Battling Weight Loss

<div>Tonight is my mid-week weigh in at WW.  I do not anticipate this going well and will be happy if I have a loss from 2 weeks ago - even if it's only 0.1 lbs! <br /><br />I made it to the gym on both Monday and Tuesday.  Yesterday was a challenge to go - Joel is still recovering from sickness and he wasn't going, and when I got home I just didn't want to go - I wanted to sit around and hang out with him!  But I quickly remembered what I read often on all the blogs I follow - that you never regret a trip to the gym.  And so I went for 40 minutes on the elliptical, that started off with very heavy legs.</div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.everydaypeoplecartoons.com/cartoons/501-work-out-cartoon.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.everydaypeoplecartoons.com/cartoons/501-work-out-cartoon.gif" width="222" /></a></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div>Joel asked me when I left if I'd bring home McDonald's.  I wasn't craving it by any means, but I was considering it because I just didn't feel like making dinner.  Though after that sweaty workout, I couldn't justify going to McDonald's for dinner.  Those types of justifications are probably why I'm still gaining/losing the same 5+ lbs when I should be well on my way to my goal after 9 months of attending the gym regularly.  It's sad and defeating thinking that I'm still virtually at the same place I was when I started attending the gym back in November 2010.  A friend mentioned getting checked out by a doctor to make sure my hormone levels were okay.  I actually had my thyroid tested about a year ago and that checked out just fine, so I'm hoping that hormones are NOT to blame.  </div><div><br /></div><div>I know that today I rarely follow the plan to a "T", and most times I haven't been even coming CLOSE to following it to a "T" and so I know a lot of that is to blame.  But even in the past when I've done WW, the weight still came off very easily in the beginning, and I've never been able to achieve perfection following The Plan (meaning, I never went a full week without going over Points values at least one day out of the week - and this was before the Weekly Points Plus allowance).  I know I'm capable of losing a lot of weight - I lost 50 lbs when I was a junior in college and kept it off for a little over a year, and that was with plenty of heavy drinking nights and late night runs to Sheetz!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://30dayweightlosschallenge.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/scale-saying-help.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://30dayweightlosschallenge.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/scale-saying-help.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I want this weight off once and for all, and I want to be able to live life to it's fullest.  I know that when I do achieve this biggest life goal I have for myself, I'll have the confidence to do anything I want to do... because this has truly been the hardest thing I've ever had to do for myself in the 27 years I've spent on this earth.  It wasn't the first day of college, or finding a job, or even the first day of going to work in Washington, DC, or any other situation that has scared the absolute crap out of me.   </div><div><br /></div><div>Still, this is my journey, and however long it takes and whatever obstacles I have to battle, I'll do it.  </div>

Random Weight Loss Thoughts Weight Loss Challenges Battling Weight Loss

Tonight is my mid-week weigh in at WW.  I do not anticipate this going well and will be happy if I have a loss from 2 weeks ago - even if it...

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Empower a teacher, and you empower tomorrow’s leaders

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><i>A news report from IT Web </i><br />Johannesburg, 6 July 2011 – In today’s challenging classroom contexts, effective education hinges on the vigour and dedication of educators – not their qualifications or number of years spent teaching. <br /><br />A sense of community – in their education streams and subject areas – is what spurs today’s educators to rise beyond the substantial hurdles presented in their workplace, and technology is providing a bridge to unlocking their potential, and that of their learners, levelling the playing field. <br /><br />“Given the great need to empower South Africa’s 18 million children – nearly 40 percent of our population – today with the skills they need to enter a workforce characterised by fast-changing technology and skills advances,” says Reza Bardien, Education Lead at Microsoft South Africa, “corporations are increasingly involved in assisting governments achieve this survival task.”<br /><br />To this end, Microsoft South Africa in partnership with the Department of Basic Education annually hosts a series of Innovative Teacher Forum (ITF) workshops for primary and secondary schools across the country. This culminates in an awards initiative that highlights the unique ways in which teachers and learners collaborate to bring classroom learning to life and into context with their immediate environments.<br /><br />“By learning to employ modern-day technologies such as mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras and desktop computers in their classroom projects, teachers rising to the ITF challenge not only enrich their own pedagogical skills, but they bring subjects to life and practical focus for their learners,” says Phil Mnisi, Director Curriculum Innovation and e-Learning at the National Department of Basic Education and forerunner of technology evangelism.<br /><br />“The ITF awards each year challenge teachers to enter projects, which employ technology to explore real-world problems, which at the same time bearing relevance to their curriculum requirements.”<br /><br />By participating in the types of projects these teachers run, learners are given the opportunity to develop critical thinking, collaboration, communication, research and problem solving skills. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBICf2eBl3aV2eWUyL3gOZR-a7k9K4wCyeptTJI6n0_DxPsNfDznm6KUJfPhjQA8cf6tkvSHR3x20KLUtT74rbhaGBwYizFNYVT_axzQ1-1Oqgi55Mea6Nv52d9F1p2VWIENAvyZGUog/s1600/itf" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBICf2eBl3aV2eWUyL3gOZR-a7k9K4wCyeptTJI6n0_DxPsNfDznm6KUJfPhjQA8cf6tkvSHR3x20KLUtT74rbhaGBwYizFNYVT_axzQ1-1Oqgi55Mea6Nv52d9F1p2VWIENAvyZGUog/s200/itf" width="200" /></a></div><br />The winners, announced last night during an awards ceremony at St Johns College in Johannesburg, are:<br /><br />§ Louise Clarke and Kim Jackson of St Cyprians College in Cape Town for their class project “Tollbooth Movie Maker”; <br /><br />§ Natalie Meerholz of Holy Rosary School in Edenvale for her class project “E-Waste Away”; <br /><br />§ Lyneth Crighton of Brescia House in Bryanston for her class project “DigiGirlz puzzle IT out”; <br /><br />§ Wessel Theron of Bishops Diocesan College in Cape Town for his class project “School of Rock”; <br /><br />§ Ryan Galvin of St Nicholas Diocesan School in Pietermaritzburg for his class project “R and J in R and B”. <br /><br />The five winners will go on to participate in the Middle East Africa Innovative Education Forum in September, with winners of this event afforded the unforgettable opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. in November for the Worldwide awards and a rare networking opportunity with teachers from around the globe. They each also receive a Netbook from Dell. <br /><br />Dalene Thuynsma, a teacher at Carpe Diem School in George, wins a Sangari portable interactive whiteboard and response system in recognition of the innovative work she is doing in the challenging context of working with special needs learners in an under-resourced school.<br /><br />“This year is the 6th annual Microsoft Innovative Teacher Forum being held in South Africa,” says Bardien. “In the past, South African and Lesotho teachers have been enormously successful in their participation at the regional and worldwide events and we have had a global award winner each year since the inception of the awards.”<br /><br />The teachers that have participated regionally and globally have returned to South Africa and each year they run Innovation Workshops in order to share their skills and experiences with other teachers to encourage participation in this Forum.<br /><br />“The judges were really impressed by the depth of the projects this year, and with the creative and exciting ideas that our teachers have come up with,” adds Bardien.<br /><br />This year’s local finalists mirrored a renewed focus worldwide on providing learners with a well-rounded education, and entries ranged from computer-aided cover design, creative cinematography, podcasting and Wikipedia entries, to environmental activism and fundraising, responsible e-waste disposal, online learning resource creation and importantly, social entrepreneurship. All finalists receive an Encyclopedia Britannica and digital curriculum content from Learnthings. <br /><br />“The Department, partnering with Microsoft and SchoolNet SA, annually trains thousands of teachers in the basic integration of ICT in teaching. In fact, since the beginning of the year, 14,000 teachers have been trained,” says Mnisi. <br /><br />“This does not mean that all trained teachers go on to use this technology in their daily teaching to become what we call innovative teachers. Less than a thousand of these educators enter into the ITF awards following their training. We have to ask ourselves the question: are we providing them with enough support after training?”<br /><br />ITF information and background can be accessed on www.microsoft.com/presspass/events/wwteachersforum.<br /><br />http://www.itweb.co.za/office/microsoft/PressRelease.php?StoryID=150880</div>

conferences Empower a teacher, and you empower tomorrow’s leaders

A news report from IT Web  Johannesburg, 6 July 2011 – In today’s challenging classroom contexts, effective education hinges on the vigour a...

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SHARE OF THE CAKE - PORCION DE LA TORTA

<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>IS THE ARGENTINE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR REALLY IN SUCH DISARRAY AS PORTRAYED BY LOCAL MEDIA AND POLITICIANS CAMPAIGNING FOR UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS?  </b></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue;"><span class="hps" style="font-size: large;"><b><span lang="ES">ESTA  EL SECTOR AGRÍCOLA</span></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span lang="ES"> <span class="hps">ARGENTINA</span> <span class="hps">REALMENTE</span> <span class="hps">EN TAL DESORDEN</span> <span class="hps">COMO LO RETRATAN  LOS MEDIOS LOCALES</span> <span class="hps">Y LOS </span> <span class="hps">POLÍTICOS EN CAMPAÑA</span> <span class="hps">PARA LAS PRÓXIMAS</span> <span class="hps">ELECCIONES PRESIDENCIALES?</span></span></b></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Listening to local media, representatives of the farming sector and the political opposition, one assumes that the Argentine agriculture sector is in disorder and facing massive losses of profit due to Government policies.</span><br /><span class="hps" style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><span lang="ES" style="line-height: 115%;">Escuchando a</span></span><span lang="ES" style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">los medios de comunicación</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">locales, a los representantes</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">del sector agropecuario</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">y a la oposición política</span><span style="color: orange;">, podemos suponer que </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">el sector agricultor argentino</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">está en desorden</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">y enfrentando pérdidas masivas</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">de</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">ganancias debido a</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">las políticas del Gobierno</span><span style="color: orange;">.</span><br style="color: blue;" /><span style="color: blue;"> </span><br /> <br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Looking deeper into the matter one might come to a slightly different conclusion then mainstream media, politicians  and certain entities of the agriculture industry are trying to portray to the public, for international facts and figures differ to those shown in Argentina.</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue;"><span class="hps" style="font-size: large;"><span lang="ES">Mirando</span></span><span lang="ES" style="font-size: large;"> <span class="hps">más profundamente, podríamos</span> <span class="hps">llegar a una conclusión</span> <span class="hps">un poco</span> <span class="hps">diferente que</span> <span class="hps">los grandes medios</span>, los políticos y <span class="hps">algunas entidades</span> <span class="hps">de la industria de</span> <span class="hps">la agricultura</span>  <span class="hps">tratan de mostrar</span> <span class="hps">a</span> <span class="hps">la opinión pública</span>, ya que <span class="hps">los hechos</span> <span class="hps">internacionales y</span> <span class="hps">cifras difieren</span> <span class="hps">de</span> <span class="hps">los que se muestran</span> <span class="hps">en la Argentina.</span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">First of all one should not forget that a large number of agriculture producers in Argentina are influential foreign enterprises who own vast amount of fertile farmland in the country. Thus these entities decide in which direction the agriculture market is heading, in order to earn large profits.</span><br /><span class="hps" style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><span lang="ES" style="line-height: 115%;">En primer lugar</span></span><span lang="ES" style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">no hay que olvidar</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">que un gran número</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">de productores agrícolas  en</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">Argentina</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">son influyentes</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">empresas extranjeras</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">que poseen</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">gran cantidad de</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">tierras fértiles</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">en el país.</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">Así,</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">estas entidades</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">decidan</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">en qué dirección</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">se dirige</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">a los mercados agrícolas</span><span style="color: orange;">, </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">a fin de obtener</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">grandes ganancias</span><span style="color: orange;">.</span><br style="color: red;" /><span style="color: blue;"> </span><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">One does not need to be an expert to realize that soybean production is more profitable then cattle breeding, thus large agriculture producers shifted their focus on this commodity which leads farmers to abandon the cattle market and shift towards the highly profitable soybean production.</span><br /><span class="hps" style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><span lang="ES" style="line-height: 115%;">Uno</span></span><span lang="ES" style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">no necesita</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">ser un experto para</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">darse cuenta de que</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">la producción de soja</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">es más</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">rentable que</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">la cría de ganado</span><span style="color: orange;">, por lo que </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">los grandes productores</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;"> cambiaron su foco y abandonaron</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">el mercado ganadero por la</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">producción de soja</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">de alta rentabilidad</span><span style="color: orange;">.</span><br /> <br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Claims that Argentina exports less meat then Uruguay and Paraguay causes outcry within the farming community and politicians such as De Narváez.</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue;"><span class="hps" style="font-size: large;"><span lang="ES">Las afirmaciones de</span></span><span lang="ES" style="font-size: large;"> <span class="hps">que la  Argentina exporta menos carne que</span> <span class="hps">Uruguay y Paraguay</span> <span class="hps">provoca</span> <span class="hps">indignación</span> <span class="hps">en la comunidad agrícola</span> <span class="hps">y los políticos</span>, como <span class="hps">De Narváez</span>.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">See <a href="http://tn.com.ar/politica/0005652/la-rural-inauguracion-oficial">http://tn.com.ar/politica/0005652/la-rural-inauguracion-oficial</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">To say that the sole reason for a declining cattle market in Argentina is government policies, seems somewhat out of context, for such decline is a worldwide phenomenon.  The USA for example faces similar tendencies, and according to statistics provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Argentine cattle stock has been almost constant for the last couple of years.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="hps" style="font-size: large;"><span lang="ES">Decir que</span></span><span lang="ES" style="font-size: large;"> <span class="hps">la única razón para</span> <span class="hps">un mercado ganadero en retroceso</span> <span class="hps">en</span> <span class="hps">Argentina</span> <span class="hps">son las políticas</span> <span class="hps">del gobierno</span>, <span class="hps">parece un poco</span> <span class="hps">fuera de contexto, ya que eso es un declive  mundial</span>. <span class="hps">Los EE.UU.</span>, por ejemplo, <span class="hps">se enfrentan a</span> <span class="hps">una tendencia similar</span>, <span class="hps">y de acuerdo a</span> <span class="hps">estadísticas proporcionadas por la</span> <span class="hps">Organización para la Alimentación</span> <span class="hps">y la Agricultura de</span> <span class="hps">las Naciones Unidas, el </span> <span class="hps">stock ganadero</span> <span class="hps">argentino ha</span> <span class="hps">sido casi</span> <span class="hps">constante durante los</span> <span class="hps">últimos dos años</span>.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">See <a href="http://www.lmic.info/memberspublic/InTheCattleMarket/Archives/2011/cattlemarkets0131.pdf">http://www.lmic.info/memberspublic/InTheCattleMarket/Archives/2011/cattlemarkets0131.pdf</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">See: <a href="http://faostat.fao.org/site/573/DesktopDefault.aspx?PageID=573#ancor">http://faostat.fao.org/site/573/DesktopDefault.aspx?PageID=573#ancor</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Public debate on agriculture policies in Argentina thus only focuses on agriculture products such as soybean crop and meat production. One rarely reads or hears about Argentina’s  export ranking of other high yield commodities such as sugar, wine, tea, tobacco, cotton, citrus fruit, honey, maize, sorghum, squash, sunflower seeds and wheat.  </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="hps" style="font-size: large;"><span lang="ES">El debate público sobre</span></span><span lang="ES" style="font-size: large;"> <span class="hps">las políticas agrícola ganaderas en</span> <span class="hps">Argentina</span> <span class="hps">se centran sólo en</span> <span class="hps"> el</span> <span class="hps">cultivo de soja y</span> <span class="hps">la producción de carne</span>. <span class="hps">Rara vez se</span> <span class="hps">lee o escucha</span> <span class="hps">sobre el ranking</span> <span class="hps">de exportación</span> <span class="hps">de la Argentina</span> <span class="hps">de otros productos</span> <span class="hps">de alto rendimiento</span> <span class="hps">como el azúcar</span>, vino, té, tabaco, algodón, semillas de girasol <span class="hps">cítricos</span>, miel, maíz, sorgo, calabaza, <span class="hps">y el trigo.</span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Argentina is the world's second-largest corn exporter behind the U.S., exporting almost 18 million tons of corn in 2010.</span><br /><span class="hps" style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><span lang="ES" style="line-height: 115%;">Argentina</span></span><span lang="ES" style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">es</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">el segundo</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">mayor exportador de</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">maíz</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">detrás de los EE.UU.</span><span style="color: orange;">, exportando casi </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">18 millones de toneladas</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">de maíz</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">en 2010.</span><br style="color: blue;" /><span style="color: orange;"> </span><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Argentina is the world’s second largest producer of honey (worldwide honey prices are soaring due to an increasing shortage around the world) and the third largest producer of sunflower seeds, lemons and limes.</span><br /><span class="hps" style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><span lang="ES" style="line-height: 115%;">Argentina</span></span><span lang="ES" style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">es el segundo productor</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">mundial de</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">miel (los precios</span><span style="color: orange;"> de la miel mundial </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">se han disparado</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">debido a una</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">escasez cada vez mayor</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">en todo el mundo</span><span style="color: orange;">) y </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">el tercer mayor productor</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span class="hps" style="color: orange;">de semillas de girasol</span><span style="color: orange;">, limones y limas.</span><br style="color: blue;" /> <br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Looking at these figures one will understand why there is an ongoing struggle between the government, the agriculture sector and lobbyists,  for there is a vast amount of money involved and foreign agriculture producers such as MONSANTO, CARGILL etc. are eager to protect their interests in Argentina for they are fully aware what potential the Argentine Agriculture Sector has. Total volume of agricultural</span><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">production (comprising wheat, corn, and soybean) is expected to be more than 90 million tons – a 50 percent hike in volume over 2008-2009.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="hps" style="font-size: large;"><span lang="ES">En cuanto a</span></span><span lang="ES" style="font-size: large;"> <span class="hps">estas cifras</span> <span class="hps">se comprenderá</span> <span class="hps">por qué hay</span> <span class="hps">una lucha constante</span> <span class="hps">entre el gobierno</span>, <span class="hps">el sector de</span> <span class="hps">la agricultura y</span> <span class="hps">los grupos de presión</span>, ya que hay <span class="hps">una gran cantidad</span> <span class="hps">de dinero en juego</span> <span class="hps">y los productores extranjeros</span> <span class="hps">agricultores, como</span> <span class="hps">Monsanto, Cargill</span>, etc <span class="hps">están dispuestos a</span> <span class="hps">proteger sus intereses en</span> <span class="hps">Argentina</span> <span class="hps">ya que son</span> <span class="hps">plenamente conscientes del  potencial del</span> <span class="hps">sector agrícola</span> <span class="hps">argentino</span>. <span class="hps">Volumen total</span> <span class="hps">de la producción agrícola</span> <span class="hps">(comprende trigo</span>, maíz y <span class="hps">soja)</span> <span class="hps">se espera que sea</span> <span class="hps">más de</span> <span class="hps">90 millones de toneladas</span> <span class="hps">-</span> <span class="hps">un alza de 50</span> <span class="hps">por ciento</span> <span class="hps">en volumen en</span> <span class="hps">2008-2009.</span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">One should also not forget that Argentina profits a lot from trade deals with China, something foreign agriculture producers are eager to have a share of. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Only recently has China opened the Asian giant's markets to Argentine corn, beef, wine, biofuels and barley.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span lang="ES" style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: orange;">No hay que olvidar los beneficios que Argentina obtiene de un montón de acuerdos comerciales con China, algo que los productores extranjeros agricultoresestán ansiosos de tener. Sólo recientemente, China ha abierto los mercados del gigante asiático a la Argentina para ingresar maíz, carne, vino, biocombustibles y  cebada.</span><br /> <br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">The agricultural sector in Argentina consistently achieves extremely high levels of productivity, reaching higher yields per hectare of soybean and wheat than other major world producers such as Brazil, the United States and Canada.</span><br /><span lang="ES" style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: orange;">El sector agrícola en la Argentina siempre alcanza niveles extremadamente altos de productividad, obteniendo un mayor rendimiento por hectárea de soja y el trigo que otros productores más importantes del mundo tales como Brasil, Estados Unidos y Canadá.</span><br /> <br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Farmers associations, International Agriculture Producers, the agriculture lobbyists, as well as politicians, all are aware of the potential the agriculture sector in Argentina has and how it will grow even faster, due to the increase in worldwide food demand and raise in food prices, triggered by speculators.</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span lang="ES" style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Las asociaciones de agricultores, productores de la Agricultura, los grupos de presión agrícolas, así como los políticos, todos son conscientes del potencial del sector agrícola que la Argentina tiene y cómo va a crecer aún más rápido, debido al aumento de la demanda mundial de alimentos y al aumento de  los precios de los alimentos, provocada por los especuladores.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> See also:  </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ver también:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/25/us-markets-grains-poll-idUSTRE76O43220110725">http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/25/us-markets-grains-poll-idUSTRE76O43220110725</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://boingboing.net/2011/04/29/how-goldman-sachs-cr.html">http://boingboing.net/2011/04/29/how-goldman-sachs-cr.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thus it is only natural that every involved entity wants the larger piece of the cake and thus uses whatever means necessary to showcase their viewpoint on agriculture policies and how they affect agricultural producer’s profits.</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue;"><span class="hps" style="font-size: large;"><span lang="ES">Por lo tanto,</span></span><span lang="ES" style="font-size: large;"> <span class="hps">es natural que</span> <span class="hps">cada</span> <span class="hps">entidad involucrada</span> <span class="hps">quiera el</span> <span class="hps">pedazo más grande de</span> <span class="hps">la torta</span> <span class="hps">y entonces </span><span class="hps">utiliza</span> <span class="hps">todos los medios necesarios</span> <span class="hps">para mostrar su</span> <span class="hps">punto de vista sobre</span> <span class="hps">las políticas agrícolas</span> <span class="hps">y cómo afectan a</span> <span class="hps">las ganancias</span> <span class="hps">del productor</span> <span class="hps">agrícola.</span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Sources:     </i></span> <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="color: #666666;"><span class="hps"><span lang="ES">Fuentes:</span></span></i><i><span style="color: orange;">  </span>                                                                                                                      </i></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://agroinvest.wordpress.com/category/argentina-economic-overview/">http://agroinvest.wordpress.com/category/argentina-economic-overview/</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Argentina">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Argentina</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><span style="color: #003399;"><a href="http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Argentina-AGRICULTURE.html#ixzz1Sx8Hmn16">http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Argentina-AGRICULTURE.html#ixzz1Sx8Hmn16</a></span></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Argentina-AGRICULTURE.html">http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Argentina-AGRICULTURE.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.farmchemicalsinternational.com/magazine/?storyid=3177&style=1">http://www.farmchemicalsinternational.com/magazine/?storyid=3177&style=1</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.dowjones.com/">http://www.dowjones.com/</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">An interesting article to read in relation to above subject is:</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="hps" style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><span lang="ES">Un interesante artículo</span></span><span lang="ES" style="color: orange; font-size: large;"> <span class="hps">para leer</span> <span class="hps">en relación con el</span> <span class="hps">asunto de referencia</span> <span class="hps">es</span></span><span lang="ES-AR" style="font-size: large;"></span></div><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304803104576423893039347666.html">http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304803104576423893039347666.html</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

SHARE OF THE CAKE - PORCION DE LA TORTA

IS THE ARGENTINE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR REALLY IN SUCH DISARRAY AS PORTRAYED BY LOCAL MEDIA AND POLITICIANS CAMPAIGNING FOR UPCOMING PRESIDENTI...

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Getting results: 10 strategies for job-search success

<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="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><br /><br /><div class="cbmsnArticleImage"><img alt="" src="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/gg/ar5l6hc6wdkrnvq4pngg.gif?time=6/17/2011%206:26:17%20pm" /></div></div><br /><div class="ArticleContent"><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Job hunting boils down to finding an opportunity and convincing the employer you are exactly what he needs. Are you doing both effectively? Here, experts offer 10 suggestions for boosting success.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>1. Develop a top-notch elevator pitch</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Craft a succinct speech that eloquently conveys what you are looking for and what you can offer. "Practice this pitch in unlikely places, such as the grocery checkout line," says Cindy Hyman,<a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/associate+director/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">associate director </a>of alumni career programs at the University of Denver. "It will help you gain confidence so you're ready when you're at networking events."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>2. Look for connections</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The shaky economy has virtually eliminated job-search stigma, so go ahead and contact that friend of a friend on LinkedIn or let your dad introduce you to his golf partner. Lavie Margolin, author of "Lion Cub Job Search: Practical Job Search Assistance for Practical Job Seekers," says, "Anyone who works for the company and can submit your résumé is more likely to yield a positive response for you than submitting your résumé cold."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>3. Get out of the house and meet people</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">While computers are an important part of the modern job hunt, don't spend all day in front of your screen. Face-to-face connection is still vital. "Set a goal of meeting or networking with a certain number of people each week and stick to it," Hyman advises.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>4. Follow through on leads</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"Think of yourself as a <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/sales/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">salesperson</a>, and treat each job opening that you find as a lead," Margolin says. "You have found a company that has a job that is a fit for you. What about competitors to that organization? Most likely, they would have a similar role at their company as well. Perhaps it is not vacant at the moment, but it is a lead nonetheless." Likewise, it pays to regularly check back in with people and companies you approached previously, because business needs change.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>5. Target your cover letter</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Margolin recommends thinking of the cover letter as an advertisement to get attention. "Spend time writing a cover letter that will appeal to the reader as opposed to a generic message where you have only changed the name of the company and the job title. Emphasize why you are a fit for that job as opposed to any job."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>6. Do your homework</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">With so much information readily available, there is no excuse for coming to an interview unprepared. Start by perusing the company's website, but then learn more about the organization and the industry as a whole -- and look for opportunities during the interview to show how your abilities match this work environment. Matthew Randall, <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/executive+director/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">executive director</a> for the Center for Professional Excellence at York College of <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/pennsylvania/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Pennsylvania</a>, also notes that preparation shows you aren't going to waste the interviewers' time with questions that could have been answered easily beforehand.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>7. Show, don't tell</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Anyone can say he is a "team player" or an "effective communicator." "When you are discussing your qualifications, give a specific example, not just a list of qualities," says Caroline Ceniza-Levine, co-author of <a href="http://www.sixfigurestart.com/about-sixfigurestart/fierce/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">"How the Fierce Handle Fear: Secrets to Succeeding in Challenging Times"</a> and partner at the career-coaching firm SixFigureStart in <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/New+York/New+York/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">New York City</a>. "Don't say you are good with people; talk about a specific instance where you managed a team, generated consensus, worked with a difficult customer or some other people-related example with tangible results."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>8. Present a consistent package</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"Candidates should realize that they need to manage three different personas: an online profile that includes LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter; a written persona that includes the cover letter and résumé; and an in-person persona," Randall says. "These all need to be congruent. If they don't match, that is a huge red flag for hiring managers."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>9. Troubleshoot your search regularly</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Occasionally, step back and evaluate what is and isn't working in your job search. Ceniza-Levine recommends examining the situation every two or three weeks. "Look at how many meetings you are getting and if these meetings are yielding good information, referrals to other people who can help and actual job interviews. If you are not getting good-quality meetings, something is wrong, and you should review your search with someone who knows the process and can pinpoint what you can change."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>10. Keep an upbeat attitude</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Finally, don't give off the vibe of a battle-weary job seeker. As Hyman notes, "No matter how long your job search has already taken, how many rejections you have already experienced and how disappointed you are, when you speak with potential employers – and remember, virtually everyone you meet is a potential employer or can connect you with an employer – you need to express a positive attitude and excitement about the new opportunity you are seeking."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b></b></div><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></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>

Getting results: 10 strategies for job-search success

Beth Braccio Hering, Special to CareerBuilder Job hunting boils down to finding an opportunity and convincing the employer you are exactly w...

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Casablanca with the San Francisco Symphony

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCaao2WsBJaRUE6eq0HYGCOqMvQglQvJxqaSCU5GInNh9C3d2u6_ENv-E_eCU5aOdet63sTZLm6VaGT2j0QsleSxVA5tIJnNuvGxiuO019oIKNzYK1rZhhM3OQOg_oKG2T1jDMXFJXgK8x/s1600/casablanca+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCaao2WsBJaRUE6eq0HYGCOqMvQglQvJxqaSCU5GInNh9C3d2u6_ENv-E_eCU5aOdet63sTZLm6VaGT2j0QsleSxVA5tIJnNuvGxiuO019oIKNzYK1rZhhM3OQOg_oKG2T1jDMXFJXgK8x/s640/casablanca+1.jpg" width="496" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Last Friday night I attended a very special screening of "<i>Casablanca </i>with the San Francisco Symphony" at Davies Hall. Conductor Michael Francis led the orchestral accompaniment and a full house spent the evening in thrall to Warner Bros.' sublime 1942 film classic and composer Max Steiner's unforgettable score. </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"></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/AVvXsEhXlUFpCDDLBk5tOllk0Z_5Zq4qsN0DMW2Mv7mRp21QEdzm_h5qbsovP1BtPhM4Es0sr39yhqnAgHydK518WT_GfUgSZ3q4e4D_U9543Tej2j1DWG7XjI40V9lCYaeBFWf3zsZz-QDNjYSM/s1600/davies_symphony_hall.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlUFpCDDLBk5tOllk0Z_5Zq4qsN0DMW2Mv7mRp21QEdzm_h5qbsovP1BtPhM4Es0sr39yhqnAgHydK518WT_GfUgSZ3q4e4D_U9543Tej2j1DWG7XjI40V9lCYaeBFWf3zsZz-QDNjYSM/s400/davies_symphony_hall.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The sell-out audience of 2,800 or so was a mix of film and music lovers of every generation. Some of the young and old attended in full 1940's attire; most spent time sipping champagne and cocktails on the mezzanine before the program got underway...</span><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When the lights flickered and muted tones chimed,  it was time for my friend and I to take an elevator to the second tier balcony. From blissfully comfortable seats we spied a huge screen at center stage surrounded by the symphony orchestra. Mr. Francis entered, stepped to the podium, picked up his baton, glanced into a small monitor next to his sheet music and in a moment the hall reverberated with those oh-so-familiar notes that herald the start of a Warner Bros. picture. Then came Max Steiner's almost as familiar score:</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0KGOB1WIjRs" width="560"></iframe></div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The San Francisco orchestra interpreted Steiner's music a bit more gently, with less bombast, than the original movie soundtrack. The experience of a live score lent both immediacy and charm to the viewing experience and it was interesting, from time to time, to steal a look at the musicians as they accompanied familiar scenes. The harpist was fascinating to watch and listen to during the Paris flashback sequence. The essence of magic that is new love seemed to float from her strings.</span><br /><br /><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/AVvXsEg-QrOXHgjZPQgvMyXDKir3-Eq1IIHVkoAMqJrPGn8YjvSHjR2IDYCPWtlhFNmLLoUjEbbNQLjq32ZihLYauVevQedqq0cMmvdbERcWfP_eeMlvkDrfTo843iqUTrlU6Yj15QlzSbS0w0Eh/s1600/madeleine+lebeau+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QrOXHgjZPQgvMyXDKir3-Eq1IIHVkoAMqJrPGn8YjvSHjR2IDYCPWtlhFNmLLoUjEbbNQLjq32ZihLYauVevQedqq0cMmvdbERcWfP_eeMlvkDrfTo843iqUTrlU6Yj15QlzSbS0w0Eh/s320/madeleine+lebeau+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">...at <i>Rick's</i>, Bogart, Madeleine Lebeau and Leonid Kinskey</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I've loved and admired <i>Casablanca </i>for years but it wasn't until I sat watching from high in Davies Hall that a particular thought occurred and recurred in my mind..."this film is perfect." In every respect...direction, cinematography, set design, screenplay, dialogue, wardrobe, score, editing - and the cast. <i>This</i> is Bogart at his apex as a romantic lead, Bergman at her most beautiful and pure - along with a most eloquent supporting cast: Claude Rains, Paul Henreid, Conrad Veidt, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, S.K. Sakall, Madeleine Lebeau (the last cast member still living), Dooley Wilson, Joy Page and Leonid Kinskey. It's no surprise that <i>Casablanca</i> was honored with eight Academy Award nominations and won for Best Picture, Best Director (Michael Curtiz) and Best Screenplay (brothers Julius and Philip Epstein and Howard Koch). Humphrey Bogart was nominated for Best Actor, Claude Rains for his supporting role, Max Steiner for his score, Arthur Edeson for cinematography and Owen Marks for editing.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">  </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Perusing the program during intermission, I came upon Larry Rothe's insightful write-up on the picture and read of many things I knew and didn't know about <i>Casablanca</i>...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I found out that the timing of the film's release was auspicious. <i>Casablanca</i> premiered in New York in November 1942. The Allies had invaded North Africa earlier in the month - which was significant. Even more powerful was the fact that in January 1943 President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill met in Casablanca to discuss the terms of an Axis surrender. This became headline news at the end of discussions, on January 24. <i>Casablanca</i> had gone into national release the day before...a windfall for Warner's PR team.</span><br /><table align="center" 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/AVvXsEhKNd6Zvfcp338PaEdj12pAPLUp4nqqsDrruTEV-42We1gIHVW2RlyfWDnqSLOUnsVoemQV4bq9jiFKvXIYkaGsZ7K7kNrTTj-jWBuNf_rr0j_g-WBGe-uf2aYe32YfN7_-ZV7RsaNkV9ml/s1600/casablanca+paris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKNd6Zvfcp338PaEdj12pAPLUp4nqqsDrruTEV-42We1gIHVW2RlyfWDnqSLOUnsVoemQV4bq9jiFKvXIYkaGsZ7K7kNrTTj-jWBuNf_rr0j_g-WBGe-uf2aYe32YfN7_-ZV7RsaNkV9ml/s320/casablanca+paris.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Paris on the eve of the Nazi invasion</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> According to Rothe, Steiner wove four major musical themes through the film. The first, of course, is "As Time Goes By," a song that became immortal with <i>Casablanca</i>. The second is the romantic theme accompanying the flashback to Paris. The third theme is France's national anthem, the "Marseillaise," first played as part of the title sequence, but most memorably featured when Victor Laszlo leads the crowd at Rick's in a stirring rendition of the anthem. A conscience-stirring variation on the "Marseillaise," first heard when Ilsa tells Rick about her devotion to Laszlo and the Resistance, is the fourth theme.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The entire night was thrilling (and I hope the fact that it sold out will persuade the symphony to do this again), but there was one moment I don't ever want to forget...listening to the San Francisco symphony play "Perfidia" as Bogart and Bergman dance (and he presses his face to hers) ...exquisite! </span><br /><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Meanwhile, Max Steiner's day is not done in San Francisco. Friday, July 29, the Castro Theatre begins a seven-day, 13-picture program, "Legendary Composer: Max Steiner." Included in the series will be <i>Mildred Pierce</i>, <i>The Letter</i>, <i>Casablanca</i>, <i>Treasure of the Sierra Madre</i>, <i>Gone with the Wind</i>, <i>Now, Voyager</i>, <i>Dark Victory</i>, <i>White Heat</i>, <i>Angels with Dirty Faces</i>, <i>The Big Sleep</i>, <i>Key Largo</i>, <i>King Kong</i> and <i>The Searchers</i>. <b><a href="http://www.castrotheatre.com/coming-soon.html" style="color: #990000;">Click here</a></b> to learn more. </div>

Bogart Casablanca Casablanca with the San Francisco Symphony Claude Rains Ingrid Bergman Max Steiner Michael Curtiz Paul Henreid Peter Lorre Sydney Greenstreet The Lady Eve (author) Casablanca with the San Francisco Symphony

Last Friday night I attended a very special screening of " Casablanca with the San Francisco Symphony" at Davies Hall. Conductor M...

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Hey Ya'll!

Joel and I had a safe and awesome trip to/from Savannah, GA.<br /><br />We spent 10+ hours in the car (we stopped a few times on the ride down and back), but the actual drive time was 9.5 hours.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigjkT04yBRVF53sqVvSEIEjENidqnIciZCmNqlHya4pgXr2DPl0EoeRw1_knGg5P74Gx_2mNRi59Iv6t7my3QpcwNLXfWwuv98zkT1VqsmaL8HQcMsGn_gdDE-88wYERSrf5BMx-kyr2s/s1600/savannah+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigjkT04yBRVF53sqVvSEIEjENidqnIciZCmNqlHya4pgXr2DPl0EoeRw1_knGg5P74Gx_2mNRi59Iv6t7my3QpcwNLXfWwuv98zkT1VqsmaL8HQcMsGn_gdDE-88wYERSrf5BMx-kyr2s/s400/savannah+012.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />We spent half of our week in Savannah and the other half in Tybee Island.<br /><br />The time spent in Savannah was filled with LOTS of walking.  In the first full day there, we walked over 6 miles on just the self walking tour alone!  We made sure to check out as many of the Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil hotspots as we could, including a tour of the Mercer-Williams house.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqqgQ2kj6SnAj8WVwCvj_lowCWy90UZX35e656rW8iMoTHpguB2kRNbHgic8p-h32HhNylBnMMyVoKGALXFQxy6BuBF0OWL8WBUFDuDhYydiK1gnRKAk9Nw_P8r0MI0uCsXzWv7FUe7rg/s1600/savannah+115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqqgQ2kj6SnAj8WVwCvj_lowCWy90UZX35e656rW8iMoTHpguB2kRNbHgic8p-h32HhNylBnMMyVoKGALXFQxy6BuBF0OWL8WBUFDuDhYydiK1gnRKAk9Nw_P8r0MI0uCsXzWv7FUe7rg/s400/savannah+115.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />We toured the entire Historic District, along with the River district. We did a lot of shopping and did a few guided tours as well.  We took a river boat cruise.  We rode around in a trolley bus listening to ghost stories about the townsfolk (Savannah is one of the most haunted cities!) and also took the lovely Paula Deen tour :).<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizvJ0pT_zd9pOGbdMM411CXIH8Qfu9uT0qPcEsLhg8iXEUODPLG-tql-Jx05wnxYFJuKZhhuGE1Anwt_91rIFElQEC0rJIGvSjMx9twXVg49WMEXJ06fW7yhfVif4ERIY7ZZ6IxVXIRCI/s1600/savannah+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizvJ0pT_zd9pOGbdMM411CXIH8Qfu9uT0qPcEsLhg8iXEUODPLG-tql-Jx05wnxYFJuKZhhuGE1Anwt_91rIFElQEC0rJIGvSjMx9twXVg49WMEXJ06fW7yhfVif4ERIY7ZZ6IxVXIRCI/s400/savannah+004.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The church where her and her current husband were married.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />My honest assessment overall on some of the things we did is this: I pictured the River District to be a little more....."cool" - filled with sidewalk-dining eateries, coffee shops, antique stores, local arts stores etc.  Not really the case at all.  I know the town is probably trying to maintain the original "look" to this part of town, but I just wasn't impressed.  The shops were mainly those that you find at the beach - filled with stuff that is "Made in China".  The ones that pertained to local artistry were way out of our budget!  We stopped into a few bars and had drinks and even ate dinner down there at one point, but this was definitely not what I had pictured and not my favorite part of Savannah.  I enjoyed the Historic District most - the tree lined streets were definitely in full swing!  As for the PD tour - the only things we really did that were exclusively PD related was going to tour the church her and Michael were married in, which sits on a property that Paula has invested a lot of money in - a boys home called Bethesda.  The rest of it was spent driving us around to various local shops (including a candy store and cookie store).  Overall, I still really enjoyed the tour - we had an awesome guide who knows PD personally and told us a lot of stories about how she got her start in Savannah and on the Food Network.   <br /><br />Of course, I had good intentions of trying to stay On Plan while on vacation, and I failed..... miserably.  I took some WW friendly snacks, and while the trip started off well, it quickly went downhill.  I'm not good at staying On Plan when eating out.  Whats the point in eating out if you have to order things you really don't want to eat?  Despite all our walking, I still gained weight on this trip.  I actually even took the scale with me, with the intention of weighing in each day to help keep me on track.  Instead, I became scared of it and only weighed in on the first morning  (which, btw, I did have a loss that morning - why couldn't I keep the momentum going??) :(.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWmYM4iR5hZWMtD0r5X8hMiz6yuN0490LFP0Gc9quFJaasVWyUOrE4NyW-1PzsOYQWrjPTa1fAsZqH_91JLbDSNAWLaH0hca9OXVonEU7_7Lxyt34I6sM2Q5rj94ebWOpaNCPVohj1r8/s1600/savannah+119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWmYM4iR5hZWMtD0r5X8hMiz6yuN0490LFP0Gc9quFJaasVWyUOrE4NyW-1PzsOYQWrjPTa1fAsZqH_91JLbDSNAWLaH0hca9OXVonEU7_7Lxyt34I6sM2Q5rj94ebWOpaNCPVohj1r8/s400/savannah+119.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">not exactly the type of homes I imagined, but still pretty none the less</td></tr></tbody></table>I weighed in last Friday at 261.2 - no surprise.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4it4PFTTVLIEm22KR2ruX6PPurBmpQ4CmkPuHV-Mz3hqoGZ7E3AWy5mLL4DFKsdumGlr7RXNHW8vc2F-hiGags65S2Z-YEAgXKl1fnYzkQclRYtX9a6qK8LeSswxW0uLqiJLKtC4jm4/s1600/savannah+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4it4PFTTVLIEm22KR2ruX6PPurBmpQ4CmkPuHV-Mz3hqoGZ7E3AWy5mLL4DFKsdumGlr7RXNHW8vc2F-hiGags65S2Z-YEAgXKl1fnYzkQclRYtX9a6qK8LeSswxW0uLqiJLKtC4jm4/s400/savannah+017.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">part of Bonaventure Cemetery - from The Book</td></tr></tbody></table>I'm jumping back on the wagon this week and giving it another go... as per the usual.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCxfyoF3F3gY7TsLmW2nZt_EGBgOJMhXuu2JIasehcA7WOLXt4iqyTP42wa7oDQe-dujCy-DXSWg5xyarYyYxeLc6qT8m79FKN8aW72JD8XTIxIMfSCXys1sgwRASG-OcugU4942JWPU/s1600/savannah+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCxfyoF3F3gY7TsLmW2nZt_EGBgOJMhXuu2JIasehcA7WOLXt4iqyTP42wa7oDQe-dujCy-DXSWg5xyarYyYxeLc6qT8m79FKN8aW72JD8XTIxIMfSCXys1sgwRASG-OcugU4942JWPU/s400/savannah+012.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lady & Sons Restaurant (Paula Deen's place!)</td></tr></tbody></table><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/AVvXsEhstPiHL3_yyZNEc6PqbrHcR9zIa74YWYRtxnP3Zdg6Qp7y7CaEwsB5Wjc48CLqOkctUc1Fv3Um6yc4ecu6FsYQV0IXdKmfQyjFCa6eBJiUDdEYP7TZhKxR50ilfRoIPgFTr0jsUuPIzZU/s1600/savannah+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhstPiHL3_yyZNEc6PqbrHcR9zIa74YWYRtxnP3Zdg6Qp7y7CaEwsB5Wjc48CLqOkctUc1Fv3Um6yc4ecu6FsYQV0IXdKmfQyjFCa6eBJiUDdEYP7TZhKxR50ilfRoIPgFTr0jsUuPIzZU/s400/savannah+005.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>We then spent the latter half of the week in Tybee Island, and I worked on finishing The Book while sitting with my toes in the sand :) - I LOVE this life!  I would give up my current situation in a heartbeat if I knew that I could survive comfortably with some other job near the beach if I could do this on a more regular basis - but then again, who wouldn't?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPMPpMoVljOPdJeBe_IFano0NYXOBUyq8KlgqYFeCY63GsF5Pwf_Y2pShWg3O5aDkx5vyRbtZqY_Y5Lmam2w_0QfMD1TWfCNaCdwHDzBsgQZrQNlSbDOz10sDxTn_-WQgW_clVeqC2pY/s1600/savannah+085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPMPpMoVljOPdJeBe_IFano0NYXOBUyq8KlgqYFeCY63GsF5Pwf_Y2pShWg3O5aDkx5vyRbtZqY_Y5Lmam2w_0QfMD1TWfCNaCdwHDzBsgQZrQNlSbDOz10sDxTn_-WQgW_clVeqC2pY/s400/savannah+085.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Joel fished a lot - and only caught sharks. <br /><br />We definitely loved our vacation, and even though it was a long drive, we were grateful and blessed for a safe and uneventful journey to/from Virginia.  <br /><br />Anything else you care to know about Savannah?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEjfWQbC83dAaOL33PjCP9Fx8W6zmi_nhnDJc0WWd9ZOIUcilBXUti_6VM77PUjg2ePE3hTxT8XptTTSiAmf7SikW7095y-yVHOfRcXcrrz2Rnseq8Fj-vvyL9KE2bZRIHzuRgz5gcmU/s1600/savannah+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEjfWQbC83dAaOL33PjCP9Fx8W6zmi_nhnDJc0WWd9ZOIUcilBXUti_6VM77PUjg2ePE3hTxT8XptTTSiAmf7SikW7095y-yVHOfRcXcrrz2Rnseq8Fj-vvyL9KE2bZRIHzuRgz5gcmU/s400/savannah+004.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Back at it again folks...

Gain Miscellaneous Savannah GA Weight Loss Challenges Hey Ya'll!

Joel and I had a safe and awesome trip to/from Savannah, GA. We spent 10+ hours in the car (we stopped a few times on the ride down and back...

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Southern Stars

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">SchoolnetSA has encouraged some superstars to shine over the past few years. With support through training and access to innovative practices, several teachers have had the opportunity to shine on the international stage.<br />At the moment, there are 5 such “Southern Stars”<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhws0Ev7XA_gE8gdWyQwt5gXQHHnfRwuiNSQYbINQ7FbvzmHFswxBCFsTEmFa3H7q6t8Tx5S7K-tgwIg1jo44erEoV0y0NCsE0khp5kGG0OWujK5uoiiTHdmB5eF42BpSmefZH4NDN0hsw/s1600/hlengiwe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhws0Ev7XA_gE8gdWyQwt5gXQHHnfRwuiNSQYbINQ7FbvzmHFswxBCFsTEmFa3H7q6t8Tx5S7K-tgwIg1jo44erEoV0y0NCsE0khp5kGG0OWujK5uoiiTHdmB5eF42BpSmefZH4NDN0hsw/s200/hlengiwe.jpg" width="159" /></a></div>Hlengiwe Mfeka’s story is found on the Case Studies page of the Blog. She and 2 learners are off to Santa Clara, California on the 2 August to attend the Adobe Youth Voices Summit. Hlengiwe’s mentorship has helped learners at Mconjwana High School in rural KZN to produce a very thought provoking and moving movie on Street Children.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Another Southern Star who has just returned from dazzling teachers in the Northern Hemisphere is Warren Sparrow. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnKkLS-7IrUwgj24w5yPeeTxH1ilaKL2RsDsFr74R3yG0aLBlvhu6Av7p8EWJ5Rn6_liijJYvmE1OKxDe3kd4kEJ9UyN08ifubx2QqTeWr_Hhg3EuB_33gwvifFwq4K5ceWw1IeiioiA/s1600/warren.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnKkLS-7IrUwgj24w5yPeeTxH1ilaKL2RsDsFr74R3yG0aLBlvhu6Av7p8EWJ5Rn6_liijJYvmE1OKxDe3kd4kEJ9UyN08ifubx2QqTeWr_Hhg3EuB_33gwvifFwq4K5ceWw1IeiioiA/s200/warren.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>Warren is a previous Microsoft Innovative Teachers Forum winner. His “Veggie Man” media project has been selected to be showcased as part of the Adobe Youth Voices Festival. This project will be screened with other projects during the International Education and Resource Network (IEARN) Conference in Taiwan. This conference was held in Kaohsiung City (2nd Largest city in Taiwan) and the theme was Green Tech, Green Life, Green Era. SchoolNetSA staff felt it was a bit sad for his media piece to go to Taiwan without him, and managed to find a sponsor so that he could accompany it! We look forward to hearing Warren’s reflections on the IEARN conference. You can see his video at http://www.schooltube.com/video/58be1f70e1973c694fad/Super-Veggie-Man<br /><br />The other three “Southern Stars” are on their way to Washington USA right now. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49tpiPmnJ50B-xh3qxD93Ic2OxeYm2VkTn4_KTGi-Ez4rk8cwJUcaOxUFL-2ggs_jPSYu_rgcphaiRAOBh9r57au_8sLVFTRSYyySnM5vE4KXy7m1wS1cjoD-5R1QdwKU31mtiexZYUc/s1600/fiona.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49tpiPmnJ50B-xh3qxD93Ic2OxeYm2VkTn4_KTGi-Ez4rk8cwJUcaOxUFL-2ggs_jPSYu_rgcphaiRAOBh9r57au_8sLVFTRSYyySnM5vE4KXy7m1wS1cjoD-5R1QdwKU31mtiexZYUc/s200/fiona.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>Fiona Beal, Ngaka Ralekoala and Cheryl Douglas. They have been selected to be part of the inaugural Microsoft Partners-in-Learning Institute week at MS Headquarters in USA. The Partners in learning Network has identified the top innovative teachers in the World, and Fiona, Cheryl and Ngaka are amongst the less that 500 teachers globally who have been invited to join the circle and the even more exclusive group who have been invited to attend the workshop. All three have been winners in the South African Microsoft Innovative Teachers Forum in the past. We look forward to profiling them and their excellent work soon.<br /><br />These are all exceptional teachers – but all Premium Members have the opportunity of becoming exceptional. SchoolnetSA is committed to helping all teachers grow to new levels of innovation. Being involved in PM interventions and entering the Innovative Educators Forum competition next year is a good place to start.</div>

profiles Southern Stars

SchoolnetSA has encouraged some superstars to shine over the past few years. With support through training and access to innovative practic...

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Should outrageous job-hunting strategies be part of your search arsenal?

<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;"><b><span id="cbArticle_lblByLine">Alina Dizik, Special to CareerBuilder</span></b><br /><br /><div class="cbmsnArticleImage"><img alt="" src="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/xz/ar5l67g75z0mx0h6syxz.gif?time=6/17/2011%206:28:25%20pm" /></div></div><br /><div class="ArticleContent"><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">With so many applicants for the most coveted positions, standing out from the crowd can be difficult. Of course, some applicants get attention with memorable and outrageous tactics. But not all bold strategies are created equal, and experts are split on whether going against the grain can help you land an interview. Thinking of sending a hiring manager your shoe with a sign saying: "I want to get my foot in the door at your company"? Consider the following first.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Stay sane</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">While doing something entirely off the cuff would garner attention, it's probably the wrong kind of visibility. "I'm not a proponent of outrageous," says Jenny Foss, a job-search expert who blogs at JobJenny.com. "However, I am absolutely an advocate of bold, strategic moves when one is seeking a new job." If you're thinking of ways to get hired, consider what it means to go above and beyond in your particular industry.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">For someone who is considering a <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/technology/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">technology</a> position, coming up with a website that speaks directly to the company or hiring manager can help garner some great attention, Foss says. Jason Zimdars, a <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/graphic+designer/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">graphic designer</a>, <a href="http://jasonzimdars.com/svn/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">created a site</a> that's tailored to the company 37Signals, his dream firm. The site served as an example of the skills Zimdars would contribute to the firm and signaled his enthusiasm for the company. He landed the job.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Use Twitter</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">While this <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/social+networking/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">social networking</a> platform isn't specifically used on a professional level, connecting with prospective <a href="http://msn.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/manager/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">managers</a> over Twitter can help get your hired. Follow hiring managers or potential supervisors and take time to interact with their Tweets, Foss says. Whatever you decide to say, "make sure it's professional, inquisitive and thoughtful," she says, adding that this can help you build rapport. If they follow you back, pick a time to send a direct message and inquire about work opportunities.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Another job tactic to try is taking out Facebook ads aimed at your target audience. Marian Schembari, a <a href="" style="color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">social media</a> expert who writes the blog MarianLibrarian.com, bought Facebook ads to get a job in <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/publishing/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">publishing</a>. Each ad was aimed at Facebook users who worked in publishing houses and included a link to Schembari's professional information. "It was like a networking event on steroids with an added bonus of never needing to leave my house or get out of my pajamas," Schembari says.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Don't force them to interact</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">One recent client of Foss' was so eager to land a job that he wanted to wait for the hiring manager outside of the lobby. This kind of tactic can hurt your chances, she says. "You could threaten their sense of security and land in big trouble," Foss says.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Consider industry norms</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Not all fields are created equal. For those job titles with a more formal hiring process, it may be best to avoid any creative job applications. Especially if you're applying to work in a large firm, any bold moves may be frowned upon. Don't try it with a law firm, says Ann Dunkin, <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/operations+director/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">director of operations</a> at Attorney Resource, a staffing firm for <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/legal/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">legal</a> professionals. "Law firms and corporate legal departments are looking for candidates who can handle themselves with grace and maturity in very busy, sometimes stressful, work environments."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">No matter what strategy you consider, it's important to evaluate the professional consequences. Develop ideas that hold true to your own goals. As you're brainstorming, look for strategies that put you in direct contact with the hiring manager. "Essentially, find ways to capture a hiring manager's attention directly, and not in the way they're used to, [like] the old pile of résumés on their desk," Foss 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>

Should outrageous job-hunting strategies be part of your search arsenal?

Alina Dizik, Special to CareerBuilder With so many applicants for the most coveted positions, standing out from the crowd can be difficult. ...

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Falling down and forgiveness

My bike ride was awesome! It was the best bike ride I've had in a long time. Perfect weather, 71 degrees going to the gym and 75 degrees coming home, with a light, cool breeze. Sunshine and not a cloud in the sky. I LOVE the Pacific Northwest when the sun shines!<br /><br />It took 45 minutes to get to the gym. Normally it's 22 minutes going fast, really pushing myself going up the hills. Today I decided not to race to get there. I thought of it more as a therapy bike ride. Enjoy the scenery, get my heart rate up but don't kill myself doing it. I found the hills a lot more challenging at my heavier weight (193 this morning).<br /><br />The gym was almost empty, which was really nice. I did weights for an entire hour and there were only a couple guys in the free weights area. I had planned on a lower body workout but I remembered the last time I biked to the gym and then did a lower body workout. I almost didn't make it home. So it was upper body, a full hour-long workout.<br /><br />Somehow, and I'm really not sure how it happened, I fell off my bike while standing still in the parking lot of the gym. I know that sounds crazy, and it happened so fast that I'm not even sure how it happened, but it did. I was just about to start riding out of the parking lot, when I fell over and crashed into some beauty bark on my right knee. I tangled myself up in my bike, then rolled onto the pavement, scraping a lot of skin off of my knee.<br /><br />It was kind of embarrassing, but not too many people saw me.  After brushing myself off, I quickly got out of there. I made it home in 22 minutes. My knee still hurts and burns. Probably beauty bark poisoning or something.<br /><br />While I was riding home I thought about something I saw in a notebook that I found in my little backpack I use when I bike. I always take a notebook to the gym with me to keep a record of my workouts. The last workout date in this one was April 23, 2011. I have one in my car that I used every day, but decided to use this one since it was already in the backpack. I accidentally dropped it, and it flipped open to the last page. I saw the following, written in my handwriting:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhE3JgEYaEK5JFXEAT-je0bJcmpvNCY6KoCFwIZJkY04EC3Y-7KS8a7epdnAq7P_5ej396Pfcjqn_wQeuo3BhY8zvwj6i-AIDQNxybqqGzHpUpO_dm-9fd6-VHerqT-H-uQut0xCrLx0E/s1600/Ashamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhE3JgEYaEK5JFXEAT-je0bJcmpvNCY6KoCFwIZJkY04EC3Y-7KS8a7epdnAq7P_5ej396Pfcjqn_wQeuo3BhY8zvwj6i-AIDQNxybqqGzHpUpO_dm-9fd6-VHerqT-H-uQut0xCrLx0E/s320/Ashamed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>  <br />I have no idea why I wrote those words. It sounds like something to do with gaining weight. Specifically gaining a lot of weight after losing a lot of weight. Maybe I saw it on TV or read it in a book or a magazine. I may have even read it on someones blog.  <br /><br />Since I don't really know where I heard it, I can't give the correct person credit, but it makes a lot of sense regarding my weight gain. My gain of 40 pounds in a year and a half, after an 85-pound weight loss, has caused me to feel each one of these emotions very deeply. It's been a painful journey re-gaining this weight. <br /><br />1. <b>Ashamed</b>. There are few things in life more embarrassing than losing a lot of weight and then gaining it back. When I lost weight, people were constantly telling me how great I looked. When I started gaining it back, people had no idea what to say, so out of politeness, they said nothing. I  know they notice it, how could they not see it. It's so blatantly obvious as I get bigger and my clothes get tighter.<br /><br />2. <b>Angry</b>. I was really angry about my weight gain for a long time. Angry mostly at myself, but also at the unfairness of it all. Unfairness that I have these issues with food, and that I can't eat anything I want to eat. Unfairness that I love food so much, too much, and even the mere fact that I love food makes me angry. I've gone through the "why me?" many times, but ultimately, it's pointless to be so angry about something that just "is".<br /><br />3. <b>Afraid</b>. I remember this one really well, in fact, I still have a little bit of fear about my weight. The fear of gaining all of it back, the fear of never being able to lose the weight I've re-gained, and the fear that I'll be even fatter than before, that I'll make it up to 300+ pounds.<br /><br />I've relaxed quite a bit about being afraid of my weight. I'm not heartbroken about the weight gain anymore, nor do I fear gaining a ton more weight. I'm feeling confident that I'll lose it again. I still think a little fear about gaining weight is a good thing. Too much fear is damaging to my soul. A little fear keeps me on my toes.<br /><br />4. <b>Forgiveness</b>. It's been a long haul but somehow I have made it to this one. I have forgiven myself for my past mistakes. Simply put, I screwed up a good thing. It's okay. I'm allowed to screw up as long as I don't dwell on my past mistakes, forgive myself and move forward.<br /><br />Forgiveness of one's own transgressions is a lot harder than forgiving someone else. We're harder on ourselves than we are on other people. Kind of crazy that we're built that way, but it just seems like that's how most of us function. If someone else messes up, we're kind and caring, we understand how things can happen. We forgive them. But let us screw up our own life by gaining weight and holy crap, you'd think we'd committed a murder. The simple fact is that I ate too much food, and I gained weight. That's all there is to it. I didn't hurt anyone in the process except myself.<br /><br />Forgiveness. It's good for the soul. Falling off my bike or falling off my diet, it's all kind of the same thing. I just have to get back up, brush myself off, and keep on going. Of course it's embarrassing, but there's really no other option.<br /><div style="color: lime; text-align: center;"><b>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</b></div><br />Pictures from my bike ride today...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">A new sign that was put up at the trail head in the last few months. Funny thing, but I saw a coyote cross the road, right in front of my car on the way to the gym a few weeks ago. Kind of scary. At first I thought it was a big, skinny weird looking dog, but then I realized, that's a coyote!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirj8PATap4EaD-eY1HNxCuBhPQ5w4TFYHV0HIINvBR2jI_tX5a_HKDyPgxKqQxsVfK2Amsper5FiBV8WKag-YpA3-AElssWy9s6PkZCbnimVlZQcAe4yesyBKCjlfVYipVsO3IgT3O2ds9/s1600/Coyote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirj8PATap4EaD-eY1HNxCuBhPQ5w4TFYHV0HIINvBR2jI_tX5a_HKDyPgxKqQxsVfK2Amsper5FiBV8WKag-YpA3-AElssWy9s6PkZCbnimVlZQcAe4yesyBKCjlfVYipVsO3IgT3O2ds9/s640/Coyote.jpg" width="480" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> I'm sure you're all thinking, not another Mt. Rainier picture! Sorry, I just can't get enough of this mountain. I love it. When it's clear out it looks like I could just reach out and touch it. In reality it's about 60 miles away.  </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQc1QDGYr-K-YkJd8pmrZkNSvDRJkF4I7scf-BIjcTwf1FlIWWub7a8VNxHU9TUsyq1GG2r1czsMnLMRucQkB6r7Z0wy3s5rM9T9CwN0yEL1dLCUvD9hTYuR-o1Xt4WYEpN6AywV55LnaL/s1600/Mt.+Rainier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQc1QDGYr-K-YkJd8pmrZkNSvDRJkF4I7scf-BIjcTwf1FlIWWub7a8VNxHU9TUsyq1GG2r1czsMnLMRucQkB6r7Z0wy3s5rM9T9CwN0yEL1dLCUvD9hTYuR-o1Xt4WYEpN6AywV55LnaL/s640/Mt.+Rainier.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The part of the trail I prefer to ride my bike, but I decided after seeing the coyote sign maybe I'd better stay on the paved trail instead of wandering off into the woods by myself.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsTI5pUC9OhNrGDb7qZs0L3L-16-ApakGSvcYvz52k0oBh0zci3zqSUOTWYc9oda2sHvfu3LNZLq3KDzVNmPMLhbVYhJFCI5HihlCGVGg34kcNnN0Mx2RtzALhuZMNV86gl-o6t0cAajg2/s1600/Trail+I+really+wanted+to+ride.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsTI5pUC9OhNrGDb7qZs0L3L-16-ApakGSvcYvz52k0oBh0zci3zqSUOTWYc9oda2sHvfu3LNZLq3KDzVNmPMLhbVYhJFCI5HihlCGVGg34kcNnN0Mx2RtzALhuZMNV86gl-o6t0cAajg2/s640/Trail+I+really+wanted+to+ride.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Just part of the trail. And yes, there's a horrible power line that runs along the side of the trail. I'm sure I'm getting an extra dose of cancer-causing electricity jolted through my body when I ride next to it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gr-DK7ROAI8ipxrJ1qv-EzVVdP2-6v4HPNbWpBvfpTCSNHvu1ZdPXqT0i51J66ehjBKln1N4_y3bHrQsYHHA8T8Mpbhbgk508NLPQewNzoWOqkB0adOrLr3QVIKFXnAIbLxTYCAOivoD/s1600/the+bike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gr-DK7ROAI8ipxrJ1qv-EzVVdP2-6v4HPNbWpBvfpTCSNHvu1ZdPXqT0i51J66ehjBKln1N4_y3bHrQsYHHA8T8Mpbhbgk508NLPQewNzoWOqkB0adOrLr3QVIKFXnAIbLxTYCAOivoD/s640/the+bike.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Just a picture of me, not exactly flattering. I was trying to get Mt. Rainier in the picture, it's behind me somewhere, but somehow I totally missed getting it in the picture.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK_6zVkgx7osA3o7s_Ppl3XBkmyo_bUwV_j7Y9ti4C1ES-QBBoT__IsdARmY-Nu3jA7XxKchfyxepSUUbYf12p-XG1uaR73v5BYY9woDxTia1Ha0xyeTNz8cZTkBEy-Nut2nTE6tSCuuWM/s1600/me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK_6zVkgx7osA3o7s_Ppl3XBkmyo_bUwV_j7Y9ti4C1ES-QBBoT__IsdARmY-Nu3jA7XxKchfyxepSUUbYf12p-XG1uaR73v5BYY9woDxTia1Ha0xyeTNz8cZTkBEy-Nut2nTE6tSCuuWM/s400/me.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Part of the trail that's fun going down, not so fun going up on the other side. I can't believe how much harder the hills are now that I'm so much heavier. I thought I was going to have to walk my bike up some of the hills, but I forced myself to do it. It wasn't easy and my heart rate was up to 155 at one point, but I did it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRlk6w2953MrdE6fMlvEUYSlJDwR3FYJWEcuxhr1AAlUA4fTMGYH1vC5wAMyk_foe6gMISFoYF3pePabxCpQg6mxulfd1a5lPQJ2kUpYcc6MIdD91Web8kJBEEFCWmYPTjPQWBgJ9TmhA/s1600/The+trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRlk6w2953MrdE6fMlvEUYSlJDwR3FYJWEcuxhr1AAlUA4fTMGYH1vC5wAMyk_foe6gMISFoYF3pePabxCpQg6mxulfd1a5lPQJ2kUpYcc6MIdD91Web8kJBEEFCWmYPTjPQWBgJ9TmhA/s640/The+trail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Dinner tonight was wonderful. Kalbi chicken breasts that I bought ready to cook from the neighborhood butcher, and fresh broccoli and sweet corn on the cob from the neighborhood produce store. I stopped in on my way home and tied the bags to my bike handle bars for the last two blocks home. It made for a perfect ending to a perfect day.<br /><br />Note: you may notice I took down my old "after" picture where I weighed 152. It use to be on the right side. I didn't like to look at it because every time I saw it, it made me a little bit sad. I'll post new pictures when I lose some weight.

Falling down and forgiveness

My bike ride was awesome! It was the best bike ride I've had in a long time. Perfect weather, 71 degrees going to the gym and 75 degrees...

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Where is the time going?

It's really true what they say, the older you get the faster time flies. As I'm approaching 56 in a couple of weeks I feel like time is speeding up. What seems like a few days is actually a few weeks. It's like I'm living a movie where everything is being fast-forwarded.<br /><br />That's part of the reason my posts have been so few and far between. Every day I think of several topics I want to write about, but I never seem to find the time to actually sit down and write.<br /><br />It's the same with my dieting. Almost every day ends on the same note...well, I screwed up again today, but there's always tomorrow. I've been saying that for weeks, or actually, I guess it's been months, perhaps even years now. <br /><br />How have I been doing? <br />I've been doing better in all areas of my life. Not perfect, just better.<br /><br />Work is still work, and I've decided to learn something new at work. All my protesting that I didn't want to learn anything new is what led me down the path of my job ending in a few years.<br /><br />I work in IT. It's a changing world. If I want to stay in IT I have to change with it. I don't know why it took me so long to accept this fact, but I have and now it's time to get going on learning the new technologies that I was unreasonably dead set on not learning. I decided that was a career ending move on my part, and now is not the time to end a career. I'm almost 56 and we're in an economical crisis here in the United States with record unemployment rates. It's really not the time to consider a career change. I've accepted this and it's made things much better in my workplace.<br /><br />The unending quest to lose weight continues. Sometimes I amaze myself at my refusal to give up on losing weight, especially considering I've felt like a miserable failure in the weight loss arena for many months now.<br /><br />Since Monday I managed to lose six pounds, from 199 to 193. Some of that weight loss is from the Triamterene blood pressure meds, a very low-dose diuretic. My BP is now 121/62, a huge improvement from 148/98 that it was on Monday. I hate taking a medication, but I hate the possibility of a stroke or doing damage to my heart even more than I hate taking a tiny pill each day.<br /><br />I cut back quite a bit on my food intake last week so I know it wasn't all water weight that I lost. My binge food all week was cherries. The Asian market, HMart, sells the most incredible tasting local sweet dark red cherries as well as Rainier cherries at a crazy low price ($1.49 & $1.99 a pound). I think I've finally eaten my fill of them for a while. I'm actually glad they're seasonal because I was wondering if I'd ever get tired of them. <br /><br />My exercise is still not up to the level it should be. I keep finding reasons to skip the gym in the mornings. In the last week I only went four times (since last Saturday). That might sound good to a lot of people, but it's not that good for me. Five or six times would be better, and what I've been doing the past three years. My latest excuse is I'm tired and sleep is more important than exercise. They're both important. I really shouldn't be making a choice of which is more important, but when the alarm goes off at 5 a.m. I often go with the sleep is more important.<br /><br />Speaking of sleep, I think the Melatonin is actually working for me. I've been waking up less in the middle of the night and my sleep feels deeper and more restful. When I get up I don't feel groggy or exhausted. There's a lot of conflicting information out there on the internet regarding Melatonin, some say it works, others say it doesn't.<br /><br />The most interesting thing I read is that melatonin is naturally secreted by the pineal gland in the brain. As we age, our brain secretes less of the hormone, which is possibly why older people have trouble sleeping. Of course, they're still doing research to prove this fact. At least I didn't read about any negative effects. The worst case is that it doesn't do anything. Maybe it's all in my head, but I really think it's helping. <br /><br />Well, as I said when I started this post, time is slipping by me. I have a lot of things to get done today, top of the list is physical activity. My plan is to bike ride to the gym, then a lower body weight workout, then ride home. The temperature is suppose to get up to 80 degrees today. So far this year, we've had 78 minutes of temperatures at 80 or above here in the Seattle area (I think the highest was 81 one day for a couple of minutes). It's the running joke around her, 78 minutes of summer so far this year. <br /><br />Almost forgot to mention my Body Media. It was sent out on the delivery truck yesterday morning by UPS at 9 a.m. for delivery by the end of the day. It never arrived. I checked the UPS tracking site at about 9pm and they changed the delivery to Monday. Slightly annoying since I live about three miles from the UPS station that was the delivery truck origin. I was really hoping to play with it this weekend, but looks like I have to wait until next week. <br /><br />Now for a quick breakfast and get out on my bike, hopefully for noon before our Northwest "heat wave" hits. I'm sure folks in the 105 temps find it pretty funny that we think 80 is is HOT.<br /><br />On the agenda for tomorrow is a hike up near Mt. Rainier. My husband said he wants to go, and since it's our first nice weather weekend in weeks, we're going!

Where is the time going?

It's really true what they say, the older you get the faster time flies. As I'm approaching 56 in a couple of weeks I feel like time...

Read more »