Listening To The Heartbeat

“You look happy,” she said. She was the cashier at Maxi’s Café across from the B gates in the Reno airport. It was Sunday afternoon and I was buying a tuna and caper half sandwich when she said, “You look happy.”<br /><br />“I am happy,” I said. I was happy. But I was surprised that anyone should say I looked happy, especially at the airport where my usually dour demeanor descends to anxious and morose. But I was so happy that it showed and I knew why. All weekend long, I had been listening to the heartbeat of the Church.<br /><br />It started as I was “leaving Las Vegas” Thursday afternoon. I’d just finished a speaking engagement on Faith and the Practice of Law at the UNLV Law School. Things were swirling in the diocesan office and among various people in the city. They were scrambling to put together an evangelism booth at the Pure Aloha Festival to be held in the Silverton Casino the following week. We wanted to use this event to publicize our new Filipino/ Pacific Islander ministries which will kick off in January. Ellie was revising the diocesan evangelism brochure to focus on F/ PI evangelism. She was calling our people to find out how to translate Aloha into Tagalog and Igarot. The replies were coming with proposals to add floral designs. She added floral designs. More languages of the Pacific were suggested. <br /><br />People at different congregations, people who three days ago had never heard of each other, were e mailing back and forth several times a day to coordinate the staffing of our booth which will be open all hours for four days. They were Filipino (Tagalog), Filipino (Igarot), Guamese, Anglo, Cuban, Mexican-American. It was a flurry of trying to do the impossible in too little time. But they were doing it with joy.<br /><br />Context: we were already in full tilt panic getting ready for convention when Tom Walsh said, “What about the Pure Aloha Festival?” Within a day, we had rented what may be the first evangelism booth in a Las Vegas casino. But, hey, we are the 9th Island. Of course it’s impossible, but what would Eddie Aikau do? (If you don’t know, it’s only because you are not from Hawaii. Google Eddie Aikau). As a thousand bumper stickers say in Hawaii, “Eddie would go for it.”<br /><br />Arriving in Reno, I drove straight to the Grove for the Empty Bowls Benefit to raise money for the St. Paul’s Community Food Pantry. Donning my “Bishy D” apron, I served bread, cookies, and ice cream. The place was packed. Many beautiful bowls were purchased. I bought one. A film described St. Paul’s efforts to combat hunger in Reno and Sparks. What the St. Paul’s congregation does each week is an incredible level of ministry driven by an inspiring degree of dedication.<br /><br />Fast forward to Friday morning: I made my way through the line of people waiting to receive food at St. Paul’s, Sparks. Inside, I found Fr. Kirk and his son Cooper who had just come back from a night sleeping on the streets in cardboard boxes. It was an experience of solidarity with the homeless and also another fundraiser. They had sponsors like in a marathon benefit. By acting in solidarity with the homeless, they raised money for ministry to the homeless.<br /><br />Then it was Saturday night. Off to Carson City (arriving late) for the Bristlecone Mass at the Brewery Arts Center. I swear half the town was there to see St. Peter’s performance of a jazz mass written by one of their own members. It was a composition with profound liturgical theology. It went from the words of institution “Do this in remembrance of me” to a song about Jesus being present as a homeless person pushing his shopping cart in the streets, pulling his coat together against the cold. This Mass understood what the incarnation that happens in the Mass means. It concluded with the eschatological welcome song “Come on in.” Along with music by a top class jazz trio and excellent solos supported by the Sagebrush Chorale, there were dancers (square, ballet, interpretive), mimes, and a juggler. The only place I have seen anything remotely comparable to the Bristlecone Mass is at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. This was missional music from a missional church whose Circles of Support program provides a comprehensive array of services to families transitioning from homelessness.<br /><br />Sunday morning I was at our newest free-standing congregation (the Latino ministries are hosted by existing congregations), St. Catherine’s, Reno. At 9 a.m., they had a Family Eucharist – 25 people present – almost all young parents and their children. They were a lively, joyful group singing “Shine, Jesus, Shine.” At 11, the larger congregation came to support three youngsters for their Confirmation. Among them, it was my privilege to confirm the great grandniece of the Rev. Jean Orr who served Christ Church, Pioche so well, so faithfully, and so long. All three of the confirmands were completely engaged and delighted to take this step in the Christian life.<br /><br />All the while, the calls and e mails about the Pure Aloha Festival evangelism booth kept flying. The Evangelism Team was burning the candle at both ends to roll out our new evangelism logo which is still top secret in Nevada but Bishop Katharine and the communications people at 815 are cheering loudly and demanding t shirts. <br /><br />So how was I “listening to the heartbeat of the Church?” Those words are a paraphrase of Philip Newell’s book on Celtic Christianity, Listening to the Heartbeat of God. And they refer to the end of one of Bishop Katharine’s best sermons. At the end she said, “The heartbeat of the Church is ‘mission, mission, mission.’”

Listening To The Heartbeat

“You look happy,” she said. She was the cashier at Maxi’s Café across from the B gates in the Reno airport. It was Sunday afternoon and I wa...

Read more »

3 words that will kill your job search

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana; font-size: medium;"></span></i></b></span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal arial, helvetica;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="tblContent"><tbody><tr id="trContent"><td align="center" class="cb_style tcContent" id="tcContent" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><div class="cbArticleWrapper" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; width: 750px;"><div class="cbArticleContentWrapper" style="margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px; margin-top: 15px; width: 750px;"><div class="cbArticleRight" style="width: 560px;"><div class="RXart" style="padding-right: 20px;"><div class="ArticleHeadline" style="margin-top: -30px;"><div class="cbmsnArticleImage" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" src="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/n4/ar5l55t67yp1b7cw39n4.gif?time=8/21/2011%2011:15:10%20am" /></div><div class="hdr_org_bld" style="color: #ff6600; font: normal normal bold 18px/normal arial, helvetica;"><h1 id="articleHeadline" style="color: #ff7700; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br /></h1></div><b><span id="cbArticle_lblByLine">Beth Braccio Hering, Special to CareerBuilder</span></b> </div><br /><div class="ArticleContent"><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">It's not unusual for job seekers to reach a point in their searches when they stop hoping to land a coveted job and resign themselves to considering<i>any</i> position. In theory, this "I'll take anything" attitude sounds promising: Less selectivity means greater possibilities, right?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Not so fast. Before spending precious time applying to jobs for which you're not qualified, consider these ways that a cast-your-net-everywhere tactic can backfire:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>1. Employers don't care if you're desperate.</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"Hiring managers are looking for one thing: a good match between the job and the applicant," says Catherine Jewell, author of "New Résumé New Career." "Employers want to know that you will fit in and feel comfortable with their culture. The more you sound like them the better."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">So just because you're willing to settle for anything, don't assume your value has increased. If you aren't well-versed in the field, your inexperience is bound to be noticed either on paper or in conversation. Conversely, shooting too low in a job search reeks of neediness – never an attractive quality – and raises red flags as to whether you'd be happy in the position or are simply buying time until you can bolt to a more suitable job.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>2. Untargeted applications aren't going to be noticed.</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">When quantity starts taking precedence over quality, the product is going to suffer. A general résumé that could fit any position at any company is simply not going to make a hiring manager choose to interview you over countless others.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"The targeted application helps you stand out from the talented pool of applicants," says Joel Garfinkle, founder of DreamJobCoaching.com. "You can highlight specific experiences that relate to what is outlined in the job description, and the employer can easily see how your qualifications fit what he desires." Garfinkle also recommends learning as much as possible about the company before submitting an application in order to tailor your application to its needs.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>3. Busy work takes away from profitable actions.</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Most candidates have a certain amount of time and energy they can devote to job searching. If they waste it on generic mass mailings, less is left for activities that could generate good leads.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"Focus on the positions you really want instead of applying for something you don't want," says Richard Deems, co-author of "Make Job Loss Work for You." "Use the same amount of time to network for introductions into organizations that hire people who do what you want to do. Research companies of interest. Find out their unmet needs, think of how you can meet those unmet needs and then present yourself."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>4. People may see you as wishy-washy.</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Networking means reaching out to others and letting them know what you have to offer. An elevator pitch of "Help! I need a job" is unlikely to convince anyone that your skills are worth remembering. Likewise, contacts may be less inclined to think of you or to offer a recommendation if they are unsure what type of job you actually want.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">While you may view yourself as flexible by trying to get a foot in any door at places you'd like to work, others may think differently. "If you apply for just 'anything,' you are wearing out your welcome with that employer," Jewell cautions. "It's tricky to present one image -- say, <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/marketing/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">marketing</a> -- one day, then turn around and present yourself for another opportunity -- such as <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/customer+service/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">customer service</a> -- the next week. It leaves the impression that you don't know who you are and what you are about."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>5. The strategy can create deceptive hope.</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Finally, be aware that churning out applications can do a number on your mind. Initially, the boost in productivity may make you feel as if you're gaining more chances in the job-hunt lottery, but if most of what you've sent out is destined for somebody's wastebasket because it lacks the qualities needed for genuine consideration, your odds of success have not improved.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Garfinkle notes that constantly applying for a job may make you look impressive on the surface. "At the end of the day, your spouse will ask you, 'How's the job search?' and you can respond, 'I sent out 10 résumés today,'" Garfinkle says. "This provides a false sense of feeling good about yourself and the progress you are making on this job search."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Worse yet, the corresponding rejection can damage your self-worth. As Deems warns, "For every 100 you send, you'll only hear from five to seven of them, if that many. And for every one you send that you don't hear from, you'll get a bit more depressed."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">So look for opportunities that offer real hope and put in the effort needed to be a viable candidate. True satisfaction comes from landing a job -- not counting the number of attempts you made.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Beth Braccio Hering researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues for CareerBuilder. Follow @Careerbuilder on Twitter.</i></div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>

3 words that will kill your job search

Beth Braccio Hering, Special to CareerBuilder   It's not unusual for job seekers to reach a point in their searches when they stop hopin...

Read more »

The Dick Van Dyke Show Blogathon: Wandering Down Memory Lane

<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEDhAQZhqPAK_qxS41-xNDYVcgpHEqNER9jOPb8_Q8t2p4L5AdEMElQjDq00BfhaP7VswzuM2VDie7_YnZZb-fgRGJhYtA_EPV_Vu_5twZKA0Tu8NtAWEuDGl_y3A1gUWO4rtCeiDhIEbV/s1600/dick+van+dyke+show.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEDhAQZhqPAK_qxS41-xNDYVcgpHEqNER9jOPb8_Q8t2p4L5AdEMElQjDq00BfhaP7VswzuM2VDie7_YnZZb-fgRGJhYtA_EPV_Vu_5twZKA0Tu8NtAWEuDGl_y3A1gUWO4rtCeiDhIEbV/s1600/dick+van+dyke+show.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Today marks the 50th anniversary of the premiere of The Dick Van Dyke Show and this post is my contribution to the tribute blogathon hosted by <b>Thrilling Days of Yesteryear</b>. <b style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://thrillingdaysofyesteryear.blogspot.com/2011/10/did-you-bring-me-anything-daddy.html">Click here</a> </b>for more on participating blogs...</span></i></span><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">In 1991, <i>Nick at Night</i> acquired and began airing <i>The Dick Van Dyke Show</i>, that sitcom über-classic originally shown on CBS from 1961 -1966. Thrilled to be able to once again watch a favorite series I hadn’t seen in 25 years, I was ready to celebrate "our television heritage” with <i>Nick at Nite</i>...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0gnbtFN4oXI" width="420"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">To hear that tune and see those faces again was uplifting. <i>The Dick Van Dyke Show</i> lost none of its charm over the years. It sparkled still with that trademark mix of sophistication and slapstick ingeniously created by Carl Reiner, written by Bill Persky and Sam Denoff and performed by an unparalleled cast comprised of old pros and newcomers.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRGxRelxngaFjTKCnUxsSzcpb50zJ4wRflOTT1nXUPGtjxExAFHm069iuoRSRuQWQDaqSaj5tbt5HZcQ2CNfLteISUJkCcDpeNWuPiAkkoXLXRoSUzpHzmbPFIKuh2OcFR25s_b2H64w7/s1600/laura+petrie+mtm+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRGxRelxngaFjTKCnUxsSzcpb50zJ4wRflOTT1nXUPGtjxExAFHm069iuoRSRuQWQDaqSaj5tbt5HZcQ2CNfLteISUJkCcDpeNWuPiAkkoXLXRoSUzpHzmbPFIKuh2OcFR25s_b2H64w7/s200/laura+petrie+mtm+2.jpg" width="166" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TV's first lady</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_Dr250mvcVTaTHQ_sYf9lbZhfKlaxGlaAUfHAratgeRy3OGaOuqLtY6Tn8vJkFdDWKAuDdNcauqdhLxo8Uwu6gXHamoFvVJ3Y-Vk8zuFPrrh9heROSGjVHirvFDfMXH_hH-gflD4im3M/s1600/jacqueline-kennedy-onassis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_Dr250mvcVTaTHQ_sYf9lbZhfKlaxGlaAUfHAratgeRy3OGaOuqLtY6Tn8vJkFdDWKAuDdNcauqdhLxo8Uwu6gXHamoFvVJ3Y-Vk8zuFPrrh9heROSGjVHirvFDfMXH_hH-gflD4im3M/s200/jacqueline-kennedy-onassis.jpg" width="169" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">America's first lady</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Of course, I noticed a thing or two about the show that I hadn't long, long ago. One thing that caught my eye was that Rob and Laura Petrie (Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore) resembled nothing so much as a loosened-up, middle-class (and very funny) rendition of John F. and Jackie Kennedy, who were in the White House when <i>Dick Van Dyke </i>premiered and through its early years. Later I learned that on the day JFK delivered his famous inaugural address ("...ask not what your country can do for you..."),  the cast and crew of <i>The Dick Van Dyke Show </i>were filming the show's first episode. Who knew that two New Frontiers would open on the same day...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Laura Petrie was a perkier sort of of Jackie Kennedy. She was a cooking, cleaning, singing, dancing, housebound helpmate whereas the first lady masterminded state dinners, kept up with the arts, treasured all things French and spent weekends riding</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> horses. But both ladies were fashion trendsetters. Beautiful Jackie popularized not just pillbox hats but an overall look of elegant simplicity. Meanwhile, New Rochelle's lovely Laura Petrie started a fashion craze of her own when she wore Capri pants...</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/g6Fydn69Hl8" width="420"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">CBS at first objected when Mary Tyler Moore began wearing pants on the show. For the most part TV housewives of that time were usually seen puttering about their homes in dresses (and, in June Cleaver's case, pearls and heels), and Laura-in-pants made the network nervous. Moore and producer Carl Reiner had agreed that since her character spent so much time at home, it made sense for her to dress casually. Within a few short years <i>Time Magazine </i>was proclaiming that Moore had "helped make Capri pants the biggest trend in US casual attire." </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">In the early '90s, as I watched Laura whip up a cake (or was she frying liver?) on <i>Nick at Nite</i>, I felt a sudden wave of nostalgia for the age of single-income families and stay-at-home moms.  Laura's life seemed so simple. She had most of her day to herself. While Rob was at work and Ritchie in school, all she had to do was keep the house and clothes clean, make sure there were groceries in the kitchen and food on the table. Rob probably even handled the bills! I didn't take this line of forbidden thinking very seriously for very long - but it gave me pause as I recalled my youthful scorn for the world of the housewife.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> A few years after <i>The Dick Van Dyke Show</i> ended, Mary Tyler Moore moved on to her own show. No longer a housewife on the New Frontier, she resurfaced as that beyond-iconic single working woman, Mary Richards of WJM-TV, Minneapolis. As I write this it occurs that, like Mary, I (eventually) became a single woman working for a local TV station - hadn't really thought about it before! Time to toss my hat in the air...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The first episode of <i>The Dick Van Dyke Show</i> aired 50 years ago tonight (2600 weeks ago tomorrow night at 8:00) - here's what viewers saw when they tuned in:</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TIn8mPy5_jA" width="420"></iframe></div>

Bill Persky Carl Reiner Dick Van Dyke Mary Tyler Moore Morey Amsterdam Nick at Nite Rose Marie Sam Denoff The Dick Van Dyke Show The Lady Eve (author) The Dick Van Dyke Show Blogathon: Wandering Down Memory Lane

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the premiere of The Dick Van Dyke Show and this post is my contribution to the tribute blogathon hosted ...

Read more »

34 ideas for a classroom blog

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />Classroom blogging is one of the most exciting ventures for a classroom teacher to embark on. It opens a door of possibilities and makes the way for making a host of new friends around the world. Apart from that it gives parents an opportunity to take a peek into the classroom and see what is happening. I love blogging!<br /><br />This weekend I presented a workshop entitled ‘Blogging for teachers’ at the EdTechConference at Elkanah House in Cape Town. I started off with the ideas that follow in the slide-share presentation below as a source of inspiration. Then we did the workshop part where the inexperienced bloggers worked from an e-book to create their new blogs, the educators with blogs used one of the inspirational ideas to develop their blog, and I walked around helping whoever needed help.   I also invited the participants who already had blogs to demonstrate their blogs to the rest of the class.  <br /><div id="__ss_9470769" style="width: 425px;"><strong style="display: block; margin: 12px 0px 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/34-ideas-for-a-classroom-blog" target="_blank" title="34 ideas for a classroom blog">34 ideas for a classroom blog</a></strong> <iframe frameborder="0" height="355" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/9470769" width="425"></iframe> <br /><div style="padding: 5px 0px 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/" target="_blank">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal" target="_blank">fionabeal</a> </div></div></div>

Blogging 34 ideas for a classroom blog

Classroom blogging is one of the most exciting ventures for a classroom teacher to embark on. It opens a door of possibilities and makes the...

Read more »

The latest (2011–2012) iEARN project book has been released

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />Are you perhaps wanting to start a collaborative project with a class but you don’t quite know where to start? Omashani Naidoo who is the <i>Operations Manager </i>at SchoolNetSA brings our attention to the latest 2011-2012 iEARN Project Description Book which is now available on the web at: <a href="http://www.iearn.org/iearn-project-book">http://www.iearn.org/iearn-project-book</a>. This book is full of project ideas where the originators of the projects are looking for a class to collaborate with. Why not take a look? (Please note that there will be new iEARN projects continually developing.  You can visit <a href="http://media.iearn.org/projects">http://media.iearn.org/projects</a> for the most up to date project list.)   <br /><br /><br /><div id="__ss_9510270" style="width: 477px;"><strong style="display: block; margin: 12px 0px 4px;"><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal/2011-2012%20i-EARNprojectbook" title="2011-2012 iEARN-projectbook">2011-2012 <br />iEARN-projectbook</a></strong><object height="510" id="__sse9510270" width="477"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/doc_player.swf?doc=2011-2012iearnprojectbook-111002115052-phpapp02&stripped_title=2011-2012i-earnprojectbook&userName=fionabeal" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><embed name="__sse9510270" src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/doc_player.swf?doc=2011-2012iearnprojectbook-111002115052-phpapp02&stripped_title=2011-2012i-earnprojectbook&userName=fionabeal" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="477" height="510"></embed></object><br /><div style="padding: 5px 0px 12px;">View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/">documents</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/fionabeal">fionabeal</a>.</div></div></div>

Collaboration Project-based learning The latest (2011–2012) iEARN project book has been released

Are you perhaps wanting to start a collaborative project with a class but you don’t quite know where to start? Omashani Naidoo who is the Op...

Read more »

Evaluating the impact of technology integration at St Cyprians School in Cape Town

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>This is a guest post written by Nina Adams who is Head of ICT at St Cyprians in Cape Town. She plans, implements and manages all things ICT, from infrastructure to staff training.  She also heads up the Microsoft Innovative Schools programme which means she is responsible for researching, implementing and documenting best practice in the areas of innovation and ICT integration. St Cyprians is passionate about technology and innovation, and its impact on 21st century teaching and learning. Nina has recently evaluated their move to technology integration and has allowed us to use this post she posted on the St Cyprian’s Blog that she is responsible for maintaining -</em> </span><a href="http://techblog.stcyprians.net/" title="http://techblog.stcyprians.net/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://techblog.stcyprians.net/</span></a> <br /><br /></div>In an effort to evaluate the impact of ICT integration into our school curriculum, we recently conducted an informal case study consisting of student and teacher interviews. These interviews are based on seven projects with ICT components, ranging from Grade 4 to Grade 10 students, across a range of subjects, and were conducted by a representative from SchoolNet South Africa. (All projects have been posted on our school blog.) Although our initial findings are by no means conclusive or irrefutable, the responses from students and teachers highlighted the following interesting trends:<br /><ul><li>Many students who usually achieve average to below average marks in ‘traditional’ projects such as essays or posters have shown significant improvement with the inclusion of an ICT component for e.g. Movie Maker or Glogster. They ascribed this to the fact that different types of projects engaged different learning styles, as not all students are good at writing or exam-taking. They also reported an overall increase in confidence and interest due to their higher marks and additional creative elements of the project.<br /></li><li>Students who usually achieve relatively high marks for ‘traditional’ assessment projects, such as essays, tests or exams, reported that they found the integration of ICT quite challenging. They felt this was due to the fact that these projects often included a high degree of collaboration with students of mixed level abilities. That meant that they had to learn patience and team work, both important 21st century skills.</li></ul><ul><li>Teachers have reported that students with special learning needs also benefit from ICT tools, for e.g. Mouse Mischief, reading software tools and others. In many cases, collaborating in groups with their peers has given students the opportunity to learn from and assist each other, with some amazing results. </li></ul><b>From the interview responses, we have learned some important lessons:</b><br /><ul><li><b>Technology should not be the driver: </b>ICT integration often overemphasises the need for digital literacy skills whilst ignoring important basic skills, such as reading, writing and maths. We have found that successful ICT integration involves a balance; technology should enhance and support teaching and learning, rather than drive it.<br /></li><li><b>Separating ICT from other subjects:</b> In the past, ICT has usually been viewed as a separate subject, often taught in separate IT labs. Teachers have reported increased engagement and interest in their subjects by integrating ICT as a supportive mechanism or creative addition to a project, rather than as a separate learning outcome. We have also piloted mini ‘break-away’ labs in classrooms with increasing success; teachers can then access computers during class instead of booking an IT lab which often breaks the flow of a class.<br /></li><li><b>The best project ideas are usually the simplest ideas:</b> In the case of our award-winning Grade 4 project, students still had to complete a creative reading and writing assignment as they usually would. Then one new element was added, which in this case was the creation of a multi-media movie based on their written stories. In the case of the Grade 10 book blogs, traditional book logs simply evolved to an electronic blog version, allowing increased visibility and the ability to comment on each other’s work.<br /></li><li><b>Some of the best ICT tools are free: </b>Find out more under the ‘Resources’ section of the school blog.<br /></li><li><b>Rapid technology changes:</b> We often worry about rapid changes in technology and are therefore constantly looking ahead at the ‘next best thing’. In our experience, there is value in concentrating on what you already have and making the most of it before moving on to something new.<br /></li><li><b>Teacher collaboration and sharing is essential for success:</b> This can be through teacher show ‘n tell, by sharing lessons during staff meetings or by joining online learning communities. We cannot encourage 21st century skills in students if we don't practise them ourselves and we have found teacher collaboration to be a wonderful source of ideas, lesson plans and inspiration.<br /></li><li><b>Teacher training and support is key: </b>Professional development needs to be part of school culture. With the right training, support and encouragement, even resistant staff can be motivated to try new methods or technologies.</li></ul>Here is a movie in which some of the students and a teacher at St Cyprians are interviewed about the AIDS awareness project they completed using Windows Movie Maker.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PcN_hf5wESc" width="420"></iframe></div>

Guest post Evaluating the impact of technology integration at St Cyprians School in Cape Town

This is a guest post written by Nina Adams who is Head of ICT at St Cyprians in Cape Town. She plans, implements and manages all things ICT,...

Read more »

Show Me, Don't Tell Me

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana; font-size: medium;"></span></i></b></span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal arial, helvetica;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="tblContent"><tbody><tr id="trContent"><td align="center" class="cb_style tcContent" id="tcContent" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><div class="cbArticleWrapper" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; width: 750px;"><div class="cbArticleContentWrapper" style="margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px; margin-top: 15px; width: 750px;"><div class="cbArticleRight" style="width: 560px;"><div class="RXart" style="padding-right: 20px;"><div class="ArticleHeadline" style="margin-top: -30px;"><div class="cbmsnArticleImage" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/n4/ar5f4jh673jv6vpjqtn4.gif" /></div><b><span id="cbArticle_lblByLine">Frances Cole Jones, author of "How to Wow"</span></b> </div><br /><div class="ArticleContent"><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">As you may know, the first rule of writing good fiction is, "Show me, don't tell me." The idea being that you can't say a character is resilient, thoughtful, or brave you need to <i>show</i> the reader that he or she are these things.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Somehow this idea has not translated into our other writing, particularly in the context of applying for jobs. For example, how many of us have seen cover letters in which a candidate describes him or herself as "a real go getter," only to have that résumé collecting dust on our desk three weeks later -- three weeks during which that "go-getter" of a candidate didn't pick up the phone?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">How else might a go-getter distinguish him or herself from the pack? Well, recently I walked out of Grand Central Station to find two young people dressed in business suits standing on the sidewalk handing out copies of their résumés. What were their stated objectives? Entry-level jobs in <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/finance/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">finance</a>and <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/marketing/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">marketing</a>. Their qualifications? The usual for people just starting out: captain of the swim team, internship at local <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/retail/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">retail</a> store, a summer at the local copy shop. In addition to hard copies of their résumé, however, they had also blown each up to a poster-board size and created video résumés and posted them on YouTube -- the URL for these was at the top of their CVs. Seeing these actions told me more than any video: they were creative, gutsy, and self-confident. You can bet that if I had been at a financial or marketing firm with -- or without -- an opening, they would have been hired on the spot. They brought being a "go-getter" to life.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Another gap in candidates' descriptions of themselves is often revealed via a technique I recently heard <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/human+resources/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">HR</a> professionals are using to weed out those who are truly committed to working for a particular firm, from those who are not: what they do is stop the interview halfway through and says "I just don't think you're the right fit for us" -- regardless of the candidate's experience. One of the HR professionals with whom I spoke says it's amazing how many people actually say, "I actually didn't think so either, but I just thought I'd come in ... "</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Um ... how not to wow.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">How do I recommend you handle this situation, should you encounter it? First, make sure you don't look down, lean back ... reveal your discomfort through your body in any way. Smile. Inhale. Speak on an exhalation. Say, "I understand how you may think that, given my lack of experience with X/my checkered past/how long I've been freelancing, but I think you've underestimated how committed I am to working for your firm. If I may, I'll take you through my thinking one more time." A response that, both physically and verbally, should reassure the most hardboiled of HR professionals.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Another misstep I heard about was the story of a candidate who touted his laser focus/unparalleled dedication throughout his lunch interview, only to take out his PDA and begin returning calls as his host paid the check. My guess is that he was either uncomfortable with sitting in silence, or wished to convey his busyness or importance. What I can tell you is that his choice backfired -- instead causing the HR director to move him from the top slot to the bottom of the list.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Albert Schweitzer, the famed theologian, philosopher and <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/physician/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">physician</a> said, "Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing." Nowhere is this truer than in a job interview scenario -- where what isn't said is often far more important than what is.</div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>

Show Me, Don't Tell Me

Frances Cole Jones, author of "How to Wow"   As you may know, the first rule of writing good fiction is, "Show me, don't ...

Read more »

Nuanced Terror: Jack Clayton's The Innocents

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicH-e8mFI_SW9POdM0_GT7X6mWo6WqaqbL4BpSwtZRhPTiJ2WiG_tWkjzgAqt1mr_eXT16CAT2joJ5xgtkNsqEUMhMa6zDPivQ8NRdvvXXY0azay_5MiLsM-9VWc1vSOey6-Bo05thaPXe/s1600/innocents+2+b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicH-e8mFI_SW9POdM0_GT7X6mWo6WqaqbL4BpSwtZRhPTiJ2WiG_tWkjzgAqt1mr_eXT16CAT2joJ5xgtkNsqEUMhMa6zDPivQ8NRdvvXXY0azay_5MiLsM-9VWc1vSOey6-Bo05thaPXe/s1600/innocents+2+b.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Light and shadow flicker across the screen. Sobs are heard as a pair of praying hands, clasping and unclasping, appear. The sobbing continues.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">A woman’s suffering face appears above the tortured hands. Birds twitter…her distraught voice whispers…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">All I want to do is save the children not destroy them. More than anything I love children. More than anything they need affection, love, someone who will belong to them and to whom they will belong.</span></i><br /><a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">And then, as a man’s voice asks, “Do you have an imagination?,” the screen suddenly focuses on a well-appointed office, an elegant gentleman and the woman whose face we have already seen…who now sits in a chair and speaks animatedly with this man as he continues to ask questions and explain the situation he offers. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvU7f_2Yyk4vviHoRnzhqUyeJd2MVgPxn4Sh6gTtwN9W7An7lbbx_leT3BXlfzGqRdh4S43Az0LU7FxbMsZiRuqpY6QNX2qJifvwoR1HcMxTlycLV_hT6_ppID1Dew0yvK4sUrhT5dxNw/s1600/innocents+clayton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvU7f_2Yyk4vviHoRnzhqUyeJd2MVgPxn4Sh6gTtwN9W7An7lbbx_leT3BXlfzGqRdh4S43Az0LU7FxbMsZiRuqpY6QNX2qJifvwoR1HcMxTlycLV_hT6_ppID1Dew0yvK4sUrhT5dxNw/s1600/innocents+clayton.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Director Jack Clayton</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">These first moments of Jack Clayton’s masterful 1961 film, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Innocents</i>, set the stage for a chilling and absorbing tale of bewitchment. Deborah Kerr stars as Miss Giddens, an anxious, fragile-seeming young woman who begins her first assignment as a governess for two orphaned children on a remote estate. Michael Redgrave briefly portrays the gentleman, Miss Giddens’ employer, whose questions and revelations prime and subtly spook her before she sets foot in the stately home where events will unfold.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The story intensifies when Miss Giddens arrives at Bly, a magnificent manor that far exceeds her expectations in its grandeur and beauty. She is “very excited, indeed” to be there and her two “angelic” and precocious charges easily charm her. An earthy housekeeper, Mrs. Grose (Megs Jenkins), serves to ground the excitable governess whose journey proceeds from enchantment to confusion, to torment and disintegration.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">American novelist Henry James wrote <u>The Turn of the Screw</u>, the basis for this film, in 1898 while living in England in a large rambling mansion. James has recorded that the story was suggested to him by an anecdote he heard from the Archbishop of Canterbury. This scrap of a tale concerned young children haunted by the malevolent ghosts of a pair of servants who tried, again and again, to lure them to their deaths.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzcB0zbEi-q79brohDO5nlIrXslCo08XgZNntlEbdag-S_019xhst6Mb2gPWjHCbNbk0x_noXWX3Te7wfhLEe0rZ67R5Ep5gWDFbtsIsfKRy0qdNXe_FjRlytbXVQzFFRuKz5PVGyW2pb/s1600/innocents+james.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzcB0zbEi-q79brohDO5nlIrXslCo08XgZNntlEbdag-S_019xhst6Mb2gPWjHCbNbk0x_noXWX3Te7wfhLEe0rZ67R5Ep5gWDFbtsIsfKRy0qdNXe_FjRlytbXVQzFFRuKz5PVGyW2pb/s320/innocents+james.jpg" width="258" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Novelist Henry James</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The James novella depicts a young governess on her first assignment, the care of two children living in a grand mansion on a sprawling estate. The plot deepens when the young woman, daughter of a vicar, begins to suspect the presence of the evil spirits of two deceased servants.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It was several years after James’ book was published before critics began to wrangle in earnest over the interpretation of the story. By the 1920s several had proposed that <u>The Turn of the Screw</u> was less a ghost story and more the tale of inexperienced and high-strung governess who succumbed to hallucinations and madness. A 1934 essay by prominent critic Edmund Wilson dramatically advanced this view.  Henry James himself was equivocal about his intentions, and statements he made on the subject have been cited to support both <i>apparitionist</i> and <i>non-apparitionist</i> views. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Fascination with <u>The Turn of the Screw</u> failed to wane over the years and it has been adapted from the page to other mediums including opera, the stage and TV as well as film. In February 1950, Peter Cookson’s production of William Archibald’s stage adaption of the James novella debuted on Broadway as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Innocents</i>; Oscar-winner Beatrice Straight (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Network</i>) starred as the governess.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Eleven years later the play was adapted to film by British director, Jack Clayton (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Room at the Top</i>). Though William Archibald was involved, it was Truman Capote who was </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">primarily responsible for the polished screenplay. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Capote endeavored to maintain the story’s ambiguity as he felt Henry James had originally conceived it by artfully dodging the central question: Are the ghosts real or are they the fantasies of a governess gone mad? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBZH7FCz9oM7ojgn1FtMMtr0gAHA3aaNH6kfICmL_hWMDA4cMBuZWUK1G2ELcHWrLIEh8rHcTd335bHOIIZ4ZUWlVP-PdRz5WT5WJRSANT7-yuvoiYAbaJrUi3yqduO6RWEL_pvN0rcGI/s1600/innocents+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBZH7FCz9oM7ojgn1FtMMtr0gAHA3aaNH6kfICmL_hWMDA4cMBuZWUK1G2ELcHWrLIEh8rHcTd335bHOIIZ4ZUWlVP-PdRz5WT5WJRSANT7-yuvoiYAbaJrUi3yqduO6RWEL_pvN0rcGI/s400/innocents+1.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Taking the modern view, it’s not difficult to interpret <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Innocents</i> as an intricately staged reflection on an unstable woman’s descent into madness: the film closely follows the increasingly erratic behavior and visible deterioration of the omnipresent governess; no one but the governess actually “sees” the ghosts she claims are present; by the film’s end, even the sensible and supportive housekeeper is at odds with the hysterical young woman…and there are many visual clues that the governess may be projecting her own imaginings onto her surroundings. It is no stretch these days to believe that a deranged governess would be capable of terrifying a frightened child to death.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">But, viewed from another perspective, the tale can also be read as the story of an inexperienced but well-meaning young woman confronted with the supernatural in the form of malicious spirits. Her fervid determination to save the children from possession could explain her unorthodox behavior. And that is what most people believed when <u>The Turn of the Screw</u> was first published. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Enigmatic and haunting, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Innocents</i> leaves the audience to its own conclusions. A luminous turn by Deborah Kerr (in her own favorite film performance), Freddie Francis’ atmospheric cinematography, the script of Archibald and Capote and Georges Auric’s original music all mesh under Jack Clayton’s sure hand to create the acknowledged masterpiece among the many adaptations of <u>The Turn of the Screw</u>. </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FVEu8wV1QIA" width="560"></iframe></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><br /><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><b>Waitin' on a Sunny Day</b> is hosting a <b>Deborah Kerr Blogathon</b> in celebration of the 90th anniversary of the actress's birth...<a href="http://sophie-waitinonasunnyday.blogspot.com/2011/09/darling-deborah-blogathon-posts.html"><b>Click here</b></a> for more on participating blogs.</span><br /><br /><div style="color: black;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The Innocents </span></i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">airs today (1:45pm Eastern/10:45am Pacific) on <b>Turner Classic Movies</b> as part of its morning/afternoon spotlight on the films of Deborah Kerr. Here's the full schedule (all times Eastern/Pacific):</span></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">6:00am/3:00am <i>Count Your Blessings</i> (1959), co-starring Rossano Brazzi</span></div><div style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">8:00am/5:00am <i>If Winter Comes </i>(1947), co-starring Walter Pidgeon</span></div><div style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">10:00am/7:00am <i>Black Narcissus</i> (1947), a masterwork from Powell & Pressburger</span></div><div style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">11:45am/8:45am <i>The End of the Affair </i>(1955), co-starring Van Johnson</span></div><div style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1:45pm/10:45am <i>The Innocents </i>(1961), reviewed here...with Michael Redgrave</span></div><div style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">3:30pm/12:30pm <i>The Journey </i>(1959), co-starring Yul Brynner</span></div><div style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">5:45pm/2:45pm <i>The Sundowners</i> (1960), co-starring Robert Mitchum </span></div><div style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div>

Deborah Kerr Freddie Francis Georges Auric Henry James Jack Clayton Meg Jenkins Michael Redgrave The Innocents The Lady Eve (author) The Turn of the Screw Nuanced Terror: Jack Clayton's The Innocents

Light and shadow flicker across the screen. Sobs are heard as a pair of praying hands, clasping and unclasping, appear. The sobbing continue...

Read more »

Why Do You Want to Lose Weight?

<a href="http://123glitter.com/comments-graphics/file/7888.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://123glitter.com/comments-graphics/file/7888.jpg" width="185" /></a>I have come across 2 situations this week where I was reminded of that question yet again.  I mean, I think about being heavy ALL the time, but this question was kind of spelled out in black and white on 2 separate occasions for me this week.<br /><br />First, it was at the Weight Watchers meeting on Wednesday night.  When asked that question, most members said they wanted to lose weight for health reasons. <br /><br />As part of the Beck Diet Solution, one of the first items we are tasked with is to come up with our reasons for wanting to lose weight. <br /><br />Here are 17 of mine in no particular order:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">1. Get to wear nicer, age appropriate clothes</div><div style="text-align: center;">2. More confidence, especially at work</div><div style="text-align: center;">3. Healthier - not so sore in the muscles</div><div style="text-align: center;">4. More comfortable in the summer - less sweating</div><div style="text-align: center;">5. Can fit more comfortably in chairs</div><div style="text-align: center;">6. Can do more social activities</div><div style="text-align: center;">7. Joel could pick me up</div><div style="text-align: center;">8. Feel pretty</div><div style="text-align: center;">9. Feel more in control</div><div style="text-align: center;">10. Overall happiness</div><div style="text-align: center;">11. Improved love life</div><div style="text-align: center;">12. Not being self-conscious in a bathing suit</div><div style="text-align: center;">13. Exercise without embarassment</div><div style="text-align: center;">14. More assertive</div><div style="text-align: center;">15. I'll feel that I've accomplished something great</div><div style="text-align: center;">16. Make Joel proud</div><div style="text-align: center;">17. Doing what is right by God - not being gluttonous</div><br />Then I came across <a href="http://www.itsuxtobefat.com/weight-loss/100-reasons-thinner-is-better.html">Jennifer's post on 100 Reasons Thinner is Better</a>.  She has lost close to 100 lbs!  Many of her reasons for why being thinner is better coincide with my reasons for wanting to get rid of these 89 lbs. I especially loved these:<br /> <br /><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="data:image/png;base64,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" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="data:image/png;base64,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" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="data:image/png;base64,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" /> </div><br />Why do you want to remove the weight?

goals Inspiration Weight Loss Weight Loss Challenges Weight Watchers Why Do You Want to Lose Weight?

I have come across 2 situations this week where I was reminded of that question yet again.  I mean, I think about being heavy ALL the time, ...

Read more »

Is it time to reassess your job search plan?

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana; font-size: medium;"></span></i></b></span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal arial, helvetica;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="tblContent"><tbody><tr id="trContent"><td align="center" class="cb_style tcContent" id="tcContent" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><div class="cbArticleWrapper" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; width: 750px;"><div class="cbArticleContentWrapper" style="margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px; margin-top: 15px; width: 750px;"><div class="cbArticleRight" style="width: 560px;"><div class="RXart" style="padding-right: 20px;"><div class="ArticleHeadline" style="margin-top: -30px;"><div style="color: #333333; font: italic normal normal 16px/normal arial, helvetica;"><span id="cbArticle_lblHeadline2">Telltale signs that your search tactics need a makeover</span></div><b><span id="cbArticle_lblByLine">Alina Dizik, Special to CareerBuilder</span></b><br /></div><br /><div class="ArticleContent"><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">It's easy to get frustrated with your job search, especially if you've been searching for a while. But not making headway can mean that you need to reassess your approach. Not sure if your job seeking process needs a makeover? Here are eight telltale signs that it's time to rethink your job search approach.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>You're not hearing back from employers</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">If you've spent months applying and aren't hearing back from employers, it's time to reassess. Most likely, you're not tailoring your résumé and cover letters enough to warrant a response, explains Heather Huhman, founder of Come Recommended, a career consultancy. Also, check for other errors, such as spelling, in your documents.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>You're landing interviews but no offers</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Not getting an offer means your interviewing techniques could be out of date. Do your due diligence to find out what interviewing skills you're lacking. "Identify your weaknesses during interviews and improve upon them," Huhman says. "Do this by practicing interview questions with a friend or family member, attending mock interview sessions at a career center or videotaping yourself answering questions."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>You're reaching too high</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">While it's always recommended to go for your dream job, those dreams must be realistic. Applying for jobs "without the necessary qualifications" can be a waste of time, unless you're willing to take time and build that experience, Huhman explains.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>You're focusing on job roles not companies</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Instead of conducting a broad search based on function, tailor your search to specific firms where you'd really like to work. "Focusing on five to ten specific companies of interest in your desired location allows for a much more focused job search," Huhman says.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>You're depressed</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">A job search is never fun, but if you find yourself getting sadder each day, it's a sign that you need a new approach, says Dawn Rasmussen, founder of Pathfinder Writing and Career Services. "If you start to feel down, try volunteering in industry organizations to help increase your visibility, make yourself a known entity, and help build skills during a job search," she adds.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>You're unaware of your web presence</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">If you've never paid attention to how your name appears online, it's time to start. "Nearly every HR professional now will check Google and Facebook to research potential candidate," Huhman says. Complete your LinkedIn profile, check privacy settings for Facebook and Twitter and make sure any other online forums you've involved in are appropriate for a professional audience.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>You're not circling back with contacts</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Whether it's a thank-you note after the interview or a simple email to check in with someone in your network, it's important to keep an open channel of communication with those who've been helping you with your search. "No one wants to feel used, so disregarding new contacts after the initial contact is a huge problem that many people don't realize is killing their job search," Rasmussen says.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Your network is not helpful</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Just because you're spending your time talking to contacts, doesn't mean these are people that can actually be useful in your search. Instead, reassess your network and find contacts that are a match for the industry and position you're trying to pursue -- even if it means approaching well-regarded experts. "Swallow your fear and pursue meaningful connections with contacts relevant to your area," Rasmussen says.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>You're ready to take any job available</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Even if you're desperate, announcing that you're looking for any paying job can actually hurt your chances. Take time to figure out the specifics of your job search and ask for assistance based on these requirements. Even those closest to you who would really like to help feel lost without any direction, Rasmussen explains. "Many job seekers fail to understand this basic rule of asking for help: Specifics get you farther in terms of assistance from your network than vague <a href="" name="_GoBack" style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"></a>generalities," she says.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Alina Dizik researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues for CareerBuilder. Follow @Careerbuilder on Twitter</i></div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>

Is it time to reassess your job search plan?

Telltale signs that your search tactics need a makeover Alina Dizik, Special to CareerBuilder It's easy to get frustrated with your job ...

Read more »

Erasing a Terrible Memory

Let's take a trip in the Wayback Machine, shall we? Strap yourselves in - it's going to be kind of a bumpy ride.<br /><br />Where are we going, you ask? Well, to the worst sports day of my life: Sunday, October 1, 2006. <br /><br />Does this day remind you of anything? It always does for me. This was the day I was tuck in a terrible nightmare and had no way to get out of it.<br /><br />You see, I was, at this time, a co-anchor for a little, tiny (teensy-weensy, microscopic, et al) local sports talk show in my little, tiny (teensy-weensy, microscopic, et al) college town. It was led by two guys - both of whom lived in the state of Minnesota, and I was the third wheel. I didn't mind that at all, especially since they knew far more about sports than I did. I just put in my two cents where needed, and sometimes got into some fun heated debates.<br /><br />One of the guys, Dan, was able to use his status as "anchor of a sports radio show" to contact the nearest pro sports teams like the Minnesota Twins, Timberwolves, Wild, and Vikings and get press credentials. He would often head north to "the Cities" to watch the games and get either interviews or sound bites with some pretty popular players. We'd then air the clips on our show near the end, hyping up the fact that we had indeed talked to these players. We weren't joking! Really! We wouldn't just focus on the local team, but also go across the hall to the visitors locker room and get interviews from there.<br /><br />Sometimes I was able to accompany Dan on these little trips up to the Cities, and they were often a lot of fun. My first game was a Detroit Pistons game, and to sit on press row right next to the court and see those giants crush the T-Wolves (it was in the middle of their Eastern Conference championship streak). I attended a few Twins games as well. It was fun to get the giant press books for each team as well as eat the yummy spread laid out for the press.<br /><br />Now that you know all of this, can you guess where I was on Sunday, October 1, 2006?<br /><br />That's right - I was with Dan at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome to see the Twins play the White Sox.<br /><br />Worst day of my sports life.<br /><br />Dan had picked this game a few weeks earlier, not really knowing that this day would be so important to the Twins. I didn't realize it, either. I was too focused on celebrating the Tigers' playoff berth. All they had to do on either Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, OR Sunday was win. Just a couple of those games. Any of them. And they would win the division. And we could celebrate some more.<br /><br />But even though the Twins, who were in second, lost on Wednesday, Friday, AND Saturday, they still had a chance to clinch the division because the Tigers kept LOSING. After they had clinched a playoff spot on Tuesday, they hadn't won a game since entering Sunday. If the Twins won and the Tigers lost, the Tigers would just be a wild card, even after leading the AL Central for most of the season. But if both teams won, the Tigers would clinch.<br /><br />But that couldn't possibly happen, right? They were far better than that. After all, they had Kenny Rogers, Jeremy Bonderman, and Justin Verlander as their top three starters (probably in that order, for that year). They were having great years from Pudge Rodriguez and Carlos Guillen, and had a couple of breakout stars in Curtis Granderson and Joel Zumaya. This was a great team that had no possible chance of losing such an important game.<br /><br />Dan and I found our spots in the Dome press box with a long stream of media who were wondering if the scenario of the Twins clinching could actually happen. Dan had brought his nice digital camera along just in case. Since we were media, we were allowed on the field before and after the game. I prayed he wouldn't have to use it.<br /><br />The Tigers game started an hour early, since they were at Comerica Park. I was thrilled to see Detroit pull out to an early lead in the bottom of the third, when they scored five quick runs to add to their run already on the board. 1/3 of the game done, and they were up 6-0. But Kansas City struck right back in the next half-inning to make the lead just 6-3.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the Twins game began. I was half paying attention to the real game, and half paying attention to the game on a computer screen. But the game at the Metrodome was a quick one, and in no time it was over 5-1. As a matter of fact, it was over before the Tigers game. A game that was getting too close for comfort...<br /><br />By the end of the 7th inning in Detroit, the Tigers were winning 7-4. Jeremy Bonderman had pitched 4 1/3 innings, and Joel Zumaya had replaced him admirable. But in the 8th inning there was trouble. Fernando Rodney was on the mound and the Royals were finding runs. Rodney opened the 8th with a hit batter and a walk, and the Royals scored four runs to take the lead.<br /><br />I was in nervous shock when I heard this news. The Twins game was nearing the end, but you could tell people around the stadium were watching the Around The League Scoreboard and seeing that something was happening in Detroit. When the Royals went up 8-7, you would have thought Joe Mauer had just hit a walkoff home run.<br /><br />But the Tigers didn't quit. In the bottom of the 8th Matt Stairs homered to tie the game, but nothing else happened. As a matter of fact, nothing else happened for three innings after the 8th. Our closer, Todd Jones, had to pitch 2 2/3 innings to hold on, but playoff strategy suddenly came into effect. Who do we put in to replace Jones?<br /><br />By the 11th inning the Twins game was finished, and to my utter horror, the Metrodome management decided to put the Tigers-Royals feed <i>on the big screen</i>. So now none of the Twins fans were leaving, and I was the lone Tiger fan in the place. Let me remind you, the Metrodome holds a <i>ton</i> of people, and even though it wasn't a sellout, it was sure close.<br /><br />Kenny Rogers, a normal starter, ended up pitching the 11th and 12th innings, and one could only hope that our star pitcher would rise up to the occasion. But in the 12th the Royals put on two runs, with the fans of the Metrodome screaming in glee. I could only put my head in my hands.<br /><br />I wanted to slink out of there as soon as possible, but there was no way my ride (Dan) wanted to go. He was planning how fast he could get down to the field to take pictures. Plus we were supposed to do the Show from the Dome, with our host Joel linking up from the studio. There was no way for me to leave. I was stuck.<br /><br />The bottom of the 12th came in Detroit, and I was praying that we could somehow get some runs. Some dude named Jimmy Gobble was pitching for the Royals, and was facing our 9-1-2 batters. But even after a Craig Monroe walk with two outs, Sean Casey could only muster a groundout to first to end the game.<br /><br />After it ended the Metrodome blew up. At least, that's how it felt for me. The Twins, who had been watching the game from the top of the dugout with the rest of the fans, leaped out onto the field in glee and merriment and joy. The fans soaked up the images of their Twins players slapping fives down the first and third base seats. Dan had scooted out from press row at the middle of the 12th inning and I could see him on the field clicking away as the players celebrated right next to him.<br /><br />Quickly the rest of press row vacated their seats to go and get player interviews for their Championship stories that would air in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press and other papers and online sites. Local TV sports anchors would get soaked in champagne. But I just sat there, mostly by myself on press row, staring at a computer screen, wondering when the next inning would start so the Tigers could get back in the game.<br /><br />Dan was tickled pink, and he wouldn't let my sullen mood sour his amazing experience on the field. I saw his pictures later - they really were incredible. And he set up the feed back to the studio, where Joel was waiting for us to start the Show. As a Twins fan, he was thrilled, but he did a good job being professional about it.  Needless to say, I spent the hour saying nothing - I was not a professional. Scratch that - I said one thing: "The Tigers blew it. That's it. They blew it." And that's all I said.<br /><br />After the Show was done, Dan and I took the van back to the studio, and I said nothing. Even though the sun had set, I left my sunglasses on the whole way home. I helped Dan put stuff back in the studio, and then I drove back to campus.<br /><br />But at that moment, I couldn't go back to my dorm room. I got my phone out and called my dad and cried. Like, a lot. If there had been other heartbreaking moments for my sports teams before October 1, 2006, I always had the fortune of turning off the game and doing something else. In this instance, I was in a nightmare from which I couldn't wake up. It had really torn me up.<br /><br />My dad was just as bummed as I was, but he listened and said that you had to have some sort of realism in your fandom. I realized that I had spent 2006 being shocked at how good the Tigers were playing, and had put them up on a pedestal that I thought they couldn't fall from - I was relying on my dream instead of on facts. From that point on, I would have to understand that sometimes they win, and sometimes they lose.<br /><br />I did follow that advice later, in 2009. When the Tigers and Twins tied for first in the Central and had to play game 163, I didn't get excited about it. Actually, I was working during the game, so I didn't find out what happened till it was done. Well, I found out the score. I ignored everything else. To be honest, I don't know what exactly happened in that game. I just know the Tigers lost. I had a feeling in my gut that they would lose that game, and they did. But I wasn't heartbroken over it, like I had been three years ago. I wasn't going to call my dad and cry about it. I was going to move on.<br /><br />Now let's take the Wayback Machine to Friday, September 16, 2011. Actually, in Detroit it was already Saturday. But I got to watch as closer Jose Valverde got Josh Willingham to ground out to third base, and the Tigers <i>finally</i> got to celebrate a Division Title. The champagne flowed, the players broke out the goggles, and the fans celebrated.<br /><br />I was thrilled to bits not just because they won, but because they won in convincing fashion! There was no waiting for the final game of the season to sit nervously and wait for other games' outcomes. Instead, it was done 1 1/2 weeks before the season was done. The division was clinched. No one can take that away. And my terrible memory could finally be forgotten.<br /><br />(By the way, in 2006 the Twins were swept in the Divisional series by Oakland, and the Tigers went all the way to the World Series. I guess that helped to erase the memory too.)

Erasing a Terrible Memory

Let's take a trip in the Wayback Machine, shall we? Strap yourselves in - it's going to be kind of a bumpy ride. Where are we going,...

Read more »

Pumpkin Fluff

On Saturday we honored a friend/co-worker of mine to celebrate her upcoming wedding that will be held in Charlotte, NC next weekend.  <br /><br />For this get together, I made the glorious Pumpkin Fluff recipe that I obtained from a leader at Weight Watchers.  No one at the party knew it was a WW recipe, but they all loved it and requested a copy of the recipe. Here is it for you too as promised - enjoy!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9YxEHyzKNDFdVZfKH6oX7R2CuasP-uEA708YCP3hTryOw2n2bKfw_2bPY29NmPVdFyh6zoSq3zh2JZ7kTsgYeaoZKwAY7M5hhK75MvgHmCv1amU3uqQT2Is7Rtm3Ww0NuceLVucmYsvI/s1600/pumpkin+fluff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9YxEHyzKNDFdVZfKH6oX7R2CuasP-uEA708YCP3hTryOw2n2bKfw_2bPY29NmPVdFyh6zoSq3zh2JZ7kTsgYeaoZKwAY7M5hhK75MvgHmCv1amU3uqQT2Is7Rtm3Ww0NuceLVucmYsvI/s400/pumpkin+fluff.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><blockquote><u><b>Pumpkin Fluff</b></u> - <i><b>3 Points+ </b></i><br />Makes approximately eight 1/2 cup servings<br /><br /><i>Ingredients:</i><br /><ul><li>1 cup(s) fat-free skim milk</li><li>2 boxes fat-free sugar free instant vanilla pudding</li><li>29 oz canned pumpkin</li><li>8 oz fat free Cool Whip</li><li>1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice</li></ul><i>Directions: </i><br />Mix milk & pudding, then add remaining ingredients.  Keep refrigerated - the longer it sits the better it tastes!</blockquote>This can also be served with pears, graham crackers, or any other fruit/food you desire.  The leader also recommended using it as pie filling to make your own no-bake pumpkin pie.  Really, the options for this recipe are endless.<br /><br />Do you have a favorite pumpkin-inspired recipe?

Weight Watcher Recipes Pumpkin Fluff

On Saturday we honored a friend/co-worker of mine to celebrate her upcoming wedding that will be held in Charlotte, NC next weekend.  For th...

Read more »

Do You Have 100 Pounds to Lose?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOiJT3bP3dogngfP8ihqqvLoJ23KuMn-hx2IwSTlJsTtyeA94eYdVC_-hCv4YHeW-mY6GC0sjRajQ9jWBIzi8O1rkRs4aU0gvCre3VWueeikcHVjg6PPSCu07y-6mGquwPeFaSCm0Piw/s1600/scale+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOiJT3bP3dogngfP8ihqqvLoJ23KuMn-hx2IwSTlJsTtyeA94eYdVC_-hCv4YHeW-mY6GC0sjRajQ9jWBIzi8O1rkRs4aU0gvCre3VWueeikcHVjg6PPSCu07y-6mGquwPeFaSCm0Piw/s200/scale+1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Yesterday I happened upon <a href="http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/10-tips-for-losing-100-pounds">this article on Webmd.com</a> on tips for those of us who have 100 lbs to lose.  If you're in this boat too, I would encourage you to go check it out in detail.<br /><br />Below is a summary of it and how it applies to my own journey:<br /><br /><b>1. Shrink Yourself: Analyze the Payoff You Get From Excess Weight</b><br /><i>Anne Fletcher, the Registered Dietician who was consulted in this article, says to ask yourself: "What are you getting out of NOT losing weight?"  Are you hanging on to the weight because you're trying to hide from a particular situation?  </i><br /><br />I think for me, I'm so used to being in the background that I don't want to be in the spot light.  I think I'm a little afraid of success as well.  Like if/when I actually do lose this weight, how much more it's going to change my life.  I'll be able to actually do things I've told myself I cannot do right now because of my weight.  <br /><br /><b>2. Assess Your Readiness</b><br /><i>For this, Fletcher says to ask yourself these questions: "Is my job and my spouse's job likely to stay the same [for the foreseeable future]? Is my financial situation reasonably stable? Do I have time to devote to weight control? Are my relationships stable?"  She's basically saying, the least amount of stress you have going on in your life, the more successful with weight loss you are likely to be.  Obviously, if you want to lose weight and you're determined, you can do it, regardless of how many stressors exist in your life.  </i><br /><br />I know for me, if I didn't have this subconscious worry about the way I look floating around in my mind DAILY, a lot of my stress would be eliminated.  Not only that, I have noticed that over the years when my stress level is high, it's harder for me to stick to a healthy lifestyle.  Last year, when I was enduring an almost 2 hour one-way commute to work each day, I had no desire to come home and cook, much less go work out.  Trust me, it shows on my body now - I gained about 40 lbs in that 1 year.  <br /><br /><b>3. Consider the Options</b><br /><i>Try to be as informed as possible about whatever healthy plan it is that you're going to follow, whether that be an organized plan like Weight Watchers, counting calories, gastic bypass surgery - whatever strategy you decide upon - know all there is to know about it!</i><br /><br />I know I always have room for improvement with WW, and so I continue to attend meetings regularly to learn more about it.  I also like to get my tips/tricks from you guys and your blogs, especially fellow WW members.<br /><br /><b>4. Build in Accountability</b><br /><i>No matter what plan you follow, hold yourself accountable.  Weigh in on a consistent schedule.  Report that weigh in to someone else.  Blog about your journey.  Whatever you have to do to keep yourself accountable, do it.</i><br /><br />This is why I created this blog.  Holding myself accountable to Joel alone wasn't cutting it - we can sometimes be each others worst enemy when it comes to healthy activities!  Attending WW meetings certainly helps of course.  However, I knew I could find what I needed by writing it out.  <b>Thank you</b> for reading along :).<br /><br /><b>5. Adjust Your Expectations</b><br /><i>Don't expect to lose 100 lbs in 10 weeks.  Have realistic expectations of this weight loss.  It didn't happen overnight, so it's not going to come off overnight.</i><br /><br />I added the <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/p/goals.html">Goals tab</a> to help me focus on 5 lbs losses, instead of the 10 lbs that had originally been the focus.  Even 10 lbs seemed overwhelming - especially at the rate in which I'm losing.  Now that I've decreased it to 5, I've even been thinking about cutting it down further than that.  Still, my weekly goal is to lose at least SOMETHING - I don't care how much it is, just please give me a loss.<br /><br /><b>6. Develop a Healthy Selfishness</b><br /><i>This means realizing that, if you want to lose this weight once and for all, you need to keep your healthy journey front and centerm and you need to do what you have to do in order to keep it there.  Don't make exceptions to the rules for other people and what you think they want you to do.  Do what YOU have to do to stay on track.</i><br /><br />This is something I struggle with quite a bit.  For example, when people see I'm not eating at a work luncheon or that I'm not drinking at a happy hour, I'm immediately interrogated.  I don't particularly like to announce to everyone that I'm trying to watch what I eat.  I don't want to draw any more attention to myself than necessary.  In fact, I actually find it awkward to be the fat girl and not be eating/drinking.  Those things seem to go hand in hand, right?  It's as though I'm drawing <i>more </i>attention to myself by not doing what people think I should be doing.  So, I have been known to just do what everyone else is doing to avoid the harrassment.  I'm sure you've been there too.  Some people don't take "no" for an answer.  Even if I say "I'm just not hungry right now" (despite the fact that I really do want that cookie or that beer), they still have to press the issue.. "Who cares - just eat it".  You get the picture.<br /><br /><b>7. Fat-Proof Your Environment</b><br /><i>This is simply summed up as: Keep the trigger foods out of your house.</i><br /><br />Last week I made these Hershey Kiss pretzel sandwiches for a work function, and I had a lot left over at home.  I asked Joel if he could please hide them from me, and he did. AND it worked! :)<br /><br /><b>8. Pick the Brains of Healthy-Weight People</b><br />I take advantage of this by reading weight loss blogs.  I'm a private person when it comes to my weight loss journey - it's a highly sensitive subject for me. Therefore, I don't know many people in my life today who i would willingly consult about how they stay healthy.  Still, I know without a doubt if I hadn't started reading your blogs, I would have probably given up a dozen times over by now.<br /><br /><b>9. Find Your Secret Weapons</b><br />I'm still searching for these secret weapons.  In the exercise realm, lately my secret weapon has been the NROLFW.  I do not think it's a coincidence that since I've started doing that program, I've also started losing more weight at a much rapid pace.<br /><br />I'm still working to find my secret weapon for eating (or, better yet, NOT eating)!<br /><br /><b>10. Reward Your Success - in the Right Way</b><br />Again, I reference my <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/p/goals.html">Goals page</a>.  It felt SO GOOD when I was able to purchase 2 of my rewards off of that list.  I REALLY wanted those walking shoes and I was so excited when the day came that I could finally get them.  <br /><br />Which one of these tips is the most applicable and/or informative to you?

Inspiration Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Loss Do You Have 100 Pounds to Lose?

Yesterday I happened upon this article on Webmd.com on tips for those of us who have 100 lbs to lose.  If you're in this boat too, I wo...

Read more »

Where's Diana?

I'm in Fairbanks. My sister had a mild stroke last Wednesday. I flew up on Thursday and she didn't seem to be that bad. Her speech was very slurred and difficult to understand, It was a left-side cerebral stroke so she was partially paralyzed on her right side (she's right handed). I thought she'd have a full recovery.<br /><br />Then the "natural progression" of the original stroke has changed it from a "mild" stroke to a catastrophic event. Everything has become increasingly much worse each day. Now she can barely mutter, she can still shake her head yes and no, but is often confused by the question. Her right side is completely paralyzed. Saturday they said she has expressive aphasia, but she still understood everything we said. <br /><br />Now there's some receptive aphasia too, where she doesn't understand what we're saying. It seems to come and go. She can't write with her left hand since the signals from her brain to her hand aren't working, although she has a tight grip in the left hand.<br /><br />This is my beautiful, wonderful sister that I love more than anyone in this world. She's always so classy, so sweet and kind to everyone and always does the right thing. She's one of the funniest people I've ever met and she always gets my jokes. We would get into laughing fits when we were together. I'm so glad I spent ten days with her last July. <br />This is my only sister. She's seventeen years older than me but we've become very close in the last ten years, since our mother became very ill and died. She's the sister I spent eight days in the in Anchorage in a hospital, never leaving her side as we watch her husband of 51 years die of massive coronary heart failure.<br /><br />Two weeks ago we talked for about three hours on the phone. One of the things we talked about was the horror of a stroke, not being able to speak, and being paralyzed. We both said it would be a living hell and would much rather die. She has also said for two years that she just wanted to die because her heart was so broken and she was so lonely since her husband died.<br /><br />She was barely eating a bite of food since she came into the hospital. Two days ago she decided to completely refuse all food, water and the medicines they had started her on. I know what she's doing, she's trying to kill herself the only way she knows how. She wants out of her living hell. <br /><br />This is my sister that has always been thin so it probably won't take long. The doctor's are talking about moving her to a hospice. It's breaking my heart. She's 73 which seems so young, but I know it's her choice and it's what she wants. Even if she worked really hard in rehab, she would still have a lot of paralysis and they don't know if the speech will ever come back. This would be unacceptable to my very active and independent sister.<br /><br />My nieces, 45, 47  and 49 are begging her to stay, for them. I want her to stay for me too, but I really just want for her to be out of this nightmare. Who will I call on Saturdays and talk to for hours about everything? Who will I laugh with until I'm bent over in tears and a coughing fit from the laughing? I miss her so much already. Life really does suck sometimes.<br /><br /><br />

Where's Diana?

I'm in Fairbanks. My sister had a mild stroke last Wednesday. I flew up on Thursday and she didn't seem to be that bad. Her speech w...

Read more »

Friend Making Mondays: Favorite Holidays

I'm actually participating in <a href="http://www.alltheweigh.com/2011/09/friend-makin-mondays-holidays/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=friend-makin-mondays-holidays">FMM today</a> :).<br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.alltheweigh.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/FMM1111111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.alltheweigh.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/FMM1111111.jpg" /></a></div><br />Kenlie asked: What is your favorite holiday and why?<br /><br />Ironic that she asked this because I just posted this on Facebook this morning... my favorite holiday is Halloween!<br /><br />I like that Halloween sort of kicks off the fall/winter holidays.  After not having a real major holiday since Easter, I like how Halloween is the introduction back into the months of holiday celebrations.  Plus, to me, Halloween = fall.  I love the colors associated with the holiday: orange, black, brown, deep reds, purples, yellows, etc.  I love when the leaves change colors, and when driving back to the Motherland the mountainsides are ensconced in all of the vibrant fall colors.  So pretty - especially on a sunny, fall day.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE7BfZ-lB9qgAxKIIoLxuhCGKIbsKhde5WkzMmq569e2rn7279-yX-3a6jH_5T_HtuZARMijAn49HJ-pwPaoZ6NoX-dPK8cZc_4OI84XcTnBjjNN32n7NBAsIC_feFyaS5D-UZMFoBCwo/s1600/DSCN3946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE7BfZ-lB9qgAxKIIoLxuhCGKIbsKhde5WkzMmq569e2rn7279-yX-3a6jH_5T_HtuZARMijAn49HJ-pwPaoZ6NoX-dPK8cZc_4OI84XcTnBjjNN32n7NBAsIC_feFyaS5D-UZMFoBCwo/s400/DSCN3946.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />I love the activities associated with Halloween like: going to haunted houses, carving pumpkins, jumping in piles of leaves with my niece (and nephew someday!), Pumpkin Spice Lattes, how well Charles fits in to this holiday, the chill in the air, sweaters, full moons, spookyness, dressing up, etc.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtz239Mqudbw9hWGPMI8se4wjh_Ol08bM3axSwJIgeCdp5t253uf5G3ciwe4WHD1P2H13L31x3SiJYACGfOpExBDx1WwPZm0ozVMKt6SQyto4LEa5Fg-zXPZ88qXBrWZfmOHF_622R8s/s1600/DSCN3872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtz239Mqudbw9hWGPMI8se4wjh_Ol08bM3axSwJIgeCdp5t253uf5G3ciwe4WHD1P2H13L31x3SiJYACGfOpExBDx1WwPZm0ozVMKt6SQyto4LEa5Fg-zXPZ88qXBrWZfmOHF_622R8s/s400/DSCN3872.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Of course the other holidays come in very close to Halloween, but there is just something about this spooky holiday that I enjoy so much.<br /><br />As an adult, I've only dressed up one time.  Joel and I were Dorothy and the Scarecrow.  We were still riding the Wizard of Oz high after I had just returned from 3 months of living in Kansas City, MO.  :)  I also really enjoy Halloween parties!.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05-2qXZLN1kvMmrPom6Ar_D2tYC_Cioel6IkJ3yP7EzDOZfhNlPMVoN9Zd9_CYP3m29DFgxaB9ix4UlSy90GrMjFibdK_iiBqnyOF-4q0LFK8rE1NUNPQqY-GJCffmLJFCugitpVbzu8/s1600/Halloween+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05-2qXZLN1kvMmrPom6Ar_D2tYC_Cioel6IkJ3yP7EzDOZfhNlPMVoN9Zd9_CYP3m29DFgxaB9ix4UlSy90GrMjFibdK_iiBqnyOF-4q0LFK8rE1NUNPQqY-GJCffmLJFCugitpVbzu8/s400/Halloween+012.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /> What is your favorite holiday?

Friend Making Mondays Friend Making Mondays: Favorite Holidays

I'm actually participating in FMM today :). Kenlie asked: What is your favorite holiday and why? Ironic that she asked this because I j...

Read more »

Your nonverbal communication can wreck your interview

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana; font-size: medium;"></span></i></b></span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal arial, helvetica;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="tblContent"><tbody><tr id="trContent"><td align="center" class="cb_style tcContent" id="tcContent" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><div class="cbArticleWrapper" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; width: 750px;"><div class="cbArticleContentWrapper" style="margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px; margin-top: 15px; width: 750px;"><div class="cbArticleRight" style="width: 560px;"><div class="RXart" style="padding-right: 20px;"><div class="ArticleHeadline" style="margin-top: -30px;"><div class="cbmsnArticleImage" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" src="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/97/ar5m4zl6sk34kd4z9397.gif?time=1/10/2011%2011:52:37%20am" /></div><div class="hdr_org_bld" style="color: #ff6600; font: normal normal bold 18px/normal arial, helvetica;"><h1 id="articleHeadline" style="color: #ff7700; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br /></h1></div><b><span id="cbArticle_lblByLine">Selena Dehne, JIST Publishing</span></b><br /></div><div class="ArticleContent"><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Giving a limp handshake, letting your eyes wander and fidgeting are just a few of the subtle blunders that can botch your success in a job interview. Although you may have been unaware you were doing these things, interviewers who pick up on negative nonverbal <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/communication/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">communication</a> are likely to doubt your fit for the job.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Nonverbal communication can be judged just as much, and sometimes even more harshly, than the responses you give to questions you're asked during interviews. It can even be the single factor that helps hiring managers decide between you and another candidate when you're both equally qualified for the job. That's why it's so important to be mindful about your posture, facial expression and other behaviors.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"The most important idea is to project confidence and professionalism," says Heather Krasna,<a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/author/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">author</a> of "Jobs That Matter: Find a Stable, Fulfilling Career in <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/public+service/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Public Service</a>."<i></i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i></i>"If you find yourself becoming very nervous about interviewing, realize that this is normal. Practice interviewing in front of a mirror, on video or with a friend or career coach until you feel a bit more comfortable," she suggests.<i></i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">In her book, Krasna offers the following tips for ensuring positive, appropriate and polite nonverbal communication:</div><ul type="disc"><br /><li><b>Handshake: </b>A firm handshake is considered a sign of confidence. Take the other person's hand in your right hand (don't use both hands), so that the space between your thumb and first finger touches theirs. Give a firm, but not crushing squeeze, and shake the person's hand up and down slightly, once. If you have sweaty hands, be sure to dry them before your interview.</li><br /><li><b>Posture and physical distance:</b> When sitting in a chair, sit up straight or lean forward slightly (don't slouch). If you will be crossing your legs, do it so that one knee is stacked on top of the other or cross your ankles. (Do not cross your legs so that one foot is on top of your other knee.) Alternatively, keep both feet on the floor. Do not stretch your legs out in front of you or sit with your legs spread far apart -- it looks too casual. When standing near someone, about three feet of distance is standard in most parts of the United States. Standing closer than this can be quite uncomfortable for others.</li><br /><li><b>Arms and hands:</b> You can "talk with your hands" to some extent, but do not do so to the point of distracting your interviewer. Sitting with your arms crossed in front of you can look defensive. Instead, try to have a more open posture. Don't fidget, play with your hair or pen, or bite your nails!</li><br /><li><b>Eye contact:</b> Look in the eyes of the person interviewing you. Looking down or away frequently gives a message of not being confident or being confused. Rolling your eyes up is considered a sign of disrespect. Don't stare intensely at the interviewer; just look him or her in the eye as much as possible.</li><br /><li><b>Facial expression:</b> Smiling is an important way of showing that you are a friendly individual and that you are enthusiastic about the position. Smile at the beginning and the end of the interview at a minimum. This can't be emphasized enough -- I know several people for whom lack of smiling was a major barrier to employment.</li><br /><li><b>Mirroring: </b>You can also take note of the posture and expressions of your interviewer, and adopt some of his or her tone. Be careful, though -- even if an interviewer is quite friendly and casual, that does not mean you should be too casual. It is still a professional job interview.</li></ul><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">In addition to these tips, Krasna gives international job seekers a reminder: "Nonverbal communication is quite culturally defined," she says. "If you are interviewing across cultures, be sure to know what is expected of you."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Selena Dehne is a career writer for JIST Publishing who shares the latest occupational, career and job search information available with job seekers and career changers. She is also the author of JIST's Job Search and Career Blog (</i><i><a href="http://jistjobsearchandcareer.blogspot.com/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">http://jistjobsearchandcareer.blogspot.com/</a></i><i>). Follow her on Twitter at </i><i><a href="http://twitter.com/SelenaDehne" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">http://twitter.com/SelenaDehne</a>.</i></div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>

Your nonverbal communication can wreck your interview

Selena Dehne, JIST Publishing Giving a limp handshake, letting your eyes wander and fidgeting are just a few of the subtle blunders that can...

Read more »