial in the process. It’s as if any time the show tries to move the show’s plot forward it has no idea how to move the show’s characters forward at the same time, a sort of stop/start mentality that will only hurt it in the long run.

Cultural Observations

• Brittany is really coming into her own: she looked smoking hot (yeah, I said it) with her hair down, and “it’s like cool epilepsy” was the night’s most wrong, and thus most right, one-liner.
• When I heard they were doing “Papa Don’t Preach,” I was all excited about seeing more of Quinn’s family situation and the show using the song as an emotional look into her emotional state as she considers keeping the child. Instead, she performed it for a set of pre-teen triplets in an effort to calm them into submission, which is officially the weirdest application of that song I could possibly imagine. It’s a great song, and a great version from Dianna Agron, but its placement in the episode is token to the point of being utterly worthless.
• I’m officially over mashups for this show: I get that it allows them to introduce two different songs or contextualize a song young viewers might not be familiar with (“Hair”) with one they are (“Crazy in Love”), but this one never really came together. The show already did embarrassing with “Push It” much better, and musically I was left wanting more of Mercedes’ Beyonce impression and more of the cast breaking into the counterculture classic.
• Take being said, Artie as Jay-Z? Inspired. I wanted more.
• The show occasionally makes Kurt out to be extremely intelligent, so how do they justify his claim that he and Rachel are equally unlikely to ever be in a relationship with Finn? I get that he’s a dreamer (he’s not the only one, after all), but it makes the character seem blind to the point of incompetence.
• So, question of the week: how do they get out of this Terri situation? My current bet is a double miscarriage, in that Terri chooses to fake a miscarriage to stop the ruse and tell Will the truth only to have Quinn have a miscarriage at the same time leaving everyone childless and sad, which would have Will falling into Terri’s arms if not for the fact that he learns about the fake pregnancy and the pressure she placed on Quinn and murders her for it. Like?

picture by LiGado em Série/Flickr.com

Dear Show,

I really, really love you. I do. Your cast is both talented and diverse, you have lots of music that I love and you say that you’re all about breaking down stereotypes. Also, you have Puck. What’s not to love?

Except.

I am getting really, really tired of seeing you not actually break down these stereotypes at all. When you had Mercedes say, “I’m a strong, black woman… but that’s not all I am,” I practically cheered. That is a fantastic line, and exactly what I want to see. But that’s what you told me, not what I see.

Why are the kids from the “trouble-making” school mostly black? Did you seriously name that girl Aphasia? Aphasia, as in: “an acquired language disorder in which there is an impairment of any language modality… [which] may include difficulty in producing or comprehending spoken or written language.” Do you think it’s ironic and clever to give a character who doesn’t speak “proper English” a name that means a language disorder? Because I don’t.

And this “all women are crazy” theme you’ve got going on? I’m not a fan. I’m not sure why the female characters on this show have to be in competition with one another, and catty, and shrill, and deceitful, and so on. Last week, I was hugely uncomfortable by the whole Mr. Schue/Rachel storyline. Not just because I don’t like the teacher/student thing, or the fact that Rachel just jumped from Finn to Puck to Will, thus portraying the flighty teenage girl to perfection, but also because she really just seemed to be there to move his storyline forward. That seems to happen a lot. Where’s Ms. Pillsbury, if she’s not interacting with/thinking about/pining for Mr. Schue? Nowhere. Why doesn’t Rachel ever interact with the members of Glee who she isn’t interested in dating? (Except for Kurt, and this whole pitting the divas against each other thing is pretty lame, too). And when the women do interact, why is it never in a supportive way. Why is Santana calling her pregnant “friend” Tubbers and sexting Puck, who she only seems to want because Quinn wants him?

Show, sometimes you do beautiful, amazing things. Like the performance of “Imagine” tonight, which was touching and lovely. Or giving people who aren’t Rachel or Finn (Artie! Mercedes!! Tina!!!) solos. You have lessons like, you don’t need to be anything more than yourself to succeed. You have beautiful moments between parents and their kids, moments that feel real and how I wish life really was all at the same time (Kurt coming out to his dad, Finn telling his mom about Quinn’s pregnancy). You give otherwise unlikable characters moments that make them more 3D (Puck’s apology to Rachel, Sue’s—admittedly heavy-handed—interactions with her sister) and mostly likable characters a chance to mess up and then learn from their mistakes (Mr. Schue realizing they don’t need over-the-top hairography to shine). The scene where Quinn and Finn talk to her parents after they learn about her pregnancy? Heartbreaking, and so well-done.

There are lots of reasons for me to love you. But show, you really have to work on these stereotypes. I get what you’re trying to do, this “being subversive” thing you want to have going on. It’s just not working. Mostly it doesn’t work in annoying, little ways. Sometimes it doesn’t work in big, race-fail and gender-fail ways. Either way, it’s not working. I watch you because you make me laugh, and sometimes get a little teary, and you have great songs and a really talented cast. But if I keep getting smacked in the face with sketchy race and gender portrayals, there might come a time when those things aren’t enough.

Think about it.

Love,
Stacy

"El Factor X"

El Factor X: 27 años de edad, profesor Danyl tiene una pasión por el canto y se roba el escenario por completo en una increible primera audicion!

The X Factor: 27-year-old teacher Danyl has a passion for singing and manages to completely own the stage in an incredible first audition!

Connie Talbot singing Ben and winning her Britains Got Talent semi final

Andrew Johnston

The X Factor: It’s difficult to surprise Simon Cowell, but Stacey Soloman manages to do just that… Does she have The X Factor?

Jamie Archer AKA Jamie Afro has never had his chance to break into music, despite it being a lifelong dream. Will he get that chance today?

Joseph McElderry The X Factor: Joe from South Shields immediately got a yes from Cheryl before he started singing! But will he be able to perform well enough to impress the other judges?

Susan Boyle – Memory from Cats – Made Amanda Cry – Piers said brilliant!

You voted him, out of thousands of entrants, your X Factor winner 2007! Watch Leon Jackson perform his brand new single When You Believe!

Lucie Jones,The X Factor 2009: Nervous Lucie takes to the stage, but her choice of song is questioned by Simon. Has she got The X Factor?

The X Factor: 24-year-old Duane returns to The X Factor after failure at last year’s Boot Camp. Has he got what it takes for this year’s competition?

Shaheen Jafargholi Britains Got Talent Wins Semi Final,UNBELIEVABLE 12 YEAR OLD BOY SINGS!!!

Nicky Evans, who recently lost her father, tries her luck at the auditions – and manages to amaze even Simon!

Today is Mr.Law School’s 23rd birthday, but let’s not make this about him

I decided to spend my half-day not with him on his special day (ok, not as bad as that sounds!), but rather at the salon, gettin’ my hairs did.

And lord, was it time!

I recently found a picture of me from the EIGHTH GRADE with (nearly exactly) the same haircut! I mean, really. My name was synonymous with “long, curled-at-the-ends hair.” My MIL and SIL teased me about it. So it was time. Even if I was not ready. Even IF my hair did look pretty:

So I went in to the salon, 100 percent unsure of what to do. I asked my trusted hair lady for her professional opinion and to do whatever she thought best. And here’s how my little experiment turned out:

(That’s the part I don’t like. I asked for real bangs and instead got whatever this is. It reminds me of the 70s or 80s or something. Thank goodness for bobby pins!)

But I like this side and the back just fine. I think the whole top part flipped under and the bottom part flipped out is too reminiscent of Rachel’s (Jennifer Aniston’s) hair:

Too bad I can’t get that kind of volume!

Don’t tell me if you like it long better, please and thanks!

And there you have it, the long and short of it,

B

Há alguns anos, eu acompanhei minhas amig@s Vir, Marina e Ana Paula em um projeto chamado 101 coisas em 1001 dias, que foi trazido ao Brasil pela Patricia Muller.

Na época, não quis participar da brincadeira porque eu não tinha blog e achava que seria legal brincar compartilhando com os amigos.

Ai, na semana passada as meninas falaram novamente sobre o projeto e eu resolvi aderir também.

Minha lista esta ai em baixo e a data limite para eu concluir minhas tarefas é Quarta-feira, 22 de Agosto de 2012.

A medida que eu for concluindo as tarefas, vou riscando-as da lista e vocês vão poder acompanhar tudinho.

A lista:

1) Fazer o curso de doula

2) Mudar para a minha casa

3) Passar um natal na minha casa

4) Fazer uma segunda lua-de-mel

5) Conhecer pelo menos 5 amigas virtuais

6) Fazer duas tatoos

7) Fazer cirurgia plástica nos seios e na barriga

8 ) Ir a academia todas os dias por 30 dias sem interrupções

9) Passar em um concurso

10) Fazer voluntariado como doula

11) Fazer o curso de Educadora Perinatal

12) Montar um grupo de apoio á gestante e mães que amamentam

13) Aprender a cozinhar comida vegetariana

14) Fazer amigos em Brusque

15) Ir a Gramado com as crianças na páscoa

16) Levar Hellen ao Beto Carreiro

17) Voltar a pesar 50Kg

18) Escrever todos os dias neste blog por 30 dias

19) Aprender a costurar

20) Voltar a estudar Inglês

21) Voltar na Inglaterra

22) Comemorar meu aniversário de 10 anos de casamento com uma big festa

23) Batizar meus filhos

24) Tomar banho de chuva com meus filhos

25) Converter meu video de casamento para DVD

26) Fazer uma sessão de fotos com Hugues e as crianças

27) Matricular Hellen em uma aula de canto

28) Matricular Hellen em uma aula de flauta

29) Matricular Victor em uma aula de artes marciais

30) Falar em inglês com as crianças em casa

31) Responder duas cartinhas para o papai noel dos correios

32) Começar e terminar meu tratamento dentário

33) Tirar minhas manchas de pele

34) Ir a um ortopedista para consultar sobre as minhas dores da coluna

35) Ir ao oftalmologista

36) Fazer óculos novos e usa-los

37) Comprar sutiãns normais

38) Desmamar Victor

39) Jogar meus sutiãns de amamentação no lixo

40) Comprar pijamas bonitos

41) Viajar para o Nordeste com o Hugues

42) Doular o parto da minha irmã

43) Ir a pelo menos  um encontro sobre Humanização do Nascimento

44) Participar de uma semana nacional de Amamentação

45) Ler 12 livros em um ano

46) Comprar uma cama nova

47) Assistir a um jogo do Internacional com o Hugues em estadio

48) Fazer hidratação no cabelo 2 vezes no mês por 6 meses

49) mandar cartões de natal para todos os meus amigos pelo menos em 1 natal

50) Comer sorvete no pote, com as crianças e Hugues em um dia de calor

51) Comprar uma bicicleta para cada um de nós

52) Andar de bicicleta pelo menos 1 vez no mês

53) Dar um cãozinho para as crianças

54) Ir ao teatro

55) Fazer um site profissional para meu trabalho como doula

56) Fazer curso de auto-maquiagem

57) Levar as crianças para Ariquemes para elas conhecerem onde vivi

58) Reencontrar pelo menos 2 amigos de infãncia

59) Mandar imprimir fotos da Inglaterra, da Escocia e Bruxelas

60) Dar um presente legal para minha mãe e para o meu pai

61) Comprar panelas Le Creuset

62) Voltar a fazer minhas próprias bijoux

63) Pegar meu diploma da especialização

64) Fazer assinatura do gibi Turma da Mônica

65) Fazer compras na 25 de março e no Brás

66) Fazer video das crianças

67) Limpar meu Orkut, só deixando os “amigos”

68) Assistir a um filme que já vi, com Hugues e sem contar todo o filme

69) Voltar a fazer terapia

70) Fazer uma viagem com Hugues só para fazer Geocaching

71) Fazer café da manhã completo todos os dias por 7 dias

72) Comprar e usar uma saia jeans

73) Aprender a usar o banco online

74) Dirigir na estrada

75) Fazer pão manualmente

76) Fazer massa de pizza manualmente

77) fazer geléia caseira

78) Tomar minha homeopatia direitinho até acabar um vidro

79) Fazer um cardapio e segui-lo por 7 dias

80) Fazer To Do list e segui-la

81) Fazer seguro de vida

82) Responder aos emails de amigos assim que chegam

84) Não dormir com a pia cheia de louça por 1 mês

85) Tomar refrigerante somente nos fins de semana por 6 meses

86) Comer chocolate somente nos fins de semana por 6 meses

87) Arrumar guarda-roupas e gavetas 1 vez no mês

88) Aprender pintura em madeira

89) Aprender patchwork

90) Segredo

91) Assistir a todas as temporadas de Lost novamente (em inglês)

92) Comprar o box 2 de Lost (novamente)

93) Ir a um parque aquático

94) Voltar a cozinhar comida inglesa

95) Fazer cheesecake da Nigella

96) Passar creme antes de dormir por 1 mês

97) Cozinhar peixe pelo menos 2x na semana por 1 mês

98) Doar roupas que não são usadas a pelo menos 1 ano

99) Fazer chart de atividades para a Hellen

100) Ajudar pelo menos 3 pessoas a realizar alguma tarefa deste projeto

1001) Fazer uma nova lista no fim destes 1001 dias

You name them, we follow them. Whether it’s the self-imposed muses at Kingdom of Style, or the king of street stalking Sartorialist, fashion bloggers are the future.

We’ve shown our admiration for the Susie Style Bubbles, Bryan Boys and Tommy Tons, and Journalists from industry fashion bibles continue praise the mantras of those already on top. But fashion leaders must always be on the lookout for what’s new – what’s hot. Especially when a majority of the fashion bloggers shop at the same places.

The creme de la creme of High street retailers: American Apparel, Urban Outfitters, H&M, and Topshop are forever indebted to the fashionistas who consistently create looks on their blogs that inspire a growing batch of followers. Without this new school of “unofficial” spokespeople, fashion retailer’s net profits would plummet at jet speed.

This post is an ode the new generation of bloggers. They’re young, fashion-forward, and proudly Canadian.

Regardless of how different they are in content, the selected fashionistas have three things in common: high street style, thrift shops and character.

So here we go.(And by the way, all images are properties of the blog owners.)

The Dreamer: Rachel, 16, Serva Me, Servabo Te.

This young blogger loves pretty floral print dresses and far away places. In July 2008, Rachel founded  Save me, And I Will Save You. With piercing green eyes, fiery red hair, and a direct sense of fashion, Rachel updates her followers about fashion finds at Toronto’s vintage shops, and has a knack for binding art, fantasy books and music into her fashion entries. Though she has a passion for fashion, it’s easy to see her cultivating a career in the literary world, maybe with Penguin Books.

The Fashion Creator: Katia, 17, Blinding Bright Lights.

Whether Katia’s venturing european countries or strolling NYC, this Montrealer/Student  is a self-proclaimed “fashion-obsessed vegetarian with extremely high hopes for the future.” Fashion through her eyes is a cluttered barrage of colour, and putting looks together is much like changing underwear – she does it often. Her posts garner a legion of responses, which means she’s becoming a prominent voice within Canada’s fashion blogsphere. Maybe she’ll launch her own line, land a job at Colette or French Elle.

The Fashion Editor: Lea, 13, Lea Likes Fashion.

Don’t be fooled by the pouty demure in this picture; there’s nothing emo about Lea’s blog. In fact, it’s along the lines of UK’s Grazia. At just 13-years-old, Lea’s one of the most underrated yet promising personalities in Canadian fashion – literally. She’s a woman of little words but high on visual content. Noting Alexander McQueen as one of her favorite designers, she’s quick to post pre-season haute couture collections and one-on-one guides of her own daily looks. She’s got the look that will land her in front row of fashion weeks, and she’s got lifestyle flair; she posts food recipes and tips making her a well-rounded blogger. Word to the wise Lea, have you seen MCQ’s Spring/Summer 2010 collection of to die for bags?

The Society Girl: Olivia, 21, Stylestruck.ca.

She’s got a cute cropped cut and kick ass heels. And when she’s not giving the low down of what’s in her closet, Fashion Blogger Olivia does her own rendition of street stalking. She’s all about who’s who in the Vancouver’s (and abroad) fashion scene. She’s got a positive attitude and wears a bright smile to match. She’s definitely one of those fashionistas you’ll see working the PR circuit for a well-renowned fashion house, maybe Diane Von Furstenberg?

The Glam Girl: Abbey, 16, Abbey Karson Blog.

Abbey’s got enough style to be apart of the team behind über-fashion mags like Pop, or Katie Grand’s Love. Note the british mags mentioned; that’s because she’s cool, maybe too cool to be in Canada. With her doll-like features and semi-beehive hairstyle, Abbey is essentially Britpop to-the-max. The quality of the images on her blog are stunning and the fashion-girl-against-rural-backdrop (except when she is in front of her magazine poster plastered wall) is fresh and exciting.

The Indie Fashion Maven: Siân, 23, Good Stuff Here.

Out of all the bloggers, Siân would probably be the most anti-mainstream, though she genuinely is the most avant-garde. This Makeup Artist from Toronto’s style resonates throughout her blog; she’s one of those personalities you can see getting in with weekly indies like Toronto’s Now! Magazine, or working her magic through commissions from Creative Agencies. She’s an unapologetic blogger, not afraid to voice her dislikes which gives her platform a niche following. And, considering a lot of the fluff bloggers tend to do (myself included), that’s not such a bad thing. If all else fails, she can always become a spokes model for Carri Mundane’s Cassette Playa collection.

The necessary keys in order to reap what you’ve sown.

“And let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” -Galatians 6:9

We often hear about both reaping and sowing, but we often overlook the essential steps in between. Galatians 6:9 shows us that we must have persistence, patience, and perseverance in order to reap what we have sown.

I. Persistence

Paul tells to “Not grow weary in well doing”. The Strong’s definition of weary is: “Physically or mentally exhausted after growing impatient or dissatisfied with something.” It’s easy to get frustrated in our day to day seemingly insignificant tasks and activities. But we must remember that no task is unimportant to the Lord. If you’re faithful in the little, He’ll make you ruler over much (Matthew 25:23) Our God is a good book keeper, He is faithful to His word and will honor your diligence!

Today, we look at magnificent structures in Europe with admiration. We look at prestigious works of art which stand alone clothed in their dignity and splendor. We might realize in part how much work and dedication went into the building of the jaw-dropping cathedrals. What we don’t realize is the magnitude of devotion which was required. Cathedrals aren’t like churches, or houses, which can be designed, and obtained within years, or even months. Men who began working on the awe-inspiring cathedrals recognized that they would spend the entire duration of their lives building. Only to accomplish a portion or section of the finished creation. They realized that they themselves were working towards something which their grandchildren might not even live long enough to enjoy. Very rarely, would anyone have the privilege of seeing the cathedral completed. Possibly first started by one of the builder’s grandfathers, each generation devoted their entire life to further its completion; it was a family affair.

As a believer, you must continue in the things that the Lord has called you to, even if you never see the task completed, or receive the credit. You must continue to work even in the day to day activities that can at times seem repetitive and redundant. You must realize that you are only part of the process in God’s grand scheme of things. You see only in part.  He is sovereign. We must be worthy of being entrusted with the work He has given us. Even if we don’t think it is significant, or big enough. We aren’t the ones with the vision of the completed cathedral, only He knows what the finished product will look like.

II. Patience

Paul explains that “In due season we shall reap”.  This tells us that there are appointed seasons which we must wait for. This verse shows that it’s not enough to simply do the work; patience is required.  So, we’ve put for the effort; we’ve tilled the soil, purchased the necessary supplies, and planted the seed.  This portion of the passage reminds us, that sometimes it’s not about us, or our actions. It is simply that the environment, circumstances, or “cooking stage” simply isn’t finished. We must learn to “Be still and know that He is God.” (Psalm 46:10)

I recently visited the Texas State Fair back in October. I was lost. So, so lost. I was running around trying to find one of the gates to meet up with my friends. I realized that it would be so much easier if I could just find a map. After about 15 minutes of my vigorous search for a pamphlet, I finally found one. I opened it up and immediately began looking for the “You Are Here” circle in bold red ink; because it would be the fastest way to figure out where I was. It took me a few minutes to realize, that it was nowhere on the map. In my impatience, I didn’t realize that it was a handout, unlike the giant maps at the mall or various theme parks. I was so impatient.

These days, it’s so easy to obtain instant gratification. I know you’ve heard it; we live in a microwave oven, elevator instead of stairs, society. We’re used to taking the necessary steps in order to receive the benefits. Bottom line, we don’t like to wait. But, we must remember; You can’t rush the process of a dying seed and a growing plant; you must learn to have patience and wait for the appointed season to reap.

III. Perseverance

Paul didn’t fail to mention that, “We shall reap, if we faint not”. That “IF” is key. You will reap, but only if you don’t faint.  Fainting must be averted! We should learn to stay hydrated and persevere through the Word of God. Ephesians 5:26 tells us that the Word of God is like water. It gives us the strength to continue! Water is a necessity! Our bodies are composed of over 60% water. The Word of God must become a part of us in order for us to persevere through His strength!  His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9)

There is a legendary race which takes place annually in Canada. It’s known to be so life threatening, that its official name has recently been changed to “The Death Race”. It earned its reputation after hundreds of men passed out along the way. This race isn’t for the faint of heart. The vigorous race’s brave contestants train for months at a time both mentally and physically. After loosing so many men, they installed a “scan in” system, every hundred feet or so that they could keep track of those who were still in the race; and send help to those who weren’t. Nic Southwell was one of the first men who determined that he would make it across the finish line no matter the cost. He refused to pass out. He pushed pass any and all odds, making him the first man to ever make it that far. He passed out across the finish line. This is a beautiful picture of what perseverance looks like. Immediately after collapsing across the finish line, he was rushed to ER, and put in critical condition where both of his kidneys failed, and he ultimately ended up in a coma. Yet, still, he fought to live. After fully recovering, he explained that while he won the race, he could have avoided further complications if he would have stayed better hydrated along the way.

You must persevere; don’t make the race any more difficult by not taking the proper steps to stay hydrated and healthy as a believer through Jesus Christ- He is the source! The “if”, in this verse cannot be overlooked. What good is an athlete who runs faster, jumps higher, swims further, and hits harder—only to pass out, or cheat merely seconds before the finish line. He’s worthless. We must be more stubborn than our circumstances or obstacles. We are in a war with the enemy, and we cannot back down!

The Lord goes before us! He sees the finish line. You can’t fake, cheat, or explain victory. There is no greater feeling than to know that all of your hard earned work finally paid off. No cheating, no shortcuts, no tapping out. Victory is yours—and it’s sweet.

When you race with Persistence, cling to Patience, and embrace Perseverance through the Word of God; You will reap what you’ve sown!

So, Get Yours!!

O episódio dessa semana foi tenso e intenso. Talvez por não ter tido cenas cômicas e frases politicamente incorretas de Sue para equilibrar, mas o fato é que os dramas dominaram “Ballads”.

Sabíamos que uma hora a revelação para os pais do casal “grávido” iria acontecer, mas nem por isso deixou de ser emocionante. Tanto no desabafo de Quinn com seu pai quanto na mãe Finn acolhendo-a. Ele, aliás, dominou o episódio. Deu pena. Mas acho que tenho mais pena de Quinn, por que logo Finn vai descobrir que não é o pai, mas ela terá o problema para sempre.

Gosto da maneira como Glee consegue surpreender. Naquele sorteio, eu pensei: “ah, vai dar Rach com Finn e Quinn com Puck”. Mas, que graça teria? Muito mais legal como ficou, com pares improváveis (”outro coreano” hahaha)! A história da Rachel com Will não me empolgou muito. mas rendeu a boa cena da menina querendo se matar com pimenta. E a mulher de Will voltou a dar as caras. Quero tanto que esse lance de gravidez fake acabe e ela suma de vez. Essa personagem não agradou.

Emma fofa, deslumbrada por Will como uma colegial.  Apareceu pouco, mas valeu. Tenho medo da Sue. E não, não é o medo que as criancinhas tem que ter dela. É medo dos roteiristas descontruirem o personagem dela para ela agradar ao público.  Não entendo como tem gente que não a acha genial.

A última cena, o número musical, foi como o episódio: lindo e emocionante.

We had fun redecorating our training room here at headquarters in Virginia, and came up with some jumbo products that drew a lot of attention, so thought we’d share!

Lucidiom Training Room - Jumbo Display

Materials you will need:

• Files from the kit posted here: http://www.lucidiom.com/support/tools_kits.aspx (even the pencil art is up there!)
• 1 can adhesive spray
• packing tape
• wide format printer(able to print at least 24″ wide) – we used bond paper for wrapping paper and notepad, satin paper for all others
• 9 pieces 20×30″ foam board
• 2 pieces 30×40″ foam board (black)
• paperclips & fishing line (for hanging) … a drill with small bit works well to make holes for hanging
• the boxes are wrapped in wrapping  paper created on the APM kiosk (not included in download)…designs are available from Mrs. Grossman’s
• 2 packs of plastic foam board hinges (sold next to the foam board in the handy office supply…you can also just use tape)
• paper cutter or x-acto knife and straight edge

Jumbo Products

Flat Cards: for the flat cards, in real life are 4×8″…take one of the 20×30″ boards and cut into 3 10×20″ pieces.  Tape a third to each 20×30 piece, so you have 3 20×40″ pieces. Print files for the flat cards and spray adhesive them to the foam board.

Calendar: top and bottom are each 30×20″ … spray adhere prints to the foam board, then use fishing line to join the two halves…leave a space between.  We used some paper cutouts to mimic the wire bind.

Photo Book: If you do just one of these jumbo products, do the photo book…certainly won the most attention.  Each half is 40×30″, we printed 3 sheets of 74×24″ and folded them in half to look like 6 pages total.  We joined the two halves with plastic hinges, but they could also be taped.Start with the back set of pages, fold to one side and use packing tape to secure the page to the board along the fold.  Flip pages to the other side, repeat…do this with all the pages.  You can fan pages a bit, and with some strategically placed tape, create the page wrinkles.

More Jumbo Products

Folded Card: each face of the card is 20×30″…we printed the front and back, and one sheet inside, adhering each print to the foam with the adhesive. We used some foam board hinges to join the halves.

Notepad: Print 5 sheets of the notepad, staple together and tape across the top to the 20×30″ foam board. Print the black square file and fold over the top to mimic the top of the notepad.  We used wrapping paper (more like paper than photo) for this one, and for the pencil too.  Don’t forget to print out the pencil!  We cut out the tip and rolled it up and taped all edges, then stuffed with some paper towels for stability.

Wrapped Boxes: Graphics aren’t included in the download, but uses the APM Wrapping Paper product, printed out enough times to wrap a large box.

Have fun! Send us a picture of your jumbo display when you have it up!

Eu estou feliz!

10 serii… S-au terminat! Timp de vreo 2 luni am urmarit aproape zilnic povestea celor 6 prieteni (Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Ross, Chandler, Joey). In unele ipostaze ma recunoasteam (bine, asta mi se intampla la multe filme), altele ma amuzau teribil. Aseara, cand se apropia de sfarsit, parca imi venea sa plang. Ma gandeam: la ce ma mai uit eu?! ce o sa ma mai faca asa sa rad?!

Frumos serial, te “rupe” de problemele cotidiene, iti aduce zambetul pe buze inevitabil, ba chiar te face sa razi in hohote uneori. Sunt povesti de dragoste, povesti care iti umezesc ochii, povesti care te tin cu sufletul la gura.

O sa imi lipseasca serialul, noroc ca il am pe dvd-uri si pot sa il revad oricad caci: “You can never have enough Friends!”.