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Politi: Jets’ Curtis Martin has shown greatness beyond football, including forgiving his father

admin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:00:26 +0000

What would you do if your biological father deserted your family?

What would you do if he left you and your mother behind when you were just a toddler, forcing her to work two jobs to support you while he wasted his life on drugs and alcohol?

This is what Curtis Martin did: he showed up unannounced at his dad’s apartment on Father’s Day in 1998, insisted he wear a blindfold, and led him outside to the backseat of a waiting car.

Martin drove him to a condominium complex, led him up a short flight of stairs, and brought him inside one of the units. the father could only smell the scent of freshly cleaned carpets as he waited for further instructions.

“take off your blindfold,” Martin said.

The father did as he was told.

“Welcome home, Dad,” the son said.

The father looked around and saw an ivory-colored sofa, a new television and decorations on all the walls. the two-bedroom condo, completely furnished, was a gift — all the father had to do was bring over his clothes.

But Martin wasn’t finished. the former Jets star and current Hall of Fame finalist led his dad outside again, where Curtis Martin Sr. found a Cadillac Seville, used but in mint condition, with a huge red bow on the roof.

“Happy Father’s Day, Curt,” said Rochella Dixon, the woman he left behind all those years ago.

That’s when the tears started. the father didn’t know what to say, so he thanked the star NFL running back who welcomed him back into his life, and then he thanked God for giving him such a forgiving son.

• • •

Curtis Martin is up for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the second straight year this week, and if you considered nothing but his football résumé, they should be preparing his bust for Canton.

He is the fourth all-time leading rusher in NFL history with 14,101 yards, behind only Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton and Barry Sanders. he was one of the most consistent and durable backs of his generation, a player who topped 1,000 yards in each of his first 10 seasons.

That his coach and mentor with the Jets and the New England Patriots, Bill Parcells, is also a finalist, makes the potential story even sweeter. Martin relishes the idea that he and the man who has played a more important role in his life than anyone would be inducted together.

But, for Martin, his football accomplishments tell only part of his story. the Hall of Fame is supposed to “honor individuals who have outstanding contributions to professional football,” according to its mission statement, and “promote the positive values of the sport.”

No one has represented the game better than Martin, who retired in 2005. he told a story last week about the day he was drafted in 1995, when he was supposed to be excited about the big paychecks and bright lights but confided in his mentor, the Rev. Leroy Joseph, that he wasn’t sure he wanted a career in football.

“Curtis, all the things you want to do for people?” Joseph told him. “maybe football is just the vehicle to do it.” So that’s the way he chose to approach his time in the NFL. A lot of athletes talk about being a role model. Martin built his career around it. he survived the gangs of the Homewood section of Pittsburgh, where bloodshed and death were a part of his life. he once found his loving grandmother stabbed to death by a man who later said he needed money to pay his phone bill.

He made it to the NFL and became a star. he has built a successful business career since his retirement and talks about someday buying an NFL team. But to Martin, all of that only matters if others see his example and follow him.

“I wanted to inspire others to do the same, and not to settle for the hand they’ve been dealt,” he said. “That’s what I want to stand for. I came into the NFL with the goal of being an inspiration.”

Part of that, he said, is not letting the bitterness from a difficult upbringing take over your life. that means finding forgiveness for people, even the father that abandoned your family.

• • •

Curtis Martin Sr. didn’t expect forgiveness. he knew he had everything he wanted in his life — a caring wife and a young son — and threw it away.

He was done with a four-year stint in the Army when he met Rochella Dixon in McKeesport, Pa., his hometown, in 1973. Money was tight, but the couple did its best, until Martin Sr. strayed.

He said peer pressure led him to smoke his first marijuana joint when he was 18, and slowly, that led to “everything else.” he said he left his family in 1978, and the downward spiral was swift.

“there was a time when the only thing I owned was the clothes I was wearing,” he said in a 2004 interview. “I lived in shelters, parks, wherever. From ’85 to ’90, those were the worst years. That’s when I got mixed up with that crack cocaine. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.

“I had nothing.”

Those worst years coincided with the sudden emergence of a young high school football star that shared his name. Martin only started playing football at Taylor-Allderdice High as a senior because his mother wanted him to do something away from their awful neighborhood, and because the coach, Mark Wittgartner, had seen his physical talents in gym class.

Martin was a natural from the first moment he touched the football. “know something, do something, be something” is the motto at Taylor-Allderdice, and the crowds at games quickly understood that Martin’s career would go far beyond its all-dirt field.

But his father was not there to witness it.

“I never held a grudge,” Martin said. “It was him not wanting to be involved in my life. I understand that. he was strung out on drugs. I understand the shame that he had and I never held it against him. It was always in my plans to do something for him, but I wanted to make sure he was fully rehabbed.”

• • •

In 1990, Martin Sr. said he checked himself into a veteran’s hospital in Columbus, Ohio. he stayed two weeks. Then he entered a rehabilitation center for a six-month stay. When that was through, Martin Sr. asked to stay longer.

“I just got sick and tired and sick and tired and sick and tired of being down in the dump and not having anything and being abused,” Martin Sr. said.

“I’ll tell you the truth, the first five or six years (after leaving rehab) I still had yearnings to use. But thank goodness to God, I didn’t. It was a tough fight. Even when you sleep, you’re dreaming about it.”

The Star-Ledger spoke with Martin Sr. in 2004, when the Jets were preparing to play his hometown Steelers in the playoffs. Curtis Martin Jr. asked that the newspaper not publish the story then because the wounds within the family still had not completely healed.

That process took time. Martin gave his father those incredible gifts on Father’s Day in 1998, but this was not a one-time thing. he visited. he called. he became a part of his life, and in turn, Martin Sr. stayed true to his promise to stay clean.

“he could have just blocked me out of his life, period, if that’s what he chose to do,” Curtis Martin Sr. said. “I thank God he is a forgiving son, a forgiving person, and he let me back in.”

How did Martin forgive?

“You know something?” Martin answered. “I realized, where I come from and especially with all the things my mother had gone through, there’s a bitterness that gets embedded in a person’s heart.

“I’ve seen so many people with that bitterness in their lives, and I’ve found the difference between me and a lot of others is I chose to forgive.

“to me, coming from where I’ve come from, seeing what I’ve seen, God forgave me, which is pretty miraculous to me. we all make mistakes. God forgave me, who am I not to forgive others?”

• • •

Martin spent another Father’s Day with his dad in 2009, but this one was much different. Cancer had attacked his lungs, brain and liver. the father was just 58, but he was running out of time.

The son returned to New York and, the next day, called to see how the father was doing.

“Hey man, I got to get ready to go,” his father said.

Martin thought his father, a man of few words for his entire life, had to get off the phone for a doctor’s visit or something else. But it turns out, it was his way of saying goodbye. he died the next day.

“he and I never bonded like we did those last two weeks he was alive,” Martin said. “before he died, he was a man at peace. I never wanted to be like my father in any way, but when it comes to the day I die, I hope I can be like him.”

Martin believes the decision to forgive his father helped the family, including his mother, heal. Dixon was even cooking meals for the man who left her, Martin said, as his health deteriorated.

“at his funeral, my mother came to me and said, ‘You know something, I am so glad you were not how I was. the fact that you forgave him helped me forgive him,’ ” Martin said. “She told me, ‘It would be so hard if he died and I never forgave him. I’m so grateful that you helped me do that.’ ”

Martin became a father himself Dec. 15, welcoming a daughter named Ava into the world, and has spent the last few weeks dealing with the emotions all new dads feel. every noise from the crib will make him jump up from the bed to check on her, so he’s sleeping in another room.

As for the Hall of Fame vote this week, Martin would love to stand at Parcells’ side as the coach and player are inducted. But what he did in football will never define him as a man.

Which, of course, is exactly why he belongs.

Steve Politi: ; twitter.com/StevePoliti

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• Politi: Greg Schiano leaves Rutgers, Tim Pernetti with a tough task

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Politi: Jets’ Curtis Martin has shown greatness beyond football, including forgiving his father

Politi: Jets’ Curtis Martin has shown greatness beyond football, including forgiving his father is a post from: LovingCareGifts.com: Gifts With Love & Care

VirtueOnline – News – As Eye See It – HOUSTON, TX: The three distinct phases of my life with God

admin — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:00:22 +0000

HOUSTON, TX: the three distinct phases of my life with GodThe following is a sermon preached at the 12th Annual Winter conference of the Anglican Missions in the Americas (AMIA) Morning WorshipBy the Rev. Dr. Jack Deere January 13, 2012I have come this morning to speak to those of you who have left their buildings and their church home, just as Luke 18:29-30 says. (“I tell you the truth”, Jesus said to them. “No one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the Kingdom of God, will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come, eternal life.” NIV) You left a church that no longer had a theology, just a government.You probably never planned on that.as a youngster I planned to be good but not to be Godly. I planned to get married but not to fall in love. then I saw Lisa for the first time, sitting in the back seat of a convertible. how could they put that beauty in the back seat? we married a year later and I was and still am madly in love with her.what I learned over the next 20 years is that God had it all planned out. That which I had not planned for was already under his purview. WE don’t plan the turning points in our lives. we don’t plan pain.I know a lot about pain. I grew up in a family where my mother and father fought constantly. It was almost always my mother, as she picked fights with my dad about everything and anything. My dad became the most important person in my life. he was a war hero from WWII and come home wounded and scarred. If I had a question, I asked my dad. If I needed encouragement, I went to my dad. My mom was a bitter, angry woman who cut rose canes, complete with thorns, to spank the four of us. She would spank us with these canes until we bled. I used to think these were just spankings. Now I know they were beatings. I was the oldest of 4. and when I was 12 years old, my father paid my mother back for all of her misery she inflicted on him. he committed suicide. he left a 34 year old widow who did not graduate from high school with 4 kids. we were poor. There was no thought of anything beyond food and shelter. No dreams of college. I found my identity as a kid who lost his best friend when my dad committed suicide, by being the wildest kid at school. I drank to excess and drove drunk and did drugs and I think if I had not found God at the age of 17, I would not have lived to become 21.My best friend was named Bruce. he was the old man at school even in 6th grade. Bruce had a Nixon button in the 6th grade, and talked about Nixon beating John Kennedy in the election. I went home and asked my dad, what are we, Republicans or Democrats? “Democrats,” my dad said. when I told Bruce the next day he said, “Are you stupid? That man will plunge this country into ruin.” That was Bruce in 6th gradeIn 8th grade, we found sex. Bruce was font of sexual knowledge. his older sisters were stewardesses and he told us things about girls and how they worked. he could get close to all the pretty girls. they trusted him, even with their secrets. Bruce helped us get close to the pretty girls. before our Junior year he got religion at the Southern Baptist summer camp. he took obnoxious to a whole new level. he came to school carrying a pocket sized King James Bible with the little red ribbon sticking out of his pocket. he tried to talk to all of us about God. we didn’t even pay attention. Later that year, I spent the night with him – I was 17- on the guise of meeting some really pretty girls. he neglected to say these girls were going to be missionaries. I didn’t have a plan to be good anymore, let alone a plan past next week end.at 2:00 AM, I asked Bruce, “How do you get into heaven?” That’s when I heard for the first time that Jesus Christ died for me and if I would receive him in my heart, he would never leave and I will have a new life. Imagine that, a new life.That can’t be true. everyone important left me. how can I believe this? Bruce said, “Jesus said so. he doesn’t come into your heart because you are good, but to give you new life. He’ll never leave you.”An abandoned fatherless boy saying and believing that Jesus will never leave you. I laid awake all night staring at the ceiling and as the sun came up I was praying some stumbling prayer and I was born again that day. by nightfall, I had a father again who planned for my life. I was a 17 year old kid who has known God for 10 hours. A kid with reservoir of anger inside, who had never had one positive male role model beyond his father. Tossed about by raising waves of testosterone. Single mother, no money. No college. No plans for the future. That’s when Phase One of my life with God began. Later that month, God sent Young Life into my life and gave me a mentor there who taught me how to read the Bible and talk to kids and lead kids to Christ. Jesus came and chose 12 guys. Why? to share a life with them that counts for something. the first thing he did was to call the 12 is to be with him. the first thing in a happy life is deep friendships. happy life= deep friendships. the 12 were with him for 3.5 years. 3 got to go everywhere. One was his best friend. John calls himself the ‘disciple whom Jesus loved’. at the last supper, Peter turned to John and said to John, “You ask him.” John wasn’t afraid to ask Jesus what everyone else couldn’t. John was sitting next to Christ when he said that one of the disciples would betray him. Jesus replied, ” Well John it’s the person I give this bread to.” and he placed it in Judas’ hands. (John13:21-26)The next day, 4 women and John were standing at foot of cross. at noon, Jesus looks at his mother and says to John,” Behold your mother; woman, behold your son.”From that hour he gave his most precious thing to his best friend. That was his mom. John cared for her until she died.I didn’t know how long it took to be friends with Jesus. first I was just a soul winner. I led a bunch of kids to Christ and sometimes their parents. then I had friends at Dallas Theological Seminary that really knew the Bible. I took a Bible class and found great love for Greek and Hebrew. Now I think of Jesus and God as the great teacher. how do you please a teacher? Study harder. I waded through thousands of Greek and Hebrew manuscripts, following the biblical argument. I had 3 professors who encouraged these skills. Something else was going on beside me that was not good. I got a doctor’s degree and became a professor there for 12 years. had my dream job of studying and started a church in Fort Worth. A Presbyterian church because that is what I knew. Dealing in knowledge so much, I now dealt with God as a story, not a person. Could quote them but did not “know” the Scriptures.at 37 I encountered a turning point I didn’t plan. It was an encounter with the Holy Spirit. This was the beginning of Phase II of my life with God. after this, I pulled closer to God but pulled away from 20-30 year relationships that never got restored. I began to tell God daily what a priviledged life he has given me. It was a turning point that God was taking me a different path. Not a better path, but different path. the healing ministry is awesome. I saw blind eyes opened and limbs lengthened and people on crutches walk. All miracles. God did it all. is anybody against that? No, but they are against the abuse of the Holy Spirit. Scripture said that God tossed these gifts in John’s coffin in 95 AD. I couldn’t distinguish between the difference between the abuse of the Spirit and the appropriate use of the Spirit. Now I know that they are tools. the Spirit gives us tools.Believing in the Holy Spirit didn’t just make worship services better, but in my life, God stopped being a principle and started being a person again. I started feeling the affection of God. I know God loves me vs I feel God loves me. During my friendship with John Wimber, I re-met this God who is really personal and that was a great stage in my life and development. It lasted until I was 42. we moved to Whitefish MT in PCUSA. I led one of three churches in the presbytery that believed in Scripture. I was on the ministry commission and we were planning the ordination for a guy that didn’t believe that Jesus died on the cross. I asked if we should ordain him. No one in the room had any doubts but me. then I asked for clarification in what we do believe. I was told we believe in the Book of Order. You can’t baptize twice or you’ll get kicked out of the ministy. That’s what they believed. My church did well and I was invited in 1996 to be the primary speaker at the General Assembly. they asked the one guy that believes in the Holy Spirit to be the main speaker. This was after worship of Sofia was banned by PCUSA. Walking through exhibition hall, I walked past 20 people chanting to Sophia. No one in the leadership/hierarchy cared. I realized it was a church that no longer had a theology, just a government.what did my church have for certain? we had a form of government and a property deed. Declining membership fits with the message that man is good because no one believes it. they don’t realize that it takes the power of Jesus Christ and his blood to change a human heart. Did 2 yrs in PCUSA in Montana and then was booted out. then I lived my dream life in Montana writing books and traveling, watching soaring eagles and antelope outside my study window. Me and God were having a good time. then I read a story about a janitor who retired with millions because of a few tech stocks. So I started to investigate that. I read about the tech world and invested a little money and it doubled and then I invested more. I made a pile of money. It was exhilarating. I was reading a lot about the stock market, charts, financial reports – lots more than I was reading the Bible. But there was so much to learn in the world of markets. I didn’t leave God but ignored him for a while. I had a number, a financial number. I was going to pull it all out of the stock market and invest my money very carefully. God and I could be independent and we could do whatever we wanted. Smart and Rich. Feeling independent. Not exactly good for Jesus’ followers. just like a prime athlete, all I had came from God. the talent, the drive, the desire. In March 2000 driving down from my house on the top of the hill, I heard a voice that said, “Sell everything.” Sounded just like God but the voice made no sense to me. So, I argued, “But Lord, by the middle of summer, I would have my number and then I will quit. I will sell it all.”Tech stocks began falling in April. by Sept, I lost most of my net worth. It didn’t matter, because there was plenty left. Or so I thought.then I went into the third phase of life with God. Lisa and I had 3 kids – a perfect son and perfect daughter. then there was Scott, our middle child. we fought with him on the day he was born and never stopped. Caught him smoking marijuana at 13 and he was rehab by 17. Girls pursued Scott by kindergarten. such a charmer, he was always able to find people to take care of him. Went to rehab again. after he came out he was ok for a while. by the summer of 2000 he was sleeping in a garage with a dog. Part of his trouble was a dad who always rescued him, when there was no one left to charm. I would say, “Scott, this is the best day of your life. You have to change.”He would reply, “I want to change dad.” I always believed him and always rescued him. then in July on the mountain top, God said, “Bring Scott home and treat him like the prodigal son.” That’s exactly what I did. bought him a $30,000 pickup, set him up in an apartment at Montana State in Bozeman and began to see him regularly. I took him out with me every time I went out hunting or fishing. we could actually communicate during that time. we were finally on our way to perfect.Christmas night, 2001. Scott was going out with a girlfriend. said he’d be back. Morning came and Scott didn’t come down from his room and I went up to wake him up. I opened the door to his room and knew instantly something was wrong. he is sitting at the end of his bed, fully clothed, legs splayed out in front of him. then I saw the blood. I knelt down beside him. My gun was in his hand. he shot himself. he was dead. I went to Lisa and told her that Scott had shot himself in our house and was dead. I said to her, “Don’t go into his room. It’s awful.”She said, “If you don’t let me into that room right now, I’ll never forgive you.”We went in and held Scott. Elise was praying in the doorway. Praying that God would give Scott back to us. Finally, the police came and asked us to leave the room. we did. we left for weeks. we couldn’t face going back there. they took Scott away. Scott took away a lot of things from us: peace, security, and our joy. Job said, “The Lord has come and taken them away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”Now I had to believe that God could be blessed in everything he did. Lost all the money in the stock market; lost my son. nothing was valuable after that day. Don’t let kids believe that marijuana is not addictive. It is a gateway drug.One month after we lost Scott, a friend sent me an email saying suicides don’t go to heaven. he explained that if you die with unconfessed sin you can’t go to heaven. Didn’t even reply to that email. since I was 17, I knew how people get into heaven. Trust Jesus, believe in him and he comes into your heart and he will never leave. Now, I have to believe that to have a relationship with him. I know what it means to be accepted into the loving arms of Christ. (The sermon continued as Dr. Jack read to us from a chapter of a new book he is finishing. the chapter is called Friendship with God. )”I have no doubt where my son is. God has planned a great reunion for us. Sometime in the future, a great reunion. My doubt is how to finish this life. Lisa is overwhelmed with grief. we buried Scott on Jan 1, 2001. I said, “We will see Scott again.” She looked at me and didn’t comment.Two weeks later, she woke up in a thunder storm, hysterical. ” I don’t want him to be cold and wet. He’s lying in the coffin so cold and wet. I can’t help it. That’s what I believe.” I tried to comfort her, to explain that we leave our bodies behind and Scott was not in that coffin. he was home with God. he wasn’t cold and wet. we are different, Lisa and I. Jesus said, “I will raise him up on the last day.” Scott is with Jesus. at his resurrection Jesus received a new body and Scott will too some day. then Scott’s property arrived. 3 bags and a box, not much for 23 years of living. I looked at that box and those bags and think that is all he left behind. It’s so little. All anyone can take with them to eternal life is a heart. everything else goes to dust. Lisa looked at belongings and held them and smelled them, refusing to let go. She is holding on to her son. I am trying to let go. Lisa despairs because she can’t live with the doubt. I take refuge in my mind, the place I have gone to all my life for comfort and solace and peace.But, doubt encroaches. for years, I began every day praying that God would shelter and protect us. Father, protect us? Now? maybe all prayer is obsolete. All of our friends were useless. If you haven’t lost a child the way we lost a child, you can’t understand. we tried counseling. the day we buried Scott, a person said that we had received severe mercy. what is the mercy? Two weeks after we buried Scott, my mercy arrived. I was trying to save my life from this abyss of insanity. his death was all I could think of. then the bill for the funeral arrived. It was $10,064.69 and they wanted payment immediately. That same day, a sack full of mail arrived. Sympathy cards. 38 cards and those 38 cards had 22 checks in them. One check for each year of Scott’s life. I opened the cards and added up the checks. they totaled $10,064.the Voice said, ” I paid for his death. I paid for his life and I will pay for everything you need the rest of your life.” That’s what my father’s love feels like. most of my life, I tried to be significant. Now, I was feeling significant apart from my performance. maybe all Jesus ever wanted was a friend.wish I could say that the sun started shining in my life again. God did not remove my pain. the death of my son was the darkest, hardest 10 years of my life. we retreated from the world. we lived in a cave. My son’s death was the door to that cave. we crept in further and further trying to escape the pain, the insanity of it all. the death of my son was also the door to a deeper walk with God. Two years ago, I found Jesus in the cave with me. he was just sitting there, but I knew that I was not alone in my pain. Joy came back into my life. John lived in a cave on Patmos at the end of his life. even if we retreat to a cave, Jesus will come and find us, get us and take us out of that cave to a party that will never end.” (reading ended here) I know that many of you here today are in pain. allow Jesus to redeem your pain. If we will do that, he can produce something that will bear much fruit. then the Anglican Mission will be known for its friendship with Jesus Christ and the joy of that friendship will bring many into the kingdom. AMEN.END

VirtueOnline – News – As Eye See It – HOUSTON, TX: The three distinct phases of my life with God

VirtueOnline – News – As Eye See It – HOUSTON, TX: The three distinct phases of my life with God is a post from: LovingCareGifts.com: Gifts With Love & Care

She Has No Head! – Random Thoughts Mash-up #2

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:00:18 +0000

I find myself in an introspective (though not particularly deep) mood in these days after holiday madness and leading up to the end of the year, so what better post to write than another She Has no Head!/Random Thoughts mash-up (TM Chad Nevett!)?

Random She Thought: It’s She Has Random Thoughts Time! get Excited!

Link Thought: 1979 Semi-Finalist for blog-y comics stuff, 79semifinalist for twitter-y comics, stuff, Kelly Thompson on CBR for review-y comics stuff and 1979 Semi-Finalist for everything else.

Random She Thought: So Drunk Cover Solicits were supposed to happen this weekend on 1979 Semi-Finalist…but illness and family stuff conspired against me…they’ll show later this week for those of you that enjoy them…and I’ll try to make them extra fun (read: they will be the same as always).

Random She Thought: I’m home visiting my family for the holidays and I have had THE BEST dreams while here. do you guys generally remember your dreams? I almost always do, but they’re frequently (especially lately) not much worth remembering. the last few nights though? Woo. Seriously, the kind of dreams that you don’t want to wake up from…stupid reality just can’t compare. I’m not going to go into details here…but let’s just say a dude from “my list” made an appearance. So, y’know, HOTT.

Random She Thought: those dreams might have less to do with being in an unusual location and more to do with the amount of Nyquil I’ve been ingesting. if it’s the latter I’m going to end up with a serious Nyquil addiction. Experiments to commence in 3, 2, 1…

Random She Thought: I finished my second novel recently. I wrote it really fast. There were a lot of reasons for that including the fact that it took me forever to write the first novel and I wanted to know/believe it didn’t have to be that way. I feel pretty good about the draft on the whole. But re-reading it, my abuse of the comma is just CRIMINAL. Seriously, the places I put a common sometimes…or left one out…I should be shot. Grammar has never been my strong point (as many of you know or could guess)…but this comma thing. I mean, wow.

Random She Thought: when I’m writing I can’t really do a lot of reading (beyond comics) as it’s just too distracting. I almost forget how much I love and miss it when I can’t do it. Since I’m on a self imposed writing break I started the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo yesterday (I know, I know, several years behind the curve here) and read 350 pages in one shot. Reading is awesome.

Random She Thought: I usually love the holidays but I just haven’t been into it this year, I don’t know why. like usually you can’t drag me away from those old holiday specials (Original Rudolph & the Island of Misfit Toys, Original Grinch, Charlie Brown, etc.) but I watched almost none of them this year. you know one they should start replaying? especially since the Muppets seem to be back en vogue? Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas. do you guys remember that one? It’s awesome. I should go watch it now.

Random She Thought: I’ve been working on all my year-end lists…this stuff is so hard. I never feel like I get it right. Toughest category this year may be “Best Single Issue”…I read a lot of really great single issues it seems. also tough this year were “best Ongoing Series” and “best New Ongoing Series” categories…in part just because do you call things like Wonder Woman an “ongoing series” or “new ongoing series” if you only want to acknowledge the most recent 4 issues. Conundrum.

Random She Thought: you know what I didn’t read enough of though? Graphic Novels.

Random She Thought: I should have read Habibi and Petrograd for sure…maybe I still have time to get a few in before my list goes up next week….what were some of the best graphic novels you guys read this year?

Random She Thought: I’m a week behind on my comics since I’ve been out of town…but I find I’m actually excited for some of the books I’m returning to (Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey, Rachel Rising, Wolverine & the X-Men, Batman inc. Leviathan, Uncanny X-Force, Batman, Avengers, and Legion of Monsters)…that’s a good sign, right?

Random She Thought: Speaking of Legion of Monsters…are any of you reading this? It’s a great little mini-series. Easily one of the best things I’m reading from Marvel right now.

Random She Thought: I gave my brothers belated birthday presents of Kate Beaton’s Hark! a Vagrant with the shrugging instructions that they’d either love it or not get it at all. Judging by the laughter so far, I’d say they “get it”. Score!

Random She Thought: I find I’m pretty hard to shop for these days. Not because I’m any less materialistic and selfish than I used to be, but because if I want something I just buy it for myself. So I guess I’m saying that I’m equally as materialistic and selfish as I used to be, but now I’m also just way less patient and with slightly more disposable income. go me?

Random She Thought: did any of you give comics for the holidays this year? what did you give? were they well received? I gave the aforementioned Hark! a Vagrant books for belated birthday gifts, as well as two copies of Demo Volume 2 and the Stumptown hardcover. They were all well received. or my family and friends are more talented liars then I give them credit for.

Random She Thought: I also gave some canvas stretched comics art prints. This one by Lucy Knisley and two from Rogan Josh. These were pretty awesome…I kind of wanted to keep them for myself (see above re: selfish).

Random She Thought: This has been a weird year. So full of success and failure. I should probably feel pleased about a lot of things, but when I think about 2012, I find myself thinking that I hope it’s way better than 2011. then again, I feel like maybe I feel that way every year.

Random She Thought: I even feel conflicted about what a year it was for comics. On the one hand, I read so much great stuff…maybe the greatest Batman arcs I’ve ever read courtesy of Scott Snyder’s Detective Comics run, Batwoman finally got her damn ongoing, Buffy Season 9 finally launched, Terry Moore has a great new series, Jubilee was in a mini-series that turned out to be great, Optic Nerve #12 came out, Womanthology’s Kickstarter success, a Wonder Woman book I’m loving, Ultimate Spider-Man had turned out awesome, and so much more stuff…all of it great. But I also feel like I spent most of the year banging my head against a wall that just doesn’t ever move…and sometimes moves backwards. in the end it’s hard for me to pin down how I end up feeling about this year of comics.

Random She Thought: One of my biggest comics regret of this year is that I didn’t get on board with Daredevil…just one of those ‘missed the boat and can’t seem to catch up things’. Bummer.

Random She Thought: Uncanny X-Force is kind of amazing. I keep expecting it to fall apart and stop being good, but…it doesn’t. Shit is good. Even if it does continue to have a stupid name.

Random She Thought: I’m already starting to dread when Chris Bachalo stops drawing Wolverine & the X-Men…the solicits depress the crap out of me. I really like Aaron, but I don’t know if he can compensate for me for the art fall off.

Random She Thought: On the other hand, though I’ll miss Williams III on Batwoman when Amy Reeder takes over I’m really excited to see what Reeder will do.

Random She Thought: I’m excited about Ann Nocenti coming on to Green Arrow but it’s going to be very hard to get past the art for me.

Random She Thought: So what am I looking forward to for comics in 2012…man…I don’t know. Hoping Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman, Batwoman, Animal Man, Batman, Wolverine & the X-Men, Ultimate Spider-Man, Rachel Rising, Buffy Season 9, Angel & Faith all keep being as good as they’ve been over the last four months.

Random She Thought: what else? I can’t wait for Ross Campbell’s Glory. looks INSANE! also, I’m fairly certain Campbell’s long awaited Wet Moon Volume 6 will be coming out from Oni in 2012…sometime next fall I think.

Random She Thought: Faith Erin Hicks’ Friends with Boys is going to come out in February from first second, Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan’s Conan from dark Horse, Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples Saga from Image, Brandon Graham’s King City gets collected in trade, Brian Wood and Kristin Donalson’s the Massive from dark Horse, Paul Cornell and Ryan Kelly’s Saucer Country…what else? what else is coming that we should all be excited about?

19 Comments

Vietnamerica is still the best graphic novel of the year. Any Empire is also quite good.

I don’t give comics, but I did get last year’s Acme Novelty Library from my mother, which I thought was the most bizarre gift I have ever received, given the person who gave it. It turned out my sister got it at a Gamestop and let my mom pay for it, which makes it even more bizarre.

I’m glad you had a nice Christmas. And no, I never remember my dreams. Vague images, maybe, but nothing more.

Always happy when Emmet Otter gets namedropped.

The awesomeness of the Riverbottom Nightmare Band cannot be denied, and indeed, should not.

She Has No Head! – Random Thoughts Mash-up #2

She Has No Head! – Random Thoughts Mash-up #2 is a post from: LovingCareGifts.com: Gifts With Love & Care

North Platte Nebraska’s newspaper – The North Platte Telegraph. > News

admin — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:00:13 +0000

News" alt="40004363 North Platte Nebraskas newspaper The North Platte Telegraph. > News" /> the home of Mike and Mindee Mohr is festive even in the daytime, though it really “lights up” at night (see above). the Mohrs have adopted the tradition of decorating their home with angels from Mike’s late father, Ernie Mohr.

Sometimes we need a reminder of what we have, instead of dwelling of what we have lost.

That’s a lesson Mike and Mindee Mohr are working on this holiday season. Both lost their fathers this year. Mindee’s father Don Ostendorf died on June 26 and Mike’s dad Ernie died on Nov. 9.

in honor of their parents, Mike and Mindee are carrying on with Ernie’s “angel house” tradition. their home at 1315 West Sixth Street is filled with angels, inside and out.

Ernie was known as “The Angel Man,” decorating his home on east fifth Street with hundreds of angels. there are 88 angels outside the Mike Mohr home, in honor of Ostendorf’s stock car racing number.

only a few of the angels belonged to Ernie, because the Angel Man usually gave his angels away.

“The reason my dad began decorating with angels was in loving memory of his wife,” Mike said. “And we are doing this in loving memory of him.”

Mary Ann Mohr died in 1974, leaving Ernie with 11 children to raise. he began decorating his home with angels for Christmas after she died, something he found very comforting, Mike said. not long after he began the angel tradition, Ernie added a Salvation Army kettle and raised money for the local charity. It was a tradition in North Platte to drive by the angel house to see his elaborate display.

By 1995, the last year Ernie decorated his house, he had 10,000 lights and around 1,200 angels.

“When I was growing up, my dad would drive us past the angel house,” Mindee said.

the couple decided not to exchange gifts this year, using the money to buy more angels instead.

“Decorating the house is something we both enjoy,” she said. “And we know that our dads would want us to go on. they want us to be happy. Putting up angels did make us feel better and probably helped a lot with the grief process.”

Mike and Mindee married in 2010, the second marriage for each.

“One of the first things Mike gave me when we first met was an angel,” Mindee said.

the nativity scene in the corner of the yard belonged to Ernie, Mike said.

“The human race is so busy, we don’t often see the acts of God in our lives,” he said. “It’s important to slow down and look.”

the display will remain up through the holidays, Mindee said, and she encourages people come drive by and take a look.

North Platte Nebraska’s newspaper – The North Platte Telegraph. > News

North Platte Nebraska’s newspaper – The North Platte Telegraph. > News is a post from: LovingCareGifts.com: Gifts With Love & Care

Creating loving memories more valuable than any gift

admin — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 06:00:22 +0000

Note: this is a guest column by Susan Parker. Susan has cared for two terminally ill husbands. she is a volunteer at Cancer Sensibility Foundation contributing to our Caregiver Corner.

Hi. I am Susan, a former caregiver. my first husband, Peter, had leukemia and my second husband, Paul, had colon cancer. Both of them lost their battle in February, five years apart. I have a dear friend, Carol, whose husband, John, (not their real names) is terminally ill with colon cancer. I took a long walk with Carol the other day. I listened to her speak about the added stress of the holidays. How could she possibly have a "normal" holiday when caring for a terminally ill patient? she is too exhausted, physically and emotionally. John used to put up the lights, but this year there will be none. He has no appetite, so cooking a delicious meal is useless. He does not have enough energy to deal with visitors, and travel is out of the question. my mind drifted back to the challenges I had with these particular problems.

To hear my friend, usually chatty, speak in a monotone voice about her Christmas to-do list really registered in my heart. her tone was devoid of joy. I ached for her and told her I would be happy to help her. she declined, as I thought she might. I remember thinking I, too, had to take on the holidays myself. only I could make it special enough with my perfect decorations, food and well-planned gatherings. only I could find the balance between our old normal holidays and our new holidays living with cancer. it would be Carol’s last Christmas with John, and I had faced that exact situation two times before. The pressure to create a final memory, a Martha Stewart event, was intense.

After our walk I realized that what I heard in her voice was fear. fear that she couldn’t do enough holiday planning for her husband and family; fear that John would be too sick to enjoy anything; fear that the holidays would never be the same, and fear that one day she would face Christmas without him. I picked up the phone and called her. I told her that I also was scared when facing the "final" Christmas. I suggested that she try to shorten the to-do list and keep it simple. If possible she should let others help. I know that accepting help is a tricky thing for caregivers. it might be best to be at John’s side, sharing quality time instead of expending energy on parties, decorations or making fancy meals. The gift of quality time would help both of them. He could soak up her inner strength and love, helping to calm his fears instead of watching Carol from his recliner. she could simply take a break, instead of adding extra shopping, decorating, wrapping gifts or cooking. I explained that creating loving memories is more valuable than any gift and reminiscing about other holidays by looking at family albums, and chatting about loved ones is wonderful medicine.

As an experienced caregiver, I have learned to cherish each moment and the importance of being still enough to let the cherishing happen. when you are too busy trying to create an amazing holiday, like the hostess of a party, you can miss enjoying the event altogether. Merry Christmas, Carol. next year, we should take another walk to share the memories we are making now.

Dr. Melanie Bone is a cancer survivor and gynecologist who practices in West Palm Beach. To send questions for her column, go to CancerSensibility

Foundation.org or PalmBeachPost.com/health (click on the "ask a question" link). any questions submitted to Dr. Bone will be considered for her column. you may also visit CancerShopUSA.com

Dr. Melanie Bone is a cancer survivor and gynecologist who practices in West Palm Beach. To send questions for her Q&A column, go to DrBonesCancerComforts.org (click on the “contact” link) or PalmBeachPost.com/health (click on the “ask a question” link). any questions submitted to Dr. Bone will be considered for her column.

this entry was posted on Friday, December 30th, 2011 at 2:42 pm and is filed under Surviving Life. you can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. you can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Creating loving memories more valuable than any gift

Creating loving memories more valuable than any gift is a post from: LovingCareGifts.com: Gifts With Love & Care

How Can I Fall Back in Love With My Husband Again? – Help For Wives

admin — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:00:21 +0000

Can I fall back in love with my husband is a question many women want an answer to. unfortunately, sometimes in a marriage the woman finds herself falling out of love with the man she married just a few years ago. Life changes dramatically for many couples after the wedding and once a mortgage and children are introduced to the equation, feelings can start to shift. If you find this happening in your relationship don’t lose hope. you can definitely fall in love with him all over again, even deeper than you did the first time, if you know what to do.

One reason why women often feel a change in their relationship is they feel taken for granted. This is especially true in marriages where there are small children and the wife is left, to her own devices, to care for or arrange care for the children. you may be facing this dilemma in your own relationship and perhaps when you’ve reached out for help to your husband you’ve been greeted with less than an enthusiastic response. If this has indeed occurred you may be feeling some resentment towards him and that resentment can eat away at the rest of what you feel for him.

You have to get this issue cleared off the table as soon as possible. Talk to him about it again and if he’s unwilling or unable to pitch in more, hire someone to help or trade babysitting services with a friend. you need to look at the situation from his perspective and consider what he’s feeling inside. If he’s overwhelmed with other areas of his life, it may be impossible for him to commit time to help with the everyday raising of the children. That’s not to say that he should be excused from his parenting duties but you may have to pick up the slack in some areas, while he does in others. Ensure he has quality time with them and you though.

When you are asking yourself the question of can I fall back in love with my husband consider how much time you two are spending together as a couple as opposed to co-parents. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of becoming platonic roommates who are raising children. If the romantic part of the relationship fades away, the feelings of deep adoration can as well. Make an effort to set aside time each week that is devoted to just you two. Arrange for someone to take the kids or to stay in with them while you two go out. you need to reconnect with your husband on a romantic partner level if you hope to fall back in love with him.

How Can I Fall Back in Love With My Husband Again? – Help For Wives

How Can I Fall Back in Love With My Husband Again? – Help For Wives is a post from: LovingCareGifts.com: Gifts With Love & Care

Arirang

admin — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 06:00:25 +0000

The much anticipated K-POP World Festival finally opened on December 7th, 2011! Arirang Today followed the days leading up to this monumental event to find out more about the world’s passion for K-pop.[SOV][Interview : ] “It is so much fun!”[Interview : ] “K-pop is the best!”[Interview : ] “I love Korea. Go K-pop!”[Interview : ] “I love K-pop.”Young people from all around the world have fallen in love with Korea by listening to K-pop.All of these contestants have made through the fierce preliminary rounds to compete at the festival.[SOV][Interview : ] “Hello.”[Interview : Lukas Kurniawan, ContestantIndonesia] “If I had to describe Korea in one word, I would say, ??excellent”.”[ENG][Interview : Patricia Agustin] “It’s good.”Over 40 contestants came from 16 different countries to compete! Inspired by their visit to the cradle of K-pop, they cannot help but break out their dance moves in the streets.[Interview : Karla Carreon, ContestantThe Philippines] “Amazing! I love it! Korea is such a pretty country!”[ENG][Interview : Lrnka Vatascinova, ContestantCzech Republic] “It’s really great. It’s a beautiful city out there. I really love it.”[SOV][Interview : ] “I love K-pop.”Their love for K-pop has opened their eyes to the greater charms of Korea.[Interview : ] “Korea rocks!” on the eve of the festival, contestants are fully absorbed in rehearsing and fine-tuning their skills. their gift in singing and dancing is indeed riveting.Special guests make an appearance to rally for these contestants![Interview : Soyu, Member of SISTAR] “It feels unreal to see so many K-pop fans from overseas. It feels like I’m in another country!”[SOV][Interview : Hyorin, Member of SISTAR] “They’re really into it!”They immediately hit it off with the K-pop stars whom they’ve only admired from a distance. They spend a meaningful time together discussing their passion for music and Korea.Stars are blown away by the contestants’ powerful performances! Now we are all curious to find out who will win the grand prize.[Interview : Hyorin, Member of SISTAR] “I’m so impressed. They’ve been such a great inspiration for me to work harder on my singing. I’m so grateful for their performance.”[Interview : Young Min, Member of BoyFriend] “The looks on their face were as intense as those of professional singers! I was able to feel the heat of K-pop.”[Interview : Young Min, Member of BoyFriend] “It was beyond anything I??d imagined. I’m getting goosebumps.”[ENG][Interview : Johana Marilyn, ContestantPeru] “I like to dance K-pop. I love K-pop. This moment is wonderful.”Another special guest makes an appearance! Minister Choe Kwang-shik[?????] from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has come to encourage these nervous contestants.[Interview : Choe Kwang-shik, MinisterMinistry of Culture, Sports and Tourism] “The world today is enamored by K-pop. More people from overseas are creating fan clubs and are imitating K-pop stars. we organized the 2011 K-POP World Festival to attract greater attention from the world on Korean Wave and Korean culture.”[SOV][Interview : ] “Go K-POP World Festival!”The day of the competition finally arrives. Fans create a long queue outside the venue in anticipation to see both K-pop stars and contestants stage elaborate performances.[Interview : Lee Ji-su, Audience member] “I’m going to cheer really hard today. Go K-pop!”[SOV][Interview : ] “Go K-pop!”Contestants can’t help but feel butterflies in their stomachs! They are completely absorbed in making the final touches in their preparations.[ENG][Interview : Lukas Kurniawan, ContestantIndonesia] “I’m so speechless. I can dance on a big stage. I’m so speechless. I’m so excited.”[ENG][Interview : Anastasia Roja, ContestantRussia] “We’re very nervous about this competition. We’re trying to concentrate. and we’re going to do everything in our power to win in this competition.”K-pop fans cheer at the opening of the 2011 K-POP World Festival!The festival, in fact, would not have been possible without these admirers. K-pop stars’ opening acts arrest the audience.[SOV][Interview : ] “I love it!”[Interview : ] “It’s so fun!”Finally, the competition has begun. their months of preparation finally pay off as each contestant stages an impeccable performance. [Interview : K.will, Singer] “It’s not easy to sing each letter right to convey the emotion. I can’t believe these participants practiced these songs in Korean. They must have put in much more effort than we have. I am so blown away and humbled.”[Interview : Dasom, Member of SISTAR] “All of them were so gifted and talented. In fact, I thought we had a lot to learn from them. Some participants had really impressive dance moves. They were very inspiring.”As the competition comes to a close, the moment of truth arrives. Who will walk away with the grand prize[Interview : Ji Hyun-woo, MC] “The Best Vocal Performance of the 2011 K-POP World Festival goes to, Karla Carreon from the Philippines!”The 2011 K-POP World Festival has brought fans, contestants, and K-pop stars together. All contestants feel like winners just by having come this far.[ENG][Interview : Karla Carreon, Winner of Best Vocal PerformanceThe Philippines] “I am so happy right now. I can walk away with this trophy and US$5,000.”[Interview : Bui Huong Linh, Winner of the Grand Prize Vietnam] “I could die happy since I got to perform on such a big stage. I am very happy and grateful.”[SOV][Interview : ] “I love K-pop!”Although the festival has come to a end, it marks a new beginning for contestants, who have just come to deepen their appreciation for Korea. They were, in fact, able to observe, feel, and experience the country by participating in various cultural programs outside the festival.K-pop will continue to inspire people to learn more about Korea. Why don’t we all spread our love for K-pop by competing in the next K-POP World Festival[STUDIO] Talk TalkJAN 05, 2012 Reporter : minju@arirangtv.com

Arirang

Arirang is a post from: LovingCareGifts.com: Gifts With Love & Care

Minus a key former player, bookstores woo customers

admin — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 06:00:26 +0000

In the first holiday shopping season since Borders closed the last of its bookstores, surviving booksellers are too deeply immersed in the ongoing drama over the industry’s future to spend much time missing a former lead character.

Did the flawed hero’s demise make room for others to step up? Alabama-based Books-A-Million, which refers to itself as BAM!, took over more than 40 former Borders locations nationwide, including ones in Monaca and Butler.

Eljay’s Used Books on West Liberty Avenue in Dormont reports doing a few more special orders of new books than in the past, which may or may not have something to do with the loss of Borders. Meanwhile, Mystery Lovers Bookshop in Oakmont saw sales over the Thanksgiving weekend rise 38 percent.

Barnes & Noble also had a good weekend, reporting sales in stores open at least a year rose 10.9 percent. Half Price Books saw lines out the door at many stores on Black Friday, as customers chased a free $5 gift card.

The American Booksellers Association reported that sales, both online and in stores, through independent bookstores rose 15.5 percent during the week of Thanksgiving over the same period last year.

“Based on early sales and traffic results in stores, we are encouraged by our prospects for this upcoming holiday,” said William Lynch, CEO of Barnes & Noble, in a quarterly earnings release.

Other booksellers echo that sentiment even as squabbles between online and offline retailers break out and the industry watches to see how the growth of electronic reading devices will change book reading — and buying.

Industrywide, the sales picture in recent months has been mixed. before the encouraging holiday weekend, Barnes & Noble reported sales in the quarter that ended Oct. 29 had dipped to $1.89 billion from $1.9 billion last year. Books-A-Million said sales in the quarter fell 8.1 percent to $94.4 million, reflecting a tough year that wasn’t helped by the effect of Borders’ liquidation sales.

Sales at Half Price Books were flat overall in November, said Kathy Doyle Thomas, executive vice president of the discount book chain based in Dallas, Texas. But that was good news. “Flat is the new up,” she said.

Meanwhile, Amazon.com inc., the Seattle online retailer of books and everything else, reported its North American sales were up 44 percent to $5.93 billion in the quarter ended Sept. 30. the company’s website says its Kindle fire digital device, which allows users to read books as well as do lots of other things, is its bestselling product.

Amazon, already seen as taking market share from bricks-and-mortar retailers who feel the online merchant unfairly avoids sales taxes, triggered more controversy in the last week or so with an offer to give discounts to customers who use its price-checking app in stores and then buy on Amazon. Books were not included in the promotion, but that didn’t mollify the booksellers, many of whom have diversified into music, movies, games and other products.

“We suppose we should be flattered that an online sales behemoth needs a Main Street retail showroom,” wrote Oren Teicher, CEO of the American Booksellers Association, in an open letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

No matter who is selling or how, consumers still like books. a survey sponsored by credit card company Discover Financial Services found 34 percent of those polled put books on the list of gifts they most wanted.

Those who embrace technology don’t seem to instantly make the leap to all digital media either.

Digital tracking firm comScore inc. found 26 percent of smartphone users who had made purchases with their phones bought print books, based on results from a September survey. of course, 47 percent had bought digital media of some sort, whether it was electronic books, music, movies or ringtones.

Electronic reading devices — the Kindles, the Nooks and other versions — can’t be ignored. Mystery Lovers has even begun selling ebooks through its website, although the profit margin is lower than for print and the store can’t supply Kindle users because Amazon limits that.

The consequences of the growth of such devices is not yet clear. Frank Oreto, co-owner at Eljay’s, worries that e-readers might mean less book gifting.

“It cuts out the idea, ‘That person is a book reader; we should buy them a book,’ ” he said. instead of sharing a favorite author or supplementing a collector’s stash of science fiction, the giver might just buy an Amazon gift card.

At Half Price Books, where new books from the overstock pile mix with the used ones, Ms. Thomas is convinced there’s nothing better than getting suggestions from the book-loving staff or just wandering the aisles to find unexpected delights. “If they are looking to browse or be inspired, they go to bookstores,” she said, crediting such a find with her recent decision to learn Thai cooking.

The loss of Borders combined with the growth of e-readers means publishers will likely print fewer books overall, Ms. Thomas said, which will mean fewer copies available to everyone. “People would buy books at Borders all the time, then come in and sell them to us,” she said, noting the discount chain’s staff sent customers the other way as well since Half Price Books doesn’t always have the newest bestsellers.

Those sort of referrals seem common in the industry. Mr. Oreto, at Eljay’s, said he used to regularly talk with the staff at Joseph-Beth Booksellers, a seller of new books and media that closed at the SouthSide Works development a year ago.

Perhaps the key question is where the heaviest readers will land. They traditionally have come into bookstores and scooped up two or three titles. They may read bestsellers that can be found at stores such as Target or Giant Eagle, but they want less well-known books, too. “The heavy reader is the core of our business,” said Mr. Goldman, at Mystery Lovers.

Some may embrace electronic readers, while others still swear by print. More than a few will use both.

For now, booksellers are looking to pick up some of the business from book lovers who once relied on Borders. the Books-A-Million website, for one, includes a tab that says, “Welcome, Borders customers! a new chapter has arrived.”

Some of those customers are still in mourning. Mr. Goldman has talked with people who tell him they miss staff members from the Borders stores that closed in East Liberty, Ross and Frazer.

In the end, the most direct beneficiary would seem to be Barnes & Noble, but the passionate book-reading community is not always open to new suitors.

Some of that sentiment is expressed through social media sites. On Nov. 24, Barnes & Noble wished everyone a happy Thanksgiving. everyone on the Borders Facebook page, that is.

The page was among the Borders’ assets that Barnes & Noble picked up from bankruptcy liquidation earlier this year. Borders’ fans responded a bit frostily.

“What about Borders? do they also wish me a happy Thanksgiving?” asked one.

Still another noted it wasn’t exactly Barnes & Noble’s fault. He blamed Borders’ management for failing to keep their chain profitable. They “left us with those other guys.”

First published on December 14, 2011 at 12:00 am

Minus a key former player, bookstores woo customers

Minus a key former player, bookstores woo customers is a post from: LovingCareGifts.com: Gifts With Love & Care

Applications for Cheer Fund assistance arrive quickly

admin — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:00:11 +0000

Requests for gifts from the Christmas Cheer Fund have comequickly into the Globe Gazette offices.

It is clear that higher unemployment and a tough economy haveadded to the demand.

A gift from the fund “would help in purchasing gifts for thechildren this year,” wrote one person.

“My husband has lost his job and my nephews and niece have hadto come and live with us,” she added.

Another said, “Money is short this time of year, even with ajob, we can only get enough hours to pay our bills.”

One applicant had been unemployed since December 2009.

“We are having a very hard time financially,” she wrote. “Couldyou please help me to buy gifts for my children?”

Too often, bills and the need for food prompt a request. Manycome from senior citizens.

“The funds will be used for food I need. very short on foodright now,” one 72-year-old woman wrote.

Every year since the Christmas Cheer Fund was created in 1927monetary gifts have been distributed to those who can use a littleextra help this time of year. the money comes from children andadults across North Iowa. All donations are used for gifts.

People can apply for a gift from the Cheer Fund between 9 a.m.and 4:30 p.m. weekdays at the Globe Gazette, 300 N. WashingtonAve., Mason City. All parts of the application must be completed tobe eligible for consideration and all applications must be made atthe Globe Gazette office.

Donations may be dropped off at the Globe Gazette or mailed toChristmas Cheer Fund, Box 271, Mason City IA 50402-0271.

Christmas Cheer Fund donations collected on Monday:

Maria Mitchell Club $50

MCHS Class of 1946 $250

First Christian Church $200

Cerro Gordo County Association of Independent Insurance AgentsInc. $500

Warren L DeVries Family Charitable Trust $500

In memory of Harold and Roberta Norby $15

Bob and Karen Cole $50

Duane L. Jewell in memory of my wife JoAnne $25

Bruce and Myrna $25

Mark and Pat Repp $25

Mavis Espinosa in loving memory of Debbie and Sonny $100

Ronald Laudner Jr. $ 100

Penny and Fouad in grateful memory of Frank Schmitz $100

Marlys and family in loving memory of Gordon Swenson $25

Shelley Moore in memory of my parents Don and RuthStanton $25

In honor and memory of all AMPI Mason City employees $1,000

Betty McCarthy in memory of Jim McCrathy $50

Obed and Ronald Hope $20

Alan and Margherita Atwell $50

Jean and James Marinos $25

Friends from Fertile $25

Stephen and Elizabeth Gales $100

Martha Helland in memory of husband Robert Helland $25

A. G. and Mary Ann Schraan $20

Barb and Willard Krabbe in loving memory of our parents Jamesand Leona Krabbe, Aage and Johanna Christensen and our fourgranddaughters Jessica, Megan, Nicole and Angela $200

Rob and Colleen Curley in memory of my dad HaroldPeterson $25

Dola Shannon in memory of all loved ones $20

Art and Alice Gratias in memory of both of our parents $100

Birdsall Ice Cream Company $500

Scot and Patricia Wright $25

Wife Colleen and family in loving memory of Bob Dutcher $25

Terry and Lana Eagen $100

Thornton Lions $300

Patricia and Robert Peterson in memory of loved ones $100

Phyllis and Armand Oetken $100

Delano and Harriet Winter $25

C.H. MacNider, Kristin and Maggie $300

Robert and Shirley Berry in honor of deceased parents $25

Mark and Marcia McNulty in memory of Abe and Mildred Burdetteand Jerry and Donna McNulty $100

Lentz and Associates $100

Amanda and James Ragan $100

Donald and Ruthann Reimers $25

Shirley Engstrom in memory of loved ones $30

Marge Omvig in memory of all members of my family $50

Gladys Jurgemeyer $25

Eugene and Donna Wagner $25

Myrna Barlas in memory of my parents $25

Bob and Judy Johnson in memory of our father AldenJohnson $25

Sharon Kantaris for Eugene (Hooker) Vietta and Gus Kantaris —miss you all very much $30

Allan and Marta Eenhuis $20

Gerald and Sally Kunz $75

Shirley Grandgenett in memory of husband Harold $10

Willis and Arlene Engh in memory of our parents Wm and GraceEngh and Ed and Nellie Anderson $30

Blondie and Oscar $30

Ida Floy in loving memory of my husband Duane Floy and ourparents John and Pearl Floy and Henry and Anna DeWeerdt $30

Harold and Joyce $20

From family in memory of Paul Morris $25

Terry MacGregor $100

Richard and Marlys Nelson $50

Paulette Skillen $5

Daughter and niece Joan Frein in memory of parents Leonard andJosephine Pudil, aunts and uncles Frankly and Fern Pudil and Ed andClara Matteson $25

David and Carolyn Luscomb $100

Edgar and Dorcas Dorow $75

Wayne and Rita Blaisdell in honor of Wesley, Jason andGordon $100

Louis and Barbara Koenigsfeld $25

Karl, Sherrie, Nikki, Rachel and Morgan Johnson in loving memory of our dad and grandpa Eugene Smidt $10

Susan Marth in loving memory of my brother bill Youngerman$25

Frances and Claudia Neuberger in memory of Lester, Franklin andMark Neuberger $30

James Arndorfer $25

Steven and Carolyn Shoger family and friends $25

Mary Phalen in gratefulness for family and friends $10

Karen Knudtson in memory of my parents Pat and VirgeClabaugh $20

Diane Wilson and David Solberg $25

Delane and Darlene Behr $30

Steve, Mark and Loretta Janssen in memory of Howard $25

Tim, Betty, Erin, Brittanie, Abby and Tom Lucas, MerryChristmas $250

Barb and Gene Gallogly $25

Robert and Louise Nath $30

Larry and Carol Dalluge $20

Phyllis Nissen $500

Dean and Cathy McCollough $50

Wayne and Katherine Hult $25

Jim and Bonnie Billings for family members $20

Rex and Jan Liekweg in memory of family and friends $25

Kenneth and Ruth Benjegerdes $20

Ann Wolf in memory of Tom Wolf $25

Jack and Mary Jo Fisher $50

Hope Clausen in memory of Bob Clausen $25

Russell and Carol Burress $25

His family to remember Bob McEldoon $20

Ronald and Rebecca Lundblad $25

Gary and Maxine in memory of Diane Fiala and Adele Nissen —loved and missed by many $35

Timothy and Betty Cross $500

Ruth Lang in memory of John $20

Dolores Hudson in memory of loved ones $100

Lu Brown in memory of my daughter Ellen Ann Brown $25

Loretta Kreider $25

Larry and Connie Stadtlander in memory of our lovedones $20

Delores Marsh in memory of loved ones $100

Delores Wagner $15

Lou in loving memory of Leo Stealy $25

Ladies Auxiliary Saratoga Post 4868 $150

River City Morning Kiwanis Club $450

Mark and Janice Feustel in memory of our parents $25

Dennis Nolan to my parents Harold and Marion Nolan and to all myrelatives $25

Bertell and Ellen Nelson $25

Anna Hinrichsen $10

Eldon and Lavonne in memory of parents and brother Larry$25

Lois Morten McIntyre $50

In memory of the village of Dougherty $10

Jim and Jerry given in memory of Estella, Don and Frances$25

Herman Rickerl in memory of my first wife Joan B. Rickerl $20

Herman Rickerl in memory of my second wife Violette M.Rickerl $20

Wa Tan Ye Club of Mason City $100

John and Virginia Hood $25

Mary Jane and Ronald Masters II $20

John and Marladean Devries $100

VFW Auxiliary 733 in honor of all veterans $25

Carren Schaer in memory of John Schaer $100

Robin and David Hughes in memory of John Schaer $75

Jason Hughes in memory of Grandpa John Schaer $25

Phyllis Klaus Bierle $25

DelRay and Janet McKee in memory of our dads $50

Mary Jo Lorge in memory of Bob Lorge $100

Merl and Joyce Schulting in memory of our loved ones $200

Hacks Pest Control $50

Inga Nordaas in memory of loved ones $30

Glenn and Susan Borcherding in memory of our parents Francis andRuth DeSart and Harry and Esther Borcherding $50

Francis and Roxanne Burns Merry Christmas $25

William Elliott in memory of loved ones $40

Steven and Susan Urbatsch $100

In loving memory of June and Jim McLaughlin and Carolyn Peterson $100

Duane and Martha Vaudt $20

Harold Winston in memory of my wife Carol J. Winston $100

Robert and Deloris Ruter $50

Allan and Dorothy Bratrud $10

Dorothy Torkelson in memory of loved ones $50

Alex and Phyllis Preftakes in memory of MichaelPreftakes $25

In memory of deceased family of Doris Hempe $25

George and Janice Guenther — Corwith $25

Larry and Gail Langlitz in loving memory of our parents Mell andJosie VerHelst and Ira and Wava Langlitz $20

Mary, Mark and Dennis Schallock in loving memory of Clarence and Jon Schallock and other family members who are no longer with us $10

Grampa and Grama Farm in loving memory of T.J. $25

Mom and Dad in loving memory of bill $25

Jerry and Maggie Merry Christmas $100

Kenneth and Bernadine Rodemeyer $10

Cortland and Velva Peterson $25

Wayne and Sharon Dodge in memory of loved ones $50

Ruth a. Blazek in memory of Darold Blazek $300

Mildred Ahlstrom $50

In loving memory of John Kelley MacGregor $100

Bill and Joan Otterman $75

Virginia Grimm $25

Ivan and Carole Dodd $25

Lyle and Dixie Murl in memory of Mom, Dad, Dale, Grandpa andGrandma $40

David and Merry Kenyon $25

In memory of James R. Conroy, Chris M., John, Chasidy and JeradAxelsen $25

Lyle and Margaret K. $25

Burt and Phyllis Hogan for countless blessings $20

Kenny and Linda in loving memory of our parents Dean and WilmaGobeli, Wayne and Ardis Shaw and Grandpa Forrest Gobeli $50

Retired Friends $100

Roger and Cheryl Tietjens $100

Paul and Millie Horstman in memory of our parents $25

Ed and Rosemary Schoolcraft $100

Wayne and June Pope in memory of Linda, Marcia, Sharon andAmy $200

This year’s goal $115,000

Today’s total: $14,278

Year-to-date: $14,278

Still needed to reach goal: $100,722.

Applications for Cheer Fund assistance arrive quickly

Applications for Cheer Fund assistance arrive quickly is a post from: LovingCareGifts.com: Gifts With Love & Care

Gift Ideas: Top 10 DSLR Accessories

admin — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:00:17 +0000

Yours truly, on location at San Quentin State Prison.

When it comes to photography we’re living through an unparalleled digital renaissance. there is so much amazing technology, and at prices that belie the capability it puts into our hands, that it–for lack of a better expression–boggles the mind.

I’ve been writing about DSLR since I bought a Canon EOS Rebel T2i in 2010–perhaps bested in passion and quantity only by my Moto Droid and Android obsession, and admiration for Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling.

But that T2i: That camera changed everything! I dumped a Vixia camcorder (no slouch) and exclusive rely on Canon DSLRs for photos and most notably HD videos here on Stark Insider. Quick tip. If I had to do it again, and buy a bang-for-the-buck DSLR with gobs of power and features, without breaking the bank, I’d go for the Canon EOS Rebel T3i. It improves on the T2i, including a swing out LCD display that I really like, and still carries characteristic ease-of-use and reliability. I’m Gaga for my EOS 60D, but the T3i and T2i use the same sensor, and can be had for a song. for example, you can get the T3i plus kit lens for only $712. That, my friends, is insanity. Revel while you can.

Over the years I’ve accumulated several add-ons, including microphones, batteries, tripods, lenses, and all sorts of doo-dahs. It can kind of sneak up on you! So I finally took some time to catalog some of my favorite accessories and decided to share them here, lest you are scrambling for last minute gifts, or are looking to treat yourself.

I had one important rule for this list: I must own at least one of every single accessory mentioned (save for one… see if you can spot it), and believe it to be of the highest quality and/or value.

My top 10 list is Canon-centric, but many of these ideas will work for Nikon, Sony, Olympus and other makes. I tried to stay around $100-200, and mostly hit the mark; though I did include a few splurge ideas. After all, ’tis the season.

1. Rode Videomic Pro

If you want to do video right, get this shotgun mic. It’s hands down the best one out there for the price. Sound quality is impressive, it’s small enough not to get in the way, and the battery goes for miles and miles and miles. It’s on my Twi or 60D about 95% of the time, and has never failed me once. See below for Stark Insider video shot with the Rode. Here’s my Rode Videomic Pro review if you’d like to read more.

Clint’s Pick: Rode VideoMic Pro VMP Shotgun Microphone, $229

2. Canon 50mm Lens

Ask any photographer for their favorite lenses, and this 50mm beauty will almost always make the top three. Excellent for portraits, and a superb pick for street photography, there’s a reason why it’s a perennial best seller for Canon. in low light situations I turn to the nifty fifty.

Clint’s Pick: Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens, $104

Note: if you want to see non-stop gushing, check out the user reviews on Amazon for this lens!

3. Targus Tripod

There are far more expensive tripods out there, with advanced features, but for me, this Targus does the trick. I really like the lightweight design, which allows me to easily swing it over the shoulder or pack into a bag without much hassle. The floating head is surprisingly decent.

Clint’s Pick: Black Label TG-P63T Floor Standing Tripod, $58.99

4. Lens Filter

Okay, a slightly boring entry, but a must-have. Repeat after me: the first thing I will do after buying a new lens is protect it (see my potential disaster averted thanks to a cheap Rocketfish filter). The important thing to know is the size of the lens. Typical sizes are 58mm and 72mm, but there are many others too. I prefer filters without effects.

Clint’s Pick: Tiffen 58mm UV Protection Filter, $9.99.

5. Batteries

Canon won’t like this, but those cheapo aftermarket batteries work just fine. The T2i and T3i use the same battery, while the 60D uses a slightly larger, and higher capacity MODEL, the sames as those found in the Canon 5D Mark II (everyone’s dream camera). I carry at least three replacement batteries. That will easily give me a day of shooting, and some extra juice in case I want to shoot some video (which can drain batteries quickly).

Clint’s Picks:For 60D: Maximal Power DB CAN LP-E6 Rechargeable Replacement Li-Ion BatteryFor T2i/T3i/T3: Canon LP-E8 Compatible Li-ion Battery for EOS Rebel T2i

6. Zoom H1 Field Recorder

Here’s a nifty do-it-all gadget for capturing audio in the field. Zoom has a history of producing quality kit, and the H1 is no exception. I have two of them, and primarily use them as pseudo wireless lavaliers. I place the H1 into a subject’s pocket or on a nearby table/chair, and then run a small lav to it. later, we sync up audio in post production (Adobe Premiere Pro). there is some extra work here, but the quality is well worth the effort. You can also use the H1 without mics and capture a live concert, for example, with equally satisfying results. If you’re interested to learn more about the H1, you can read about my first impressions and field trials.

Clint’s Pick: Zoom H1 Portable Digital Recorder With Accessories APH1 $119 (includes decent accessory bundle)

7. Transcend 32GB SDHC Memory Card

You can larger, and you can definitely go smaller and cheaper. but the sweet spot is 32GB. Prices are reasonable, and you get enough room to shot a tonne, and/or capture lots of 1080p video. The last thing you want to do is worry about running out of memory, so my suggestion would be not to chintz out. Why Transcend? I’ve bought lots of their cards over the years and never had a single failure. Other brands may return similar results, but for now I’m a loyalist. be sure to get a “Class 10” card to support your camera’s shooting rates.

Clint’s Pick: Transcend 32 GB Class SDHC 10 Flash Memory Card, $38.99

8. Canon EF-S 18-200mm Zoom Lens

In a word: indespensible.

If I had to take only one lens on a trip (and that’s often the case) this would be the one. It has some wide angle (convenient for landscapes), and plenty of zoom so you can capture subjects at a distance. Note that it’s not the best in very low light situations, so keep that in mind–though, I’ve still find it acceptable and have used it at evening events in Napa and San Francisco with nice results. You can spend a lot (and I mean a lot) more for zooms, but this is a fantastic all-rounder. like the Rode Videomic, it’s on my DSLRs virtually 7/24.

Clint’s pick: Canon EF-S 18-200mm lens, $549 (amazing)

9. Canon 5D Mark II

Remember I told you about the splurge factor? this would be the one. I know it’s not an accessory, but it is just so hands-down incredible, this highly coveted DSLR, that I just had to include it. The 5D changed not only the market for high-end DSLRs, but also the industry. It’s been used to film movies (parts of 127 Hours), television shows (House), and lots of commercials.

If you’re feeling especially generous this holiday season, or if you just came into some newly found riches, buy this camera, and live a little.

Clint’s pick (along with everyone else): Canon EOS 5D Mark II 21.1MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera (Body Only), $2,199.

10. Targus Camera Sling Bag

You could call it a knapsack. but sling bag is cooler. Plus you wear it over one shoulder. yes, this is only $30, and I use it to sometimes house thousands of dollars of gear. but I love it. It’s far more convenient than the old-school packs that look like med kits. I especially like the adjustable compartments. You can move them around to accommodate lenses, mics and even several cameras too if you like. I’ve had a Rode, spare lens, field recorders and a T2i and 60D in here before, in addition to extra batteries, notes, filters and various cleaning products. It all fits! I’ve taken this on location for interviews with Cirque du Soleil, Disney on Ice, and at film festivals such as the mill Valley and Napa Valley Film Festivals. So just because something is inexpensive, doesn’t mean it can’t get the job done.

Clint’s Pick: Targus Digital TGC-SBM200 SLR Digital Camera Sling Bag – Medium, $29.98

Best of Luck

It’s a wrap!

Hope you enjoyed this round-up. Let me know if I’ve missed any of your favorites. Happy shooting!

Canon EOS Rebel T2i Photos

Two of my favorites shots from a recent trip to Baja California Sur (read more on that here).

Canon EOS 60D Video with Rode Videomic Pro and Zoom H1

Inside Cirque du Soleil’s incredible show Totem. You can watch more of my video work: Stark Insider TV.

Gift Ideas: Top 10 DSLR Accessories

Gift Ideas: Top 10 DSLR Accessories is a post from: LovingCareGifts.com: Gifts With Love & Care