To me its all about compromise, Commitment binds a marriage,But really its compromise that makes it work.

 

Worked on a few ideas iv'e had bouncing around in my head for a while yesterday, funnily enough this wasn't one of them. It is however a template for a future shoot.

 

Yolanda, I love you.

Walk to GET YOUR KNEE OFF OUR NECKS COMMITMENT MARCH RALLY along 17th Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and G Street, NW, Washington DC on Friday morning, 28 August 2020 by Elvert Barnes Photography

 

Street Vendors Series

 

Visit Commitment March website at nationalactionnetwork.net/commitment-march-on-washington-dc/

 

Elvert Barnes 57th Anniversary of 1963 March on Washington COMMITMENT MARCH docu-project at elvertbarnes.com/57MOW2020

© Laura Kicey

I was really excited when I saw the short review of this in the camera. The continuous af was being a little skeptical so I decided to try to get the shot with manual focus. I'm not sure if I'd call it luck or skill. Maybe a little bit of both, because man was he flying! Either way I was ecstatic to see the focus was where I wanted it. My hat also goes off to Dane for clearing that monster of a gap. Obviously you can't see the gap because it was behind where I was standing but trust me when I say it was big.

Soldiers from Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division fire ceremonial rounds from their M1A2 Abrams Tanks at the Adazi Training Area, Latvia, on November 6, 2014. The Soldiers, who are here to assist in training the Latvian Land Forces as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, were part of an exhibit to dignitaries and local media. These rounds mark the first firing of tank rounds in Latvia since 1994. These activities are part of the U.S. Army Europe-led Operation Atlantic Resolve land force assurance training taking place across Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to enhance multinational interoperability, strengthen relationships among allied militaries, contribute to regional stability and demonstrate U.S. commitment to NATO. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy J. Fowler)

Candid street shot, Budapest, Hungary.

 

It can be hard work being a tourist!.

  

The Enforcement Board

Getting married, finding your life partner.

Caixa Forum - Museum of contemporary art, Barcelona, Spain

The La Caixa Foundation in Barcelona has one of the most important collections of contemporary art in Europe. More than 800 exhibits outstanding artists such as Beuys, Anish Kapoor, Tony Cragg or Juan Uslé are in the Museum of the CaixaForum Barcelona. The CaixaForum is a part of the cultural and social commitment of the Caixa. The museum opened in 2002 and is located in the individual restored clothing factory Casa Casarramona. The construction at the foot of Montjuic was designed by Catalan architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch and is held in the style of Catalan Art Nouveau, the Modernism.

 

The social foundation of the Caixa is housed in an important building from the Modernisme. The industrialist Casimir Casarramona, a pioneer in the use of electrically operated machinery in factories, assigned Josep Puig i Cadafalch to the construction of the factory. Along with Gaudí and Domènech i Montaner, Puig i Cadafalch was as one of the most important architects of the Modernisme, the Catalan art nouveau. In an impressive way, the factory is an example of how the art nouveau combined functionality and aesthetics. Medieval castles inspired Puig i Cadafalch to build the factory with bricks and decorate it with cast-iron ornaments. Back then, the building was a prime example in respect of fire prevention and was long seen as a standard in the matter of labour conditions.

In 1913, the building was inaugurated, in 1919 the clothing factory moved out of it. For quite a while it was vacant before being used as a police station from 1940 to 1992. In 1963, the savings bank "la Caixa" had become the new proprietor of the building.

 

In 2002, the Casaramona was reopened as the Caixa Forum, the cultural and social centre of the social foundation of the Caixa. The most important aspects of the reconstruction of the building at the foot of the Montjuïc were to maintain the original structure, colour and style, but also to set new trends. The exhibition space comprising 3,000 sq.m. should be flooded with light. The entrance area was designed by the Japanese architect Arata Isozaki. A tree made of steel and glass welcomes the visitors at the Caixa Forum.

 

Palace Theatre London

3 stone Diamond ring

Since 2015, Blake Ferguson Photography has demonstrated a substantial commitment to car culture and Strict Standards as an automotive photographer. Support his work using the links below.

 

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Herbert von Karajan, born April 5, 1908 Salzburg, † July 16, 1989 Anif near Salzburg (cemetery Anif), conductor.

Studied at the Salzburg Mozarteum and at the University of Music in Vienna (resident 1926/1927 7, Neubau alley 54, 1927 1, Stubenbastei 1, 1928/1929 1, Kolowratring (Schubertring) 8, 1930 1, Mölkerbastei 12). After a commitment in Ulm (1930-1934 Opera Director of music), he went to Aachen (1934 General Music Director); when he conducted Wagner's "Tristan" at the Berlin State Opera on October 21, 1938, the word "Miracle Karajan" was coined. In 1941 he became head of the Berlin Staatskapelle (Staatskapelle is a denomination used by several German symphony and theatre orchestras) participated in the Salzburg and Bayreuth festivals and staged at La Scala in Milan.

In 1947 Karajan (after political turmoil and professional ban because he was accused of his [controversial] NSDAP membership) came to Vienna and laid the foundation for an unprecedented career when he became director of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde (Society of Friends of the Music in Vienna) in 1949. Soon after, he went to La Scala in Milan, was in 1954 (as successor of Furtwängler) lifelong chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic (May 1988) and was artistic director of the 1956-1964 Vienna State Opera (which he left in disarray) and the Salzburg Festival; in 1967 he founded the Salzburg Easter Festival and became its overall director, in 1969 he founded the Salzburg Karajan Foundation. Karajan has toured extensively throughout Europe and the US, first conducting an orchestral concert during a Vatican service, but increasingly struggling with health issues.

In 1977 he returned to the podium of the Vienna State Opera; in 1987 he conducted the Vienna New Year's Concert. Karajan had an ingenious gift for the interpretation of almost all works of orchestral literature from classical to modern; with his pedagogical skills and his successful efforts to achieve technical precision for the perfect reproduction of musical productions (he was extremely interested in technical developments and put the media at the service of classical music), he was one of the greatest conductors in music history.

In January 1997, the "Herbert von Karajan Centrum" was opened in state rooms of the former Königswarter Palace, 1, Carinthian Ring 4. Its main goals are musical performances in the context of spatial possibilities, the construction of a publicly accessible archive about the life's work of Karajan as well as the intensification of the music education of the youth.

Honorary citizen of the city of Vienna (April 24, 1978).

On behalf of the City of Vienna, a Commission of Historians examined the historical significance of those personalities the streets of Vienna have been named after from 2011 to 2013 and made a historical contextualization. According to the final report of this research group Herbert von Karajan was from 1933 a member of the NSDAP. Karajan (1925 Conkneipant (= extraordinary member of a corps which does not fulfill the requirements of the full member) in the Salzburg Fraternity "Pan-German Gymnasium-Rugia") was one of the most important conductors of the Nazi state. From 1934 he served as General Music Director in Aachen and from 1941 in Berlin. He was also used by the Nazi regime before the Second World War for foreign propaganda. After the war Karajan received until 1947 conducting ban.

 

Herbert von Karajan, * 5. April 1908 Salzburg, † 16. Juli 1989 Anif bei Salzburg (Friedhof Anif), Dirigent.

Studierte am Salzburger Mozarteum und an der Hochschule für Musik in Wien (Wohnhaft 1926/1927 7, Neubaugasse 54, 1927 1, Stubenbastei 1, 1928/1929 1, Kolowratring (Schubertring) 8, 1930 1, Mölkerbastei 12). Nach einem Engagement in Ulm (1930-1934 Opernkapellmeister) ging er nach Aachen (1934 Generalmusikdirektor); als er in dieser Eigenschaft am 21. Oktober 1938 an der Berliner Staatsoper Wagners „Tristan" dirigierte, wurde das Wort vom „Wunder Karajan" geprägt. 1941 wurde er Leiter der Berliner Staatskapelle, wirkte bei den Salzburger und Bayreuther Festspielen mit und inszenierte an der Mailänder Scala.

1947 kam Karajan (nach politischen Turbulenzen und Berufsverbot, weil man ihm seine [umstrittene] NSDAP-Mitgliedschaft vorwarf) nach Wien und legte hier den Grundstein zu einer beispiellosen Karriere, als er 1949 Direktor der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde wurde. Bald darauf ging er an die Mailänder Scala, wurde 1954 (als Nachfolger Furtwänglers) lebenslänglicher Chefdirigent der Berliner Philharmoniker (Zurücklegung Mai 1988) und war 1956-1964 künstlerischer Leiter der Wiener Staatsoper (die er in Unfrieden verließ) sowie der Salzburger Festspiele; 1967 begründete er die Salzburger Osterfestspiele und wurde deren Gesamtleiter, 1969 begründete er die Salzburger Karajan-Stiftung. Karajan unternahm zahlreiche Tourneen durch Europa und die USA, dirigierte als erster ein Orchesterkonzert während eines Gottesdienstes im Vatikan, kämpfte jedoch zunehmend mit gesundheitlichen Problemen.

1977 kehrte er nochmals ans Pult der Wiener Staatsoper zurück; 1987 dirigierte er das Wiener Neujahrskonzert. Karajan hatte eine geniale Begabung zur Ausdeutung fast sämtlicher Werke der Orchesterliteratur von der Klassik bis zur Moderne; mit seinem pädagogischen Können und seinen erfolgreichen Bemühungen um technische Präzision zur perfekten Wiedergabe von musikalischen Produktionen (er war an technischen Entwicklungen äußerst interessiert und stellte die Medien in den Dienst der klassischen Musik) gehörte er zu den größten Dirigentenpersönlichkeiten der Musikgeschichte.

Im Jänner 1997 wurde in Prunkräumen des ehemaligen Königswarterpalais, 1, Kärntner Ring 4, das "Herbert von Karajan Centrum" eröffnet. Seine Hauptziele sind musikalische Darbietungen im Rahmen der räumlichen Möglichkeiten, der Aufbau eines öffentlich zugänglichen Archivs über das Lebenswerk Karajans sowie die Intensivierung der Musikerziehung der Jugend.

Ehrenbürger der Stadt Wien (24. April 1978).

Im Auftrag der Stadt Wien hat eine HistorikerInnen-Kommission die historische Bedeutung jener Persönlichkeiten, nach denen Wiener Straßen benannt sind, von 2011 bis 2013 untersucht sowie eine zeithistorische Kontextualisierung vorgenommen. Laut Abschlussbericht dieser Forschungsgruppe war Herbert von Karajan ab 1933 Mitglied der NSDAP. Der deutschnational und völkisch sozialisierte Karajan (1925 Konkneipant bei der schlagenden Salzburger „Alldeutschen Gymnasialverbindung Rugia“) zählte zu den wichtigsten Dirigenten des NS-Staates. Ab 1934 fungierte er als Generalmusikdirektor in Aachen und ab 1941 in Berlin. Zudem wurde er vom NS-Regime bereits vor dem Zweiten Weltkrieg auch für die Auslandspropaganda eingesetzt. Nach dem Krieg erhielt Karajan bis 1947 Dirigierverbot.

Herbert-von-Karajan-Platz

www.wien.gv.at/wiki/index.php/Herbert_von_Karajan

GET YOUR KNEE OFF OUR NECKS Commitment March Rally at Lincoln Memorial Lower Steps in Washington DC on Friday morning, 28 August 2020 by Elvert Barnes Photography

 

Visit Commitment March website at nationalactionnetwork.net/commitment-march-on-washington-dc/

 

Elvert Barnes 57th Anniversary of 1963 March on Washington COMMITMENT MARCH docu-project at elvertbarnes.com/57MOW2020

I don't know what these things are, but they curl up when they wither and all I could think of was "Emotional Nature"

 

This is Vegas, and we’re obviously about that EDM life. But instead of tattooing it on our tightly sculpted derrières, we’re commemorating our undying commitment with a 40-foot tribute to the way it makes us feel. Ladies and gentlemen, meet 7,500 pounds of stainless steel, swaying to the beat, Bliss Dance.

 

Created by artist Marco Cochrane over the course of a year and a half (we can’t even commit to going to the gym for that long), she represented the feminine energy he experienced at the Burning Man festival in the Black Rock Desert. A little place we like to call “the middle of effing nowhere.”

 

Cochrane’s team of rock star welders worked with hand-cut steel rod before 3,000 LED lights – you read that correctly – 3,000 LED lights were installed to illuminate the statue from the inside. Hopefully, the symbolization of a woman glowing from within didn’t just go over your head.

 

In a collaborative approach to creativity, Cochrane allowed his female model to choose the pose she liked best and created the mold from it. The result is a statue frozen in an ultra transcendent pose, clearly experiencing that moment when the beat drops and takes you out of your body, making it impossible to think. So you just feel.

 

The artist, and women’s advocate, wanted to celebrate the appreciation and respect he has for females sans sexual objectification. In a town where scantily clad ladies are plastered on the sides of taxi cabs and party buses, this is saying something. Cochrane created Bliss Dance to be a symbol of women who are completely free from harm, a moment in time when their energy, happiness and power are elevated beyond the physical. Yeah, that’s deep.

 

Bliss Dance is the centerpiece of The Park between the New York-New York and Monte Carlo. This six-acre outdoor promenade features the T-Mobile Arena, several dining and bar options, outdoor seating and architectural features like water walls and shade structures that were made in the Netherlands.

 

Daniel's hand - a very good friend - I saw you happy and that made me happy, my brother!

As I said in the previous post 110%. This apply's well to photography. If you have a dream and a passion then follow it and grab it with both hands, if you fail, what have you really lost.

Nothing, never die wondering.

110%.

U.S Ambassador Scot Marciel, accompanied by Boeing’s South East Asia President Skip Boyce and GE Indonesia’s CEO Handry Satriago, toured the Garuda Training Center campus with Emirsyah Satar, CEO of Indonesian airline Garuda, on July 6. Both GE and Boeing are partnering with Garuda to offer training and technical assistance in the forms of leadership development, maintenance capability enhancements, and pilot training. As part of the visit, the Ambassador successfully took off and landed at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport in Garuda’s Boeing 737-800 full flight simulator. Other tour highlights included viewing an integrated procedure training mock cockpit, a presentation by Garuda flight attendants, and a safety drill into Garuda’s pool. Upon leaving, the Ambassador reaffirmed the United States’ commitment under the Comprehensive Partnership to work toward direct flights between Indonesia and the United States. [U.S. State Dept.]

Built between 1941 and 1944 in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the USS Missouri (BB-63) was launched on January 29, 1944 and commissioned on June 11, 1944 to serve with the United States Navy in World War II. Active in the Pacific Theater of the war, the USS Missouri fought in the battle of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and took part in the shelling of the Japanese home islands. On April 11, 1945, the ship was attacked by a kamikaze pilot and was struck on the side below the main deck, with the ship suffering relatively minor damage, which is still visible today. On September 2, 1945, while docked in Tokyo Bay, a delegation representing the Empire of Japan surrendered to allied forces on the deck of the USS Missouri, bringing World War II to an official end, with documents being signed by Japanese and Allied leaders. The ship subsequently returned to New York after stops in Guam and Hawaii, and underwent an overhaul in the New York Naval Shipyard. The ship then headed on a training cruise to Cuba before heading back to New York and then east across the Atlantic Ocean, making a stop at Gibraltar before arriving at Istanbul on April 5, 1946. The ship then headed to Greece in order to assist in quelling pro-Communist groups in an attempt to contain Soviet influence in postwar Europe, demonstrating the commitment of the United States to European countries following the war. The ship transported President Harry Truman and his family between Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the United States in September 1947 following the signing of the Rio treaty, broadening the Monroe doctrine and establishing solidarity between nations in the Americas. Following the war, most battleships in the US Navy were decommissioned, but the USS Missouri was kept active due to sentimental connections between it and President Truman, as well as the ship’s status as a relatively new vessel. However, the ship hit a shoal near Old Point Comfort, Virginia on January 17, 1950, leading to it becoming stranded and needing to be refloated and repaired. Upon the breakout of the Korean War, the USS Missouri was dispatched to the Korean Peninsula on August 19, 1950, in order to support UN forces on the peninsula. The ship provided artillery support to South Korean and United States forces attempting to push back the invasion of North Korean and Chinese forces, and was active until the end of hostilities in 1953. The ship returned to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard after the war, being overhauled before going on a patrol mission in June 1954, returning in August 1954. After this mission, the ship was sent to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in September 1954, where it was decommissioned on February 26, 1955, ending its first period of active service. The ship became a popular tourist attraction during its period of deactivation, remaining in use as a museum ship until 1984, with the surrender deck having bronze plaques and an exhibit set up to commemorate the ceremony that ended World War II, which occurred on the deck. In 1971, the ship was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its remarkable state of preservation, and the very historically notable events that took place on and around the ship. In the summer of 1984, as part of an initiative to expand the number of active ships in the United States Navy under President Ronald Reagan, the ship was reactivated and sent to the Long Beach Naval Shipyard for refurbishment and modernization, with many original features and weapons removed and replaced with far more advanced modern weaponry and systems. On May 10, 1986, the ship was formally recommissioned in San Francisco. The ship participated in patrols and naval exercises throughout the period between 1986 and 1991. During the Gulf War in January and February of 1991, the ship was utilized to assist forces pushing the Iraqi army out of Kuwait, with the ship’s missile and artillery systems being utilized against targets on land. After the end of the Gulf War and due to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the ship was decommissioned once again on March 31, 1992, at Long Beach, California. The ship was returned to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, as part of the reserve fleet, where it remained until January 12, 1995, when it was removed from the Naval Vessel Register. The ship was not operated as a museum ship at this time, and was towed from the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on May 23, 1998, before arriving at Ford Island in Pearl Harbor on June 22, 1998, opening to the public as a museum ship on January 29, 1999. The location of the ship in Pearl Harbor was chosen due to the significance of the harbor and the ship to the beginning and end of the direct involvement of the United States in World War II. The ship underwent an overhaul in 2009-10, which has ensured its continued preservation. The ship today serves as a museum to the operating history of the former military vessel, as well as the very historically significant ceremony on September 2, 1945, which ended World War II.

Commitment March: Get Your Knee Off Our Necks

Part of the Northern Shoveler courtship. The female was surrounded and followed by six drakes. This head bobbing by both the male and female displayed the excitement and acceptance of this male by the female. When a male is not accepted, the female will lower her beak and point it towards the unwanted male with a slightly aggressive look. Great Salt Lake, Utah

Michael Moeller, all rights reserved © 2015

BNSF 4805 leads CP 372 east as it rolls by Miller park i was standing in ankle deep snow for 20 min for this shot

Inscription inside our silver commitment rings.

One morning a man sent a bouquet of flowers to a lady he knew.

In the attached letter he wrote: "Dear Madam, last night I had a dream about you in such a way that I felt obliged".

:))

.

.

 

Due to other commitments, I won't be doing my daily post for a couple of days. Normal daily service will be resumed on Monday!

 

In the meantime, with the end of the RHTT season, I am undertaking an RHTT 'dump' - that is my remaining RHTT shots for 2024 that didn't make the quality cut (not that my bar is that high!) but, nevertheless, need to be included in this year's RHTT album. If there was a way to just pop them in the album without subjecting you to them I would do that but, as far as I know, there isn't. So, with apologies, here we go!

This little bumblebee had died at work on this goldenrod. It was still in pretty good shape when I discovered it, Farm Lake, near Plevna, Ontario, Canada. Sony nex5r and Micro Nikkor 55/3.5.

With shoulders strong & a back so straight-that half stick of gum sealed his fate(inside joke).

With quiet commitment & marriage vows, he led his family from then till now.

His quest to provide for his children & bride.

He poured out his life w/blood sweat & tears, glancing over his shoulder to make sure we were near.

He leaned his shoulder into the task, to be our provider/protector-keeping us w/in his clasp.

The moves, ah so many-15 at last tally! we moaned & we groaned but around him did rally.

Mistakes-he made them, as we all do, but always learned lessons to carry him thru.

If you need him, he will be there to help you, to hold you, to show you he cares.

He did not stagger, he did not fall. the load got heavy but he stood thru it all because his house was built on a foundational rock-always underneath was the solid rock.

His viking heiritage in in his Dna- wanderlust in his blood w/new vistas to see on his way.

He can take the path less traveled, not afraid to stand alone. He always told me he would get me home.

He has a wealth of knowledge that he retains, wisdom & insight flow from his brain.

A tight ship did he run, Cap'n Ahab to some, but along w/the instructions came the fun.

His body, now worn, his hands also. the knees once so strong don't carry him for long.

God has blessed his life w/children & grands-His children, like strong pillars around him they stand holding up their father w/their supporting hands.

So here's to you

My husband, my friend

My partner to the end.

  

Were this heart a poor pirate

 

It would find no greater riches

 

Than buried in your arms

 

And would make there its home

 

Long after the dust of eternity

 

Consumed us both.

 

Continuing its commitment to protect the waters of the Commonwealth, the Baker-Polito Administration today filed An Act to Enable the Commonwealth’s Administration of the Massachusetts Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. The legislation will allow the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to join forty-six other states in administering the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) for federal water quality protection.

 

(Photo Credit: Alastair Pike, Office of Governor Charlie Baker)

Dec 1, 2011

 

I've made a commitment to myself to keep myself healthy.. I've kept up w/ my running and my workouts to this point and I must say I'm pretty proud of myself.

 

Whether the weather was nice or not, I got up, put my shoes on, and hit the pavement to find a better me.. I definitely feel better, more energetic, definitely more patient, and just have a better outlook on life.

 

Just like I've committed myself to finishing this project, I won't let myself down..

 

You haven't failed until you quit. And I'll NEVER quit..

 

Strobist Info:

Yongnuo 560 - 1/8 power camera left shot through 24" Cheetah softbox

 

Yongnuo 560 - 1/32 power camera right behind the model bare

These are commitment rings that I made for some friends of mine. They are made from sterling silver, 14k gold, and diamonds.

 

The bands are made from rectangular stock that I carved a groove into. The diamonds are tube-set and the gold wire shaped by hand and soldered into place piece by piece. One requirement for these rings was that the diamonds not be too prominent. I think this design accomplishes that well, with the diamonds incorporated into the design without overwhelming it.

 

The gold and diamonds in this ring are reclaimed from a ring formerly worn by one friend's father. This actually added a lot of work to the project (and I detail that in the other photo of these rings) but made the rings much more symbolic than they would have been otherwise, which is saying a lot considering the purpose of these rings.

Taken in Curitiba-PR, Brazil.

No commitment, no future, Loren Cunningham knows exactly what that means.

My grandmother sent me a letter today. It read (or some of it did anyway):

 

"Study hard these next few weeks of school. High School in the fall. Can you believe it?"

 

Uhm. No. No I can't. xDD

 

Anyway, prepare for an extremely long description.

 

I've made it to my 100th 365 day! But since it took me so long, I’m posting this list on my 101st photo.

My 100th photo didn’t really relate to 100. But this project is about learning more about yourself, right? Sorta. Well, I thought I would take the time to write down 100 random facts about myself (and my beliefs) at the moment.

 

1. I'm disgusted at how huge my shadow is in my 100th picture. So I've made a new commitment of losing at least 5 pounds every month. I need to get a scale so I can track it.

 

2. What inspired me to lose weight was a Dove Chocolate wrapper that had a message inside. It read: "If they can do it, so can't you."

 

3. I believe that my soul mate could be anyone, regardless of gender (age, race, you get the picture :P).

 

4. "Right Down the Line" by Gerry Rafferty and "Faithfully" by Journey are two of my favorite love songs.

 

5. I can lip-sync to the movie National Treasure word for word.

 

6. I met both of my best friends online. I've known them for about 3 years.

 

7. I'm not very good expressing myself through talking, and I often offend people because I don't explain myself clearly.

 

8. I'm a very different person online and often taken advantage of the fact that no one can reach me through my computer screen.

 

9. I have the logic of a five year old. If you can't see it, it can't see you. That is the sentence that repeats through my head after I have watched a horror film and I'm trying to sleep.

 

10. Movies that animals die in (such as Mighty Joe Young and King Kong) make me bawl. But I don't cry when humans die. D:

 

11. I want to get snake bite piercings.

 

12. I watch movies online that I probably shouldn't.

 

13. Although I really like scary movies, I can't watch anything that has a possessed character in it (like the Exorcist). I've only seen clips of that movie and I bet I won't see it until I'm a lot older. Possession scares the crap out of me.

 

14. I think Dita Von Teese and Liv Tyler are two of the most beautiful women in the world. Anthony Hopkins and Joaquin Phoenix are two of the most handsome men. :P

 

15. Guys should have the long hair and girls should have the short.

 

16. When I was little, I had to get my tonsils out. I used to hide my medicine in my favorite recliner so I wouldn't have to take it. I have a fear of medicine going into my body. I even refuse to take tylenol or advil for a headache unless it's extremely painful.

 

17. When people used to ask me where my dad was, I would always make a story up. Two of the ones I can remember are “He drowned in his boat” and “When he was making something in his workshop he cut off his hand died.” Yes, my mind morbid even when I was young.

 

18. Metallica was my first ever obsession. I have posters, CDs, a t-shirt, magazines, a purse, and stickers all with their logo.

 

19. In my lifetime, I think I have completed only two stories that I started writing. They were both for school projects.

 

20. I think that serial killers are interesting. Not for what they did, but how they explain what they did and why they did it.

 

21. I despise cleanliness. My room is filled with clutter and I like it that way. Usually it’s not filthy (like I don’t have food under my bed and mold growing on my pillows) but I like it when there is stuff on the floor.

 

22. I’ve considered abandoning the thought of becoming a CSI and becoming an actress or musician instead.

 

23. I’m a very jealous person and I used to flip every time someone commented on my friend’s Myspace page (hence why I never will go on that site again).

 

24. I would like to become nocturnal but it’s nearly impossible for me to sleep during the day.

 

25. I spent 6 years of my life playing Neopets and I still can’t believe how much time I wasted on there.

 

26. When I was in pre-school, I remember I used to kiss the boys and pretend they were my boyfriends. Yes, very sad, I know.

 

27. I would really like to learn French and would probably make the compromise of going to public school if I could learn it.

 

28. If I am interested in a certain subject or person I will learn as much as I can about it/them. Hopefully it’s not considered like… stalking or something but I know a lot about certain celebrities.

 

29. I like having crooked teeth, but a lot of my family dislikes them.

 

30. Thinking about the future makes my stomach really weak. I’m often worried what this world is coming to.

 

31. I would like to become an old rodent lady. I want to have rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, rats, chinchillas, hamsters, mice… all that jazz. I really like little fuzzy things like that.

 

32. One of my favorite things to do when I’m in Maine is watch reality TV shows with my brother. Parental Control and Sweet 16 are two of the ones we like watching.

 

33. I don’t have a lot of motivation and I’m not proud of most of the things I have done that other people are proud of me for doing. I’m not even sure how I was motivated enough to get this far in my list!

 

34. I often have to stop myself in the middle of conversations to rethink what I was going to say without chatspeak.

 

35. I feel that some people take advantage of me, but I never do anything about it. Like I worry that people are just talking to me to rant to me so I can give them advice. But it stinks because then their problems become mine and I get extremely frustrated.

 

36. Even though I’m a very fortunate person, I often find myself wanting more or wanting to get away and lead a different life.

 

37. Grapes of Wrath is one of my favorite books, but I’ve only read it once.

 

38. One of the things that turns me off about people I meet is how they have to bring God into a conversation or they have to make everything they do somehow… revolve around God. Although I find myself to be an open-minded person, I’m somewhat offended when people think that everyone is religious and those that aren’t need to be ‘saved’.

 

39. Again, I find myself a very open-minded person, but two of the things I refuse to try to understand are Republican beliefs and Scientology.

 

40. You know how some people are racist, prejudice, sexist, etc.? Well, I’ve been told that I’m a ‘cliquest’ because strongly dislike the emo and scene styles.

 

41. I usually don’t finish things that I have started. For example, (like I mentioned above) I don’t usually finish stories I begin writing. I don’t finish many art projects I start, it takes me a long time to finish a movie, and it takes me a really long time to finish cleaning my room.

 

42. One of the reasons why I hate writing reports for school is because of the program Microsoft Word. It frustrates me greatly.

 

43. I consider myself to me a pretty good liar. I’m good with eye contact when I need to lie, but I usually end up blushing in the end which gives it away.

 

44. One of my dreams is to marry a retired actor and live in the woods in a house with a tower, away from the rest of the word.

 

45. I have an interest in a wide range of music. I listen to pop, R&B, metal, soundtrack stuff, rock, oldies, etc. The only genres I really can’t stand are opera, jazz, and orchestra like stuff unless it’s EXTREMELY powerful.

 

46. Unlike music, I don’t have a very wide range of movies I’m interested in. I like watching horrors and thrillers with this occasional comedy or romance. I’m also a sucker for any 80s film.

 

47. One of my worst fears is dying while I’m asleep. I like to be fully aware of what’s happening.

 

48. Another one of my worst fears is becoming attached to people. When I become attached to a person, it means that I’ll become very jealous if anyone else is involved with them. I worry that if they see how jealous I am, that they won’t think I’m a safe person to be around.

 

49. I don’t really understand why people are offended by nudity. D: Especially when they think that life is such a gift and all.

 

50. I dislike pretty much everything that has to do with the mouth except for the tongue. Teeth and chewing noises gross me out.

 

51. It’s hard for me to feel bad for people who have died during natural disasters. Like in hurricanes or tornados. I figure that there is a reason for it.

 

52. My dream wedding would take place on the rocks that Merry, Pippin, Frodo, Sam, Boromir, Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli (is that all of them?) grieved for Gandalf. I think the location is in New Zealand.

 

53. The form of my nonexistent future children’s names is a family name and a musician’s name.

 

54. I have a birthmark near an unmentionable place that I discovered a couple months ago. xD

 

55. The movie Requiem for a Dream is more powerful than D.A.R.E., and is one of my favorite movies. Seriously. If you have a teenage child you should watch it with them. That movie is one of the reasons why I will never consider doing drugs.

 

56. I like putting glue on my fingers and letting it dry to peel it off.

 

57. Another one of my favorite bands in Shiny Toy Guns. My best friend and I dubbed them ‘our band’ because it’s the only band that we both can agree we like. (I listen to the heavier stuff and he listens to more pop).

 

58. My step-dad says that I have a thing for guys named Andrew. I know three guys named Andrew and at some point, I’ve had a crush on each of them.

 

59. I have a fear of going over to other people’s houses to eat if they eat meat. Over the summer, my dad and step-mom didn’t accept that I ate meat and I had to survive off poptarts and chips. D: That’s part of the reason.

 

60. When I think, nearly every other word is a swear.

 

61. My favorite drink is a Strawberry Daiquiri. Virgin, of course. ;o

 

62. A video I found on YouTube narrated by Pamela Anderson is what inspired me to become a vegetarian.

 

63. Two of my most prized possessions are a seashell box given to me by my grandmother and Rollin’ Stone interviews with Axel Rose from May of ’92 given to me by my Mom.

 

64. When I was younger I used to watch a show called Big Wolf On Campus. One of the characters drove a hearse and that has been my dream car since then.

 

65. My aunt Lisa is my role-model.

 

66. I often scare my friend because I tell her the ideas I have of contraptions and traps similar to the ones in Saw.

 

67. My first CD ever was Britney Spears’ Oops… I Did it Again.

 

68. One of my favorite memories is of a day at the beach with two of mom’s friends and my old babysitters. J, I’ll call him, and I went for a walk on the beach and left our shoes in some random place. When we went to try to find them, we walked past them several times on accident because a couple had set up their spot and were making out. When J finally saw the shoes, we both couldn’t stop laughing.

 

69. I’ve looked into how much it costs to get pointed caps for your teeth so I could be a ‘vampire’.

 

70. I have glasses, but I barely wear them. They’re for reading.

 

71. I like to be confined into small places and don’t freak out in small areas, unless I can barely breathe.

 

72. AXE deodorant is the only kind that I’ve tired that doesn’t make me itch. ):

 

73. I often begin following trends once they’re considered ‘so last year’.

 

74. My guitars are named Griffin and Kadae.

 

75. My favorite smilie is ‘xD’ and I usually use it after every sentence when I am talking online, and sometimes even accidentally use it in my stories. xDD I’ll go through and be like, “’xD’? Why is this here? xDD”

 

76. I have a very strong conscience. Once, in third grade, a group of my friends (I guess you could call us the popular bullies) took a girl’s lunch box and hid it behind a trash can. I was so upset and felt so guilty that when I got him, I called the girl to tell her where her box was.

 

77. When I was around three or four, we lived in Maine in an apartment complex. One day while I was out playing, these teenagers decided it would be a good idea to put me in the baby swing and leave me there. I was a chunky toddler, so I got stunk in there and had to scream at the top of my lungs for my mom to come and get me. If I remember correctly my mom and the man helping to pull me out discussed calling the fire department. Since then I have always hated those swings.

 

78. One of my biggest pet-peeves is when people call black and white colors. Example:

Person 1: “What’s your favorite color?”

Person 2: “Black.”

Person 3: “Oh. You’re so badass. ;o”

-enters the chat- Me: “Psh. No. They’re not. Black isn’t a color.”

 

79. I used to walk around the house pretending to be Xena. I put a butterknife in my underwear and walked around. One time, I cut my chest and I have a bit of a scar.

 

80. My Top 10 most played songs on iTunes are:

I’m the Man – Anthrax (94 plays)

Du hast – Rammstein (91)

All Over You – Live (81)

Would? – Alice in Chains (74)

Touch, Peel & Stand – Days of the New (69)

Iris – Live (66)

More Than a Feeling – Boston (65)

DotA – Basshunter (50)

Music Is My Hot, Hot Sex – CSS (50)

Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey (49)

 

81. My favorite food is a dish that my mom makes with pasta, peppers, black beans, onions and some other stuff. I think I’ve asked for it for my birthday the past two years.

 

82. One of my goals as an adult is to build a huge collection of movies. (Like, 1000+ movies.)

 

83. Depression started to kick in with me when I was about 11.

 

84. I probably think about something related to death as much as guys think about sex (studies say that’s almost every 8 seconds).

 

85. I’m jealous of how Canadians are so proud of their country.

 

86. I learned the ‘f’ word at a hockey game when I was like 8 or 9.

 

87. I’ve been brainstorming of ideas of what to paint on the rock in Lee for nearly 2 years.

 

88. Another reason why I would like to lose weight and keep it off is so I can get a huge tattoo on my back when I’m older.

 

89. I have a mannequin chest in my room that I stick needles into. I’ve considered dying patches of it red, but decided against it because mom might use it to model her bags.

 

90. I’ve nearly trained myself not to dream. For about a week, I was afraid to go to sleep because I killed someone in one. My dreams are often very clear and graphic, so I was tired of seeing the things I was and just told myself to stop. One dream I can remember was a dream of a wolf/beaver/fox thing that was chasing after me, and it has scared me for pretty much ever.

 

91. I’m afraid to go into my grandmother’s backroom in her house because I used to believe (and still kind of do) that there are evil white unicorn type creatures in there. They’re actually really cool, in my mind. I should try using them in a story sometime.

 

92. I think that 365 is one of the most challenging things that I’ve ever tried to do by myself! My set isn’t very exciting, but I am learning more about myself through my pictures and I’ve begun to see the world in a different way. Maybe that’s just because I am getting older, but I am not sure.

 

93. One of the first things people tell me online is “Holy cow? You’re 14? I thought you were like… 18 or something.” It gets on my nerves.

 

94. I’ve always wanted a dog but I’ve pretty much stopped begging my parents for one. My cats and Brooke would probably gang up on it.

 

95. I was in a fire when I was younger, but I can’t remember any of it. I think that’s one of the things that I’m most upset about not remembering. Maybe the smoke inhalation did something to my brain. That would explain a lot.

 

96. I have a blanket that I’ve had since I was a baby. Luckily it was rescued from the fire mentioned above. I seriously don’t know how different my life would be without that blanket. XD We call it the ‘ABC’ blanket because it has the alphabet all over it. It used to be really bright, but now it’s… pastel. xD

 

97. I purposefully burned the side of my eye to see what it would feel like. (Shoot… I don’t think I ever admitted that to mom…)

 

98. Even though barely anyone knows, I have a very perverted mind. I often find it very hard not to laugh at little things and have a laughing fit every time I see condoms in a store.

 

99. I like country/hick boys (men? I dunno if you can call them that) a lot for some reason. There are a lot of my dad’s friends that I’d probably like if they weren’t so stupid. xD

 

100. And… ugh. Last one. This is hard. Ohoh! My first celebrity crush was Hayden Christensen in the first Star Wars. I was so in love with that kid. 8D

 

Okay. This is a very boring list. If you actually made it through this all, cheers to you!

 

Oh my gosh. This is going to be so so so hard for me, considering I have major commitment issues. WE WILL SEE HOW THIS GOES YOU GUYS. wish me luck. xoxo

Okay, yesterday was the last day of my six-month commitment to fitness buffery. On June 1 I told myself I had to go to the gym every day before work, to try to make a habit of it, and I wasn't allowed to reconsider this new routine until December 1. As I've mentioned a few times in this space before, this was just a Year of Doing thing, not an "I have [x, y, z] weight-loss/fitness goal"; I just wanted to try being fitter for a change. (Because of Pookie's goofy schedule, my five-days-a-week habit quickly turned into six days a week, just for the record.) So now that I'm finally allowing myself to step back and assess, this gym Doing has some pros and cons.

 

The CONS:

-- I hate getting up early before work.

-- I hate showering in the morning, instead of at night before bed.

-- I hate that I never have time anymore to listen to music on headphones before falling asleep.

-- I hate that I can't stay up late for west-coast hockey games anymore.

-- Something always hurts now. Either my muscles are sore from strength training, or my hips are stiff from cardio, or my enormous feet have gotten more dreadful blisters from my clown-shoe-sized sneakers. I'm never not achy.

-- I don't much care for the idea of exercise; every night I think about what I have on tap for the next morning and dread doing it.

-- People say, "Oh, when you exercise regularly you have so much more energy!" Those people lie. If I have extra energy, I'm using it on my stupid exercise. I'm always way more exhausted by the end of the day now than I used to be.

 

The PROS:

-- I love my trainer, Cheryl, and am so happy to have met her. Also, I really enjoy my workouts with her, despite hating working so hard at physical activity. She's a lot of fun.

-- I love the feeling of walking out of the gym after a brutal workout, drenched in sweat, my muscles all happy to have been pushed so hard and now to be able to rest and recover. It's a great feeling, and one I've never known in my life, being a sedentary non-athlete for 37 years.

-- For all that I dread the idea of working out, I actually enjoy it once I'm there. For the most part, weight training is way fun, and cardio (I do rigorous treadmill walking and a little jogging mixed with stairs) tends to feel shockingly great once I get going.

-- Dude, I've lost 40 pounds. I was a size 22 in June, and I'm a size 16 now. I'm not skinny by any measure, but I'm nowhere near as fat as I used to be.

-- It's extremely satisfying to know that I'm working so damn hard.

-- I've never been happier with myself than I am now.

 

So... yeah. I'm not stopping any time soon.

 

--Schn.

In an initiative developed by Salford multi agency team Project Gulf, the young people have demonstrated their commitment to a safer Salford after spending the last two months creating a play to ‘Stand up for Salford’, a result of taking part in workshops with Greater Manchester Police, Salford City Council, Crimestoppers and Rhema Theatre around organised crime and gangs.‎

 

The ‘Stand up for Salford’ programme aims to teach school pupils about organised crime, its dangers and the impact that it has on communities. It also promotes Fearless, Crimestoppers’ dedicated youth service, designed and developed to encourage and empower young people to make their community a safer place.‎

 

Pupils have taken part in workshops exploring issues such as gun violence and drug crime. Their thoughts and ideas will be used to help the community safety ‎partnership shape future prevention work for the younger residents of the city.

 

Project Gulf in Salford is part of the local Community Safety Partnership. Through collaboration with Salford City Council, GMP, partner agencies and the general public, Project Gulf uses various intelligence-led methods to disrupt and dismantle organised crime groups across Greater Manchester.

 

Detective Sergeant Jill Vescovi from GMP said: “So far ‘Stand up for Salford’ has allowed us to engage with hundreds of young people across Salford, spread the message on the criminality behind gangs and ultimately stop children from entering this kind of lifestyle as they get older.‎

 

“The pupils who performed have put so much time and effort into learning about the issues and putting their pieces together. It’s a real testament to them and their community that they are willing to stand up for Salford and tackle those who threaten its harmony.”

 

City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “Young people play a key role in defeating organised crime in Salford. If we can support them to reject gang culture, we will build a better future for them and our city. Our work with Project Gulf shows that, by working together, we can disrupt and defeat organised crime but the police need the public on their side, sharing information to help them do their job.”

 

Since the workshops took place around 150 pupils have worked with Rhema Theatre on a weekly basis to create their own play. The challenge now saw eight schools go head to head with a judging panel, made up of Vice Lord-Lieutenant DL JP, Chair of Greater Manchester Crimestoppers Edith Conn, Superintendent Mark Kenny, Ceremonial Mayor of Salford Councillor Peter Dobbs and others, crowning a winner at the end of the day.

 

The pupils will then take their play back to their classmates and family members to spread the message about the impact of gangs and crimes associated with them.

The initiative will then see Fearless work with schools to help the next generation say no to organised criminality.

 

Mike Peacock, Writer, Actor, Director at Rhema Theatre Company said: “Drama is a powerful tool for putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes and seeing though their eyes. We remember stories. We relate to stories. This competition for High Schools in Salford is a great opportunity for pupils to look at both individuals and the wider effects of crime on society, and empower those individuals to make a change.”

 

Greater Manchester Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd said: “Salford is often unfairly stigmatised by the national media. The focus on gangs and organised crime has the potential to weigh heavily on the minds of young Salfordians. In truth, Salford is a great city and I am always struck by the optimism and aspiration of the young people I have met across the city.

 

Projects like this tap into that positive spirit that Salford young people have, and gives them a much-needed voice to stand up against that small, destructive minority of criminal gangsters who try – but will fail – to bring the city down.”

 

Edith Conn, Chair of Greater Manchester Crimestoppers, Vice Lord-Lieutenant, DL JP said: “The effort and commitment that these young people have put into this project has been fantastic. They care about Salford and their school and wish to make a positive impact and contribute to a safer community. The work that they have produced will really get the message across to their fellow pupils and parents that you can be Fearless Against Crime by contacting Crimestoppers anonymously.”

 

To find out more about Greater Manchester Police please visit www.gmp.police.uk

 

You should call 101, the national non-emergency number, to report crime and other concerns that do not require an emergency response.

 

Always call 999 in an emergency, such as when a crime is in progress, violence is being used or threatened or where there is danger to life.

 

You can also call anonymously with information about crime to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Crimestoppers is an independent charity who will not want your name, just your information. Your call will not be traced or recorded and you do not have to go to court or give a statement.