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Q: Question regarding division on both sides of congruence equation Inspiring from this thread Is there a formula for solving the congruence equation $ax^2 + bx + c=0$?
I want to get rid of the confusion when dividing both side of congruence.
I'm always confused about modulo arithmetic, so today I really want to make it clear.
If $a \equiv b \pmod{m}$ then obviously, $ac \equiv bc \pmod{m}$.
But it doesn't always work for division. What is the reason behind? Whenever I see division, I'm totally freak out. Multiplication makes sense to me, but not division. Could anyone walk me through this obstacle?
Another question is,
According to Arturo Magidin:

"dividing" by $2a$ means multiplying by the modular inverse of $2a$ modulo p"

Does it always work for any modulo $m$ or $m$ has to be prime?
Thank you

A: This comes down to the following general result:
Theorem. Let $R$ be a ring. Then
$$ax = ay\text{ implies }x=y \Longleftrightarrow az=0\text{ implies }z=0.$$
Proof. $\Rightarrow)$ Assume that whenever $ax=ay$, we can conclude $x=y$. Suppose $az=0$. Then $az=a0$, so this implies $z=0$.
$\Leftarrow)$ Suppose that whenever $az=0$, we have $z=0$. If $ax=ay$, then $a(x-y) = ax-ay = 0$, so $x-y = 0$; therefore, $x=y$. QED
That is, cancellation works whenever what you are cancelling is not a zero divisor (and more specifically, cancellation on the left/right works when what you are cancelling is not a left/right zero divisor).
In particular, when you are working in modular arithmetic
$$ab\equiv ac\pmod{m}\text{ implies }b\equiv c\pmod{m}\Longleftrightarrow az\equiv0\pmod{m}\text{ implies } z\equiv 0\pmod{m}.$$
Proposition. Let $a$ and $m$ be positive integers. Then $\gcd(a,m)=1$ if and only if $az\equiv 0\pmod{m}$ implies $z\equiv 0\pmod{m}$.
Proof. If $\gcd(a,m)=1$ and $az\equiv 0\pmod{m}$, then $m|az$ and $\gcd(m,a)=1$, which implies $m|z$. Therefore $z\equiv 0\pmod{m}$.
Conversely, suppose $az\equiv 0\pmod{m}$ implies $z\equiv 0\pmod{m}$. Let $d=\gcd(a,m)$, and write $a=dk$, $m=d\ell$. Then $a\ell = dk\ell = mk\equiv 0\pmod{m}$, so $\ell\equiv0\pmod{m}$. Therefore, $m|\ell$, Since $m=k\ell$, $k=1$. QED.
Corollary. Let $a$, $b$, $c$, and $m$ be positive integers. Then $ab\equiv ac\pmod{m}$ implies $b\equiv c\pmod{m}$ if and only if $\gcd(a,m) = 1$.
So, first, you should not think of this as "division", but as "cancellation" (for example, one can cancel in the integers, even though there is no "division"). And you should think of "division" in general not as an entirely separate operation, but really as "multiplying by the multiplicative inverse". For example, in the rationals, you don't "really" divide by $3$, you multiply by $\frac{1}{3}$, which is the (unique) rational which, when multiplied by $3$, gives $1$; that is, the multiplicative inverse of $3$.

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Free Agent Sends Cryptic Tweet After Workout With Bears
Heavy Sports
Heavy on Bears
By Beth Mishler-Elmore
Updated Sep 3, 2022 at 9:32am
Getty Offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele just threw a cryptic tweet out into the Twittersphere.
According to the NFL's September 1 waiver wire, the Chicago Bears brought veteran offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele in for a visit.
A day later, on September 2, the 33-year-old free agent decided to throw a cryptic tweet out into the Twittersphere:
Not gonna lie I'm feeling preeeetty good 🤫
— Kelechi Osemele (@KOseven0) September 2, 2022
While the above tweet isn't a sign or confirmation he's signing with Chicago, Bears Nation sure took notice of it.
Kelechi Osemele 👀
— The Irish Bears Show (@IrishBearsShow) September 2, 2022
A nine-year veteran, Osemele didn't play at all in 2021 after tearing tendons in both of his knees Week 5 while playing for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020. The 33-year-old guard is looking to get back on the field again, and he has been sharing videos of himself working out to show what kind of shape he's in.
"Putting in the work. Every single day. One day at a time," Osemele captioned along with the following clip he shared in late July:
A post shared by Kelechi Osemele (@k.o.seven0)
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Osemele Has Multiple Connections in Chicago
The veteran O-Lineman has a few key connections in Chicago that made his visit a bit more noteworthy.
Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham was a scout with the Baltimore Ravens when Osemele was drafted in 2012, and Bears first-year general manager Ryan Poles was assistant director of player personnel for Kansas City in 2020 when Osemele was with the Chiefs.
One of Poles' mentors, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, spoke highly of Osemele during their lone year together in 2020.
"He plays aggressive and you have to love that," Reid said about Osemele in 2020, via USA Today, adding:
"I think his thing that's followed him throughout his career has been, you play against him, you better strap it on because he's going to bring it to you every down and it's going to be aggressive and he's going to do it to the whistle and that whole thing. So, I appreciate that. I think you've got to have that upfront and it's a good tempo setter."
Follow the Heavy on Bears Facebook page, where you can weigh in on all the latest Bears-related breaking news, rumors, content and more!
Osemele to Chicago?
As former Bears scout Greg Gabriel noted on Twitter, no one knows how Osemele's workout went. The Bears could just be doing their due diligence.
Many have the Bears signing Osemele. They may, they may not. None of us know how the workout went. Fact is, clubs bring in players every week as part of their due diligence in creating a short list of players in case of injury. There is a history w/Poles
— Greg Gabriel (@greggabe) September 2, 2022
But Osemele also "liked" several interesting Bears-centered tweets, including this one with GM Poles:
King Poles 🤴🏿
First Black GM in @ChicagoBears
history.#Bears #DaBears pic.twitter.com/0uY7LqWMZs
— Mason West (@WestSportsPT) January 26, 2022
And this one, featuring Bears quarterback Justin Fields:
pic.twitter.com/1KOmhJJKsG
— Jrmobst3r (@Jrmobst3r) September 2, 2022
To be fair, he also clicked "like" on tweets about him re-joining the Raiders, who he played with from 2016 to 2018, making the Pro Bowl during the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
The 6-foot-5, 330-pound Osemele has started 101 games over his career, but he has played in just eight since the beginning of the 2019 season. If he's ready to make a comeback and does sign with Chicago, he'll likely start out on the practice squad first. That way, he could be elevated to the active roster gradually, where he could be a solid mentor to young players like Alex Leatherwood and Teven Jenkins.
We'll know soon enough if his Twitter activity means anything or if it was just him having fun, but he hasn't been reported to have worked out for any other teams. Regardless, he's looking to be in decent shape, and it'll be interesting to see if he catches on anywhere.
❤🔥 pic.twitter.com/tyJymQc8GH
READ NEXT: Bears Add Another Potential Hidden Gem to Offense
Football, NFL
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The third year of medical school is the clerkship year, which means it's learn-to-wear-your-white-coat-convincingly year, and figure-out-where-the-best-late-night-food-options-are year. But it's also try-to-understand-what-kind-of-doctor-you-want-to-be year, and that decision is a stressful one.
Here's what you should know about this decision: It's not actually about the organ systems you like to think about. (Very few people go into medicine really wanting to talk just about the liver all day. It's a really great organ, but you know what I mean.) It is not—despite what many people will want you to believe—about being a nice person (pediatrician) vs. not nice (all surgical specialties); every physician should be personable, though every field has outliers.
In the end, I think this career choice is usually about temperament, and finding out what you enjoy or what you need to avoid. For me, it was mostly about two things: the level of medical severity and urgency I like to deal with and my comfort level and skill in conducting procedures.
When I started med school, I was planning to enter a low-illness-severity or low-acuity (serious or urgent) field; I didn't think I'd like taking care of high-risk, critically ill medical patients. I envisioned being a general pediatrician or a child psychiatrist. That would have put me somewhere near dot "C" above.
But it turns out that wasn't who I was. From my first rotation in surgery, I loved doing procedures. Realizing how much I enjoy working with my hands to fix people's bodies remains one of the great surprises of my life. That was a helpful surprise, because it knocked out two quadrants of specialties. All other things being equal, that could have placed me solidly near dot "B" above—maybe an ophthalmologist, or an ENT.
Surprise! I like medically complicated patients, and I like having a bit of urgency to the conditions I address. This quadrant, near dot "A," is for some of us who may exhibit just a little bit of the tendency to be what one of my attendings used to call "adrenaline junkies." So "A" might be for the trauma surgeon, or the critical-care intensivist, or, in my case, the maternal fetal medicine (MFM) specialist.
This meant I ended up thinking very seriously about becoming an ICU doctor, as well as about becoming a general surgeon or an interventional cardiologist.
Part of why I love to talk about this graph with med students now is that, once you figure out what works for you, the graph shows you that there might be many ways to get to the area around the right dot. In the end, there are a lot of career choices that can take you to a career that you will enjoy and find satisfying.
Your graph will likely look different. It might include other axes, such as "allows for a research lab career" or "does not require me to stay up late at night ever again." But during the crazy I-have-to-figure-out-the-rest-of-my-life-right-now year that third-year clerkships can feel like, this was a helpful framework for me.
In the end, I became an MFM specialist; I operate frequently, and take care of complicated, medically ill patients—a solid dot "A" job—and I love what I do. But during that what-if-I-make-the-wrong-choice year that is the third year of medical school, it helped me think about how there was, quite likely, more than just one right choice. I hope this will help you, too.
How did you make your physican career decision? Tell us in the comments below.
Interesting insight into medical career planning for those who are not in the loop. However, everyday experience of patients seems often to indicate that doctors chose their specialty applying another dimension that's missing in the above quadrants:and it has to do with money. That doesn't go for everyone and you convincingly describe a different path of reasoning. And certainly people like medecins sans frontieres etc. are above any such speculation. But the doctors whom one meets in private practice sometimes seem to suggest otherwise.
I have yet to meet a doctor who truly goes into medicine just for the money.. if that were true, they wouldn't have spent 200k on an education.. There are easier ways to make a lot of money that don't require call hours and dealing with the politics of medicine.
This is very helpful. I have seen far too many medical students choose a specialty based on how nice the attendings are or how well they fit in on a particular rotation. I am constantly saying, ok, so our xxxx's are jerks, but if that is what appeals to you, don't rule the specialty out.


Are you thinking of climbing Margherita Peak or Hiking Rwenzori Mountains?
Uganda's Rwenzori mountain range is Africa's top hiking destination, holding three of the continent's five highest peaks. The 10 Days Hiking Rwenzori Mountains Safari take you to spectacular summits, the routes are uncrowded and the high-altitude Rwenzori forest teems with life.
The fabled Mountains of the Moon lie in the western Uganda on the Congolese border, with snow covered, equatorial peaks rising to the height of 5110m, form the unique mountain national park. Most of the park is accessible only to hikers to yield magnificent scenery.
The distinctive glacial peaks are visible from miles around, but the slopes above 1,600m are the preserve of hikers, who rate the Rwenzoris to be the most challenging of all African mountains.
There are several circuits to the top of the mountain; since the mountain has seven peaks and six are snow capped ones.
The mountain is renowned for its engineered, steep and slippery trails and frequent rain characterized by cold temperatures, bog, mud, steep terrain and high altitude.
Day 7: Hiking Elena Hut to Kitandara Hut then Margherita peak.
Safari start and end from Kampala.
Hiking Rwenzori Mountains Safari takes place throughout the year, however during months of April, May, October and November experience more rains but this does not stop hiking activities.
On arrival , your private Hiking Rwenzori Mountains Safari driver/guide will welcome you and transfer you to your accommodation in Kampala for resting as you wait for your Uganda Safari. If you arrive before 16:00 hours local time , we will find you some entertainment depending on which events of the day are there in Kampala.
Set off for Rwenzori Mountain national Park from Kampala carry on to Kasese town and arrive at Rwenzori mountaineering services (RMS) offices.
Margaritta Hotel or Rwenzori Basecamp Guesthouse for overnight as you prepare to move very early in the morning to Mt. Rwenzori.
After break fast and Hiking Rwenzori Mountains Safari briefing, fully equipped with the your guides and porters, you'll set off hiking from trail head(1646m) walking past typical mud Bakonjo homes and gradually moving up through elephant grass and garden plots. This trail follows the Mubuku River, it involves climbing over rock and bluff, before reaching the Mahoma river.
After this there will be climbing through open bracken fern slopes and podorcapus forest up to Nyabitaba hut. During this part of the Hiking Rwenzori Mountains Safari, you may be able to hear chimpanzees and sometimes the black and white colobus monkeys and blue monkeys behind the hut and also catch glimpse of the brilliantly colored Rwenzori Turaco.
The total time for an average hiker from Nyakalengijjo to Nyabitaba hut is 5-7 hours and the total elevation gained is 4000ft (1200m).
An early Hiking Rwenzori Mountains Safari start from here may be required since this circuit is relatively the longest. From this hut the trail leads west wards and then drops steeply to Kurt Shaffer bridge crossing bellow the confluence of the Bujuku and Mubuku rivers.
By turning right to the bridge you begin to climb the central circuit anticlockwise since the clockwise direction is much more difficult and adds considerable danger for you and your porters. After crossing the bridge, the muddy, slippery trail climbs steadily up through bamboo forests, slippery moss covered ground. You will proceed to Nyamiliju hut and its accompanying rock shelter.
Leave this hut in the morning to cross the Bujuku river and enter the lower bigo bog, here you will experience jumping from tussock to tussock on grassy bog. There is a steeply section from the hut which will lead you to upper Bigo bog. At the last half of the Bigo bog a board walk has been constructed this makes the walking easier and prevents the hikers from further damaging the bog. After the crisscrossing the river you will reach lake Bujuku.
The southern end of the lake is in the majestic setting, with Mt. Baker to the south, Mt. Stanley to the west, and Mt Speke to the North. The trail route along The Lake's Northeastern shore crosses the most challenging mud on the trip.
Beyond the lake there is a rock shelter called "cooking pot" and a short distance further is Bujuku hut.
From here in the morning, leave directly to a newer trail which rises and falls and finally climbs through magical moss draped groundsel vegetation at 14345ft (4372m) to Scott Elliot pass. The ascension to Elena is a steep rock trail which when wet or icy can be slippery. Slightly ahead there is a sheltered spot below the pass where you can make a stop over.
From here go straight to Elena Hut which is the base camp for climbig 16763ft(5109m) to Margherita peak in the mount Stanley complex, which requires a day or two and can be attempted with an axe, mountain boots, crampons, ropes and prior arrangements with Rwenzori Mountaineering Services guides. This circuit continues to the left over scott Elliot pass and enters an alpine zone of sparse low vegetation.
This will give chance to enjoy North of Margherita peak as you are leaving the pass. Time taken, 3-4 hours. The elevation gained 1400ft (425m) Stay at Elena hut.
Some times when Hiking Rwenzori Mountains Safari visitors reach here, they are normally tired. For those who might not manage or do not wish to climb Margherita peak due to unexpected altitude sickness and fog making their climbing ability lesser, there is an option of continuing left via Scott Elliot pass to Kitandara lake.
This will take you beautiful scenery and finally connect you to a two day descending stretch. For those who will still feel fit, they will climb up to the summit of Margherita (5109m); here crampons and roping up may be necessary. Then descend to Kitandara hut and Stay here.(4023m).
Hiking Rwenzori Mountains Safari hikers may be required to begun their journey early enough so as to get to Nyabitaba hut before dark, since this path can be some how challenging in some spots. So descending slowly facing the slope instead of outward is the only best way.
After breakfast head for Kampala and relax at your hotel before flying to your home the next day.


text:
Wild Beijing 北京自然
Celebrating the wildlife of China's capital city
Welcome to Wild Beijing
Latest Wildlife News from Beijing
A Birder's Guide to Beijing
The Status of the Birds of Beijing
*NEW* The Ambassadors for Nature Initiative
A Birder's Guide To The Great Wall
A Guide to the Amphibians of Beijing
Butterflies of Beijing
*NEW* Cicadas in Beijing
Dragonflies and Damselflies of Beijing
A Guide to the Mammals of Beijing
A Guide to the Reptiles of Beijing
Nocturnal Bird Migration in Beijing
Nocturnal Bird Migration in Beijing, Autumn 2021
Nocturnal Migration in Beijing, Spring 2022
Nocturnal Bird Migration in Beijing: Mystery Calls
Leopard Cat in Beijing 北京豹猫
*NEW* Wildlife Watercolours
The Mongolia Cuckoo Project
The Beijing Cuckoo Project
The Beijing Swift Project
Field Guides to the Birds of Beijing
The Beijing Bird List
China's Conservation Heroes
"The Valley of the Cats": Search for the Grey Ghost on the Tibetan Plateau as part of an award-winning community-based tourism project
Northeast China's Endangered Species
The Wild Sounds of Beijing
About Terry
Terry's Optics
Beijing Wild Sound of the Month – Common Cranes in flight
https://birdingbeijing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2021-11-28-Common-Cranes-calling-flight-Kangxi-Grassland.wav
Rare and Scarce Birds in Beijing 2022
Irruption of Pallas's Sandgrouse in Beijing
Ambassadors for Nature Goes Live!
The Invisible Miracle Happening Over Our Heads As We Sleep
Lingshan dawn chorus
Wild Beijing on Twitter
View Terry's latest sightings on iNaturalist
Wild Beijing Is A BirdLife Species Champion
Wild Beijing on Facebook
Spooners – the full story
After making contact with local birder Zhang Lin, I arranged for him to guide me for two days with the primary objective to see the 'Critically Endangered' Spoon-billed Sandpiper. This charismatic wader has declined dramatically in the last few years and the total population is now probably in the 100s. It breeds in Siberia, around the Chukotka peninsula and winters in SE Asia (especially Thailand, Bangladesh and Burma), although the wintering area of much of the population remains unknown. China is on the migration path and 'Spooners', as they are often called, can be seen during the spring and autumn with Rudong (only discovered in 2008 as a site for this species) one of the most reliable and accessible sites.
The adventure began on Sunday evening when I caught an overnight train from Beijing to Shanghai. The trains are very modern, fast, reliable and clean, with very comfortable bunks (4 to a cabin). And the current journey time of 9 hours will soon be cut to around 5 hours when the new high-speed rail link comes online in 2011. The demand for tickets is high, though, so advance purchase is recommended. Frustatingly, tickets cannot be bought more than a week or so ahead of travel due to "the rules" and this year, due to the Expo being held in Shanghai, demand is higher than usual. All this combined to mean that there were no bunks left for my outward journey, so I had to make do with a 'soft seat' instead. These were airline style with partially reclining chairs in rows of 3. I had a window seat which at least meant I had the window to lean on and, incredibly with the help of an eye-mask and ear plugs, I managed about 4 hours sleep.
On arrival at the spanking new and impressive Shanghai railway station, I was met by Zhang Lin and we began the 2-3 hour drive north to Rudong. Driving on rural Chinese roads is not for the faint-hearted with a combination of trucks, cars, rickshaws, motorcycles, suicidal pedestrians and all sorts of weird motor vehicles providing constant entertainment. Fortunately our driver was very skilled in navigating these obstacles and it wasn't long before we were doing our first birding, at a wetland site just before the estuary. Here we were greeted by Long-tailed Shrike, lots of 'eastern' Yellow Wagtails, Hobby, Red-rumped Swallow, Hoopoe, Oriental Reed Warbler, Richard's Pipit, Chinese Pond Heron, Little Egret, Yellow Bittern, Little Grebe, Arctic Warbler, Oriental Pratincole, Black Drongo and White-winged Black Tern. Soon, Lin picked up the distinctive calls of the Reed Parrotbill, a very charismatic endemic. Small flocks of these weird-looking birds were calling from the reeds and, with a bit of patience, we were able to secure excellent views as a pair came to investigate our presence.
Reed Parrotbill
Soon after this encounter, we added Plain Prinia, Common Kingfisher, Cattle Egret and Chinese Bulbul to the list. Our return walk back to the car unexpectedly produced 3 Pechora Pipits that perched on wires for a few minutes before heading off south-west. Nice!
We then drove on to the estuary but, with high-tide several hours away, Lin took me to the woods, a relatively young stand of trees planted along part of the seawall (the land here was reclaimed to build wind turbines and several massive Vestas turbines towered over us as we birded the track (a reminder of Denmark!)). Here was full of migrants with Eastern Crowned Warbler, Pale-legged Leaf Warbler, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Dark-sided Flycatcher, White's Thrush, a cracking male Siberian Thrush, Black-naped Oriole, Striated Heron, Blue Rock Thrush, Forest Wagtail, Dollarbird, Grey-headed Lapwing, Red Collared Dove and Oriental Turtle Dove. After a thoroughly enjoyable couple of hours we headed for lunch at a local seafood restaurant (lots of squid, shellfish, fish and lovely Chinese dumplings). Yum.
Asian Brown Flycatcher, Rudong, 14 September 2010
We were then well-fuelled for the Spooner hunt. Slightly disconcertingly, Lin told me that they had bought some special cheap 'shoes' for me as we would be walking out on the mud flats and would need to cross several creeks, potentially waist-deep in water and mud. My walking boots were not appropriate and I would need shorts and tight-fitting plimsoles to avoid getting stuck in the mud. Thankfully, they didn't tell me that two people had died recently after getting stuck in the mud until I was already about 1km out onto the mud! Gulp…
Anyway, we met up with Tong Menxiu (who is temporarily based in Rudong to make daily counts of Spooners until the end of October), and set off for the mud flats. The plan was to walk a short distance (around 200-300 metres) onto the flats to await the small high tide roost at this site. Often Spooners come into this roost site and, with patience, they will gradually come close, sometimes as little as 10 metres away. Today, we were not so lucky – no Spooners in this roost – but there were 6 Nordmann's Greenshanks, Common Greenshank, Redshank, a Long-toed Stint, Greater and Lesser Sandplover, a Great Knot, Far Eastern and Eurasian Curlews, Red-necked Stint, Grey Plover, Broad-billed Sandpiper and a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. Suddenly the whole group took to the wing and it meant only one thing – a raptor. A quick scan produced a male Pied Harrier quartering the area.. simply stunning.
Pied Harrier, Rudong, 13 September 2010
High tide came and went without me getting my feet wet but, given that there were no Spooners in the roost, Lin suggested we walk further out towards the slowly expanding feeding grounds to try to see them there… this involved wading through several muddy creeks, some of which were waist deep and with patches of very sticky mud, whilst trying to keep my rucksack and optics free of water and mud – not easy! My tripod came in very handy as a third leg… The walk was around 1.5-2km through this terrain before we eventually reached the open flats with literally thousands of feeding birds. The timing of the tides meant that we probably only had about an hour left of daylight, so we began to scan in earnest, Lin from the left and me from the right. After only a couple of minutes, Lin said he could see a Spooner. My heart raced – would I really connect with this sought-after wader? He offered me his scope and seconds later I was watching my first ever Spoon-billed Sandpiper! Wow.. I soon found it in my own scope and I watched it avidly for several minutes – a non-breeding plumaged adult – as Lin scanned for others. The Spooner seemed to have three feeding actions, two of which were very different to the confusion species – Red-necked Stint. The first was a sort of Snipe-like digging, with three to four vertical 'drills', all of the bill going deep into the mud. The second was a sort of a Spoonbill-like 'sweep' from side to side or a 'shovel' straight ahead. And the third was a more Red-necked Stint-like poking at the surface. After a few minutes the bird flew and I lost it, so I began to scan and, amazingly, I found my own Spooner! This one was an adult moulting out of summer plumage with some rufous colour still on the throat – a stunner. I watched this bird for about ten minutes as Lin scanned the rest of the flock, picking up one more adult in non-breeding plumage. The feeding technique of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper is a very good initial identification feature, especially at distance. They tend to run around with their head down and the distinctive 'shovelling' or 'drilling' means that you can often tell them apart from Red-necked Stints at quite a distance.
With the light fading, we had to head back.. I knew the walk out had taken us about an hour and I knew it would be dark well before that so I was relieved when Lin said we would be taking a short cut back across a relatively deep creek (waist high again) that is not passable at anything other than low tide. Thirty minutes later we were on a track and were met by our driver, who took us to a local restaurant for a celebratory seafood meal, accompanied by the local beer.. I was very happy!
We then retired to the small local hotel where the rooms were comfortable, if a little basic, with a shower and air conditioning. For about GBP 12 per night, it was pretty good.
Day two began wet and windy (the remnants of a typhoon) so we visited the wood again, as it would provide at least a little shelter. We got a drenching but with the temperature around 30 degrees C, it was not unpleasant and we soon dried out when the rain stopped. The morning produced Red-billed Starling, Chinese Grosbeak, Siberian Blue Robin, Northern Hawk Cuckoo (easily mistaken for a hawk!), Japanese Sparrowhawk, Pale-legged Leaf Warbler, Dark-streaked Flycatcher, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Black-naped Oriole and another two Siberian Thrushes. An adult male Blue and White Flycatcher added a splash of colour and a juvenile Tiger Shrike was a nice addition to the list.
And so, after another seafood based lunch, we set out to look for more Spooners. This time we sat on the sea wall a few kilometres away from yesterday's site and watched the birds as they gradually moved closer with the incoming tide. Again, lots of waders were present of many different species. New additions here included a Grey-tailed Tattler and several Marsh Sandpipers. But no Spooners. So with the tide reaching its peak we headed to the area behind the sea wall, the favoured high tide roost here. We walked out towards the largest of three flocks of roosting birds. A painstaking scan failed to show any Spooners but there was a nice roosting flock of Saunders' Gulls with a few Black-tailed Gulls mixed in.
With the tide now receding, we went back to the sea wall to watch the waders as they began to leave the roost to feed.. Here, the birds were pretty close, feeding avidly and, again, Lin soon found an adult in non-breeding plumage, closely followed by a second. I watched one of the birds for about 10 minutes, knowing that it would be my last sighting before the journey back to Beijing. I felt very privileged to be watching this small wader, especially in the knowledge that the species may already be beyond the point of no return. With threats on its wintering ground from hunters and coastal development, many of its migration stopover sites already lost, and almost all of the remaining sites under threat from development, the future is not bright. But where there is life there is hope and I will be keeping my fingers crossed that the international effort to save the species from the brink of extinction is successful. The world will be a poorer place without this charismatic bird.
Zhang Lin and me watching Spoon-billed Sandpipers from the sea wall on day two at Rudong (photo: Tong Menxiu)
Reluctantly, we tore ourselves away to begin the drive back to Shanghai. I was tired but elated. Thankfully, I had a sleeper berth on the journey back to Beijing and I managed to sleep for around 6 hours before arriving back at Beijing South Station at 0730.
To see a stunning displaying adult male Spoon-billed Sandpiper on its breeding grounds, click here. And for David Sibley's Spoon-billed Sandpiper resource, including investigation of why the species is disappearing so fast, click here.
I also recommend the series of 6 posts about the SBS on the top birding blog, "10,000 Birds". The interview with SBS expert, Christoph Zöckler, is particularly revealing.
To contact Zhang Lin about tours in the Shanghai area or to see Spoon-billed Sandpipers at Rudong, click here…
Posted on September 15, 2010 March 24, 2011 Author Terry TownshendCategories UncategorizedTags Nordmann's Greenshank, Pied Harrier, Rudong, Shanghai, Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Zhang Lin
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I do believe Ethereum will be doing well in this year. Ripple XRP had already proved its potential surpassing even Ethereum, and Litecoin is also a good option. But of all these virtual coins, I guess XRP is the best. It has the potential to give some good return on investment. Good luck.
Investing in Ethereum is more profitable than bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency, and probably even bitcoin will also come to an end near to 2040. I'm a day trader and I trade using Ethereum everyday, which helps me make good profits.
In my opinion: IOTA, ETH, Ripple, FUN, Stellar, Litecoin, OmiseGo, EOS, and Cardano. But first of all you should do your own research. Ask yourself: Why is this coin on the market? How is it different from the other coins? What does it promise? and so on so forth.
Don't pick any crypto just because other people say so. Be critical and look at each coin from different perspectives.
I would recommend that you go for one of the 3 that be be exchanged via Coinbase. It gives you some extra security. Ethereum is one of these and at the moment it has the best return rate!
It is indeed a very complex matter. When you start you only hear about Bitcoin and then you discover there are so many! I have decided to go for one of the most known. I feel more secure doing so. I still have to decide which one yet but it still reduces the possibilities.


text:
1Rikishi
1.1Grand champions
1.2Foreign-born competitors
A Sumo match.
Sumo (相撲, sumō) is a Japanese full-contact sport.[1]
In sumo, a wrestler (rikishi) attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring (dohyō) 4.55 metres in diameter. Also, the rikishi try to use their skill to force an opponent to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of his feet.
Sumo tournaments (basho) take place in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka. There are a total of 6 major professional tournaments (known as honbasho) per year, in January, March, May, July, September and November.
A tournament normally lasts for 15 days and features matches from different divisions. The top 5 ranks are known as the "Top division", also called the Makuuchi (幕内) or Makunouchi (幕の内). It is fixed in size and always contains 42 rikishi.
The ranks included in the top division are yokozuna, ozeki, sekiwake, komusubi and maegashira.
Rikishi[change | change source]
Sumo wrestlers (rikishi) are ranked into a hierarchy based on win-loss statistics in competitive tournaments.[2]
Grand champions[change | change source]
Those who have earned the highest rank are grand champions (yokuzuna).[3]
Akashi, 16th century[3]
Maruyama, (1712-1749)[3]
Tanikaze (Kajinosuke, 1750-1795)[3]
Onagawa (1758-1805)[3]
Ao no Matsu (1791-1851)[3]
Chiyonofuji Mitsugu (b. 1955)[4]
Takanosato (b. 1952)[3]
Futahaguro Koji (b. 1963)[3]
Hokuto-umi, (b. 1963)[3]
Onokuni (b. 1962)[3]
Asahifuji (b. 1960)[3]
Akebono (b. 1970)[3]
For a full list of those rikishi who have held the title of Yokozuna, see List of yokozuna.
Foreign-born competitors[change | change source]
Sumo has changed in modern times. Foreign-born wrestlers are part of the sport. For example, Konishiki[5] and Akebono[6] are Hawaiian-born athletes who earned places for themselves.
In 2008, Kotooshu from Bulgaria won a championship. In that same year, two top wrestlers, Asashoryu and Hakuho, were Mongolian. Hakuho won the Nagoya tournament with no losses, 15-0.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sumo.
↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Sumo" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 914.
↑ Nussbaum, "Sumotori" in Japan Encyclopedia, pp. 914-915.
↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 Nussbaum, "Yokozuna (Sumo Grand Champions)" at p. 915; retrieved 2012-2-27.
↑ Nussbaum, "Chiyonofugi" at p. 117; retrieved 2012-2-27.
↑ Sumo Reference, Konishiki Yasokichi; retrieved 2012-2-27.
↑ Japan Sumo Association, "Akebono" Archived 2012-03-07 at the Wayback Machine; retrieved 2012-2-27.
Retrieved from "https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sumo&oldid=7239216"
Sport in Japan
Sports stubs
This page was last changed on 31 December 2020, at 11:42.


text:
Q: Linq does not work with MonoDevelop/Mono last version on Mac OSX 10.6.4 I'm trying to execute a simple test code:
using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
using System.Collections.Generic;

namespace TestMono
{
    public class TesterManager
    {
        public TesterManager ()
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Test");
            Path.GetTempPath();

            foreach (var i in new int[] { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5}.Where(n => n % 2 == 0))
        {
            Console.WriteLine(i);
        }

            List<string> ar= new List<string>();
            ar.Add("1"); ar.Add("2");

            var lb = ar.Where(n => n=="2");
        }
    }
}

Compiling that code I have two errors:
Esecuzione compilazione principale...
/Library/Frameworks/Mono.framework/Versions/2.6.4/bin/gmcs /noconfig "/out:/Users/roberto/Projects/TestMono/TestMono/bin/Debug/TestMono.exe" /nologo /warn:4 /debug:+ /debug:full /optimize- /codepage:utf8 /platform:x86 "/define:DEBUG"  /t:exe "/Users/roberto/Projects/TestMono/TestMono/TesterManager.cs" "/Users/roberto/Projects/TestMono/TestMono/Main.cs"
Compilation failed: 2 error(s), 0 warnings

/Users/roberto/Projects/TestMono/TestMono/TesterManager.cs(15,70): error CS1061: Type `int[]' does not contain a definition for `Where' and no extension method `Where' of type `int[]' could be found (are you missing a using directive or an assembly reference?)
/Users/roberto/Projects/TestMono/TestMono/TesterManager.cs(24,37): error CS1061: Type `System.Collections.Generic.List<string>' does not contain a definition for `Where' and no extension method `Where' of type `System.Collections.Generic.List<string>' could be found (are you missing a using directive or an assembly reference?)

I set the Mono/.NET 3.5 in the project properties and I have the latest version of both Mono and MonoDevelop. I don't understand what is that goes wrong!

A: You may need to add a reference to "System.Core.dll" in order to access the "System.Linq" namespace.
This one had me scratching my head for a while, I was too used to Resharper bringing in my references.

A: Did you add a reference to System.Linq.dll (or what ever it is called in Mono)?
(I could swear VS asks the same  ;P )


text:
Il distretto di Hanjiang () è un distretto della Cina, situato nella provincia di Jiangsu e amministrato dalla prefettura di Yangzhou.

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni

Contee del Jiangsu

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
using System;
using Internal.Runtime.CompilerServices;

namespace Internal.TypeSystem.NoMetadata
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Represents a method that does not have metadata
    /// </summary>
    internal abstract class NoMetadataMethodDesc : MethodDesc
    {
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: WCF Windows Service Error: The socket connection has been disposed I have 2 WCF services that are both installed locally on the same Windows Service. The 2 WCF services make calls to the same database and use Net TCP Binding.
Side Note: I made 2 services instead of 1 because the service had too many methods and as a result, the XML file was too large and I couldn't add the service reference to the consumer app. Also, it's more readable this way.
On the client app, I've added a service reference to both WCF services. To use the services, I extended the CommunicationObject so it has a "Using()" method: see the code below.
Communication Object Extension for .Using() Method
public static class CommunicationObjectExtensions
{
    public static void Using<T>(this T client, Action<T> work)
        where T : ICommunicationObject
    {
        try
        {
            // make sure client is open
            //client.Open(); // didn't work
            work(client);
        }
        catch (CommunicationException e)
        {
            client.Abort();
            throw;
        }
        catch (TimeoutException e)
        {
            client.Abort();
            throw;
        }
        catch (Exception e)
        {
            client.Abort();
            throw;
        }
        finally
        {
            client.Close();
        }
    }
}

Service Calls
new ServiceClientA().Using(client =>
    {
        var someObjectA = client.GetSomeObjectA();
    });
new ServiceClientB().Using(client =>
    {
        var someObjectB = client.GetSomeObjectB();
    });

I get the "The socket connection has been disposed" error when ServiceClientB's method actually has data to return (versus an empty list) and returns (I'm able to debug and go through the entire service call).
I don't run into this problem when using the other WCF services that point to different databases.
Anyone have any ideas what's going on?
Update
Ok turns out it only happens with the method I'm calling (client.GetSomeObjectB()). The object it's returning is causing errors. Apparently this is because the object is too big, but it shouldn't be a problem (since I'm only returning 1 small object).


Until August 2015, Carl was responsible for UK competition policy and sponsoring the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and Competition Appeal Tribunal. He led the complex project in BIS to launch the CMA in April 2014. Carl also chaired the Consumer Protection Partnership, working with the various consumer organisations that he sponsored (e.g. the Citizens Advice Services and National Trading Standards Board), to improve cross-working on consumer enforcement.
Carl's previous roles working in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have included advising Ministers on employment law policy for vulnerable workers. From 2010 to 2012, he worked in the Labour Market Directorate, where he led the UK Government's review of employment law. He was also responsible for dispute resolution policy and industrial relations law.
During his career, Carl has worked closely with Government Ministers on a range of policy issues, including overseeing the passage of the Communications Act and Enterprise Act through Parliament. He also has experience of operational delivery through running a corporate services team within the Department of Trade and Industry and leading the UK's Employment Agency Standards inspectorate.


Chicken Roll Ups make a perfect appetizer, snack or easy meal.
Holy cow it's finally February! Easy, delicious and packed with chicken, broccoli and cheese flavors these chicken roll ups will sure to be a bit at your next game day gathering.
During this time of the year I often like to make little meals/snacks that taste good but don't require a ton of effort. Please excuse this not completely made from scratch recipe, I usually like to make it all myself, despite my husbands questions of why? Trust me, these are good and you won't be disappointed. Whether you serve them as an appetizer, snack or with a salad for your meal, leftovers will be hard to come by. Even my 20 month old ate these right up, so I hope you'll enjoy; happy baking!
Preheat your oven according to the crescent roll instructions.
In a mixing bowl combine the chicken, cheese, yogurt and cooked broccoli mixture.
Roll out the dough and fill with about 1 Tbs of filling per triangle, roll them up pinching the seams to keep the filling inside.
Bake for allotted time on packaging and carefully remove from the oven when they are golden brown. Serve warm.
Hi Emily! Thanks for linking up at GYB and following http://www.CallMePMc.com! Love your blog, Looks great! Following now on Pinterest, Twitter and GFC. Happy Thursday and Happy New Year!
Hello, and thanks for linking up on the GYB hop! I'm enjoying getting to know some new blogs, and reconnecting with ones I've visited before. I'm your newest Twitter follower, and I look forward to getting to know you better 🙂 These chicken roll ups look delicious! My mom makes something similar but they're extremely time consuming since she uses pie crust, this looks like a great way to cut down how long it takes to make them. Thanks for sharing!
These look yummy and easy – my kind of recipe! These would be great for football parties, teen get-togethers…. my wheels are turning! I'm here from It's Overflowing. Thanks for sharing!
They simply look delicious Emily! YUMMY!
These roll ups look so good! I'm always looking for new crescent rolls recipes. These will be perfect for the big game on Sunday!
I love that you used greek yogurt. It's my fave!


ICO Essentials is a new series of national touring programmes presenting iconic and influential films by artists. The six themed programmes include newly restored classics and influential gems that have blazed a trail through the visual arts, fashion, music and design influencing countless artists and films throughout the 20th Century. Collected together under broad themes the programmes propose distinct new ways of looking at the past century, ranging from politics to pop. Drawing on a wide range of practices from across the world the ICO Essentials programmes offer revelatory and ground-breaking works.
Selected by six leading curators each of the Essentials programmes offers an accessible introduction to the fascinating world of artist's film and video. The first ICO Essentials programme Dreams, opened on national release on Friday 25 January at the ICA, London and will tour to cinemas across the UK. The remaining five programmes - Pop - Play - Protest - Expression - Modernity - will be released one per month starting in March 2008 and tour UK cinemas into 2009.
The Independent Cinema Office (ICO) is the national agency for the development and support of independent film exhibition throughout the UK. ICO Essentials is part of a series of projects to develop the exhibition of artists film and video within the UK's independent cinema sector. ICO Essentials is an Independent Cinema Office touring project, funded by the Arts Council of England.


text:
Health tips: Heavy...
Health tips: Heavy smoking linked to increased health risks
Each cigarette smoked a day by heavy smokers increases the risk of contracting several diseases by more than 30
| 11 Aug 2020 2:03 AM GMT
Sydney: Each cigarette smoked a day by heavy smokers increases the risk of contracting several diseases by more than 30 per cent, warn researchers.
The study, which links heavy smoking with 28 separate health conditions, revealed a 17-fold increase in emphysema (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), an 8-fold increase in atherosclerosis (clogged arteries) and a 6.5-fold higher incidence of lung cancer.
"Tobacco smoking is the leading preventable cause of death worldwide and smokers typically die 10 years earlier than non-smokers," said study researcher Elina Hypponen from the University of South Australia. "Despite a global decline in smoking over the last 20 years, an estimated 20 per cent of the world's population aged over 15 years are still smoking tobacco," Hypponen added.
In the US alone, smokers number 40 million, with 16 million of those living with a disease caused by smoking. This costs their economy more than $300 billion per annum.
According to the researchers, the most recent statistics from Australia show that about 13.8 per cent of its adult population (2.6 million people) are daily smokers. Despite a 10 per cent reduction since 1995, smoking is estimated to kill 19,000 Australians a year, accounting for nine per cent of the total burden of disease and $137 billion in annual medical costs.
For the findings, the research team analysed hospital data and mortality statistics from more than 152,483 smokers in the UK Biobank to look at how heavy smoking affects disease risks.
The researchers found the risk of suffering respiratory diseases, cancers and cardiovascular diseases increased with each cigarette smoked per day.
The link between heavy smoking and emphysema, heart disease, pneumonia and respiratory cancers was particularly high. The study also found associations with many other respiratory diseases, renal failure, septicaemia, eye disorders and complications of surgery or medical procedures.
Several known smoking outcomes, including stroke, were not identified in the study. "We only looked at how heavy smoking further affects disease risk in a group of people who are all at least past smokers, so compared to never smokers the health effects are going to be even more notable," Hypponen said.
Other factors, including when people start smoking or how long they have smoked, may also affect the health consequences arising from smoking. "Our study shows that each additional cigarette smoked matters, notably increasing the risks of cancer, respiratory, circulatory and many other diseases," the study author wrote. (IANS)
Also Watch: Elderly Couple Die Due To Fire
Heavy smoking health risk health tips health conditions atherosclerosis University of South Australia


Nothing exudes more self-assurance than a woman in an exquisitely tailored sheath dress. Sharp, smartly detailed and endlessly versatile, a sheath dress can transform you into a serious scholar one minute and a stunning glamazon the next. Personally, I adore this darling version by ModCloth. A charming floral print and side pockets make you a delightful sight, while a demure, pleated neckline and structured fit keep the look adorably professional. Add a pop of bright pink coral in the form of a cinched belt and you'll be getting As in style.
The glamor of 1960s women always dumbfounds me. How did they possibly find the time to create the perfect smoldering eyes and set their hair every night? Watching Mad Men, I find myself nostalgic for a simpler time, a period when women-like Betty-wore ladylike ballerina skirts and it wasn't laughably stiff to wear formal elbow length gloves to dinner. Such women embodied a dignified poise, a cultivated refinement lacking in our era of sweatpants and tee shirts. We might not be able to teleport to the age of bouffant big hair but we can resurrect some of Miss Betty's tasteful femininity with a sheath dress and bright scarf this winter. Simply find a patterned scarf, tie it around your neck (or channel your inner Jackie O and wrap it elegantly around your head) and viola: you look bewitchingly put together. If your sheath is a more neutral color, pair with a bag in a bold hue to give the outfit interest and texture. I especially like the turquoise suitcase (Modcloth It's Not Pocket Science Bag, $54.99, available on modcloth.com) pictured.
You're a 3rd year college student diligently studying for finals. The library smells like mahogany, old books and espresso. As you hopelessly search for a seat in the crowded main stacks, the marble floors clink beneath your feet. Overhead, the ivory white ceiling curves to form a half dome. A bookish intellectual in Oxfords and horn-rimmed glasses leaves just as you pass his table, so you quickly steal his seat. You unload your composition notebook, your tattered copy of Paradise Lost and some pencils. Studious and ambitious, you're ready to (once again) earn all As on your exams.
Even if you didn't graduate at the top of your class, you can still take inspiration from Ivy League academics. Couple your polished sheath dress with a cozy cardigan in rich beige and you'll be sure to ace even your toughest finals.


In the long history of America there never was a more Jewish politician than New York's Mayor Ed Koch.
His death stirs all sides of the civic spectrum because -- even at his most cantankerous -- Koch was a lovable character; unless, of course, you happen to be an Arab. Koch understood the Jew-haters as well as anyone.
When it came to Israel and its survival as a Jewish State, Koch was unwavering in his support, nor was he ever bashful about speaking out against those who would seek its destruction.
One could say that Ed wore his New York Jewishness on one sleeve and his passionate love of Israel on the other.
Up until sickness stilled his writing, Koch penned a regularly published blog in which he often took sides when Israel was under attack and the side he took, of course, was in defense of the country, its principles and its leaders.
A lifelong Democrat, he had no problem ripping his fellow party members and often would take Barack Obama to task for the president's inept handling of Middle East politics and left (Arab) leaning policies.
Not that I was always on the same page as Koch.
In fact, he often reminded me of Alan Dershowitz, the author-Harvard professor, who occasionally allowed his Democratic Party allegiance to get in the way of fair-thinking vis-a-vis Israel.
As far as I'm concerned, Dershowitz often stopped short of castigating Obama's deceitful, perfidious attitude toward Israel.
The same could be said for Koch who, on the one hand, would call out the president for his rude treatment of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then urge Jewish voters to support Obama at election time. After all Koch and Obama shared one belief; faith in the Democratic party.
That said, there was no mistaking the Mayor's love for Israel and his sensitivity to Jewish causes.
If one Yiddish word could be used to describe what made Koch so appreciated by New Yorkers, it was his haymishness. He was a homey guy; at home in Borough Park, Harlem or Jaffa, if he was is Israel.
Although he never married, the mayor acted like a family man; everybody's uncle. Didn't matter whether you were Italian, African-American or Portuguese, Koch treated everyone like a homey pal.
But he was a Jew first, a New Yorker second and while he occupied City Hall, his heart was in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa.
From 1948 to the present, Ed Koch worried about Israel, defended it, supported the Middle East's only genuine democracy and fought as best he could those who tried to destroy the Jewish National Home.
In the end, we can forgive any of the Mayor's political vagaries or mayoral indiscretions.
Ed Koch will be remembered as a Jewish hero who supported Israel with more intensity and honesty than any American politician.


text:
The Automobile Information Disclosure Act of 1958, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1231–1233, was passed in June 1958 by Congress and took effect in January 1959. It was sponsored by Oklahoma Senator Almer Stillwell "Mike" Monroney, after whom the resulting "Monroney sticker" was named.

The law has been amended and now requires that all new automobiles carry a sticker on a window containing important information about the vehicle, including:

The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP)
Engine and transmission specifications
Standard equipment and warranty details
Optional equipment and pricing
City and highway fuel economy ratings, as determined by the Environmental Protection Agency

External links
Consumers Union

1958 in American law
United States federal transportation legislation


text:
Q: Wrong example response being sent with modified request body I have a single request "auth" that simply sends the below raw data..
{
    "password": "123",
    "userName": "rob"
}

and i have setup two examples.  The first called "success" takes the above request and returns..
{
    "user": {
        "profile": 1234
    }
}

I then wanted to test scenario whereby the password (and eventually user name) is empty so i can see error being returned.  So a second example "No Password" sends
{
    "password": "",
    "userName": "rob"
}

and the response is
{
    "id": {
        "code": 1
    },
    "errorObject": [
        {
            "errorCategory": "INPUT_ERROR",
            "errorName": "PWRD_EMPTY",
        }
    ]
}

Now the issue is that regardless of what request i make i always get back the error response.  I've tested this a few times and i think it's actually just returning whatever the newest example created was.
Is Postman able to detect differences in json data in the request body?  I have tried creating a second "auth" request, one for success scenario and the other for the failure but this didn't resolve the issue.


The Z List Dead List is a podcast about obscure people from History. Created by Iszi Lawrence @iszi_lawrence.
With thanks to Jon Ronson @jonronson & Doug Segal @doug_segal.
Iszi Lawrence is a UK based comedian, amateur Historian and board game fanatic.


Item number 47 (Read Through The Bible Again) on my 50 Things To Do Before I'm 50 list is complete! I included this goal on my 50 Things list because it had been a few years since I'd taken time to read straight through, although I have done a lot of reading and studying personally and in preparation for Bible studies I've lead and taught.
I actually began this read-through in late March of this year using a 90-day reading schedule, however I ended up taking eight months to complete it. Regardless of the time, I am pleased to have read through the entire 66 books of the Bible in less than a year.
I have numerous Bibles in several versions, however my favorite is the New King James Version. For this read-through, I used the NKJV Study Bible I purchased in 2006. This is the fourth time I've read through this particular Bible. Robbie and I used a different Bible when we read it through (out loud!) together in 2007, so I've completely read the Bible at least five times in the past 10 years.
What I most love about reading the Bible is that I learn something new each time and different scriptures speak to me based on what's happening in my life. This year I was once again reminded that we don't have to be perfect for God to use us, we simply need a heart that seeks the Lord and His will.
Here's a look at the completed page in my 50 Things To Do Before I'm 50 mini-album.
This post is the fifteenth in a blog series where I'm exploring various aspects of INSPIRATION. When I chose INSPIRATION as my word for this year, my first thoughts were about finding, acting on and (in some cases) limiting INSPIRATION. I also knew I wanted this word to motivate me not only in my scrapbooking and crafting but also in my physical, spiritual and intellectual goals. During my FUN year last year, I published a two-week series entitled Where Does My Inspiration Come From?, which looked at the many different sources of INSPIRATION specifically for scrapbook layouts. However, in this series, I'll be sharing a word for each letter of the alphabet (from A to Z) that relates to INSPIRATION along with my random and in-depth thoughts on that word and the various ways it relates to INSPIRATION in our lives.
Organization is defined as "the state or manner of being arranged in a systematic way" or "the act or process of putting the different parts of something in a certain order so that they can be found or used easily." Personally I find lots of INSPIRATION in Organization. The act of organizing often sparks ideas and INSPIRATION. In contrast, when things are disorganized, I have a difficult time finding motivation or INSPIRATION.
I am currently in the process of moving my craft room from one of the extra bedrooms (which I moved into a few years ago) to the front room. In fact, we are moving several rooms around, so this is a huge project that probably won't be completed for another couple of months. As with most Organization projects, there will be times of disarray as we move things around. Before I could move the shelves from the craft room to the front room, I had to take everything off of them . . . resulting in stuff being piled all over the table and floor!
During this move, I'm making some changes in the storage and Organization of my craft supplies. One of those changes involves my 12x12 paper, which I've stored in plastic drawers for the past ten years or so. I recently purchased paper trays from Scrapbook.com that fit in the sections of my red Expedit.
I have my paper sorted by color, with a slot for solid colored papers & cardstock and a separate slot for patterned papers. I am excited about this new Organization! This shelf unit is right behind my craft table, so I'm able to simply swing around in my chair and pull out the papers I need for a project.
For the past five years or so, I've also sorted my embellishments by color and stored them in color bins. However, earlier this year I realized that I was not using the items in those bins as much because there was so much in them and it all tended to get jumbled together after a while. Some of this is due to the fact that I have a lot of supplies. I decided it was time for a new Organization method that would provide INSPIRATION to use these products.
I purchased some inexpensive plastic drawer organizers for the 12x12 drawers that I'd previously used for my papers and sorted my color elements by size within the drawers.
The biggest problem with an Organization project like this is that I had to really focus on completing the project! While I was sorting and putting all those FUN supplies in the drawers, I found lots of INSPIRATION and simply wanted to stop and scrapbook along the way!
I must admit that I'm having a good bit of FUN as I'm moving and organizing my supplies! While we still have a ways to go with our moving project, my new craft room is set up enough that I can access most of my supplies, and I'm looking forward to a very crafty December.
After hearing and reading quite a few reviews several months ago, I picked up a copy of Marie Kondo's new book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. I enjoyed the book, which was a fairly quick read, however I honestly didn't feel that I learned anything new from it. The system the author proposes is different from many traditional methods in that she advocates Organization and decluttering categories of items rather than areas in your home, yet the basic ideas of simplifying and organizing in order to keep things tidy is much the same. Her approach is definitely one leaning more toward minimalism, so there were many suggestions that didn't interest the collector side of my nature. I do like the idea of only keeping things that spark joy, however I won't be spending my time thanking inanimate objects for their contribution to my life. Despite the differences between Japanese and American culture and the size of our living spaces, there's lots of INSPIRATION in the book for taking a closer look at the items we allow to take up space in our homes and how we organize them.
I recently created a Vision Board on Organization for a class I'll be teaching at our local library in January. Just looking at all the beautiful organized spaces on this board makes me smile!
In preparation for the January class, I also read a short eBook by Christine Kane. The Complete Guide to Vision Boards (available free HERE) describes what a vision board is and provides step-by-step directions for preparing and creating your own vision board. I don't particularly agree with the idea that things manifest in our lives because of the vision board, rather I believe the board provides INSPIRATION that encourages us to seek out the items or goals on the board.
In summary, Organization and INSPIRATION often work together. Organization can provide the INSPIRATION to create, and INSPIRATION for change can begin with an Organization project.
Do you have any ongoing Organization projects? Please share your thoughts on Organization and INSPIRATION in the comments.
This post is the fourteenth in a blog series where I'm exploring various aspects of INSPIRATION. When I chose INSPIRATION as my word for this year, my first thoughts were about finding, acting on and (in some cases) limiting INSPIRATION. I also knew I wanted this word to motivate me not only in my scrapbooking and crafting but also in my physical, spiritual and intellectual goals. During my FUN year last year, I published a two-week series entitled Where Does My Inspiration Come From?, which looked at the many different sources of INSPIRATION specifically for scrapbook layouts. However, in this series, I'll be sharing a word for each letter of the alphabet (from A to Z) that relates to INSPIRATION along with my random and in-depth thoughts on that word and the various ways it relates to INSPIRATION in our lives.
Nurturing is defined as "the act of encouraging, nourishing and caring for someone or something." Nurturing involves giving care and attention to aid in growth. Nurturing is providing support or nourishment and often requires a commitment of time. Sometimes it takes Nurturing to turn our INSPIRATION into action or tangible outcomes.
For example, I have collected lots of INSPIRATION and ideas for scrapbook layouts, but for me to turn that INSPIRATION into a collection of layouts for our scrapbooks, I must spend time Nurturing this FUN hobby. That Nurturing can take many forms - thinking about and planning how to preserve our memories, learning new techniques and designs through online or in-person classes, buying and organizing supplies, and, of course, actually taking time to create layouts.
As an added bonus, scrapbooking is a Nurturing hobby! Check out this great article about how scrapbooking is good for your health - it helps lower stress, is a form of meditation, gives our brains a workout, supplies a social outlet, and keeps our hearts happy.
In summary, Nurturing is important for growth and can be the conduit for acting on INSPIRATION.
How does Nurturing play a part in your hobbies? Please share your thoughts on Nurturing and INSPIRATION in the comments.
This post is the thirteenth in a blog series where I'm exploring various aspects of INSPIRATION. When I chose INSPIRATION as my word for this year, my first thoughts were about finding, acting on and (in some cases) limiting INSPIRATION. I also knew I wanted this word to motivate me not only in my scrapbooking and crafting but also in my physical, spiritual and intellectual goals. During my FUN year last year, I published a two-week series entitled Where Does My Inspiration Come From?, which looked at the many different sources of INSPIRATION specifically for scrapbook layouts. However, in this series, I'll be sharing a word for each letter of the alphabet (from A to Z) that relates to INSPIRATION along with my random and in-depth thoughts on that word and the various ways it relates to INSPIRATION in our lives.
After a successful year of weight loss and healthier living in 2014, this year I've regressed in some areas, particularly when it comes to regular exercise. So, adding Movement back into my daily routine has been on my mind quite a bit as we near the end of the year. I have been thinking about the types of motivation and INSPIRATION that will help me get back to incorporating more Movement into each day. In fact, I almost decided to adopt "move" as my word for next year to insure that I focus on it throughout the year.
However, I decided there was no need to wait until 2016, and I set a goal for myself to add exercise Movement into my day every day beginning November 1! In addition to the benefits of feeling better and hopefully losing some of the weight I have re-gained, I decided on some rewards for additional INSPIRATION. My goal is to exercise for 30 minutes each day, and to give myself a big boost as I started, my first reward (for seven days straight of exercise) would be an appointment to get my hair highlighted for the holidays. I was successful (and even exercised more than 30 minutes three of those days), and got a little trim, too.
I was also successful in earning my second reward, a new workout outfit, after another seven days straight of exercise! I've been including several kinds of exercise Movement over these past few weeks - rides on the stationary bike here at home, walks with Robbie in our neighborhood, workouts with a personal trainer at the local recreation center, and strength training and exercise videos here at home.
I'm halfway to earning a third reward - a new jacket for my wardrobe - for completing 14 straight days of exercise. This is actually much harder than the first two rounds, not only because it's twice as many days, but because these days have/will include a two-day trip to Scrappin' Goodtime in Corsicana, Robbie's birthday, a visit from Robbie's brother, Thanksgiving Day, and the long holiday weekend!
I even created a FUN vision board to remind me to move more each day. I had a piece of foam packaging that I trimmed down to begin my board, then I covered it with pages of text torn from old magazines.
Zooming in, you can see that I actually adhered all the text upside down. This is a trick that I learned in Ali Edward's One Little Word class last year - it keeps the text from distracting from the overall theme .
I flipped through magazines and added a list of words that all reflect Movement and healthy living benefits.
I completed the vision board by adding other graphics that also showed women incorporating Movement into their everyday lives.
In summary, incorporating Movement into our everyday lives leads to many health benefits which can be the actual INSPIRATION and motivation to include more Movement.
What Movement do you regularly incorporate into your days? Please share your thoughts on Movement and INSPIRATION in the comments.
The word "Genesis" means "the origin or coming into being of something." It is also the name of the first book in the Bible, which starts with the words "In the beginning God created." Later in that first chapter of Genesis, we learn that "God created man in his own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them."
Therefore, since we are created in the image of The Creator, we are all creative! This is one of the facts that I like to share in my Bible Journaling workshops, and then I share examples of how I've illustrated this first chapter of Genesis in several Bibles.
As you can see, each of these pages illustrates Creation, although they vary in design and products used. However, the important thing about these pages is not which design is "better" or which one best uses the latest products or even which one is the "most complete" - the important thing is that as I worked on each of these illustrations, I spent time meditating on the fact that "In the beginning God created!" In fact, from nothing (a void with no form), He created the beautiful world that we live in today. And then He created us in His own image!
Sometimes the scriptures we are most familiar with or have heard often become simply words on a page and we don't take time to think about and appreciate the meaning behind those words. I can quote the first few verses of Genesis without much thought, but when I take time to really think about the story those words tell, I cannot help but once again stand in awe of the creativity of the Lord and be filled with gratitude that He placed that creativity inside each of us!
How have you used your creativity lately?
Our library book club read The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean several years ago, however quite a few new members have joined our group in the past couple of years, so it was chosen as one of the selections again this year. The book follows Marina, an elderly Russian woman who is losing her memory. Actually she has very vivid recall of events that occurred when she was a docent at the Hermitage during World War II and the German Army's siege of Leningrad. During those years, Marina created a "Memory Palace" in her mind to help her remember and visualize the paintings and other art pieces that were removed from the Hermitage for safe hiding during wartime. Descriptions of several of the art pieces from the Hermitage are interspersed throughout the book, typically foreshadowing the events of the upcoming chapter.
I remember reading this book back in 2007. I remembered the story of Marina in the Hermitage and the descriptions of the artwork and the trials she faced during that long winter of the siege. However, I laughed when I started reading and realized I had completely forgotten the part of the story about Marina as an older woman losing her memory. Like Marina, I didn't remember any of those "current" memories, just the story from her past. I was slightly disappointed in the ending to the story as Marina never shares her memories of the past with her daughter who desires to be an artist.
The leader of our book club actually brought in printouts of the pieces of artwork that were described in the book, which was an added bonus to our discussion. This is a great book that deals with memory loss and lifelong love and works of art and the history of Leningrad during the war, and I highly recommend it.
The Things That Keep Us Here by Carla Buckley is the story of Ann Brooks and her family at the outbreak and during a pandemic caused by an avian flu. When the flu reaches their area, everyone goes into panic mode and rushes the grocery store to stock up on items. Ann has two daughters and her estranged husband returns home with his graduate assistant who has nowhere else to go as everything begins shutting down. The story follows this family and the decisions they make as the pandemic takes the lives of people all over the world.
This was a fairly good book because I definitely wanted to keep reading to see what happened next, however it did not have a satisfying ending at all. There was a prologue that wrapped everything else up with a glimpse of some of the characters several years later, however I felt the ending was rather abrupt. There were also things that seemed quite unbelievable in the story. Ann's husband Peter was a researcher watching this flu move from one area to another, yet they were an unprepared as everyone else when the pandemic arrived in their area. Also, they continued to have good water for a very long time, despite the electricity being off and many businesses and services closed down due to deaths. And, Ann was consistently cleaning everything with bleach throughout the story - really, how much bleach did she have on hand when this all started?
I just finished The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro. This book follows the story of two women. The first is Eva d'Orsey, a teenage orphan working as a maid in a New York hotel in the 1920s. The story of her life is interspersed with that of Grace Munroe, a London socialite in the 1950s. This is one of several books I've read this year with this type of format - one chapter tells Eva's story, then the next chapter jumps to Grace's story, and eventually the two stories come together in a twist that was never a surprise. While I liked the story, I did not enjoy the format because I already had the conclusion figured out very early in the book.
Part of the book jacket description reads: The Perfume Collector explores the complex and obsessive love between muse and artist, and the tremendous power of memory and scent. Eva inspires one of Paris' greatest perfumers, thus there are quite a few descriptions of scents and perfume-making throughout the book, which was somewhat interesting. Overall this was an ok book that was a quick read. I'm looking forward to the book club discussion in a couple of weeks to hear what others thought of it.
Are you in a book club? Have you read any of these fiction books? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
This post is the twelfth in a blog series where I'm exploring various aspects of INSPIRATION. When I chose INSPIRATION as my word for this year, my first thoughts were about finding, acting on and (in some cases) limiting INSPIRATION. I also knew I wanted this word to motivate me not only in my scrapbooking and crafting but also in my physical, spiritual and intellectual goals. During my FUN year last year, I published a two-week series entitled Where Does My Inspiration Come From?, which looked at the many different sources of INSPIRATION specifically for scrapbook layouts. However, in this series, I'll be sharing a word for each letter of the alphabet (from A to Z) that relates to INSPIRATION along with my random and in-depth thoughts on that word and the various ways it relates to INSPIRATION in our lives.
Learning is defined as "the activity or process of gaining knowledge or skill by studying, practicing, being taught, or experiencing something." Learning is the process through which we acquire new information or build on information that we already know.
As children, we spend most of our time Learning, at home, at school, wherever we happen to be. Learning opportunities are everywhere and we soak up new information and try out new activities instinctively. We are ok with taking risks to try new things and staying out of ruts, which Kurt Anderson (in his foreword to Spark) calls Amateur Spirit.
However, as we age mature, our days are often filled with many tasks and routines and Learning opportunities, while still abundant, are more difficult to fit into our busy everyday lives. In essence, we lose that Amateur Spirit. And yet, we often feel the INSPIRATION or have a need to learn something new or to improve our skills or knowledge in a particular area. That INSPIRATION, desire, and/or need help us find (or make) time for Learning.
Speaking of time - have y'all heard the 10,000 hour rule? I first read about this rule in Malcolm Gladwell's book, Outliers: The Story of Success (which I reviewed HERE). This rule basically states that to be expert at something requires 10,000 hours of practice. The book is filled with examples of individuals who spent years practicing and studying and Learning to gain a level of mastery. However, this rule is often misquoted to say that it takes 10,000 hours to learn something new or to become good at something, which can be quite discouraging for those of us who want to learn something new, right? Ten thousand hours is a long time!
The INSPIRATION for Learning something new can come from many sources. Earlier this year, Robbie and I listened to the audio book of The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Neither of us had ever read this book, and we found it to be a wonderful story, which also led to our Learning some new things.
Another Learning opportunity from the book revolves around the movie-maker George Melies. I assumed this was a fictional character, however Robbie recognized the name and knew about his Man in the Moon photo/movie. We actually looked up more information about George Melies. So, from this one book (and the movie Hugo, which we watched after listening to the book) we learned about automatons, George Melies, and some history of movies and movie making.
As a huge proponent of lifelong Learning, I love this quote by Albert Einstein.
In summary, we often need INSPIRATION before we make time for Learning, and to continue to grow we must find the INSPIRATION to continue Learning throughout our lifetime.
How many hours are you willing to invest in Learning something new? Please share your thoughts on Learning and INSPIRATION in the comments.
Prayer, time spent communicating with the Lord, is an important part of my life. I believe it is a foundational aspect of the Christian life. However, this is an area where I always feel I can make improvements. I'd like to wake up each morning and spend time in prayer, communicate with God throughout the day (not just when I need/want something), and end each day thanking the Lord for His goodness. I often fall short of this desire, so I include things in my life that remind me to pray and remind me of the awesome power of prayer.
As with most things I enjoy and want to learn more about or practice more, I often read books about prayer. I recently completed two excellent books on the power of prayer.
Prayers That Changed History is a children's book that shares the stories of 25 people who changed the world through their prayers. The chapters are arranged in chronological order beginning with Polycap (who lived from 69AD until 155AD) and Constantine (272-337) and ending with Corrie ten Boom (1892-1983) and Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945). Each chapter shares a brief story of the life of that individual and how his or her prayer(s) changed history, then includes questions to think about and a similar story about someone in the Bible.
My friend Rita is a prayer warrior, someone who prays regularly for others. She also reads about prayer and often shares books with me that she's read. Recently she sent me Stormie OMartian's Prayer Warrior, a fabulous book for those who desire a meaningful prayer life that helps advance God's kingdom and glory. I always enjoy Stormie OMartian's books because she shares personal examples of how prayer has impacted her life and family and includes sample prayers with scriptures at the end of each chapter.
I also find that taking time to meet with others for prayer, whether in a church service or special prayer meeting, is an excellent way for me to include more prayer time in my life. Recently a friend of mine invited a few of us to meet with her at a local park once a week to pray for specific needs within our communities and throughout our country. One morning I arrived early and spent time doing some Bible Journaling.
I had read a quote in the Prayers That Changed History book and decided to include it in my Bible near the Lord's prayer in Matthew Chapter 6.
Here's a closer look at this thought-provoking quote by Oswald Chambers.
During our time of prayer together, we discussed this quote, shared prayer requests, and took time to pray for the needs of each other, our church, our local community, and the upcoming presidential elections. These times of prayer with others help me take time to pray for things outside my usual prayer list and allow me to stand in faith with other believers as we seek answers to those prayers.
Taking time to write my prayers is a tangible way that I can express my desires and praises to the Lord. I find that I am often including written prayers on my illustrated Bible Journaling pages.
Recently, I created a tip-in using one of the new Art Play Paintables papers. I colored in the quote, then added this strip into my Bible using washi tape along the edge of the page. On the back of this strip, I've written out a prayer that I've been repeating over and over recently. I included this in my Bible alongside the story of the Persistent Widow in the book of Luke, which is a reminder for us to continue to ask the Lord until we receive an answer!
What do you do to help you keep prayer an integral part of your life?
This post is the eleventh in a blog series where I'm exploring various aspects of INSPIRATION. When I chose INSPIRATION as my word for this year, my first thoughts were about finding, acting on and (in some cases) limiting INSPIRATION. I also knew I wanted this word to motivate me not only in my scrapbooking and crafting but also in my physical, spiritual and intellectual goals. During my FUN year last year, I published a two-week series entitled Where Does My Inspiration Come From?, which looked at the many different sources of INSPIRATION specifically for scrapbook layouts. However, in this series, I'll be sharing a word for each letter of the alphabet (from A to Z) that relates to INSPIRATION along with my random and in-depth thoughts on that word and the various ways it relates to INSPIRATION in our lives.
Knowledge is defined as "information, understanding, or skill that you get from experience or education" and "awareness of something" and "the body of truths or facts accumulated in the course of time." In essence, Knowledge is obtained by becoming familiar with something through experience or association.
I am a huge proponent of life-long learning, so my desire to learn is the INSPIRATION for acquiring more Knowledge about a particular subject or skill. We gain Knowledge through experience, practice, questioning, experimentation, reading, observation, listening, and study. I enjoy reading and studying about various subjects, which is one way to become familiar with a subject. However, I believe that when we experience something personally, we gain more Knowledge.
As we've watched some of the tragic news coming from Paris, France, this weekend, our hearts are filled with sorrow and sympathy for the people there who have lost loved ones as well as for those throughout the city and country who are feeling the effects of these devastating attacks. While I am praying for all those affected, I am reminded of the attacks here in the states on September 11, 2001.
I was teaching classes at a community college in Texas the morning of the attacks, so in a sense I was well removed from the actual events. However, the shock, sorrow, fear, and anger spread through our community as we all watched the news for days on end. The spirit of patriotism was strong and gatherings for prayer were abundant. Living through this experience is what gives me Knowledge about the events that occurred that day. Obviously I do not have all the information available about those attacks and everyone involved, but I have a familiarity that will remain with me always.
As I mentioned when I wrote about Experiences for this blog series, often we find INSPIRATION to visit a particular place in order to learn (or gain more Knowledge) about something. On our vacation last month, we stopped to visit the Flight 93 Memorial in southwestern Pennsylvania. This is the location where the plane crashed when the passengers and crew of Flight 93 attempted to overtake the terrorists that intended to fly this plane into the U.S Capitol. There is a wall at the Memorial site with the names of each passenger and crew member who lost their life as the plane crashed into a field.
Even though I'd seen footage of the site and heard and read this story numerous times, it still brought tears to my eyes to look down the path of the crash site.
The heroics of those on Flight 93 as well as so very many others across our nation that day is something we'll always remember.
I believe it is also important that we share our Knowledge with others, particularly younger generations. As we approached the memorial, we took time to read (once again) about the attacks on America. I love this photo showing our youngest nephew looking to see the spot that is shown in the photo. He's very observant, and I believe this experience will help him better understand the events of a day that happened long before he was born.
And although we were somber as we read the names of those who lost their lives, we were also able to enjoy the fact that we could stop and pay tribute to those brave men and women. We have a US Parks passport book that has spaces for stamps showing when and where we've visited nationals parks and monuments throughout the states. I love the fact that our nephews will be able to look back and remember visiting these places and gaining more Knowledge about our country and its history.
This post took a little different turn as I wrote today because my heart is heavy knowing that another country has been hit with a terrorist attack that will leave repercussions on the lives of so many, but I hope that somehow this still brings together Knowledge and INSPIRATION in our daily lives.
In summary, the desire for Knowledge often provides the INSPIRATION needed for acquiring that Knowledge.
What's your favorite way to gain Knowledge? Please share your thoughts on Knowledge and INSPIRATION in the comments.
This post is the tenth in a blog series where I'm exploring various aspects of INSPIRATION. When I chose INSPIRATION as my word for this year, my first thoughts were about finding, acting on and (in some cases) limiting INSPIRATION. I also knew I wanted this word to motivate me not only in my scrapbooking and crafting but also in my physical, spiritual and intellectual goals. During my FUN year last year, I published a two-week series entitled Where Does My Inspiration Come From?, which looked at the many different sources of INSPIRATION specifically for scrapbook layouts. However, in this series, I'll be sharing a word for each letter of the alphabet (from A to Z) that relates to INSPIRATION along with my random and in-depth thoughts on that word and the various ways it relates to INSPIRATION in our lives.
Journaling is defined as "the activity of keeping a diary, also known as a journal" and "keeping track of events by recording them in a log." The INSPIRATION for Journaling typically comes from several desires: to capture stories and memories, to understand and analyze feelings and circumstances, to reduce stress, to write, to plan, to create art etc.
The most basic form of Journaling involves simply writing in a journal or notebook or on loose leaf papers. In the technological age that we are living in, many people prefer to type their Journaling into a word processing document or even to publish it as blog posts. In fact, Journaling about an infinite array of topics can be found on blogs.
I've journaled at various times throughout my life, often for different reasons. During a very rough time in my life, the counselor I was working with suggested that I journal my feelings as I struggled with strong emotions and borderline depression. Since I was paying for this advice, I (of course) got a journal and wrote often. It was extremely therapeutic, and I highly recommend it. Although I would caution that this type of Journaling is best kept private for it to be the most effective. Before Robbie and I married, I read through my journals from that difficult time, pulled out a few pages I wanted to keep (like when I wrote about the day Robbie proposed), and shredded the rest.
Julia Cameron's book, The Artist's Way, was my INSPIRATION for trying Morning Pages - three pages of stream of consciousness writing each day. I enjoyed this form of Journaling and have returned to it sporadically over the past few years. It's a great way to do a "brain dump" at the beginning of the day.
I often find INSPIRATION for Journaling from books on writing and have several notebooks with writing based on the suggested exercises, like these pages based on the book Writing Life Stories.
There are a variety of Journaling methods, different ways of recording activities, events, thoughts, opinions, and feelings. The Urban Dictionary defines Journaling as "a hobby that is a cross between scrapbooking, journal writing, collaging, and in many instances, sketching, not to be confused with online Journaling, this sort of Journaling refers to the type that results in a tangible notebook of images and words that creatively depict ideas and events in an individual's life."
My first attempt at Art Journaling was in late 2010 as part of a class from Jessica Sprague. I used a composition book to begin the journal, which I didn't do much in until almost a year later when I created a few collage style pages. Since then I've added art Journaling pages to that book sporadically, although it is bulging . . .
. . . because I also use it as a place for mail art, cards, and other FUN items I receive in the mail.
A couple of months ago, I read Art Journal Courage by Dina Wakley. It was filled with INSPIRATION for art Journaling. Since I had checked the book out from the library, I did not have much time to act on all the "fearless mixed media techniques for Journaling bravely" (according to the book's sub-title). However, it was that book that prompted me to put Art Journal Freedom, Dina's first book, on my birthday list. As some of you already know from my monthly INSPIRATION reviews, it's been in my to-read-and-act-on pile for a few months now.
One of my favorite Journaling activities is adding details and stories to my scrapbook layouts. Sometimes I'll include a large block of Journaling that covers most of the page, but most often I'll add a smaller block of Journaling to share an anecdote about the photos I'm highlighting.
We were all excited about the Spring Break trip!
and all six of us had a Skype call to finalize our plans!
There are also books that provide INSPIRATION for this type of Journaling. A couple of months ago, I enjoyed Writing in the Margins: Connecting with God on the Pages of Your Bible by Lisa Nichols Hickman. This book contains examples of various people who have journaled in their Bibles over the years. Each chapter ends with questions and suggested activities, which I'll be working my way back through as I continue this practice of illustrated Bible Journaling.
One of my favorite times to journal is when we're traveling. I like to carry a journal along where I can record the things we do, sites we see, foods we eat, etc. Sometimes I'll create a special journal to take along on a trip, while other times I'll grab a journal from my stash. This little journal traveled with us overseas in 2007 and 2008, and it's so much FUN to read back through my Journaling, see the ephemera, and re-live those trips.
In summary, Journaling & INSPIRATION are intertwined. The INSPIRATION for Journaling comes from a variety of desires and sources, and Journaling can spark INSPIRATION and ideas that can lead to greater understanding of self, artistic endeavours, and creative expression.
What type of Journaling do you enjoy? Please share your thoughts on Journaling and INSPIRATION in the comments.
The $250 Neiman Marcus Cookie Recipe "Myth"