Last posts on blog

In Development

2008-11-18T17:27:00+01:00

Sometimes when I got to write a short story or novella, I'll do a little story sketch, kind of like how a screen writer would. Here is an example of one I used for a short novella called In Modern Buildings: On The Armcuff of the Arts Scene.In Modern Buildingsby Josh Terry4 Writers3 musicans3 playwrites2 reporters4 bloggers10 artists2 chefs4 dancers The story fuses expereinces from a variety of arts and goes inbetween them. It is not only a story of capital success it is about personal quality to work. Moden issues cememnt the language. The novel is set througout the United States.The muscians/ provide excitememnt to the story, one playing publically, another still finding their tune in rehearsals, writers who back proof their work, rapper in a studio and artists woking in their lofts. Writers make it easy and the conservations of artist today, the book really lets you on the arm cuff of an artist as he or she creates and debates work, some interpersonal and outer person naarative socialize a book that brings you along the artists path.

From The Herald

2008-11-17T23:44:00+01:00

I've been doing some correspondent work for a local paper, a full size weekly called The Herald of Randolph. Here is a drsft from a story that appeared in a special Weddings section thast was published around Valentine's Day (Feb. 14). For this article, I interviewed a local film maker who made a movie about a Vermont wedding.By Josh TerryIn the summer of 1989, Tunbridge film director John O'Brien attended three weddings, one of were he was the "Best Man." So, it was no suprise that he made a movie about a wedding the next summer, the little known Vermontscape, Vermont Is For Lovers, a romantic comedy about a couple who arrives in rural Vermont to have their wedding. The movie is a treasure of the ups and downs of planning and having a wedding here in Vermont and scenes include many locals who volunteered to play small parts, mostly playing themselves. The movie features the funny banter between the bride and groom as they prepare for their wedding day and in the movie O'Brien uses a lot of Vermont farm and animal imagery to paint Vermont as a character itself, as the idlyc setting for a couple's most important day to date. O'Brien reflected about the movie saying he shot in the liliacs of June and to his suprise he completed the movie in about a week, a feat in itself.The movie was shot around his house and his mother played the bride's aunt, who in the movie hosted the event at her farm. "I marvel at how naive, innocent and simple the whole thing was, all my neighbors and friends rose to the occasion," he said.O'Brien went on to make the famous Vermont political film Man With A Plan and few years later another Vermont based film "Noisy Parker". He said that the film was more skit based and a touch of documentary filmaking as the recent Harvard graduate became the Vermonter of this era to point a movie camera at the mountains, fields and people of the Green Mountain State."I wanted to figure out a way to interview my neighbors within a story, all my friends were getting married at the time and I thought 'well a wedding is something that I know about'". So with a friend from Harvard who played the bride whose own father was movie business agent in the 1970's and his sister's boyfriend who played the groom, his mother who played the bride's aunt and his friends and neighbors from Tunbridge, Chelsea and Orange County and the backdrop of Vermont, O'Brien shot the film."It was sort of documentary about a time and place and it was effecive that way," O'Brien said.He said that the bride and the groom didn't get along in real life and it made the film's comedy work. "I knew they wouldn't get along. He was both arrogant and charming at the same time," O'Brien said. The movie unfortunately had a short big screen life. It was originally picked up by a distributor and was shown at the New Directors, New Films festival in New York City where New York Times reviewer, Vincent Camby gave the budding movie a bad review and with his enormous influence it was dropped by the distributor. "The movie did play unbelievably well at the New Museum of Modern Art in New York and played in 30 theaters including a run at Montpelier's Savoy Theater where it broke box office records there."The movie is available on DVD at locally owned Vermont video stores, including Randolph's Video Vault. Those who are planning a country wedding might be interested to see it.

Coming Soon

2008-11-14T01:09:00+01:00

I'm going back to some projects I did about 3 years ago, mostly fiction. I'm going to re-do a few short stories, The Book (I gave the original version to a part-time movie maker), the bio-pic The West End Flyer and the turkey hunting story Age of the Golden Bird to name a few.

hi5.com

2008-11-13T17:59:00+01:00

I was checking my account in hi5.com when I found out that I have posted 55 blog entries since I made an account. Well, it's now 56 entries. I've PrintScreened some of the entries so I can post them here. I'm being sentimental. XD

I've also realized that I made no entry in the year of 2007. Oh well, that was the time that I had forgotten my account details in hi5.com.

By the way, I should remind myself to rent and watch the following movies:
In the Land of Women
Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang
Speak
Thirteen

Music:
Mercy Me - I Can Only Imagine

Lay vs. Lie

2008-11-12T20:12:00+01:00

Considering how short these words are, lie and lay give us a lot of trouble. Confusing the two is one of the most common usage errors we make, says Bryan Garner. Here's how they work.-Lie is what they call an intransitive verb. This means it can't take an object. Lay is transitive and it needs an object. Even if you can't remember these technical terms, there's a really easy way to keep the two words straight. Think about Bob Dylan's chicken.Chickens lay eggs. The eggs here are the object. Chickens do not lie eggs -- you know that already. Everyone does, if the Internet is any proof. "Chicken lies eggs" turns up exactly zero results on Live Search, while "chickens lie eggs" turns up only one result. That's amazing, considering the language debris strewn all over the Internet. On the other hand, whenever you're talking about reclining, you are lying. There is no object here. Without an egg or other object in your sentence, use lie. Therefore, unless you are a chicken, you do not "lay out in the sun," you "lie out in the sun." There. That covers the present tense. Things get a little trickier in past tense, because the past tense of lie is lay. It's darned confusing to have the word swap meanings when it changes tenses. The solution? Memorize it. Or if you just can't, print out this cheat sheet and tuck it in your wallet:Meanwhile, the past tense of lay is laid. The chicken laid the egg. That's not hard to remember, is it? I lie/I lay. The chicken lay/the chicken laid. Once you have lie/lay and lay/laid memorized, you are very nearly ready to claim mastery over this common grammar gremlin. There are just two more inflections to learn: the present and past participles.These are easy. You just add –ing to the root and you're set. I am lying in wait for my victims. The chicken is laying eggs (or I am laying objects of any sort down). The past participles aren't too tough, either. The past participle of lie is lain. I have lain in wait for my victims for hours, you have lain in wait … they have lain in wait … we have lain in wait. (We are a patient sort of perpetrator, aren't we?) Garner assures us that mistakes here are rare. Chances are you have memorized it unconsciously, even if you don't know the technical term for it.Last but not least is the past participle of lay. I have laid the grammar book on the table, for I am sick of reading it. more...

In the Kitchen

2008-10-28T16:41:00+01:00

If blogs are restaurants then as the chef I like to try different dishes every night. Right now, I'm in the Urban Rural kitchen, the floors shined from the clean up last night. The metal mixing bowls and skillets are neatly put away. My cutting boards are clean and the refrigerator is full of wrapped up food. It's a small restaurant, mostly American fare with a French influence located on a busy street. Tonight feels like a steak and salad special, I have arguably the best vinigrette dressing in the city and my meat is best served medium rare. Maybe a soup for lunch. It is cold out maybe a pea soup with bacon or nice hot chicken noodle soup to prevent a cold. I get my bread delivered from a bakery. Fresh bread every day is a blessing. I do a pretty good lunch business, mostly soup and sandwiches. I'm famous for my potato salad at least here in this part of the city and I serve dinner to from 4:30 to 10 pm. There's always alot to do for a chef and as a writer it feels like the daily special is a romance. Writers are kind of like cooks, we sometimes like to throw things together, experiment, write scenes and see what happens. So, lets put a man and a woman together and like my extensive list of Frech cheeses and Italian sausages, let's give them each a specific identity. The man, let's 46, an age where one probably is willing to look past beauty for a women with partnership skills but lets make him a lucky man who finds both beauty and a personality that is the right fit. We'll call him Louis, a name with both formal distinction and history but is also a name the could define a regular type of guy type. He is clothed in an blue and white striped Oxford shirt and designer jeans and he's wearing patent leather shoes with a nice black sweater. Is that interesting enough? Probably not, Louis is man of complete sentences and offers an understatement to things that gives off a sense of value that women tend to like, kind of like listening to the country western singers. He is a play writer and a writing teacher and he is about to or in the process of meeting a woman named Holly. Holly is growing out her hair, let's say a brunette with blonde highlights. Like a lot of women she is quick, in both her conversations and to the underlying feelings that she has. So as Louis is complete maybe a bit understated, Holly is forward. She is someone who wants to feel things out but when she makes a decision she is 100 percent behind it. They both like to laugh and for the reader the writer tries to bring in those small things, that to the characters seem like big things when it comes to the topics of feelings and romances.

Donations Accepted

2008-10-26T21:42:55+01:00

If you are a fan of this blog and want to donate to it, you can do so now. I have installed a donation button on the lower left hand side of the site.

Buying my freedom

2008-10-22T19:19:00+02:00

Save up for : US trip, by end of next year.

Save up for : Europe trip, by end of 2010.

Save up for : Australia, if possible. Else, go find a place live on my own.

Don't think of parents' responsibilities and pay family expenses.

Need to buy your own freedom and live your own life, without anyone making decisions for you.

It is my life. I have come to 30 to realise it pretty late.

Luckily I had a life in melbourne. That was really a lucky break. Poor brother had no break.

I will hate my family officially end of 2010.

Please read my e-mail

2008-10-22T07:32:00+02:00

I hope the lecturer is in school. I hope the e-mail does not jam up his inbox. I hope he reads my mail.

Please read my mail. Please go through my work, please let me know how I fare by TODAY TODAY TODAY!

I still have another portion to send to him.

Please please please please

Kudos to this AngMoh

2008-10-22T06:23:00+02:00

Kudos to this AngMoh sitting beside me.
He has very much infused into Singaporean culture.
He really really really speak English, proper English but with Singaporean accent! Complete with our jargons like "isit? Pretty or not" and " Aiyoh, so how? want or not?" Not Hong Kong accent mind you, real Singaporean accent.

To the extent that if you don't see his face you will not think he is AngMoh. But he can switch to American accent in a split second.

Like myself, I speak Singaporean, then non-accented proper English in a snap.

Wow, happy to see someone able to infuse into our culture like that. First encounter with such a person.

kekekekekeke

Rubbish

2008-10-21T14:49:00+02:00

Random thoughts.

People like HJ, WZ and YQ reminds me why I don't mix with normal guys.

Had lunch yesterday in office WZ and MW bought me chicken rice upon my request. Sat in the pantry and they accompanied me while I eat. We talked about YQ and I had to guess who he is after. Apparently he is after a girl who is already attached with another guy for 2 years. I said "but she is attached!" WZ goes "So? Guys don't think like that. U know how guys go after preys? You must find out.... guys don't think this way." "then he is a 3rd party!" "no no he isn't... why would he be a 3rd party?"

Well for this short-sightedness, then if the lady is one who goes with another just because of temptation, good riddance for her boyfriend! And not long after both YQ and the lady will get their just desserts anyhow. Break up a couple, don't blame anyone if you get broken up by another, unfaithful creeps.

Then WZ mentioned how his girlfriend was overseas and he did not visit her for those 2 years. I said "oh you missed out!" He went "Why?" "Well, you get free accomodation, and so long as she has friends who drive, there is no need to spend on day tours, and you can tour with your girlfriend in the country she is in." I replied. WZ said "no she is there.. .... its good,.... the purpose is that she is there while I get away.... why would I want to go to her?"

And I carried on "so that she wouldn't check on you, ask who you are with, what you are doing?........" He nodded.

Initial reaction "damn creeps." Then again I thought, if that is the case, he wouldn't be with her for 5 years, after all, he is a favourite among girls. He can get girls easy. He probably really does know that his girlfriend is what is best, just that he don't show it?

Too realistic?

Then I remember how HJ always judge people, in a very negative way. As if he is all full of goodness!??!?

Anyhow, these are 3 out of 4 guys in the whole department. 75%!!! And they are supposedly very normal hot-blooded males.

So I can't accept normal guys. Who will appreciate me for usually praised (by ladies) fingers, nails, smile, eyes (some guys like my eyes ba), lips, ....

The multimedia artist, who calls me beautiful. I believe he meant it, calling me that infront of so many people. And whenever he calls, ask me why my cheeks are so rosy.... I said eczema... and he goes "beautiful, very pretty very pretty."

Real or not, I take it in. Maybe once in a lifetime, so be it.

No Wonder I Am Alone

2008-10-18T15:10:00+02:00

I argued with mum today.
Thought I would be happy to finally say what I felt. But just moments after, I called back to say sorry. While in the heat, I sms-ed my brother "Mum said you ever told her you will not go on tour with her as it is no fun with her. Why did you say that? Anyhow, I am not bringing her on tour with me either so she can don't see the world for the rest of her life!".

After apologizing to mum, I sms-ed my brother again "Anyhow, I am bringing mum with me to US and Europe, after that I am done." I wonder how he will react upon seeing me later in person. I can't be bothered no how. I accept that I have no brother at all.

But after such heated exchange, I wonder if mum will really go touring with me after all. For now, she says "ok nevermind." as if accepting my apology. But I know deep inside she probably don't want to go touring with me after I confessed.

I still feel that I really ought to move out, to get myself a sane life and to live the way I want to live. To let my parents accept the fact I will not be marrying nor will I get slim.

And my weird behaviour around guys is driving me insane. Think I am going crazy, not realising how ugly I am. What is the projection of confidence about when people see you as a failure. I need to accept the way I look as well.

At the Brook

2008-10-17T19:22:00+02:00

The sounds the water made flowing through the brook. He came back to it and sat down on a rock. Leaning over the water, he cupped his hands, drank some and washed his face. the water, cold and clear was full of minerals and it calmed him. He sat and watched the perfect motion of the water flow. The sun and the water. He didn't have to think anymore, he could just be. The seconds passed and he began to naturally feel. His body was a lot better than his mind and he put away the notion that the thoughts in his mind had been important. It really was nothing at all but reassurance that his body gave him. There was even a bit of optimism and uncovered sense of love. Memories are funny things. Sometimes they float to the top, other times you can't find them. Sometimes they don't write perfect sentences. They didn't have titles, or chapters. Sometimes he thought back, other times he thought forward. Sometimes, he found a place and he had no answers. At the brook, he could approach them again and his body told his mind what the honest answers were. He could see the peebles and the sand through the water.

Look @ My Email

2008-10-17T04:12:21+02:00

I was ready some pretty funny and crazy things at a site called Look @ My Email. Basically it is a site that just post some of the random stuff they get in their email. You know all the stuff that keeps you going through the day at work. Or the stuff that irritates you and fills up your inbox. They had some crazy letter about a lady who married a guy and found out years later that he was her brother. Oh and don't forget to check out the Pole Dancer.

The Role of the Christian

2008-10-16T18:43:00+02:00

Israel and Iran are within the sands and for the Christian ours is a job of creating cooperation between two nations under one God. We must help to bridge the gap, to facilitate a move toward peace, trust and understanding. We are but one group but we too are under one God and for those throughout the lands, we can help bring in a new air of trust.We cannot side with one over the other, we must bring in both sides under one tent to begin a new era of communication, to air or grievances through a conversation where both sides can speak openly about the past, the present and for a future of stability, prosperity. Ours is but a time for opportunity, an opportunity that God is calling for us all and for the Christian now is the time to spread what Jesus gave us, peacefulness in the soul and from us may we bridge two nations and may we all live for the present, a time we can assist the region and the world for the now and for the hope of the tomorrows.

Through the Rain

2008-10-16T16:33:05+02:00

Rain, today. We had a two weeks of nice sunny Fall weather and we have had a nice foliage season. After the early reds, we had a couple of days where virtually everything was orange. Last night there was a giant full moon over the northern mountains and I drove over to Waitsfield then back through Rochester and back to Randolph via the Bethel Mountain Road. This winter I wrote a newspaper article where I compared driving in Orange County to riding a roller coaster and its is true, there a lot of steep hills and tight corners over here. The moon last night made for an exceptional night where the outside was lit up in a lunar hue that was just awesome. A tight, light wind blowing on my skin and the way the trees and the ridgelines look in the dark. Inside the baseball game was on and I found myself back in October on a nice evening in Vermont. I can't explain why I like evening time so much, I guess in the end, it is a point where I can arrive to sense of summary. Where I can find where I am.

Remodeling? Consider $1,000,000 Diamond Floor Tiles

2008-10-16T02:55:00+02:00

We've all heard stories about far away kings and queens that were so rich they never went anywhere without having rose petals (or some other lavish item) sprinkled beneath their feet as they walked. But as much fun as it is to imagine living like that it's not something that really realistic, is it?Pietra Firma thinks it is, and for the perfectly realistic (*cough*) price of just $1,000,000 per square meter they offer floor tiles not made of roses but instead each featuring over 1000 genuine diamonds, along with thousands of insets of precious materials like mother of pearl, abalone, and black onyx. more...

New Father Names Baby After Republican Ticket

2008-10-16T02:49:00+02:00

What’s in a name? Politics, if you ask proud new father Mark Ciptak of Elizabethton, Tenn. Some people distribute bumper stickers, some post campaign signs and others donate cash to support their favorite candidates.Ciptak had another idea – sparked by the birth Friday of his baby girl. So he chose to endorse his favorite candidates for president and vice president by naming his daughter after the Republican ticket.“I decided to actually name her Sarah McCain Palin,” he said. “I’m totally McCain all the way.” A blood bank employee for the American Red Cross, Ciptak said he chose the name to show his support and to encourage others to vote. But Sarah McCain Palin is not the name Ciptak and his wife, Layla, originally agreed upon.“I sort of secretively went behind her back and changed the paperwork,” Ciptak said. Ava Grace was the name originally chosen by the couple. “I was actually gonna name the baby John McCain, even as the girl, but I thought that was maybe too overboard,” he said. “I decided to actually name her Sarah McCain Palin, figuring hopefully I would get two weeks in the doghouse rather than two months.”In the event the family decides to overrule the father, they’ll have one year to file an affidavit requesting the name change, according to the Tennessee Department of Health’s Office of Vital Records. more...

BUDWEISER & CLAMATO CHELADA

2008-10-14T03:49:00+02:00

It's been done in Mexico for decades, now it's available in the USA! As one of the hottest new products to hit markets in California and Texas cities, followed by tremendous success in Arizona, Colorado and Nebraska, Budweiser & Clamato Chelada and Bud Light & Clamato Chelada will arrive in convenience stores, supermarkets and grocery stores nationwide. Latinos, specifically those of Mexican descent, have been mixing beer with Clamato for decades. Budweiser & Clamato Chelada and Bud Light & Clamato Chelada honor that tradition by combining Anheuser-Busch’s classic American-style lagers with the spicy, invigorating taste of Clamato Tomato Cocktail.“The combination of Clamato with Budweiser and Bud Light provides a refreshing beverage – one that Clamato fans have been mixing themselves for ages,” said Andrew Springate, vice president, marketing, CSAB.The name Chelada is a shortened form of the Spanish word michelada which loosely translates to ‘my cold beer.’ To order Budweiser or Bud Light & Clamato Chelada, one might say: “Una michelada con clamato, por favor.” To shorten that but still keep the beer recognizable as the traditional recipe, Anheuser-Busch focused on the name Chelada. Based in St. Louis, Anheuser Busch is the leading American brewer, holding a 48.4 percent share of U.S. beer sales. The company brews the world’s largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Anheuser Busch also owns a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico’s leading brewer, and a 27 percent share in China brewer Tsingtao, whose namesake beer brand is the country’s best-selling premium beer.more...

Tony Hawk at the Thrift Store

2008-10-12T21:38:00+02:00

Found two pairs of Tony Hawk jeans at the thrift store and for one I found my size 33/30 and secondly, I like the light weight of the jeans. I've been rollerblading on flat sheet of new pavement at the ice rink, working on my hockey game.

Makeover

2008-10-12T15:58:04+02:00

I had a makeover session early Sept to make a marking for my 30th birthday. Cause I know I am aging real fast and I will turn really ugly soon. So to preserve how I once looked presentable, and have something I can show my daughter to, I decided to take this makeover session.

It was supposed to be a one shot free thing. I ended up buying 10 pictures for SGD550/-. But it was worth it.

The photographer was really good, was able to capture me really well. And the photoshop artist did a marvellous job too. But I am the only customer who requested to have the unedited pictures, AS WELL AS edited pictures in a cd. Hahaha, I will be uploading one unedited picture, in comparison to one same pose I had previously taken for my 21st. To show how much I have changed.

Had quite a bit of compliments from the photoshop artist himself. I don't really know how to react, but tried to take it graciously.

Will anyone see me for the best I am?

Everyone tries to be the one that plays the lead role in their life movie. No one is a bystander. So actually, I am really just very plain and ordinary.

I do wish someone sees me like the photoshop artist. Maybe he kind of influence the photographer too. HHAHAHHAHHAHAHa.

At Neisha's Woods

2008-10-09T19:22:00+02:00

"Over here. Over here," the young man gestured with his hand. "Quickly, come over here." He lowered his voice just above a whisper. He was a young man so more than 19 and he stood at the edge of the parking lot in the high grass leading to the tall white pine trees that were spaced neatly apart. They called it "Neisha's Woods", a couple of acres of white pines. You could walk between them, the green limbs were high off the ground and looking up the tall, straight tree, you could see the knots and the pine combs within the green needles that partially obstructed the sky. The excitement was over a white hoot owl, a rare daytime find and he was eager to share it to the couple who had pulled into the parking lot. Their car had a white licence plate and had rolled down the window so they could unfold a map. The driver, a man looked over with a degree of caution. "Are you ok?""Yes, I am. There is a white owl here. Do you want to see it?"The man looked over from the driver's seat. The young man looked at him, his dark sunglasses and the legs of his passenger. She wore a mini skirt, and her legs were something of a marvel. "Sasha, grab the camera." He opened the glove box and they got out. "Don't shut the car doors to hard." The young man whispered. They obliged and they took a few steps into the tall grass. "There", he said pointing to the next tree."Oh my, that's cool" the man said while his companion snapped a few pictures of the owl, who sat steadfast with a deliberate stare. The couple snapped a few pictures and talked for a bit over directions.--The show was juried and fairly glitzy, even for New York. There was quite a stir over a picture that was very popular with audience. It was oversized picture of a young man with striking doe, eyed green eyes, straight blond hair that matched the tan burrows on the tips of the high October grass. There was an innocence to him. His smile was touching. In the picture, over his shoulder was the white hoot owl. He had a white t-shirt, jeans and a pair of Crocs on with no socks. He looked as if he too, was a part of the woods. The picture was called "Esau" and he captivated the room.

Could you pass the new citizenship test?

2008-10-09T05:09:00+02:00

Are new conceptual questions such as, "What does the Constitution do?" more difficult than old queries like "What is the Constitution?"Is a question with a range of acceptable answers, such as the new "What is one reason colonists came to America?" preferable to the old "Why did the Pilgrims come to America?"Many preferred the new test, which the government says includes more meaningful questions, such as those that involve a concept of, or critical thinking about, civics or history.The new civics list, a pool of 100 possible questions for a test of up to 10, omits the old "How many stars are there on our flag?" and "Name the amendments that guarantee or address voting rights." Taking their place are questions like: "There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them," and "What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?"more...

Poem: The Will

2008-10-07T16:46:54+02:00

Quick media. Pages fill. I write. To find and describe.You read. Electronic ink. A day to write.When will I give in? To another labor. Five years. There will be never another you.So. To continue on. Down this road. For posts and publishing.

Poem: Again and Again

2008-10-03T21:44:00+02:00

Warm skin and kisses and those legs, wrapped around me. I love that perfume you wear. That hair and makeup and that laugh. Oh, how I love you!Let's just pretend; again and again.

Poem: It's For You and Me!

2008-10-03T20:54:00+02:00

Mountains of color, stone of shape line the sky. What a good design. For me, for you, basic blue.Red leaves, oh, what a sight to see. Its for you! And me! The young Sun, oh how I marvel in its heat. Its for you! And me! There is nothing to keep, may the day bring us back together and in the starlight, an alliance. Its for you! And me! Why? Why turn away, lift your chin and straightened your back, for all to breath and see. Come back to tree. And hold hands around it, so much to breath, peace between you and me.

Non fiction: Several Hues of Blue

2008-10-03T00:54:00+02:00

I love these Fall evenings, the overcast sky turns into several blue hues before dark. It is warm tonight with an airy and often breeze. I played basketball, and skated a bit on my roller blades on a quiet street with my street hockey stick and new, glow in the dark hockey ball. My legs feel good and today, someone gave me a newer pair of Atomic downhill skiis with Marker bindings for free. So, I'm really happy. Going into this winter I needed a new pair and now I can really focus on my ski workouts. I'm also trying to flatten out my stomach and I'm doing some legs raises on my back, an old soccer (football) workout from my playing days.

Russian woman put on trial in Dubai for drinking juice in public

2008-10-01T21:19:58+02:00

A 28-year-old Russian female, who visited Dubai on a tourist visa, and a 30-year-old male citizen of Lebanon, a salesman in a local store, were put on trial for drinking juice in a public place in the daytime during Muslim fasting. The police caught the two people red-handed at a gas station in Dubai, Emirat.ru reports with reference to Gulf News.In accordance with the Federal Penal Code of the United Arab Emirates, a public intake of food and beverages during daytime hours of the month of Ramadan is forbidden by Article 313. The article stipulates the punishment in the form of either a monetary penalty – up to 2,000 dirhems ($555) – or even a term of up to one month in prison.The young people told the court that they were not Muslims and were thus unaware of the fact that their actions could be punishable.The court took the mitigating circumstances into consideration, but found the defendants guilty, since ignorance did not exclude responsibility. The court ruled that the young people must pay the fine of 1,000 dirhems ($278) each. The case became the first one in Dubai in violation of Article 313 since the beginning of the month of Ramadan on September 1.Thousands of foreigners from Europe and Asia reside in the emirate of Dubai, the major tourist center of the Persian Gulf . Dubai is known as a relatively liberal region in comparison with other territories of the UAE. Tourists can be seen in the streets wearing shorts, whereas alcoholic beverages can often be available in bars and hotels.This year, however, the authorities intend to remind all residents and guests of the emirate that they are staying on the territory of a Muslim country. There have been quite a number of incidents recently when the local police in plain clothes arrested women sunbathing topless, nudists and other violators of public order.

Non-fiction: In My Time 2

2008-09-30T16:46:18+02:00

You can hear the flock well before you see them; a group of flying Canadian geese over head, flying in a V formation, along their way to the south. I've been watching the geese fly over for many Fall's and it is always a happy suprise to see and hear them pass over.I wave to them and make a silent promise to see them next year. The mountainsides are red and orange now, we are in the height of foliage season. A slightly colder air and more promises to keep, alas we are n the end of summer. There will be a few more warm days after the first heavy, hard frost, they call it "Indian Summer" and I will be outside again with the fox and chipmunks, the deer this time of year are often away, they can sense that there will be a Fall hunt. I sit, hopefully that the doe, the female deer and the yearlings will survive the arrows, bullets and musket balls, so that the deer will stay in their family unit's for the winter. For most, inside and outside the woods, these are the last days of a way of life and the beginning's of another. Oh, how now, in the wood's, where a man can lay in the tall grass and be welcomed by the birds. The wild flowers cycling to their final blooms, mostly purple, here in the woods.

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2008-09-29T21:32:09+02:00

Non Fiction: In My Time

2008-09-28T22:44:00+02:00

Often, when you read history books about famous people, a common thread weaves through their stories; in many of their lives, they found another opportunity to continue in their careers. John Adams was sent to France, for example and although his politics differed slightly from his peers in Colonial America, they sent him to represent the United States anyway and in doing so, it revived his career and eventually he became a United States President.I remember back in the early 1990's, I was a college English (Journalism and Writing) major and although I was involved in the college paper, most of the exciting things in journalism were going on outside my department; in the Communications field of studies, those students were producing a nightly half hour news show on local cable and many of them, to this day, have jobs at television news stations.I remember climbing the stairs to the top floor of the Vail Center for an English class and their were many Communication majors in it. Even though I envied them, I had a deep background in theater from my childhood but I wasn't using it that much and even though I liked the newspaper, it didn't have the same aura of fame that tv did and for a kid who used to stay up late at night to watch Johnny Carson. I felt that maybe I was missing an opportunity and maybe I was spending too much time taking English classes on subjects I cared very little for. I can remember it to this day, sitting in an open chair on the Vail 4th on fall morning by the big window with yellow, BD Baggies collared shirt left over from private school on a sunny morning. On the coffee table were several copies of the New Yorker, I remember saying to myself to continue in English and things would change, something, at some point would change.It took a while, I spent the rest of the decade in college or at a newspaper, where I wrote many, many articles, mostly on local government, people and sports. In 2001, I started writing more, sometimes on subjects unrelated to journalism and then, something came along called blogging. To me, that was my second opportunity to write and publish. It has been a few years now and to me it still is a wonder. In John Adams day, it would take hours just to arrange the type on a prinint machine, let alone write anything and circulate it. Now, writers can emerge without living in a metro area, book deals and magazine mastheads aren't entirely neccessary and I don't have to go to college anymore.

Novel: The Good Rich 3

2008-09-26T21:46:03+02:00

The Good Rich: Drama: The ongoings of those with money and hearts. At last, it was the moment June had waited for. It was the fourth photo shoot of the series, this time a hand bag series for Coach. Here, in this episode, the guy finally meets the girl. The advertising story was of a man who finds a hand bag on the subway, opens the contents, calls the woman it belonged to and here on the fourth episode meets her and returns her leather Coach handbag to her. June had a camera and he waited until the moment the male model and the female model who in real life as well as the shoot, saw each other for the first time and he clicked the first picture at that moment. He had built up to it, three previous episodes and here it was again, a good shot and it fit in to what he called "the magic of movie making", the time when the everything just kind of fit together, a moment he felt on each and every one of his movies and photo shoots, sometimes he find in the editing process and sometimes he found it during the action. A good day, done under an hour and half and the next one was supposed to end the series of the two of them on the beach with her handbag, the product shown on a vacation. They were all going to Bermuda for the picture, the plane to fly out tomorrow night. He'd be there for four days. He was going to go write a pitch letter to the ad salesman on approaching Coach for another series of the two on vacation around the world. To be set in Bulgarian castle, then to Nice, then to Italian ski mountains, then on a plane, then in Syria, then back home in New York. The series had gained an audience, especially after the second episode when the male model opens the handbag and checks out its contents, that was June's original picture idea because,"We have all seen a lot of hand bag ads, and often they show the outside of the garmet, how about one and what it holds?"Now, it had become a series. He was excited to go back to the ocean, especially, this fall and before Thanksgiving.

Anti-age perfume

2008-09-26T02:15:00+02:00

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Novel: The Good Rich 2

2008-09-26T00:48:00+02:00

The Good Rich: Drama, The ongoings of those with money and a heart.Charles had only seen his father with that same look in his eyes only once and it was in a hospital room some ten years ago just before Mom had died. His eyes were wide but they showed a look of desperation and sadness. For one, that was never the flavor of his esteemed father to look scaired about anything. There was that time, twice actually when Dad had to drive past the striking unions to get in for work, the times when his expense accounts were thrown all over the front pages of the newspapers and the time when he steered his Ford off the road and then back on to avoid an oncoming car, all of those times he acted as fluid and confident as he always did but this, this weekend was different. Dad had called for "Timeout", a time when the family huddled together for a weekend at the Long Island beach house to talk about the issues of the day. Charles, his sister Evelyn, Dad, the family cat Wendy and Ava, Dad's cook and housekeeper all sat down around the coffee table on the sofa and the living room chairs, when Dad exclaimed."We're going broke, kids, that's why I've asked you here this weekend.""Broke?" Charles couldn't believe it."Yes, son, I've gone and after 20 years, I asked Irwin to step away from our finances." "You fired Irwin?" Evelyn gasped, Irwin Stewart had managed the family finances and was a close ally of the family for nearly half of Evelyn's life. Irwin Stewart was no type A money manager, he was a brilliant money manager and had the style of the gentleman of an era ago."Yes, I did but he is still a friend of the family. He offered his resignation actually and he advised me to take everything that I could out of the market and we put everything into savings.""My, Dad, how far did go?" Charles asked."We lost more than 3/4 share of what we had and we have spent nearly an one sixth of it. We have got to cut costs and I'm here to ask you both to live a little more reasonably and I'm afraid to say that I've put the farm up for sale.""Good heavens, Dad, the farm has been in the family for nearly a century and a half.""I know, son, I know." Dad said breathing deeply but we've got to something and those 1,000 acres in Iowa are going to grow corn now for the ethanol and alternate fuels. I've been offered nearly what three times its appraisal by a green energy firm.""But what of Jake and the gang at the farm?" Evelyn asked. Jake Howard had run the farm since she was a little girl, back when Dad raised cattle and the vast acreage rolled for what seemed forever.""I've given Jake a severance package along with his full retirement plus the house at Two Trees and some of the gang have agreed to stay on with the company, Cody will now be the farm boss and will work with this new capital corporation. We trading in our farm but the grass will still grow there. Ethanol is the future and I'll be damned if I didn't do something to help the country get out of this dreadful foreign oil crisis. I mean those people," Dad's eyes glowered with rage, "And the people now who manipulate Wall Street to their own desires, why they taken over America and I, for one will not invest in it any more.""Here, here Dad!" Charles rooted on his father and they all tipped their glasses and the house again was full of the energy of the family. Perhaps they were on the rebound and yes, changes would have to be made but no one, and no financial figure could ever take away the spirit of them all.

Novel: The Good Rich

2008-09-25T17:53:00+02:00

The Good Rich: Drama: The ongoings of those with hearts and money.They met weekly as a group and although they often ignored H.H's political views as they developed their poltical strategies, they often counted on him in a crisis. Such was the way of the modern Republican in a Democratic circle, but it was one of the only groups in New York and maybe America that appealed to his sense of values and goals. The New York Roundtable was a group of young and middle age American men and women who wanted to use their financial leverage and position to help those in need and groups who help the needy. It was started as a lark by Jefferson Rumney who wanted to measure his wealth with power and in the light of helping society. He was in many ways a Communist, a rich one at that and he saw his time as one that would invest in people, in programs and on the side of hope. Stock markets and financial times; to him were only the means to give, he saw himself as one that looked to make an impact in the world around him and in the worlds that a rich man might see but not necessarily feel. Tonight, they were in an old poet's world, one who had written about when the "candles burned low" and in the escapes of an evening pressed against the strains of the day, there was a sense for supporting the art's and in particular poetry and writing. They were establishing a national city by city poetry prize culminating in a poetry weekend where qualified poets from all about the foothills, the mountains, the deserts, cities, small towns and beaches would be able to come together for a twice yearly convention. Words and the wordsmiths who declared them were important to them. They were giddy about it, the chance for someone to come to New York and bring their work. The plan seemed to be in a good place and H.H waited on the talk to be be concluded and in perhaps he might be able to catch Natasha's ear for a game of tennis. She sat two seats across from him in a beige women's skirt and suit, a fall evening perhaps they would talk for a bit in fron of the restaurant like they often did over the summer.

Men's Vogue: The New Hope

2008-09-25T17:19:13+02:00

There is something about the magazine, Men's Vogue that I like, there is a degree of hope in it.

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2008-09-20T18:40:24+02:00

The Poor Lobby

2008-09-19T21:40:00+02:00

With tight poll numbers showing a slight Obama lead, both tickets will look to the poor as key to victory. Poor people usually don't vote, so voter registery drives will at discount store parking lots to register people to vote and shore up support. Lately, U.S. Presidential elections have been close. The winner this November probably will win by less than 8 percentage points, so both tickets will try to appeal to those who are poor especially in states like Nevada, Kentucky, Michigan, California and Florida.

Describing Character

2008-09-16T15:35:00+02:00

Characters are of course a center point in any fiction effort. It helps to write out a description of a character for use in your story. How does their cologne smell, is it comforting, sexy? Or is it too strong and headachy? Their shoes, do they wear beat up sneakers or sleak, patent leather shoes? Did your character shave today? Does your character drive, if so what? Or do they ride horseback to and fro their estate. Does your character have a rich, foreign accent? How about glasses, do they wear them? What color are their frames? What's in their pockets? Are they clean or do they hide a number of phone numbers gathered last Friday night.How do they stand? Do they stand really close to you? As your back hair arches in nervous anticipation of a possible "Hello" and conversation.These are just but a few questions you can ask yourself. The more you ask questions about your character, the more you can add to their detail and you can add more to your story.

Slow Is The Night

2008-09-15T23:20:00+02:00

"Hurry up!""Why, what would be missed. Your haste. It is so,""So?""So, unbecoming.""Well then what do you wait for?""I wait for the world, for the wind.""Don't you think it will catch you? The wind.""It might, but I want to be sure.""Sure, of?""Sure of your lips pressed, to kiss my skin tonight.""Oh how is that?""It is like this, pucker up.""You jest.""No, pucker up to kiss,""Ha, ha, your eyes are closed.""What , you closed your eyes when you went to kiss me.""I'm not sure why I did that.""Its ok, but wouldn't you rather see me. You know, see me when we kiss.""Yes.""So, so look into my eyes and I will look into your eyes.""And?""And as far as forever, it will be you and me.""That's a good kiss.""Oh and how about that one.""Oh, yeah!""And here it is as we cuddle, the wind upon your face, oh how your cheeks are cute.""Such they are, such they are."

The Face of an Owl

2008-09-15T16:55:00+02:00

There are a lot of "dirt roads" up here or roads mostly made up of sand, clay and gravel. I heard somebody say recently that "Dirt roads" are like snowflakes, no two Vermont "dirt roads" or "back roads" are the same. This one here intersects to a paved one at the "Stop" sign and there, over there on a tree limb I look into the face of a white owl. "My how regal he looks." His white face and those eyes. He sits and we observe each other. He is a big owl and here on this spring evening our eyes consult each other. He is white and his wings look like they are a checker board of grey and white. It was as if, he was all about the woods, perhaps as if he was its leader.

In the Woods on a Warm September Night

2008-09-15T16:30:00+02:00

Pine trees scatter red pine needles all over the forest floor and here we are again, on the edge of it; with the wide, wide trees and chatter from the chipmunks who are in and out of the trees. We are here again.The sky is dimming and a day has almost passed. I look to the forest at night for solace and here at dusk I see the passage, and I look for a sign that reads "This way to Heaven."I walk forward and I see a fox sprint across the woods. He is small but his coat looks healthy and I can see a short ring around his tail before he darts back into the wilds. As I walk into the tree garden I look up to see the green leafed limbs stretch into the sky. "My, these trees are tall!" I walk along the red pine needle forest floor. A few birds stir but this is a quiet time in the woods and for me, this is the time of most treasure, a log to sit on, in the woods of a warm September night.

World's Smallest Mobile Phone w/ Camera & MP3 Player

2008-09-14T19:46:23+02:00

This cute little Chinese phone is 67mm long, making it arguably the smallest phone available anywhere. But - somehow it crams in a VGA camera with video recording, a video player, photo editor, MP3 player w/EQ settings, voice recorder, 121 MB of memory, a 260,000-color touchscreen, handwriting recognition, multimedia messaging, web browser, GPRS, calendar with multiple alarms, handsfree speakerphone, vibrating alert, games, calculator and unit converter! Despite its amazingly small size, it's still usable...SMS addicts, however, will quickly get frustrated trying to peck out long messages with the tiny onscreen keyboard, or with handwriting recognition.It has room for 300 contacts including mobile, home, work & fax numbers, company name, email address and birthday. You can also link a picture, video, and / or sound file to play back when a particular person calls you.Available in blue or pink colors. Includes 2 batteries, stylus, handsfree earbuds w/ mic & mute button, USB cable, 100-240V AC charger w/ adapter as needed for your country.Buy it here...

Wendy Brown: Cheerleader Mom

2008-09-14T19:36:59+02:00

Green Bay - A 33-year-old woman is charged with stealing her daughter's identity to attend high school and join the cheerleading team. Wendy Brown of Green Bay faces a felony identity theft charge after enrolling in Ashwaubenon High School as her 15-year-old daughter, who lives in Nevada with Brown's mother."The defendant stated she wanted to get her high school degree and be a cheerleader because she had no childhood and was trying to regain a part of her life she missed," according to the complaint.A high school employee, Kim Demeny, told authorities that Brown seemed very timid, told her she was not good in math and even cried when she talked about moving from Pahrump Valley High School in Pahrump, Nev.Although she looked older than a student, Demeny said, she believed her demeanor was consistent with that of a high school girl. A school liaison officer started investigating Monday after Brown showed up for only the first day of classes last week, the complaint says. The complaint also says the $134.50 check Brown gave to the cheerleading coach for her uniform bounced. Brown is being held, with bail at $9,500 on three criminal complaints.

Things You Learn On the Way To 36

2008-09-13T16:58:30+02:00

The green leaves are holding color as we head into Fall. In early October, most of the states trees change their leaf color, from green to red and orange. They call it Foliage Season and tourists coem up to see the leaves and enjoy the cool weather. I'm approaching my 36th birthday and this year I'm trying to do something fun every day. 36, I haven't really thought about it all. I guess, it is safe to safe that I'm an adult. On my way to adulthood, I learned to change a few things about myself. The first thing and it was the hardest for me to do but one of the best things I ever did was that I stopped lying and I told the truth in every, situation. Then I quit stealing, I wasn't a serious thief but I did steal at times. Then the last thing I learned was how to take orders. Those three things, telling the truth, stopping stealing, and learning to take instruction and orders from someone else and the importance of completing those assignments greatly benefited me as a person. Now, I feel pretty good about myself and as a man I have always tried to learn to enjoy every day and as a blogger/writer I learned that it was important to reward yourself for your work. I always encourage writers to take time to enjoy it when you fulfill a goal, either a new chapter or a new project, reward yourself.

2008 U.S. Presidential Election; Update

2008-09-10T21:49:00+02:00

We are seeing a post-convention rise out of the Republican U.S. Presidential ticket (Arizona Senator John McCain and Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin). According to a poll, 2 days ago McCain and the Democratic ticket (Illinois Senator Barack Obama and Delaware Senator Joe Biden) were tied at 42 percent a piece.McCain is on the rise and it is probably good for Obama, whose campaign for the Democratic nomination was watched very closely and covered very tightly.In a month, I think we will see a big national push for Obama. I think the nation is about to get fully behind him. Obama would be the first non-white in the Oval Office in the nation's history. I think he has earned it. He has run a brilliant campaign, he has the right people on his team and the country will embrace his call for "Change."John McCain is a good man, a good statesman but Obama has a date with history, a call that no non-white has ever been able to achieve. He will be the right person at the right time to lead a country through one of its toughest times.

Vermont Politics 2008

2008-09-09T20:35:00+02:00

If there ever was summer to campaign for a seat in the Legislature, this was the summer to give your community and this state notice. It has been so quiet on the political front and in November we will hold statewide elections but it doesn't feel that way at all. This would have been the ideal summer to campaign in a primary and make your name because virtually no one is campaigning for the public interest. I'm not sure why this happened this year, usually during election season in Vermont we have a few lively campaigns but this year -nothing.

Frozen Hannah and Nigerian Oil Now!

2008-09-09T17:57:00+02:00

We've had a few days of cold rain up here in Vermont. I guess it is runoff from the hurricanes down south. It's definately not the time to have my car in the garage but mine refused to start Friday night. I ended up taking a cab home, driven by the only cabbie in Central Vermont and I ended up paying $55 for the 22 mile ride home. Gas is still high, something like $3.85 a gallon and everybody up here who has an oil burning furnance to heat their home had to lock into home heating fuel deals that were something like $4.05 a gallon. If I was Governor of Vermont I would be down in Nigeria right now, working on a fair trade deal. I pay cash for it and maybe trade cows for it. Clean burning gas and oil for the big, non steriodal milker cows and maybe throw in some maple and pine lumber.

Biden Brazen, Palin Inexperienced

2008-09-02T21:20:00+02:00

Delaware Senator Joe Biden might be brazen and Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin might be inexperienced but both would be good Vice Presidents. It's still late summer in the USA and both Senators Obama and McCain have a good chance at the U.S. Presidency.

Crazy, Insane, and Demented

2008-08-30T19:21:35+02:00

Whoa! I read my last post before this.. My grammar just sucks! Also the spelling... Hell... Anyway, I wrote that midnight... And also this one! The time is 1am.So! why is the title of this post is crazy, insane, and demented? Well.. just a while ago, I just felt like going crazy... Hahaha! I think i'll be easier if I wrote my blog in my language... But I started it in english so I'll do so.Hmmmmm... Yesterday was my mother's birthday! I bought her a chocolate and ice cream. I don't have that much money you know.. I woke up early, did my daily routine/ exercise... The streching, and some work out exercise. And also some dribbling! My girlfriend texted me that her class was finish already... Something I said make her mad, what I said... I'll just keep it to myself.. Hahaha! I tell her to just text me when she's calm already. It happen many times this past days. That I tell her not to text me unless she's cool and calm. My ex-girl friend said she'll come in our house but it was cancel. And what I just did today was eat, edit some pictures, play Warcraft III, talk to my cousins, listen to music and some texting. Its another hell of a boring day! Hahaha!And then my grlfriend texted me again... We talk about what happened earlier, and somehow I just feel like going crazy! My head feels like its going to explode, that feeling may be the result of my blood pumping to my head at quiet a high speed! Hahaha I'm just laughing and feel like insane! And then Julia texted me! Oh that was nice... I confess to her my feelings... What she said is "Why me?" And I just tell her "Yeah, why is it you? I knew many girls, but it is still you I'm thinking" I thought she'll avoid ne after what I said but what she tells me is that "whatever happens, we'll still be friends.. Friends forever" That's what she said... That was nice... As if she's telling me to wait... And their a big "MAYBE" Hehehe... Or maybe its just me thinking like that! So that time I'm texting my girlfriend, Julia, my ex girlfriend... Then suddenly my friend in the net texted some quote, the truth is, its a green joke. Hahaha! I said "nice qoute!" she replied "Yeah nice quote, somebody just forward it to me" then I said "More, more" I was shocked at her reply, she said " Aaahhh... ah.. ah ah ah... There ah yes... hahaha" Hahaha! I said "Oh woh wow! The best!" she said "Would you mind if I lick you ears, then go down to your neck then to your body?" Whoa! Irs getting hot in here! Hahaha! I tell her "Would you mind if I go first?" she said "Ofcource and then after that, we'll change position, I like it when I'm above..." And then I reply something but she didn't give me a reply already. I said to her that she's weak! Hahaha! That is one hell of a conversation!And then... Oh that's it already! Hahahaha! So... I hope you enjoy! Hehe.... I'm tired... I want to take a break and unwind... Bye...