tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44117899061349845142024-02-19T02:24:38.715-08:00Staying on a New CourseSharing our experiences with fertility, high risk pregnancy, and parenting over the past decade. C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-4237266062633440352017-09-12T14:13:00.000-07:002017-09-12T14:13:01.375-07:002017 UpdateI know. I haven't written in ages.<br />
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Here's the deal: I'm now diving deep into a whole new blogging adventure!<br />
You can follow along by visiting <a href="http://learnexploreadore.com/">LearnExploreAdore.com</a> - and you can subscribe there to make sure you don't miss any of our new adventures in homeschooling and potentially even road schooling. (A little scary, right?)<br />
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Anyway,<br />
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Thanks for following me here for so long.<br />
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Hope to see you at the new site,<br />
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CandaceC Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-67628075568120916512016-03-05T08:58:00.001-08:002016-03-05T08:58:58.258-08:00Potty Training Resources <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFp1K0t85u_IJGytRaXu6kHaDB5vljfBwRLLc8BSKP1iuK2zkd-p3fHPH30rBWJMdjGN7DtO9bvondej9xjQ-W3tfyAH77O_VlEoAYUZ2m78s2RmeogkEfR4WiGqchQsxHcHtpyIOoJBVR/s1600/IMG_7005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFp1K0t85u_IJGytRaXu6kHaDB5vljfBwRLLc8BSKP1iuK2zkd-p3fHPH30rBWJMdjGN7DtO9bvondej9xjQ-W3tfyAH77O_VlEoAYUZ2m78s2RmeogkEfR4WiGqchQsxHcHtpyIOoJBVR/s400/IMG_7005.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Yesterday, a couple of my dear friends posted a video to Facebook. They had helped with a cosplay Avengers Potty Training video. I immediately called my 3 year old son into the room to see what he thought. He LOVED it - which means I love it because it gives me one more potty training option to rotate through.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WLwGZERpkm0/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WLwGZERpkm0?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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This got me thinking, I'm about to embark on potty training my third child. I've been around this block a few times. I'll share what we've found success with. </div>
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<i><b>Disclaimer: No two children are the same. They respond differently to different approaches. Please keep in mind that if one of my suggestions isn't working for you, that's perfectly fine! Move on to the next one. Keeping a positive attitude is a big part of keeping your sanity during potty training. </b></i></div>
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Here are some of our favorite potty training helpers: </div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=staonanewcou-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B0002J4ZKK&asins=B0002J4ZKK&linkId=MLIMTF4WJH7J2JTJ&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br />
</iframe><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=staonanewcou-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=038538369X&asins=038538369X&linkId=3QCDC2NASTN7EENU&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=staonanewcou-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1481420488&asins=1481420488&linkId=AL43B4RDLLBTH4MT&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br />
</iframe><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=staonanewcou-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00L8EXVBC&asins=B00L8EXVBC&linkId=SK4MA6B37P3OKPOR&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br />
</iframe><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=staonanewcou-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0375826319&asins=0375826319&linkId=APEKJ7MFEANW3ZTV&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br />
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<i>Even if your child isn't familiar with "Bear in the Big Blue House", I highly recommend the Potty Time with Bear DVD. It has been the most effective training DVD for our kids.</i><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/u1DugrrAxIg/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u1DugrrAxIg?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/D-3m502wWsM/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D-3m502wWsM?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Looking for less obvious potty training helpers? I've got you. </span></div>
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No need to pay for overpriced potty targets for your little boy</div>
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when you've got good old fashioned Cheerios.</div>
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Toss one in the potty and you've got a target.</div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=staonanewcou-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00J0K55L0&asins=B00J0K55L0&linkId=JHU2S62YO3ACS6O4&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br />
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Does your child get nervous about the smell of poop?<br />
Got you covered.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=staonanewcou-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00U1EAIHK&asins=B00U1EAIHK&linkId=FVDLCNN4UXRA2F42&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The travel size is ideal for when you </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">have </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">to leave the house with your potty trainer.</span><br />
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As for a potty seat itself, I reviewed many options before settling on this highly rated seat that can be taken apart so the seat rests on a regular toilet. <br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=staonanewcou-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B000BXKTMA&asins=B000BXKTMA&linkId=W6QESI3347HJX7BS&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br />
</iframe><br />
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<i>I'll be adding on additional resources in the upcoming weeks, </i><br />
<i>so check back often! </i></div>
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C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-86290687126861171752016-02-26T14:27:00.000-08:002016-02-26T14:27:28.221-08:00Why We Love "Fuller House" If it seems like everywhere you look, there's someone talking about "Full House" or singing the theme song, you're probably right. Netflix released the perfect gift to twenty and thirty-somethings everywhere early this morning: The long awaited, highly anticipated sequel to "Full House", "Fuller House". In this 13 episode season, DJ Tanner takes over her father's old home and prepares to raise her 3 sons by herself, after her firefighter husband's untimely death. When DJ is overheard to be struggling with the idea of being alone, her younger sister Stephanie and best friend Kimmy decide to move in and help raise the kids. Kimmy brings with her a teenage daughter, Ramona, who acts as the new Gibbler. The crew soon adopt a golden retriever puppy, Cosmo; a descendent of the Tanner family's former pet, Comet. <div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLxo4keaQswrAF_iQWVv1HHsj-nxROmufDAyO-bNxbS1imNMxuJipKmEF8NlAERaFTPTU0PwMP3WmwoEUbdwziip0MEuUtI0Nuq_76PjjqxpPLjDoNM7JPSZ_2gYwokbNB_HTJUPxIxTp/s1600/IMG_6926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLxo4keaQswrAF_iQWVv1HHsj-nxROmufDAyO-bNxbS1imNMxuJipKmEF8NlAERaFTPTU0PwMP3WmwoEUbdwziip0MEuUtI0Nuq_76PjjqxpPLjDoNM7JPSZ_2gYwokbNB_HTJUPxIxTp/s400/IMG_6926.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The jokes are mostly light. The new series is reminiscent of "Full House", with Disney-esque updates needed to appeal to families in 2016. The first few episodes seem to follow the themes of the early episodes in the original series. By the time we slip into episode 7, however, the show has found its legs. It reveals both the reason we love it, and the reason we fell in love with "Full House" all those years ago: It creates an idealized version of life wherein your biggest problems can be resolved in 30 minutes or less with a big hug. Remember: If anyone gives you grief for loving "Fuller House", just say, "How rude!" and cut them out of your life. You don't need that kind of negativity. </div>
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C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-85891741252015866232016-02-23T16:16:00.000-08:002016-02-23T16:16:24.379-08:00PTSD & Jessica Jones <div style="text-align: center;">
<i>This is the first installment in my PTSD series.</i></div>
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<i>Look for more in the upcoming months.</i></div>
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<i>(I'm already working on Kimmy Schmidt.)</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Does the portrayal of PTSD in Marvel & Netflix's </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"Jessica Jones" ring true?</span></div>
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Let's start with our criteria. In this article, I will be using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (aka: The DSM-5) as well as comparing my own experiences with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to those of Jessica Jones. Using the DSM-5 is incredibly important because PTSD takes many forms and it is many different things to many different people. The DSM-5 is the tool used by psychologists to diagnose their patients. </div>
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Heads up: Spoilers abound in the entirety of this article.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Jessica Jones and Me</i></span></div>
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I originally approached Jessica Jones with caution. A friend had asked me if that's what PTSD is really like. The series had just debuted and he felt that he had misjudged my reluctance to face my triggers head on. With this in mind, I sat down to watch a few hours of what turned out to be a jarring, but accurate to my experience, depiction of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. </div>
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While my case has not led to binge drinking, I can completely understand how a person would want to numb themselves from it. Many years ago, I found out that the man who had hurt me when I was a child was returning to live in my neighborhood. The flashbacks and hallucinations hit me hard and I turned to my psychiatrist for help. The meds were nearly worse than the symptoms they were treating. Luckily, it was all temporary. I adjusted and the medication was no longer needed. During the time when I was waiting for medication to kick in, I can tell you that I often felt my attacker creeping up behind me. My back could be against a brick wall and I could still feel him; still hear him whispering in my left ear. The first episode of Jessica Jones includes a scene where Jessica approaches a hotel room where she may or may not come face to face with Kilgrave, the man who hurt her. Krysten Ritter's performance here felt real. It took me back to that time and I had to use every coping mechanism available to me in order to keep myself from slipping back to the worst of my own PTSD experience. </div>
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You may think that I would hate that. I should, perhaps, hate it. I actually love it, though. It is rare to find media that so accurately depicts what I've been through. It makes a nice reference point when I tell people I can't go to certain events. "If you're scared, shouldn't you face that fear?" Yup. In a healthy, controlled way. Not in a way that can leave me cowering in my room for the next two weeks. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Jessica Jones and the DSM-5 </i></span></div>
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By the time you make it through the last episode of the series, you're on board with this idea that Jessica must have PTSD. She says she does. She has flashbacks. Isn't that was PTSD is? </div>
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It can be, but it isn't strictly flashbacks. People self-diagnose all the time. I wanted to go back to the first episode and use the limited information within it to see if this glimpse at Jessica's life was enough for a formal diagnosis. If this were her first visit with a psychologist, would they be able to say that she met all criteria for the diagnosis? </div>
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Let's review. </div>
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The criteria for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder per the DSM-5 comes down to 8 factors. </div>
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(I'll be paraphrasing here for ease of understanding.) </div>
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<b>1. Was she traumatized? </b></div>
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Yes. Clearly, she was directly traumatized by Kilgrave. Furthermore, by the end of the first episode, we could also conclude that she had subsequently been witness to the traumatic deaths of Hope's parents. </div>
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<b>2. Is her past intrusive? Does it mess things up for her now?</b> </div>
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Yes. She's using coping skills (repeating childhood street names, drinking) to manage it, but it's a problem. Additionally, we see that she is experiencing sleep disturbances to the point that she avoids sleep when possible. </div>
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<b>3. Does Jessica avoid reminders of the trauma? </b></div>
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Yes. She's been avoiding seeing Trish for months and she tells Trish that she has no interest in returning to therapy to talk about her past. When she approaches the restaurant where she had dined with Kilgrave, she had to steady herself before she could enter. Her alcohol use could be seen as avoidance, too. </div>
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<b>4. (This one needs to come straight from the DSM-5) "Negative alterations in cognitions and mood associated with the traumatic event, beginning or worsening after the traumatic event occurred, as evidenced by two (or more) of the following:" </b></div>
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The relevant items from the list: "2. Persistent and exaggerated negative beliefs or expectations about oneself, others or the world." - as expressed in the very first monologue in the very first scene of the series. This is also expressed in the first line of the official trailer. Now, I'm not about to count the trailer, as I've already stated we're diagnosing purely based upon episode 1, but this is as good a place as any to share it. </div>
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Also relevant: "4. Persistent negative emotional state" - which we clearly see throughout the episode. </div>
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"6. Feelings of detachment or estrangement from others." - Trish. </div>
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Jessica easily meets this criteria. </div>
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<b>5. (Again, I quote the DSM-5) "Marked alterations in arousal and reactivity associated with the traumatic event(s), beginning or worsening after the traumatic event(s) occured, as evidenced by two (or more) of the following:" </b></div>
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Relevant line items: "1. Irritable behavior and angry outbursts (with little or no provocation) typically expressed as verbal or physical aggression toward people or objects." - There were multiple ways she could have completed her job from Hogarth. She chose to be forceful. </div>
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"2. Reckless or self-destructive behavior." - The very nature of her employment speaks to this. </div>
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"4. Exaggerated startle response." - Reaction to nightmare</div>
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"6. Sleep disturbance" - Again we look to her nightmare. </div>
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<b>6. Has this been going on for more than 1 month? </b></div>
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Yes. Per the conversation between Trish and Jessica, it's been going on for about a year and Jessica has been reclusive for approximately 6 months. </div>
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<b>7. Is it significant enough to mess up her social life or her job or anything else of great importance?</b></div>
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Yes. Hogarth comments that she had offered Jessica a full time job as a private investigator. Jessica refused, noting that she prefers "freelance, no ties". She's been avoiding Trish. In general, things are not going so great for Jessica Jones. </div>
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<b>8. Are her symptoms actually from substance abuse or a medical condition? </b></div>
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No. Now, before you fight me on this one, please note that there's nothing telling us that her alcoholism began BEFORE the trauma. Her behaviors are a result of her trauma. The trauma causes the drinking; the drinking didn't cause the trauma. Follow? Great. Let's keep moving. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Jessica clearly meets all 8 criteria. She can be diagnosed with PTSD with just the information available in Episode 1. </i></span></div>
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If I were doing a full diagnosis of Jessica, I would also note that this is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder with Dissociative Symptoms, though we are not given enough information to determine if these symptoms are depersonalization or derealization. The scene in the hotel hallway clearly exhibits dissociative symptoms, but the viewer cannot know if Jessica feels that she is a part of this slowed time and odd, dreamlike state. The same can be said of her reaction earlier at the restaurant. </div>
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Furthermore, I would definitely include F10.20 - Alcohol Use Disorder, Moderate in my diagnosis. In episode 1, she meets only 5 criteria. 6 criteria would be needed for the disorder to be considered Severe. There are a few other codes that could be assigned including Discord with a Neighbor and the past sexual abuse by Kilgrave. I wouldn't readily rule out a comorbidity of Conduct Disorder, either. </div>
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<i>For the next installment of this series, I'm currently working through "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt". If you'd like me to come back to Jessica Jones to determine whether or not </i></div>
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<i>Kilgrave </i><i>can be diagnosed with either PTSD or a Personality Disorder, comment below. </i></div>
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<i><u>Citations</u></i></div>
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<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.1429px; text-align: left;">American Psychiatric Association, & American Psychiatric Association. (2013). </span><em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.1429px; text-align: left;">Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5</em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.1429px; text-align: left;">. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.1429px; text-align: left;">ABC Studios, Marvel Studios, & Netflix (Producers). (2015). </span><em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.1429px; text-align: left;">Jessica Jones</em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.1429px; text-align: left;">[Television series]. Netflix.</span></span></div>
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C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-91973985311604183252016-02-21T12:47:00.001-08:002016-03-18T10:10:36.056-07:00"How to Train Your Dragon" vs. the 7 Forms of Ableism <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLr4ucP8pJoobDmXqV2EYdOTEEf6wx3PJXMib9C-soiqN2ec0EP2sISW6SJahUmYsgxPJutiLRnSslGWNs9u-PgVVKTv5UmSzVZw2qBB06LvX3OgdEsoUZFgVcd8h7IIRd3pUXOzP4lUK/s1600/IMG_6880.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWLr4ucP8pJoobDmXqV2EYdOTEEf6wx3PJXMib9C-soiqN2ec0EP2sISW6SJahUmYsgxPJutiLRnSslGWNs9u-PgVVKTv5UmSzVZw2qBB06LvX3OgdEsoUZFgVcd8h7IIRd3pUXOzP4lUK/s640/IMG_6880.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>I've included the information in this post </i><i>after receiving many requests for it. </i></div>
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<i>It's a topic I've covered multiple </i><i>times at </i><i>Salt Lake Comic Con.</i></div>
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<i>I'll warn you, dear reader: </i><i>Thar be spoilers ahead.</i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ableism is discrimination against those with disabilities. </span></b></div>
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Historically, there have been 7 major forms of Ableism. </div>
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These are the versions we see over and over and over again.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHi4hJhcpsKXGrZfwz-k3FVdBMWdw6se86lowaALrQn9A81U1MwJhF7oYBa9K6TtqRCy8ZN4S0_81OESKElmnno142jHkQtgT5Jigor1TEaFNWg6dwSM19bYBHuHVDMjHT10DYnabW91f/s1600/IMG_6889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHi4hJhcpsKXGrZfwz-k3FVdBMWdw6se86lowaALrQn9A81U1MwJhF7oYBa9K6TtqRCy8ZN4S0_81OESKElmnno142jHkQtgT5Jigor1TEaFNWg6dwSM19bYBHuHVDMjHT10DYnabW91f/s640/IMG_6889.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Subhuman Organism</b></span></div>
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The idea that those with disabilities are incapable of being "like normal people"</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Menace to Society</b></span></div>
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Disability = Evil</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Object of Dread</b></span></div>
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This one comes from the medieval myth of the changeling</div>
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People believed that a normal child was spirited away by evil spirits in </div>
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the night and replaced with a disabled, soulless child</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Object of Pity</b></span></div>
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Compassion devoid of respect</div>
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Think of those telethons and charity advertisements</div>
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that use the visual image or the idea of a disabled</div>
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person to make you feel crappy</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Diseased Organism</b></span></div>
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Belief that a disability is a temporary state</div>
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and that it can be easily cured by medication or psychology</div>
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(This one is rampant in online communities)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Holy Innocent</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>(aka: Eternal Child)</b></span></div>
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This one is a bit tricky</div>
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It tends to be exclusive to those deemed <a href="http://www.r-word.org/" target="_blank">"Mentally Retarded"</a></div>
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They are considered incapable of sin</div>
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It's often a religious belief and it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Object of Ridicule</b></span></div>
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The best example of this is old timey freak shows</div>
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Disability is viewed as something disgusting</div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">So how does </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;"><i>"How to Train Your Dragon"</i> </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">stand up?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The books are full of Ableism. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ableist language, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ableist behavior... </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's pretty bad. I can't recommend them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">What about the movie?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: x-large;">"How to Train Your Dragon" </span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: x-large;">is the first movie </span><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: x-large;">I have </span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: x-large;">found to specifically </span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: x-large;">counter every one of the </span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: x-large;">seven major types of Ableism.</span></div>
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<b>(That's a pretty big deal. I've evaluated about 1000 films for instances of Ableism.)</b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">How?</span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Let's go back over the list.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Subhuman Organism</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Dragon Defiance:</span></i></div>
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Even though Hiccup is considered to be less heroic and brave than the other vikings, he is expected to contribute just as much as everyone else. He is not viewed as less capable. Furthermore, Hiccup's mentor, Gobber, is revered for his contributions to society. Gobber has had multiple amputations and is sporting some pretty hardcore rudimentary prosthetics.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Menace to Society & Object of Dread</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Dragon Defiance:</i></span></div>
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Disability is revered by the vikings when it comes in the form of injury. Hiccup is given a job where he can be of use to his community even though his father believes him to be unable to behave like the rest of the community.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Object of Pity</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Dragon Defiance:</i></span></div>
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Disabilities are not allowed to define any of the characters.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Diseased Organism</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Dragon Defiance:</i></span></div>
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Hiccup & Toothless are prime examples of this! They ADAPT to their limitations. They are NOT cured.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Holy Innocent</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">(aka: Eternal Child)</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Dragon Defiance:</span></i></div>
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This goes back to Subhuman Organism a bit. Hiccup is deemed to be less able to show bravery or to </div>
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help defend the village, but he is still expected to try. He is still given a job and he is expected to do it. When Hiccup experiences failure, it isn't written off.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Object of Ridicule</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Dragon Defiance:</i></span></div>
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Ridicule of the disabled is never featured. In fact, the end of the film takes this a step further by showing how awesome prosthetics can be!</div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-large;">BONUS:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>#TeamVishpla</b></span></div>
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Queen Vishpla was a warrior queen in an epic poem, the Rig Veda. The Rig Veda goes back to a couple thousand years B.C. It tells the story of a great warrior queen who, after losing her leg, continued to lead her army by strapping a large iron early prosthetic to her side so she could continue to ride her horse.</div>
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It's the first historical reference to prosthesis. It's a pretty big deal in the history of disabilities.</div>
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The hero loses her leg. The hero fashions a suitable replacement so she can continue to ride her steed and lead her army. </div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Sound familiar?</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>It should.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"><b>Hiccup does the exact same thing.</b></span></div>
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In fact, Hiccup does the same thing Vishpla did while riding on a Dragon that is also missing a limb,</div>
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has a prosthetic, and continues to lead.</div>
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<i><u>Citations</u></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.1429px; text-align: left;">DeBlois, D., & Sanders, C. (Directors). (2010). </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.1429px; text-align: left;">How to train your dragon</em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.1429px; text-align: left;">[Motion picture]. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.1429px; text-align: left;">United States: Dreamworks.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.1429px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.1429px; text-align: left;"><i>Understanding Human Differences: Multicultural Education for a Diverse America</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.1429px; text-align: left;">by Kent L. Koppelman with R. Lee Goodheart</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.1429px; text-align: left;">Copyright © 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, 'TeX Gyre Heros', TeXGyreHeros, FreeSans, 'Nimbus Sans L', 'Liberation Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: start; text-indent: -28px;">Rig Veda: A Metrically Restored Text with an Introduction and Notes</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helveticaneue" , "tex gyre heros" , "texgyreheros" , "freesans" , "nimbus sans l" , "liberation sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-indent: -28px;">. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helveticaneue" , "tex gyre heros" , "texgyreheros" , "freesans" , "nimbus sans l" , "liberation sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;"><i>(Disclaimer: </i></span></span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, 'TeX Gyre Heros', TeXGyreHeros, FreeSans, 'Nimbus Sans L', 'Liberation Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">I'm not certain that this last citation </i></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helveticaneue" , "tex gyre heros" , "texgyreheros" , "freesans" , "nimbus sans l" , "liberation sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;"><i>covers </i></span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helveticaneue" , "tex gyre heros" , "texgyreheros" , "freesans" , "nimbus sans l" , "liberation sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;"><i>Vishpla. I'm making an assumption </i></span></span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, 'TeX Gyre Heros', TeXGyreHeros, FreeSans, 'Nimbus Sans L', 'Liberation Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 21px;">because I can't </i><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, 'TeX Gyre Heros', TeXGyreHeros, FreeSans, 'Nimbus Sans L', 'Liberation Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 21px;">find </i><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, 'TeX Gyre Heros', TeXGyreHeros, FreeSans, 'Nimbus Sans L', 'Liberation Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 21px;">a </i><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, 'TeX Gyre Heros', TeXGyreHeros, FreeSans, 'Nimbus Sans L', 'Liberation Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 21px;">better way to directly </i><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, 'TeX Gyre Heros', TeXGyreHeros, FreeSans, 'Nimbus Sans L', 'Liberation Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 21px;">cite the Rig Veda.)</i></div>
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C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-71311420362762617082016-02-21T11:21:00.000-08:002016-02-21T11:21:53.893-08:00Parenting & Autism Journal - 6/17/2015<div style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 1.6875rem; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>I found this old Autism Journal entry</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>that I wrote on June 17, 2015.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Now is as good a time as any to share it.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Let me preface this by explaining that I am sick today. I am stay in bed, play Fallout all day, desperately try to stay hydrated sick. I know I look like hell. I got up to get another glass of water. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">My 14 year old daughter:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Ewww. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">You look... eww. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">(Long pause) </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Are you okay? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Other Mothers of Other 14 Year Olds would likely be upset by this. Not me. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Me:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Yeah, I'm good. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">In my head: </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Be cool. Play it cool. Don't screw this up. Just stay calm and get back to bed. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">This is followed by the biggest smile I'm capable of and dancing a (sickly) near jig all the way back to bed while I try to contain my excitement. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I don't know if her therapy is working or if she's just reacting positively to being home again, but this is huge. SHE NOTICED ME. She noticed I was in the room and she said actual words to me! She made eye contact! Zoey is on the Autism Spectrum. She's designated as "High/Low", which means that her level of functioning shifts between (you guessed it) high and low. When her routine is screwed up (say by traveling, as we did last week), she shifts to a lower level of functioning. This means we have to skip out on planned dinners, leave parties early, pull over to the side of the road for seemingly no reason for indeterminable lengths of time. It means we will do crazy things like hunting down a specific brand of toothpaste or Easy Mac or buying an entire bottle of laundry detergent and visiting a laundromat on vacation because we aren't willing to fight over how her (notably clean) socks smell to her. We pick our battles when things are low functioning. Safety is key. It's one of the first things to go. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">A new friend that I work with online met us in Anaheim on Friday. Or rather, she met me and my younger daughter and my husband. Zoe had just given herself second degree burns with hot cocoa and was recovering in the hotel room. Her reflexes go first. We can see it. She stops making eye contact and then... yeah. When it gets bad enough, it's impossible to hide it. We've had people think we hide it because we're ashamed. That's not true. We hide it because it can make her a target for people who would do unspeakable things to someone who could not and would not defend themselves in any way. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Low functioning days are awful. They rob us of our Zoey. I don't hate my Autistic daughter. I hate Autism. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Today she's coming back up and the Autism is quelling back down. She's making eye contact and saying rude things.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I couldn't be more delighted by anything in the world. </span></div>
C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-49626388048772641202016-02-19T08:39:00.000-08:002016-02-24T07:51:24.998-08:00How to be a Disability Advocate <b>I'm a public speaker.</b><br />
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</b> For the last 3 or 4 years, I've found myself being asked to speak at more and more conventions on the topic of my understanding of the Americans with Disabilities Act (the ADA) and on Disability Advocacy.<br />
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</b> <b>Now, let's get one thing abundantly clear: I am not an expert. I'm an advocate. </b><br />
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</b> For a little over a year now, I've been a panelist at a Salt Lake Comic Con and Salt Lake FanX panel called "Disabilities in Pop Culture". At Salt Lake Comic Con 2015, I moderated the panel and curated a special video for it from some members of the HitRECord community about one of our community members who lives with disability, but does not allow it to limit her art.<br />
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</b> <b>I've been called an expert several times. Once again: I am not an expert. </b><br />
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</b> Why? I never want to believe that I know all there is to know. Once you get caught in that falsehood, you stop listening and start talking in a vacuum. Advocates cannot do that. The first thing I want to teach you is this: LISTEN.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHG5cOkAYSu8cYNm_RE7KQ845sLUzDXxu3R3c8P4fMMYaDnbpBjyo3_aclS9UhSGzTuhojrzWuoI8w7HrPIbcqLsX3vtMKNH4o09hvGZzPeXidOJMe7JGLx5SSvsS8Dic7_7BfBO5LDqL/s1600/IMG_6867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHG5cOkAYSu8cYNm_RE7KQ845sLUzDXxu3R3c8P4fMMYaDnbpBjyo3_aclS9UhSGzTuhojrzWuoI8w7HrPIbcqLsX3vtMKNH4o09hvGZzPeXidOJMe7JGLx5SSvsS8Dic7_7BfBO5LDqL/s400/IMG_6867.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><i>"But shouldn't an advocate be the voice for the voiceless? Aren't advocates supposed to be loud?" </i></b></div>
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I get this all the time. The short answer is yes; an advocate needs to be heard. The longer answer is that an advocate needs to be educated about what they are advocating for - and disability is a HUGE thing to try to be educated on. Disabilities run a broad range. Being disabled doesn't necessarily mean that you can speak for everyone else. Being an advocate doesn't even mean you get to do that. Being an advocate means that you try to learn everything you can so that when others need your help, your voice, your guidance... you're prepared. This is going to require a lot of listening. </div>
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Now, when I say "listening", I do not necessarily mean that in a literal sense. The ability to hear does not limit your ability to listen. </div>
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I put an emphasis there because I want to point out that I am... let's see if you can guess... not an expert. I make mistakes. I try to learn from them. Many years ago, I realized that my own disability advocacy had a big blind spot: The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community. If you don't already know this about me, I have an obsession with the advancement of prosthetics. It's fascinating to me. When I learned about the Cochlear Implant, I learned that I didn't know nearly as much as I thought I did. I learned that something viewed by part of the population as a benefit or a tool for overcoming adversity can be viewed by another part of the population as an oppressive hinderance. Confusion overwhelmed me. My own ASL abilities are lacking. I've attempted to learn on 5 separate occasions from 5 separate instructors. My ASL is still terrible. </div>
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As you can guess, this made listening pretty difficult. Luckily, difficult does not equate to impossible. I delved into books and film looking for answers and understanding. "Sound and Fury" (2000) and "Children of a Lesser God" (1986) left me feeling sick to my stomach. Here I was, telling people how prosthetics are so amazing... completely oblivious to how callous and cruel and, ultimately, ill-informed I was. To make matters even worse, I had never even attempted to secure an ASL translator for my events. </div>
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<b>You will make mistakes. </b></div>
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Don't beat yourself up over them. Learn from them. Study and volunteer for any opportunity that grants you greater understanding. I told you felt pretty sick about my lack of understanding of the Deaf Community. The powerful voice in my head - the one that was always so determined to shout out loud for those who couldn't be heard? That voice shut up for a bit. Self doubt rushed in and I refused to speak at the next 2 events to contact me. If my own direct experiences with my disability and my with my daughter's disability hadn't shaken me back into action, I may well have given up all together. </div>
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This is where I finally learned the most important facet of my advocacy. You ready? </div>
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<b>It's okay that I am not an expert. </b></div>
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I'm still learning. I will be learning until the day that I die. That's a good thing. It keeps me listening. It keeps me hungry for a perspective beyond my own. It keeps me humble. It keeps me motivated. </div>
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<b>I am not an expert; I am an advocate.</b></div>
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I hope beyond hope that this inspires you to start today. Don't wait until you know more. Dive in. There are places you can help; things you can do. Start by being honest about what you do know and what you do not know. Avoid assumptions.<br />
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<b><i>"Can I be a Disability Advocate if I'm disabled?" </i></b><br />
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Hell yes. Most of the advocates I know face their own disabilities or the disabilities of their loved ones every single day. Besides, who gets to tell you that you can't? If someone tries, they know less than you do. Shake it off and find out what you can do. Maybe what you can do is different than what someone else can do. You know what? That's totally fine. </div>
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<b><i>"Where can I start?" </i></b></div>
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Let's break down your advocacy into three camps: </div>
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1. Increasing knowledge </div>
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2. Increasing awareness </div>
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3. Public service</div>
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1. Increasing knowledge: What do you know about disability? What questions do you have? Are you familiar with the ADA? Choose what you want to learn about. Many colleges offer courses on disability. My Study of Disabilities course was one of my favorite classes. If you aren't familiar with the ADA, go to ADA.gov and get familiar. It's of the utmost importance and it will lead you<br />
to ask questions that will tell you where to study next. After you're familiar with the ADA, I recommend this book to give you an alternate view of the legislation:<br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Penn & Teller also did an episode of their show,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Bull$#*T" all about the ADA. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">If you're easily offended, don't watch it.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">If you're not, it's worth watching.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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2. Increasing awareness: Are the groups you belong to ADA compliant? Are they readily accessible and open to including those within the disability communities? How can you help to make your school or work a better place for differently abled people? Does your college have a Disability Awareness week? If not, talk to the student government and see what can be done. Are there any local groups you can volunteer with? Get involved. Once you're involved, you'll know what it is you want to say with that powerful voice of yours. </div>
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3. Public Service: Learn ASL. Offer to help local event organizers make their events more disability friendly. If you see someone struggling, be willing and open to helping them - but don't force your help on anyone. Get in touch with your local Special Olympics group and help them fundraise! The Special Olympics fundraiser I organized was one of the highlights of my entire life. I'll never forget it as long as I live. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Have more questions?</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Don't hesitate to ask.</span></b></div>
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<b>(It's kind of what I do.)</b></div>
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C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-54976366197041902342016-02-18T14:42:00.002-08:002016-02-18T14:42:09.808-08:00Silent Protagonist: Why I Banned Gaming Headsets in my Home<div style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #81888d; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 1.6875rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<span style="background-color: white;">The voice comes from a child. Can’t be much older than 8 or 9. The words chosen imply a parent or older sibling has been less than diligent in watching their words around this kid. Maybe.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #81888d; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 24px;" /></span><div style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #81888d; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 1.6875rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Maybe it’s not that at all. Maybe this kid is just a gamer who has spent too much time listening to what other gamers say on their headsets.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 1.6875rem;">In the end, it doesn’t matter. The result is the same. My daughter looks at me, I nod, she turns the volume all the way down and moves like the stealthy Siren she plays to turn on our playlist of alternate gaming songs. We’re playing Borderlands 2, so the list includes some Cage the Elephant, The Heavy (of course), Phantom Planet, Muse, and Metric. The list also includes some NAS. Contradictory? Not at all.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />I’m not offended by the language. If we were playing TowerFall Ascension or Smash Bros, I could easily out curse this child. I am no saint. So no, it’s not the language. I’m offended by the ignorance.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #81888d; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 24px;" /></span><div style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #81888d; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 1.6875rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<span style="background-color: white;">A few years ago I was the Artist in Residency at an animal sanctuary in Costa Rica. Within the first week, the guys in their early 20s pegged me for a gamer. During the hottest, most unworkable hours of the day, I’d slip into the office and take a look at their rigs. My first attempt to watch them play was cut shorter than I had hoped. Online co-op. No headsets. Nevertheless, the vernacular of too many hours absorbing the negativity of other players came shining through. I won’t repeat exactly what was said, but I will say that it included violent threats including rape and several homophobic remarks. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #81888d; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 24px;" /></span><div style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #81888d; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 1.6875rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Even gamers living Costa Rica’s “Pura Vida” can’t escape it. Damn. He sees my smile fade and tries to make things better. “I’m not like that in real life. It’s just a game. I would never do anything like that. You get that, right?” If the words are meaningless to you, why do you need to inflict them on someone else? Why do you use them? You are eliciting a response. You are using hate to get someone to feel or think or respond the way you want when you behave like that over a mic. It had become so much a part of the gaming experience for these men that they continued the behavior with or without the headset. It’s the worst type of manipulative ignorance, and these guys didn’t even register that they were participating in it.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #81888d; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 24px;" /></span><div style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #81888d; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 1.6875rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<span style="background-color: white;">It doesn’t have to be like this. I have frequent, vivid dreams about gaming with a team of strangers communicating over a simple headphone and microphone setup. Someone asks for cover. I respond that my Phaselock is at the ready if they need help. The game is the thing. We work together in harmony to take down Terramorphous. I don’t even bother to collect any of the valuable loot; I just restock my ammo and wait as the rest of the team runs around like kids in an unattended GameStop.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #81888d; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 24px;" /></span><div style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #81888d; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 1.6875rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<span style="background-color: white;">When I wake, I mourn the loss of the dream. Hope dictates that I turn on the console and get back in there. What if things changed while I was sleeping? Sound is up. I start a game and leave it open for online players. The first person to join insists upon duping guns. Booted. Play or don’t play. I don’t have time for that nonsense. The second to join is on a headset. He can see I’m not. His Psycho and my Siren make short work of the path to Tiny Tina’s. He asks if I have DLC. I type back a reply, “Yeah. I’ve got all my maps.” He transports us to Tina’s DLC and moments later, another player joins. Assassin. Perfect for this campaign. I’m optimistic. Then she speaks. I freeze. My heart pleads with my current companion to just be cool. He’s not. He laughs first. Then it’s the standard “Get your girlfriend off the mic.” I rush a group of skeletons to try to keep them focused. I Phaselock one just as it nears the Assassin and I toss a singularity grenade toward the group approaching the Psycho. She starts in at him about how she’s no one’s girlfriend. He starts in with the ignorant name calling. He’s down just as my Phaselock is ready for another go. I’d rather not save him. I’d rather go back to the dream world. I back out to the main menu and start anew, offline.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #81888d; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 24px;" /></span><div style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #81888d; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 1.6875rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<span style="background-color: white;">This is why I don’t own a headset. This isn’t going to happen to my daughters. They get enough of that crap at school. Gaming is a way to relax and get away from the world for a bit. The archaic sexism streaming through online play isn’t welcome. There’s effort being made by a small group of stubborn, pure-hearted players to stop this type of behavior, but we need more people to step up and recognize that it needs to stop now. Studios are recognizing this, too. Recently, Riot has been applauded for their efforts to reward LoL (League of Legends) players who keep pristine records. Those penalized for negative behavior do not receive the sudden and surprising rewards Riot is doling out. I think it’s brilliant. I also think they shouldn’t have to come up with incentives to keep people decent.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #81888d; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 24px;" /></span><div style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #81888d; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 1.6875rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Let’s all just take a moment to be a little more aware of the way we treat people. Are we perpetuating nonsense that we don’t even believe in? It can start and stop with us. Please help me make the dream a reality. I’d really love to own a headset.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #81888d; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 24px;" /></span><div style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #81888d; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 1.6875rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I wrote this article for LordoftheLaserSword.com during Spring of 2015 after I spoke as a panelist at Salt Lake Comic Con's Fan X in January 2015 with some of the writers for the site. I posted it here after they took their site down. </span></em></div>
C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-15339505625629568362016-02-18T12:46:00.000-08:002016-02-18T12:46:22.687-08:00METRIC at The Depot - SLC, Utah 2.17.2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
My husband & I saw Metric play at The Depot </div>
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in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">"The Shade" was my favorite performance of the night</span></i></div>
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<br />C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-52909060854953951772016-02-12T09:03:00.001-08:002016-02-12T09:03:21.842-08:00HitRECord - fantastic Recorders you should be followingI've been a part of the HitRECord.org family for nearly 2 years now. I've been a paid contributor and I've worked on all sorts of independent projects like the HROYR (HitRECord on Your Radio) Podcast. At the end of March, I'll be joining a couple of my fellow Recorders in presenting a panel all about what we do as members of HitRECord at Salt Lake Comic Con's FanX 2016.<br />
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Maybe that's what brought you to this article. Either way, here's a list of Recorders you'll want to follow.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>HitRECord Wonders of the World</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">ScarletAdrianne</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Scarlet is a phenomenal visual artist</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>You'll definitely want her drawing on your dashboard </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Check out her record, "Cloudy head"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Kathleen Payton</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>This soulful songstress will get stuck on you </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>You'll find yourself hearing her voice in your heart</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I recommend her record, "Modern Romance"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Kendall</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Speaking of talented female musicians...</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Listen to Kendall's remix of "Cold Wind Partial Collab" </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>& just try to tell me it doesn't sound like it belongs in the game "Transistor"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">YESH_ARTIST</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Yesh is new to the site </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>but I am entirely certain that </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Yesh is not new to art</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>You need to see "The Eden's Garden"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">ordinaryfox</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Visual fantasy </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Check out "Cabin Fever"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Kerrnie</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Woodwind Goddess</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I was lucky enough to see Kerrnie play live last summer</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Listen to her sultry sax in </i><i>"Torch Song: Alto SAX Mix Reference"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Patasha </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>What does Patasha do? </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>What DOESN'T Patasha do? </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Fall into any of her stop-motion records</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">mezcraft</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Paper quiller extraordinaire</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>My personal favorite is "Quiller Bird"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">DevinLevi </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Carve some time out for this adorable looper</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Check out his JoeRud remix, "Let's Make Stuff"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">pixel_pilgrim</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Change gears </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Explore your folk music leanings</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Listen to "Must Love Harry Potter" </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">ppeppina</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I have no words for ppeppina</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Just listen to "Crashing - tiny song"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Liz Smalls</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Jaqueline of all trades </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Try to respond to 3 of her challenges</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">JaeForever</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>We drove to the season 2 premiere party in LA </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>As the sun dropped down and out of sight, </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"2Worlds The Dark 2.0" came up on my CD</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I repeat that drive often in my dreams</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">ericacoburn</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Visual art with a deep understanding of the human form </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I recommend "Lena & Matze" </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Julz</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Elite, not elitist</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Photography you have to see to understand</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>View "Blunder" </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">humunkulus</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Crank your best speakers</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>for "When the Wind Blows Cold"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Loddi </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Best animator</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Seriously </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Check out "Hourlass- Costume Remix" </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Mottelz </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Readers will become addicted</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Read it all</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Robo_J</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Your best earbuds </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>NOW</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Weapon (2016 Remix)"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">RoddyG</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Go through all of her records</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>You'll come out knowing exactly what HitRECord is</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">WunderBoy</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"The Flatuling"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>You'll thank me later</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">epocadofim</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>A living, breathing</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>university level course in visual art</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">andyramone</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>One of the hardest working men in our community</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"School Yard Rap Bass"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Dmitriy_Tolkunov</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Our unofficial mascot </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Watch "Third of a Second: Success Story"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">CameronSmith</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The BEST Recorder to follow if you want to learn about Recorders</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Top notch profiles on a great number of artists</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">LydiaSaskia</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Looking for a head strong feminist? </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Look no further</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">SAM-urai</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Taking origami to the next level </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I could go on forever.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>If you're here because of </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">the </span><span style="font-size: large;">FanX presentation, </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">my hitRECord name is </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>PontiusPython</b> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Koura is </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>kouralilly</b> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">and Spaceship... </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">well, he's </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Spaceship</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-54761593667257943722016-02-10T11:01:00.001-08:002016-02-10T11:01:54.421-08:00Questions to ask your Fish Extender Group <div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjzCdf1eDxdcVjtLHT6gXNCPB04NEoFW4paDEJvaWBMLj8m6xeqSabCF2RPRftGY7ZwEECMPElyCWecS-cvv2iXal_9kR6-ib-zIuajWR7XXx-pvjplg0BNaOExYLWV8TvAu9RgIHUaTb/s1600/IMG_6767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjzCdf1eDxdcVjtLHT6gXNCPB04NEoFW4paDEJvaWBMLj8m6xeqSabCF2RPRftGY7ZwEECMPElyCWecS-cvv2iXal_9kR6-ib-zIuajWR7XXx-pvjplg0BNaOExYLWV8TvAu9RgIHUaTb/s400/IMG_6767.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b><i>The basics</i></b></div>
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A Fish Extender Group is a gift exchange on a Disney Cruise Ship. </div>
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Outside of each stateroom on Disney's ships, there's a small decorative fish that opens up to reveal a mini mailbox where the crew can leave you notices for things like your spa treatments or dinner reservations at Remy or Palo. Gift exchange fans have started hanging Fish Extenders (or "FEs", for short) from the fish in order to provide more space for gifts to be left at their room. You can find tutorials on how to sew your own FE or you can order from any number of Etsy stores. </div>
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Just make sure you order early!</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red;"><i><b><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pontiuspython/fish-extender-resources/" target="_blank">Click here for my Pinterest Board of Fish Extender Ideas.</a></b></i></span></div>
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This is my favorite tutorial because Margaret tells you </div>
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how to adjust to add more pockets as needed. </div>
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I'm not going to give you a full FE tutorial because she did a great job </div>
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with hers and I'd rather cover questions for your group! </div>
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RZa4RJmT2q8/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RZa4RJmT2q8?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<i>(Check out her YouTube channel for more tutorials)</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i><a href="http://sheepishlysharing.com/2015/06/06/sew-a-fish-extender-or-closet-organizer/" target="_blank">Click here for Margaret's entire DIY Fish Extender post</a></i></div>
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Your Fish Extender Group is established before you leave home for your cruise. </div>
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These groups are found on multiple websites: DisBoards, PassPorter, and Facebook Groups that are set up specifically for your sailing date are good places to look. </div>
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<i><b>Why would you want to participate in a FE?</b></i></div>
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My kids LOVED doing Fish Extenders during our last Disney Cruise. There are a few times when they may finish dinner early or want to roam about the ship. Delivering Fish Extender gifts is a great use of that time. Every time we came back to our stateroom, the kids eagerly checked the FE to see if they had received any new surprises. We received some pretty fun gifts, but it was just as much fun to prepare the gifts that we delivered. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you're the one in charge of planning your Fish Extender Group, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">it can be helpful to ask a few questions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. Name/Username </span></div>
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Some people may not be comfortable giving out their full name, but I encourage it. </div>
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You're goal is to get to know each other. If someone has a hankering to embroider a beautiful pillowcase with our last name on it for us, I'm not going to get in their way! </div>
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I like to include the first names of each person in the stateroom, too.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. Stateroom number</span></div>
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This seems obvious, but it can be easy to forget. </div>
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Your group needs to know where to deliver their gifts! </div>
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It's nice to include the number of guests in each stateroom, too.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. Adult or child?</span></div>
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Asking someone's age isn't always the classiest of conversation moves, but it makes sense to know if each person in a stateroom is an adult or if they are a child. If they are a child, it's nice to know their age, too. Our son was 7 months old when we last cruised. Since we disclosed this to our FE group, he didn't receive hard candies or jewelry. He received some great baby gifts that he loved! I'm pretty sure the little Jake & the Neverland Pirates rattle was his favorite. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">4. Allergies</span></div>
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It's become common knowledge that the Disney Cruise ships have soft serve ice cream, </div>
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but few (if any) toppings for said ice cream. </div>
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Knowing if your gift recipients have allergies is a good idea before </div>
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you drop a bag of sprinkles, crushed nuts, and M&Ms into their FE! </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Now that you've covered the basics, </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>here are some additional questions that can help promote creativity without ruining anyone's surprise! </i></b></span></div>
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Let your group know that they don't have to answer the rest of the questions, </div>
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but that it's encouraged. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">5. Favorite character</span></div>
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Many FE gifts are handmade. This means that even characters that you can't find in the Disney Store can show up in your FE! Let your group know what you like. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">6. Shoe size </span></div>
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People make some very cute flip flops.</div>
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If you're into flip flops, answer the question.</div>
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If you're not, leave it blank!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">7. Pin collector?</span></div>
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I am a pin collector.</div>
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I have an addiction.</div>
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There are huge bags full of "trader" pins in my basement. </div>
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There's a very real chance that I've got a rare pin that I don't care about</div>
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and if I know you're a pin collector and you've listed your favorite character, </div>
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I'll leave it in your Fish Extender. </div>
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I gave a full set of Hidden Mickey Pirates of the Caribbean pins to a couple in our group last time.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">8. Any public contact you want to share</span></div>
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If people want to share their Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, blog...</div>
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Give them a space to do it!</div>
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Giving the group the opportunity to get to know one another better</div>
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means that they'll be better equipped to give personal, meaningful gifts.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Have you been on a Disney Cruise?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>If you've done a FE before, what was your favorite gift?</i></span></div>
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Tell us in the comments.</div>
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I'm going to share one more video because</div>
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I LOVE THIS SWEETHEART'S POSITIVE ENERGY!</div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Check out her YouTube Channel: orlandox33</span></i></div>
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C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-71848207471107069812016-02-08T12:21:00.002-08:002016-02-08T12:21:16.034-08:007 New Packing Tips <div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: x-large;">Packing Tips</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>from our tribe of 6</i></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">1. Prioritize</span></b></div>
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Medical items and shoes that have already been broken in are a priority. </div>
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International outlet adaptors may be a priority for you.<br />
4 of us are women with longer hair, so we prioritize a single curling iron.</div>
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6 pairs of pants are not a priority. If things get dire, hit up a 2nd hand shop when you get there and buy a few new clothes. You may find a couple of things you love and want to take home. My eldest daughter has a beautiful blouse from our last trip to Los Angeles. She wears it constantly and it reminds her of our trip. As for everything else...<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">2. Share books </span></b></div>
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Books are heavy.</div>
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Choose a book that nobody in your group has read - something that interests all of you. Pass it around rather than packing a separate book for each person! At the end of the trip, if everyone's read it, leave it behind. Put it on a bus bench or a chair in the lobby of your hotel and let someone else find it. You don't need to lug it around with you once everyone's had a chance to enjoy it. Having this kind of "Travel Book Club" will give you all something to talk about on your flight home and it will lighten everyone's load. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">3. Mail stuff home </span></b></div>
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This takes a bit of time, so it's more of a last resort. If you're going to be away from home for 2 weeks or longer, it's wonderful to get to the point where you can start mailing home boxes of dirty laundry that you don't want to lug home in your bags. Just remember that unless your hotel has a mail service, you're going to have to arrange for pick up or take a trip to the post office in order to make this work. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">4. Plan do to laundry once a week while you're away</span></b></div>
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Pack your own detergent.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=staonanewcou-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B000Y0CL8K&asins=B000Y0CL8K&linkId=AE4LYVHRXAUIRULB&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"><br />
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The Purex 3-in-1 sheets are my favorite.<br />
They lay flat and can be tossed into your luggage in a large Ziploc bag or small wetbag.</div>
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Long trips are our specialty, but we don't pack enough clothing to last us for more than a week. That would be heavy and ridiculous! Most hotels or cruise ships have a laundromat. If yours doesn't, find a local laundromat and go spend a couple of hours there. It'll save you tons of luggage space and you'll get to wear your favorite outfit twice as much on vacation! Laundry time is a great time to catch up on reading or responding to the emails you've been avoiding. If you've got kids, let one adult take them swimming while the other does the laundry.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">5. Each person does not need their own bag</span></b></div>
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In fact, each person shouldn't have all of their stuff in one bag. </div>
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If you have your own bag, you will inevitably feel required to fill it. You don't need all of that stuff and you're going to lament that you should have packed less when you're lugging it to and from the bag check at the airport. Even worse, let's imagine for a second that your bag gets lost. If every single item you packed was in a single bag, you're going to have a miserable time. Each person you're traveling with should have at least one outfit in each bag your group is checking. Swimsuits should be in your carry-on bag. If you're taking a cruise, you may want to lounge at the pool while you're waiting for your checked bags to arrive in your stateroom. This is much easier if your swimwear is in your carry-on! You'll avoid the crowds by getting to the pool while everyone else is waiting for their swimwear to arrive. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">6. Do not buy trinkets you won't <i><u>use</u></i></span></b></div>
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I don't take jewelry with me when I travel.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">$8; street market in the south of Costa Rica</span></div>
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If anything, I tend to trade out my wedding ring for a plain silver band so I can leave my nice ring at home. Do I accessorize when I travel? Absolutely. I opt to buy a couple of nice accessories each time a travel. I don't buy many souvenirs. Our family doesn't believe in buying dust collecting items. If you'll use it, bring it home. If you won't, don't. Our favorite travel finds have been our ukulele (from a music shop in Maui, not from a trinket vendor) and some fun percussive instruments from all over the world. I love my jewelry from various places. I try to find one of a kind items. They make wonderful conversation pieces. I have been asked countless times where I found a piece of jewelry that I scooped up for less than $25 at a foreign marketplace. One of my goals for our day in Colombia later this year is to find a special neck tie and tie clip for my husband. Maybe your priority is kitchenware (handmade cocktail forks, anyone? One of a kind appetizer plates?) or frames for photographs. It could be a pair of beautiful shoes or some spices. Invest in what you will USE! </div>
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Remember: If it's just going to sit around and collect dust, don't let it take up precious luggage space!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>7. Wet bags</b></span></div>
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Luggage saving organizational wonders.</div>
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Can you tell that I prefer Planet Wise bags?<br />
Planet Wise and Monkey Foot are the only two brands I trust.<br />
They don't get ruined the first time you wash them.<br />
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I organize everything I can into wet bags when we travel. My first introduction to wet bags was when I adopted cloth diapering. They quickly became a staple in my life. They're like heavy duty, washable Ziploc bags! I use a small wet bag for my cosmetics; if something bursts, it doesn't end up all over our luggage. I use a small wet bag to separate any hygiene products for my kids; the bags aren't see-through so nobody gets embarrassed grabbing their bag from the luggage. The variety of available designs ensures that no two bags have to look alike! Going on a day trip? Throw your sunscreen in a wet bag. Going swimming? Bring a big one so you can haul everyone's wet stuff back to your room without dripping everywhere. I even use one to line my backpack during hikes. If everything inside gets gross, the backpack is still clean. You'll fall in love with wet bags. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What are your favorite packing tips?</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: medium;">If you enjoyed this post, please share it. </span></b></div>
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C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-1907684882030474532016-02-02T15:44:00.001-08:002016-02-02T15:44:45.982-08:0018 Creative Calorie Burners<i><u><b>Disclaimer:</b></u> I am not a doctor. More importantly, I am not YOUR doctor. This post is here to help me answer the questions I get about how I lost all the weight I lost previously. It is not intended to replace the guidance or advice of a weight loss professional or medical advisor. Talk to your doctor before starting or changing your fitness routine, diet, or physical goals. </i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>18 Creative Calorie Burners</b></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Let's face it: Doing the same old workout </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Even worse, your body can get used to it</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and start adjusting so you don't burn </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Switch it up! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. Trampoline park</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. Rock climbing </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. Horseback riding </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">4. Aerial dance or aerial yoga </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">5. Bikram (hot) yoga </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">6. Archery </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">7. Fencing (sword fighting) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">8. Pole dancing </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">9. Surfing (If you live inland, check to see if there's a FlowRider indoor surfing location near you!) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">10. Belly dancing, hip hop, or any other dance you've been wanting to try! Quite often, Jazzercise studios will do free week long trials. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">11. Golf (Skip the golf cart!) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">12. Swimming </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">13. Martial Arts </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">14. (Ice) skating </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">15. Paintball </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">16. Laser tag </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">17. Bubble soccer or kickball </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">18. Build an obstacle course (What better way to use those Resistance Bands that you've gotten sick of?) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>What's your favorite workout?</i></span></div>
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C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-91929604157282423572016-02-02T10:52:00.000-08:002016-02-02T10:52:39.685-08:00Weight Loss Rewards that ARE NOT FOOD! <i><u><b>Disclaimer:</b></u> I am not a doctor. More importantly, I am not YOUR doctor. This post is here both to help me hold myself accountable and to answer the questions I get about how I lost all the weight I lost previously. It is not intended to replace the guidance or advice of a weight loss professional or medical advisor. Talk to your doctor before starting or changing your fitness routine, diet, or physical goals. </i><br />
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In 2006, I lost my Dad to a stage 4 inoperable glioma - a brain tumor. I gave myself 6 months to wallow and grieve in whatever way I saw fit, and that was it. When I came out of that 6 month tunnel, I found that I had gained a lot of weight. On January 1, 2007, my weight hit an all time high: 304 lbs. In the 3 years that followed, I lost nearly 90 lbs through diet, exercise, and accountability provided by my local Weight Watchers.<br />
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My life changed in 2011. Things got rough and I couldn't keep up. I started eating to compensate. Now we're in 2016 and I've reached a new all time high weight: 315.4 lbs. I will be documenting the process as I follow my past steps to lose the weight and reclaim my health once and for all.<br />
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First step: Goal Setting. </div>
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This was a huge part of my original success.<br />
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I choose goals that are attainable for me. </div>
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Over the years, I've figured out which things are road blocks for me. </div>
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Parties and buffets are a big trouble spot for me because </div>
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I have a tough time tracking what I'm eating in such circumstances. </div>
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If I know I'm working toward a reward that is far better than the food in front of me,</div>
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I track what I'm eating and it isn't a problem. </div>
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Maintenance is an oft forgotten accomplishment. </div>
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Just because you reached your goal doesn't mean you're done. </div>
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It definitely doesn't mean you should stop celebrating your success!</div>
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Now that we know our goals, </div>
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let's move on to planning rewards for success! </div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: white;">Rewards do NOT have to be food</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">I'm a big fan of rewards that don't have calories. </span></div>
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Rewards that have calories usually lead me to eating more </div>
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and more and more - and the rewards aren't beneficial </div>
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to my health. If they were, they wouldn't feel like rewards! </div>
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My ultimate goal is better health. </div>
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Some people are big on only allowing things like </div>
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new running shoes when a certain goal has been </div>
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met, but I'm not a fan of that and I'll tell you why: </div>
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Sometimes you need those tools in order to reach </div>
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the next goal. Don't deny yourself a tool that </div>
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you need to succeed! </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Rewards are important</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></div>
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I plan lots of different rewards for various </div>
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accomplishments and they wouldn't all fit on the graphic! </div>
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One of my first rewards will be that when I've tracked my food & activity every day for a month, I get to try out <b>Daily Burn</b>. Daily Burn is a fitness video streaming service kind of like Netflix or Hulu. </div>
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They've partnered with Hulu to offer 30 days <i>free</i>. </div>
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I'm eager to try it, but I want to make sure that my head is in the game before I sign up. </div>
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<i>Do you use Daily Burn? Let me know how you like it! </i></div>
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I intend to reward myself with <b>something from the merch table</b> at the </div>
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Metric concert I'm attending next month! I love sweatshirts, so if there's a good one, </div>
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I'll get the largest size and work toward fitting into it before the weather gets nasty again! </div>
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The same thing will happen this summer with another concert I'm attending! </div>
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2016 is my 6th year volunteering with the Sundance Film Festival, </div>
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so I went ahead an ordered a cute XL shirt to earn, too!</div>
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Hot Topic carries super cute nose rings and I'm still wearing the </div>
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<b>jewelry</b> that was put in when my nose was pierced. </div>
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New me, new jewelry! </div>
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<b>New clothes</b> are a necessity when you lose a significant amount of weight. </div>
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These can be like good sneakers - you might actually <i>need</i> them in order </div>
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to reach your goal. That said, you can absolutely reward yourself with </div>
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super cute shoes or a pair of jeans that look stunning on you when you </div>
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reach certain goals! I'm looking forward to lingerie and cosplay options! </div>
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Don't forget new undies for a quick mood boost! </div>
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<b>Haircuts, makeup</b>, and such are great confidence boosters! </div>
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No calories, great feeling. Yes, please. </div>
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Don't forget the value of relaxation items. </div>
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LUSH makes <b>bath bombs</b> that can help you relax sore muscles or get a better night's sleep. </div>
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I'm a big fan of their <b>Softy lotion</b>, too. Perfect for achy feet. </div>
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Trying a new activity can be scary, but it can be a lot of fun, too! </div>
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Among my anticipated rewards: <b>Horseback riding, skydiving, zip-lining, </b></div>
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<b>taking a pole fitness class, and surfing.</b> If you're like me and don't </div>
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live near an ocean, there may be a <b>FlowRider</b> near you! </div>
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Check FlowRider.com/Installations to find out!</div>
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Come up with something you want to try. </div>
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How about <b>rock climbing?</b> </div>
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How many of us find ourselves avoiding cameras </div>
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because of our weight? I know I'm not alone here. </div>
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Try scheduling a <b>photo shoot</b> for yourself or your </div>
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family when you get halfway to your ultimate goal</div>
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and when you reach your goal. </div>
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Maybe you'll get a little daring and do a boudoir shoot!</div>
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Don't forget to take progress photos of yourself throughout </div>
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your journey so you can look back and see how far you've come! </div>
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Progress pictures kept me going when I would plateau for </div>
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a few weeks. Those weeks are tricky and deceptive. </div>
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It's good to have a plan for how you're going to cope with them. </div>
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<b>Spa Treatments</b> are a wonderful reward! </div>
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I've written before about how much I adore the Sego Lily Day Spa </div>
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here in Utah. Wherever you are, find a place that offers great </div>
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massages, facials, pedicures... whatever you're into. </div>
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Remember that a massage can be a great recovery </div>
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tool after a hard workout.</div>
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The last time I lost a significant amount of weight, </div>
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I stopped just short of getting under 200 lbs. </div>
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This time, I won't stop until I hit the goal my doctor </div>
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has set for me: 175 lbs. With this in mind, I'm planning</div>
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on getting a "Onederland" <b>tattoo</b> when I break through </div>
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the 200s once and for all! I promise I'll post photos </div>
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once I get there!</div>
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I've always wanted to participate in a <b>RunDisney race.</b> </div>
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When I get to 190 lbs, I'm going to do it! </div>
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Your rewards don't have to match mine. Ask yourself what you want and work it out so it's attainable. Almost anything can be worked into a reward. I've been wanting a big, floppy hat from World Market for my gardening days when the summer sun is right in my eyes. You know what? I'm going to get it. I just have to lose 10 lbs first. </div>
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This makes my rewards solid incentives. </div>
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I space things out so that I can get the things I want when I'll want them, </div>
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so long as I'm willing to push just a little harder. </div>
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Keep an eye out for what excites you. </div>
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Maybe it's a special <b>handbag</b>. </div>
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Maybe it's a swimsuit from a company that </div>
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simply doesn't make plus size swimwear. </div>
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(I'm coming for you, <b>Maaji Swimwear</b>!) </div>
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Maybe your best incentive is the allure of a </div>
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<b>trip with friends or family or a Girls Night Out</b>. </div>
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It's all up to you. </div>
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You can do it. </div>
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We'll do it together. </div>
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<i>If you've enjoyed this post, please share it. </i></div>
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<i>Leave me a comment letting me know which ideas are your favorites</i></div>
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<i>and let me know if you have other ideas that you've used for rewards! </i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>Update: It took me a little while to get this one posted. I've already lost 3.8 lbs!</i></div>
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<i>I'm excited to start reaching my goals and earning non-food rewards!</i></div>
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C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-13156818150990910172016-01-29T14:00:00.000-08:002016-01-29T14:00:17.113-08:00January 2016 Update It's been awhile since I regularly attended to this blog. I could say that I'm sorry, or I could accept that I started this blog with the intention of living my life differently, more fully, and that I have kept to that goal. So I'm not sorry.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>JANUARY 2016 UPDATE</b></span></div>
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In the time that I've been gone, my health has had ups and downs including a nasty surgery nearly a month ago. Plantar fasciia, tarsal tunnel, bone spur removed, and some nerve issues fixed up - all in my right foot. This surgery led to the inevitable choice to drop all of my college courses and start focusing on my health and my family more vigilantly. </div>
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It also led to bed rest. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKfM1-gUQgAUNF0GmwdIaSQaV6XmpJjEyIZIqRuLGl8RMixlLSXawrn-xCLrJ_Bj7mRpgLLh_3FeL0xUTrBTgjiQdDA1v4tW9sMMU6gjMggzgb8XipdJ1NOqVbKznEe_zv5o-WfVHaDOd/s1600/IMG_6432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKfM1-gUQgAUNF0GmwdIaSQaV6XmpJjEyIZIqRuLGl8RMixlLSXawrn-xCLrJ_Bj7mRpgLLh_3FeL0xUTrBTgjiQdDA1v4tW9sMMU6gjMggzgb8XipdJ1NOqVbKznEe_zv5o-WfVHaDOd/s320/IMG_6432.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Bed rest leads to movies. </div>
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Apparently. </div>
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My instagram is @Ctarkeshian - just in case you want to see how </div>
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the movie list ends and how my #2016ReadingList is coming along. </div>
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I'm getting better. I'll be speaking at FanX (hosted by Salt Lake Comic Con) this March about my work with HitRECord - Joseph Gordon Levitt's production company. I've been working with HitRECord for almost 2 years now and I was included in the Season 2 episode, "Re: Your Mom". </div>
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My weight has not gone down, so that's another thing I plan to tackle in 2016 with the help of my new gym; Lifetime Fitness. </div>
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This summer our family plans to embark on a new travel adventure: A Panama Canal Repositioning Cruise on the Disney Wonder! We've been working toward this goal for nearly 3 years and WE ARE EXCITED! </div>
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Stay tuned. </div>
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More new posts are on their way! </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><i>I'm back.</i></b></span></div>
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C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-4906352014088074382016-01-27T10:42:00.000-08:002016-01-27T10:42:18.582-08:00Dear Children: About that photo you found... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is me. </div>
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March 1998. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Age 14.</span></div>
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I was traveling with a school group and without my parents.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This photo was taken in a bar in San Ignacio, Mexico.</span> </div>
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The fur ball on my lap is a rented chihuahua named Peaches. </div>
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I have a feeling the chihuahua isn't the part you have questions about. </div>
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You see, children, I had a pretty full life before I became your mother. I had my rebellious phase just like you will. I did things that I probably shouldn't have; things like hanging out at a bar in the middle of a foreign country when I was too young to even have a driver's license. Things like dyeing my hair blonde (look close... it's there and it's horrible). Things like watching movies that were way too grown up for me just because some stupid guy said I wouldn't and another stupid guy dared me to.<br />
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But it's not as bad as it sounds and it wasn't as bad as it looks at first glance. You'll never find any revenge porn of me. You'll never have to ask me about any photos showing me black-out drunk. This is because there aren't any. My questionable juvenile behavior went mostly undocumented in part because there wasn't all that much to document. This is probably the worst of it. </div>
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Look at the table behind me, kids. That's a glass Pepsi bottle. Not beer. That was a choice I made. That chihuahua we rented? She belonged to the bartender's son. They were very poor and our Spanish wasn't great. We couldn't figure out the word for "rent" so we offered to buy the kid's dog for what would have translated to roughly $5 in US dollars at the time. He loved that dog, but his family needed the money. We were all homesick and looking for the comfort of a dog in lieu of being able to be with our own families and pets. When we were ready to leave town, we returned the dog, which we had named Peaches. The little boy offered to give us our money back but we refused to take any of it. We were rebellious, but not jerks. We weren't cruel. We wanted to do good things and to help people.<br />
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Children, if you can be rebellious without be destructive or cruel, and if you can keep goodness in your heart while you do it, go ahead an be rebellious. You've got my blessing. (Just don't expect me to remember that when you're neck deep in it.) Please remember that when I was younger, we didn't have social media. We didn't have cell phones with cameras. Most of us were lucky if we had a Polaroid that we used once in a while - mostly for family reunions or other parties. You may not have the luxury of keeping all your mistakes secret. Remember that when you're trying to decide if a mistake is worth making.<br />
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I love you,<br />
<br />
Mom </div>
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<br />C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-76102317728692834782014-03-19T10:12:00.005-07:002014-03-19T20:13:06.156-07:00Advanced Screening: A "Divergent" Film Review <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Don't want spoilers? Fantastic! </span></div>
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There's a spoiler warning below that will tell you when to stop reading.<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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Don't mind them? Plow on through. </div>
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Last night I was fortunate enough to take my husband and daughters to an advanced screening of "Divergent" (in theaters Friday). Our group came in with split expectations: My eldest daughter (Z, almost 13) and I have read the first book. She's read the second and most of the third, too. My husband, Abe, and our younger daughter, (Jace, barely 11) haven't shown much interest in it.<br />
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Knowing my family's enjoyment of things like Harry Potter or The Hunger Games, I wanted to see if we would enjoy "Divergent" together. On the way to the theater, we discussed the idea of the 5 Factions in the story: Dauntless, Erudite, Candor, Abnegation, and Amity. Abe and I got the kids thinking about where they think they would be born and where they would choose to live as adults. Jace didn't feel informed enough to make a decision. While we could all agree that Abraham would absolutely have to be Divergent and that I couldn't possibly be anything but Abnegation, the girls couldn't settle on their own fates.<br />
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As the film started, Jace assumed her "This is going to be bloody and gross" stance: Curled up in her chair with her knees pressed hard against her chest, despite my protests regarding feet being on chairs. I offered her my hand and braced myself for what very well could have been an unbearably long screening.<br />
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It wasn't. Despite a couple of jumps and one moment of burying her head into her knees, Jace made it through the whole film and enjoyed it. For those who have read the book: The things you're most worried about your children seeing probably aren't in the movie. A certain training injury sustained to a secondary character's face? Yeah, that's not in there. Take a deep breath. You'll be okay.<br />
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This brings me to my only complaint of most movies based upon books: Editing. What makes it in and why? Should these story elements be cut? Does the story still make sense after it's been chopped and stitched over and over again?<br />
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Example: Yes. </div>
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...and no. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Does Divergent still tell the same story? </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yes. But there are pieces missing. </span><br />
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It's probably not enough to make most fans of the book cringe, but purists may be upset. Aspects of Tris' relationship with her parents have been changed slightly. The motives of various characters are the same, but are not as well defined or explained. The Harry Potter example above is a strong comparison, possibly stronger than the assumed comparison that will no doubt take place between Divergent and The Hunger Games.<br />
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While there are similarities between The Hunger Games and Divergent (strong female protagonist; themes of self defense, war, and violence; a fracturing dystopian society built upon what once was the modern day United States) the differences are more prevalent. Where The Hunger Games pulls it's punches and opts to punctuate the story with the fallout of violent behavior, Divergent rolls into it's violence. It is clearly stated within the story that sometimes you have to take the offensive. Katniss Everdeen is looking for a way to avoid killing anyone else while she tries to survive. Beatrice "Tris" Prior is trying to live; not just survive. Neither finds killing to be an ideal option, but Tris hesitates less, understanding that that which does not kill you may well try a second time.<br />
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The similarities in book to film editing between Divergent and Harry Potter (specifically looking at The Order of the Phoenix) are far more clear. As we made our way through Goblet of Fire, it became clear that the length of the later books in the series would pose significant problems for the film team. Things had to be cut. When I think of the space between Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix, I imagine an old fashioned cutting room floor absolutely littered with things dear to my heart. Elegant explanations of teen jealousy, familial betrayal, ANGST ANGST ANGST - all scattered on the floor. Divergent doesn't necessarily suffer the way Phoenix did, but it fails to thrive due to some of the cuts made.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I want to include Abe's review of the film for those who are going into it as he did, having not read the book:</span><br />
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"<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">I feel very lucky that we were able to get into this screening. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and am so thankful to Candace and Rewind 100.7 for the opportunity to go to Divergent with my family.</span><br />
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It was very interesting to feel how the film was affected by my expectations not knowing much about the source material. I felt like there was more to talk about as a family when I had a loose idea of the premise than after I had seen the film. Where the movie really soars for me is before the plot machinations take over for the last act of the movie- when the tension in the script comes from the protagonist's attempts to fit into a rigid, militarist culture that replies total conformity. </div>
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As Tris is being asked to internalize a worldview for her own survival despite her idealistic, intellectual, and moral objections I was compelled. What does a thoughtful person do when they may have made a seemingly irreparable mistake and given themselves over to a culture requiring complete conformity? It made me want to talk to my children about the Stanford Prison Experiment and Stanley Milgram and Adolf Eichmann. I was ready for a very interesting problematizing of the uncertainty you feel in the <i>The Philosopher's Stone</i> when the characters are sorted into houses. What if your personality and moral code aren't internalized at this point? What does Ron become if somehow he gets sorted into Slytherin? What about those that exist on the fringes of a culture, that don't fit in with the core group and try to persist despite being ostracized? Is their commitment as strong? Is it stronger? I'm not going to have my children watch Platoon or Full Metal Jacket anytime soon, but these were reference points I was considering before the action in the movie took over, and while I still really did enjoy the film I found I had much less to say about its premise after it had concluded than before I actually knew what it was about and how it would approach it." </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">SPOILERS AHEAD:</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">CONTINUE ONLY IF YOU HAVE READ THE BOOK! </span></b></div>
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I would be doing a disservice to fellow parents who want to know what to expect when taking their tweens to this film if I didn't specifically address some of the cuts made to the script.<br />
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What's missing:<br />
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The film has removed the early friendships with fellow Abnegation students from the opening of the story. The relationship between Beatrice and her family is less strict, but still disciplined. Ashley Judd gives a wonderful performance as Tris' mother, but her urgency is felt throughout nearly all of her scenes.<br />
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The early Dauntless scenes are significantly less brutal. The girl who falls during the first jump from the train? Cut from the film. The eye-gouging foreshadowing to the attack on Tris? Gone. Much of the interpersonal connection between Al and Tris is muted or eliminated completely. Do not think that this makes the movie appropriate for your youngest viewers. It doesn't. The first fight between Tris and Peter is still brutal and I must give top accolades to the foley team there: Those kicks sound painful. Nails down a chalkboard painful. By contrast, Molly and Christina's fight is shorter than I expected and less brutal. The impending punishment for begging for mercy isn't nearly as vicious as it had been in my mind, either.<br />
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Visiting Day was removed. I know. I hear you. "How does she know to visit Caleb?" She hasn't been told: She just does it. By removing much of the underlying motive behind characters' actions, the film makers have left us believing Tris to have far less doubt in her heart than the book portrayed. This is a blessing and a curse, as it allows her to be the heroine that film audiences crave without changing her so drastically as to eliminate the possibility of the beloved protagonist the reader already knows.<br />
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If you haven't stopped reading by now, you're more than ready for the film's release this Friday, March 21, 2014. Enjoy the movie. It's great. I could watch the zip line over and over again for days.<br />
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<br />C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-55468768203029941002014-03-05T19:43:00.001-08:002014-03-05T19:43:29.922-08:00Summer Camp 1994 and 2014<span style="font-size: large;">It's not even spring yet and I'm busy thinking about summer. More specifically, I'm thinking about summer camp.</span><br />
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When I was my youngest daughter's age, I found myself preparing for my first camp experiences with church and dance groups. I didn't know what to expect and the anxiety was unbearable. My only understanding of "camp" was what I had learned from TV and movies. I grew up in the 80's and early 90's and there was plenty of media to shape my impression of what camp should be.<br />
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My expectations were a little skewed. </div>
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My actual camp experiences came up lacking by comparison, but memories were made and I figured out who my real friends were. There were no panty-raids, but there were snakes, outhouses, sing-a-longs, and cookouts. Among my most memorable experiences is my reason for an intense fear of veggie peelers. I was racing a couple of campers to see who could peel potatoes the fastest and may have misunderstood the goal. At least I won the finger-tip peeling race! </div>
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(I still have the scar.)</div>
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What church camp looked like</div>
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What church camp felt like</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Dance tour wasn't much different.</span> </div>
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(You see the only dark-skinned kid in the upper corner of that last photo? </div>
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Yeah, that's awkward teen me. If it doesn't get better, it gets consistent, kids.)</div>
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This summer, my kids will be attending their first camp. The girls were granted scholarships to a remarkable performing arts camp in New York (I'm not telling you where exactly or which session because you are the internet and I am a protective mother.) and we are now trying to prepare them for their first flight without a parent or guardian and 3 weeks without us. Luckily, they've endured many flights and they don't suffer from motion sickness. If they made it to New Zealand and back with us, I have to have faith that they can make it to New York without us. Abe and I are working ourselves harder than ever to try to save enough to pick them up after camp and fly home with them. We've got some time, but we don't want to get caught with last minute booking fees, so the sooner we figure this all out, the better. </div>
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Have a favorite camp story or a recommendation for camp gear? I want to hear it! Do you own a business that makes camp supplies? We'd love to do a demo and review for you! </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Wish us luck!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">More camp posts will follow as we prepare our </span></div>
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(Or Lifetime Original Movie. Whichever.)</div>
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<br />C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-18378118228286234092014-03-03T22:27:00.002-08:002014-03-03T22:27:25.491-08:00Acupuncture and Fertility: My Personal Experience <u><b>Background: </b></u><br />
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(TRIGGER WARNING: If the details of my fertility struggle will be triggering for you, skip down to the next section of this post.)<br />
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In Spring of 2011, my body started going through what I can only call a metamorphosis. Scars that I had been told would never heal began to do just that. I regained feeling in nerves that had been severed years earlier. Short version: Things got weird for me, medically speaking.<br />
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After a 6 month wait to get in for a consultation with the leading fertility doctor in Utah, I went through a battery of tests and was told that I could have another baby. This was a huge shock because my husband and I had been told that we absolutely could not have any more children after our daughter's birth in 2003. Abraham and I discussed it and realized that one of the communication issues we had been having within our marriage stemmed from never discussing how we felt about being told we couldn't have more kids after J's birth. This painful conversation finally happened and we were able to admit to ourselves and to each other that we both wanted another child.<br />
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Emotionally, our marriage had suffered some pretty hard blows. We continued therapy (note: we each had our own therapist) and after another 6 months, we determined that we were emotionally healthy enough to attempt a pregnancy. The following months were just awful. They were littered with positive pregnancy tests followed by negative ones. I had multiple miscarriages and we couldn't figure out why. With heavy hearts, we returned to the fertility specialist I had seen before.<br />
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The specialist referred us to another specialist. We jumped through insurance hoops and started fertility treatments. Skipping over a great number of details, I conceived again in March 2012. 4 eggs; 3 that looked promising. I was terrified. Sure, they had said I could survive another pregnancy... but nobody had said anything about whether or not I could survive a pregnancy with triplets. I knew going into fertility treatments meant that my risk for a multiple birth was greatly increased and I had prepared myself mentally for the potential of twins. Triplets hadn't been on my radar. When all four eggs failed to thrive, I didn't expect to be so upset. It was a confusing and painful time.<br />
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Within a week of that loss, I was on a plane to Costa Rica to serve as an Artist in Residency at the Sloth Sanctuary. I found time during my stay to lick my wounds and gather my strength again. When I returned home, I told my fertility specialist that I would not be doing any more treatments.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Where Acupuncture Stepped In:</span></u></b><br />
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I've been seeing Brighton at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Utah-Family-Acupuncture-and-Herbs/176817678144" target="_blank">Utah Family Acupuncture and Herbs</a> off and on for pain relief treatments and assistance with my weak immune system for years. During my fertility treatments, though, I had stayed away. I was scared and my specialist had told me that she worried acupuncture would negatively impact my ability to successful carry to term.<br />
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Now that I had decided not to do any more treatments, though, acupuncture was back on the table. I wanted to focus on getting myself back to my pre-fertility treatment self. What people don't tend to realize unless they've struggled with fertility is that it's a battle that can destroy your body and leave you feeling unbalanced. I had packed on 40 lbs and felt like I had lost a lot of muscle mass. I started going back to Weight Watchers meetings, joined a local gym, hiked whenever I could with my family, and made appointments with Brighton.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">River rafting with the family for my birthday in June 2012</span></div>
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About a month later, the whole family got sick. A weird summer flu had hit. As Abe and the girls started feeling better, I realized that I never had the flu: I was pregnant. I called my fertility specialist who confirmed the pregnancy and wanted me to come back a few weeks later to see if this one would last. She put me on blood thinners for my blood condition and I decided to keep seeing Brighton.<br />
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Throughout my many failed pregnancies, I had developed a sense of when things were about to fall apart. I'd start feeling weak and weepy and then my HCG levels would stop increasing. This time, every time I felt like my body couldn't hold together much longer, I'd see Brighton. This pregnancy was high risk and had every opportunity to fail (<a href="http://stayingonanewcourse.blogspot.com/2013/02/what-do-you-mean-high-risk.html" target="_blank">see here for more details</a>) but I made it through and my beautiful little boy just celebrated his first birthday.<br />
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I'm not a doctor and I can't say that acupuncture will be your magic bullet, but I know that it helped me. I know that when I faced each hurdle, my acupuncture appointments helped me hold together. When we discovered that I was allergic to Zofran, I didn't know how I would be able to avoid another miscarriage. I was so sick and so dehydrated... but acupuncture helped. Every time my body started to fail me, I'd schedule an appointment, focus on staying hydrated with as much water as I could keep down, and I'd rest. I will forever be grateful for the friends and family that stepped up to help take care of my dogs, my house, my daughters... everything... so I could focus on this pregnancy. My daughters were amazing. I could not have done this without their support.<br />
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If you live in the Salt Lake City area, I highly recommend seeing Brighton at<br />
Utah Family Acupuncture and Herbs in downtown SLC. Find it on Facebook here:<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Utah-Family-Acupuncture-and-Herbs/176817678144">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Utah-Family-Acupuncture-and-Herbs/176817678144</a><br />
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You won't see a bajillion Groupon or Living Social offers for this clinic, but the prices are fair and the service and attention given to each patient cannot be beat. Brighton legitimately cares about every single person she treats. I hope you'll visit her and see what I mean.<br />
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Disclaimer: Though I know Brighton personally, I have not been paid or given any incentive for this review. Brighton has not asked for this referral. This post is a response to the questions I have been asked by TTC couples. It is my attempt to be forthcoming with any information that may be helpful in their journey.<br />
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For anyone struggling with fertility: My heart goes with you. I cannot say that I understand your struggle because I believe that each person feels that grief in a personal way. What I can say is that I know that you are hurting and it is so hard to find peace. It is my sincerest wish that no matter what outcome you ultimately experience, that peace will find you and hold you close. I acknowledge that the positive outcome that my family has met will sting for some of you. I'm so sorry for that.<br />
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My heart is always with you. </div>
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- Candace</div>
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<br />C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-44510469745752736112014-03-02T15:49:00.002-08:002014-03-03T02:48:43.427-08:0010 New Baby Shower Gift Ideas for the Cloth Diapering Family<br />
In honor of our Lil B's first birthday, we have compiled our top 10 list of the best baby shower gifts for a cloth diapering family based on our own experience and from a poll we conducted with other cloth diapering families. We are so excited to be able to include our blog's first giveaway with this post!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. Cloth Diapers, of course!</span><br />
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There are many varieties and brands of diapers. If your friend doesn't have any on her registry (or doesn't have a registry), you can't really go wrong with opting for a pocket diaper that can be washed and dried in the machine. This is particularly helpful in climates that don't always support line drying. Though we love to line dry diapers, Utah winters don't make it possible year round.<br />
We have absolutely loved our <a href="http://glowbugclothdiapers.com/" target="_blank">Glow Bug Diapers</a>! Glow Bug offers great bundles for very reasonable prices and they don't take much time to wash, dry, or prep. We haven't experienced any major leaks or blow outs and can happily report that after a year of use, our Glow Bugs are still going strong!<br />
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<a href="http://glowbugclothdiapers.com/" target="_blank">Glow Bug's website</a> offers helpful tips and explanations for first time cloth users. If you have questions about how many diapers you/your friend will need or how to wash them, <a href="http://glowbugclothdiapers.com/" target="_blank">Glow Bug</a> has the answers you need.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. Cloth Diaper detergent</span><br />
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Cloth diapers require diaper safe detergent. My favorite is <a href="http://rockingreensoap.com/" target="_blank">Rockin' Green</a>. Check back with them each season - they sometimes offer exclusive scents! Last summer they featured a Barry Mango-lo (mango scented) detergent that I love. I hope they've got something new and exciting like that for this summer because I'm almost out of my Mango-lo (even though I bought 3 bags).<br />
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<a href="https://rockingreen.myomnistar.com/redir.php?oid=1017_1_banner_5" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_new"><img border="0" height="0" src="https://rockingreen.myomnistar.com/banner.php?id=5_1017_1" width="0" /><img border="0" height="320" src="https://rockingreen.myomnistar.com/admin/images/banner/rng_240x400_1388334856.png" width="192" /></a>
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Rockin' Green has fantastic scents and can be used for much more than just cloth diapers. I use it for all of my son's clothes and many of my own. We use it for blankets and soft toys, too. A cute way to wrap this up is to include some clothes pins and a cheap clothesline <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Home-Style-Outdoor-Windproof-Clothesline/dp/B00DE95ROS/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1393518886&sr=8-8&keywords=clothes+line" target="_blank">(something like this)</a>. Wrap the clotheslines all around the bag of detergent (or box if you're using a different cloth-friendly detergent like BumGenius) and then pop a cute little pin up at the top. You can wrap the whole thing in cellophane if that floats your boat, but it's not necessary. See item 4 for an even better idea. Another great tie-in for this gift would be a <a href="http://rockingreensoap.mybigcommerce.com/water-quality-test-strip/" target="_blank">water testing strip</a>. Knowing how hard your water is can be very important when washing cloth diapers.<br />
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(Rockin' Green offers Military and First Responder discounts!)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. The Diaper Sprayer and Spray Pal </span><br />
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Every now and again there is a diaper so tremendous that it requires special help. Now before y'all start with the "That's why I don't want to use cloth!" nonsense, let me just say this: It's the same with disposables. When your babe is completed covered in something that must have weighed more than they do, it's a mess and it requires a bit of effort to clean it up. When that happens, you can muddle through with wipes or you can use the most remarkable diaper cleaning combo I've ever seen.<br />
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I was so excited to share this shower gift with you that I contacted the makers of the Spray Pal and they graciously offered to give away a free Spray Pal to one lucky reader! Thank you, Spray Pal! </div>
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For the rest of you, you can find their bundle that includes both the Spray Pal and a diaper sprayer <a href="http://spray-pal.com/shop/the-what-do-i-do-with-the-poop-bundle-2/" target="_blank">HERE</a>. To enter the giveaway, use the form at the bottom of this post. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">4. The gift wrap that keeps on giving: The Wet Bag </span></div>
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There are many reasons for cloth diapering, but one of the most prominent is to reduce waste and protect the environment. Rather than spending any of your gift budget on wrapping that will be thrown away, try to think of ways to show your eco-lovin' friend that you respect their decision and the reasons behind it. A wet bag is a fantastic way to wrap any of the gifts on this list! </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What is a "wet bag"? </span></div>
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A wet bag is a waterproof bag (usually zippered) that can be used to store dirty cloth diapers until it's time to wash them. A wet bag can be used to line a diaper pale, too. After Baby's outgrown diapers, a wet bag remains useful! You can use them in the kitchen to store wet rags or soiled bibs. Toss one in the glove box of your car for any moist stuff you don't want all over your seats. When we travel, we bring wet bags to store our swimwear and beach items! Our daughters will be taking small wet bags to keep their toiletries separated and clean when they head off to camp this summer. We've even used them as lunch bags on day trips to the zoo. Hikers get a ton of use out of a well-constructed wet bag. </div>
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My favorite wet bags are from <a href="http://www.monkeyfootdesigns.com/category_55/XL-Double-Pocket.htm" target="_blank">Monkey Foot Designs</a> and I always recommend purchasing the largest double-pocket bag that fits within your gift budget. Pro Tip: A wet bag does not have to match the rest of Baby's layette! Have some fun with it! </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">5. Cloth Diaper Wipes</span></div>
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Make 'em! If you've got a serger and some cotton flannel, you can make wonderful cloth diaper wipes. I chose to make my wipes 6"x6", but you can opt for larger or smaller ones if you'd like. I made mine with one side of cotton flannel and the other with terry cloth (cut up old towels that are getting ratty around the edges anyway! You'll get bonus points for recycling) but I will warn that terry cloth is a pain to sew. Your serger tension will need to be taken into account if you use terry. </div>
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After everything was said and done, I ended up using the cotton flannel side more.</div>
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If I make another batch, I'm going to just use three squares of cotton flannel for thickness </div>
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and forget all about the dreaded terry cloth. Tip: Choose busy designs. They hide stains!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">6. Project Pomona Jeans</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>B received his first pair of Pomonas before he was born. When they arrived, I looked at the adjustable snaps and the cuff at the bottom of the legs and questioned whether they would really fit a newborn. Imagine my surprise: Not only did they fit him as a newborn, he hasn't grown out of them yet!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2ysCQPK6iDzg69TvGTnnXcTSfxk89yoKKnUkVd9l1K1Y2MGhPpEJ0rBUwE4vi1G5x0TwU5cRPtv1VPxOoVagx5mFYcaOifQPZMooMDw2zKrjYsbvp7QNzoz4TM6nTyfkRI34ZEuevezx/s1600/IMG_7983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2ysCQPK6iDzg69TvGTnnXcTSfxk89yoKKnUkVd9l1K1Y2MGhPpEJ0rBUwE4vi1G5x0TwU5cRPtv1VPxOoVagx5mFYcaOifQPZMooMDw2zKrjYsbvp7QNzoz4TM6nTyfkRI34ZEuevezx/s1600/IMG_7983.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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Celebrating his birthday today at the zoo. See? They still fit great!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qpl0IHA0DnbJxGmv4irMi4OvVDo7wuD8nQalWsCjxgWx_QbWbSQykSo6q2Gvb0-0daCNrf9MDyuhtgd3SV4p55U74DUawEiAkuRzsnXR6TQZsFZcMJ3YoCAMKmN4AhGD0cSxxV3LIhw3/s1600/IMG_7984.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qpl0IHA0DnbJxGmv4irMi4OvVDo7wuD8nQalWsCjxgWx_QbWbSQykSo6q2Gvb0-0daCNrf9MDyuhtgd3SV4p55U74DUawEiAkuRzsnXR6TQZsFZcMJ3YoCAMKmN4AhGD0cSxxV3LIhw3/s1600/IMG_7984.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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ADMIRE THE PROJECT POMONAS!</div>
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The same pair of pants has fit him for a full year and he's still got plenty of room to grow before he'll outgrow them! Project Pomona pants are made especially to fit over cloth diapers, but because of their custom fit snaps, they'll fit over any diaper and they will adjust as the baby grows. The stitching is strong and they've held together extremely well despite many, many, many washings.<br />
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Project Pomona has been kind enough to join our giveaway and will be sending our lucky winner a free pair of their brand new shorts!<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ProjectPomona" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMUVLEt93XssBW0mu0vj7RjiEaThpMV3ynNl10ndBIzaAQw5lI-zt5m-m_hEv7wWRzTTSCPw07Kln4KdBI1R0tdP4xn_m6ct5M7Ot0L6F6aepPp0GxotsCJT5pFs9ipofKjt0N1gExLms/s1600/1185966_659956137398790_1955286936_n.jpg" height="320" width="302" /></a></div>
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These are the girly ones. Follow the link to see the </div>
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adorable prints for boys! Personally, I think I'll </div>
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be buying a pair of the skull & crossbones for Lil B. </div>
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You can find Project Pomona here:<br />
Facebook: <a class="_553k" href="https://www.facebook.com/ProjectPomona" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; padding: 1px 0px; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/ProjectPomona</a><br />
Pinterest: <a class="_553k" href="http://www.pinterest.com/projectpomona/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; padding: 1px 0px; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">http://www.pinterest.com/projectpomona/</a><br />
and Instagram: <a class="_553k" href="http://instagram.com/projectpomona" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; padding: 1px 0px; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">http://instagram.com/projectpomona</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">7. Wool Dryer Balls </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Woolzies-Dryer-Natural-Fabric-Softener/dp/B00COMEVHU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393534550&sr=8-1&keywords=Woolies" target="_blank">Woolies</a> are my personal favorite, but anything without a strong color will work. It's true: Cloth diapering means doing more laundry than you might otherwise. Wool dryer balls eliminate the need for dryer sheets and they do not contain any chemicals. They cut down on drying time, too! I bought mine for cloth diapers and now use them for everything.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">8. Cloth-Safe Diaper Cream </span><br />
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Desitin and petroleum jelly are not friendly to cloth diapers. Pinstripes and Polkadots has the best rundown of cloth-safe diaper creams I've ever seen. Since I don't feel I can improve upon it, I'll refer you to their post: <a href="http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/diaperrashcreams.htm" target="_blank">Choosing and Using Diaper Rash Ointments and Creams</a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />9. Disposable Bamboo Liners</span><br />
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This may seem counter intuitive, but there's a reason for these little gems. After Baby starts solid foods, the messes in their diapers will change consistency. If you're using a disposable FLUSHABLE liner in each diaper, you can simply drop the liner in the toilet and flush the mess away.<br />
Interesting fact: Did you know that even with disposable diapers you're not supposed to throw solid fecal matter in the garbage? These flushable liners are fantastic not just for their convenience, but also for their minimal impact on the environment. <a href="http://www.zulily.com/invite/CandaceT" target="_blank">Zulily</a> often has these on sale. <a href="http://www.zulily.com/invite/CandaceT" target="_blank">Sign up for their site</a> and keep an eye out for all sorts of cloth diapering deals. You can also find them <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bumkins-Flushable-Diaper-Liner-Neutral/dp/B002T5Q01C/ref=sr_1_6?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1393535469&sr=1-6&keywords=bamboo+liners" target="_blank">here</a> on Amazon.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">10. Hemp Inserts </span><br />
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These are for overnight use. You can pop an extra insert into a pocket diaper and it'll help absorb more and keep baby dry during the night! Two of my best friends got me a set of hemp inserts for my baby shower and I have used them every week (except when we were traveling and used disposable diapers) since then! <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thirsties-Hemp-Inserts-Large-18-40/dp/B002FB7FLY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393535592&sr=8-1&keywords=hemp+inserts" target="_blank">Thirsties inserts work great.</a><br />
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The moment you've all been waiting for: </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Time to enter to win our fabulous prizes! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We once again would like to thank Spray Pal and Project Pomona </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">for celebrating Lil B's birthday with us and for </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">making this giveaway possible!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/70ff220/" id="rc-70ff220" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>
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*Winner must be living in the United States.<br />
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You might also enjoy: <a href="http://stayingonanewcourse.blogspot.com/2013/01/baby-shower-vs-open-house-and-what-to.html" target="_blank">Baby Shower vs. Open House</a>C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-50177732616910053302014-02-28T05:00:00.000-08:002014-02-28T09:54:40.748-08:00Open Minded Photography <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I am not your run of the mill photographer. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg559pPHqpSGqInxuCj99XBdM0k1720ioKxVatvDL_-hKbAeX3zEh3xBnyUefj_Q50_9UbmFwht8Fq5nAIxsaUsVZKw99XJjLTOW3-_rx1LHwb01s90Rmu4tdzuapAIt98EX55qjHXPFaDU/s1600/Scout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg559pPHqpSGqInxuCj99XBdM0k1720ioKxVatvDL_-hKbAeX3zEh3xBnyUefj_Q50_9UbmFwht8Fq5nAIxsaUsVZKw99XJjLTOW3-_rx1LHwb01s90Rmu4tdzuapAIt98EX55qjHXPFaDU/s1600/Scout.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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First off: I'm known best for animal photography. </div>
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Yup. I'm that "Sloth Photographer". </div>
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I have worked with dogs, cats, sloths, hedgehogs, birds, turtles...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtDDGGhMt5qhHE2IEMzGCPSxy6F-bmXS8pSMk2JX-pJKbmYKaPvpgqrCoMxCqmNHPK7-rOAoMZbfXkkm8SC8zlMpfedOwLDPZOse0Yx5l4FepKkuXm72D4X7b_yElffgfFDQjccGykpKFR/s1600/DSC_0789+-+Version+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtDDGGhMt5qhHE2IEMzGCPSxy6F-bmXS8pSMk2JX-pJKbmYKaPvpgqrCoMxCqmNHPK7-rOAoMZbfXkkm8SC8zlMpfedOwLDPZOse0Yx5l4FepKkuXm72D4X7b_yElffgfFDQjccGykpKFR/s1600/DSC_0789+-+Version+2.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I'm not picky. </span></div>
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I highly recommend not being picky. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Why?</span></div>
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Because it puts you in the perfect position to get to work with subjects you might never have considered otherwise. Working with new and varied subjects gives you a chance to hone your craft and try new techniques and editing options. </div>
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Lately, I've been lucky enough to work with some very talented costumers. </div>
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In their world, they're known as Cosplayers. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLg7eRcfHD0p3uDAZTT8Y6ubgDXGGPTkpvS2APNiSL7PLskUcReFQT7lrDM-xdzRj-UK_ULv6sIW5LlyVfc3qeYYbvll2s702mAp7zh0l7fFhYxhXDP67E-ghMh9VYgAe9PXzdVHaoBeb/s1600/ShannonWatermark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLg7eRcfHD0p3uDAZTT8Y6ubgDXGGPTkpvS2APNiSL7PLskUcReFQT7lrDM-xdzRj-UK_ULv6sIW5LlyVfc3qeYYbvll2s702mAp7zh0l7fFhYxhXDP67E-ghMh9VYgAe9PXzdVHaoBeb/s1600/ShannonWatermark.jpg" height="640" width="418" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZ_U9q9V-QlR07PZ7Djr5iRZVkG7ttOKlXI3f_89sFc5GMSh8hLYLOmFn7mCIzyC52X7Wf1YqVcM3jVG2-VdFLLX7-heLc6vBbew-LzIQdduLKdvtrwnvJP-9AaJDK4LwIQ1zZsJ6PmN-/s1600/LudiqueWatermark-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZ_U9q9V-QlR07PZ7Djr5iRZVkG7ttOKlXI3f_89sFc5GMSh8hLYLOmFn7mCIzyC52X7Wf1YqVcM3jVG2-VdFLLX7-heLc6vBbew-LzIQdduLKdvtrwnvJP-9AaJDK4LwIQ1zZsJ6PmN-/s1600/LudiqueWatermark-10.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKufpt3wPLOwzVGR0M2a6ysVqUisTQjJogYPE7IkSbSPtw1_OCG3hEmIn9O88yh0-24HsWkvZ_XptUC5-FIQzkDzEQi2P0_vYTuKm4OR52_d2u4pxbXFBp17bspsUsPz-vZvdUApZoxRtx/s1600/LudiqueWatermark-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKufpt3wPLOwzVGR0M2a6ysVqUisTQjJogYPE7IkSbSPtw1_OCG3hEmIn9O88yh0-24HsWkvZ_XptUC5-FIQzkDzEQi2P0_vYTuKm4OR52_d2u4pxbXFBp17bspsUsPz-vZvdUApZoxRtx/s1600/LudiqueWatermark-5.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2CNemCNqAB4nyE6ArTf8aF47nnl4Yew8JZ4T4yIkSFjM0kHUsuWpisQR1krDcrzHRG5awMLD54mVlWibMZSKXiutxxvV4wKWlsz9gkqUz-CyAMcmJ-k4u5ucjXG2vz7mPTXcpbFPz81w/s1600/ShannonWatermark-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2CNemCNqAB4nyE6ArTf8aF47nnl4Yew8JZ4T4yIkSFjM0kHUsuWpisQR1krDcrzHRG5awMLD54mVlWibMZSKXiutxxvV4wKWlsz9gkqUz-CyAMcmJ-k4u5ucjXG2vz7mPTXcpbFPz81w/s1600/ShannonWatermark-2.jpg" height="640" width="454" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm625LxcpMwKDbQ_nbjxSeyfxjUKDXYGIM41cBmGP3TgAKGfuBRCxgwv8Zc__rW9dqKcdiLK81M_Pv0uw6soJs8nND1TXQa-yGDl_XJOgLeJ-cqRPSY9dpO5ux3GTRpqrsU1w1FOe1vDdg/s1600/ShannonWatermark-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm625LxcpMwKDbQ_nbjxSeyfxjUKDXYGIM41cBmGP3TgAKGfuBRCxgwv8Zc__rW9dqKcdiLK81M_Pv0uw6soJs8nND1TXQa-yGDl_XJOgLeJ-cqRPSY9dpO5ux3GTRpqrsU1w1FOe1vDdg/s1600/ShannonWatermark-3.jpg" height="640" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKu09HkTeyfPiSeVFFrfkutHP2hw2mSZCGI6_xFavriK-_AFE0CUbm-q7i9qH3xR7dpJrIbMKYN8xialVy5kUzLsN5jbJlhfoiDhHmNvRsUKh7-tD1moINtftLViKtVrKcGW5gLFgQSRN2/s1600/LudiqueWatermark-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKu09HkTeyfPiSeVFFrfkutHP2hw2mSZCGI6_xFavriK-_AFE0CUbm-q7i9qH3xR7dpJrIbMKYN8xialVy5kUzLsN5jbJlhfoiDhHmNvRsUKh7-tD1moINtftLViKtVrKcGW5gLFgQSRN2/s1600/LudiqueWatermark-9.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5DlCjlFmXE5sEowE4hKgnn93hQDKllvdXOwEhFRxfks0gKQPuZ5FRv_1ue9FjNmZtZG2NdD_f-AeOu3ThwRm6KWELGk78nJv1nX82YVGsugmEzpwsCdWxUYcDcaXDggVh7F2u4jO1-tfA/s1600/LudiqueWatermark-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5DlCjlFmXE5sEowE4hKgnn93hQDKllvdXOwEhFRxfks0gKQPuZ5FRv_1ue9FjNmZtZG2NdD_f-AeOu3ThwRm6KWELGk78nJv1nX82YVGsugmEzpwsCdWxUYcDcaXDggVh7F2u4jO1-tfA/s1600/LudiqueWatermark-3.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">These were all shot last Saturday up at the Utah State Capitol building.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Each costume was made by the model wearing it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This was the first session in a two part Final Fantasy 9 shoot. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZt5dXIjhS4YDnn7DoMsUB19XVFJz-JB8tRWHm00-x2mnlzLhyphenhyphenfSVt-1HKOW2MX_D_9saZumSz2g9pagl8iVOM0VLIKCMS9R-j8TMt75nRf7AzpeJ7meTyjrqVfopjfrdDyWiJKN-bVjmB/s1600/Fruits+Basket-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZt5dXIjhS4YDnn7DoMsUB19XVFJz-JB8tRWHm00-x2mnlzLhyphenhyphenfSVt-1HKOW2MX_D_9saZumSz2g9pagl8iVOM0VLIKCMS9R-j8TMt75nRf7AzpeJ7meTyjrqVfopjfrdDyWiJKN-bVjmB/s1600/Fruits+Basket-8.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwxrt32TlwnwDOYJtpgitcL1kjKMy3usTJcLHhWfJ28C_mnhgWVUaK7u1lX_2a7gNm2U1g2W8owlcvTReJG6K429Xst02xfbPguUKva-S6xUCQO13GYVfxY1-qnlRRyge0rOSuKQDpG7mo/s1600/Fruits+Basket-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwxrt32TlwnwDOYJtpgitcL1kjKMy3usTJcLHhWfJ28C_mnhgWVUaK7u1lX_2a7gNm2U1g2W8owlcvTReJG6K429Xst02xfbPguUKva-S6xUCQO13GYVfxY1-qnlRRyge0rOSuKQDpG7mo/s1600/Fruits+Basket-12.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></div>
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These two were part of a Fruits Basket shoot that I wasn't scheduled to do. </div>
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My youngest daughter was set to model for the shoot and the photographer </div>
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didn't show up. I had just returned home from my sloth tour of Costa Rica and </div>
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I happened to have my Nikon with me. </div>
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I got to save the shoot by saying YES to opportunity. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPF2LUi0pb0ERw8ch4g8c9oFu8uZLtcpjfoaBlt7CH71o6JOxKy8IBeU-fN4US9z7Gr10nNzrMEgFiaXIp5XrJ9DJ9ouMGZVxz7H7Cl-CyC1fSrH2QbyEM1GW-xWc5Lw8FGY5rvwwKdrNO/s1600/End+of+the+Day-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPF2LUi0pb0ERw8ch4g8c9oFu8uZLtcpjfoaBlt7CH71o6JOxKy8IBeU-fN4US9z7Gr10nNzrMEgFiaXIp5XrJ9DJ9ouMGZVxz7H7Cl-CyC1fSrH2QbyEM1GW-xWc5Lw8FGY5rvwwKdrNO/s1600/End+of+the+Day-1.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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If you've been following me for any length of time, you already know I'm a geek. </div>
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I set up my own Persona 4 shoot just so I could enjoy taking photos of characters I love. </div>
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It was great and it gave me a chance to try some new editing techniques and lighting design.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZ99CJqoaMPnXPiPJag-nkRaRqFxKtsEtBFLPVq2PJ1jhujnQITI_VVsPzI72-IpJosQVwy32S0TkEElG2PQUZJgVBt1JoMMAzUAd5a1Y1qQ1dx1d6gGy3WcI1iRLt_XdmEch-6CDBEev/s1600/Katie-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZ99CJqoaMPnXPiPJag-nkRaRqFxKtsEtBFLPVq2PJ1jhujnQITI_VVsPzI72-IpJosQVwy32S0TkEElG2PQUZJgVBt1JoMMAzUAd5a1Y1qQ1dx1d6gGy3WcI1iRLt_XdmEch-6CDBEev/s1600/Katie-17.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div>
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Katie is well-known in the cosplay community. I was very happy to help her </div>
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round out her cosplay portfolio with some photos for her parents. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Learn to say "YES" to opportunity! </span></div>
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You may find that it will take you exactly where you want to be. </div>
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Last year, I was honored to be asked to shoot the engagement photos for two of my very best friends in the entire world. Because I have been working hard to hone my skills and improve, I was able to provide them with the kind of art I could be proud of. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5BZb0LRWWKbzu-I9KtqBpwh7CxgGzi38TMyrs1Q0Bsw5oo3hSilCvLxvSSgVbLZOID70OmcLOYprZx7fEIvM6IJgtWjeGXg8-KjoqzEILe8FmS6wA1A5s44bNQMC99IjKCDJ_PM4Z41a/s1600/TrolleySquare-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5BZb0LRWWKbzu-I9KtqBpwh7CxgGzi38TMyrs1Q0Bsw5oo3hSilCvLxvSSgVbLZOID70OmcLOYprZx7fEIvM6IJgtWjeGXg8-KjoqzEILe8FmS6wA1A5s44bNQMC99IjKCDJ_PM4Z41a/s1600/TrolleySquare-9.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyq0XxnoWaPn5BMRbHi-NiVJdEkIDt_eci0XSo0_avcEv6vnNvFV6Px7YfZZ6ViPeTZQwWDHkDH2ZhTm_QGKSTo2N1fmnck4MAS9W228YRt0CnepzPOTEgEgbC5IcLM8GuvmlBsoh0Sdh/s1600/TrolleySquare-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyq0XxnoWaPn5BMRbHi-NiVJdEkIDt_eci0XSo0_avcEv6vnNvFV6Px7YfZZ6ViPeTZQwWDHkDH2ZhTm_QGKSTo2N1fmnck4MAS9W228YRt0CnepzPOTEgEgbC5IcLM8GuvmlBsoh0Sdh/s1600/TrolleySquare-11.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cfyeO_lunCb0vI6P69fxp5ApnBa3KzM4m_ckn2ZyQVFf60muu2i-yWqNaBDCRsQDV3I_p4YpB2J775WRGJIVoUGWQfesIK46VQxhzX_1sWVwlvWkzTFOHi8eG1nTc7TJTLvP7BhevlRL/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-08-19+at+12.27.05+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cfyeO_lunCb0vI6P69fxp5ApnBa3KzM4m_ckn2ZyQVFf60muu2i-yWqNaBDCRsQDV3I_p4YpB2J775WRGJIVoUGWQfesIK46VQxhzX_1sWVwlvWkzTFOHi8eG1nTc7TJTLvP7BhevlRL/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-08-19+at+12.27.05+PM.png" height="272" width="400" /></a></div>
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My friends were married on February 1, 2014 in California. </div>
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While some issues evolved from both of my cars breaking down and I was unable </div>
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to attend the ceremony in person, I am so happy that I was able to contribute </div>
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to their wedding invitations with this photo shoot. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I love my job </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">and I wouldn't be half as good </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">at it if I didn't say "YES!" </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">when opportunities to improve </span></div>
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I love this: </div>
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<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/3ResTHKVxf4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Every image in this post was created entirely by me between 2011 - 2014. </div>
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All rights reserved. Have a question about photography? Hop on down to the comments section and let me know! I'll do my best to answer as quickly as I can. I'm still learning, but I'm happy to share my experience with those who are interested. Thanks! </div>
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<br />C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-37629122943538372002014-02-26T12:09:00.000-08:002014-02-26T12:09:36.582-08:00The Most Gorgeous Way to Stop Human Trafficking<div style="text-align: center;">
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Most of all, I love doing things that help bring positive change to the world. </div>
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<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/lindabelinda" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3NseBvySWIjboh_wVzc7UzBSdN6b99gH624p8mL2Vak05ZfcwzKwL_AVFDuDaRR_dQbM9aBZUwdQD6cuv4gdYM8SLaIYb-_PKwS7SpMvPviB6RzaK_Vx9cSMp2iKXW3y-rciIny5mzpc/s1600/IMG_7460.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">So of course, I really love this mala! </span></div>
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I met Linda through Kickstarter in early 2012. We both had projects to support our Artist in Residency work at the Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica. We both managed to find full funding. It was great and our friendship evolved as we shared our art with one another. </div>
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Last year for Mother's Day, Linda was doing a project where she made teddy bears for children in devastated areas. I ordered two. She sent cards explaining the project and I gave the cards to my Mom and Mom-in-Law. It was a huge hit. </div>
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Just before Valentine's Day, Linda introduced a new project: Malas to support an Anti-Human Trafficking Charity! <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/lindabelinda" target="_blank">From her Etsy page: </a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Guardian-EgypTT-Text, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/lindabelinda" target="_blank">50% of the sales of each mala goes to support Odanadi, a non-profit organization that works to stop human trafficking in India. I am very passionate about this cause, and I hope you will join me in the fight! For more info, please visit http://www.odanadi.org/.</a></span></div>
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I ordered mine with a few other items from her site. When they arrived, I couldn't help but swoon. I took the above photo the same day and within hours, I'd been asked by several people where they could purchase their own Mala. Now, I'm working on ordering two more: One for my Mom and one for my eldest daughter. Linda's goal is to raise $1000 by March 15. This is a pretty amazing goal, but I believe we can help her reach it! She's already raised $420! </div>
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Please visit <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/lindabelinda" target="_blank">her Etsy page</a> and share this post or link her page to your social media sites. Let's get the word out and do a little good by buying some fabulous new jewelry! Remember that this is the sort of thing that makes a wonderful gift and that Mother's Day is not as far off as we may tend to think. </div>
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C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-57284144597567096832014-02-26T00:04:00.001-08:002014-02-26T00:04:47.231-08:00The 2014 Sundance Film Festival2011: My first year volunteering for the Sundance Film Festival. I took as many volunteer hours as I could and I loved working at the Main Box Office and at the Broadway Theater. The volunteer jacket for this year was a sleeveless blue vest. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFrM0W7kNmFtv0XVWFuypk8Bln_eolh-6RE8wkdg2YdftzlpxZ6M6kKyE1Wa9dWMR5AfhZzswUTve1jTt10uL3Awu58wWEdwAVboUHDOaN9D2KWyTBPXt2N0H3iIBp9KtodW1bDJO_jPpO/s1600/166609_10150117222218055_6197508_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFrM0W7kNmFtv0XVWFuypk8Bln_eolh-6RE8wkdg2YdftzlpxZ6M6kKyE1Wa9dWMR5AfhZzswUTve1jTt10uL3Awu58wWEdwAVboUHDOaN9D2KWyTBPXt2N0H3iIBp9KtodW1bDJO_jPpO/s1600/166609_10150117222218055_6197508_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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2012: My position was moved and I was able to be on the Theater Team for the Salt Lake City Library during it's first year of the festival! The bright tangerine jacket was my main jacket/coat for the rest of the year. It even traveled to Costa Rica with me.<br />
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2013: I nearly didn't volunteer for 2013, knowing I would be very pregnant at the time. The volunteer coordinator was quite eager to find a way to make it work, though, and I would rather not miss a year. In order to make it possible for me to volunteer, Abe volunteered, too. We were both assigned to the Main Box Office and we managed to work it out so we both have the exact same schedule. This way, he could drive me to and from my shifts and I always had someone with me who knew what was going on with me medically. The jackets for 2013 were the same cut and style as 2012's tangerine jackets. They have zip off/on sleeves that I love. The vest portion of the jacket is bright red and the sleeves are black.<br />
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2014: The jacket design from 2012 and 2013 returned, but the color changed. Ice blue for the vest and black detachable sleeves. Abe returned to the festival with me this year and we resumed our posts at the Main Box Office in Salt Lake City. Sundance Kids was introduced and we used our Locals Ticket window to order tickets for "Zip & Zap and the Marble Gang", "Life After Beth" (which we missed. Long story.), and "God Help the Girl". We took our daughters to Zip & Zap and they loved it! We stayed for the Q&A after the screening and were able to get a photo of our daughters with the director. Our eldest couldn't wait to get home and email her boyfriend about it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdiqukvlEfZcHV7J40hUpuBfyzBShNg7DRWhzC1vPsAp9KibnhT2SVCzTZJ8DxmL9-tJQGjTwmzwO2amHV4tvNto1CQ0oPevJQN8Tdui7akiYr18ClYR6yLo8nrbP4gO7P9wzBqMb7wb-/s1600/IMG_6617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdiqukvlEfZcHV7J40hUpuBfyzBShNg7DRWhzC1vPsAp9KibnhT2SVCzTZJ8DxmL9-tJQGjTwmzwO2amHV4tvNto1CQ0oPevJQN8Tdui7akiYr18ClYR6yLo8nrbP4gO7P9wzBqMb7wb-/s1600/IMG_6617.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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My goal has been to serve 5 years with Sundance. I had somehow decided that this was my goal before I ever worked a single shift. There have been times when my personal life has tried to corrupt this goal, but it's never succeeded. I've never called in sick. I've never been more than 10 minutes late (and both times I was 10 minutes late were due to unforeseen parking issues. Welcome to the festival!) I've never wanted to pawn off my work while I've been on shift. This is not because I'm some sort of saint: It's because Sundance treats their volunteers well. I've never felt unappreciated. I've made friends that I adore. In fact, now that the next festival will be the end of my 5 year mental commitment, I can safely say that I'd be comfortable serving another 5, 10, or even 20 years - as long as we're living in Utah.<br />
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<u><span style="font-size: x-large;">My Sundance FAQs:</span></u><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. Do you get paid?</span><br />
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No. I receive benefits (like film vouchers) for my hours served. Which benefits I receive are decided by how many hours I work. Volunteers can work as few as 24 hours and as many... well... I've never heard a full-time volunteer complain that they don't get to work enough. All volunteers receive their exclusive volunteer jacket (which they get to keep) and a selection of other items that can change from year to year. Every year that I've volunteered we've had Brita as a sponsor and they've provided us with wonderful water bottles. Sundance and Brita work together to help eliminate plastic water bottle waste by encouraging volunteers to use their Brita bottles during their shifts. L'oreal is another repeat sponsor. They've given us things like mascara and nail polish in the past. We never know for certain what we'll get. This year, they had a lipstick vending machine in the Volunteer Hub up in Park City! You'd just tweet with the code displayed on the digital screen on the machine... and POP! out comes a free lipstick. Super cool promotion!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">L'oreal offered free mini makeovers including hair and makeup in Park City throughout the festival. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">They also offered free nail polish for people who tagged them in Instagram posts.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. Do you get to see free movies?</span><br />
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They ask us not to answer these questions (in part because different people answer the question differently, causing confusion) but I'm going to do my best. This goes back to those vouchers I mentioned in my last answer. We are compensated based upon the hours we serve. Sometimes we are able to see films with our vouchers. Sometimes we can earn very special vouchers for our friends and family (This is NOT common and it takes a ton of hours, so don't ask a friend for vouchers. Seriously. Don't do it.) Full time volunteers are eligible for special passes, too. Here's the big thing, though: A volunteer with a pass is NEVER going to take your seat. Sundance cares about their patrons and every volunteer knows that they can be bumped from a screening. The festival organizers work hard to help us see films, but that doesn't always mean that we're attending regular festival screenings. We have occasional free volunteer screenings. This year there were volunteer screenings of "The Babadook", "Dinosaur 13", and several other films. In addition to these screenings, locals (including volunteers) can pick up Best of Fest tickets. These tickets are released to the public before the festival and are good for Best of Fest: A day of screenings the day after the festival has ended. The films are not chosen until late in the festival so you never know what you'll see! This year we saw "The Case Against 8" and "Whiplash" at Best of Fest.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">None of this has stopped us from purchasing Locals tickets.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. Do you get to hang out with celebrities? </span><br />
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Don't volunteer to hang out with celebrities, please. It does happen, but that's not why we are a part of the festival. Yes, I have stories I could tell. I had coffee with Bobby Kennedy, Jr. during my first year as a volunteer. I was in the wings during the Q&A with the director of "The Raid 2" this year.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I took this for him after he mentioned he didn't have many festival photos to show his Mom.</span> </div>
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But that's not why I do this. In fact, my favorite Sundance stories often involve other volunteers or the absence of celebrities. Our 2012 screening of "West of Memphis" was on the night that Damien Echols got snowed in up in Park City and couldn't make the scheduled Q&A. Several people had poor attitudes about this, but as Abraham and I walked back to our car, we watched the snow fall and discussed how beautiful it must be for Damien to be in one of the most beautiful resorts in the world with his wife during this storm. After all those years behind bars for a crime he didn't commit, he could be free to spend this time with his wife. How could we be upset? </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">4. What's your favorite movie? </span></div>
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Sundance or otherwise? I'm pretty sure my favorites are mostly Sundance films anyway. I don't know that I can pick just one, but I'll list a few of my ultimate must-watch films:</div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cVzHeJ0Z3I" target="_blank">"Brick"</a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/338723" target="_blank">"Jess+Moss"</a> (Not everyone's cup of tea, but it's on Hulu right now... so... go watch it? I loved it.) </div>
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"West of Memphis" (Graphic, but amazing.)</div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMsRJE9UM3M" target="_blank">"Son of Rambow"</a> </div>
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and from this year: </div>
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"Zip & Zap and the Marble Gang"</div>
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<a href="http://www.godhelpthegirl.com/" target="_blank">"God Help the Girl"</a> (If you like Belle and Sebastian, you'll love this. I pray it gets a wide release.)</div>
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"Whiplash"</div>
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Non-Sundance films I love: </div>
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"Clue: The Movie" </div>
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"Ghostbusters" and "Ghostbusters 2"</div>
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"Looper"</div>
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"Silver Linings Playbook"</div>
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"What Dreams May Come" </div>
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"Penelope" </div>
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"Undercover Blues" </div>
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"Lilo and Stitch" </div>
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"How to Train Your Dragon" (Don't get me started. I'll talk your ear off about this one.)</div>
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and, who could resist it... </div>
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"Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">5. Why do you volunteer? </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>I love it. </b></span></div>
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C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-6722726034635136062013-07-24T16:52:00.001-07:002013-07-24T16:52:56.597-07:00Life and Death: Revisiting AsiriFaithful readers may remember that I took the time 2 days before I delivered my son to write <a href="http://stayingonanewcourse.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-shift-in-focus.html" target="_blank">a blog post about the efforts being made to finish the maternity clinic in Asiri (a village in Ghana). </a>I said that I would keep you all informed as the campaign moved along.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The campaign has been moving along, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>but it has stalled and Asiri needs your help! </b></span></div>
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In my last post regarding Asiri, I quoted my friend Jasmine Staff. Jasmine is in Asiri and sees the need for this maternity clinic firsthand every day. My words cannot bring the light that this campaign needs; not the way hers can. So forgive me, but the bulk of this post will be her words. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span class="userContent">"Two days ago there was a funeral in the
village for a 22 year old Asiri girl who died from a botched abortion.
The same day I helped deliver a healthy baby girl - Ama - in the dark on
the floor of the TBA's home. <br /> <br /> Both of these situations <span class="text_exposed_show">can
be prevented or changed for the better. The girl could have employed
family planning methods, thus preventing pregnancy and her death. The
baby could have been born in a clean, well-lit, stocked clinic under the
supervision of a doctor and trained midwife. This is the reality that
Asiri's maternity clinic will create once it's built." </span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span style="font-size: small;">I cannot ignore this. My plan had been to avoid writing and publishing this post until we were down to 4 or 5 days remaining - believing that the urgency at that point would help convince people to make their pledge to the campaign immediately. After all, how many times do we see a Kickstarter or Indigogo campaign and tell ourselves, "I'll do it later. It's still got 20 days.", right? But I can't do that. People are dying. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span style="font-size: small;">Please visit the campaign and pledge what you can. There is just one week left and they still need almost $9000 in pledges. Think ahead: What about that friend or loved one who is IMPOSSIBLE to shop for? They're going to have a birthday at some point over the next 12 months. What about Christmas or any other gift giving occasion? Plan ahead and buy a killer gift from this campaign. Write a note about how this gift made a big difference in the lives of others and include it when you give the gift. It'll mean so much to the person receiving it. Charity is definitely the best gift for the person who already has everything. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"> </span></span></i></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/asiri-s-maternity-clinic" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /></span></span></i></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/asiri-s-maternity-clinic" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Click here to support the Asiri Maternity Clinic. </span></a></span></span></i></span></div>
C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4411789906134984514.post-51945561428649330062013-07-24T16:30:00.001-07:002013-07-24T16:30:11.897-07:00Of Autism and Earrings What's the point of blogging if you can't expose your weaknesses on the days when your victories are buried beneath them? May as well let it all hang out...<br />
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I'm a confident mother, but if there's one thing that shakes my faith in my parenting skills, it's my eldest daughter's Autism. It brings out the things I have yet to learn; it showcases my impatience and my frustrations. Recently, a couple of friends were over at the house and the discussion turned to rites of passage and ear piercing. Zoey said that she wanted her ears pierced; she just wasn't keen to "all that pain". This did not sit well with me. My guests and I went out of our way to explain how temporary and slight the pain would be - that if she wanted her ears pierced, she should do it and accept that the pain would pass quickly. Our friends even went so far as to promise to go with her and to support her through it. She lit up and her decision was made.<br />
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Within a week, we found ourselves at the mall with my mother. I walked into Icing (which is like Claire's) looking for a hair accessory and Zoe saw the "Free Ear Piercing" sign. I told her that we could do it now if she wanted. She agreed. I asked her if she was certain; she was.<br />
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Or, at least, she was until we had everything set up and it was too late to turn back without forfeiting both the $50 for the sapphire earrings she'd selected and, much worse, sacrificing the tiny bit of bravery she's worked so hard to find within herself.<br />
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I had to beg, plead, and generally make a devil of myself in order to work our way through it, but we survived. I know that poor sales girl had thoughts of calling mall security to report me. I must have sounded like a mad woman. By the end, I was cradling Zoe's head in my hand with my face pressed hard against hers, whispering in a near yell, "Don't you let it make your decisions for you. You're so close. Don't let it take this from you." while she cried back at me, "I'm not brave. I'm not brave at all."<br />
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It broke my heart.<br />
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If she weren't an exceptional child and an exceptionally brave one, to boot, I doubt I would mind. But she is. She is so many wonderful things and the bravery she has shown when facing adversity? Oh forget about it! If I ever manage to grow up, I want to be just like my Zoey. We lose pieces of her life to Autism. It's unavoidable. There are things we must grieve. There are days when I'm reminded that she might never move away from home. I love having her near, but I mourn the life that she will miss by hanging on to us. In that moment at the mall, I experienced my own fears. I could not let her fail. It wasn't my battle to win or lose, but I could not accept the loss. I broke. I started making threats. They were empty and we both knew it. "I'll just have to hold you down and force it. You know I can.", "You don't want to have to tell people that you chickened out.", "You'll have to work off the money we wasted on those earrings by scrubbing the bathrooms clean with a toothbrush." I became an ugly person. As much as I wasn't myself, I have to admit that the ugly person I became is a part of who I am. Sometimes it's all too much and I can't just let it be. I struggle to identify with the girl my daughter is when she struggles.<br />
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9 days have passed and the pain has subsided. She loves having her ears pierced and looks forward to wearing matching earring and necklace sets. She's forgiven me. I have yet to forgive myself. I will find a way to work through it and accept my own apology, but it will take time. In the meantime, I will go out of my way at every opportunity to let her know how proud I am of her. 9 days ago I told her that bravery is not the absence of fear, but rather the decision to succeed in the face of fear. It's my task now to remind her of that and to remind her that she did show bravery; that she is brave.<br />
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There are so many things that Autism can take from us, but it can't take the bravery she has already shown. It's a small, dirty victory, but it's a victory. I'll take it. <br />
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I'm willing to accept whatever judgements people may have for me. I've been facing them for 12 years. I know that I'm doing my best and that as much as people may think they know what this struggle is like, unless they've raised a child on the spectrum themselves, they don't know. They can't. And that's good. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.<br />
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All I ask is this: Before you post a hateful or angry comment, please go to <a href="http://theautismsite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/aut/article/Stuff-People-Say-To-People-With-Autism824" target="_blank">THIS LINK </a>and try to understand that Autism has many faces and almost none of them are what you may think. Thank you. C Tarkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14379525968662880509noreply@blogger.com1