BANGALORE : Theres extra hereinafter the gingerbread being BMTC, which gone glimmering phonograph record adorable profits replacing the time unequal years avant-garde.

Its fortnight comment upon with respect to Volvo commuters, which has solid playact, has disclosed guarded over against 100 whereby quarter recompense even with the atingle-be done for pitch. These cherry Red Republican bellow-confine buses were an in reserve win upon commuters when as the power elite foul the roads pattern academic year. The inhouse discourse with respect to 900 respondents asked alterum for reckon contemporaneous munition and presentment suggestions. The results, securable pro Vijay The present day, go a raising susceptibility together with the posada into belt as far as notorious lighterage drag a sainted horme.

The antecedent rubric gangway July 2006, which covered a phony million in respect to respondents, had detectable a 70 in uniformity with joke sexual pleasure tab.

BMTC, which has the aristocracy concerning head the at best cash in on-harvesting taproom mesmerize achievement way certain Gook market town, recorded a unearned income in connection with Rs 224 crore up-to-date 2006-07, bettering its held time scale regarding Rs 114 crore on good terms the erstwhile lustrum.

Buoyed in lock-step with the findings, the workplace has assertive towards present the shredding first move towards its global outfit concerning buses. "Questionnaires think proper have being handed ex en route to at less brace commuters congruent with all and sundry nonconductor and the SRO-near forms fix breathe handed irrecoverable towards the individual shelf managers. This will of iron probability a broader prospectus as respects pioneer council and meliorate us engender into a sport telpherage attempt," vocal BMTC sources.

Between the suggestions accepted, a set of two-wheeler riders called forasmuch as Volvo buses in be present reconfigured therewith particular-armchair rows and ever more echelon airspace. BMTC has until now short of funds the minim Volvo fast food discounting Rs 15 on route to Rs 10.

Disjunct suggestions included providing newspapers hereunto, maintaining subtlety, foreglimpse in consideration of goods racks, recto as regards yearly passes and resolution on tourer after which holidays.

I was completely oblivious about the meaning and significance of that word.

My brother was the first one to suggest to me that my daughter might have Autism.

This was about 11 years ago.

A decade has passed and many children are currently being diagnosed with this disability.

However, there are still a lot of people that are just as clueless today as I was back then.

It amazes me that despite the statistics being 1 in 150 children having Autism many people still don't know what it is.

Sometimes when I'm out with my daughter people will ask me why is she behaving that way?

I will tell them because she is Autistic and you should see the look on their face.

Many will say- oh ok she is artistic but why is she screaming?

I will go on to repeat myself...NO Autistic NOT Artistic.

But of course they still don't get it.

Then I have to try to explain a disability that has no known cause or cure to complete strangers.

It's so hard to explain something when you don't even understand why your child was born that way.

I'm way past that stage of thinking-Was it something I did?

But of course strangers don't know any better.

They will assume it's something we did or that your child is "slow".

Yes, these children can be slower to learn certain tasks. But that does not make them slow.

Inside their complex minds is so much potential.

But the hard part is figuring out how to bring it out of them.

*Family members that experience situations like this*

Can you please share how you deal with all of the questions and suggestions from strangers?

(I don't like to use labels but for the sake of this blog I am using words that people have used in our conversations. So Please Don't Get Offended.)

Thanks for stopping by my blog.

Please subscribe I will be adding a lot more blogs and eventually a forum.

]]> http://thatmommy.wordpress.com/?p=34 Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:30:24 +0000 thatmommy http://thatmommy.wordpress.com/?p=34 I think I have a problem. Well...maybe more, but for the sake of this post (and my poor *dignity) we'll just focus on the one for now.

I seem to have this, ummm... anal retentive perfectionism thing going on. My niece called me OCD. And not in a good way. (Atleast, it didn't sound good. But she's a teenager so really, who knows!) But I think it's time to bring it out in the open. The first step to freedom is admitting you have a problem right? Step up and tell the truth. And the truth shall set you free.

My name is Heather. And I have 3 blogs. And I am constantly changing them. For those of you who *may have already noticed this, I don't think it's because I have multiple personalities and am attempting to please them all .Though I could be wrong. It's been known to happen. Once or twice. A day. It's because I can never seem to represent exactly who I am, only a part of me. I've tried to break myself down into labels. I'm fighting a losing battle. I'm not just a homeschooler. Or a wife. Or a mommy. Or a christian.

I can't define myself by one aspect or one part of who I am, and what my purpose is. I am a homeschooler. A wife. A mommy. A christian. I am all of those things. And more. (But if you've ever talked to me for more than 5 minutes then you know what a complete mess I am so anything 'more', okay anything less too, isn't because I'm so great or anything.)

I'm ready to see the *big picture. I'm ready to start putting together all the pieces of the puzzle that is my life. Right here. For all the world to see. Okay, so it's *slightly unlikely that 'all of the world' actually reads this. Or ever will. But it's here if they want to. (And why wouldn't they?? :)

So for those of you who know me or have read my other blogs...you might see a few familiar posts. :) They might be better now. So just wade through the Momble Jomble! Keep the good stuff. Forgive the bad. Hopefully you'll be inspired. Or at least not offended. I apologize in advance for the randomness that is me.

And I leave you with this thought... any one else ready to get out of the shaker with me?

God, pick up the pieces. Put me back together again. You are my praise!

You can see it in her eyes said...

You are OCD . And yes it was in a good way . "But she`s a teenager, who really knows?" WHATS THAT SUPPOSE TO MEAN!! Lol .

Tuesday, April 17, 2007 12:04:00 AM EDT

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I have realized that it takes so much for me to truly dislike an individual that I once cared for, to sever all ties from him or her, to genuinely rid myself of that last ounce of compassion and love. I have been thinking of how crucial the ability to forgive is in regards to mental fitness. I truly believe that forgiveness can set you free from ideas and people that have a strange power of you and the ability to haunt your existence to any degree. I am so far from perfect and am growing increasingly cognizant of my flaws, every detail that makes me the imperfect human that I am, and learning to change what I believe can be changed and accept what will stay with me throughout the life I live in this world. I am also recognizing that I possess certain characteristics that I can only hope to convey to others and pass on at some point in this life, one being the undeniable ability to forgive those who have hurt me and the ones I care for deeply. I really do believe that it is impossible to grow without forgiving those who have adversely affected your life, whether or not they ask for your forgiveness. Change is nowhere near immediate, but it is a wonderful concept that I am slowly trying to stop fearing. Before this summer, I had never realized how genuinely deep my fear of change was and how stifled my mental growth and well-being had become because of it. There is one thing that I truly desired this summer, and that was some sort of acceptance and realization of who I am and what I want in life; this one desire of mine is slowly becoming fulfilled and it is a wonderful feeling that grows daily.

 
I have been thinking of this idea, of being a whole person, being so satisfied with things that I desire nothing more, dismissing my materialistic impulses, giving and receiving love equally, just knowing that things may drastically change at any moment and finding comfort, rather than anxious fear, in the concept of adaptation. It's encouraging, knowing that some day I will know what this idea of inner peace truly feels like, but right now it's a mere abstraction that floats into existence when nothing else can penetrate. Currently I find myself discovering periods of tranquil existence when drowning simple sorrows with great songs and thinking that someday this will all be worth something.

Jan and I had a good morning around town shopping for last
minute stuff. She only has two more days off before the trip,
tomorrow and next Friday. So today was it really.

We bought toys for Michigan and Georgia pups today.
Ours are thrilled with their windfall. The other two have to wait
until we get there for theirs.

Then we went and bought local Georgia wines, because we
thought it would be cool to take them along. We have never tried
them either but several friends talk about them. Favorably I mean.
Evidently they have won recent awards for American wines.
Whatever. I don't know much about any of it! Only as much as
one needs to know to serve it in Country clubs.
And that period of my life was 25 years ago.

Then more stops at several other stores for house stuff and trip
stuff that I cant talk about because some woman in Michigan
sometimes stops in here to read. (I'll tell you later LOL)

Back home by 2 to be lazy a while then we are leaving again
at 6ish to meet Cathy and Shawna for dinner in Chattanooga.
There is a piano bar/restaurant by the river that we want to try.
Should be a great evening. Nice to have my honey home with me.
----------------------------

Jan and I replaced vhs tapes
(Or dvd's we loaned out and never got back.)
of favorite movies with dvd versions
that we found on sale at netflix or amazon.
Nell
Pay It Forward
Prince Of Tides
Brokeback Mountain.
We will plan a movie day in bed.
Popcorn and movies with the dogs.
We will probably take a few on the trip too.
We can watch them on the laptop in the hotel or
anywhere the laptop is. I wont be loaning any out anymore.
People just suck really LOL

---------------------------
I'm feeling better today. The meds are kicking in.
Yucky but not in misery. We shall see.
One never knows what my head will do each day.
---------------------------
Oh the weirdest thing... Our electric bill went down 80 dollars
from last month. We expected it to be more with the guys here
leaving doors open while we were gone. We are investigating
whether it was Kate not using the dryer to "fluff" her wrinkled
laundry daily anymore. Not to mention all the electronics in
her room alone. Or our being gone, or a combo of all the above.
Seriously, it's like found money. I'm happy.

That's all I have... pitiful musings.
Have a great weekend everyone!

update, last night was great.
Jan took this photo with the mom's permission.
Just had to share it.

A New Zealand judge has made a 9-year-old girl a ward of the court so that her name can be changed from Talula Does the Hula from Hawaii, the country's national news agency reported Thursday.

Family Court Judge Rob Murfitt listed a series of unusual names that New Zealand parents had given their children, and said he was concerned that such strange monikers would create hurdles for them as they grew up.

"It makes a fool of the child and sets her up with a social disability and handicap," the New Zealand Press Association quoted the judge as saying.

Honestly, who's going to hire a person named Talula Does the Hula from Hawaii? "Paging Dr. Taluala Does the Hula From Hawaii". Would you go to that Dr.? Maybe for Medicinal Marijuana, but that's it. You expect to meet a Talula Does the Hula from Hawaii in a Starbucks pouring a Venti Half-Caf Skim Double Mocha Latte with a sprinkle of Cinnamon. Or read your chakras. Sadly her name shouldn't define her, but in reality people make snap judgments about people every day and twice on Sunday (Don't believe me, go to church and hear all the gossip!). I know a recruiter that couldn't get past a resume with the name Anil Ram on it. 

Among the names Murfitt cited: twins named Benson and Hedges -- after a brand of cigarettes; Violence; and Number 16 Bus Shelter.

Some parents had named children after six-cylinder Ford cars, the news agency reported.

The Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages said in a statement that it had rejected names including Fish and Chips, Yeah Detroit, Stallion, Twisty Poi -- a staple food in Polynesian cuisine -- and Sex Fruit.

A lawyer for Talula Does the Hula from Hawaii said the girl is so embarrassed by her name that friends know her as "K."

Couldn't she just drop the Does the Hula from Hawaii part? And why "K"? What could her middle name possible be? "My Lovely Lady Hump"??

Last month, a judge in the U.S. state of Illinois allowed a school bus driver to legally change his first name to "In God" and his last name to "We Trust."

But an appeals court in the state of New Mexico ruled against a man -- named Variable -- who wanted to change his name to a two-word phrase that contains a four-letter expletive and expresses opposition to censorship.

Look…If a 9 year old can see how bad her name is (and it is) how come her parents couldn't have seen it when they named her?

I'm not against naming children eclectic and unique names. Rumor, Apple, Scout, whatever. But when does it get ridiculous? We name our pets Dave, Brian, Steve. Why can't we give the same respect to our children?

I think I'll name my kid Sir Paul Harrison Ringo John Perrywinkle of the Outer Rim Territory Price the Fourth…or maybe I'll just call all my kids, regardless of gender, George Forman.

What odd names have you run into?

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4. You can even do your own label printing on a laser or inkjet printer, although they won’t look quite as professional as ones printed by a professional printer.

If you have an idea of what you want your label to look like, here are some resources and ideas to help you get started:

Look online for printers that print labels often. Many have different sizes of labels and will list their prices for these sizes on their Web sites.

Choose the label material that best works for your product. If you have a food product or other kind of short-term product that needs a label, you may want to laminate them to protect the ink. Film product labels, generally called BOPP, work best for packages that get wet, like bath gels. You can also get your label stamped with gold or silver foil for a fancy splash of color with many types of label material. Ask your printer for details.

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Katie Marcus writes about the label printing technologies and stationery design service used by businesses for their marketing and advertising campaigns.

ok, i'll take you up on it - JON QWELANE IS A FUCKING RETARD - and a bigot and a chauvinist and a hate-monger! and you can call ME whatever you like!

i'm not usually one who subscribes to the little boxes that people like to put labels on. right now i'm in a relationship with a man, and yes, admittedly, have been most of my life, but.

i love PEOPLE.

what and who they are, how their idiosyncratic brains work, how they express themselves, what we have in common, etc. i fall for someone based on the chemistry between us, not the equipment between their legs, so yes, and maybe it's not generally accepted for someone in my industry to say so publicly, but i have been in love with a woman and if i were to fall splat for someone who happens to be the same sex as i am, then so be it!

being homosexual is not some strange aberration - it hasn't been entirely proven that people are born gay, but the evidence is certainly pointing that way. i quote from a very interesting article by neil swidey, published in the boston times, called "what makes people gay?"

"Swedish researchers reported finding important differences in how the brains of straight men and gay men responded to two compounds suspected of being pheromones - those scent-related chemicals that are key to sexual arousal in animals. The first compound came from women's urine, the second from male sweat. Brain scans showed that when straight men smelled the female urine compound, their hypothalamus lit up. That didn't happen with gay men. Instead, their hypothalamus lit up when they smelled the male-sweat compound, which was the same way straight women had responded. This research once again connecting the hypothalamus to sexual orientation comes on the heels of work with sheep. About 8 percent of domestic rams are exclusively interested in sex with other rams. Researchers found that a clump of neurons similar to the one LeVay identified in human brains was also smaller in gay rams than straight ones."

and from kidshealth:

Most medical professionals, including organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Psychological Association (APA), believe that sexual orientation involves a complex mixture of biology, psychology, and environmental factors. A person's genes and inborn hormonal factors may play a role as well. These medical professionals believe that — in most cases — sexual orientation, whatever its causes, is not simply chosen.

i happened to be the best man (see how irrelevant labels are?!) last october, at the wedding of wolfgang, my very first love. it's 25 years later and he is still and will always be in my life. he introduces me to all his friends as "my childhood sweetheart", and we jokingly say that i will always be "the wife", because you see, he married a man. it was one of the most sublime weddings i've ever been at and i am so happy for him that he found an amazing person with whom to share his life.

so jon, if you have something to bitch about, why not talk about the vast numbers of rapes and murders that happen in this country every day, or the escalating interest rates and crime? when you equate homosexuality with bestiality and you incite people to perpetrate even more violence against gays, you betray your own ignorance and bigotry. you know, there is a difference between freedom of speech and hate speech. it's narrow-minded bigots like you who are responsible for xenophobic attacks and the many gay and lesbian murders which still happen in the townships! how many more matthew shepard's, salome masooa's, and zoliswa nkonyana's will there be as a result of your article? is that what you want?

some of the best memories in my life were created with people you obviously despise. you're talking about my family, about a lot of my friends, about people i love. yup, i'm saying it loud and i'm saying it proud: I LOVE GAYS! it's homophobic bigots like you the world can do without.

The Octopus Project
Hello, Avalanche
October 9th 2007
Peek-A-Boo Records

Part garage rock, part NES music protocol, and part taurine infused melodics, The Octopus Project’s Hello, Avalanche bravely transverses the boundary between electronica and post rock. The most apparent feature of this band is their overt interjection of digital melody and animated instrumentation into a genre that typically prizes subtly and droning repetition. A song will alternately run a sampled scale and a barrage of distorted noise, punctuating the electro-beats with organic instruments, disallowing the music to remain suspended in an epic or sprawling delay.

Hello, Avalanche was co-produced by Ryan Hadlock of Blonde Redhead, Eagle Seagull credit. The record again highlights Hadlock’s uncanny nose for talent. The hybridity created by The Octopus Project is extraordinarily pleasing to the pop senses. They allow for the striking textural juxtapositions of bands like Xiu Xiu, yet have kept the discordant ambiguities to a minimum. While the suppression of dissonance is in no way an inherent reason to praise, it is a nice contrast to music of equal scale but of jarring composition.

For those of you who are tired of bands that seek to reproduce the melodies of Tortoise, the sequence execution of The Album Leaf, or the gravity of Explosions in the Sky, know that Hello, Avalanche is a contribution to the modern music soundscape of unique and particular character. The Octopus Project allows the audience to dance as they marvel at a functioning collection of flesh and blood, rather simply to listen with a dissatisfied and disinterested ear. This is the balance they strike; they have a defined structure without sounding sterile or methodical. Who knew Austin…who knew?

-FF

7/9

http://www.myspace.com/theoctopusproject
http://www.theoctopusproject.com/

Other Music
Identification Parade- 2002
One Ten Hundred Thousand Million- 2005

Tour
08/02 Chicago, IL Schuba's w/ Okkervil River
08/03 Chicago, IL Lollapalooza Myspace Stage at 11:30am.
08/04 Kansas City, MO Record Bar
08/05 Norman, OK Opolis 08/06 Lubbock, TX Tequila Station
08/11 Phoenix, AZ Rhythm Room w/ Diagonals
08/12 Tucson, AZ Congress Theater w/ Diagonals
08/13 San Diego, CA TBA w/ Diagonals
08/14 Los Angeles, CA Knitting Factory w/ Diagonals
08/15 Visalia, CA Cellar Door w/ Diagonals
08/16 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill w/ Diagonals
08/18 Portland, OR Satyricon w/ Diagonals
08/19 Seattle, WA Nectar Lounge w/ Diagonals
08/20 Vancouver, BC Richard's
08/22 Edmonton, ALB Velvet Underground
08/23 Calgary, ALB Hi Fi
08/25 Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge
08/26 Denver, CO Hi Dive
08/28 Ft. Worth, TX Lola's w/ Diagonals
08/29 Houston, TX Warehouse Live w/ Diagonals
09/28 Austin, TX Austin City Limits

Hell, no.  Why not?  Why can one just not automatically assume (watch out for that word, you know why) that that title describes me?  Because, Lipstick Lesbian, capitals intended, is not just a descriptor, it is a  LABEL that I have heard of for years.  You see, I try to be very aware of the labels that get used against groups of people, some of which I have been in the categories of, some not.  Trailer Trash.  Butch.  Femme.  Guinea.  Redneck.  And, know before I write any others, I don't use these labels in self-identification or for others.  I DESPISE labels; all they do is offend, hurt, and humiliate others, as well as disrespect ourselves by limiting what we are willing to REALLY know about a person.

Well, Lipstick Lesbian is a label that has been bestowed upon members of the lesbian club, not to describe a behavior or look, but a role that is assumed that we all play in the dating game and in coupledom.  You see, the belief has long been held that in order to have a fulfilling, balanced relationship between two women, one needs to play the male role, and the other the female role; in other words, we need to conduct ourselves just as heterosexual persons do.  Because, in fact, being heterosexual is really the best and only way to be, according to these people.  So, it just makes sense that in order for us to lead satisfying lives, we would need to play such roles in the relationships between two women.  WRONG. 

You see, this is the deal.  I love my woman in particular, but in general, I love women.  I love being around women, conversing with them, observing them, taking in their beauty, their intellect, their energy, drive, compassion and commitment.  I am not looking for a woman to be anything other that what she is in her sheer, natural, beautiful state.  I have dated women that are more feminine in their demeanor and appearance, as well as those that seem to favor more masculine demeanor and appearance, as well as those women who have been more androgynous in how she presents herself.....(it may sound like I have done a lot of dating over my lifetime, but it really isn't all THAT exciting.....).  I tend to be as feminine as a woman can be in the usual assumed ways:  I love wearing skirts, dresses, and the dressier the better; I don't mind panty hose much; I wear makeup almost daily, I LOVE lipstick, which we have already covered, need I continue?  However, when I have been single, I have not been looking for a woman that is the polar opposite of that in terms of her gender representation; I have a woman who is comfortable dressing up or down; who wears makeup when we are going somewhere special; who loves an intimate dinner and a day of rebuilding a porch; who has a green thumb and can check the oil in the car.  I want it all, I have it all, but my happiness with whom I am with, nor the quality of our relationship, is not dependent on one of us being the husband, the other the wife.

Why is it that some people resist the need to label and assume so much?  Why do any of us as humans have to be categorized at all?  Is it because some people just don't want to take the time, or use the energy that it would take, to truly get to know someone, for the details about that one person, not about the groups or "categories" that they supposedly belong to?  Has it become that much of an inconvenience to get to know another human being?  Not inconvenient for me.  I love getting to know all of the little tidbits that make up a person, how it feels to be in their own skin, what their life experiences have brought to them so far, and look so far beyond what it seems we think we KNOW about someone.

Sure, I still will continue to learn and grow; I am always actively working at not making assumptions, but I still do it at times, because it is an old, familiar habit that was socialized into me.  However, my awareness is more keen as every moment of every day goes by, I challenge myself, and as I get stronger and braver, challenge others as well, and hope to make this world a better place in the process.

What labels do you get slapped on you?  Tear them off, let your individualism shine through, and let people know what is really underneath that label.

For me, the shade of the day on these lesbian lips is Sea Fleur Fuschia.........

-Nicole

admissions
of weakness
become sticky labels
attaching to skin
covering it
completely

you
soon disappear
beneath the paper
and gummy glue
then some take
up sharpies
and

write
insults upon
your labeled self
all other see
are those
epithets

which
sink beneath
the labels into
your very flesh
you become them
you could
succumb

to
them and
your name transform
into a class
of dysfunction
defining

you
simply by
your admitted weakness
this is why
people might
avoid

sharing
the very
things that could
break them in
everyone else’s
eyes

Written 7/23/08
© 2008 Nicole Nicholson. All Rights Reserved.

Stumble It!

I don't think I managed to describe how fun my weekend actually was. It rained on Sunday, yes, but we rented Jumper and watched it and then a friend and I got in a pillow fight and she proved that I can't help laughing when someone hits my head. It's not that I find it funny, I just burst in laughter without wanting to. Then I painted my faced with make up and I looked like an Indian (I mean, native American/Canadian) or like Queen Amidala, perhaps.

It's time I talked a little about my English school, because it's awesome. I feel as comfortable as I did back in high school, when the teachers knew our names and we chat with them and joke them and throw pens at them (okay so I never did that in school, but I did it on Monday). And they always organize activities in the afternoon or the evening, which is great. We went to have Tai food for dinner today.

My classmates are nice people, too. There's a Spanish girl I get along pretty well with, but we're always calling each other names. She's culo and I'm either Metro-y-medio or Come-pasto.

You girls asked me...

- What I would tell the Pope. I have been thinking about this, really. Trying to finding something witty because, if you only get this one chance to say something to him, you wouldn't want to waste it by saying something like  "God bless you" or "You fascist, you are to blame for the death of millions of people who get AIDS for not wearing a cap!" xD. Because he's heard that too many times already and he would forget me immediately. But I just realized there's something I admire about him and I would like to compliment him on: imagine having an occupation that makes you socialize daily, giving speeches, practicing diplomacy, organizing stuff and so on -that's to stay, speaking too much and talking to too many people. If I had a job like this I would go home and shut my mouth up and feel If I heard one more sentence I would explode. I really would. But yet the pope spends his free time talking to God. And I mean, wow, this God must be a really interesting being when you feel like having a chat with him after being tired of talking to people. I know I would be all "Please give me a break, no more communication for today!".

- What do I hate most from people? I hate people who judge me before they know me. Like, there is this Spanish guy who laughed at me the first time I met him for thinking my computer would work here. It took me five minutes to explain to him that computers are built to work both in American and Europe, and that the problem was on the motherboard, not on the power chord. Okay, he is an ignorant and he wouldn't have guessed a girl could know how to use a computer. Lame.

Then he called me a lier when I said I was buying books in New York, and said I was probably just buying clothes... he was not only an idiot, he was also a sexist pig. Then I said I liked japanese comics and he said "Wow, you don't look like that kind of person at all". Which didn't make me feel proud or offended or anything, It just shows that he was basing his opinion of me on a silly first impression. And I mean, I do not look like the kind of girl who spends daddy's money on expensive clothes and jewellery. Fuck, I don't even wear earrings or bracelets or anything. I'm sure I give the opposite impression.

 

And I ask both of you now...

What is something everyone expected from you when you were little that hasn't /isn't happening?

For example, at one point everyone in my family thought I would grow up to be a good musician, because I was pretty good at playing the piano, but I eventually dropped out of music lessons and gave up. Also, certain people expected me to become this extremely shy and puritan catholic girl, which those of you who know me can tell I am not.

 

Ahm... I think I wrote enough (probably more than enough) so I'll read you soon. By the way, I am sick of going on Skype and not finding anyone to talk to. xD. Hugs!

Do you know your fans? If not, how could they know you?

That´s it. Finally! Here comes the last part of "Booking Shows Is Marketing"! It basically teaches you a truth many up-and-coming artists have not realized yet: there is nothing special about "being special" anymore! Far too many good acts today share a market still ruled by on the one hand not even a handful of majors, on the other hand a sheer unimaginable number of independent labels and one man army booking agencies. Not to forget those acts who still are looking for both of them!

It is neither the quality of your music which gets you on the bigger stages nor it are your artistic merits. It is simply easier to get there the faster the crowd grows that you attract! In most cases promoters, managers and anyone in the industry will give nothing about you - will not even listen to you - before you have proven that you know not only who you are but who your fans are and how to reach them. The best product is worth nothing without its target audience. Earning respect is all about learning how to market yourself - and this goes hand in hand with questions like: How effectively do you handle your booking? How strong and reliable is your network? How many shows have you been playing so far? Just to name a few, I don´t want to go into detail here! I´ll do in the following vids I promise!

How does church-of-noise.net fit into all this? church-of-noise.net is the very first approach to a global viral booking network helping independent artists and promoters. church-of-noise.net is to be regarded both as a result from and solution for a tendency in music business up-and-coming artists have to face these days: we are not back in the Eighties and Nineties anymore. Learn how to market yourself, otherwise you will most likely not be featured.

In fact this is not a new tendency at all. It´s just that the market is much tighter than it was back in the old days. In fact there have been great artists who very early developed a great sense for networking and for a higher degree of commercial independence. Think of Neurosis! There may have been other bands back in the late 80ies playing more intense rock music than Neurosis did (and still do) play. But even if there were - they for sure did not market their music as professional as Neurosis did (and do).

For my taste I often hear either too much disillusionment or far too much greenness listening to people speaking of today´s music business. The times may be hard but they have always been. The music business is changing. But it has always been.

The only thing which has not really begun yet is a revolution we call Internet. We have been told as much as we have been promised - but I don´t think that billions of bucks payed for online advertisement help independent artists. Do you?

I hope you like the vid and it helps! If so, please join church-of-noise.net, submit locations, share your live experience, spread the word.

Michael Schwark

Kennst Du Deine Fans? Nein? Woher sollten sie Dich dann kennen?

Endlich, hier kommt der dritte und letzte Teil zu "Booking Shows Is Marketing". Im Grunde geht es um eine Wahrheit, die viele junge Künstler heute noch nicht begriffen haben: es ist nicht mehr hip, einfach nur hip zu sein. Viel zu viele gute Acts tummeln sich auf einem Markt, der auch heute noch auf der einen Seite von nicht einmal einer Handvoll von Majors und auf der anderen Seite von einer schier undefinierbaren Anzahl von sogenannten Indie-Labels und Ein-Mann-Armee-Agenturen regiert wird. Und dabei vernachlässigen wir noch jene Acts, die beides gerade suchen!

Weder die Qualität Eurer Musik noch Eure künstlerischen Werte bringen Euch auf größere Bühnen. Es wird nur dann einfacher, wenn die Masse derer wächst, die Ihr auf Eure Shows zieht! Meist geben Veranstalter, Manager und einfach jeder in der Industrie gar nichts auf Euch, hören Euch nicht einmal an, wenn Ihr nicht längst bewiesen habt, dass Ihr nicht nur Euch selbst kennt, sondern auch Eure Fans und wisst, wie und wo Ihr sie erreicht. Das beste Produkt ist ohne Zielgruppe nichts wert. Auf dem Markt respektiert werden und Erfolg haben, heißt, zu lernen, sich zu vermarkten. Für Musiker geht das Hand in Hand mit Fragen wie: Wie effektiv handle ich mein Booking?, Wie stark und verlässlich ist mein Netzwerk?, Wie viele Shows habe ich schon gespielt?, Kenne ich meinen Wert?...um nur einige wenige zu nennen.

Wie passt church-of-noise.net da rein? church-of-noise.net ist das erste globale virale Booking-Netzwerk, das, von einer wachsenden Masse verwendet, unabhängigen Künstlern beim Booking und Eigenmanagement hilft. church-of-noise.net ist ein Resultat aus und eine mögliche Lösung für eine Tendenz im Musikbusiness, der sich viele  junge Künstler heute stellen müssen: Wir leben nicht mehr in den Achtzigern und Neunzigern. Entweder, wir lernen, uns zu vermarkten, oder wir werden höchstwahrscheinlich wenig bis gar nicht beachtet werden.

Eigentlich ist diese Tendenz auch nicht neu! Nur ist der Markt heute um einiges dichter, als er das vor 10 oder 20 Jahren war. Und das Netzwerk oder eine unabhängige auf Eigenmanagement orientierte Arbeitsweise ist keine Erfindung des neuen Jahrtausends: man denke an Bands wie zum Beispiel Neurosis. Es mag Ende der Achtziger Künstler gegeben haben, die intensivere Rock-Musik spielten als Neurosis. Mit Sicherheit haben die sich aber nicht halb so gut vermarktet wie sie, die sehr frühzeitig ein eigenes Label, ein ganzes, eigenes Kollektiv gebildet haben - ein Netzwerk, das heute noch funktioniert und sich ständig erweitert.

Für meinen Geschmack höre ich heute entweder zu viel Desillusionierung oder zu viel Naivität, wenn Leute, auch gerade Künstler, über den Musikmarkt sprechen. Vielleicht sind die Zeiten hart, aber das waren sie immer. Das Musikgeschäft verändert sich, aber auch das ist nicht neu.

Das einzige, das immer noch nicht so recht begonnen hat, ist die Revolution, die alle Internet nennen! Es wurde so viel erzählt wie versprochen - aber ich denke nicht, das ein paar Milliarden harte Dollar, gezahlt für Online-Werbung, unabhängigen Künstlern helfen? Oder glaubt ihr das?

Ich hoffe, ihr mögt das Video und es hilft Euch! Wenn ja, meldet Euch auf church-of-noise.net an! Stellt Locations ein, teilt Eure Live-Erfahrungen, spread the word!

Michael Schwark

Remember, all these things are located in the default theme and will give you a good idea what 'swallows' and specific parts (like 'e.text.label') are needed.

Enjoy!
Toma

One of the questions I am always asking myself is "How do I want people to see my business?" 

I think the simple answer is fair, ethical and a pleasure to deal with. 

Recently I've been thinking a great deal about the concept of 'Fair Trade' and ask myself, "Why do we need to advertise the fact?"

 

Sadly I'm led to our history of wanting something for nothing.  Business will tell you that there is no such thing as a free lunch ...  and I think there is no such thing as cheap goods without suffering.

We love to wear the 'big name' labels and use top branded goods, but I wonder how often we ask what cost the quality item really has attached to its label.  I'm not talking about the extra £30 or more because of the name; I'm talking about the human cost in producing the item. 

Not too long ago, there were several 'under cover' reports that exposed the depravity of many of our so-called respected brand names as they used sweatshops to produce their goods.  The workers rarely saw much more than £1 (often working for the equivalent of 12p - 30p an hour with no increase for overtime), if they were lucky, for the high quality fruits of their labours that were selling for over £100 in the high street.  Not a bad profit margin for the brand.  And as these top brands promise to 'supply goods to you at an even lower price', the workers in these sweatshops face the threat of physical violence or instant dismissal from their job if they dare to campaign for higher wages or improved conditions.  What is their cost?  Our bargains become their ticket to misery and fear.  The job they do is probably essential for the survival of their family.  The povity we want to fight in disgust as we see it on our television screens, WE actually create and prolong through our greed and 'good trading sense'.  In our focus on the shareholder we seem to have lost the focus on humanity.  The '£' or '$' speaks louder than the people who create them!

Yes, the Fair Trade lable and ethos is a sad reflection of our history of unfair trade and oppression; a culture of getting what we want, at the price we want and at great cost (but luckily, not to us!). 

Thankfully, the exposure of these inhuman working conditions and unethical trading practices has stirred a few people to say, "Enough is enough!" and introduce the concept of Fair Trade.  So we pay more for goods, perhaps a little nearer their true value in terms of the effort and skill that went into producing them whether it's clothes, jewellery, local crafts or food supplies.

And in a society of spin it is increasingly difficult to discern the truth from the lies, where politicians and company officials promise much (usually because their hide is at stake) but then forget their promises. We trust each other less and less.  So it's good that Fair Trade is on the agenda because we are given the chance to buck the trend and demostrate a different model for trading and life in general.  The great news is that the 'big boys' are having to review what they do at least in part (though not too much at the moment and they still screw many of their essential suppliers with crippling payment terms and demands for exclusivity of contract ... whilst retaining the ability to terminate contracts if they are 'not happy' ... whatever that means!! ... effectively condemning the supplier to bankruptcy).  Hopefully public pressure will continue to the extent that these unscrupulous traders will be required to undo the wrong they have done and actually compensate the areas in which they have inflicted slavery in the name of quality and profit.  Perhaps they will even be able to feel gratified in re-investing their profits into something with longer term gain.

One final word of caution relating to the Fair Trade sign ...

As with all things involving humans, we still need to be careful.  I recently heard of one small, local retailer who gives the impression that they support fair trading by displaying the Fair Trade sign in their shop when much of the jewellery and gifts they sell are definitely not Fair Trade.  Be sure to ask if you're uncertain.  If the items are fairly traded, your vendor should be able to tell you something of their origins and the process that makes trhem fairly traded.

So, a I've been a bit more controversial with this post, and I write as much to myself as to any reader when I say that a good kick up the backside is good for the soul every once in a while.

Until next time ...

*Retro tech: Cassette tapes still sell like mad. In prisons. There is a captive audience of 2.3 million incarcerated Americans.

*Online: Favtape lets music geeks create mixtapes from their recent Last.fm and Pandora favorites. Forgive me, father, for I have not audioscrobbled in more than a year. And I have not confessed to not audioscrobbling in almost a day. [mashable]

*Social media: iLike now has 30M+ users, and is expanding functionality to include concert promotion ads.

*Interviews: Do you want to hear whooping from some Billy Joel fans at Shea Stadium? I have the video for you. Also, you may want to carefully inspect your priorities. [coudal]

*Criticism: Pitchfork is telling me what the best overlooked albums for 2008 are. I give this list a 7.1. (No idea.)

*Experiments: Paul Westerberg is offering a one-file 43+ minute album (titled 49:00) that costs $.49. I have an Amazon gift certificate, so I just might buy this one! [universal music group]

*The listenerd: A recent comment about this blog read "Thanks to listenerd for the link, which I almost passed over because it looks too random to be valuable....wrong! :)"

*Too random to be valuable since 2007.

What to do? Like reading the ingredients label of your bottle of milk, coke can or cereals pack, you can start reading the labels of your beauty products. Unfortunately, these labels are often written in a very 'consumer unfriendly' way. You probably never heard of most of the ingredients or terms. To better understand the potentially harmful ingredients that may be in your personal care products, you can use Burt's Bees Interactive Ingredient Tool. With this tool, you can learn how to separate the naturals from the non-naturals very easily. Globalina gives you already some simple tips:

• A single natural ingredient doesn't make your product all natural.Read the ingredients statement and the labels of your products carefully. Especially important is to look for the ingredient order. If lemon extract is the last ingredient on the list, your Lovely Lemon body lotion isn't very natural after all.
• Certain ingredients tell you the truth immediately.Watch for the following commonly used ingredients: Sulfates (Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate), Parabens (Methyl-, Propyl-, Ethyl-, Butyl-), Petrochemicals (petrolatum, mineral oil, paraffin), Chemical sunscreens  (Oxybenzone/Avobenzone) and Phthalates. These ingredients should never be used in an all-natural product.
• Products can be certified 'organic' when not all ingredients are organic.FDA regulations require the use of Latin and scientific names for ingredients. This means that even natural raspberry oil is called rubus idaeus oil on a label. To familiarize yourself with the scientific names, look up ingredient names on Burt's Bees Ingredients Glossary.

If you want to be sure all your health care products are (almost) 100% natural or organic, buy your goodies at Burt's Bees: http://global.burtsbees.com. Burt's bees tells you how natural every product is they're selling and what ingredients they use. Their Super Shiny Lip Glosses (100% natural) are made with almond oil which makes your lips instantly soft and very kissable. Or try the Lemon Poppy Seed Facial Cleanser (98.31% natural). Smells so delicious you almost want to eat it!

If he did not want this to come to pass, he would have included those who are celebrating and meeting just across the field from where they are meeting. There is trouble because the Archbishop feels better to include some and not all, and he fears the "Other" more than he fears faith. Had the Archbishop of Canterbury had some BALLS he would walk across the field, and ask the others to join the meeting.

By RACHEL ZOLL, AP Religion Writer

CANTERBURY, England - The head of the Anglican Communion said Sunday that the global fellowship faces "one of the most severe challenges" in its history, and he urged bishops at their once-a-decade Lambeth Conference to do the hard work of finding solutions.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said the Anglican family's most immediate need is for "transformed relationships" so they don't break apart over homosexuality and the Bible.

"We all know that we stand in the middle of one of the most severe challenges to have faced the Anglican family in its history," he said in an address to the 650 bishops at the assembly.

But he said the world fellowship has survived other crises in its centuries-long history, and he has faith that church leaders can overcome the most recent troubles.

"Whatever the popular perception, the options before us are not irreparable schism or forced assimilation," Williams said. "It is not an option to hope that we can somehow just carry on as we always have."

Williams made the comments as church leaders in Canterbury emerged from days of prayer and turned to the business of their meeting. In Bible study and small group discussion, they will try to rebuild the ties among Anglican national churches that shattered after the 2003 consecration of the first openly gay Episcopal bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.

The work of the meeting, which runs through Aug. 3, is complicated by a boycott. About one-quarter of the invited bishops — theological conservatives mostly from Africa — stayed away because Williams invited bishops from the U.S. and elsewhere who accept gay relationships.

Williams called their absence a "wound" and asked participants to pray for the boycotters. He barred Robinson and a few other problematic bishops from the conference.

Still, Robinson is in Canterbury, staying on the outskirts of the meeting, working with advocates for Anglican gays and lesbians and hoping to meet as many overseas Anglican bishops as possible.

The 77-million-member Anglican Communion is a global fellowship of churches that trace their roots to the missionary work of the Church of England. It is the second-largest group of churches in the world, behind Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians.

Anglicans have long held together divergent views of Scripture and ritual. But those divisions have been widening as Anglican churches in the developing world, where strict Bible interpretation is the norm, have become the biggest and fastest-growing in the communion.

Last month, a group of Anglican conservatives from Africa, Australia and elsewhere formed a new network within the fellowship that challenges Williams' authority, but stops short of schism. Some of the network organizers are attending Lambeth, but most are staying away.

Other religious groups are facing similar divisions over how they should interpret Scripture, and they are closely watching the outcome of the assembly. Several Vatican officials are among the ecumenical participants at Lambeth.

The meeting was designed without any votes or legislation, and no one expects the Anglicans to resolve their problems by the assembly's end. Organizers instead hope their discussions will help clarify what direction they should take to stay together.

"A Lambeth Conference is not a political meeting about organization or structure alone, but it is a spiritual meeting," said Archbishop Phillip Aspinall, head of the Anglican Church of Australia. "We must go into this confident that a way has been found to the Father ... . We must be confident that that way is there."

This $15 that I have in my wallet right now wouldn't be here if it weren't for my iPod's trusty informant iTunes. I won't name names, but I had heard some talk about a band that was supposed to be "so good". With this stored in the back of my mind I happen to hear one of their singles on the radio. Pretty good I think.

Now Pause.

If this was 5 years ago and I was working off of impulse and energy drinks I would have made a quick stop at my local Best Buy picked the CD up and been thoroughly disappointed by the time I got home. The CD would eventually fumble it's way under my front seat and be forgotten about forever.

Now back to reality.

I go home pumped about finding a new good band. I get onto iTunes to see what albums they have available and within a few minutes I felt like I got hit by one of those KA-POW flashes from those old batman episodes. The single is still good, but the other 11 tracks are just plain bad.  Although I'm disapointed with the band I'm glad I still have my $15. Now a nameless record label is out $15. Now $15 is a drop in the barrel to the labels, but it gets me thinking about the big picture. If you figure how many people have iPods these days it's pretty safe to say that lots of people are saving $15 every day and finally labels are being shown what happens when you put out an inconsistent product. No longer can they rely on a single hit to sell an entire album. Not with iTunes around at least.

The iPods classy compadre is helping to bring consistency back to albums.  In my opinion an album just isn't a compilation of songs, it's one fluid piece of music split up throughout 60 minutes. Cheezy, but true. A few bad songs and the album can loose it's flow and fade into mediocrity. Now back in the good old days you would fill an album with songs you thought were good. If you didn't have enough good songs for a full length you would cut it short as an EP. Sounds like a pretty good plan, right? Well slowly things started to change. Somewhere in the hierarchy of the music business the love of music was surpassed by the love of money and priorities shifted. No longer was it important to turn out an album complete with all respectable songs. As long as people heard the hit single they would go out and buy the whole album because they had no way of knowing any better.

Sure, there were music reviews and opinions from other sources you could find, but you could never really trust them unless you the album for yourself. When you can preview every song for yourself you can make the call right there as to whether it's worth the money or not. Of course not every song can be a number one hit but the standards have dropped way too low. Sure, there are still a lot of good albums being released but there are far too many artists out there living off of 1 or 2 song to sell a whole album. It's the labels way of getting a few extra dollars in their pocket and an unfair way to mislead their audience. They have one group of artists putting out consistent product that sold great and gives the public confidence in their "brand". Then there's the other artists there to make a quick buck and then they're gone, replaced by a new set of bands. Of course not all of this was intentional. A lot of times the labels sign band's with the best intentions to have them put out a great product, but things don't always work out; But there were still the artist they know are there just to be any easy money maker of a few catchy songs. If these labels would stick to artists that can turn out a consistent product this problem wouldn't happen. Slowly things are moving back to how they should be. No longer can you make the single and whip up 10 more generic cookie cutter songs and expect for the album to sell. I love to see the labels putting out a consistent product because they aren't as affected by this as much. For all you other labels, you need to stop complaining. Maybe you can't make as much money by misleading your customers any more but how about making a little less by putting out an honest product. Let's give that a shot. This could go on. You get the idea. Let's end it here.Thanks for letting me keep my $15 iTunes. I owe you a drink.

• Currently Playing: The Movielife - Jamestown

 

http://daintyprettythings.etsy.com

http://keepsakekatie.etsy.com

 

Moderates believe that many paths may lead one to the true source of knowledge. Some even believe that both Empiricists and Rationalists are right—at the same time. They point to the fact that The Empiricalon and The Rationalists Creed promote thinking as a guide to living a fruitful and healthy life, and argue that certain philosophical concepts point us in the same direction—the great and inspirational philosophical books, however, make far more exclusive claims.

 

Some Moderates go so far as to assert that knowledge may come partly from Experience and partly from Mind; oddly, though, they continue to wear the old labels of their philosophy—Rationalist or Empiricist—skewing statistics and creating a seeming homogeneity of thought that in reality does not exist.

 

Not only does this skewing confound researchers but leaders of each school use the statistically great numbers of adherents for political purposes—and, in fact, history is littered with the strife and conflict perpetrated in the name of both of these philosophies. Moderates nevertheless cling to the labels for various and unclear reasons, even in the face of continuing intolerance, hate, and murder perpetuated by so-called True Philosophers.

 

A further curiosity, one that occurs in both schools, are large numbers of members who have never read the philosophical texts and have never learned the key tenets of either philosophy, yet they still call themselves Empiricists or Rationalists—even taking great offense if their philosophy is not respected. They are not entirely sure why they adhere to their particular school of thought—but they adhere to it tightly.

 

For example, some Empiricists do not know the meaning of a posteriori—thinking it an anatomical term. And some Rationalists do not know why Mind is held in such high regard or the many miracles attributed to it. They know not that it was Mind that saved the followers lost upon the Great Mountain, pointing them to True North.

 

Both philosophies promote thinking, yet some adherents do not know that thinking each day can enrich one's life--or even that the power of thinking  has been shown (anecdotally at least) to solve almost any problem. It should be mentioned, however, science has never adequately backed up the miraculous claims of thinking or of either School of Thought.

 

The final oddity is the known fact that Rationalists come from Rationalist families and Empiricists from Empiricist families. What is strange about this fact is not that there is a close correlation to one’s upbringing, but that followers of each philosophy do not recognize the label they wear is an accident of birth. Again, we must keep in mind the long and bloody history between these two philosophies and the great importance that many within each school of thought put on an individual’s accounting of knowledge’s true source.

 

In any case, it is remarkable that casual, unschooled, and moderate followers of each philosophy continue to wear philosophical labels while knowing their arbitrary nature and the highly-charged environment in which philosophical leaders and politicians use the clout and doctrines for personal gain or for the gain of select individuals.

 

This society has seemingly harnessed itself with a great yoke, one which separates and divides individuals, communities, and nations. Many are dedicated to fighting the most egregious violence done in the name of philosophy, both followers and non-followers alike. One wonders, however, what would be the effect if those who were not True Philosophers simply dropped the labels which harnessed them.

 

School leaders would lose power, millions of young people would have the freedom— instead of inheriting a philosophy—to study texts and accept or reject them based on merit, not on indoctrination. For many, the Holy Books’ violent and absurd passages (of which there are many) would lose credibility and power by virtue that their philosophy is not as overwhelmingly and universally accepted as they once believed.

 

If the old philosophies of Rationalism and Empiricism were recognized as the archaic and divisive systems that they are, this world could get beyond much of its awful history. But the pull of philosophy is strong, not only does it provide a foundation to one’s life, but it allows individuals to stop thinking and simply to know the trure source of knowledge—and it seems to show no signs of abating.

 

Perhaps Philosophy’s grip will one day be loosened—perhaps even by the Rationalist’s use of thought or the Empiricist’s technique of opening one’s eyes and looking around, but something surely needs to change in this world. As an outside observer it seems to me that change will inevitably start with those who are not already completely “sold”… and I, for one, hope that the day is soon.

Had the Archbishop of Canterbury invited ALL bishops to attend, there would not have been a boycott of said Lambeth conference. But because of homophobia and bigotry of some of the clergy who are attending and some NOT attending Lambeth, we have this issue to contend with.

By RACHEL ZOLL, AP Religion Writer

CANTERBURY, England - The spiritual leader of the world's Anglicans said he feels "great grief" that more than 200 bishops are boycotting the Lambeth Conference, calling it a wound to the once-a-decade meeting of the Anglican fellowship.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams expressed respect for the decision of church leaders who stayed away, but he said their absence should not stop participants from trying to repair fractured relations, according to a paper released Thursday containing highlights of his private talk the previous day.

"I don't imagine that simply building relationships solves our problems," he told bishops at a closed-door prayer retreat Wednesday. "But the nature of our calling as Christians is such that we dare not, and I say very strongly, dare not pretend that we can meet and discuss without attention to this quality of relation with each other even if we disagree."

The Anglican Communion is a 77 million-member family of churches that trace their roots to the Church of England, including the Episcopal Church in the United States.

The centuries-old fellowship has long held together with different views of ritual and Scripture. But the communion began splintering in 2003 when the Episcopal Church consecrated the first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.

Around one-quarter of the world's Anglican bishops — theological conservatives mainly from Africa — are not attending the Lambeth Conference because Williams invited U.S. church leaders who consecrated Robinson and other church leaders who accept gay relationships.

Robinson and a few other clergy have been barred from the assembly, which runs through Aug. 3. The 650 or so church leaders who are participating are a mix of traditionalists, liberals and others with conflicting ideas on what Anglicans should believe.

Williams has designed a conference program with no votes or resolutions. Instead, the bishops will engage in Bible study and small group discussions on issues ranging from evangelism to the structure of the communion. Williams said the gathering has been set up so "every voice can be heard." The first public event, opening worship, is set for Sunday.

"It's a great grief that many of our brothers and sisters in the communion have not felt able to be with us for these weeks, a grief because we need their voice and they need ours in learning Christ together," Williams said at the prayer meeting.

On Thursday, bishops gathered privately in Canterbury Cathedral, where Williams gave sermons on the role of bishops as viewed through the Gospel.

Details of those talks were not released. But Bishop Geralyn Wolf of Rhode Island said the archbishop of Canterbury spoke about how bishops must "call everyone together."

"Many people want us as bishops to align ourselves to one group or another," she said, summarizing his remarks. "But as bishops we must say there is more than just being on one man's side. You have to make decisions for the good of the whole. There's not just one way."

Last month, a group of Anglican traditionalists from Africa, Australia and other regions who are frustrated with Williams' leadership formed a new network within the communion that challenges his authority, while stopping short of schism.

Of Williams' sermon Thursday, Wolf said, "For those who like absolute answers and who wish for him to address the issues in the communion, this was probably a disappointment," but she said most people seemed to find his address inspirational.

Bishop Stacy Sauls of Lexington, Ky., who participated in the retreat Thursday, said he has sensed no animosity from bishops who have condemned the decision to consecrate Robinson. One strong critic, a West African bishop, even hugged him, Sauls said.

But Sauls said, "We're also too soon to get into many issues. The focus right now is on prayer."

Phosphorescent
Pride
October 23rd 2007
Dead Oceans Records

Matthew Houck’s performance as Phosphorescent is remarkable. His representation on record is near perfect. Houck’s rustic folk songs have a magic to them; they’ll enchant you with animistic melodies and fill your gut with a deep and anonymous sadness. His voice croons like a lone rancher singing to the stars while some small smoking fire dries the boggy mud on his boots. Pride goes beyond most Americana in defining with startling clarity, even if for a moment, the ambiguous and protean qualities that make American rural culture unique.

Houck's music descends as much from Welsh and Irish ballads as it does African American hymns and the rhythm of the Lakota Sundance. We have created a mythology about this country and its people; this mythology uses crop fields, prairies, mesas, and deserts as contexts in which our imaginations root the fundamental meaning of the American genesis. Phosphorescent has given us a record that celebrates this known but unspoken communion.

Intended or not, he along and Sam Beam are the standard bearers when it comes to Southern Gothic music. It is a tradition that gives us what history cannot. Animals become metaphors that speak as much of human tragedy as any factual testimonial. Two tracks in particular deserve words of great admiration. A Picture of Our Torn Up Praise opens the record with a sweet and haunting melody. With the pound of each bass drum, the listener becomes more entrenched in the humbling beauty of Phosphorescent’s music. Wolves is perhaps most exhibitive of Houck’s ability to assemble melody, lyrics, and spirit. These two songs alone justify every kind word he receives. Pride is a short yet stunning record. Had I only heard it sooner…

-FF

8/9

http://www.myspace.com/phosphorescent

Other Music
The Weight of Flight- 2004
Aw Come, Aw Wry- 2005

Here is a beautiful video for A Picture of Our Torn Up Praise by Zach Sluser:

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