I've started my work in PR when I was 20. Even though it was a governmental structure, we were lucky enough to have good management and actually try to do something. On the other hand - we were close enough to other governmental structures to know how much money gets spent and what outreach was being received. Budgets were enough to feed the families of the whole management, while outreach was simply not worth it. At least PR wise. If you are thinking about starting business in Azerbaijan, probably the first word you should learn is "otkat" (ot-cut). This word we adopted from Russian language means the amount of money one has to bribe with if he receives a grant or a purchase from a certain structure.
And if you think that this is being covered and not talked about - you're mistaken. An Azerbaijani is usually fine talking about the otkats he received or had to pay. "How else should my family survive in this economy", he'll say if you ask.
Otkat works in all fields: business, education, arts and of course PR. As a result - cattles of expensive 4-wheel-drives filling the streets of Baku, millions spent on projects, outreach of which are once again - not worth it. 20 million manats for Flowers Day, 10 million dollars on participation in Eurovision (while Russia only spends 30 thousand), millions of money on cultural events around the world, which are mostly attended by Azerbaijanis. And does it bring more tourists to Azerbaijan? No, it only makes people pick up the phone and check the prices and then choose Turkey or Spain for vacation. Because it's simply much cheaper.
Let me tell you another PR story, which I've already mentioned a few days ago will write more broadly about in my next post.
A couple of months ago German Embassy contacted me asking if I would be interested in attending an International Blogger conference to be held in Berlin in May. "Of course!", I said. A month and an interview later - I was chosen as a representative of Azerbaijan to attend a 10-day Bloggertour organized by the Foreign Office of Germany.
What can I say? It turned out to be the best event I've ever participated. Not only was it well-planned and completely paid, but also so informative, I've already drafted two and wrote 1 post about things I've seen and learned there. And I'm only going to mention 30% of it - parts of the program that impressed me the most.
As a result - 16 most popular bloggers from around the world (and my blog was the weakest there) sharing their impressions and experience with their readers, who will repost those in their blogs or share on their Facebook pages. Outreach - thousands of readers and a line for the next year's tour.
Should I tell about a number of scholarships for international students and kind of promotion it gives to a country? Or work with Social Media activists? Or hundreds of festivals and celebrations held all around the world? La Tomatina in Spain? Saint Patrick's day in Ireland? Shopping festival in Dubai? Even the Pillow Fight in London? Or Karneval der Kulturen in Berlin I was lucky enough to see?
That's my friends, what I call PR. And our ambitions to show ourselves in a good way by spending loads of money are nothing more than just a nice icing on a really bad cake, no one will order again. And no otkat will save it.
Newer PostA Man and a Woman... And Lider TV.


A family rich in musical talents and tradition forged Hughie Mac's artistic identity early on. His soundtrack for growing up embraced diversity – Broadway show tunes, Sinatra, and classical music, among others, helped shaped the singer and performer Mac would eventually become. The Philadelphia based singer embraced rock, country, and classic pop when he began performing, along with respectful nods to vocalists like the aforementioned Sinatra, and "Let's Get Away", his latest single, is a track 'Ol Blue Eyes himself tackled with superb results. The track is included on the third volume in Hughie Mac's sprawling tribute to great American songwriting, Hughie Mac Sings Some Great Songs Part 3, and makes a convincing case for Mac being a natural interpreter of this style.
The playful piano melodies opening "Let's Get Away" are rendered with warm intimacy before the song begins in earnest. It is a performance succeeding for many reasons, but one of its most crucial elements is its process of accumulation – the relatively spartan beginning, focusing solely on the piano and Mac's voice, soon incorporates gently swinging drums that gives the song a restrained burst of added energy. Mac has an excellent musical dialogue with the piano playing. It has a spry bounce throughout the entirety of the song, seamlessly weaving inviting upper register melodies together with heavier, lower register notes. The piano playing practically serves as a second vocalist and the interplay between it and his singing rates as the song's highlight.
You cannot help but admire how Mac takes on material associated with iconic vocalists and makes it his own with unabashed charisma. There's nothing too reverential in his treatment of "Let's Get Away" – he cozies up to the lyrical content with the sort of playfulness the song demands, but he likewise conveys genuine affection in each line of the track. Nothing sounds too deliberate or overly plotted out. Mac, instead, unwinds the song's lyrics with patience and cool confidence. He knows the song well, you can tell, and focuses from the first on giving it a natural feel that underlines its emotion. His obvious love for the song comes through but, even more importantly, he clearly senses what the song needs to succeed and delivers the goods.
The production is ideal and the running time will appeal to me. Though two minutes and forty-four seconds may seem slight to some, even a single listen to the song will make it clear Mac never takes any short cuts delivering this performance and we experience more in that seemingly brief amount of time than what longer songs often provide. The instrumentation is presented as an equal to Mac's voice and provides able support throughout thanks to that decision rather than coming off as an afterthought. This isn't a glorified solo vehicle for Mac's voice where the arrangement is, essentially, a tossed off afterthought. It's a perfect example of the excellence Mac brings to bear on Hughie Mac Sings Some Great Songs Part 3; for existing fans, it's a reaffirmation of Mac's gifts and, for newcomers, serves as a first-class introduction.


It's all great, can't find any complaints.
A great all round package. Best in Class. All benefits available to all employees, regardless of seniority or tenure.
Benefits are good, good indeed.
Great benefits all round for all employees!
Great health, life and travel cover, as well as generous pension contributions. Vitality cover means you can earn some great perks such as free cinema tickets and coffees, as well as lots of other discounts.
Private health insurance, time off and pension plan are all generous. Good flexible working environment. Can work from home if desired.
Good pension, Vitality health cover (never needed to use it personally, but colleagues rated it well). Good bonus scheme, weighted 50/50 between personal and business performance. Monthly socials were always well attended.
Not very clearly documented. Some benefits were mentioned but there's nowhere to go to find out the details and how to use them.
Glassdoor is your resource for information about Essence benefits and perks. Learn about Essence, including insurance benefits, retirement benefits, and vacation policy. Benefits information above is provided anonymously by current and former Essence employees, and may include a summary provided by the employer.


text:
Denver man charged with first-degree murder in…
Denver man charged with first-degree murder in shooting death of woman over dog poop dispute in Ballpark neighborhood
Michael Close also faces list of additional charges in the June 10 confrontation
By John Aguilar | jaguilar@denverpost.com | The Denver Post
PUBLISHED: June 16, 2020 at 3:09 p.m. | UPDATED: June 24, 2020 at 4:36 p.m.
A Denver man accused of fatally shooting a 21-year-old woman following a dispute over the woman and her boyfriend taking their dog to the bathroom outside his Ballpark neighborhood home has been charged with first-degree murder.
Denver District Attorney Beth McCann on Tuesday announced the murder charge against 36-year old Michael R. Close, along with several other criminal charges, including charges for using a high-capacity ammunition magazine.
Denver District Attorney's Office
Michael Close
The shooting occurred on June 10 when police said Close began yelling at the couple as they were taking their dog to the bathroom. The victim told police he had given his dog a command to use the bathroom and then "a person yelled at him through a ground floor apartment asking if the victim was going to train the dog or just yell at it," according to a Denver police probable cause statement.
Police said Close then began firing at the couple from his apartment, killing Isabella Thallas.
The medical examiner's autopsy report concluded that Thallas died from a gunshot wound and that the manner of death is homicide. Her boyfriend, Darian Simon, was shot twice but is expected to survive.
Close was apprehended by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office after he was stopped in his vehicle on U.S. 285. Deputies found a rifle and a handgun on the floor of the front passenger seat, authorities said.
Man sentenced to 40 years in prison for Aurora shooting death over $20 dispute
Reward increased for tips leading to killer of teen at Juneteenth celebration in Aurora
Man killed by Lakewood police fired on law enforcement, police say
Man shot dead by Lakewood police Tuesday just off Colfax Avenue
Three people shot in Denver overnight Friday
In addition to two counts of first-degree murder, Close also faces two counts of criminal attempt to commit murder in the first degree, two counts of first-degree assault, six counts of using a prohibited large-capacity magazine during the commission of a crime, three counts of possessing a prohibited large-capacity magazine, and one count of disorderly conduct.
Close has no previous criminal record in Colorado.
The dog was uninjured in the shooting.
A previous version of this story misidentified the department that made the arrest due to incorrect information given in court documents.
Denver district attorney
John Aguilar | Suburban Reporter — The Denver Post
Denver Post reporter John Aguilar covers hot-button issues such as oil and gas, growth and transportation as they play out in the Denver suburbs. He joined the Post in 2014 after previous work at the Boulder Daily Camera, Rocky Mountain News and the Boulder County Business Report. He hails from Boston and has a master's degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a bachelor's from Dartmouth College.
jaguilar@denverpost.com
Follow John Aguilar	@abuvthefold
More in Colorado News
Coloradans are playing an outsized role in the prosecutions of Trump

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text:
Get COVID-19 Information, and view a list of related park closures.
Learn about other park updates and closures.
Public Review Documents
Ramona Grasslands Permit
Book...
Campsites (external site)
Buy...
Collector's Edition Postcards
Film/Photo Permits
ROE Permits
Commercial Recreational Activity Permits
Naming Rights/Sponsorships
Reservations Desk
Media/Marketing
By App
Get Outside SD (external site)
Virtual Recreation Center
Warrior Hike Challenge
Summer Movies in the Park
Women in the Wild
Discounts, Passes & Promos
Naming Rights & Sponsorships
County Parks News
Parks and Recreation Champion Awards
San Diego County Parks Society
Park Lands Dedication Ordinance
Park Design Manual
Preserve Trail Guidelines
Multiple Species Conservation Program
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan
The County is working to protect the public's health in the face of COVID-19 by taking actions to help slow the spread of the virus. Parks and preserves remain open, though some on-site amenities have been closed for your protection. View a Comprehensive List of Parks showing what's open and closed.
We work every day to support a healthy, safe and thriving San Diego community and safety remains a top priority. For more information regarding the novel coronavirus and current status, visit the County's coronavirus webpage at coronavirus-sd.com.
DATE UPDATE
On Jan. 11, and due to public health orders, we extended the campground closure through the month of January. Customers are being notified and refunds are being processed. Please check back for updates on when campgrounds may reopen.
For more information about the novel coronavirus and current status, visit coronavirus-sd.com.
On Dec. 5, 2020, we took actions to close campgrounds and cancel special event reservations for 3 weeks, in accordance with public health orders. The end of that term would be Dec. 27, however, we remain under the regional stay at home order as defined by the State of California, and we have extended those cancelations through Jan. 17, 2021 and could be extended longer. Customers are being notified.
Parks and preserves remain open, though some on-site amenities have been closed for your protection.
Please maintain social distancing and wear a mask whenever you are in close contact with other park guests. Limit gatherings to one household unit.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. For more information about the novel coronavirus and current status, visit coronavirus-sd.com.
Beginning today, playgrounds have reopened at all County park. Exercise stations have also reopened.
As a reminder, please maintain a safe social distance of at least 6 feet from other park visitors. Bring and wear a mask if you come in close contact, for your safety and theirs. All group outings are limited to one household unit.
This graphic explains what's currently open and closed, at a high level.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. For more information about the novel coronavirus and current status, visit the County's coronavirus webpage at coronavirus-sd.com.
State and local public health officials instituted new guidelines to combat the spread of COVID-19. In accordance with these guidelines, and in an effort to protect our staff and customers, the County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) will be temporarily closing all of its campgrounds and canceling all camping and day-use reservations this Sunday, Dec. 6 (at 12:59 p.m.), through at least Dec. 27, 2020.
Additional changes to park operations:
Campgrounds open for day-use only; no overnight stays
Playgrounds closed
Fitness stations closed
Outlings limited to single households
Parks and preserves remain open with these guidelines in place. Most on-site amenities also remain open. Community centers, gyms, teen centers and nature centers remain closed. Please obey posted signs.
As a reminder, please maintain a safe social distance of at least 6 feet from other park visitors. Bring and wear a mask if you come in close contact, for your safety and theirs. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. For more information about the novel coronavirus and current status, visit the County's coronavirus webpage at coronavirus-sd.com.
11/20/2020 Based on the most recent COVID-19 information, our parks and preserves remain open, along with campgrounds. However, public health recommendations remain in place, for your safety and ours. Please maintain social distancing, and wear a mask when you come within 6 feet of contacting other park visitors. Groups are limited to three households. Campground quiet hours remain from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.
11/20/20 Based on the most recent COVID-19 information, our parks and preserves remain open, along with campgrounds. However, public health recommendations remain in place, for your safety and ours. Please maintain social distancing, and wear a mask when you come within 6 feet of contacting other park visitors. Groups are limited to three households. Campground quiet hours remain from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. View the full list of parks and open/closed amenities here.
Per recent changes to public health guidelines issued by the State of California, household gatherings - which were previously limited to one family unit - have now been expanded to three family units. This includes everyone present, including hosts and all guests. This change in guidelines is for outside gatherings only. Mingling with members of other gatherings is not allowed. Learn more.
Reservations for some group areas within County parks have now opened; book a site via our online reservation system.
On Wednesday, Sept. 30, playgrounds in County Parks opened, with new guidelines in place for your safety and the safety of park staff. Capacity limitations for both play areas and play structures have been posted - please obey all posted signs.
While visiting a playground, please honor social distancing, wear a mask (and make sure all children over the age of 2 have masks on while playing), wash hands before and after touching play equipment, and if you're sick, stay home.
Friendly reminder, parks and preserves remain open though some amenities have been closed due to current Public Health Orders. Please obey posted signs.
The Front Desk is accepting phone calls 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and emails at AskParks.Lue@sdcounty.ca.gov . Walk-ins are not available at this time.
While sports fields and courts are open, activities are limited to solo activities, youth camps and games played between members of the same household unit. Adult leagues are not allowed at this time.
Please continue to practice social distancing, and bring a mask with you to wear if you come in close contact of park users.
On Friday, Aug. 28, the County released new information regarding the Public Heath Order and related state guidelines. View https://covid19.ca.gov/ for more information.
Here is how these changes impact County of San Diego Parks and Recreation properties and services:
Parks and preserves remain open with sanitation and safe social distancing protocols in place. Please obey posted signage.
Day camps will continue to operate with sanitation and safe social distancing protocols in place.
Our Nature Centers at San Elijo Lagoon, Sycamore Canyon/Goodan Ranch and Santa Ysabel will reopen Aug. 31 to visitors at 25% capacity.
Rancho Penasquitos Adobe and Rancho Guajome Adobe – along with Temple Beth Israel – will reopen Aug. 31 to visitors at 25% capacity.
Indoor weddings, funerals and other religious services will be permitted beginning Aug. 31 at 25% capacity, or 100 people, whatever is less. Receptions and social gatherings are not yet permitted.
Our Community Centers in Fallbrook, Lakeside and Spring Valley will reopen Aug. 31 at 10% capacity for indoor fitness and dance classes. We're updating our program listings; please check back for updates.
The Spring Valley Gym will soon reopen at 10% capacity.
Agua Caliente campground is scheduled to open Sept. 4. Outdoor pools will be open with limited capacity and social distancing requirements. Indoor pools will remain closed.
Group camping is not yet permitted; restrictions remain in place that limit each campsite to a maximum of 8 people – all part of the same household unit.
Playgrounds remain closed.
Indoor and outdoor festivals and concerts remain canceled.
Our Headquarters remains closed; staff will continue to check email and phone lines, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you have a question, send an email to Askparks.Lue@sdcountyca.gov, or call 858-565-3600.
Per the most recent Public Health Order, outdoor religious services and cultural ceremonial activities may be conducted, provided all persons practice social distancing. Outdoor fitness classes and camps are also permitted. County parks that are available for these types of services and activities - pending availability, permits and compliance with public health guidelines - are listed below.
Permits must be applied for in advance via our Reservation Team. They can be reached Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. at 858-565-3600.
Permit fees are waived under this order, for qualifying organiztions, but permits are still required in all reservable areas, regardless of the size of the group. The number of permits available for each park depends on the total available spaces. Permits can be granted for a single event, or for a longer time period (up to 3 months).
Permit Qualifications:
Activities must fall within the categories of religious services and ceremonies or fitness organizations
Applicants must be affiliated with a "brick and mortar" location that has been closed due to the current Public Health Order
Provide an EIN or Tax ID Number
Provide insurance naming the County of San Diego as an additional insured
Provide a copy of their Safe Reopening Plan
NOTE: Permits will expire as soon as the Public Health Order allows these organizations to resume indoor operations. At that point, the group or organization can continue to operate outdoors if they pay the regular fees associated with that site and location.
Parks that allow permits, per the Public Health Order:
4S Ranch Community Park
Borrego Springs County Park
Collier County Park
Dos Picos County Park
El Monte County Park
Felicita County Park
Flinn Springs County Park
Guajome Regional Park
Heritage Couty Park
Hilton Head County Park
Horse Creek Ridge County Park
Lake Morena County Park
Lindo Lake County Park
Live Oak County Park
Loius Stelzer County Park
Old Ironsides County Park
Otay Lakes County Park
Pine Valley County Park
Potrero County Park
Provence House
Rainbow County Park
San Dieguito County Park
Spring Valley County Park
Steele Canyon County Park
Sweetwater Summit
William Heise County Park
Due to the most recent public health order, we will be closing several indoor facilities beginning Tuesday, July 7. These include:
San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center
Santa Ysabel Nature Center
Sycamore Canyon/Goodan Ranch Nature Center
Temple Beth Israel
County park facilities that will stay open include those that serve as cool zones (community centers in Fallbrook, Lakeside and Spring Valley) and Spring Valley Gymnasium, with updates to operations for your safety and ours.
County-managed parks, preserves and parking lots remain open, along with trails, picnic areas and on-site restrooms. View this comprehensive list of County properties to see what's open and closed before you visit. Thank you for your cooperation.
For more information regarding the novel coronavirus and current status, visit the County's coronavirus webpage at coronavirus-sd.com.
Recent public health orders have made it possible to reopen wedding facilities for ceremonies, only. These facilities will be operating at reduced capacity, with new guidelines in place to ensure the safety of all guests and park staff.
To inquire about a space, call or leave a message with our Reservation Team at 858-565-3600. Staff will be able to share information regarding what is open, when, and how many guests can be present at a given time. Please remember:
Receptions are not allowed nor are meetups or park gatherings of any size.
Masks are required; guests are expected to wear masks indoors, and when they come within 6 feet of another guest.
Beginning Friday, June 12, the County will reopen the following amenities, which have been closed due to recommendations by Public Health Officials in the wake of COVID-19.
Opening 6/12/20:
Waterfront Park Fountains
Historic Adobes
Leagues sports can be played by youth but not for adults; please check back for updates.
Fallbrook, Lakeside and Spring Valley Community Centers will temporarily reopen as County Cool Zones, with restrictions in place for your safety and ours.
For more information regarding the novel coronavirus and current status, visit the County's coronavirus webpage at coronavirus-sd.com .
Public Health Officials have relaxed restrictions on County campgrounds. This means, beginning Friday, June 12, nearly all of our campsites that were previously closed due to COVID-19 will now be open – including cabins.
Click here to book a new reservation.
Additional information can be found in this article and this FAQ page.
Thank you for your support as we continue to adjust park operations to meet safety guidelines.
Beginning Tuesday, June 9, Sweetwater Bike Park will reopen to the public. Details:
The park will be open 7 days a week, from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
50 guests will be admitted to the park per 2-hour timeslot
Timeslots: 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., 12 - 2 p.m., 2:30 - 4:30 p.m., 5 - 7 p.m.
Reservations are not needed; guests should check in with a ranger or volunteer when they arrive
The parking lot and the portable restroom are open
Guests should bring face masks and maintain safe social distancing
Guests should not visit if they are sick or are showing symptoms of COVID-19
No groups or meet-ups
All other rules apply - please obey posted signs
Opened this year, Sweetwater Bike Park is a free, family-friendly bike skills park located in Bonita, and it's the only park of its kind in San Diego County.
County-managed parks, preserves and parking lots remain open, though some on-site amenities may be closed. Signs are posted. View this comprehensive list of County properties to see what's open and closed before you visit.
Beginning Saturday, June 6, the skate parks at Lindo Lake County Park and Jess Martin County Park will reopen to the public. Guests are reminded to stay home if they're sick, avoid groups and gatherings, and to wear masks if they come within 6 feet of other park users.
County-managed parks, preserves and parking lots remain open, along with trails and some picnic areas and dog parks. Campground are open at half-capacity. View this comprehensive list of County properties to see what's open and closed before you visit.
In accordance with public health orders, we have relaxed some park restrictions:
Parking lots that were previously open at 50% are now open at 100%
Staging areas at Barnett Ranch, Holly Oaks, Simon and Mt. Gower Preserves are now open
Additional reopenings remain in effect - as well as any closures that have not yet been lifted (details below). You can also view the full list of parks and amenities to see what's open and closed near you.
Social distancing mandates remain in place. Please stay home if you are sick, and bring a mask if you head out, to wear if you come within 6 feet of another park user.
We realize this is a confusing situation and we apologize for the frequent changes to park operations. We are moving in the right direction, and look forward to hosting you at full capacity soon.
With campgrounds now open at half capacity, we've updated our reservation system to only show sites that are open and available. About 50 percent of our sites have been closed in accordance with public health orders, including group areas and cabins. This is a temporary measure but one that is essential, for your safety and ours, as we navigate operations during COVID-19.
If you would like to make a reservation, you may do so online. Sites are now open through the end of the year.
If you already have a reservation, and your site has been temporarily closed, you will receive an email with options to wait-and-see, transfer or cancel. Wait-and-see means we are evaluating the situation daily and may still be able to honor those reservations if public health orders are lifted before the date of the reservation.
Additional details can be found on our Camping FAQ page.
In accordance with recent public health orders, we are continuing to relax restrictions at our parks and preserves. The following amenities are now open (unless otherwise posted; please obey all signs for your safety, and ours).
Now open:
Picnic tables (unless otherwise posted)
Park benches (unless otherwise posted)
Lamar Off-leash Dog Park
Borrego Springs Off-leash Dog Park
This is in addition to our campgrounds (now operating at half capacity), the boat dock and boat rentals at Lake Morena, and all of our parks and preserves (except indoor spaces like museums, nature centers and community and teen centers).
Social distancing mandates remain in place. When you leave your place, cover your face if you come within 6 feet of another park user.
View the updated list of parks with information on what is open and closed.
5/18/20 Beginning today, May 18, fishing from shore will be allowed at County lakes and ponds, to include Lake Morena, Lindo Lake, Luelf Pond, and the ponds at Dos Picos County Park and Guajome Regional Park. This is in addition to fishing by boat or kayak, where applicable. Social distancing mandates remain in place, per the most recent public health order. Please obey posted signs for your safety and ours.
With campgrounds effectively operating at half capacity, we are now accepting reservations through the month of June, with new guidelines and safety protocols in place to comply with public health orders. Reservations must be booked online or in person. Learn more and visit our FAQ page.
Click the maps below to view which campsites are open, pending availability:
Agua Caliente County Park
Sweetwater Summit Regional Park
Vallecito County Park
San Diego County officials announced the gradual reopening of County campgrounds. We will be opening at 50 percent capacity—to tent and RV campers—with new guidelines in place to comply with public health orders related to COVID-19. Learn more.
All other closures (listed below) remain in effect, except for:
Campgrounds which are now open at limited capacity
The boat dock at Lake Morena which is now open along with a limited number of boat rentals; fishing from shore is still not allowed
Most County parks and preserves remain open to foot, bike and horse traffic. Trails are open, and we've begun a phased reopening of some park activities and offerings, to include picnics and parking, per the most recent Public Health Order.
This comprehensive park list contains properties that are managed by the County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation, with their current status as open or closed followed by the status of on-site amenities. It is being updated weekly; check back for updates.
As a reminder, the following properties and amenities are closed until further notice. We look forward to hosting guests at full capacity as soon as it is safe to do so.
Annie's Canyon Trail at San Elijo Lagoon
Clemmens Lane County Park
Palomar Mountain County Park
Santa Margarita County Preserve
Front Desk Services at DPR Headquarters and 4S Ranch (phone lines open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday, 858-565-3600)
Campgrounds: Agua Caliente, Dos Picos, Guajome, Lake Morena, Potrero, Sweetwater Vallecito and William Heise County Parks
Community Centers: Fallbrook, Lakeside and Spring Valley
Teen Centers: Lakeside and Spring Valley
Spring Valley Gymnasium
Rancho Guajome Adobe and the Ranch House at Los Penasquitos
Temple Beth Israel at Heritage Park
Nature Centers: Goodan Ranch, San Elijo and Santa Ysabel
Off-Leash Dog Areas: Borrego Springs, Lamar and Live Oak County Parks
Bike Skills Course at Sweetwater Regional Park
Skate Parks at Lindo Lake and Jess Martin County Parks
All outdoor fitness stations, play structures and splash pads
All large reservable spaces within parks, to include pavilions, gazebos and group picnic areas
Fountains at Waterfront Park
Per the most recent Public Health Order, beginning May 1, each public park and recreation area shall operate in compliance with new social distancing protocol. The public shall not congregate or participate in active sport activities at a park with the exception of members of a single family or household if authorized pursuant to the protocol applicable to the park. Any park at which the Protocol requirements cannot be effectively implemented shall close.
PARKING: Beginning May 1, parking lots at most County-managed parks and preserves will open at 50 percent capacity. A few lots will remain closed; please obey posted signs.
PICNICKING: Beginning May 1, individuals and members of a single family/household will be allowed to picnic in open grass areas of parks, if they practice social distancing from other park guests. NOTE: Tables and BBQs remain closed (personal BBQs are permitted; please check with park staff upon arrival). Please obey posted signs.
BOATING/FISHING: Beginning May 1, recreational boating will be allowed for individuals and members of a single family/household, only. Lake Morena will open to personal watercraft, but rentals will remain closed. Fishing will be allowed from a boat or kayak – but not from the shoreline.
SPORTS: Beginning May 1, sports courts (basketball, tennis, pickleball and volleyball) will open to individuals and members of a single family/household. Organized sports will also be allowed on sports fields, as long as participants are part of the same family/household. NOTE: Lindo Lake and Jess Martin Skate Parks and Sweetwater Bike Park remain closed. Outdoor fitness equipment is also closed.
RESERVATIONS: Camping and event reservations have been canceled through the month of May. Reservation holders will receive an email with more information, followed by a full refund. Ranger-led activities, and those coordinated through our community centers in Fallbrook, Lakeside and Spring Valley, are canceled until further notice.
All other closures and guidelines, listed below, remain in effect.
Beginning May 1, the County hopes to relax restrictions for parks where social distancing can be maintained. New social distancing protocol templates have been created for parks in anticipation of a phased reopening. Additionally, as of May 1, everyone must wear face coverings if they are in public and if they come within 6 feet of another person. NOTE: Masks are not required for all recreational activities where social distancing can be maintained (e.g. hiking, surfing and cycling) but should be carried as a precaution.
Read the County's latest Public Health Order, issued 4/26/20, which contains a more detailed list of updates. For more information regarding the novel coronavirus and current status – and how it affects other (non-recreational) County properties and businesses – visit the County's coronavirus webpage at coronavirus-sd.com .
Parks and preserves will remain open to foot, bike and horse traffic (where applicable), but not vehicles. We would like to remind all guests that if they cannot walk or ride a bike or horse to a park, they should not go.
PERMITTED: Passive recreation; you may walk, run or ride a bike or horse along trails in our open parks and preserves – but keep moving.
NOT PERMITTED: Active recreation like basketball, soccer, roller hockey, tennis, pickleball and other sports – in addition to stationary activities that keep you in a single area like fishing, yoga, picnicking and reading under a tree.
The following sites and amenities remain closed:
Santa Margarita County Preserve (Wildlands Conservancy side only; County trails remain open to local traffic)
Campgrounds at Agua Caliente, Dos Picos, Potrero, Vallecito and William Heise County Parks (those already on site at Guajome, Lake Morena and Sweetwater Summit may stay through the end of their reservation)
Community Centers in Fallbrook, Lakeside and Spring Valley
Teen Centers in Lakeside and Spring Valley
Nature Centers at Goodan Ranch, San Elijo and Santa Ysabel
Off-Leash Dog Areas at Borrego Springs, Lamar and Live Oak County Parks
Boating and fishing in all County-managed ponds and lakes
All ballfields and sports courts (and all organized sports)
Per the most recent Public Health Order, Section 12: "All public parks and recreation areas, including public beaches, must comply with section 10 (Social Distancing and Sanitation Protocol). Parking lots at such facilities shall be closed, and all such facilities shall be accessible only from members of the public who reside within walking distance of the facility. Said facilities shall be used solely for walking, hiking, equestrian and bicycle riding. The public shall not congregate or participate in active sport activities at said facilities. Swimming, surfing, paddle boarding, boating for recreational purposes, and all other water recreational activities, are prohibited on or in public waterways and at beaches. All public parks and recreation areas, including public beaches, where social distancing requirements cannot be effectively implemented shall close. The forgoing does not prohibit public employees from engaging in safety or maintenance activities at these facilities."
All other guidelines, cancelations and closures (listed below) remain in effect, with the addition of drinking fountains.
Beginning today, all parking lots and staging areas at County parks and preserves will be closed, along with all ballfields and sports courts. This is in accordance with the most recent Public Health Order, which states public parks and recreation areas shall only be accessible to members to the public who live within walking distance; that facilities shall be used solely for walking, hiking, equestrian and bike riding; and that the public shall not congregate or participate in active sport activities.
Parks and preserves will remain open to foot, bike and horse traffic, but not vehicles. We would like to remind all guests that if they cannot walk or ride a bike or horse to a park, they should not go. Staff will be on site to enforce this updated policy, in conjunction with local law enforcement.
NOT PERMITTED: Active sport activities like basketball, soccer, roller hockey, tennis, pickleball and other sports and stationary activities that keep you in a single area like fishing, yoga, picnicking and reading under a tree.
These changes join a number of other updates to park operations. The following amenities remain closed:
Los Penasquitos Canyon (City side only; County trails and grounds remain open to local traffic)
All outdoor fitness stations and play structures
Camping reservations and privately booked events along with all leagues, classes and ranger-led programs have been canceled through April and until further notice.
Please check back for updates. For more information regarding the novel coronavirus and current status, visit the County's coronavirus webpage at coronavirus-sd.com .
In light of the County's Public Health Order extension, all staff-led activities and private events in County parks and preserves that were scheduled to take place in the month of April have been canceled. Reservation-holders will receive full refunds (see first post for 3/30/20, below, for details).
As of close-of-business day on March 30, all County parks and preserves remain open, with the exception of:
Annie's Canyon Trail at San Elijo Lagoon
Los Penasquitos Canyon County Preserve (staging area only; trails, garden and outside ranch are open)
Santa Margarita County Preserve (staging area only)
To view locations, visit the "Find a Park" tab on this site and search alphabetically or by map. Please check back for updates.
In light of the County's Public Health Order extension, all camping reservations scheduled to take place during the month of April have been canceled, and all reservation holders will receive a full refund.
Reservation holders will receive an email notice of cancelation. To receive a refund, they will need to respond to the email to confirm receipt, including their name and day-time phone number. A reservation team member will follow up to process the refund. NOTE: It may take up to 2 weeks for the refund to show up in your account.
San Diego County public health officials have issued stay-at-home orders to limit the spread of the coronavirus disease, or COVID-19. A statewide order issued March 19 expanded on parts of the local order. On March 28, the County extended its order so that it remains in effect until further notice. In accordance with this, and in an effort to protect our staff and customers in the wake of the coronavirus, the County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) will be temporarily closing all of its campgrounds and canceling all camping and day-use reservations through April 30.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this challenging time. For more information about DPR's response to COVID-19, visit sdparks.org.
For more information about the novel coronavirus and current status, visit the County's coronavirus webpage at coronavirus-sd.com.
All closures and program cancelations (listed below) are now in effect until further notice, per an extended emergency order issued by the County of San Diego.
County parks and preserves remain open, with the exception of Annie's Canyon Trail at San Elijo Lagoon, and Clemmens Lane. All other closures and cancelations remain in place. Please check back for updates.
County parks and preserves remain open, with the exception of Clemmens Lane. All other closures and cancelations remain in place. Please check back for updates.
We are committed to supporting staff and customers through the challenging COVID-19 pandemic situation by taking precautionary measures to reduce large numbers of customers and staff gathering in confined spaces. As such, we have made the decision to temporarily close the following park facilities as of Friday, 3/20:
Front Desk Services at DPR Headquarters (phone lines open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday, 858-565-3600)
Campgrounds at Agua Caliente, Dos Picos Guajome, Lake Morena, Potrero, Sweetwater Summit, Vallecito, William Heise County Parks (those already on site may stay through the end of their reservation)
Bike Skills Course at Sweetwater Regional
The following remain closed and/or canceled:
Privately booked events + leagues, classes and ranger-led programs through March
Parks offer sunlight, solace and a break from social isolation. For this reason, gates will remain open at all other County parks and preserves – but we strongly urge all park guests to keep their hands clean, avoid touching their faces and to maintain a safe social distance of 6 feet per the CDC.
Visit the "Find a Park" tab sdparks.org to locate a destination near you – there are more than a hundred locales with nearly 370 miles of trails in our park portfolio.
We will continue to work behind the scenes to maintain your outdoor spaces, sanitize restrooms, remove trash, patrol trails, enforce park policies, answer calls, care for animal ambassadors and complete key projects. Safety is a priority, and we've taken action to reduce risk in parks while providing critical and essential services to our customers.
Due to the most recent update shared by County Health Officials, we will be canceling all ranger-led activities scheduled to take place in our parks and preserves through the end of March.
Senior Lunch at Lakeside Community Center has been also canceled - as have the senior lunches that take place at Fallbrook and Spring Valley Community Centers.
Parks and preserves remain open, pending inclement weather. Check our Alerts page for the latest information.
All facility closures [listed below] still apply.
The following DPR facilities are closed today through March 31, or until further notice:
Stelzer Animal Visitor Room
San Elijo Nature Center
The Temple Beth Israel Room at Heritage Park
Rancho de Los Penasquitos Adobe
Goodan Ranch Center in Sycamore Canyon
Fallbrook Community Center
Lakeside Community Center
Lakeside Teen Center
Spring Valley Community Center
Spring Valley Teen Center
4S Ranch Park Reservation Office
All other County parks and preserves remain open, pending inclement weather. Check our Alerts page for the latest information.
To protect the public due to the novel coronavirus, the County Parks and Recreation Department (DPR) is postponing the following events, which were scheduled to be held March 13 through March 31, 2020.
All DPR programs inside Fallbrook, Lakeside and Spring Valley Community Centers, and Spring Valley Gymnasium (offices remain open)
Daily senior lunches at Fallbrook Community Center
Breakfast with the Bunny at Fallbrook Community Center – March 28
Breakfast with the Bunny at Otay Lakes – March 28
Eggstravaganza at San Dieguito – March 28
The following facilities are also closed: Lakeside Teen Center and Spring Valley Teen Center. All other parks and park facilities remain open, pending inclement weather.
The County's Public Health Officer banned mass gatherings and announced social distancing and visiting restrictions, countywide, on March 12 to slow the regional spread of novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19. For more information regarding the novel coronavirus and current status, visit the County's coronavirus webpage at coronavirus-sd.com.
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CLEVELAND, Ohio - Several of the fans who purchased tickets to the 2017 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony and its simulcast are all wondering the same thing.
What are the chances Steve Perry will perform with Journey? Well, it's not looking good.
Perry hasn't performed with Journey in three decades. He's also been silent on whether or not he'll even attend the Rock Hall Ceremony in Brooklyn, N.Y. on April 7.
But his former bandmates in Journey have echoed the same thing: "The door has always been open," guitarist Neil Schon told The Spokesman-Review in a recent interview.
If you've been paying attention, it's something Schon has said on multiple occasions.
"I've always tried to make direct contact with him rather than using his attorney. [Steven has] not allowed that," Schon told the Review. "The fans need to work on him (Perry) a bit more if they want him to come up and (sing with Journey). He's really not interested in doing anything with us. We're completely fine with that."
If Perry would come out and say he is performing with Journey, or even attending the ceremony for that matter, it would be a heck of a selling point. Though, the Rock Hall doesn't need it considering the show is already sold out.
Mostly, it seems Schon and his bandmates are sick of criticism over a potential reunion. And understandably so.
"I just get so tired of hearing people say, 'You need to put your ego aside," Schon reiterated. "You need to go knock on his door and tell him how you feel.' I go 'No, you just don't have a clue.'"
For it's part, the Rock Hall has been quiet about any contact (or lack there of) with Perry or his reps. It might be time to stop believin'.
tater1977 wrote: "I just get so tired of hearing people say, 'You need to put your ego aside," Schon reiterated. "You need to go knock on his door and tell him how you feel.' I go 'No, you just don't have a clue.'"
Looks like Little Napoleon is getting irritated.
Neal if you are reading this just put your ego aside already and make it happen.
I remember Entertainment Weekly's scathing review of Arrival that read "DO stop believin."
Band's still around tho and making bank.
Fascinating how Perry has remained completely silent for 20 years, while Journey have been interviewed thousands of times over that period. Perception most people still have is that its Neal and/or Jon that resist reunion, even though they've said over and over that the door is open.
FamilyMan wrote: Fascinating how Perry has remained completely silent for 20 years, while Journey have been interviewed thousands of times over that period. Perception most people still have is that its Neal and/or Jon that resist reunion, even though they've said over and over that the door is open.
The mis-perception was enforced by VH1 Behind the Music. Made it look like the band fired Perry instead of waiting over a decade for him to rejoin.
Agreed, and almost 20 years after BTM, it is reinforced by shoddy journalists who do no research on the subject before asking/writing about it. Anyone who spent 30 minutes googling various interviews by Neal/Jon on the subject would know the answer and report it.
All Perry has to do is keep silent and leave it to the other guys to look bad based on a misrepresentation.
For those who don't know, I'm a Clevelander, so I read this guy's drek every day in the newspaper. He's a minimum wage 20-something journalistic hack. His articles are terrible and poorly researched. No surprise here.


Three days after awarding a lucrative state contract to a company connected to the Rev. Floyd H. Flake, one of New York's most influential black pastors, Gov. David A. Paterson summoned Mr. Flake to his Harlem office Monday morning and sounded him out about his political support.
On Friday, New York state awarded a franchise for video gaming machines at Aqueduct racetrack to something called the Aqueduct Entertainment Group (AEG), which will pay the state hundreds of millions for the opportunity. Making the pitch for AEG was Flake, who while a member of Congress in the nineties, faced serious ethics charges.
Two of Flake's close associates and protégés are Rep. Gregory Meeks and state Senator Malcolm Smith. As we exposed on Sunday, Meeks and Smith are deeply involved in a nonprofit called the New Direction Local Development Corporation that appears to function as their slush fund.
…the list of folks involved with Flake's Aqueduct Entertainment Group reads like a New Direction class reunion.
There's Darryl Greene, a minor partner in the venture and a former business partner of Smith's. His wife was a founding board member of the charity, along with Smith's wife.
Greene also was convicted in 1999 of stealing $500,000 in city and corporate cash through a minority-hiring scam.
And, of course, there's Flake himself, who's long been among Smith's closest political confidantes.
No surprise, then, that the Rev. Edwin Reed, the CFO of the development arm of Flake's Jamaica church, doubles as New Direction's treasurer.
The comments by Mr. Flake and other black leaders expressing enthusiasm for Mr. Cuomo unnerved Mr. Paterson's staff as it works to shore up his support in the black community, which would be crucial to the governor's hope of staying in office.
The effort to build a casino at the Aqueduct racetrack has been a tortuous eight-year-long process, and critics have portrayed the final round of negotiations as Albany at its worst, with no formal process and scant disclosure.
In fact, the Aqueduct Entertainment Group received poor ratings in a ranking of the bidders compiled by the state's Lottery Division, according to several people with knowledge of the process.
In April 1991, the government's case against Flake — which consisted of charges that he embezzled funds from a housing project run by his church and evaded taxes — was dismissed after a federal judge barred prosecutors from presenting what one called "the heart" of the case to the jury.
Despite that victory, the entire episode made Flake "damaged goods" in the eyes of many Democrats, hurting his prospects for advancement in Washington.
It apparently does not preclude advancement back home, where a desperate governor is running for re-election.


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Iraq and Syria have populations that are ethnically and religiously diverse. Both countries have a long history of authoritarian rule by the Baath party, which ended in Iraq in 2003 with the US led invasion. Only in 2011 did the Syrian people start massive uprisings against the Baath regime, still in power in Damascus. The Syrian and Iraqi authoritarian regimes have always presented themselves as tolerant towards minority religions and protectors of religious minorities. Yet, years of authoritarian rule and divide and rule policies have created an atmosphere of distrust and suspicion. In 2003 when the Saddam Hussein regime collapsed, the Iraqi society became extremely unstable and dangerous. Violence, often with a sectarian character, has touched all groups in society and led to large numbers of refugees and IDPs. In Syria, the regime portrays the conflict between protesters and the Syrian army mainly as a sectarian struggle, of Sunni Islamists against the rest of the population. In contrast, the opposition tries to present an inclusive agenda for all citizens of Syria. Yet, as violence continually intensifies in Syria, sectarian tensions and violence are deepening.
Like several other European countries, the Netherlands regards 'freedom of religion and belief' as one of the key issues in its human rights policy. PAX and its partners in Iraq and Syria have stressed that a policy that singles out religious minorities might be counter-productive. As such, we have proposed a policy that focuses on citizenship and respect for diversity as the most effective approach.
The program targets the following problems and the objectives to which they give rise:
Iraq and Syria lack a social framework composed of people capable of advocating for respect for rights, diversity, and civic responsibility. This programme expressly works to develop the capacities of local partners and of young civil activists with the potential of becoming community leaders.
This project addresses on the fact that the majority of the population in the programme countries consists of young people who have grown up in an environment dominated by sectarian thinking, in fear and ignorance of the other. It capitalizes upon the new dynamic possible in this generation. The innovative educational component concentrates on overcoming this mindset in the upcoming generation; a participatory element aims at involving these young people in monitoring and defending human rights, minority rights, and, in particular, freedom of religion.
Repression may quell expression of sectarian division, but it also cultivates its roots. It politicizes religious and ethnic identity and impedes the ability to create mechanisms that mitigate conflict. For that reason, this programme aims to depoliticize religious and ethnic identity by promoting a human rights approach that puts people's rights and duties first. By linking Iraq and Syria in an educational component, we anticipate a preventive effect, especially in Syria. The programme also envisions establishing an early warning mechanism to prevent conflict and to resolve incidents.
By and large, the legal framework guarantees all people's equality regardless of religion or ethnic background, but it does have flaws. These include family law and, in Iraq, the mix of sharia and human rights in the new constitution. Current laws are observed inadequately and their violations go unpunished. As such, this programme intends to monitor and improve the legal framework in order to to contribute to better compliance with legislation and to counter impunity.
Finally, this programme recognizes the role of the international community. Its objective is to have international actors adopt a more inclusive approach that is aimed at the rights and responsibilities of minorities and majorities and that gives priority to conflict prevention.
The security, human rights, and social position of minorities in Syria and Iraq will have been improved as a result of greater awareness among and action by local groups of activists and young people with international support stressing a human rights approach and conflict prevention.
This shall be apparent from:
A stronger framework of people in Iraq and Syria with the ability to stand up for rights;
Greater cooperation and trust between religious and ethnic groups;
Fewer attempts by political leaders and opinion makers to play religious and ethnic groups against one another;
Legal reform and law enforcement.


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Roundup for 2019
As always (at least since 2014, when I started this tradition), here in the final post of December I review my goals for 2019 and how well I met them, in preparation for setting new goals for 2020 next week.
On the whole, I met and in some cases exceeded this year's targets. See below for details.
(1) Publish Song of the Siren (Songs of Steppe & Forest 1), on schedule in late February.
Met. Song of the Siren launched on February 19 with a number of lovely endorsements from fellow writers and, although nowhere near bestseller status, has done well in comparison with my other novels. It has also spurred sales of my earlier books, especially The Golden Lynx and The Not Exactly Scarlet Pimpernel.
(2) Produce a final manuscript of Song of the Shaman (Songs 2) and sketch out book 3, Song of the Sisters.
Exceeded. Song of the Shaman is available for sale as of today and ready for its formal launch date on January 14, 2020, by which time I expect Amazon to have linked the print and paperback versions. Song of the Sisters is now on its second draft, and I have developed a complete outline for a historical murder mystery to be co-written with P. K. Adams and set in Muscovy in 1553. We hope to start the writing any day, with the idea of producing a full draft by next summer and, with luck, eventually a trilogy set in Poland-Lithuania as well as Russia.
(3) Conduct twelve New Books in Historical Fiction interviews.
Exceeded. Demand was heavy from January on, and at one point it looked as if I would have twenty by year's end, but for various reasons I topped out at eighteen. I also hosted Q&As with authors on this blog about once a month in addition to the podcast interviews for the New Books Network, and I reviewed a number of other books either at length or as part of my quarterly Bookshelf rubric—most often both.
(4) Typeset/proof, produce e-books, and in some cases edit Five Directions Press titles scheduled for 2019.
Met. For a while, it looked as if Song of the Siren might be our only title this year, but in the end we had three. I edited Joan Schweighardt's Gifts for the Dead (Rivers 2) while she edited Gabrielle Mathieu's Girl of Fire (Berona's Quest 1); then I typeset them both and produced the e-books after they finished proofing the typeset files.
(5) Stay current with online marketing efforts and outreach. At a minimum, I plan to keep up my weekly blog posts, maintain my website and the Five Directions Press website, and participate regularly if not every month in such group features as "Books We Loved" and "Five Directions Press Authors Dish."
Met. Although heavy work commitments meant that I was absent from social media more than is either desirable or wise for a small-press author, I did manage to keep up with my blog, maintain and update my website (hint: book links are now separated by series rather than all crammed into one page) and the Five Directions Press site. I submitted entries for "Books We Loved" in eleven out of twelve months and contributed at least three "Authors Dish" posts, as well as a Spotlight interview with P. K. Adams (conducted before we established the parameters of our joint project).
So not a bad show, all told. Check back next week to find out what I have planned for next year. In the meantime, my best wishes for a wonderful holiday season and a peaceful and productive 2020!
Image: Purchased by subscription from iClipart.com, #c1219315_b.jpg .
Island Paradise
As luck would have it, I've never visited Hawaii. I'd love to, someday, but so far I have not.
I first heard of the islands as a schoolchild in the UK, as the place where Captain James Cook died. In those days, Hawaii was an independent kingdom, although portrayed as a savage, uncivilized one in the colonialist textbook of my primary (elementary) school. Of course, this was the same textbook that reduced the six-year American War of Independence to a paragraph stating that King George III kindly released the colonists from their obligations to the crown in response to a few disturbances. When I moved across the Atlantic at the age of eleven, I soon learned the other side to that story, and it wasn't hard to imagine that the Hawaiians might have had good reasons for objecting to Captain Cook as well.
There in Chicago, I learned about Hawaii as the fiftieth state, an island paradise where folks from the other forty-nine wanted to hang out on their vacations. Sun, beach, sea, mountains—even a kid in junior high school could appreciate the appeal. There was a casual mention of annexation in my US history classes, but that appeared as little more than a footnote on the way to rounding out the national roster—glossed over along with all the other stories of conquest and exploitation in favor of emphasis on the Louisiana Purchase and the $7 million that William Seward paid for Alaska. A different picture, for sure, stripped of the savage and uncivilized element, but not much more accurate for all that.
The Hawaii portrayed in Katherine Kayne's Bound in Flame, the subject of my latest interview for New Books in Historical Fiction, is, in contrast, a vibrant and multifaceted place—still wrestling with the reality of US annexation, the loss of the islands' independence, the overthrow of its royal family, and the assault on its ancient culture. There are certainly beaches, mountains, and flowers by the cartload, but the story behind the story is darker, grittier, and more realistic than the glorious photos of Waikiki with which we're so familiar. Richer, too, since this is a tale of an island kingdom that valued education, experienced a deep attachment to the land and its creatures, and supported strong and assertive women—riders, spiritual leaders, rulers—at a time when much of the mainland insisted that females should see themselves solely as "angels about the house."
As always, the rest of this post comes from New Books in Historical Fiction.
Leticia Liliuokalani Lang, better known as Letty, has good intentions, but her strong will and quick temper tend to get in her way. Banished from her Hawaiian home due to a conflict with her stepmother, Letty winds up in a California boarding school, where she decides to devote her career to healing animals—even though female veterinarians are scarcer than the proverbial hen's teeth in 1906.
On the ship back to her beloved islands, Letty notices a beautiful racehorse and realizes the horse's trainer is abusing him. An accident in the harbor sends the stallion into the ocean, and Letty dives in to save him without a second thought. That sets her on a collision course with the horse's owner and trainer after she insults the former and reports on the latter's mistreatment. All this before Letty even reaches her home and confronts the stepmother who sent her away.
Letty learns that she has a magical gift that challenges her self-control but acts as a source of strength and connection. She is one of nine Gates, bound to the earth, born with the ability to harness its power—represented by the flames of her spirit—to direct her intentions, for good or for ill. But Letty resists her destiny, knowing that her gift comes at a cost: a lifetime alone.
In this delightful debut novel Katherine Kayne sweeps us back to a Hawaii still mourning its lost kingdom, where ladies—their ballgowns covered in yards of protective fabric—gallop across the mountains and down the city streets on their way to polo matches and parties, men dance the hula as well as women, and flowers are everywhere. It's no accident that Bound in Flame kicks off a brand-new series, aptly called The Hawaiian Ladies Riding Society.
Image: Lei © Sanba38 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Yesterday I recorded the hundredth interview for New Books in Historical Fiction. It should go up next week, or at any rate before Christmas, and it will take us to early twentieth-century Hawaii, which is exactly where I'd like to be as the snow and long nights close in.
Of the hundred interviews that have posted or soon will, ninety-nine are mine—recorded over seven years, including eighteen this year alone. So it seems like a good time to stop and take stock. It's been a great deal of fun, and I hope to keep going. I've made great connections, talked to many wonderful authors, and even started a few friendships. And all because of a mistake.
A mistake? Well, you see, when I first approached Marshall Poe—the editor in chief of the New Books Network (NBN) and, not coincidentally, a fellow Muscovite historian—back in 2012, I just wanted to get some publicity for The Golden Lynx, then hot off the press. I'd seen a reference to the NBN in the journal I edit, and when I checked the site address, I saw a reference to a channel called New Books in Historical Fiction. At that point in time, I still had so little idea of what the NBN was that I didn't understand it involved podcasts. (In truth, back then I wasn't quite sure about podcasts, either, although I did know they were audio recordings.) But I knew Marshall from way back, so I wrote to him and asked for an interview.
Well, to cut a long story short, the NBN had a channel for historical fiction but no host. Marshall offered me the job, and I almost didn't take it. In high school I was a nerd, and shy as all get out (this news amazes people who know me now, but it's true). My husband called radio stations for contests or to make comments; I never did. The idea of getting on a microphone and talking on the air was alien to me. But then I thought about it and decided: why not? I had to grow up sometime. And I'd get to talk to fellow writers. How bad could it be? So I said yes.
Early on, while I was making every mistake imaginable—including my second interview, where I managed to press the buttons in the wrong sequence and record only my side of the interview, not my guest's—I had the good fortune to link up with Heather Drucker, the publicity director at HarperCollins. A stunningly competent and responsive publicist, Heather has sent me more authors than I can count. She's arranged three podcast interviews, as well as two blog posts and a written Q&A, with Bernard Cornwell. She's also connected me with half of her staff, who routinely send me books to consider and set up interviews as needed. One landed on my doorstep just the other day.
Also in those first few months, a chance connection on GoodReads, the social media site for readers, brought me into contact with Caitlin Hamilton Summie, an author and independent publicist who represents authors at many levels of publishing. In addition to these two wonderful ladies, I've approached quite a number of authors directly or by responding to e-mail requests. In the beginning, I was amazed and grateful that people even answered my e-mails and agreed to talk with me. These days, I rarely have an unfilled slot in my schedule (I'm booked now well into next year), but I'm still touched by authors' willingness to share their literary worlds with me, whether those involve Austen's England or some new angle on World War II.
In the meantime, the NBN has grown dramatically. From one channel in 2010, it's expanded to more than eighty, although most of those focus on academic subjects (exceptions include historical fiction, fantasy and adventure, science fiction, literature, and poetry). We've established a partnership with the Literary Hub, which posts links to new interviews every Friday. And as of last report, we're on track to serve nine million interviews in 2019. How many of them are mine, I don't know, but I do know that we have listeners in Europe and Australia as well as North America, which is very cool.
So have I sold many books, which was my original goal? Not really. A few, certainly, on occasions when I've been the guest rather than the host. But there are so many other benefits to this gig. The interviews give me something to post on social media that focuses on others rather than myself. I've made the acquaintance of many wonderful writers and enjoyed many fascinating conversations about writing. I've gotten a few endorsements for my books and visits to this blog. Through interviews I made the acquaintance of Joan Schweighardt, who has since joined Five Directions Press, and P. K. Adams, now a partner on that "Tudors meet Romanovs" mystery that I've mentioned in previous posts, now fully outlined and ready to write. For all those reasons, I'm so glad I took the chance and said yes when Marshall asked.
And although I still find new mistakes to make, I've become completely comfortable chatting with people on the air—something I never expected that day when I sent an e-mail asking for an interview about The Golden Lynx.
Maybe I'll even call a radio station someday. But then, why bother, when I have this lovely channel of my own?
Images: Lei of plumaria, "On Air" sign, Henry VIII reenactor—all via Pixabay (no attribution required).
Interview with Molly Greeley
I have to admit, for all the times I've read and watched Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, until I encountered Molly Greeley's new novel, The Clergyman's Wife, I had never spent a moment wondering what happened to Charlotte Lucas and the Reverend William Collins after their marriage. For people who have somehow managed to avoid the novel in all its forms, Charlotte is the plain, older (twenty-seven, which to me now seems very young!) friend of Pride and Prejudice's heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, and William Collins is the fly in the Bennet daughters' ointment—the little-known heir to their father's estate, who has illusions of further strengthening his claim by marrying Elizabeth.
But to my amazement, by the time I finished The Clergyman's Wife, not only was I delighted to have renewed my acquaintance with Charlotte but capable of mustering some sympathy for the otherwise risible Mr. Collins. How Molly Greeley works this miracle you'll have to discover for yourself, but here are a few insights into what got her started on this project and where she goes with it.
Pride and Prejudice novels are, in a way, the gold standard of publishing dreams, especially if an author can come up with a new take on the Bennet sisters' story, which you certainly have. Where did the idea come from to focus on Charlotte Lucas and the Reverend Williams Collins?
To be completely honest, I have always found Charlotte's story even more compelling than Elizabeth Bennet's, perhaps because it's (much) less of a fairy tale. Though Lizzy is brave in one way, determined not to compromise her values in favor of security, Charlotte has her own brand of courage, taking charge of her own life in the best way available to her.
Like all of Austen's novels, there is a lot in Pride and Prejudice about women's financial insecurity; but because the heroine falls into the arms of a man with ten thousand a year, the actual fallout of the inequalities between men and women during this time period doesn't fully play out, at least for Elizabeth Bennet. But Charlotte's story offers an opportunity to explore more deeply what might have happened to women who did not feel comfortable sacrificing their own and their family's comfort for the sake of romantic love that, realistically speaking, may or may not ever arrive. Lizzy's story is more palatable to our modern sensibilities, particularly since most modern women don't face destitution if they don't marry; but Charlotte's story is probably closer to the truth of what many women in Austen's time experienced.
Although Elizabeth (Lizzy) Bennet's good friend, Charlotte is a bit player in Austen's novel. Who is she as a character there, and how have marriage and motherhood changed her in your book, which starts a few years later?
In Pride and Prejudice, Charlotte is shown to be by turns playful—urging Lizzy to play the pianoforte, teasing her about Mr. Darcy—and practical to a fault. She thinks that Jane Bennet ought, in order to "secure" the rich, handsome Mr. Bingley, to pretend to a deeper affection for him than she is comfortable displaying until she knows him better; and she herself sets out to seduce Mr. Collins with her sympathy and attention, even while suspecting that she can never truly respect him. We know that she is intelligent and interesting enough to be good friends with Elizabeth, whose wit and love of a good laugh indicate she likely wouldn't be friends with a bore.
When Lizzy returns home from visiting Charlotte and William after their marriage, she reflects that Charlotte's "home and her housekeeping, her parish and her poultry … had not yet lost their charms." That "yet" seems very telling to me, and so when Chapter One of The Clergyman's Wife begins three years after Charlotte's marriage, all of those charms have begun to wear very thin. Her life in Hunsford is very solitary, and in order to slot herself into the role of the good clergyman's wife according to both William and Lady Catherine de Bourgh, she has lost, or at least buried, much of what would have made her an attractive friend to Lizzy. She is also now mother to a young daughter, and there is a fundamental tension between her realism—she knows deeply how important financial security is for a woman—and her burgeoning understanding that, while important, security simply isn't enough.
William Collins is, to put it bluntly, not the man of most young women's dreams. Why does Charlotte make a play for him after Lizzy turns him down?
I love that you said Charlotte "makes a play" for Mr. Collins, because this is exactly what she does, and it's one of the reasons I love her character so much. She doesn't set out to seduce him with her body, but by giving him what he really wants: attention. There are so many layers to unwrap here with regards to Charlotte's character—she is capable of boldness; she is calculating; she is empathic. And then there are the unspoken layers, which Austen may or may not have intended, but which seem, to my mind at least, likely. Layers of fear and insecurity, because, as a woman who lacked both money and beauty, and who was already in her late twenties, her future was precarious. If she didn't marry, she was going to end up dependent on the charity of her father and, later, her brothers. Depending on her brothers' (and their wives') personalities, this could mean a lifetime of being seen as a burden, no matter how she helped in the household. A woman of Charlotte's standing in society could become a governess, if she were well-educated enough, or a paid lady's companion; but these, too, were precarious options, and came without the status conferred by being someone's wife.
So William Collins, for all his many failings, seems like a good option to her—really, the best option she has. He has a respectable position as a clergyman, and when his cousin Mr. Bennet dies, he stands to inherit Longbourn estate. When her friend Lizzy doesn't snatch him up, Charlotte sees an opportunity and takes it.
And what of William himself? Remind us briefly of how Austen characterizes him, then how you went about making him a more sympathetic character—which you do wonderfully, without changing his fundamental personality as Austen defines him.
Mr. Collins is described as a tall, heavyish man, with very stately manners, who talks a lot without ever saying much of interest. He offers compliments fawningly, and whenever he feels he has offended someone his apologies are just as excessive. By turns vain and self-debasing, he is, basically, awkward in almost every imaginable way. He's a caricature of a certain type of clergyman from Austen's time, and a certain type of person, one who is over-awed by titles and riches.
Because my story centers on Charlotte, and because Charlotte is married to William, I knew I had to turn him into something resembling an actual person rather than a caricature. We know from Austen that William's father and Mr. Bennet, Lizzy's father, had a falling-out, and we know that his father was "illiterate and miserly." This provided a jumping-off point in my mind for William's backstory. And I tried to use little moments—his difficulty connecting with his baby daughter, for instance—to show that under his awkwardness lay an essential insecurity; that he wants to connect with people, but has trouble really doing so.
To be honest, Mr. Collins was not too difficult to humanize because he is never portrayed as a villain in Pride and Prejudice, only as ridiculous. And while ridiculous people may be easy targets in comedy and satire, in life there is usually something deeper going on underneath.
No story about Charlotte and William would be complete without mention of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. What is her role in Charlotte's life?
Oh, Lady Catherine! Yes, she's overbearing, certain she always knows best, and much more involved in Charlotte's life than Charlotte would like. Lady Catherine is William's patroness, which means it was she who offered him the living at Hunsford parish; however, in my research into the ins and outs of Regency-era clergy, it looks like the living, once given, couldn't easily be rescinded. So it wasn't so much that Charlotte and William risked losing their home and livelihood if they didn't dance attendance upon Lady Catherine; rather, they merely risked the ire of a powerful neighbor, a woman who was petulant and very accustomed to getting her own way.
I mean really, it was probably just easier to bow to Lady Catherine's whims rather than try to stand against them; having her for an enemy, especially living just across the lane, would be unpleasant to say the least. But there was also the matter of William, who genuinely seemed to be in awe of her ladyship; if she stood up to Lady Catherine, Charlotte would also have to stand up to her husband—in a time when the "obey" in marriage vows was literally meant. And of course, there were the societal strictures of the times, by which someone nobly born like Lady Catherine was automatically offered respect based on her bloodline alone, regardless of how distasteful her company and her meddling might be. So Lady Catherine offers Charlotte "advice" on how to keep house and raise her daughter, and Charlotte nods and smiles and inwardly screams with boredom.
But this story is really about Charlotte's developing friendship with Mr. Travis, which for me is both beautifully handled and believable. What can you tell us about him, as Charlotte sees him?
Mr. Travis is a farmer, a tenant of Lady Catherine. As such, he isn't someone Charlotte would ever have considered a suitable match for herself, or any woman of her station. But after they have a chance meeting in the parsonage garden, she discovers he has a sly, irreverent humor, and, more than that, kindness, and an ability to connect, not only with her but with her child.
Mr. Travis is someone who truly sees Charlotte, and truly cares about her. William loves the idea of Charlotte as his wife, but she has never fully been herself in his company—and, in all likelihood, he wouldn't really understand her if she were. But from the first, Charlotte and Mr. Travis share a sort of fundamental understanding of each others' characters and situations. In some ways, too, he offers Charlotte what she, herself, offered to William, though on a deeper and more sincere level—someone who truly listens to her.
And what of you? This book came out on Tuesday. Are you already working on another novel?
I am! I have another Austen-inspired novel in the editing stages, and I'm starting work on a contemporary story.
Thank you so much for answering my questions!
Molly Greeley was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where her addiction to books was spurred by her parents' floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. A graduate of Michigan State University, she began as an Education major, but switched to English and Creative Writing after deciding that gainful employment was not as important to her as being able to spend several years reading books and writing stories and calling it work.
She lives in Traverse City, Michigan with her husband and three children, and can often be found with her laptop at local coffee shops. Find out more about her at https://www.mollygreeley.com.


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text:
Isopiestic Determination of the Osmotic and Activity Coefficients of the {yNa(2)HPO(4) + (1-y)K2HPO4}(aq) System at T=298.15 K
Popović, Daniela
Miladinović, Jelena
Rard, Joseph A.
Miladinović, Zoran P.
Grujić, Snežana
Isopiestic measurements have been made for aqueous mixtures of Na2HPO4 and K2HPO4 at T = (298.15 +/- 0.01) K, at Na2HPO4 ionic strength fractions y = (0.2023, 0.4060, 0.6027, 0.8007, and 1), using KCl(aq) as the reference standard solution. The resulting 48 molality-based osmotic coefficients for the ternary mixtures were modeled with an extended form of Pitzer's ion-interaction model, with the usual Pitzer mixing terms and also with Scatchard's neutral-electrolyte model mixing terms, along with the Clegg-Pitzer-Brimblecombe equations based on the mole-fraction-composition scale. There are no previously published isopiestic measurements for this ternary system. Model parameters for Na2HPO4(aq) at T = 298.15 K were also evaluated using the present isopiestic results (12 values) along with three other sets of osmotic coefficients from isopiestic measurements taken from the published literature, and all four sets of osmotic coefficients are in good agreement; model parameters for K2HPO4(a...q) are already available from our earlier work: (PopoviAc et al. in J Solution Chem 40:907-920, 2011). For this ternary system, only one mixing parameter is needed for each of the three models because the ionic strength dependences of the osmotic coefficients of Na2HPO4(aq) and K2HPO4(aq) are very similar, as expected from their very similar chemistry, with the two variants of the extended Pitzer model giving slightly better representations of the experimental results than the Clegg-Pitzer-Brimblecombe model. Maximum differences in calculated values of mean molality-based activity coefficients for these three models are a dagger gamma (+/-)(Na2HPO4) aecurrency sign0.004 and a dagger gamma (+/-)(K2HPO4) aecurrency sign0.008 for ionic strengths I (m) aecurrency sign 2.0 mol center dot kg(-1), with the largest differences occurring for the trace and near-trace activity coefficients of one solute in a solution of the other solute at higher ionic strengths and solutions rich in K2HPO4 at intermediate ionic strengths. These new results complement our earlier investigations of aqueous common-cation mixtures of K2HPO4 with KCl, KBr, KNO3 and K2SO4.
Aqueous solutions / Isopiestic measurements / Na2HPO4 / K2HPO4 / Osmotic coefficients / Activity coefficients
Journal of Solution Chemistry, 2016, 45, 9, 1261-1287
Springer/Plenum Publishers, New York
New industrial and environmental application of chemical thermodynamics to the development of the chemical processes with multiphase and multicomponent systems (RS-172063)
Radovi istraživača (Inovacioni centar) / Researchers' publications (Innovation Centre)
AU  - Popović, Daniela
AU  - Miladinović, Jelena
AU  - Rard, Joseph A.
AU  - Miladinović, Zoran P.
AU  - Grujić, Snežana
AB  - Isopiestic measurements have been made for aqueous mixtures of Na2HPO4 and K2HPO4 at T = (298.15 +/- 0.01) K, at Na2HPO4 ionic strength fractions y = (0.2023, 0.4060, 0.6027, 0.8007, and 1), using KCl(aq) as the reference standard solution. The resulting 48 molality-based osmotic coefficients for the ternary mixtures were modeled with an extended form of Pitzer's ion-interaction model, with the usual Pitzer mixing terms and also with Scatchard's neutral-electrolyte model mixing terms, along with the Clegg-Pitzer-Brimblecombe equations based on the mole-fraction-composition scale. There are no previously published isopiestic measurements for this ternary system. Model parameters for Na2HPO4(aq) at T = 298.15 K were also evaluated using the present isopiestic results (12 values) along with three other sets of osmotic coefficients from isopiestic measurements taken from the published literature, and all four sets of osmotic coefficients are in good agreement; model parameters for K2HPO4(aq) are already available from our earlier work: (PopoviAc et al. in J Solution Chem 40:907-920, 2011). For this ternary system, only one mixing parameter is needed for each of the three models because the ionic strength dependences of the osmotic coefficients of Na2HPO4(aq) and K2HPO4(aq) are very similar, as expected from their very similar chemistry, with the two variants of the extended Pitzer model giving slightly better representations of the experimental results than the Clegg-Pitzer-Brimblecombe model. Maximum differences in calculated values of mean molality-based activity coefficients for these three models are a dagger gamma (+/-)(Na2HPO4) aecurrency sign0.004 and a dagger gamma (+/-)(K2HPO4) aecurrency sign0.008 for ionic strengths I (m) aecurrency sign 2.0 mol center dot kg(-1), with the largest differences occurring for the trace and near-trace activity coefficients of one solute in a solution of the other solute at higher ionic strengths and solutions rich in K2HPO4 at intermediate ionic strengths. These new results complement our earlier investigations of aqueous common-cation mixtures of K2HPO4 with KCl, KBr, KNO3 and K2SO4.
PB  - Springer/Plenum Publishers, New York
T2  - Journal of Solution Chemistry
T1  - Isopiestic Determination of the Osmotic and Activity Coefficients of the {yNa(2)HPO(4) + (1-y)K2HPO4}(aq) System at T=298.15 K
author = "Popović, Daniela and Miladinović, Jelena and Rard, Joseph A. and Miladinović, Zoran P. and Grujić, Snežana",
abstract = "Isopiestic measurements have been made for aqueous mixtures of Na2HPO4 and K2HPO4 at T = (298.15 +/- 0.01) K, at Na2HPO4 ionic strength fractions y = (0.2023, 0.4060, 0.6027, 0.8007, and 1), using KCl(aq) as the reference standard solution. The resulting 48 molality-based osmotic coefficients for the ternary mixtures were modeled with an extended form of Pitzer's ion-interaction model, with the usual Pitzer mixing terms and also with Scatchard's neutral-electrolyte model mixing terms, along with the Clegg-Pitzer-Brimblecombe equations based on the mole-fraction-composition scale. There are no previously published isopiestic measurements for this ternary system. Model parameters for Na2HPO4(aq) at T = 298.15 K were also evaluated using the present isopiestic results (12 values) along with three other sets of osmotic coefficients from isopiestic measurements taken from the published literature, and all four sets of osmotic coefficients are in good agreement; model parameters for K2HPO4(aq) are already available from our earlier work: (PopoviAc et al. in J Solution Chem 40:907-920, 2011). For this ternary system, only one mixing parameter is needed for each of the three models because the ionic strength dependences of the osmotic coefficients of Na2HPO4(aq) and K2HPO4(aq) are very similar, as expected from their very similar chemistry, with the two variants of the extended Pitzer model giving slightly better representations of the experimental results than the Clegg-Pitzer-Brimblecombe model. Maximum differences in calculated values of mean molality-based activity coefficients for these three models are a dagger gamma (+/-)(Na2HPO4) aecurrency sign0.004 and a dagger gamma (+/-)(K2HPO4) aecurrency sign0.008 for ionic strengths I (m) aecurrency sign 2.0 mol center dot kg(-1), with the largest differences occurring for the trace and near-trace activity coefficients of one solute in a solution of the other solute at higher ionic strengths and solutions rich in K2HPO4 at intermediate ionic strengths. These new results complement our earlier investigations of aqueous common-cation mixtures of K2HPO4 with KCl, KBr, KNO3 and K2SO4.",
publisher = "Springer/Plenum Publishers, New York",
journal = "Journal of Solution Chemistry",
title = "Isopiestic Determination of the Osmotic and Activity Coefficients of the {yNa(2)HPO(4) + (1-y)K2HPO4}(aq) System at T=298.15 K",
Popović, D., Miladinović, J., Rard, J. A., Miladinović, Z. P.,& Grujić, S.. (2016). Isopiestic Determination of the Osmotic and Activity Coefficients of the {yNa(2)HPO(4) + (1-y)K2HPO4}(aq) System at T=298.15 K. in Journal of Solution Chemistry
Springer/Plenum Publishers, New York., 45(9), 1261-1287.
Popović D, Miladinović J, Rard JA, Miladinović ZP, Grujić S. Isopiestic Determination of the Osmotic and Activity Coefficients of the {yNa(2)HPO(4) + (1-y)K2HPO4}(aq) System at T=298.15 K. in Journal of Solution Chemistry. 2016;45(9):1261-1287.
Popović, Daniela, Miladinović, Jelena, Rard, Joseph A., Miladinović, Zoran P., Grujić, Snežana, "Isopiestic Determination of the Osmotic and Activity Coefficients of the {yNa(2)HPO(4) + (1-y)K2HPO4}(aq) System at T=298.15 K" in Journal of Solution Chemistry, 45, no. 9 (2016):1261-1287,


MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A state lawmaker apologized for an outburst on the floor of the Alabama House of Representatives in which she repeatedly shouted at the House speaker.
The incident began after Givan was gaveled down for breaking decorum rules when she referred to Republican colleagues as "cowardly" while criticizing how the Republican majority runs the chamber. Givan shouted back that she has a "right to say what I'm saying." McCutcheon turned off her microphone as Givan continued to shout from the House floor.
After the House took a recess, the confrontation continued at the speaker's desk. Givan then left the chamber with security officers behind her.
McCutcheon said he would have used House rules to have Givan removed for the day, had she not voluntarily left.


Home :: HOLIDAYS :: CHRISTMAS DOLLS :: ANNALEE SNOWMAN :: SNOWMAN 3" to 5"
Annalee Doll Description: Last one. Open eyes, closed mouth smile, black hat accented with peppermint twist trim, green scarf, red coat, holds broom. Companions are 550010, 550108, 550208, 550408, 550808 and 550308.
Annalee Doll Description: Last one. Open eyes, closed mouth smile, black hat, red scarf, holds broom.
Annalee Doll Description: Open eyes, white body, red Santa hat, green scarf, red mittens, black boots, holds broom accented with candy canes. Companions are 550309, 550008 and 550108.
Annalee Doll Description: Open eyes, black top hat, red crushed velour scarf, green mittens, holds wreath.
Annalee Doll Description: Open eyes, closed mouth, white body, white chef hat, red and white pinwheel print hat band and apron, holds snowflake lollipop, white base.
Annalee Doll Description: Open eyes, closed mouth smile, black top hat accented with holly, red scarf, green gloves, holds one snowball in one hand and a stack of four in the other, white base.
Annalee Doll Description: Open eyes, closed mouth smile, white body, red hat, red/green Festive print scarf and cuffs, green mittens, holds broom, white felt base. Can also be used as an ornament.
Annalee Doll Description: Open eyes, mouth expression may vary, red hat accented with peppermint twist trim, green scarf, red coat, holds candy canes. Companions are 550010, 550008, 550208 and 550308. Can easily be made into an ornament.
Annalee Doll Description: Open eyes, closed mouth smile, black hat accented with gold, red coat accented with green and gold, holds broom. Companions are 550508, 550908 and 551108.
Annalee Doll Description: Open eyes, closed mouth smile, red hat accented with red/green/white trim, green scarf, holds broom. Companions are 550608 and 550708.
Annalee Doll Description: Open eyes, red velour Santa hats and scarves, green mittens.
Annalee Doll Description: Open eyes, closed mouth, black top hat, glitter dot scarf, holds broom.
Annalee Doll Description: Two white snowmen, blue cheeks, resin carrot noses, forest green velour Santa hat with white fur trim and pom pom, red/ gold/ green scarf, other wears a red/ gold/ green Santa hat with white fur trim and pom pom, forest green velour scarf, both hold "Christmas Carol" sheet music.
Annalee Doll Description: Last one. Facial expressions - as shown, two white snowmen, blue cheeks, resin carrot noses, forest green velour Santa hat with white fur trim and pom pom, red/ gold/ green scarf, other wears a red/ gold/ green Santa hat with white fur trim and pom pom, forest green velour scarf, both hold "Christmas Carol" sheet music. Very faint blue mark on the back of the snowman with the green scarf. It barely shows and you have to look for it. It might be able to be removed, but I will leave that up to the new owner. No paper hang tag.
Annalee Doll Description: Open eyes, blue cheeks, resin carrot nose, red Santa hat with white fur trim and gold ball at the end, three black buttons, red/gold/green satin bow with bell, holds three candy canes. Can easily be made into a pin or an ornament.
Annalee Doll Description: Open eyes, resin carrot nose, blue cheeks, black hat with red band, red and green scarf, red vest with three white buttons, red ear muffs, red skis, snow base.
Annalee Doll Description: Last one. Open eyes, closed mouth smiling, blue cheeks, two snow people hugging, red and white stripe outfits. Makes a great ornament for your tree. No paper hang tag, otherwise mint.
Annalee Doll Description: Wanted to Buy. Open eyes, smiling, two snow people in mittens connected by silver star garland. Great to use as an ornament on your Christmas or Winter Festival tree, as a package topper or to hang on your wall. Companions are 755002snow, 800102 and 749902.
Annalee Doll Description: Last one. 9" snowman, blue cheeks, orange carrot nose, red vest with white snowflakes, green scarf, black top hat trimmed with red satin ribbon, two buttons, white sparkly body, black boots, holds broom with a 3" snowman with a red/ green hat and red scarf attached to the broom, white felt base. No paper hang tag, otherwise mint.
Annalee Doll Description: Open eyes, black and red hat, red and green scarfs, riding red and white stripe candy cane sled or toboggan. Can easily be turned into an ornament. Dimensions are 5" high by 7" long.
Annalee Doll Description: Open eyes, blue cheeks, pipe, black hat, red snowflake scarf, holds broom. Companion is 760707. Great piece to leave out all winter long.
Annalee Doll Description: Open eyes, blue cheeks, green hat, red snowflake scarf, holds snowballs. Companions are 749306 and 760607. Great piece to leave out all winter long.
Annalee Doll Description: Open eyes, blue cheeks, black hat, red vest, holds candy cane. Companion is 760807.
Annalee Doll Description: Last one. Set of three snowmen roasting marshmallows around a campfire. It has a date of 2002. This came from Annalee Design and was never put into production. Bottom of base is signed by Annalee Designer - Linda Drew.


My birthdays are never this spectacular. Why didn't I have an FDR cake?!
A couple of weeks ago I turned thirty-one and I'm perfectly okay with that.
I've never been one to mope about getting older. I look younger than my chronological age; I'm well educated; and, despite the short shrift my generation has received, I've done well professionally.
Time isn't slipping away from me like grains of sand through an hourglass. I've not been deafened by the ticking of my biological clock. I don't feel helpless. I don't feel old. I don't feel directionless. This isn't Reality Bites Redux, people; I'm actually optimistic about the remaining fifty or-so years I have left.
There was a time in the not-too-distant past where I was not sure if I would see the other side of my twenties. Turning thirty was a victory, like I had "gotten one over" on the faulty biological blueprint that had long conspired against me.
These feelings of triumph, however, were short lived. My magical year was anything but charmed. Less than two months after my birthday I had a major accident (you can read about that here) and spent six months trying to walk again. 2013, as the axiom goes, was not the business.
Yup. You are seeing this correctly and this is my X-Ray. And, yes, the bones punctured the skin.
As crappy as 2013 may have been, the year wasn't a complete wash. During my months laid up with injury, I learned a lot about myself and about life in general. Let's be honest, when you are limited to hopping around on one leg, the only thing you can do is introspect . . . and watch old Adam-12 episodes.
To spare you the pain of a fractured leg of your own, I thought I'd share some of the insights age and injury brought my way.
Life doesn't get easier you just develop better coping strategies. I hate to burst anyone's bubble (actually, I enjoy bursting people's bubbles, but I digress), life will always be difficult. There will always be mornings that you cannot face, bills that seem insurmountable, and health challenges that rock you to your core. As you get older you become more adept at mediating life's difficulties and looking for help in the places where you are likely to find the best and most readily available assistance.
You can't expect to reach your goals without great personal sacrifice. One of the chief criticisms of our generation is that we are entitled and are crippled by adversity. Perhaps one of the hardest facts of adulthood is that life does not offer guarantees. If you expend a great deal of effort on a cause, your struggle does not guarantee success; however, you can't reasonably expect to achieve your goals without great personal sacrifice. Did I mention that it took me five months to learn how to walk again after my accident? See? SACRIFICE!
Everything is political. There are few situations in adult life that are straightforward, thus you must learn how to play the proverbial game quick-fast. People rarely divulge their true feelings and motives, so you have to become adept at reading situations and picking up on the nuances of what others are saying. This isn't to say that you need to be mercenary yourself, you simply need to recognize this tendency in others.
Also, while we're at it, be careful of what you say and to whom. When in mixed company, avoid all committal language or absolutes of any kind. Like any great politician, you want to leave yourself room to equivocate should things go pear-shaped. If someone invites you to their son's first birthday party—the very definition of hell—you might say, "That sounds like fun! Send me an evite and I'll check my calendar." It's easier to turn someone down digitally, where you can carefully construct an email explaining your absence, than to inform them that you'd rather perform your own root canal that spend a couple of hours with a cadre of screaming toddlers.
Remember: be polite, not committal, and leave yourself enough room to get out of a sticky situation.
Don't measure yourself by someone else's yardstick. Everyone has had different life experiences that have shaped them as individuals and lead them to their present situation. It's ridiculous to compare yourself to anyone else when you haven't shared the same formative experiences or made the same social/political/financial connections. You are who you are, so make the best of it.
Odds are you will live to be eighty, don't freak out about turning thirty-whatever. Seriously, you have a majority of your life ahead of you, don't worry about what you have yet to accomplish, there is plenty of time. Life is long enough to accommodate a bad year (or even a sketchy decade); you have years to recover, build, and rebuild your life. Don't sweat the candles on your birthday cake.
What are some of your words of wisdom for [nascent] aging wisdom?