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https://medium.com/@chadisliving/3-ways-to-finish-a-labor-of-love-requiring-more-labor-than-love-465a43f835c8	medium.com	3 Ways to Finish a Labor of Love Requiring More Labor than Love.	I’m seriously (seriously) stoked to share that my first book, One Thousand Risks: Fighting Fear for an Awkward, Awesome Life with Jesus, is…	Chad Johnson	https://medium.com/@chadisliving	465a43f835c8	https://miro.medium.com/…yWEX3zvNeeA.jpeg	4 min	2017-11-02T16:04:26.553000	2017-11-02T16:08:40.225000	2017-11-07T16:17:28.703000	0	2	en	Christianity,Writing,Holy Spirit,Writing Tips,Bible	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1280/1*tUGWjiEqF9HyWEX3zvNeeA.jpeg" width="1280" height="720" loading="lazy" /> <p>I’m seriously (seriously) stoked to share that my first book, <em><a href="http://www.chadisliving.com/onethousandrisks">One Thousand Risks</em>: Fighting Fear for an Awkward, Awesome Life with Jesus</a>, is being released on Tuesday, December 5th!</p> <p>If you’ve ever taken on a project, purely as a labor of love, which initially grew from exciting to eventually overwhelming to unsettlingly impossible, then you understand what this writing experience has been.</p> <p>Three principles have helped me stay the course on the 30-month process of writing when it required significantly more labor than love.</p> <h1>1. Never stop dreaming.</h1> <p>Proverbs 29:18a says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Rarely does a project, campaign, effort, or any other labor of love start without vision. We take these things on for hope our lives, or even someone else’s, will be better. I’ve routinely asked God to give me His perspective, and have dreamt of what might happen if even one person’s life transformed as much as mine through the one thousand risk experience.</p> <h2>2. Invite friends to be honest with you.</h2> <p>Your friends are the most likely people to provide support for your labor of love dreams. Without friends, I never would have carried on with Come&Live!, and I wouldn’t have had the foresight to re-direct <em><strong>One Thousa</em>nd Risks</strong> from being a memoir primarily about me. Good friends may be the only potential steering you away from an idea that seems inspired, but just isn’t. If you invite them to challenge whatever you’re pursuing, your focus and message will be amazingly refined in the end. <em>“Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.”</em> — Proverbs 27:5&6</p> <h2>3. Honor the Holy Spirit.</h2> <p>When I first sat down to write, I dreamt of impacting millions. Dreaming of making a huge splash is not a sin, but I quickly found myself being influenced more by mass appeal than Holy Spirit sensitivity. One day I felt Him ask me a convicting question; “Would you spend all this time and energy just writing for Jesus, even if no one else cared?” Ouch.</p> <p>I presumed writing a book would be a short, seamless, relatively straightforward process. Here we are, 30-months later. Like all the areas that I stumble through in life, I wouldn’t trade the experience, or what I’ve learned along the way. There is joy in the messy, extravagant journey.</p> <p>What’s inspired you to keep focusing on a labor of love requiring more labor than love?</p> <p>Continue reading to uncover what some of my friends are saying about the book, and for an excerpt taken from part of the book’s introduction.</p> <h2>Kind words from friends:</h2> <p><strong>Brian “Head” Welch,</strong> Co-Founder / KoRn</p> <p><em>Chad Johnson is fearless because he sincerely sees humanity as family. In his new book, One Thousand Risks, Chad shares intense faith-encounters he’s had with people simply by getting out of his comfort zone and approaching strangers as the Spirit leads him. This is a real and honest look at a normal guy who’s learned to hear God’s voice through trial and error. Chad has thrown fear and insecurity aside, allowing Jesus to use him in radical new ways. After reading One Thousand Risks… will you?</em></p> <p><strong>Ryan J. Downey,</strong> Longtime Journalist & Artist Manager / Billboard, MTV, The Hollywood Reporter & Artist Manager / Demon Hunter</p> <p><em>Even for the more skeptical (and let’s face it, cynical) among us, it’s impossible not to feel inspired around Chad Johnson. His faith is something palpable in the air surrounding him, an almost tangible electricity that supercharges everyone he meets, from the biggest rock stars to the families living in dire poverty around the world. Chad isn’t wearing a costume of piousness. He’s as real and relatable as they come, which makes his persistent joy and insistence on the gospel all the more powerful in real life terms. One Thousand Risks is a book about forsaking the world in pursuit of saving the world, one person at a time, with the absolute trust of a child in the guidance and faithfulness of our Creator.</em></p> <p><em><strong>Melody Joy Murray</strong>, Fou</em>nder & CEO / JOYN</p> <p><em>“Engaging, vibrant words point to Jesus’ ability in granting us the real, true, messy, extravagant life. In a world dominated by comfort and caution, One Thousand Risks takes us powerfully into a different life perspective, one of abandonment and boldness. This book addresses what we all desperately need and never stop wanting: a life more abundant! These stories reveal a shared longing, a desire for more, inviting us toward deeper, wider faith. Chad’s transparency, authenticity, and practical examples encourage me to exercise and use my faith — to continue taking risks and to live bold.”</em></p> <h2>Excerpt from One Thousand Risks, A Letter to My Reader Who Does Not Follow Jesus:</h2> <p><em>Living for Jesus is stupid radical and yet fully worth your consideration. Why not leave behind what you were never meant for in exchange of a spiritual enterprise that is not safe, often messy, but extravagant on levels incalculable? You’re not here by accident. What are the odds of all the billions of people in the world — and you and I living in spaces far removed from each other — that we would find ourselves right here?</em></p> <p><em>Like any of us, what do you really stand to lose? If I’m a liar — simply another semi-gifted snake-oil salesman — you have nothing to fear. Why not invite Jesus to help you, to live inside you, and to take charge of your destiny? If He isn’t real, you’ll forget the prayer, and at some point laugh at the idea, ‘random Christian writer guy’ actually convinced you to pray.</em></p> <p><em>If Jesus is real, you have all His presence to gain, not to mention the best of best friends. Jesus is my friend. We’re in relationship, abiding together. I want to be more like Him because He’s perfect and loves, unlike anyone I’ve met. He treats everyone as they were meant to be treated. He loves unconditionally.</em></p> <p><em>Jesus isn’t threatening Hell, so you’ll embrace Him, he’s embracing you so you’ll threaten Hell.</em></p> <p>Visit <a href="http://www.chadisliving.com">www.chadisliving.com</a> to leave the unremarkable old for a messy, extravagant new.</p> </section>	3 Ways to Finish a Labor of Love Requiring More Labor than Love. I’m seriously (seriously) stoked to share that my first book, One Thousand Risks: Fighting Fear for an Awkward, Awesome Life with Jesus, is being released on Tuesday, December 5th! If you’ve ever taken on a project, purely as a labor of love, which initially grew from exciting to eventually overwhelming to unsettlingly impossible, then you understand what this writing experience has been. Three principles have helped me stay the course on the 30-month process of writing when it required significantly more labor than love. 1. Never stop dreaming. Proverbs 29:18a says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Rarely does a project, campaign, effort, or any other labor of love start without vision. We take these things on for hope our lives, or even someone else’s, will be better. I’ve routinely asked God to give me His perspective, and have dreamt of what might happen if even one person’s life transformed as much as mine through the one thousand risk experience. 2. Invite friends to be honest with you. Your friends are the most likely people to provide support for your labor of love dreams. Without friends, I never would have carried on with Come&Live!, and I wouldn’t have had the foresight to re-direct One Thousand Risks from being a memoir primarily about me. Good friends may be the only potential steering you away from an idea that seems inspired, but just isn’t. If you invite them to challenge whatever you’re pursuing, your focus and message will be amazingly refined in the end. “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.” — Proverbs 27:5&6 3. Honor the Holy Spirit. When I first sat down to write, I dreamt of impacting millions. Dreaming of making a huge splash is not a sin, but I quickly found myself being influenced more by mass appeal than Holy Spirit sensitivity. One day I felt Him ask me a convicting question; “Would you spend all this time and energy just writing for Jesus, even if no one else cared?” Ouch. I presumed writing a book would be a short, seamless, relatively straightforward process. Here we are, 30-months later. Like all the areas that I stumble through in life, I wouldn’t trade the experience, or what I’ve learned along the way. There is joy in the messy, extravagant journey. What’s inspired you to keep focusing on a labor of love requiring more labor than love? Continue reading to uncover what some of my friends are saying about the book, and for an excerpt taken from part of the book’s introduction. Kind words from friends: Brian “Head” Welch, Co-Founder / KoRn Chad Johnson is fearless because he sincerely sees humanity as family. In his new book, One Thousand Risks, Chad shares intense faith-encounters he’s had with people simply by getting out of his comfort zone and approaching strangers as the Spirit leads him. This is a real and honest look at a normal guy who’s learned to hear God’s voice through trial and error. Chad has thrown fear and insecurity aside, allowing Jesus to use him in radical new ways. After reading One Thousand Risks… will you? Ryan J. Downey, Longtime Journalist & Artist Manager / Billboard, MTV, The Hollywood Reporter & Artist Manager / Demon Hunter Even for the more skeptical (and let’s face it, cynical) among us, it’s impossible not to feel inspired around Chad Johnson. His faith is something palpable in the air surrounding him, an almost tangible electricity that supercharges everyone he meets, from the biggest rock stars to the families living in dire poverty around the world. Chad isn’t wearing a costume of piousness. He’s as real and relatable as they come, which makes his persistent joy and insistence on the gospel all the more powerful in real life terms. One Thousand Risks is a book about forsaking the world in pursuit of saving the world, one person at a time, with the absolute trust of a child in the guidance and faithfulness of our Creator. Melody Joy Murray, Founder & CEO / JOYN “Engaging, vibrant words point to Jesus’ ability in granting us the real, true, messy, extravagant life. In a world dominated by comfort and caution, One Thousand Risks takes us powerfully into a different life perspective, one of abandonment and boldness. This book addresses what we all desperately need and never stop wanting: a life more abundant! These stories reveal a shared longing, a desire for more, inviting us toward deeper, wider faith. Chad’s transparency, authenticity, and practical examples encourage me to exercise and use my faith — to continue taking risks and to live bold.” Excerpt from One Thousand Risks, A Letter to My Reader Who Does Not Follow Jesus: Living for Jesus is stupid radical and yet fully worth your consideration. Why not leave behind what you were never meant for in exchange of a spiritual enterprise that is not safe, often messy, but extravagant on levels incalculable? You’re not here by accident. What are the odds of all the billions of people in the world — and you and I living in spaces far removed from each other — that we would find ourselves right here? Like any of us, what do you really stand to lose? If I’m a liar — simply another semi-gifted snake-oil salesman — you have nothing to fear. Why not invite Jesus to help you, to live inside you, and to take charge of your destiny? If He isn’t real, you’ll forget the prayer, and at some point laugh at the idea, ‘random Christian writer guy’ actually convinced you to pray. If Jesus is real, you have all His presence to gain, not to mention the best of best friends. Jesus is my friend. We’re in relationship, abiding together. I want to be more like Him because He’s perfect and loves, unlike anyone I’ve met. He treats everyone as they were meant to be treated. He loves unconditionally. Jesus isn’t threatening Hell, so you’ll embrace Him, he’s embracing you so you’ll threaten Hell. Visit www.chadisliving.com to leave the unremarkable old for a messy, extravagant new.	91363c10-265d-5361-aaea-01b1ebd239f8	25/08/2025 18:01:29
https://medium.com/@smith.orla/alternative-algarve-monchique-f%C3%B3ia-765a6803dc16	medium.com	Alternative Algarve: Monchique & Fóia	Our house sit on the Algarve in Olhos d’Agua was an ideal base to do several day trips in our hired car. Tess, our house sit host, had left…	all the ways you wander	https://medium.com/@smith.orla	765a6803dc16	https://miro.medium.com/…hD4Jau6yH-Q.jpeg	7 min	2018-06-13T11:48:39.217000	2018-06-13T11:57:35.426000	2018-06-13T11:57:36.512000	0	0	en	Travel,Algarve,Portugal,Hiking	<section> <p>Our house sit on the Algarve in Olhos d’Agua was an ideal base to do several day trips in our hired car. Tess, our house sit host, had left us a fantastic comprehensive list of things to do in the area which included a drive to Monchique, a town high up in Serra de Monchique. In our last post we explored some of the coastal towns on the Algarve but on this trip we were looking forward to breathing in some cool mountain air and the possibility of a woodland hike. Having researched a bit more about the area we decided to spoil ourselves and spend a night up there so we could enjoy a nice meal and not drive home in the dark (it was mostly my idea!). We used booking.com and found Estalagem Abrigo Da Montanha<em> </em>which looked like it had spectacular views from the rooms. Being December, I just decided to call it an early Christmas present to ourselves! :p</p> <p>The route we took to Monchique started off on just a short journey on the A22 towards <em>Portimáo </em>but after that it was up and up on smaller, winding roads. The landscape was very dusty and dry looking as Portugal was still holding out against an eight-month drought. Even still, the scenery was beautiful with cork, eucalyptus and pine trees covering the hills and the higher up we went, the view back down to the coast got even more spectacular. We passed mountain villages, long abandoned, aside from one or two houses that looked lived in.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4032/1H-dVEZdsgVNNQs2LArYDow.jpeg" width="4032" height="3024" loading="lazy" /> <p>There were one or two scary moments on the road with huge trucks weighed down with tons of stone from surrounding quarries, hurtling towards us on the wrong side of the road so I was relieved to see we were close to our destination. We arrived into Monchique and drove slowly along its one-way streets, surprised at how big and populated it is. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants and a pretty square with fountains (they were off while were were there). We knew the accommodation we booked was further up into the mountains so we decided to pick up a picnic lunch in the supermarket, thinking we’d head to the hills after checking in. To our delight we discovered we had a balcony off our bedroom with an amazing view of the valley below and the sparkling ocean in the distance. Our picnic spot was most definitely sorted! We had fresh bread, lovely Monchique cheese and fig jam. Our bottle of wine remained unopened as we couldn’t get hold of an opener. Just as well as were eager to get out and explore. We had a look around the hotel which was completely empty other than ourselves — kind of spooky, especially at night — but our lovely host, Maria, who checked us in, made us feel safe and welcome. It’s an old hotel that could do with a refurb but it is in the most spectacular spot for sweeping views.</p> <p>After lunch we drove to Caldas de Monchique where the original thermal baths were popular even in Roman times. It’s a tiny, pretty mountain village with 19th century buildings surrounding a cobbled square and there’s a pleasant woodland walk along the natural spring water stream. The usual touristy restaurants and gift shops are dotted around the village and it must be packed in high season. You can enjoy spa treatments and turkish baths in the resort hotel Villa Termal Caldas de Monchique Spa Resort. I guess you could treat yourself by staying the night in the resort to get fully immersed in the thermal spring waters, but as we didn’t stay there, we can’t vouch for the place. Neil did manage to fly the drone above the trees and took some lovely shots.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3982/1l3pk7qQ29omP8ZW9YWmdhw.jpeg" width="3982" height="2985" loading="lazy" /> <p>After that, we drove up through really steep rural roads, passing dotey little houses, all the way to the top of Fóia, the highest mountain in the Algarve. The views are truly awesome from up there. Full panoramic vistas up and down the coast and east into Spain. This was one of the highlights of the trip but be warned, it’s windy so bring a jacket! There are antennas and wind turbines but you can still take fantastic photos from all sides. There’s a little cafe and gift shop if you need a break or respite from the wind. There are a couple of hikes that start close to the top and we picked one that we’d tackle the following day. Being December, the light was fading fast and I definitely didn’t want to be on the narrow roads in the dark. We drove down the mountain to the next viewpoint at Miradouro da Fonte Santa as it was out of the wind and on the west side. It’s perfect for a romantic sunset and there are picnic tables should you be inclined to dine al fresco. Apparently you can drink from the natural spring here but just sitting and listening to its gentle gurgle while the sun goes down is a lovely way to end a hot day.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1200/111kXuD3SxvZhD4Jau6yH-Q.jpeg" width="1200" height="670" loading="lazy" /> <p>Our bellies grumbled when we thought about the restaurant Neil had found for us. It was only a ten minute walk from the hotel as well so no driving stress! Well, what can we say? If you go to Monchique at all, get yourself into Restaurante Luar Da Fóia. From the minute we walked in and saw the big open charcoal grill and all the wine on display we were delighted with ourselves. We sat beside the log fire (the nights are chilly up there) and perused the wine list. Our server helped us pick an amazing wine that went perfect with the food. We started with black Monchique pork sausage and mushrooms cooked in port wine and local honey. Definitely order these two together. I was tempted by the Wild Boar Stew but “chickened-out” and got chicken! But Neil’s dinner — holy moly! Initially, he was going for your run-of-the-mill sirloin steak but he was talked into the Bull Steak. It blew his mind! “Best steak ever” where his words! Even though we were full we had to try desert. I got a goat’s cheese sorbet, which I’d never had before and it’s my new favourite desert — just can’t find it anywhere since! Neil took on the banoffee pie — again, the best he’s ever had! In total we spent four hours completely engrossed in the food and the atmosphere. We were then taken to the basement to sample their fine port to finish off our evening. It was perfect! We walked slowly up the dark road back to the hotel and stopped to stare at the stars. This area is perfect for stargazing so Neil got the camera out and we sat on the roof terrace of the hotel for a while. I saw seven shooting stars!</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/6000/1U7mUU45mYwZhNLSuhN6fjw.jpeg" width="6000" height="4000" loading="lazy" /> <p>Next morning with the sun streaming in the windows we felt ready for our hike. We fueled up at breakfast with lovely local cheese, fruit bread and honey and delicious hot coffee. When we got back to the top of Fóia Neil chanced his arm with the drone. It wasn’t happy at all up there, between the wind, the antennas, the turbines, it was all too much! Neil managed a quick shot though before landing.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4160/1wAmTaxCbNlVR_RQG1HBj1Q.jpeg" width="4160" height="2340" loading="lazy" /> <p>We picked a 2.5 hour hike to Barbelote Waterfall and thought we might get to cool off in it if we get too hot on the hike. It’s a gorgeous hike that passes through an abandoned village and down the valley through beautiful flora and aromas of wild lavender and eucalyptus. Unfortunately at the end of the trail just as you get to the point that should take you to the bottom of the waterfall the trail was wrecked by a previous storm. There had been a landslide and the path looked extremely dodgy. We didn’t venture any further but we could see the waterfall through the trees. It looked so inviting but we valued our intact ankles and knew we still had to climb back up the valley to where we started. Next time we’re back we’ll check it out again. It really made us want to explore the area more and we’ve made a promise to ourselves we’ll spend more time when we’re in our van. We would love to hear from anybody who’s been here in the past or is planning a hike there. Please feel free to get in touch to let us know!</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4000/1hYsAFtuU4_8CnI-nsUJ1FQ.jpeg" width="4000" height="6000" loading="lazy" /> <p>Top Tips</p> <p>We definitely recommend having a car. There isn’t a great bus service to the town of Monchique and from there you have to walk up to the top of the mountain unless you’re on a private tour. It’s definitely worth a trip up if you do have a car you won’t regret the views and the fresh air!</p> <p><em>Originally published at <a href="https://www.allthew</em>aysyouwander.com/all-the-ways-you-wander/2018/5/26/alternative-algarve-monchique-fia">www.allthewaysyouwander.com</a>.</p> </section>	Alternative Algarve: Monchique & Fóia Our house sit on the Algarve in Olhos d’Agua was an ideal base to do several day trips in our hired car. Tess, our house sit host, had left us a fantastic comprehensive list of things to do in the area which included a drive to Monchique, a town high up in Serra de Monchique. In our last post we explored some of the coastal towns on the Algarve but on this trip we were looking forward to breathing in some cool mountain air and the possibility of a woodland hike. Having researched a bit more about the area we decided to spoil ourselves and spend a night up there so we could enjoy a nice meal and not drive home in the dark (it was mostly my idea!). We used booking.com and found Estalagem Abrigo Da Montanha which looked like it had spectacular views from the rooms. Being December, I just decided to call it an early Christmas present to ourselves! :p The route we took to Monchique started off on just a short journey on the A22 towards Portimáo but after that it was up and up on smaller, winding roads. The landscape was very dusty and dry looking as Portugal was still holding out against an eight-month drought. Even still, the scenery was beautiful with cork, eucalyptus and pine trees covering the hills and the higher up we went, the view back down to the coast got even more spectacular. We passed mountain villages, long abandoned, aside from one or two houses that looked lived in. Cork Trees There were one or two scary moments on the road with huge trucks weighed down with tons of stone from surrounding quarries, hurtling towards us on the wrong side of the road so I was relieved to see we were close to our destination. We arrived into Monchique and drove slowly along its one-way streets, surprised at how big and populated it is. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants and a pretty square with fountains (they were off while were were there). We knew the accommodation we booked was further up into the mountains so we decided to pick up a picnic lunch in the supermarket, thinking we’d head to the hills after checking in. To our delight we discovered we had a balcony off our bedroom with an amazing view of the valley below and the sparkling ocean in the distance. Our picnic spot was most definitely sorted! We had fresh bread, lovely Monchique cheese and fig jam. Our bottle of wine remained unopened as we couldn’t get hold of an opener. Just as well as were eager to get out and explore. We had a look around the hotel which was completely empty other than ourselves — kind of spooky, especially at night — but our lovely host, Maria, who checked us in, made us feel safe and welcome. It’s an old hotel that could do with a refurb but it is in the most spectacular spot for sweeping views. After lunch we drove to Caldas de Monchique where the original thermal baths were popular even in Roman times. It’s a tiny, pretty mountain village with 19th century buildings surrounding a cobbled square and there’s a pleasant woodland walk along the natural spring water stream. The usual touristy restaurants and gift shops are dotted around the village and it must be packed in high season. You can enjoy spa treatments and turkish baths in the resort hotel Villa Termal Caldas de Monchique Spa Resort. I guess you could treat yourself by staying the night in the resort to get fully immersed in the thermal spring waters, but as we didn’t stay there, we can’t vouch for the place. Neil did manage to fly the drone above the trees and took some lovely shots. Bird’s eye view After that, we drove up through really steep rural roads, passing dotey little houses, all the way to the top of Fóia, the highest mountain in the Algarve. The views are truly awesome from up there. Full panoramic vistas up and down the coast and east into Spain. This was one of the highlights of the trip but be warned, it’s windy so bring a jacket! There are antennas and wind turbines but you can still take fantastic photos from all sides. There’s a little cafe and gift shop if you need a break or respite from the wind. There are a couple of hikes that start close to the top and we picked one that we’d tackle the following day. Being December, the light was fading fast and I definitely didn’t want to be on the narrow roads in the dark. We drove down the mountain to the next viewpoint at Miradouro da Fonte Santa as it was out of the wind and on the west side. It’s perfect for a romantic sunset and there are picnic tables should you be inclined to dine al fresco. Apparently you can drink from the natural spring here but just sitting and listening to its gentle gurgle while the sun goes down is a lovely way to end a hot day. Sunset over the Algarve Our bellies grumbled when we thought about the restaurant Neil had found for us. It was only a ten minute walk from the hotel as well so no driving stress! Well, what can we say? If you go to Monchique at all, get yourself into Restaurante Luar Da Fóia. From the minute we walked in and saw the big open charcoal grill and all the wine on display we were delighted with ourselves. We sat beside the log fire (the nights are chilly up there) and perused the wine list. Our server helped us pick an amazing wine that went perfect with the food. We started with black Monchique pork sausage and mushrooms cooked in port wine and local honey. Definitely order these two together. I was tempted by the Wild Boar Stew but “chickened-out” and got chicken! But Neil’s dinner — holy moly! Initially, he was going for your run-of-the-mill sirloin steak but he was talked into the Bull Steak. It blew his mind! “Best steak ever” where his words! Even though we were full we had to try desert. I got a goat’s cheese sorbet, which I’d never had before and it’s my new favourite desert — just can’t find it anywhere since! Neil took on the banoffee pie — again, the best he’s ever had! In total we spent four hours completely engrossed in the food and the atmosphere. We were then taken to the basement to sample their fine port to finish off our evening. It was perfect! We walked slowly up the dark road back to the hotel and stopped to stare at the stars. This area is perfect for stargazing so Neil got the camera out and we sat on the roof terrace of the hotel for a while. I saw seven shooting stars! Best wine in the Algarve! Next morning with the sun streaming in the windows we felt ready for our hike. We fueled up at breakfast with lovely local cheese, fruit bread and honey and delicious hot coffee. When we got back to the top of Fóia Neil chanced his arm with the drone. It wasn’t happy at all up there, between the wind, the antennas, the turbines, it was all too much! Neil managed a quick shot though before landing. Morning sun in our hotel room We picked a 2.5 hour hike to Barbelote Waterfall and thought we might get to cool off in it if we get too hot on the hike. It’s a gorgeous hike that passes through an abandoned village and down the valley through beautiful flora and aromas of wild lavender and eucalyptus. Unfortunately at the end of the trail just as you get to the point that should take you to the bottom of the waterfall the trail was wrecked by a previous storm. There had been a landslide and the path looked extremely dodgy. We didn’t venture any further but we could see the waterfall through the trees. It looked so inviting but we valued our intact ankles and knew we still had to climb back up the valley to where we started. Next time we’re back we’ll check it out again. It really made us want to explore the area more and we’ve made a promise to ourselves we’ll spend more time when we’re in our van. We would love to hear from anybody who’s been here in the past or is planning a hike there. Please feel free to get in touch to let us know! Hiking to the Waterfall Top Tips We definitely recommend having a car. There isn’t a great bus service to the town of Monchique and from there you have to walk up to the top of the mountain unless you’re on a private tour. It’s definitely worth a trip up if you do have a car you won’t regret the views and the fresh air! Originally published at www.allthewaysyouwander.com.	faa2a3a1-e357-51f4-850d-4ba5d9276d04	25/08/2025 18:01:29
https://journal.praxis.co/welcoming-andy-crouch-as-a-praxis-partner-88dee905d40a	medium.com	Welcoming Andy Crouch as a Praxis Partner	What draws people to be friends is that they see the same truth. They share it. ― C.S. Lewis	Dave Blanchard	https://medium.com/@dave_blanchard	88dee905d40a	https://miro.medium.com/…AiAegjkvS5w.jpeg	3 min	2018-02-26T17:40:24.975000	2018-03-01T15:40:10.503000	2024-11-27T01:46:30.538000	2	196	en	Christianity,Startup,Theology,Culture,Faith	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/5760/1*P_M39M0tzGUAiAegjkvS5w.jpeg" width="5760" height="3840" loading="lazy" /> <blockquote>What draws people to be friends is that they see the same truth. They share it. ― C.S. Lewis</blockquote> <p>Perhaps the most concrete way we at Praxis have experienced God’s faithfulness over the last seven years is the provision of great people to build with. At every key moment of the organization’s growth we’ve had opportunities to add just the right person. Today is a perfect example: we are thrilled to share the news that <a href="http://andy-crouch.com/">Andy Crouch</a> is joining Praxis full time, as a partner leading our practice in theology & culture.</p> <p>If you know Andy, you can understand our enthusiasm and what a meaningful occasion this is for us. If you don’t know him, let me introduce him to you and share a bit about our collaborative hopes.</p> <p>It would not be an overstatement to say that Andy has been one of the most important public voices of our Christian faith over the past decade, creating content and facilitating conversation with his rare blend of empathetic thinking and listening with bold prophetic imagination.</p> <p>Andy is a serial author, publishing <em>The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place</em> (2017), <em>Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing</em> (2016), <em>Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power</em> (2013) and <em>Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling</em> (2008), the last of which was deeply influential in the reorientation of my own life and work just before Praxis.</p> <p>Most recently, Andy was executive editor of <em>Christianity Today</em> and also served the John Templeton Foundation as senior strategist for communication. Mapping to our organizational interests in both theology and higher education, he serves on the governing boards of Fuller Theological Seminary and the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. His work and writing have been featured in <em>Time, </em>the <em>New York Times</em>, and the <em>Wall Street Journal</em> — including a widely read <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203476804576615403028127550">piece</a> on the life and influence of Steve Jobs, perhaps our generation’s most iconic and complex entrepreneur.</p> <p>In many ways, Praxis itself is an attempt to express the ideas Andy has so powerfully written and spoken about over the years, from the inherently entrepreneurial perspective that creating is the best way to engage the world, to the idea that power, spent on behalf of others, is what truly leads to personal and social flourishing.</p> <p>Andy’s influence on us has not been merely through his ideas, but through his physical presence and involvement with our community. For the past several years, Andy has given us a number of days a year as a “Praxis Scholar” embedding himself inside of our programs as a speaker and mentor, whether with undergraduates at Praxis Academy or with our entrepreneurs at our Accelerators or at our annual Summit.</p> <p>As Praxis has grown up a bit over the last seven years and latched onto the idea of redemptive entrepreneurship, Andy’s thinking has also shaped how we think about where we are going. In this year’s <a href="https://journal.praxis.co/the-2017-praxis-community-letter-c23fee1f30e3">Praxis community letter</a>, I used one of Andy’s key frameworks in <em>Playing God </em>to frame where we we hope to go when it comes to the field of redemptive entrepreneurship:</p> <p>The way that cultural change becomes widely available and influential…is through the creation of artifacts, arenas, rules, and roles. — Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power</p> <p>And this is what we now hope Andy will help us to do. In the months and years ahead, we’ll work together to build and broaden our community and its articulation of redemptive work, launching a variety of endeavors that include Praxis Podcasts, Redemptive Enterprise Playbooks, and small-format creative gatherings around key issues and industries. Moreover, Andy will continue to take on significant writing and speaking opportunities, stewarding his gifts for the Christian community while taking Praxis into a wide variety of settings.</p> <p>As Andy likes to say, much of his job as a journalist is to “make complicated things clear.” We look forward to his help in taking the abstract idea of redemptive entrepreneurship and giving it specificity and depth, as we are just beginning to build out our “community of practice.” It is hard to imagine a more critical moment to have a spiritually mature, theologically nuanced, and relationally gracious individual like Andy to guide us.</p> <p>Yet this note would be incomplete if we didn’t also say that for all of Andy’s work, ideas, capacities, and shared mission, perhaps the most the remarkable part of this is the chance to work alongside someone who is so accomplished yet still has a humble and listening ear, a desire to learn and think about both past and future, and a joyful spirit and godly character that will shape not merely our organization but also our souls.</p> <p>Welcome Andy, we’re thrilled to have you!</p> <p><em>Read <a href="http://andy-crouch.</em>com/extras/joining_praxis">Andy’s take</a> on his new role.</p> <p><em><a href="http://eepurl.com/dGTDGL">Subscribe to Praxis News</a> to receive the latest stori</em>es from our venture-building ecosystem.</p> </section>	Welcoming Andy Crouch as a Praxis Partner What draws people to be friends is that they see the same truth. They share it. ― C.S. Lewis Perhaps the most concrete way we at Praxis have experienced God’s faithfulness over the last seven years is the provision of great people to build with. At every key moment of the organization’s growth we’ve had opportunities to add just the right person. Today is a perfect example: we are thrilled to share the news that Andy Crouch is joining Praxis full time, as a partner leading our practice in theology & culture. If you know Andy, you can understand our enthusiasm and what a meaningful occasion this is for us. If you don’t know him, let me introduce him to you and share a bit about our collaborative hopes. It would not be an overstatement to say that Andy has been one of the most important public voices of our Christian faith over the past decade, creating content and facilitating conversation with his rare blend of empathetic thinking and listening with bold prophetic imagination. Andy is a serial author, publishing The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place (2017), Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing (2016), Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power (2013) and Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling (2008), the last of which was deeply influential in the reorientation of my own life and work just before Praxis. Most recently, Andy was executive editor of Christianity Today and also served the John Templeton Foundation as senior strategist for communication. Mapping to our organizational interests in both theology and higher education, he serves on the governing boards of Fuller Theological Seminary and the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. His work and writing have been featured in Time, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal — including a widely read piece on the life and influence of Steve Jobs, perhaps our generation’s most iconic and complex entrepreneur. In many ways, Praxis itself is an attempt to express the ideas Andy has so powerfully written and spoken about over the years, from the inherently entrepreneurial perspective that creating is the best way to engage the world, to the idea that power, spent on behalf of others, is what truly leads to personal and social flourishing. Andy’s influence on us has not been merely through his ideas, but through his physical presence and involvement with our community. For the past several years, Andy has given us a number of days a year as a “Praxis Scholar” embedding himself inside of our programs as a speaker and mentor, whether with undergraduates at Praxis Academy or with our entrepreneurs at our Accelerators or at our annual Summit. As Praxis has grown up a bit over the last seven years and latched onto the idea of redemptive entrepreneurship, Andy’s thinking has also shaped how we think about where we are going. In this year’s Praxis community letter, I used one of Andy’s key frameworks in Playing God to frame where we we hope to go when it comes to the field of redemptive entrepreneurship: The way that cultural change becomes widely available and influential…is through the creation of artifacts, arenas, rules, and roles. — Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power And this is what we now hope Andy will help us to do. In the months and years ahead, we’ll work together to build and broaden our community and its articulation of redemptive work, launching a variety of endeavors that include Praxis Podcasts, Redemptive Enterprise Playbooks, and small-format creative gatherings around key issues and industries. Moreover, Andy will continue to take on significant writing and speaking opportunities, stewarding his gifts for the Christian community while taking Praxis into a wide variety of settings. As Andy likes to say, much of his job as a journalist is to “make complicated things clear.” We look forward to his help in taking the abstract idea of redemptive entrepreneurship and giving it specificity and depth, as we are just beginning to build out our “community of practice.” It is hard to imagine a more critical moment to have a spiritually mature, theologically nuanced, and relationally gracious individual like Andy to guide us. Yet this note would be incomplete if we didn’t also say that for all of Andy’s work, ideas, capacities, and shared mission, perhaps the most the remarkable part of this is the chance to work alongside someone who is so accomplished yet still has a humble and listening ear, a desire to learn and think about both past and future, and a joyful spirit and godly character that will shape not merely our organization but also our souls. Welcome Andy, we’re thrilled to have you! Read Andy’s take on his new role. Subscribe to Praxis News to receive the latest stories from our venture-building ecosystem.	72ffb6e5-6346-5e42-b157-eff9e66ad522	25/08/2025 18:01:29
https://medium.com/@k___/playlist-tracing-paper-a850773d2c08	medium.com	Tracing paper	For a sober minute or two, she recalled groans mingled with loud music, exposed waists heated by quickened pulses,	K	https://medium.com/@k___	a850773d2c08	https://miro.medium.com/…z6iTpvIqOwLQ.png	1 min	2017-03-09T08:28:40.352000	2017-03-09T08:30:41.621000	2018-12-08T04:20:08.617000	0	21	en	Haruki Murakami,Fiction,Hong Kong,Short Story	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1024/1*iOb7NhsQaSz6iTpvIqOwLQ.png" width="1024" height="1024" loading="lazy" /> <p>For a sober minute or two, she recalled groans mingled with loud music, exposed waists heated by quickened pulses,</p> <p>and his sandpaper beard.</p> <p>The other day, you said, when you closed your eyes before going to sleep, you felt as if floating in the middle of the ocean, and while the rhythmic waves gently splashed upon your body, part of you was cracked open.</p> <p>Then all of a sudden, everything was in a fast-forward loop, and you were on your knees again.</p> <p></p> </section>	Tracing paper Hear the Wind Sing, Haruki Murakami For a sober minute or two, she recalled groans mingled with loud music, exposed waists heated by quickened pulses, and his sandpaper beard. The other day, you said, when you closed your eyes before going to sleep, you felt as if floating in the middle of the ocean, and while the rhythmic waves gently splashed upon your body, part of you was cracked open. Then all of a sudden, everything was in a fast-forward loop, and you were on your knees again.	2fea11a1-c7fb-5a34-b560-b7f1cedfd165	25/08/2025 18:01:30
https://medium.com/snap-shots/firefly-therapy-a6afb5838485	medium.com	Firefly Therapy	Night heals the day on the edge of Lake Ontario	Susan Barrett Price	https://medium.com/@susanbarrettprice	a6afb5838485	https://miro.medium.com/…YQ-efU5u9Ow.jpeg	2 min	2021-08-24T20:04:23.731000	2021-09-01T22:08:59.183000	2023-09-23T15:29:25.545000	9	387	en	Photography,Animals,Insects,Landscape,Great Lakes	<section> <h1>Firefly Therapy</h1> <h3>Night heals the day on the edge of Lake Ontario</h3> <p>In July, I talk to fireflies. I see the first one about the same time neighbors are going crazy setting off their fireworks. “Hello, sweetheart!”</p> <p>Lightning bugs have become a rarity in over-built, over-lit, over-poisoned eastern U.S.A., an occasional jewel in a suburban backyard. But I live on the edge. Our fifty feet of shoreline on Lake Ontario gives me the opportunity to let our yard grow wild. This sultry July, I was rewarded with a light show — fireflies everywhere!</p> <p>My husband is recovering from back surgery and bedtime requires a sequence of rituals to get him safely under the covers. Then I can breathe. I can go out on the porch and look into the darkness. On clear, moonless nights I see stars — the Big Dipper pointing to the North Star is my constant. I take pictures.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1400/1Sq7l-9noCJ4i3_UHLQFksw.jpeg" width="1400" height="934" loading="lazy" /> <p>But fireflies have a special charm. They are not celestial. They are earth-bound creatures, living most of their lives underground. We humans project our imaginations onto the stars, seeing dragons and bears and ancient heroes in stars that bear no connection to one another in deep space. But lightning bugs fill the night with real relationships— ready for sex, flashing their beacons for the evening’s hookup, lights throbbing like tiny heartbeats. I am enchanted.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1400/11E36LO2JiMS6McuWlbkbYg.jpeg" width="1400" height="672" loading="lazy" /> <h2>Technical</h2> <p><strong>Photo #1</strong>, taken with Sony α9, 24–70 mm. lens at 24 mm., f/2.8, 30-second exposures, ISO 640. About 15 photos over the course of 15 minutes, layered in Photoshop.</p> <p><strong>Photo #2</strong>, taken with Sony α6000, 18–55 mm. lens at 18 mm., f/3.5, 30-second exposures, ISO 800. About 15 photos over the course of 15 minutes, layered in Photoshop.</p> <p><strong>Photo #3</strong>, taken with Sony α6000, 18–55 mm. lens at 18 mm., f/3.5, 30-second exposures, ISO 640. About 15 photos over the course of 15 minutes, layered in Photoshop.</p> </section>	Photo #1. Fireflies on the south shore of Lake Ontario, July 25, 2021. With star trails. [photo by author] Firefly Therapy Night heals the day on the edge of Lake Ontario In July, I talk to fireflies. I see the first one about the same time neighbors are going crazy setting off their fireworks. “Hello, sweetheart!” Lightning bugs have become a rarity in over-built, over-lit, over-poisoned eastern U.S.A., an occasional jewel in a suburban backyard. But I live on the edge. Our fifty feet of shoreline on Lake Ontario gives me the opportunity to let our yard grow wild. This sultry July, I was rewarded with a light show — fireflies everywhere! My husband is recovering from back surgery and bedtime requires a sequence of rituals to get him safely under the covers. Then I can breathe. I can go out on the porch and look into the darkness. On clear, moonless nights I see stars — the Big Dipper pointing to the North Star is my constant. I take pictures. Photo #2. Fireflies on the south shore of Lake Ontario, July 13, 2021 [photo by author] But fireflies have a special charm. They are not celestial. They are earth-bound creatures, living most of their lives underground. We humans project our imaginations onto the stars, seeing dragons and bears and ancient heroes in stars that bear no connection to one another in deep space. But lightning bugs fill the night with real relationships— ready for sex, flashing their beacons for the evening’s hookup, lights throbbing like tiny heartbeats. I am enchanted. Photo #3. Fireflies on the south shore of Lake Ontario, July 19, 2021 [photo by author] Technical Photo #1, taken with Sony α9, 24–70 mm. lens at 24 mm., f/2.8, 30-second exposures, ISO 640. About 15 photos over the course of 15 minutes, layered in Photoshop. Photo #2, taken with Sony α6000, 18–55 mm. lens at 18 mm., f/3.5, 30-second exposures, ISO 800. About 15 photos over the course of 15 minutes, layered in Photoshop. Photo #3, taken with Sony α6000, 18–55 mm. lens at 18 mm., f/3.5, 30-second exposures, ISO 640. About 15 photos over the course of 15 minutes, layered in Photoshop.	0e22fa31-f57c-5ec0-aa99-55929cf203cd	25/08/2025 18:01:30
https://medium.com/buildbook/the-builders-guide-to-creating-great-project-photos-for-your-portfolio-587a89491c79	medium.com	The Builder’s Guide to Creating Great Project Photos For Your Portfolio	Everything a builder or remodeler needs to know to create amazing photos — even with your phone — that impress new potential clients.	Liz Humphrey	https://medium.com/@liz-buildbook	587a89491c79	https://miro.medium.com/…TjvVFhLDTjA.jpeg	12 min	2021-07-07T19:22:29.826000	2020-05-20T00:00:00	2021-12-14T14:43:52.168000	0	0	en	Construction,Construction Management,Portfolio,Photography	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1700/11L4BA4qs4zLTjvVFhLDTjA.jpeg" width="1700" height="1133" loading="lazy" /> <p>So you’ve decided it’s time to ramp-up your portfolio, or you’re creating your first one ever. Either way, it’s a great decision! A strong portfolio will not only help your business grow but it’ll establish your credibility as a professional builder.</p> <p>No matter what your industry or trade — you’re defined by the quality of your work. That’s why the quality of your portfolio is <em>critical.</em> It shows what you have to offer, and is a summary of your best work. And many times it’s your first impression with a potential client — so you need to make it a good one.</p> <p>The first — and most important — ingredient in creating a portfolio that impresses new clients is great photography. To save you time and get you started on the right foot, we researched and compiled everything you need to know to beautifully capture your work in the guide below.</p> <p>If you’re ready to create incredible portfolio images and lock-down your ideal clients, this guide is for you.</p> <p>Let’s get started…</p> <h1>How to Photograph Your Own Work for Your Portfolio</h1> <p>Hey, you might need photos on the fly or maybe you want to capture the whole process. Learning how to take good quality photos is not as hard as it seems. There are so many resources out there and exceptional equipment that makes photography easier than you think.</p> <h3>Photography Using Digital Cameras</h3> <p>The first thing you’ll need is a great camera. You can start with a beginner camera or go all out. For starters we like the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Canon-Rebel-Camera-18-55mm-Bundle/dp/B07NRNTXBK/ref=psdc_3017941_t1_B06XNTPN8C">Canon EOS Rebel T7</a> coming in around $399. They go up in price from there. The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0158SRJVQ?tag=phowoaawp-20&th=1&psc=1">Sony a7s II</a> is one of our top pics at an impressive 26.1 Megapixels, but with a price tag of almost $2,000. And if you want to fall somewhere in the middle the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072MZCJKN?tag=phowoaawp-20&th=1&psc=1">Canon EOS 6D Mark II</a> is the Goldilocks of cameras and is just right, with a manageable cost of $1,200.</p> <p>Lenses can be tricky, in most cases you <em>should not </em>use a wide-angle lens like you see in real estate photos. It may make a space appear larger, but it can also distort the room like the image below.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1280/0yXUJfNdZyJNUhYY5.jpeg" width="1280" height="850" loading="lazy" /> <p>However, in rare instances you might need a wide-angle lens to capture the entire room when just can’t do it with a standard lens.</p> <p>If you do decide to add a wide-angle lens to your equipment, the top choice for interior photographers is the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Canon-16-35mm-2-8L-Wide-Angle-USM/dp/B000NSHPG6">Canon 16–35mm f/2.8L</a> lens. It’s a wide-angle lens, but it won’t distort the image like most. A budget-friendly alternative to the Canon lens is the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sigma-18-50mm-Aspherical-Digital-Cameras/dp/B000JDJJ82">Sigma 15–50mm f/2.8L</a>. Both lenses will allow you to capture more of the room without it looking like you used a fish-eye lens.</p> <p>Getting to know your equipment and photography basics can be intimidating — but it’s the first step. At first, shutter speed, aperture, and ISO can seem confusing, but they’re really not. Fortunately, there are many <a href="https://youtu.be/kItOco4_IOI">simple tutorials</a> out there. You’ll learn how to adjust these settings to get perfect lighting without using a flash. And also how to make sure your camera is always set to photograph in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_image_format">RAW</a> format.</p> <p>It’s also a good idea to learn <a href="https://digital-photography-school.com/tips-for-photographing-real-estate-interiors/">how to bracket</a>, which is capturing the room in three different exposures. This allows for you to combine them later in editing, taking the best features of each photo. Pretty cool right? And it’s not hard, it just takes a little while to learn and allows for easier editing in the end. And with digital photography you can see what your shot looks like instantly. So you do have some great advantages.</p> <p>Since you’re only photographing the interior or exterior of a home it will be even easier. Lenses and basic settings will be similar for each job. You’ll likely only need minor modifications after finding that <em>perfect</em> setting.</p> <h3>Photography Using Your Cell phone</h3> <p>In today’s digital age, most cell phone models have superior camera features. But, the newer iPhones are designed to give professional photographers a run for their money. The standard features on these phones are <em>better than ever before</em>. So, if you’re wanting to go the cell phone route to capture your portfolio images you might consider upgrading your phone to an iPhone 11 or newer model. If you are happy with your phone, many of these techniques will still apply. You just need to familiarize yourself with your cell phones capabilities.</p> <p>Apple has made the built-in features exceptional for capturing crisp, clear, well-lit images. The focus and exposure are automatic and easily controlled when you need to make adjustments. The camera also has a grid feature you can turn on in your settings which helps you keep your photo straight. However, it’s always best to use a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fotopro-Aluminum-Bluetooth-Control-Samsung/dp/B0792VL9VB?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_2&th=1">tripod </a>to ensure a super still image.</p> <p>Learning how to use your <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2g8kC3PQBU">iPhone camera like a pro</a>, is also <em>easier than ever.</em> There are so many online resources, like the <a href="https://iphonephotographyschool.com/iphone-camera/">iPhone photography school</a> to take you from beginner to master.</p> <p>There are several built-in filters and adjustments for editing within the camera app on your iPhone. And if that’s not enough, there are several camera apps that add <em>even more options</em> and are still simple to use. Our top three picks are:</p> <p><a href="https://www.procamera-app.com/en/">ProCamera:</a> This is an easy to use app, and has features for both photos and videos. It also has an impressive <em>70 filters.</em> This app offers the option to shoot in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_image_format">RAW</a> format — that’s one of the reasons this is our top pick.</p> <p><a href="https://camera.plus/">Camera + 2</a>: This app features advanced controls allowing you to have some manual control over the settings. Another great detail is that the features are built right into the shutter screen.</p> <p><a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/vsco-photo-video-editor/id588013838">VSCO Camera App:</a> This app takes photos to a <em>whole new level</em>. It’s not as user-friendly as our other two picks, but it’s worth the learning curve. It has exceptional photography features, and the editing options are pretty amazing too.</p> <p>Take a look at the features in the app you’re considering and decide if it’ll work for you. If you can shoot in RAW format it will give you more editing options in the end. You have to use a third-party app to shoot in RAW format. The iPhone doesn’t have that capability, yet.</p> <h3>Hiring a Professional Photographer</h3> <p>This guide is designed to help you create your own portfolio images. But the truth is, maybe taking your own photos doesn’t appeal to you? Then consider hiring a professional. We know what you’re thinking…</p> <p>Wow, that doesn’t sound easy or affordable. But, guess what? It is!</p> <p>A great place to start is to ask your realtor! Most real estate agents rely on photographers to showcase their properties. Calling a popular office in your area is a great way to get a referral. And, as we all know, a referral is better than just randomly choosing someone online.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1600/0IdByYZjr_WDJHITu.jpeg" width="1600" height="1068" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>This is an example of a real estate image. It captures the entire room, but some of the details can be lost.</em></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1600/03owhsDwE94D4rYiv.jpeg" width="1600" height="1578" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>This is an example of an Interior design photo. Notice no overhead lighting was used. The photo showcases more of the design elements and is centered more around the details</em>. <em>It’s clear that the island is a focal point of the kitchen design.</em></p> <p>Keep in mind that photographing <em>real estate is a different style</em> of photography<em> than interior design.</em> So be sure to ask the photographer if they do both kinds of photography. Most do — because the differences are slight, involving camera lenses, lighting and angles — but it’s still a good idea to ask before you hire someone.</p> <p>Another unexpected place to look is wedding photographers. They are highly skilled at <em>capturing special moments in real life </em>so they can do a lot with interior photos. Again, this is where you need to ask questions about their experience. But, most understand lighting and basic staging, it’s part of what they do. And they have a creative eye for the details.</p> <p>Remember, every photographer has their own style and look. So it’s important to always look at <em>their portfolio</em> before choosing. You want a photographer who can bring your style, look, and feel to your photos.</p> <h3>Finding Portfolio Photography Inspiration</h3> <p>Photography is only <em>part </em>of the process. So whether you go all-out and hire a professional photographer or you choose to take the pictures yourself, you need to realize the importance of everything that leads up to getting that perfect portfolio-worthy shot.</p> <p>I know you probably never thought Pinterest or Instagram was going to be your best friend. But, here it is, find inspiration by looking at… you guessed it, other people’s pictures.</p> <p>Looking at similar images in magazines or online will help you understand what you like and don’t like. Your company has its own style and vibe, so keep that in mind while browsing images. Stay true to your brand and find images that give you ideas on how to expand on that. Look at the details. See how certain rooms are staged and look at how people add pops of color tastefully.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/564/0yy-_-bX0XKAYuLoQ.jpeg" width="564" height="705" loading="lazy" /> <p><em><a href="https://pin.it/7yhmupB">P</em>interest Image by Schoolhouse.com</a></p> <p>The image above has a very light and airy feel to it. It feels clean and inviting.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/564/0Wk_SnOsCms-5Aphm.jpeg" width="564" height="705" loading="lazy" /> <p><em><a href="https://pin.it/4PN4G2O">Pinterest Image by West</em> Elm’s blog, Queer Eye’s New Loft</a></p> <p>This photo has much different lighting and editing. It creates a warm and comfortable feeling.</p> <p>Both images have a very different feeling, but are still well lit with natural light. And the angles are showcasing the details beautifully.</p> <h3>How to Stage and Style Like a Portfolio Pro</h3> <p>Staging is an overlooked component of a construction project photo. But, it’s a crucial element to creating an amazing portfolio. Staging brings warmth and makes the finished project<em> feel like home</em> to the viewer. It’s what makes your project feel complete and professional.</p> <p>And you don’t need to be a designer to stage effectively. In fact, <em>anyone can do it!</em></p> <p>This is where your inspiration searches come in. Think back to the images that resonated with you and make your project come to life.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/564/0-ghebs4foJsMjC7w.jpeg" width="564" height="697" loading="lazy" /> <p><em><a href="https://pin.it/KHUjtkp">This photo from Chicagoland Home Staging shows a great use of s</em>taging to bring the room to life.</a></p> <p>Remember, less is more in staging — so just keep a few select pieces of furniture in the shot. Arrange things in a way that looks good on camera and don’t worry about functionality. Just use what you need and move the rest out of the frame.</p> <p>Create vignettes, which are just a few knick-knacks grouped together and carefully placed. Select a few key locations and arrange items in odd numbers. And always consider the room your staging. If it’s a kitchen you can use a canister, bowl of fruit, and try to incorporate a pop of color. If it’s a bathroom go for some fancy soap, rolled hand towels, and some flowers. And remember, you’re setting the scene, but don’t overthink it. Take a test shot and see what it looks like on camera, then adjust if necessary.</p> <p>If you’re a home builder and staging an <em>entire house </em>consider hiring a professional. Most staging companies already have furniture and smaller items for vignettes. And it’s less expensive than purchasing an entire house of furniture.</p> <h3>Lighting Is Everything</h3> <p>It’s important to have consistency throughout your portfolio. The mood you create with lighting and photographic style can help establish a consistent signature look. A lot can be done in editing so don’t stress too much on the light. And over time you’ll learn what does and doesn’t work as you take more photos.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1600/0yBkULMMnteoWkEC3.jpeg" width="1600" height="1063" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>This image demonstrates excellent use of natural lighting.</em></p> <p>It’s always best to use the existing natural light. So open all the doors and windows to let as much sunlight in as possible. And stay away from using the interior overhead lighting. Hard light coming from recessed lighting can create pockets of glare. If you <em>absolutely </em>need the lights on to get the shot, always use LED lights, they’re softer and create less glare.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1280/0*AKQrG44kOM3R8UHA.jpeg" width="1280" height="853" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>This image shows how harsh overhead lighting can be.</em></p> <p>‍Another sure way to end up with inconsistent lighting, or “hot spots,” is using a flash. Rarely will flash photography work with interiors. So as a general rule stay away from using a flash. You can use accent lighting where it makes sense. Softer hues come through from a bedside lamp or a desk lamp, but use them sparingly.</p> <p>If you’re shooting outdoors, ideally you should try to shoot on an overcast day. It’s much easier to correct outdoor lighting in editing so don’t worry if the conditions aren’t perfect.</p> <p>This is also why shooting in RAW format is beneficial, because you can use different exposures and combine them to get the best of all the exposures.</p> <h3>Maximize Composition</h3> <p>The composition of your photo is how it all comes together and how well it’s all expressed. This includes the angle choices you make, which can <em>maximize the impact of your images.</em> And where you need to assess whether you’ll use a wide-angle lens or if additional lighting is necessary.</p> <p>First decide on your focus and what details you want to capture. If you just did a kitchen remodel and the backsplash is custom tile, then make sure you’re highlighting that. Move around the room and photograph from different places and angles. Always get some photos straight on and don’t be afraid of getting close-ups of your craftsmanship. You’re not trying to sell a house, you’re showcasing your talent and <em>those details are what your potential clients want to see.</em></p> <p>Take the advice of experts and keep your camera at hip level or slightly lower, but never on the ground. David Duncan Livingston, San Francisco-based interior photographer says,</p> <p><em>‍</em>”I like to shoot with my camera about 40 inches off the floor. When your camera sits lower than eye level, your photos will look more like those you see in magazines.”</p> <p>With digital photography you can see your images<em> instantly</em>. This will allow you to make adjustments for lighting, make sure you’re in focus, and double-check that your exposures are just right.</p> <h3>Choosing and Editing</h3> <p>So you’ve successfully captured your project with the<em> best possible lighting and angles</em>. You took plenty of photos and did everything right. Now you need to choose, edit, and finalize them.</p> <p>To pick the photos that work the best, first get a variety. You don’t need or want several of the same pictures. One is plenty. Look for the ones that compliment your work and that showcase the details.</p> <p>The rest is done in editing. This is where most people can feel overwhelmed. Don’t panic, in today’s digital world editing is a breeze. You’ll need to be clear on your signature look so that you can find consistency. There are so many editing options out there, so we have made it easy for you.</p> <p>The iPhone photography apps <a href="https://www.procamera-app.com/en/">ProCamera</a>, <a href="https://camera.plus/">Camera + 2</a>, and <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/vsco-photo-video-editor/id588013838">VSCO Camera App</a> we discussed earlier, all contain filters and editing features. However, the app of choice is <a href="https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-lightroom.html">Lightroom,</a> you can edit on your iPhone, tablet, or a computer. Making it the perfect software to learn so you can use it with a professional camera or an iPhone. This can also come in handy if you switch between devices for convenience.</p> <p><a href="https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-lightroom.html">Lightroom</a> also allows you<em> to use presets</em>. Presets are a configuration of settings that are saved in the app. So with <em>one click you are finished editing</em>, getting beautiful and consistent results. They are meant to help you achieve a certain look or style. It will cut down your editing time, establish consistency, and you’ll get a great looking photo every time!</p> <p>Some third-party companies also include presets that are specific to interiors. Like <a href="https://www.looxpreset.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjw7-P1BRA2EiwAXoPWAzGDOeZV-MWu34JqZVjQ1lAW3bqhYXQnQeYOWkXbYSahon0dv9AmQhoCDmEQAvD_BwE">Loox</a> or our top pick <a href="https://www.theluxelens.com/collections/lr-presets-dynamic?gclid=CjwKCAjw7-P1BRA2EiwAXoPWAyMW8F3ETv0ZZ22x8HObzqTgiRMOIJOm4QbrMDVgqvJA-phkmWvlkRoCGUIQAvD_BwE">The Luxe Lens</a> has a wide variety of interior choices. The <a href="https://www.theluxelens.com/collections/lr-presets-dynamic/products/interior-design-real-estate-lightroom-presets">interior design and real estate lightroom</a> has 27 presets in one package and retails for $99. And if you’re on a budget you can wait for a sale. They run specials often. You can do your own research too. There are hundreds of presets available from many different resources.</p> <h3>Start Clicking!</h3> <p>I know this seems like a lot to take in but start with baby steps. Take your camera or iPhone and start with your own home. Take a few images and play around with them. The only way to master this is to take pictures, lots of pictures. There will be a day when this is all second nature.</p> <p>A few highlights to remember:</p> <ul> <li>Always open all the blinds and doors to let in as much natural light as possible.</li> <li>Stage the area, move furniture when needed, and create a few key vignettes.</li> <li>When shooting from the corner of the room avoid standing in front of a window.</li> <li>Stay out of mirrors, the last thing you want is your reflection in the shot.</li> <li>Always use a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fotopro-Aluminum-Bluetooth-Control-Samsung/dp/B0792VL9VB?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_2&th=1">tripod</a>, they make ones that will work with both a camera and an iPhone.</li> <li>Never shoot high, keep your camera at the hip or slightly lower (unless you’re going for an artistic look or a social media post.)</li> <li>Always shoot in RAW format, for optimal editing options.</li> </ul> <p>Take your time and follow the above recommendations. Your portfolio is always a work in progress.</p> <p><em>Originally published at <a href="https://buildbook.co/blog/th</em>e-builders-guide-to-creating-great-project-photos-for-your-portfolio">https://buildbook.co</a> on May 20, 2020.</p> </section>	The Builder’s Guide to Creating Great Project Photos For Your Portfolio So you’ve decided it’s time to ramp-up your portfolio, or you’re creating your first one ever. Either way, it’s a great decision! A strong portfolio will not only help your business grow but it’ll establish your credibility as a professional builder. No matter what your industry or trade — you’re defined by the quality of your work. That’s why the quality of your portfolio is critical. It shows what you have to offer, and is a summary of your best work. And many times it’s your first impression with a potential client — so you need to make it a good one. The first — and most important — ingredient in creating a portfolio that impresses new clients is great photography. To save you time and get you started on the right foot, we researched and compiled everything you need to know to beautifully capture your work in the guide below. If you’re ready to create incredible portfolio images and lock-down your ideal clients, this guide is for you. Let’s get started… How to Photograph Your Own Work for Your Portfolio Hey, you might need photos on the fly or maybe you want to capture the whole process. Learning how to take good quality photos is not as hard as it seems. There are so many resources out there and exceptional equipment that makes photography easier than you think. Photography Using Digital Cameras The first thing you’ll need is a great camera. You can start with a beginner camera or go all out. For starters we like the Canon EOS Rebel T7 coming in around $399. They go up in price from there. The Sony a7s II is one of our top pics at an impressive 26.1 Megapixels, but with a price tag of almost $2,000. And if you want to fall somewhere in the middle the Canon EOS 6D Mark II is the Goldilocks of cameras and is just right, with a manageable cost of $1,200. Lenses can be tricky, in most cases you should not use a wide-angle lens like you see in real estate photos. It may make a space appear larger, but it can also distort the room like the image below. However, in rare instances you might need a wide-angle lens to capture the entire room when just can’t do it with a standard lens. If you do decide to add a wide-angle lens to your equipment, the top choice for interior photographers is the Canon 16–35mm f/2.8L lens. It’s a wide-angle lens, but it won’t distort the image like most. A budget-friendly alternative to the Canon lens is the Sigma 15–50mm f/2.8L. Both lenses will allow you to capture more of the room without it looking like you used a fish-eye lens. Getting to know your equipment and photography basics can be intimidating — but it’s the first step. At first, shutter speed, aperture, and ISO can seem confusing, but they’re really not. Fortunately, there are many simple tutorials out there. You’ll learn how to adjust these settings to get perfect lighting without using a flash. And also how to make sure your camera is always set to photograph in the RAW format. It’s also a good idea to learn how to bracket, which is capturing the room in three different exposures. This allows for you to combine them later in editing, taking the best features of each photo. Pretty cool right? And it’s not hard, it just takes a little while to learn and allows for easier editing in the end. And with digital photography you can see what your shot looks like instantly. So you do have some great advantages. Since you’re only photographing the interior or exterior of a home it will be even easier. Lenses and basic settings will be similar for each job. You’ll likely only need minor modifications after finding that perfect setting. Photography Using Your Cell phone In today’s digital age, most cell phone models have superior camera features. But, the newer iPhones are designed to give professional photographers a run for their money. The standard features on these phones are better than ever before. So, if you’re wanting to go the cell phone route to capture your portfolio images you might consider upgrading your phone to an iPhone 11 or newer model. If you are happy with your phone, many of these techniques will still apply. You just need to familiarize yourself with your cell phones capabilities. Apple has made the built-in features exceptional for capturing crisp, clear, well-lit images. The focus and exposure are automatic and easily controlled when you need to make adjustments. The camera also has a grid feature you can turn on in your settings which helps you keep your photo straight. However, it’s always best to use a tripod to ensure a super still image. Learning how to use your iPhone camera like a pro, is also easier than ever. There are so many online resources, like the iPhone photography school to take you from beginner to master. There are several built-in filters and adjustments for editing within the camera app on your iPhone. And if that’s not enough, there are several camera apps that add even more options and are still simple to use. Our top three picks are: ProCamera: This is an easy to use app, and has features for both photos and videos. It also has an impressive 70 filters. This app offers the option to shoot in RAW format — that’s one of the reasons this is our top pick. Camera + 2: This app features advanced controls allowing you to have some manual control over the settings. Another great detail is that the features are built right into the shutter screen. VSCO Camera App: This app takes photos to a whole new level. It’s not as user-friendly as our other two picks, but it’s worth the learning curve. It has exceptional photography features, and the editing options are pretty amazing too. Take a look at the features in the app you’re considering and decide if it’ll work for you. If you can shoot in RAW format it will give you more editing options in the end. You have to use a third-party app to shoot in RAW format. The iPhone doesn’t have that capability, yet. Hiring a Professional Photographer This guide is designed to help you create your own portfolio images. But the truth is, maybe taking your own photos doesn’t appeal to you? Then consider hiring a professional. We know what you’re thinking… Wow, that doesn’t sound easy or affordable. But, guess what? It is! A great place to start is to ask your realtor! Most real estate agents rely on photographers to showcase their properties. Calling a popular office in your area is a great way to get a referral. And, as we all know, a referral is better than just randomly choosing someone online. This is an example of a real estate image. It captures the entire room, but some of the details can be lost. This is an example of an Interior design photo. Notice no overhead lighting was used. The photo showcases more of the design elements and is centered more around the details. It’s clear that the island is a focal point of the kitchen design. Keep in mind that photographing real estate is a different style of photography than interior design. So be sure to ask the photographer if they do both kinds of photography. Most do — because the differences are slight, involving camera lenses, lighting and angles — but it’s still a good idea to ask before you hire someone. Another unexpected place to look is wedding photographers. They are highly skilled at capturing special moments in real life so they can do a lot with interior photos. Again, this is where you need to ask questions about their experience. But, most understand lighting and basic staging, it’s part of what they do. And they have a creative eye for the details. Remember, every photographer has their own style and look. So it’s important to always look at their portfolio before choosing. You want a photographer who can bring your style, look, and feel to your photos. Finding Portfolio Photography Inspiration Photography is only part of the process. So whether you go all-out and hire a professional photographer or you choose to take the pictures yourself, you need to realize the importance of everything that leads up to getting that perfect portfolio-worthy shot. I know you probably never thought Pinterest or Instagram was going to be your best friend. But, here it is, find inspiration by looking at… you guessed it, other people’s pictures. Looking at similar images in magazines or online will help you understand what you like and don’t like. Your company has its own style and vibe, so keep that in mind while browsing images. Stay true to your brand and find images that give you ideas on how to expand on that. Look at the details. See how certain rooms are staged and look at how people add pops of color tastefully. Pinterest Image by Schoolhouse.com The image above has a very light and airy feel to it. It feels clean and inviting. Pinterest Image by West Elm’s blog, Queer Eye’s New Loft This photo has much different lighting and editing. It creates a warm and comfortable feeling. Both images have a very different feeling, but are still well lit with natural light. And the angles are showcasing the details beautifully. How to Stage and Style Like a Portfolio Pro Staging is an overlooked component of a construction project photo. But, it’s a crucial element to creating an amazing portfolio. Staging brings warmth and makes the finished project feel like home to the viewer. It’s what makes your project feel complete and professional. And you don’t need to be a designer to stage effectively. In fact, anyone can do it! This is where your inspiration searches come in. Think back to the images that resonated with you and make your project come to life. This photo from Chicagoland Home Staging shows a great use of staging to bring the room to life. Remember, less is more in staging — so just keep a few select pieces of furniture in the shot. Arrange things in a way that looks good on camera and don’t worry about functionality. Just use what you need and move the rest out of the frame. Create vignettes, which are just a few knick-knacks grouped together and carefully placed. Select a few key locations and arrange items in odd numbers. And always consider the room your staging. If it’s a kitchen you can use a canister, bowl of fruit, and try to incorporate a pop of color. If it’s a bathroom go for some fancy soap, rolled hand towels, and some flowers. And remember, you’re setting the scene, but don’t overthink it. Take a test shot and see what it looks like on camera, then adjust if necessary. If you’re a home builder and staging an entire house consider hiring a professional. Most staging companies already have furniture and smaller items for vignettes. And it’s less expensive than purchasing an entire house of furniture. Lighting Is Everything It’s important to have consistency throughout your portfolio. The mood you create with lighting and photographic style can help establish a consistent signature look. A lot can be done in editing so don’t stress too much on the light. And over time you’ll learn what does and doesn’t work as you take more photos. This image demonstrates excellent use of natural lighting. It’s always best to use the existing natural light. So open all the doors and windows to let as much sunlight in as possible. And stay away from using the interior overhead lighting. Hard light coming from recessed lighting can create pockets of glare. If you absolutely need the lights on to get the shot, always use LED lights, they’re softer and create less glare. This image shows how harsh overhead lighting can be. ‍Another sure way to end up with inconsistent lighting, or “hot spots,” is using a flash. Rarely will flash photography work with interiors. So as a general rule stay away from using a flash. You can use accent lighting where it makes sense. Softer hues come through from a bedside lamp or a desk lamp, but use them sparingly. If you’re shooting outdoors, ideally you should try to shoot on an overcast day. It’s much easier to correct outdoor lighting in editing so don’t worry if the conditions aren’t perfect. This is also why shooting in RAW format is beneficial, because you can use different exposures and combine them to get the best of all the exposures. Maximize Composition The composition of your photo is how it all comes together and how well it’s all expressed. This includes the angle choices you make, which can maximize the impact of your images. And where you need to assess whether you’ll use a wide-angle lens or if additional lighting is necessary. First decide on your focus and what details you want to capture. If you just did a kitchen remodel and the backsplash is custom tile, then make sure you’re highlighting that. Move around the room and photograph from different places and angles. Always get some photos straight on and don’t be afraid of getting close-ups of your craftsmanship. You’re not trying to sell a house, you’re showcasing your talent and those details are what your potential clients want to see. Take the advice of experts and keep your camera at hip level or slightly lower, but never on the ground. David Duncan Livingston, San Francisco-based interior photographer says, ‍”I like to shoot with my camera about 40 inches off the floor. When your camera sits lower than eye level, your photos will look more like those you see in magazines.” With digital photography you can see your images instantly. This will allow you to make adjustments for lighting, make sure you’re in focus, and double-check that your exposures are just right. Choosing and Editing So you’ve successfully captured your project with the best possible lighting and angles. You took plenty of photos and did everything right. Now you need to choose, edit, and finalize them. To pick the photos that work the best, first get a variety. You don’t need or want several of the same pictures. One is plenty. Look for the ones that compliment your work and that showcase the details. The rest is done in editing. This is where most people can feel overwhelmed. Don’t panic, in today’s digital world editing is a breeze. You’ll need to be clear on your signature look so that you can find consistency. There are so many editing options out there, so we have made it easy for you. The iPhone photography apps ProCamera, Camera + 2, and VSCO Camera App we discussed earlier, all contain filters and editing features. However, the app of choice is Lightroom, you can edit on your iPhone, tablet, or a computer. Making it the perfect software to learn so you can use it with a professional camera or an iPhone. This can also come in handy if you switch between devices for convenience. Lightroom also allows you to use presets. Presets are a configuration of settings that are saved in the app. So with one click you are finished editing, getting beautiful and consistent results. They are meant to help you achieve a certain look or style. It will cut down your editing time, establish consistency, and you’ll get a great looking photo every time! Some third-party companies also include presets that are specific to interiors. Like Loox or our top pick The Luxe Lens has a wide variety of interior choices. The interior design and real estate lightroom has 27 presets in one package and retails for $99. And if you’re on a budget you can wait for a sale. They run specials often. You can do your own research too. There are hundreds of presets available from many different resources. Start Clicking! I know this seems like a lot to take in but start with baby steps. Take your camera or iPhone and start with your own home. Take a few images and play around with them. The only way to master this is to take pictures, lots of pictures. There will be a day when this is all second nature. A few highlights to remember: Always open all the blinds and doors to let in as much natural light as possible. Stage the area, move furniture when needed, and create a few key vignettes. When shooting from the corner of the room avoid standing in front of a window. Stay out of mirrors, the last thing you want is your reflection in the shot. Always use a tripod, they make ones that will work with both a camera and an iPhone. Never shoot high, keep your camera at the hip or slightly lower (unless you’re going for an artistic look or a social media post.) Always shoot in RAW format, for optimal editing options. Take your time and follow the above recommendations. Your portfolio is always a work in progress. Originally published at https://buildbook.co on May 20, 2020.	c3909796-d703-5f1a-9083-b537ed70e9fe	25/08/2025 18:01:31
https://medium.com/@JesseSteele/cadence-of-conflict-asia-june-4-2018-94c6c840a1d2	medium.com	Cadence of Conflict: Asia, June 4, 2018	null	Jesse Steele	https://medium.com/@JesseSteele	94c6c840a1d2	null	3 min	2018-06-04T09:14:07.056000	2018-05-02T02:23:14	2018-06-04T09:14:10.202000	0	0	en	China,Free Speech,Hong Kong,North Korea,Party	<section> <p>North Korea inches further and further toward talks with the US. China fears this. If Kim Jong-Un get in the same room as the man who wrote <em>The Art of the Deal</em>, North Korea could become a stronger ally to the US than even South Korea overnight. That would likely lead to a quick reunification of the Korean Peninsula, as well as other shifts in power, even before any alliance might be formalized. But, Trump’s deal-making reputation should bring no shocks to what is about to transpire in the Singapore Summit.</p> <p>Then, there’s China, about to be left behind. The hardline crackdown on free speech throughout China won’t be without consequence. Symphony has been saying so for years; Albert Ho effectively said the same, quoted in a Bloomberg article dated June 4. Party power is getting brittle. But, the consequences of brutal brittality are rarely explored. So, here goes.</p> <p>Hong Kong won’t shut up anytime soon. The whining, whimpering bratty students of Hong Kong may be wrong to demand rights when freedom was largely handed to them by the British. But, those bratty students sure are drawing a press load of attention to China. That alone should be a heavy factor in logistics calculation. Hong Kong is a megaphone for any anti-China sentiment because the world reads about Hong Kong every day. After all, Hong Kong is “Asia’s World City”.</p> <p>But, then there’s the problem of cracking down within “China proper”, the Mainland governed directly by Beijing, not a SAR like Hong Kong or Macau. If China considers friendly sarcasm to be a threat within China — that means tech companies and hardware manufacturers won’t have candid conversations about quality control and competitive design. Once free speech becomes a minefield, people will divert mental resources away from fee and open brainstorming toward making sure that they don’t say anything offensive. The key to good brainstorm sessions and innovation is that nothing is off the table and no one is allowed to take offense at anything whatsoever. That’s can’t happen in China anymore. Bye-bye Western manufacturing paradise. It’s only a matter of time before Western outsourcing brands figure it out. One little story, like an innovator being locked up for a tech suggestion because it was interpreted as “opposing to the Party”, might plunge Chinese factory stocks into the void below.</p> <p>“Single-Party Rule” is the key topic now, at least according to Western papers. That’s the protest mantra in Hong Kong. It’s the talking point of headlines and marches. It is the so-called “problem” as is being presented to the world. The Western press is on a path for reporting a narrative that stirs sentiment for two-party rule in China. Whether it’s a typhoon, an earthquake, a solar flare, or some other “act of God”, if China suddenly adopts a two-party system, Western newspaper readers will have already been prepped to think it is a good thing.</p> <p>Then, there’s Vietnam, exploring foreign investment “zones”. Deserved or unfair, distrust is stirring against China as a place of investment. This will have a double-edged effect in Vietnam. Firstly, Western manufacturing will flock to Vietnam as a way of fleeing the newspaper villain, China. But, with a Communist Party having total rule in Vietnam, Western investors will demand certain assurances before dumping too much money into yet another single-party market. Sooner or later, we could be looking at Vietnam adopting a friendly two-party system as a stronger strategy of competing with China. That will only add to the momentum of change in East Asia.</p> <p><a href="https://apnews.com/f984309e8f56481eaec542417993c5b4/Senior-NKorean-official-heads-to-NY-to-plan-for-Trump-summit">Senior NKorean official heads to NY to plan for Trump summit \| AP</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-28/trump-appears-to-confirm-his-summit-with-kim-back-on-track">What Letter? Trump Proceeds Like Summit With Kim Is Still On \| Bloomberg</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/the-us-is-trying-to-find-a-discreet-way-to-pay-for-kim-jong-uns-hotel-in-singapore/2018/06/01/776055ce-9745-439e-9ee4-c0cef8e81523_story.html">The U.S. is trying to find a discreet way to pay for Kim Jong Un’s hotel during the summit \| WA Post</a></p> <p><a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/north-koreas-top-three-military-officials-replaced-u-215106745.html">North Korea’s top three military officials replaced, U.S. official says \| Yahoo — Reuters</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2018/06/04/2003694284">Trade deals off if US moves ahead with tariffs: China \| Taipei Times</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2018/06/03/2003694227">‘Consequences’ for China: Mattis \| Taipei Times</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/0bdbeff6-64a7-11e8-90c2-9563a0613e56">Nearly 30 years after Tiananmen, China has tightened control \| Financial Times</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-03/china-warning-on-dictatorship-chant-chills-hong-kong-vigil">China Warning on ‘Dictatorship’ Chant Chills Hong Kong Vigil \| Bloomberg</a></p> <p><a href="https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/vietnam-china-economy/4418254.html">Vietnam Is Following China in its Economic Development \| VOA</a></p> </section>	Cadence of Conflict: Asia, June 4, 2018 North Korea inches further and further toward talks with the US. China fears this. If Kim Jong-Un get in the same room as the man who wrote The Art of the Deal, North Korea could become a stronger ally to the US than even South Korea overnight. That would likely lead to a quick reunification of the Korean Peninsula, as well as other shifts in power, even before any alliance might be formalized. But, Trump’s deal-making reputation should bring no shocks to what is about to transpire in the Singapore Summit. Then, there’s China, about to be left behind. The hardline crackdown on free speech throughout China won’t be without consequence. Symphony has been saying so for years; Albert Ho effectively said the same, quoted in a Bloomberg article dated June 4. Party power is getting brittle. But, the consequences of brutal brittality are rarely explored. So, here goes. Hong Kong won’t shut up anytime soon. The whining, whimpering bratty students of Hong Kong may be wrong to demand rights when freedom was largely handed to them by the British. But, those bratty students sure are drawing a press load of attention to China. That alone should be a heavy factor in logistics calculation. Hong Kong is a megaphone for any anti-China sentiment because the world reads about Hong Kong every day. After all, Hong Kong is “Asia’s World City”. But, then there’s the problem of cracking down within “China proper”, the Mainland governed directly by Beijing, not a SAR like Hong Kong or Macau. If China considers friendly sarcasm to be a threat within China — that means tech companies and hardware manufacturers won’t have candid conversations about quality control and competitive design. Once free speech becomes a minefield, people will divert mental resources away from fee and open brainstorming toward making sure that they don’t say anything offensive. The key to good brainstorm sessions and innovation is that nothing is off the table and no one is allowed to take offense at anything whatsoever. That’s can’t happen in China anymore. Bye-bye Western manufacturing paradise. It’s only a matter of time before Western outsourcing brands figure it out. One little story, like an innovator being locked up for a tech suggestion because it was interpreted as “opposing to the Party”, might plunge Chinese factory stocks into the void below. “Single-Party Rule” is the key topic now, at least according to Western papers. That’s the protest mantra in Hong Kong. It’s the talking point of headlines and marches. It is the so-called “problem” as is being presented to the world. The Western press is on a path for reporting a narrative that stirs sentiment for two-party rule in China. Whether it’s a typhoon, an earthquake, a solar flare, or some other “act of God”, if China suddenly adopts a two-party system, Western newspaper readers will have already been prepped to think it is a good thing. Then, there’s Vietnam, exploring foreign investment “zones”. Deserved or unfair, distrust is stirring against China as a place of investment. This will have a double-edged effect in Vietnam. Firstly, Western manufacturing will flock to Vietnam as a way of fleeing the newspaper villain, China. But, with a Communist Party having total rule in Vietnam, Western investors will demand certain assurances before dumping too much money into yet another single-party market. Sooner or later, we could be looking at Vietnam adopting a friendly two-party system as a stronger strategy of competing with China. That will only add to the momentum of change in East Asia. Senior NKorean official heads to NY to plan for Trump summit \| AP What Letter? Trump Proceeds Like Summit With Kim Is Still On \| Bloomberg The U.S. is trying to find a discreet way to pay for Kim Jong Un’s hotel during the summit \| WA Post North Korea’s top three military officials replaced, U.S. official says \| Yahoo — Reuters Trade deals off if US moves ahead with tariffs: China \| Taipei Times ‘Consequences’ for China: Mattis \| Taipei Times Nearly 30 years after Tiananmen, China has tightened control \| Financial Times China Warning on ‘Dictatorship’ Chant Chills Hong Kong Vigil \| Bloomberg Vietnam Is Following China in its Economic Development \| VOA	e1b5730e-bb42-580c-a826-5bea290fdc12	25/08/2025 18:01:31
https://medium.com/@ipmcc/at-hike-day-1-c93cc8d95c01	medium.com	AT Hike — Day 1	We started the day with the long drive south to Rockfish Gap. Heather and I decided to get lunch together before heading off, and we ended…	Ian McCullough	https://medium.com/@ipmcc	c93cc8d95c01	https://miro.medium.com/…YaPOhpTKO1Q.jpeg	3 min	2018-08-20T16:07:28.062000	2018-08-20T21:04:44.730000	2018-08-20T21:04:45.084000	1	64	en	Travel,Hiking	<section> <p>We started the day with the long drive south to Rockfish Gap. Heather and I decided to get lunch together before heading off, and we ended up at Blue Mountain Brewery. (Incidentally, they have the ‘smooth’ IPA thing nailed! Recommended!) I made the questionable decision to have three ‘big’ beers with lunch figuring I’d burn the calories, and wouldn’t be drinking much, if anything, for the next few weeks. After lunch Heather dropped me off along Skyline Dr just past Rockfish Gap, where the AT disappears into the woods, and off I went!</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4032/1uQKbaxewV7TYaPOhpTKO1Q.jpeg" width="4032" height="3024" loading="lazy" /> <p>I self-registered, as you’re required to when entering Shenandoah National Park, at the podium located on the trail. The registration form asked for a lot of information that I didn’t really have at this point, like which campsites I’d be staying at on which nights, etc. Many folks had told me that there wasn’t much point in making such concrete plans, so I hadn’t. It didn’t seem to matter.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3024/1r-5gb8FBf6jpULCUyinJdg.jpeg" width="3024" height="4032" loading="lazy" /> <p>I quickly came to regret the beers. Hiking uphill, on uneven ground, in 90˚ weather, with a 35lb pack on is not something you want to attempt after drinking a bunch. I didn’t hurl, but I could have.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4032/1b0296XSmLtEgPnydTXuWPQ.jpeg" width="4032" height="3024" loading="lazy" /> <p>I hiked about 7 miles, eventually arriving at Calf Mountain Hut. I made camp, pitching my tent (free-standing tents FTW!) in the shelter, and endeavored to get water from the nearby spring.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1080/1iGvvIa4DDK9FLltTiQiVag.jpeg" width="1080" height="1080" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4032/16Gmt9A84pK69EKL0CO0D7g.jpeg" width="4032" height="3024" loading="lazy" /> <p>Eventually, two German women (trail names “Natur-boschen” and “Wonder Woman”) arrived. I had passed them earlier in the day where they had stopped for lunch. They had the largest packs I’d ever seen (75L) and had various additional gear lashed to the outside of the packs. They conceded that they were not covering a lot of mileage with those giant packs, but they seemed to have everything you could think of, including a truly impressive stash of food.</p> <p>As the evening wore on, an older fellow with a bushy white beard, whose name escapes me, also arrived. The older fellow was hard of hearing, which made conversation awkward. He also seemed hesitant to ask folks to repeat themselves. He would simply pretend to be following you, only to reveal, down the line, that he had lost the thread of what you’d been saying. He told me that he had retired from 26 years in banking, and was determined to hike the entire trail, although he was not moving more than 5 or 6 miles a day, which is pretty slow going. He also mentioned that he drinks five (!) cups of coffee every morning. I packed out while he was on his third cup, and never saw him again.</p> <p>Most AT shelters (certainly every one I stayed at) have a pit privy, which is essentially an outhouse in which the waste is composted. As I saw on my hike there was a wide spectrum of survivability when it came to these. The privy at this hut was usable, but it smelled awful, and once I smelled it, the smell somehow lingered in my nostrils until I left the site the next day.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2462/1UyJ8ZzMumluqoZgGNSbNag.png" width="2462" height="1942" loading="lazy" /> <p><a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1JOykHB5-cRIcgW5JdgnWEbYcabyemq8W">GPS Track (GPX) on Google Drive</a></p> </section>	AT Hike — Day 1 We started the day with the long drive south to Rockfish Gap. Heather and I decided to get lunch together before heading off, and we ended up at Blue Mountain Brewery. (Incidentally, they have the ‘smooth’ IPA thing nailed! Recommended!) I made the questionable decision to have three ‘big’ beers with lunch figuring I’d burn the calories, and wouldn’t be drinking much, if anything, for the next few weeks. After lunch Heather dropped me off along Skyline Dr just past Rockfish Gap, where the AT disappears into the woods, and off I went! Looking back down the path to Skyline Dr, and saying my farewells to Heather and civilization. I self-registered, as you’re required to when entering Shenandoah National Park, at the podium located on the trail. The registration form asked for a lot of information that I didn’t really have at this point, like which campsites I’d be staying at on which nights, etc. Many folks had told me that there wasn’t much point in making such concrete plans, so I hadn’t. It didn’t seem to matter. Shenandoah National Park Registration and Guidelines. I quickly came to regret the beers. Hiking uphill, on uneven ground, in 90˚ weather, with a 35lb pack on is not something you want to attempt after drinking a bunch. I didn’t hurl, but I could have. Little Calf Mountain I hiked about 7 miles, eventually arriving at Calf Mountain Hut. I made camp, pitching my tent (free-standing tents FTW!) in the shelter, and endeavored to get water from the nearby spring. Tent in a hut! Clean spring water! Eventually, two German women (trail names “Natur-boschen” and “Wonder Woman”) arrived. I had passed them earlier in the day where they had stopped for lunch. They had the largest packs I’d ever seen (75L) and had various additional gear lashed to the outside of the packs. They conceded that they were not covering a lot of mileage with those giant packs, but they seemed to have everything you could think of, including a truly impressive stash of food. As the evening wore on, an older fellow with a bushy white beard, whose name escapes me, also arrived. The older fellow was hard of hearing, which made conversation awkward. He also seemed hesitant to ask folks to repeat themselves. He would simply pretend to be following you, only to reveal, down the line, that he had lost the thread of what you’d been saying. He told me that he had retired from 26 years in banking, and was determined to hike the entire trail, although he was not moving more than 5 or 6 miles a day, which is pretty slow going. He also mentioned that he drinks five (!) cups of coffee every morning. I packed out while he was on his third cup, and never saw him again. Most AT shelters (certainly every one I stayed at) have a pit privy, which is essentially an outhouse in which the waste is composted. As I saw on my hike there was a wide spectrum of survivability when it came to these. The privy at this hut was usable, but it smelled awful, and once I smelled it, the smell somehow lingered in my nostrils until I left the site the next day. My GPS Track GPS Track (GPX) on Google Drive	a12812a6-75a5-52bf-8023-727026839122	25/08/2025 18:01:31
https://5hearts4u.medium.com/the-alchemist-cafe-5e5518e4d691	medium.com	The Alchemist Cafe	null	Jean Oshima	https://medium.com/@5hearts4u	5e5518e4d691	https://miro.medium.com/…CBUmbSkLDhnE.jpg	2 min	2018-02-21T22:32:40.123000	2018-02-21T22:32:35	2018-02-25T18:36:39.755000	0	0	en	Customer Service,Customer Experience,Entrepreneurship,Food,Restaurant	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2133/0GJ06CBUmbSkLDhnE.jpg" width="2133" height="3202" loading="lazy" /> <p>The Alchemist Cafe. There is only one. It’s in South Florida.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/300/0LlrF-6BdG3AnTkPH.jpg" width="300" height="225" loading="lazy" /> <p>I mention there is only one because I am sure the name The Alchemist is used for other businesses, possibly even other restaurants, but this one is quite unique. What makes it unique? A lot of things. The food, the atmosphere, the people. But what makes it really stand out is the people who work there. They are awesome. Every. Single. One. Of. Them.</p> <p>Interesting how we had just had a completely opposite experience the day before at a very popular spot in the same area as The Alchemist. I have to say we had probably THE worst bartender ever. She was rude, insulting to other patrons, and just an all-around miserable person. So to have such a positive experience at this wonderful, whimsical cafe in Wilton Manors in south Florida the very next day was perfectly timed.</p> <p>If you’re ever in the Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area, I highly recommend you add the cafe to your itinerary. Great for breakfast! Here’s a link to their website for more info: <a href="http://www.thealchemist.cafe">http://www.thealchemist.cafe</a></p> <p>Their website says this about them. And I could not agree more. Where did they find all these wonderful people to work there!!</p> <h3>“Excellent service and healthy food, in a relaxing atmosphere has made us famous and garnered a loyal following of patrons.”</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/263/0cdA6ZEPpptv5pnm8.jpg" width="263" height="300" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/198/0HVRV3MFoMwVl4lBl.jpg" width="198" height="300" loading="lazy" /> </section>	The Alchemist Cafe The Alchemist Cafe. There is only one. It’s in South Florida. Outdoor seating I mention there is only one because I am sure the name The Alchemist is used for other businesses, possibly even other restaurants, but this one is quite unique. What makes it unique? A lot of things. The food, the atmosphere, the people. But what makes it really stand out is the people who work there. They are awesome. Every. Single. One. Of. Them. Interesting how we had just had a completely opposite experience the day before at a very popular spot in the same area as The Alchemist. I have to say we had probably THE worst bartender ever. She was rude, insulting to other patrons, and just an all-around miserable person. So to have such a positive experience at this wonderful, whimsical cafe in Wilton Manors in south Florida the very next day was perfectly timed. If you’re ever in the Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area, I highly recommend you add the cafe to your itinerary. Great for breakfast! Here’s a link to their website for more info: http://www.thealchemist.cafe Their website says this about them. And I could not agree more. Where did they find all these wonderful people to work there!! “Excellent service and healthy food, in a relaxing atmosphere has made us famous and garnered a loyal following of patrons.” The decor	1752cf05-9b69-54fd-9cc0-6ea62726ef7f	25/08/2025 18:01:31
https://medium.com/@tangothinker/nina-laurence-and-lars-portugal-ch-2-e505e6f01d50	medium.com	Nina, Laurence and Lars — Portugal Ch 2	In Ch 1 Lars arrived for dinner. How will Laurence cope with this and what are his feelings the following morning?	Aaardvarky	https://medium.com/@tangothinker	e505e6f01d50	https://miro.medium.com/…[email protected]	4 min	2024-01-01T19:02:58.065000	2024-01-01T19:27:05.709000	2024-01-01T19:31:37.718000	0	0	en	Erotica,Erotic Fiction,Polyamory,Compersion	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3024/1*[email protected]" width="3024" height="4032" loading="lazy" /> <p>In Ch 1 Lars arrived for dinner. How will Laurence cope with this and what are his feelings the following morning?</p> <p>‘Well, I suppose I had better dress for dinner’, was my diffident response in a voice scratchy and piping with shock and surprise.</p> <p>‘That would be great, darling, look, Oly has even brought his evening suit’, she added with a grin as she placed her hand on his arm.</p> <p>Whilst Nina and Lars busied themselves in the kitchen, I went to hang my coat in the hall closet. I heard the plop of a cork and gentle laughter. The scene, surreal on one level, was of quiet domestic bliss on another. At the top of the stairs I passed the closed door of the guest room and glanced along the landing to our bedroom. My eyes were drawn by fearful fascination and a rush of thoughts. Ahead on the floor rested an overnight bag, clothes strewn across a rumpled bed, the counterpane pulled up peremptorily.</p> <p>I turned towards my dressing room feeling as would an actor without a script. For a moment I stared at my face in the mirror. ‘Pull yourself together, man, you can handle this’, I said silently, and within minutes, dinner suit and tie, I descended the stairs to hear my fate.</p> <p>‘Darling, Lars is so full of surprises. Aren’t the flowers beautiful? I didn’t know he would be in London tonight, and when he rang, I told him to come for dinner’.</p> <p>Nina had an easy way of disarming, her voice happy and animated. Lars smiled with acknowledgement, ‘I hope I am not an inconvenience’, to which Nina quickly responded, ‘how could you ever be inconvenient Oly, come come?’</p> <p>And that was that. Lars poured the wine. Conversation was light and inconsequential. Coffee and brandy followed pudding. And I was left wondering what direction the rest of the night might take?</p> <p>‘Pop the glasses in the dishwasher, darling, and I will get Oly settled in’, Nina announced at last. With that she turned, saying to Lars, ‘let’s get you sorted out’, whilst I retreated to the quiet of the kitchen.</p> <p>You will recognise those moments when you feel totally uncertain about what to do next? The glasses safely stowed away, I rinsed the cutlery and stacked the plates, not because these were necessary tasks, but to delay my departure until I had reflected on how to handle the next challenge. However one thing that I had learned from Lars’ previous visit was that being unready was actually better than being prepared. I told myself, ‘just go with the flow … .what will be, will be’, knowing this was the best and only advice I could muster in the moment.</p> <p>From the landing I could see that the counterpane was now pulled back. Nina had propped herself against the headboard. ‘Come on darling, we have the bed to ourselves tonight’. ‘I have tucked up Oly in the guest room; so you can have me all to yourself’.</p> <p>I realise that you will want to know what happened that night — what transpired with Nina. The truth is that we talked for some while. ‘How did I feel when I saw Lars?’ ‘Did I mind that she had invited him to join us for dinner?’ ‘ What were my thoughts about him being consigned to the guest room?’ And finally,’ had I reached a decision on the holiday?’</p> <p>In fact there was but one question I was burning to ask: about the crumpled bed I had noticed on my arrival home that evening. Part of me was breathlessly diffident to ask, the other part thirsting to know the truth. Whilst we made love I received her answer. Her response was teasing — ‘why do you want to know?’, ‘does it make a difference?’, ‘would it excite you to know?….’ And with that I knew what my reply should be to the question of Nina’s next trip.</p> <p>As I informed Nina she took me deeply inside her and immediately stiffened to climax, a long, slow, determined orgasm that seemed to seize her whole body. She stifled her scream into a moan of pleasure and satisfaction. With her relief came my release, pulsating, full, knowing at least for that night — if not the first, I was the last to make love to her.</p> <p>The morning came quickly, with early Saturday light glancing around the curtain edge. I turned and lifted my arm, feeling for Nina. I reached out further, then further with my other hand, only to discover the counterpane pulled open. My mind went into a spin. Throwing on a dressing gown I traversed the landing, noting that the guest bedroom door was open but the room bare. For a moment I thought I heard voices from the kitchen reprimanding me for barging in, but it was the radio announcing the nine o’clock news. Flicking the off-switch, the house descended into silence with just the slow tick of the hall clock for company. My eyes settled on the kitchen table. A note in Nina’s hand came into focus, bearing kisses.</p> <p>‘Dearest darling, Portugal beckons! I thought I might as well fly out with Oly to make the most of the trip. Think of me. Be good. Nina xx</p> <p>Had I missed the fact that Lars’ trip to the Algarve was so soon? How had Nina left our bed so discreetly without waking me? When had she packed — before or after our nocturnal conversation?</p> <p>Returning to the bedroom, I glanced inside her dressing room. It retained its usual orderly appearance, but along with her wheeled suitcase something else was missing. There before me hung an empty hanger as if it had been given special prominence. ‘The dress’ had gone. And, as if to leave another visceral message, beneath was the empty sleeve from a pair of sheer stockings.</p> </section>	Nina, Laurence and Lars — Portugal Ch 2 In Ch 1 Lars arrived for dinner. How will Laurence cope with this and what are his feelings the following morning? ‘Well, I suppose I had better dress for dinner’, was my diffident response in a voice scratchy and piping with shock and surprise. ‘That would be great, darling, look, Oly has even brought his evening suit’, she added with a grin as she placed her hand on his arm. Whilst Nina and Lars busied themselves in the kitchen, I went to hang my coat in the hall closet. I heard the plop of a cork and gentle laughter. The scene, surreal on one level, was of quiet domestic bliss on another. At the top of the stairs I passed the closed door of the guest room and glanced along the landing to our bedroom. My eyes were drawn by fearful fascination and a rush of thoughts. Ahead on the floor rested an overnight bag, clothes strewn across a rumpled bed, the counterpane pulled up peremptorily. I turned towards my dressing room feeling as would an actor without a script. For a moment I stared at my face in the mirror. ‘Pull yourself together, man, you can handle this’, I said silently, and within minutes, dinner suit and tie, I descended the stairs to hear my fate. ‘Darling, Lars is so full of surprises. Aren’t the flowers beautiful? I didn’t know he would be in London tonight, and when he rang, I told him to come for dinner’. Nina had an easy way of disarming, her voice happy and animated. Lars smiled with acknowledgement, ‘I hope I am not an inconvenience’, to which Nina quickly responded, ‘how could you ever be inconvenient Oly, come come?’ And that was that. Lars poured the wine. Conversation was light and inconsequential. Coffee and brandy followed pudding. And I was left wondering what direction the rest of the night might take? ‘Pop the glasses in the dishwasher, darling, and I will get Oly settled in’, Nina announced at last. With that she turned, saying to Lars, ‘let’s get you sorted out’, whilst I retreated to the quiet of the kitchen. You will recognise those moments when you feel totally uncertain about what to do next? The glasses safely stowed away, I rinsed the cutlery and stacked the plates, not because these were necessary tasks, but to delay my departure until I had reflected on how to handle the next challenge. However one thing that I had learned from Lars’ previous visit was that being unready was actually better than being prepared. I told myself, ‘just go with the flow … .what will be, will be’, knowing this was the best and only advice I could muster in the moment. From the landing I could see that the counterpane was now pulled back. Nina had propped herself against the headboard. ‘Come on darling, we have the bed to ourselves tonight’. ‘I have tucked up Oly in the guest room; so you can have me all to yourself’. I realise that you will want to know what happened that night — what transpired with Nina. The truth is that we talked for some while. ‘How did I feel when I saw Lars?’ ‘Did I mind that she had invited him to join us for dinner?’ ‘ What were my thoughts about him being consigned to the guest room?’ And finally,’ had I reached a decision on the holiday?’ In fact there was but one question I was burning to ask: about the crumpled bed I had noticed on my arrival home that evening. Part of me was breathlessly diffident to ask, the other part thirsting to know the truth. Whilst we made love I received her answer. Her response was teasing — ‘why do you want to know?’, ‘does it make a difference?’, ‘would it excite you to know?….’ And with that I knew what my reply should be to the question of Nina’s next trip. As I informed Nina she took me deeply inside her and immediately stiffened to climax, a long, slow, determined orgasm that seemed to seize her whole body. She stifled her scream into a moan of pleasure and satisfaction. With her relief came my release, pulsating, full, knowing at least for that night — if not the first, I was the last to make love to her. The morning came quickly, with early Saturday light glancing around the curtain edge. I turned and lifted my arm, feeling for Nina. I reached out further, then further with my other hand, only to discover the counterpane pulled open. My mind went into a spin. Throwing on a dressing gown I traversed the landing, noting that the guest bedroom door was open but the room bare. For a moment I thought I heard voices from the kitchen reprimanding me for barging in, but it was the radio announcing the nine o’clock news. Flicking the off-switch, the house descended into silence with just the slow tick of the hall clock for company. My eyes settled on the kitchen table. A note in Nina’s hand came into focus, bearing kisses. ‘Dearest darling, Portugal beckons! I thought I might as well fly out with Oly to make the most of the trip. Think of me. Be good. Nina xx Had I missed the fact that Lars’ trip to the Algarve was so soon? How had Nina left our bed so discreetly without waking me? When had she packed — before or after our nocturnal conversation? Returning to the bedroom, I glanced inside her dressing room. It retained its usual orderly appearance, but along with her wheeled suitcase something else was missing. There before me hung an empty hanger as if it had been given special prominence. ‘The dress’ had gone. And, as if to leave another visceral message, beneath was the empty sleeve from a pair of sheer stockings.	7d0f232f-4ac6-550c-9396-576c7c2d3b1c	25/08/2025 18:01:31
https://medium.com/@zshanjavaid/the-future-of-online-shopping-95bb1f3f106d	medium.com	The certain fate of electronic shopping	Online business is one of the greatest zones of retail on the Internet yet the future of ecommerce is uncertain. There are a few things…	Zeeshan Javaid	https://medium.com/@zshanjavaid	95bb1f3f106d	https://miro.medium.com/…IU9WJlNJESw.jpeg	2 min	2017-06-30T22:21:05.117000	2017-06-30T22:41:09.605000	2017-07-05T00:02:34.469000	0	1	en	Virtual Reality,Augmented Reality,Engagement,Marketing,Online	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4000/1*ulrKA-46DduIU9WJlNJESw.jpeg" width="4000" height="2254" loading="lazy" /> <p>Online business is one of the greatest zones of retail on the Internet yet the future of ecommerce is uncertain. There are a few things stay steady like delivery service will improve, and item selection will turn out to be ever more noteworthy. Yet, by what method the fate of online shopping on the internet can be changed from the client’s point of view, and what would it be advisable for you to be executing in your own business after some time to remain on the top?</p> <blockquote>There is always potential. There is always time. — Tweet This!</blockquote> <p><strong>1). Augmented Reality Applications</strong></p> <p>Virtual reality and Augmented reality applications will have an enormous effect in 2017 as the commerce keeps on moving toward this path. In the long term, these apps will eventually lead to video content on real stages like YouTube, giving clients the capacity to snap and purchase what they see onscreen to drive the advanced shopping background forward.</p> <p><strong>2).</strong> <strong>Engaging Content</strong></p> <p>Content is like a catalyst in the marketing. Writing outstanding and helpful content on brands’ sites, and additionally via web-based networking media, will be a powerful approach behind advertising.</p> <p><strong>3).</strong> <strong>Exceptional customer Service</strong></p> <p>Ecommerce is an industry where excellent client administration is a need. In case you’re a startup in the ecommerce business, new customers might be careful about purchasing from you. It’s your occupation as an organization to enable individuals to defeat these confusions. Excellent client service can play a big role.</p> <p><strong>4).</strong> <strong>Marketing</strong></p> <p>Simply remember that your item needs to fit the first needs of your client, and that they may not be extremely eager about a higher item cost once they have an anchor cost at the top of the priority list. The new item should truly be superior to the first.</p> <p>As the market develops, so do the hardships of offering web based; returns, customer service — these parts are getting more complex. It’s unavoidable that manufacturers will be finding a one-stop answer for their problems through significant channels like Amazon.</p> <h1>Thanks for reading! :) If you enjoyed this article, hit that heart button below ❤ Would mean a lot to me and it helps other people see the story.</h1> </section>	The certain fate of electronic shopping Online business is one of the greatest zones of retail on the Internet yet the future of ecommerce is uncertain. There are a few things stay steady like delivery service will improve, and item selection will turn out to be ever more noteworthy. Yet, by what method the fate of online shopping on the internet can be changed from the client’s point of view, and what would it be advisable for you to be executing in your own business after some time to remain on the top? There is always potential. There is always time. — Tweet This! 1). Augmented Reality Applications Virtual reality and Augmented reality applications will have an enormous effect in 2017 as the commerce keeps on moving toward this path. In the long term, these apps will eventually lead to video content on real stages like YouTube, giving clients the capacity to snap and purchase what they see onscreen to drive the advanced shopping background forward. 2). Engaging Content Content is like a catalyst in the marketing. Writing outstanding and helpful content on brands’ sites, and additionally via web-based networking media, will be a powerful approach behind advertising. 3). Exceptional customer Service Ecommerce is an industry where excellent client administration is a need. In case you’re a startup in the ecommerce business, new customers might be careful about purchasing from you. It’s your occupation as an organization to enable individuals to defeat these confusions. Excellent client service can play a big role. 4). Marketing Simply remember that your item needs to fit the first needs of your client, and that they may not be extremely eager about a higher item cost once they have an anchor cost at the top of the priority list. The new item should truly be superior to the first. As the market develops, so do the hardships of offering web based; returns, customer service — these parts are getting more complex. It’s unavoidable that manufacturers will be finding a one-stop answer for their problems through significant channels like Amazon. Thanks for reading! :) If you enjoyed this article, hit that heart button below ❤ Would mean a lot to me and it helps other people see the story.	4def9969-076d-5a60-abd1-611c163fcea2	25/08/2025 18:01:32
https://nikitasa.medium.com/best-egg-rolls-a4f7c9ee0f4e	medium.com	Best Egg Rolls	Egg rolls 😊	Nikitasa Mishra	https://medium.com/@nikitasa	a4f7c9ee0f4e	https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0*shoF8ZmGJp2h8VM4	4 min	2023-12-14T10:38:19.940000	2023-12-14T10:47:39.689000	2023-12-14T10:47:47.565000	0	0	en	Food,Productivity,Creativity,Deep Learning,Lifestyle	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/6000/0GvCtB4CxdIjV6Vs0" width="6000" height="4000" loading="lazy" /> <p>Fresh egg rolls loaded up with prepared pork, cabbage, and carrots are a marvelous side dish to serve close by pan sear dishes. These natively constructed egg rolls are practically indistinguishable from what you'd get at a Chinese café! Serve warm with egg roll sauce or soy sauce whenever wanted.</p> <p>It's more straightforward than you remember to make eatery commendable egg rolls in the solace of your own kitchen. With this first class recipe, you'll figure out how to make wonderful egg rolls (and how to move egg rolls) in under 30 minutes.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/6048/0JeETmiXFhgtLPXqO" width="6048" height="4024" loading="lazy" /> <p>What Is An Egg Roll? An egg roll is a seared starter that is tracked down on innumerable Chinese-American eatery menus. It comprises of a thick, fresh wheat flour skin loaded up with destroyed cabbage, pork, and different fixings. Egg rolls are broiled in hot oil, served warm, and typically dunked in duck sauce or soy sauce. Why Are Eggs Rolls Called Egg Rolls? In opposition to mainstream thinking, egg rolls contain no eggs. So where does the name come from? No one very knows, however there are several hypotheses. One legend holds that the famous starter is a wind on a dish called Dan Firearm, which comprises of fixings (like ham, fledglings, and mushrooms) enclosed by a slender omelet. Since omelets are made of eggs, the more up to date dish was called an "egg roll." What's In An Egg Roll? This egg roll recipe requires a ginger-and garlic-pressed filling of pork, cabbage, and carrots. The filling is full in a locally acquired egg roll covering, which is fixed with a flour glue and seared to fresh flawlessness in hot nut oil.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3747/0ucR6r4BXGg4tK2gB" width="3747" height="2681" loading="lazy" /> <p>Egg Roll versus Spring Roll Egg rolls and spring rolls are both round and hollow tidbits related with Chinese cooking styles, yet there are not many eminent contrasts. Spring rolls are enclosed by dainty flour or rice coverings prior to being heated, broiled, or left uncooked. Egg rolls, in the mean time, are enclosed by a thick covering that is then southern style. Spring rolls, which have antiquated Chinese starting points, are typically loaded down with occasional vegetables and once in a while chicken or shrimp. Egg rolls, which were logical created in the U.S, are frequently loaded up with pork and veggies. The egg roll is a progenitor of the spring roll.</p> <p>Step by step instructions to Make Egg Rolls You'll track down the full recipe underneath (counting bit by bit directions for how to move egg rolls), yet here's a short outline of what could you at any point can anticipate: Make the Filling Cook prepared ground pork until brown and brittle. Blend cooked pork, cabbage, and carrots in an enormous bowl. In the mean time, blend flour and water in a little bowl. Fill and Roll Lay one egg roll covering on a perfect work surface. Place a scoop of the filling in the focal point of the covering and roll. Overlay firmly and seal with flour glue. Broil and Serve Broil the egg rolls until they're brilliant brown and fresh. Channel on wire racks or potentially paper towels. Sprinkle the completed egg rolls with sesame seeds (assuming you have them) and present with your plunging sauce of decision.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/6000/0shoF8ZmGJp2h8VM4" width="6000" height="4000" loading="lazy" /> <p>Egg Roll Plunging Sauce Match your natively constructed egg rolls with soy sauce, duck sauce, or one of these Asian-roused thoughts:</p> <p>Where to Purchase Egg Roll Coverings You can normally find egg roll coverings in the worldwide food path, the produce area, or the shop part of the supermarket. In the event that your nearby supermarket doesn't have egg roll coverings, you might need to check the closest Asian market or request them on the web.</p> <p>Fixings 1 pound ground pork 1 teaspoon ground ginger, or more to taste 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or more to taste 2 cups destroyed cabbage 2 ounces destroyed carrots 2 tablespoons regular flour 2 tablespoons water 1 quart nut oil for broiling, or on a case by case basis 8 (7 inch square) egg roll coverings 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (Discretionary)</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/6048/0amrTU2HofMtijThM" width="6048" height="8064" loading="lazy" /> <p>Bearings 1.Season pork with ginger and garlic powder in a huge bowl; blend until completely consolidated. 2.Place pork in a medium skillet over medium intensity. Cook and mix until pork is sautéed and brittle, 5 to 7 minutes. 3.Combine cooked pork, cabbage, and carrots in a huge bowl; blend until egg roll filling is very much consolidated. Combine four and water as one in a little bowl until a glue structures. 4.Heat oil in a huge skillet to around 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) or medium high intensity. 5.While oil is warming, get ready egg rolls: Lay one egg roll covering on a work surface with one corner highlighted you like a precious stone. Place around 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the filling in the focal point of the covering. 6.Fold the base corner over-top the filling. Crease the left and right corners in toward the middle. Push the egg roll away from you and roll toward the top corner. 7.Brush a touch of the flour glue over within that corner to assist with fixing the egg roll. 8.Fry egg rolls in the hot oil, turning periodically, until brilliant brown and fresh, 5 to 8 minutes. Eliminate from oil and channel on paper towels or rack. 9.Place egg rolls on a serving plate and sprinkle sesame seeds up and over.</p> <p>Enjoy 😋</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4897/02WGT8pIhXuO7XEuk" width="4897" height="3264" loading="lazy" /> </section>	Best Egg Rolls Photo by Alexandra Tran on Unsplash Fresh egg rolls loaded up with prepared pork, cabbage, and carrots are a marvelous side dish to serve close by pan sear dishes. These natively constructed egg rolls are practically indistinguishable from what you'd get at a Chinese café! Serve warm with egg roll sauce or soy sauce whenever wanted. It's more straightforward than you remember to make eatery commendable egg rolls in the solace of your own kitchen. With this first class recipe, you'll figure out how to make wonderful egg rolls (and how to move egg rolls) in under 30 minutes. Photo by Eranjan on Unsplash What Is An Egg Roll? An egg roll is a seared starter that is tracked down on innumerable Chinese-American eatery menus. It comprises of a thick, fresh wheat flour skin loaded up with destroyed cabbage, pork, and different fixings. Egg rolls are broiled in hot oil, served warm, and typically dunked in duck sauce or soy sauce. Why Are Eggs Rolls Called Egg Rolls? In opposition to mainstream thinking, egg rolls contain no eggs. So where does the name come from? No one very knows, however there are several hypotheses. One legend holds that the famous starter is a wind on a dish called Dan Firearm, which comprises of fixings (like ham, fledglings, and mushrooms) enclosed by a slender omelet. Since omelets are made of eggs, the more up to date dish was called an "egg roll." What's In An Egg Roll? This egg roll recipe requires a ginger-and garlic-pressed filling of pork, cabbage, and carrots. The filling is full in a locally acquired egg roll covering, which is fixed with a flour glue and seared to fresh flawlessness in hot nut oil. Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash Egg Roll versus Spring Roll Egg rolls and spring rolls are both round and hollow tidbits related with Chinese cooking styles, yet there are not many eminent contrasts. Spring rolls are enclosed by dainty flour or rice coverings prior to being heated, broiled, or left uncooked. Egg rolls, in the mean time, are enclosed by a thick covering that is then southern style. Spring rolls, which have antiquated Chinese starting points, are typically loaded down with occasional vegetables and once in a while chicken or shrimp. Egg rolls, which were logical created in the U.S, are frequently loaded up with pork and veggies. The egg roll is a progenitor of the spring roll. Step by step instructions to Make Egg Rolls You'll track down the full recipe underneath (counting bit by bit directions for how to move egg rolls), yet here's a short outline of what could you at any point can anticipate: Make the Filling Cook prepared ground pork until brown and brittle. Blend cooked pork, cabbage, and carrots in an enormous bowl. In the mean time, blend flour and water in a little bowl. Fill and Roll Lay one egg roll covering on a perfect work surface. Place a scoop of the filling in the focal point of the covering and roll. Overlay firmly and seal with flour glue. Broil and Serve Broil the egg rolls until they're brilliant brown and fresh. Channel on wire racks or potentially paper towels. Sprinkle the completed egg rolls with sesame seeds (assuming you have them) and present with your plunging sauce of decision. Photo by You Le on Unsplash Egg Roll Plunging Sauce Match your natively constructed egg rolls with soy sauce, duck sauce, or one of these Asian-roused thoughts: Where to Purchase Egg Roll Coverings You can normally find egg roll coverings in the worldwide food path, the produce area, or the shop part of the supermarket. In the event that your nearby supermarket doesn't have egg roll coverings, you might need to check the closest Asian market or request them on the web. Fixings 1 pound ground pork 1 teaspoon ground ginger, or more to taste 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or more to taste 2 cups destroyed cabbage 2 ounces destroyed carrots 2 tablespoons regular flour 2 tablespoons water 1 quart nut oil for broiling, or on a case by case basis 8 (7 inch square) egg roll coverings 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (Discretionary) Photo by SJ 📸 on Unsplash Bearings 1.Season pork with ginger and garlic powder in a huge bowl; blend until completely consolidated. 2.Place pork in a medium skillet over medium intensity. Cook and mix until pork is sautéed and brittle, 5 to 7 minutes. 3.Combine cooked pork, cabbage, and carrots in a huge bowl; blend until egg roll filling is very much consolidated. Combine four and water as one in a little bowl until a glue structures. 4.Heat oil in a huge skillet to around 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) or medium high intensity. 5.While oil is warming, get ready egg rolls: Lay one egg roll covering on a work surface with one corner highlighted you like a precious stone. Place around 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the filling in the focal point of the covering. 6.Fold the base corner over-top the filling. Crease the left and right corners in toward the middle. Push the egg roll away from you and roll toward the top corner. 7.Brush a touch of the flour glue over within that corner to assist with fixing the egg roll. 8.Fry egg rolls in the hot oil, turning periodically, until brilliant brown and fresh, 5 to 8 minutes. Eliminate from oil and channel on paper towels or rack. 9.Place egg rolls on a serving plate and sprinkle sesame seeds up and over. Enjoy 😋 Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash	b957ed3e-7aeb-5edd-af7f-fc0af4136847	25/08/2025 18:01:32
https://medium.com/@lusakoyotamukalolokesya/hallelujah-1fa78ebe095e	medium.com	HALLELUJAH!	December 20 Saturday 2008–2009	Lusako Yotamu Kalolokesya	https://medium.com/@lusakoyotamukalolokesya	1fa78ebe095e	null	0 min	2018-01-11T06:05:42.688000	2018-01-11T06:10:54.111000	2018-01-11T06:10:54.941000	0	0	en	Christianity	<section> <p>December 20 Saturday 2008–2009</p> <p>I know that my Saviour lives, and at the end he will stand on this earth. — Job 19:25</p> <p>Beautiful Savior! Lord of the nations! Son of God and Son of Man! Glory and honor, praise, adoration Now and forevermore be Thine!</p> <p>God’s highest Gift awakens our deepest gratitude.</p> </section>	HALLELUJAH! December 20 Saturday 2008–2009 I know that my Saviour lives, and at the end he will stand on this earth. — Job 19:25 Beautiful Savior! Lord of the nations! Son of God and Son of Man! Glory and honor, praise, adoration Now and forevermore be Thine! God’s highest Gift awakens our deepest gratitude.	cd53c6f9-f9b3-5211-9384-d42284ff3a04	25/08/2025 18:01:33
https://medium.com/@explainervideo10_43228/stop-looking-for-the-latest-superfood-a4b632d6824f	medium.com	Stop looking for the latest superfood	“Tears in Eyes” is a Sichuan dish of soft rice noodles covered in a spicy sauce made of dried, fresh, and pickled chili peppers, chili oil…	Shawn Turner	https://medium.com/@explainervideo10_43228	a4b632d6824f	null	1 min	2017-06-02T12:34:42.466000	2017-06-02T12:36:50.596000	2017-06-02T15:54:44.408000	0	1	en	Food,Animation	<section> <p>“Tears in Eyes” is a Sichuan dish of soft rice noodles covered in a spicy sauce made of dried, fresh, and pickled chili peppers, chili oil, and, of course, the iconic Sichuan peppercorn. It more than lives up to its name. The dish’s capsaicin content (capsaicin is what gives chilis their bite) is so intense that as tears stream down your face, you start to believe that you’re doing irreversible damage to your tongue.</p> <p>But could Tears in Eyes actually be <em>healthy</em>? After all, for those of us who enjoy eating spicy foods the sensation borders on hedonistic. And it’s rare that the foods we really enjoy eating actually turn out to be healthy (RIP chocolate). But a study released earlier this year found that people who ate hot peppers, like those found in Tears in Eyes, were less likely to die during the study period.</p> <p>Who needs chia seeds, maca powder, silver needle tea, or goji and acai berries when the world has chili peppers, right? Maybe, or maybe not.</p> <p>“People in China eat a lot more peppers than people in the United States, and they have different epidemiology, different diseases, longevity and genetics,” says Littenberg. “It was unclear if it would generalize to the United States. Our study suggests that it does.”</p> <p>For More <a href="http://blog.advids.co/20-brilliant-advertising-campaign-video-examples/">Advertising Campaign Video</a></p> </section>	Stop looking for the latest superfood “Tears in Eyes” is a Sichuan dish of soft rice noodles covered in a spicy sauce made of dried, fresh, and pickled chili peppers, chili oil, and, of course, the iconic Sichuan peppercorn. It more than lives up to its name. The dish’s capsaicin content (capsaicin is what gives chilis their bite) is so intense that as tears stream down your face, you start to believe that you’re doing irreversible damage to your tongue. But could Tears in Eyes actually be healthy? After all, for those of us who enjoy eating spicy foods the sensation borders on hedonistic. And it’s rare that the foods we really enjoy eating actually turn out to be healthy (RIP chocolate). But a study released earlier this year found that people who ate hot peppers, like those found in Tears in Eyes, were less likely to die during the study period. Who needs chia seeds, maca powder, silver needle tea, or goji and acai berries when the world has chili peppers, right? Maybe, or maybe not. “People in China eat a lot more peppers than people in the United States, and they have different epidemiology, different diseases, longevity and genetics,” says Littenberg. “It was unclear if it would generalize to the United States. Our study suggests that it does.” For More Advertising Campaign Video	8a8d2bd7-0814-57cd-ac7d-66ae485a9815	25/08/2025 18:01:33
https://alucio1474.medium.com/physics-in-the-public-eye-8cb791b88087	medium.com	Physics in The Public Eye	Why physics should be treated differently.	Adrian Lucio	https://medium.com/@alucio1474	8cb791b88087	https://miro.medium.com/…dpoIVA6PHyA.jpeg	3 min	2021-03-20T01:02:22.025000	2021-03-20T01:33:18.977000	2022-01-07T11:26:04.544000	1	56	en	Physics,Authors,Philosophy,Education,Opinion	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/6016/1*cQz8uwD2h7ZdpoIVA6PHyA.jpeg" width="6016" height="3385" loading="lazy" /> <p>Oftentimes when someone hears the word physics they imagine a whirlwind of formulas and numbers so complex that only the mightiest of scholars can decipher them. In my experience, that is only a fraction of the truth surrounding physics, because there is so much more to it than just the numbers. Physics is a field of science where humans attempt to decode the entire universe and quantify it in ways that our minds can comprehend. And yes, the front-lines of physics can only be navigated by seasoned researchers, but there are other ways to apply what they have learned.</p> <p>Everything relates back to physics concepts on some level or another, whether it’s directly tied to the field itself or it can be explained using the concepts found within it. From writing an article to just existing, these core ideas within physics can be used to better understand the entire world, let alone the things beyond it. Having a better understanding of everything, from the small to the large, also helps in our execution of it. You don’t get good with tools until you become used to them and better understand how they work. Physics is the same way, except these tools can be applied to everything.</p> <p>Every. Single. Thing.</p> <p>But that beauty gets lost when schools decide to focus on memorization and formulas, as if a sixteen year old is going to need to know the value of the Universal Gravitational Constant. And that is a much deeper issue with the educational system, but that’s beyond what I want to discuss. For now, it’s important to simply recognize that physics is much less terrifying than it’s made out to be.</p> <p>Take driving a car for example, because there are a lot of different physics concepts to dive into there. There’s wind resistance, aerodynamics, kinetics, vectors, gravity, thermodynamics, and a whole host of other systems at work just so a car can function. While you don’t need to know the ins-and-outs of all of these things to drive a car, knowing them better can save you money on gas or help you drive in a more efficient manner. Oftentimes we do learn these things even if they aren’t taught as physics.</p> <p>Let’s say gas prices are hitting an all time high and you want to save as much money as possible. If you know your car then you’d know how many miles per gallon you can go, so any stops can be carefully planned out. But, with a stronger grasp on physics or just having in depth knowledge of your car, you could use aerodynamics to your advantage and drive at the most efficient speed so any air resistance is as minimal as possible. You could also know how hot your car gets, or the thermodynamics behind it, and figure out if your car will overheat due to the weather.</p> <p>This is what it means to have a better grasp on physics conceptually, you’re able to apply different concepts to real world situations and problem solve in real time. But that’s just the practical application, that’s not even mentioning the wondrous and mind-blowing things physics offers.</p> <p>One of my personal favorite facts about the universe is about a subatomic particle called the neutrino. This particle is so small that it’s mass is borderline negligible, and for reference it’s smaller than neutrons and protons. Because of how small they are they rarely interact with anything, which is why it took scientists decades to properly discover it. It’s for that same reason that, as you’re reading this, there are millions of neutrinos passing through your body. They go undetected by you and leave no trace behind, just phasing through you as if you weren’t even there. That is a sliver of the magic of the universe.</p> <p>Overall, I see physics as two different beasts, one that’s wholly academic and one that’s second nature for humans. I feel that we oftentimes overlook the second for the first, ignoring how naturally physics fits into our lives and how incredible it truly is. The imagination is powerful but it’s so much more fascinating to be able to look into the night sky and know what’s looking back at you.</p> </section>	A Different View on Physics image by @fidanov.h on Instagram Oftentimes when someone hears the word physics they imagine a whirlwind of formulas and numbers so complex that only the mightiest of scholars can decipher them. In my experience, that is only a fraction of the truth surrounding physics, because there is so much more to it than just the numbers. Physics is a field of science where humans attempt to decode the entire universe and quantify it in ways that our minds can comprehend. And yes, the front-lines of physics can only be navigated by seasoned researchers, but there are other ways to apply what they have learned. Everything relates back to physics concepts on some level or another, whether it’s directly tied to the field itself or it can be explained using the concepts found within it. From writing an article to just existing, these core ideas within physics can be used to better understand the entire world, let alone the things beyond it. Having a better understanding of everything, from the small to the large, also helps in our execution of it. You don’t get good with tools until you become used to them and better understand how they work. Physics is the same way, except these tools can be applied to everything. Every. Single. Thing. But that beauty gets lost when schools decide to focus on memorization and formulas, as if a sixteen year old is going to need to know the value of the Universal Gravitational Constant. And that is a much deeper issue with the educational system, but that’s beyond what I want to discuss. For now, it’s important to simply recognize that physics is much less terrifying than it’s made out to be. Take driving a car for example, because there are a lot of different physics concepts to dive into there. There’s wind resistance, aerodynamics, kinetics, vectors, gravity, thermodynamics, and a whole host of other systems at work just so a car can function. While you don’t need to know the ins-and-outs of all of these things to drive a car, knowing them better can save you money on gas or help you drive in a more efficient manner. Oftentimes we do learn these things even if they aren’t taught as physics. Let’s say gas prices are hitting an all time high and you want to save as much money as possible. If you know your car then you’d know how many miles per gallon you can go, so any stops can be carefully planned out. But, with a stronger grasp on physics or just having in depth knowledge of your car, you could use aerodynamics to your advantage and drive at the most efficient speed so any air resistance is as minimal as possible. You could also know how hot your car gets, or the thermodynamics behind it, and figure out if your car will overheat due to the weather. This is what it means to have a better grasp on physics conceptually, you’re able to apply different concepts to real world situations and problem solve in real time. But that’s just the practical application, that’s not even mentioning the wondrous and mind-blowing things physics offers. One of my personal favorite facts about the universe is about a subatomic particle called the neutrino. This particle is so small that it’s mass is borderline negligible, and for reference it’s smaller than neutrons and protons. Because of how small they are they rarely interact with anything, which is why it took scientists decades to properly discover it. It’s for that same reason that, as you’re reading this, there are millions of neutrinos passing through your body. They go undetected by you and leave no trace behind, just phasing through you as if you weren’t even there. That is a sliver of the magic of the universe. Overall, I see physics as two different beasts, one that’s wholly academic and one that’s second nature for humans. I feel that we oftentimes overlook the second for the first, ignoring how naturally physics fits into our lives and how incredible it truly is. The imagination is powerful but it’s so much more fascinating to be able to look into the night sky and know what’s looking back at you.	be3848ca-f139-564f-8969-3ef5c9019748	25/08/2025 18:01:33
https://medium.com/readers-club/the-end-does-not-justify-the-means-19842cfcfdec	medium.com	The End Does Not Justify the Means	The multiplicity and diversity of means make it impossible to justify them through actions, as they become futile and unconvincing — like…	The Good Man	https://medium.com/@the_goodman	19842cfcfdec	https://miro.medium.com/…7qdH9RZfMGSA.png	6 min	2025-08-22T21:10:16.705000	2025-08-25T02:29:26.178000	2025-08-25T03:27:41.724000	0	27	en	Philosophy,Money,Society,Humanity,Writing	<section> <h3>The multiplicity and diversity of means make it impossible to justify them through actions, as they become futile and unconvincing — like the methods of tyrants and dictators.</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1024/1*emZmFmcsOO7qdH9RZfMGSA.png" width="1024" height="1536" loading="lazy" /> <h1>Introduction</h1> <p><em>“The end justifies the means”</em> — we have always heard this phrase, and it has always been the subject of wide debate and controversy. This article not only discusses the phrase itself, or what it implies, but also the essence hidden behind it. If you delve into it a little, you will understand the secret of the great controversy surrounding it, for it involves human values, human ethics, intentions, and actions. All of these contentious matters are contained within this phrase.</p> <p>What we seek to reach is the truth of whether the end truly justifies the means or does not justify the means. And to understand this, we will pass through the thoughts of many wise men to see whether it is indeed the case or not.</p> <h2>The End (<strong>Telos</strong>)</h2> <p>The word <em>“</em><strong>Telos</strong><em>”</em> (end/goal) in its linguistic meaning refers to the aim or the desired result. For example: your end in studying is success, and your end in working is earning a living. Therefore, the end deals only with results and demands outcomes. As for how these results are reached, that does not fall under the end itself, nor can it. It is illogical for the end to look at actions, for the end is merely a goal and a result.</p> <p>But who is responsible for the actions, and how are the actions determined? This is what we will discuss more deeply, because understanding it will show us whether the end justifies the means or not. For, as we said earlier, the end is just a goal or a result without diving into the depths of the act.</p> <p>It may be that the person who possesses the end of success finds that this end cannot be achieved without the existence of a school. Thus, the manner of studying to reach the end of success will be subject to that person’s moral values.</p> <p>Many students who share the same end — the end of success — achieve it either through cheating or through diligence and hard work. Both paths lead to the desired end: success. Here we must ask: Does cheating, as a means, become justified by the end of success, or not?</p> <p>If we delve a little deeper, we must understand the end of success in its essence. The essence of success is an indication that the person has truly understood and learned. If someone passes the exam through cheating, then the essence of success itself has not been realized.</p> <p>That person was preoccupied with the end but forgot that his end must align with the essence of success for the true means to be fulfilled. For in “succeeding,” he has not truly succeeded, since success itself has an end, and that end was not achieved. Therefore, even if he “passed” the exam using such means, he has failed in the essence of the end itself, which is success as the sign of being knowledgeable and understanding.</p> <h2>Will (Voluntas)</h2> <p>Will is the true and real companion of the end, and the end cannot be achieved without will. You can imagine will and end as the two sides of the same coin: if the coin loses one of its sides, it loses its value, meaning it no longer functions.</p> <p>In short: an end without will is an empty dream, useless and fruitless, and will never be realized.</p> <p>The doorway to actions is will. The person who lacks will cannot carry out an act. For example, I may have the end of getting out of bed, but I do not possess the will to rise, so this end will remain suspended without any action taking place.</p> <p>Thus, in reality, the act is directly connected to will, and indirectly to the end. The means (the act) do not stem from the end itself, but from the will that the person possesses.</p> <p>We do not know where the end comes from, and there is no proof that it originates from a specific source. But it will spring from the human values that a person possesses. And these values will determine whether the person performs the act according to virtuous principles and morals, or according to corrupt ones.</p> <p>Although the end in its essence heads in a single direction, it is the will that reflects the image of the end in action. For example, the person who seeks success in school has the same end as another person, but the first has a will filled with cheating and deception, while the second has a clean will that drives him toward work and giving. Both achieve “success” in itself, yet the will of the virtuous person — untainted — is aligned with the true end of success.</p> <p>When ends meet, there can be only one means to reach that end, one bridge that connects the two points. Imagine it as a bridge linking two points: crossing to the other side cannot occur except by a path that connects the two ends.</p> <p>Aristotle says: <em>“The end is that for the sake of which everything exists, and the will is what makes man strive toward this end through reason.”</em> Thus, Aristotle’s vision was very close to the one I put forward here: the alignment of end and will must be rational. Though he did not say there is a special end of the end we head toward, nor another essence of the end itself, he was close to this view, for he believed reason seeks the end through correct will.</p> <p>And not only Aristotle held this view. Kant, too, had a firm opinion concerning the corruption and fluctuation of ends. He said in his most famous maxim: <em>“Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end, never merely as a means.”</em></p> <p>Kant believed that the corruption of the means leads to the corruption of the end. Therefore, the end must be preserved by the correct means, not by corrupt means, which would in turn corrupt the end and produce strange and dangerous accumulations.</p> <h2>The Act (Praxis)</h2> <p>The act is the drawing by which the end is sketched through will; it is the means of executing the image that is the end. And this act can only be realized by the existence of power.</p> <p>It is nearly impossible for power to exist along with an act but without an end — in such a case, this power would be incapable of acting at all.</p> <p>The real problem lies in the act, not in the power, because the act requires a motive to occur. Even if a person possesses power, without a motive or an end to act upon, that power will not be used.</p> <p>For example, a person may have the power to push a rock and move it, but this power cannot be used without an act, and the act cannot occur without will, and there can be no will without an end. This sequence is necessary for the act to take place through power.</p> <p>A person needs an end to have will, needs will to act, and needs power to realize the act. The relationship between power and act is thus essential. Perhaps the condition of the end is fulfilled, and the condition of will is fulfilled, but in the absence of power, the act will not occur, and the end will not be realized.</p> <p>Similarly, a person who lacks power, even if he possesses the will to perform an act, will not achieve the end. For example, someone may have the will to move a rock but lacks the necessary power to do so, and thus the end will not be realized.</p> <p>As I mentioned earlier, the end can be divided into two types:</p> <ul> <li>A <strong>conceptual end</strong>: the initial motive or starting point, existing in the mind.</li> <li>An end: the actual result itself.</li> </ul> <p>For example, a person holds in his mind the image of the end, which is moving a rock. When the will arises to move it, and the act is carried out with sufficient power, the result — the rock’s movement — is itself an end, and is the final, real end. The initial end was merely conceptual, existing in the mind, not in reality, while the end is the one that manifests in reality. Hence, we need to understand this sequence to grasp the end.</p> <p>It seems that our daily actions, if we reflect on them, are highly complex and cannot be easily reduced. When I first tried to understand the act, I could not do so until I understood the end. Actions in their nature cannot always be judged by the act itself, because you may see an evil act that produces a good outcome.</p> <p>This does not necessarily mean the person is evil. It is simply that a good end first appeared in his mind, and he sought to realize this image, but found no means except through a bad act.</p> <p>For example, someone kills a man. Killing, by its nature, is an evil act. But this person wanted to rid people of the injustice and harm of that man. The initial end was good, but it could only be realized through an evil act — killing. After the killing, the initial good image was achieved.</p> <p>On the other hand, you may see a person do a good act, but it results in something bad, because the end that drove him was itself corrupt. This does not mean the person is good simply because the act was good. Therefore, each person must understand this deeply and comprehend it well.</p> </section>	The End Does Not Justify the Means The multiplicity and diversity of means make it impossible to justify them through actions, as they become futile and unconvincing — like the methods of tyrants and dictators. Generated by AI Introduction “The end justifies the means” — we have always heard this phrase, and it has always been the subject of wide debate and controversy. This article not only discusses the phrase itself, or what it implies, but also the essence hidden behind it. If you delve into it a little, you will understand the secret of the great controversy surrounding it, for it involves human values, human ethics, intentions, and actions. All of these contentious matters are contained within this phrase. What we seek to reach is the truth of whether the end truly justifies the means or does not justify the means. And to understand this, we will pass through the thoughts of many wise men to see whether it is indeed the case or not. The End (Telos) The word “Telos” (end/goal) in its linguistic meaning refers to the aim or the desired result. For example: your end in studying is success, and your end in working is earning a living. Therefore, the end deals only with results and demands outcomes. As for how these results are reached, that does not fall under the end itself, nor can it. It is illogical for the end to look at actions, for the end is merely a goal and a result. But who is responsible for the actions, and how are the actions determined? This is what we will discuss more deeply, because understanding it will show us whether the end justifies the means or not. For, as we said earlier, the end is just a goal or a result without diving into the depths of the act. It may be that the person who possesses the end of success finds that this end cannot be achieved without the existence of a school. Thus, the manner of studying to reach the end of success will be subject to that person’s moral values. Many students who share the same end — the end of success — achieve it either through cheating or through diligence and hard work. Both paths lead to the desired end: success. Here we must ask: Does cheating, as a means, become justified by the end of success, or not? If we delve a little deeper, we must understand the end of success in its essence. The essence of success is an indication that the person has truly understood and learned. If someone passes the exam through cheating, then the essence of success itself has not been realized. That person was preoccupied with the end but forgot that his end must align with the essence of success for the true means to be fulfilled. For in “succeeding,” he has not truly succeeded, since success itself has an end, and that end was not achieved. Therefore, even if he “passed” the exam using such means, he has failed in the essence of the end itself, which is success as the sign of being knowledgeable and understanding. Will (Voluntas) Will is the true and real companion of the end, and the end cannot be achieved without will. You can imagine will and end as the two sides of the same coin: if the coin loses one of its sides, it loses its value, meaning it no longer functions. In short: an end without will is an empty dream, useless and fruitless, and will never be realized. The doorway to actions is will. The person who lacks will cannot carry out an act. For example, I may have the end of getting out of bed, but I do not possess the will to rise, so this end will remain suspended without any action taking place. Thus, in reality, the act is directly connected to will, and indirectly to the end. The means (the act) do not stem from the end itself, but from the will that the person possesses. We do not know where the end comes from, and there is no proof that it originates from a specific source. But it will spring from the human values that a person possesses. And these values will determine whether the person performs the act according to virtuous principles and morals, or according to corrupt ones. Although the end in its essence heads in a single direction, it is the will that reflects the image of the end in action. For example, the person who seeks success in school has the same end as another person, but the first has a will filled with cheating and deception, while the second has a clean will that drives him toward work and giving. Both achieve “success” in itself, yet the will of the virtuous person — untainted — is aligned with the true end of success. When ends meet, there can be only one means to reach that end, one bridge that connects the two points. Imagine it as a bridge linking two points: crossing to the other side cannot occur except by a path that connects the two ends. Aristotle says: “The end is that for the sake of which everything exists, and the will is what makes man strive toward this end through reason.” Thus, Aristotle’s vision was very close to the one I put forward here: the alignment of end and will must be rational. Though he did not say there is a special end of the end we head toward, nor another essence of the end itself, he was close to this view, for he believed reason seeks the end through correct will. And not only Aristotle held this view. Kant, too, had a firm opinion concerning the corruption and fluctuation of ends. He said in his most famous maxim: “Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end, never merely as a means.” Kant believed that the corruption of the means leads to the corruption of the end. Therefore, the end must be preserved by the correct means, not by corrupt means, which would in turn corrupt the end and produce strange and dangerous accumulations. The Act (Praxis) The act is the drawing by which the end is sketched through will; it is the means of executing the image that is the end. And this act can only be realized by the existence of power. It is nearly impossible for power to exist along with an act but without an end — in such a case, this power would be incapable of acting at all. The real problem lies in the act, not in the power, because the act requires a motive to occur. Even if a person possesses power, without a motive or an end to act upon, that power will not be used. For example, a person may have the power to push a rock and move it, but this power cannot be used without an act, and the act cannot occur without will, and there can be no will without an end. This sequence is necessary for the act to take place through power. A person needs an end to have will, needs will to act, and needs power to realize the act. The relationship between power and act is thus essential. Perhaps the condition of the end is fulfilled, and the condition of will is fulfilled, but in the absence of power, the act will not occur, and the end will not be realized. Similarly, a person who lacks power, even if he possesses the will to perform an act, will not achieve the end. For example, someone may have the will to move a rock but lacks the necessary power to do so, and thus the end will not be realized. As I mentioned earlier, the end can be divided into two types: A conceptual end: the initial motive or starting point, existing in the mind. An end: the actual result itself. For example, a person holds in his mind the image of the end, which is moving a rock. When the will arises to move it, and the act is carried out with sufficient power, the result — the rock’s movement — is itself an end, and is the final, real end. The initial end was merely conceptual, existing in the mind, not in reality, while the end is the one that manifests in reality. Hence, we need to understand this sequence to grasp the end. It seems that our daily actions, if we reflect on them, are highly complex and cannot be easily reduced. When I first tried to understand the act, I could not do so until I understood the end. Actions in their nature cannot always be judged by the act itself, because you may see an evil act that produces a good outcome. This does not necessarily mean the person is evil. It is simply that a good end first appeared in his mind, and he sought to realize this image, but found no means except through a bad act. For example, someone kills a man. Killing, by its nature, is an evil act. But this person wanted to rid people of the injustice and harm of that man. The initial end was good, but it could only be realized through an evil act — killing. After the killing, the initial good image was achieved. On the other hand, you may see a person do a good act, but it results in something bad, because the end that drove him was itself corrupt. This does not mean the person is good simply because the act was good. Therefore, each person must understand this deeply and comprehend it well.	5d5baebe-5575-5b4c-966d-12807ff30327	25/08/2025 18:01:33
https://medium.com/@adedoyin.regina/hyperpigmentation-e98a916981a7	medium.com	HYPERPIGMENTATION	Dark knuckle .. Dark toes.. Dark eye circle ..	lannik beauty institute	https://medium.com/@adedoyin.regina	e98a916981a7	https://miro.medium.com/…9oE_3qplQOA.jpeg	1 min	2017-12-17T10:04:46.612000	2017-12-17T19:02:22.298000	2018-01-16T06:42:24.216000	0	1	en	Photography	<section> <p><strong>Dark knuckle .. Dark toes.. Dark eye circle ..</strong></p> <p>Causes of hyperpigmentation from cosmetic skin care therapist perspective …</p> <p>…. SYSTEMIC FACTOR</p> <p>…. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR</p> <p>…. COSMETIC ABUSE</p> <p><strong>AGING</strong> .. Age advancement comes with vital signs. Some of these signs are due to degeneration of vital organs and or body system .</p> <p><strong>SKIN</strong> .. is the largest organ in our body, it is also the closest organ to us. It is..</p> <p>.. The first that we see</p> <p>.. The nearest to our touch</p> <p>It is A STIRER of our emotion either positively or otherwise.</p> <p>But this organ responds to aging, so well, as to communicate aging and its process, not only to YOU the bearer but also to onlookers.</p> <p>SKIN cell renewal slows down with aging hence, surface layer bears all the open threats. This results in various dermal issues such as..</p> <ul> <li>DRYNESS</li> <li>HYPERPIGMENTATION</li> <li>WRINKLE</li> <li>FINE LINES</li> <li>AGE SPOTS..</li> </ul> <p>These, to mention a few.</p> <p>I relate with aging skin by stimulating supportive body system e.g nervous system.. via ..</p> <p>..WELLNESS THERAPY</p> <p>AND</p> <p>.. REGENERATIVE COSMETIC THERAPY</p> <p>ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SYSTEMIC FACTOR IS HEALTH..</p> <p>https://www.facebook.com/lannikbeauty-104636909571998/</p> <p>www.lannikbeautyinstitute.com/home</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/555/1*z9b8xri3yCM9oE_3qplQOA.jpeg" width="555" height="476" loading="lazy" /> <p>continue…</p> <p>Lannik beauty institute & spa …. Suit 20,27,28 Ogba arcade caterpillar bustop Ogba Lagos…. 08037161520</p> <p>https://www.facebook.com/GETCARRIER/</p> </section>	HYPERPIGMENTATION Dark knuckle .. Dark toes.. Dark eye circle .. Causes of hyperpigmentation from cosmetic skin care therapist perspective … …. SYSTEMIC FACTOR …. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR …. COSMETIC ABUSE AGING .. Age advancement comes with vital signs. Some of these signs are due to degeneration of vital organs and or body system . SKIN .. is the largest organ in our body, it is also the closest organ to us. It is.. .. The first that we see .. The nearest to our touch It is A STIRER of our emotion either positively or otherwise. But this organ responds to aging, so well, as to communicate aging and its process, not only to YOU the bearer but also to onlookers. SKIN cell renewal slows down with aging hence, surface layer bears all the open threats. This results in various dermal issues such as.. DRYNESS HYPERPIGMENTATION WRINKLE FINE LINES AGE SPOTS.. These, to mention a few. I relate with aging skin by stimulating supportive body system e.g nervous system.. via .. ..WELLNESS THERAPY AND .. REGENERATIVE COSMETIC THERAPY ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SYSTEMIC FACTOR IS HEALTH.. https://www.facebook.com/lannikbeauty-104636909571998/ www.lannikbeautyinstitute.com/home continue… Lannik beauty institute & spa …. Suit 20,27,28 Ogba arcade caterpillar bustop Ogba Lagos…. 08037161520 https://www.facebook.com/GETCARRIER/	14e5bd7d-3acf-52c1-827e-3a7f12ab4d1c	25/08/2025 18:01:33
https://medium.com/@lynnabent/how-to-take-a-quality-picture-with-your-phone-a04b015f3ad6	medium.com	How-to: Take a Quality Picture with Your Phone	Back in the day, taking a memorable photo required a lot of effort. Without a nice camera and editing software, you wouldn’t get far at…	Lynn Abent	https://medium.com/@lynnabent	a04b015f3ad6	https://miro.medium.com/…DYB_xjdcdQOQ.png	3 min	2016-11-17T17:17:14.514000	2016-11-23T18:21:03.332000	2017-09-14T18:01:01.398000	0	0	en	How To,Visual Marketing,Brand Strategy,Photography,Instagram Marketing	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/700/1*Cl6gdnCuWXDYB_xjdcdQOQ.png" width="700" height="261" loading="lazy" /> <p>Back in the day, taking a memorable photo required a lot of effort. Without a nice camera and editing software, you wouldn’t get far at all, not to mention the time you’d need to invest in learning how to use them. But in this day and age, all you need is a smartphone and you’re in business.</p> <p>Today, you can take high quality pictures and use editing apps to retouch them as needed — all on your phone. And while your smartphone may have simplified the process, it’s important to recognize that getting a quality photo isn’t just a “point and shoot” job.</p> <p>So how do you take a <strong>quality picture with your phone</strong>? Try a few of the tips below to improve your smartphone photography skills.</p> <h1>5 Useful Phone Photography Tips:</h1> <h3>1. Balance your shot with gridlines.</h3> <p>When you turn on the camera gridlines on your phone, a series of lines are superimposed on the camera screen. Gridlines are based upon the photographic composition principle known as <a href="http://digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds/">the rule of thirds</a>. According to the rule of thirds, if you place points of interest along the lines or within the intersections of the gridlines, the photo will be more level and balanced, allowing viewers to interact with it more naturally as a result.</p> <p><em>To switch the grid on …</em></p> <ul> <li><strong>iPhone:</strong> Go to Settings > Photos & Camera, and switch Grid on.</li> <li><strong>Samsung:</strong> Launch the Camera app > Settings, and scroll down to switch the grid lines option on.</li> </ul> <h3>2. Use natural light.</h3> <p>Your smartphone’s camera does come with a flash, yes — but that doesn’t mean you have to use it. Flash can create an overexposed effect that washes out your subject and alters color negatively.</p> <p>On the other hand, the right amount of natural light can give your photos a positive glow. If you’re taking photos indoors, try to do so near windows or doors. Even at night, you can play with sources of light like a street lamp or neon sign before you turn the flash on.</p> <h3>3. Resist the temptation to zoom.</h3> <p>You might be surprised to learn that if you’re trying to capture a specific subject from a distance, it’s better not to use the zoom feature. Zooming in can create a grainy, pixelated effect on your photos.</p> <p>Try to close the distance gap or even take the photo from a distance and crop it later to get your desired closeness. The higher your photo’s resolution is, the better the crop will be.</p> <h3>4. Focus on one subject.</h3> <p><em><strong>This is particularly important for visual ma</em>rketing.</strong> Several of the most compelling photographs in the world focus on a single subject. So take a little extra care when you’re trying to capture your brand images, paying attention to negative space, symmetry, and any other ways you might be able to catch the eye of a viewer.</p> <p>To ensure that the lighting and focus are properly optimized, tap your screen where you want to focus the photo.</p> <h3>5. Don’t forget to edit.</h3> <p>Remember, taking photos on your phone isn’t just a “point and shoot” job. If you really want to make your pictures visually interesting, it’s crucial that you edit your photos.</p> <p>Filters and correction tools are incredibly valuable for removing blemishes and providing a clean, professional touch to your images. And with apps like <a href="https://acolorstory.com/">A Color Story</a> (a personal favorite of mine), you can retouch photos in no time at all.</p> <p><em>Have any tricks you use to take <a href="http://blog.headsupresults.com/basics-of-marketing-and-tips/branding-ties-bind/">brand</a> photos on yo</em>ur phone, or a particularly good editing app you’d like to share? Let me know in the comments!</p> </section>	How-to: Take a Quality Picture with Your Phone Originally published at blog.headsupresults.com. Back in the day, taking a memorable photo required a lot of effort. Without a nice camera and editing software, you wouldn’t get far at all, not to mention the time you’d need to invest in learning how to use them. But in this day and age, all you need is a smartphone and you’re in business. Today, you can take high quality pictures and use editing apps to retouch them as needed — all on your phone. And while your smartphone may have simplified the process, it’s important to recognize that getting a quality photo isn’t just a “point and shoot” job. So how do you take a quality picture with your phone? Try a few of the tips below to improve your smartphone photography skills. 5 Useful Phone Photography Tips: 1. Balance your shot with gridlines. When you turn on the camera gridlines on your phone, a series of lines are superimposed on the camera screen. Gridlines are based upon the photographic composition principle known as the rule of thirds. According to the rule of thirds, if you place points of interest along the lines or within the intersections of the gridlines, the photo will be more level and balanced, allowing viewers to interact with it more naturally as a result. To switch the grid on … iPhone: Go to Settings > Photos & Camera, and switch Grid on. Samsung: Launch the Camera app > Settings, and scroll down to switch the grid lines option on. 2. Use natural light. Your smartphone’s camera does come with a flash, yes — but that doesn’t mean you have to use it. Flash can create an overexposed effect that washes out your subject and alters color negatively. On the other hand, the right amount of natural light can give your photos a positive glow. If you’re taking photos indoors, try to do so near windows or doors. Even at night, you can play with sources of light like a street lamp or neon sign before you turn the flash on. 3. Resist the temptation to zoom. You might be surprised to learn that if you’re trying to capture a specific subject from a distance, it’s better not to use the zoom feature. Zooming in can create a grainy, pixelated effect on your photos. Try to close the distance gap or even take the photo from a distance and crop it later to get your desired closeness. The higher your photo’s resolution is, the better the crop will be. 4. Focus on one subject. This is particularly important for visual marketing. Several of the most compelling photographs in the world focus on a single subject. So take a little extra care when you’re trying to capture your brand images, paying attention to negative space, symmetry, and any other ways you might be able to catch the eye of a viewer. To ensure that the lighting and focus are properly optimized, tap your screen where you want to focus the photo. 5. Don’t forget to edit. Remember, taking photos on your phone isn’t just a “point and shoot” job. If you really want to make your pictures visually interesting, it’s crucial that you edit your photos. Filters and correction tools are incredibly valuable for removing blemishes and providing a clean, professional touch to your images. And with apps like A Color Story (a personal favorite of mine), you can retouch photos in no time at all. Have any tricks you use to take brand photos on your phone, or a particularly good editing app you’d like to share? Let me know in the comments!	d18c0d45-2d0b-5837-aaea-ddeaaa654c42	25/08/2025 18:01:34
https://reflectallah.medium.com/interconnected-221a9bf4e8af	medium.com	Interconnected	Your Kingdom come; Your Will be done…	Sheryl Martin	https://medium.com/@reflectallah	221a9bf4e8af	https://miro.medium.com/…p5gtBV8ymPSy.jpg	4 min	2022-12-23T21:23:35.160000	2022-12-24T19:58:45.986000	2024-07-11T20:53:03.377000	0	28	en	Humanity,Peacebuilding,Bahai,Christianity,Globalization	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1600/0*s1vkp5gtBV8ymPSy.jpg" width="1600" height="1066" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>Your Kingdom come; Your Will be done…</em></p> <p>Humanity is now a global community interconnected in a myriad of ways. However, its connection to materialism creates disconnection, competition, conflict, and wars. What is God’s ultimate goal in creating humanity? We have the potential to be the worst of evil, and yet still have the ability to rise above the lowest level of physicality to be the best of goodness. We are darkness and we are light. We enter into darkness when faith is lost and then God forgotten, and at the very point in time when humanity has almost reached a terminal end point, God graciously sends another messenger or prophet to awaken the sleepers and bring in another dawn.</p> <p>The Torah, Gospels, and the Qur’an all detail communities which have been destroyed by God due to lack of belief and the risk of the remaining believers becoming eradicated by the unbelievers. Additionally, there are numerous accounts of believing men being sent into battle by God to defend a developing religion and to dismantle the power of polytheism. The believers are always saved from destruction so their seed can be planted elsewhere to establish monotheism, social justice, and order.</p> <p>The Lord’s Prayer is prayed every week by most Christians, but is it possible the frequently repeated words have lost their meaning? Please, dear Father in heaven, please bring your kingdom on earth. What does this really mean? The visual imagery of the revelations spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah reveals much of the throne of God and his all-powerful kingdom. Who are the people who will inhabit God’s kingdom?</p> <p>“<em>On the identity of the people who participate in this kingdom, …they are the remnant people, purified and redeemed; they are an obedient people, reflecting the justice and righteousness of God; and they are an international community from all ethnic backgrounds.”</em>(1)</p> <p>How does God’s Kingdom come to earth? Do we somehow believe that we have no responsibility in bringing about this incredible life enhancing <em>alternative reality</em>? (2) Are we to be passive participants waiting and watching for the transformation of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light? The important question is how are we to understand this concept of God’s Kingdom being established on earth?</p> <p>From Abdu’l Baha:</p> <p><em>Ferocity has characterized men even more than animals. The lion, tiger, bear, and wolf are ferocious because of their needs. Unless they are fierce, cruel, and unrelenting, they will die of starvation. The lion cannot graze; its teeth are fitted only for food of flesh. This is also true of other wild animals. Ferocity is natural to them as their means of subsistence, but human ferocity proceeds from selfishness, greed and oppression. It springs from no natural necessity…ferocity does not belong to the kingdom of man. It is the province of man to confer life, not death. It behooves him to be the cause of human welfare, but inasmuch as he glories in the savagery of animalism, it is evident that divine civilization has not been established in human society.</em> (3)</p> <p>Humans are different from animals in that we were given cognitive functioning through the frontal lobes of our brains which enables metacognition and the intuitive understanding of right from wrong. This is why the Qur’an repeatedly teaches us to “<em>seek knowledge and use your reason.</em>” Animals compete for territory and resources, but in this age of globalization this has become a destructive pattern of humanity. We are living in a crucial time of civilization such that unless we move towards unity and peace, we will allow destruction to continue its rapid pace until civilization will no longer be recognizable as “civil.”</p> <p>Abdu’l Baha shares wisdom on how the Kingdom of God will occur in his writings shortly before World War II:</p> <p><em>“The process of disintegration must inexorably continue, and its corrosive influence must penetrate deeper and deeper into the very core of a crumbling age. Much suffering will still be required ere the contending nations, creeds, classes and races of mankind are fused in the crucible of universal affliction and are forged by the fires of a fierce ordeal into one organic commonwealth, one unit, unified, and harmoniously functioning system. <strong>Adversities unimaginably appalling, undreamed of crisis’ and upheavals, war, famine, and pestilence, might well to combine to engrave the soul of an unheeding generation those truths and principles which it has disdained to recognize and follow. </strong>A paralysis more painful than any it has yet experienced much creep over and further afflict the fabric of a broken society ere it can be rebuilt </em>and regenerated.”</p> <p>Heedlessness by mindlessly allowing social injustice, racism, rampant capitalism, selfishness, oppression, persecution and violence to continue without implementing solutions to promote human welfare, or even to protect the welfare of the planet and its environment as well. How far into the crucible will humanity need to go? Baha wrote the above quote before World War II, which is presently, due to the significant upheavals, violence and the pandemic appears to be extremely prophetic. The “paralysis” of non-action, non-caring, and immunity to the suffering of others will bring ongoing suffering until the hard-shell encasing human hearts is burned away so that compassion and love can begin truly building the Kingdom of God on earth.</p> <p>The Book of Isaiah (11:6–9) in beautiful imagery describes it this way:</p> <p><em>And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fattened steer will be together; And a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, Their young will lie down together, And the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea.</em></p> <p>Amen</p> <p>________________________________________________________________</p> <p>[1] Abernathy, Andrew, <em>The Book of Isaiah and God’s Kingdom: a Thematic-Theological Approach</em>, 2016 [2] Term “alternative reality” is a concept found in the modern-day Theologian, Walter Brueggeman’s, writings. [3] Khan, J. Peter, <em>Peace, More Than an End to War.</em></p> </section>	Interconnected art from http://www.maryjaneone.blogspot.com/ Your Kingdom come; Your Will be done… Humanity is now a global community interconnected in a myriad of ways. However, its connection to materialism creates disconnection, competition, conflict, and wars. What is God’s ultimate goal in creating humanity? We have the potential to be the worst of evil, and yet still have the ability to rise above the lowest level of physicality to be the best of goodness. We are darkness and we are light. We enter into darkness when faith is lost and then God forgotten, and at the very point in time when humanity has almost reached a terminal end point, God graciously sends another messenger or prophet to awaken the sleepers and bring in another dawn. The Torah, Gospels, and the Qur’an all detail communities which have been destroyed by God due to lack of belief and the risk of the remaining believers becoming eradicated by the unbelievers. Additionally, there are numerous accounts of believing men being sent into battle by God to defend a developing religion and to dismantle the power of polytheism. The believers are always saved from destruction so their seed can be planted elsewhere to establish monotheism, social justice, and order. The Lord’s Prayer is prayed every week by most Christians, but is it possible the frequently repeated words have lost their meaning? Please, dear Father in heaven, please bring your kingdom on earth. What does this really mean? The visual imagery of the revelations spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah reveals much of the throne of God and his all-powerful kingdom. Who are the people who will inhabit God’s kingdom? “On the identity of the people who participate in this kingdom, …they are the remnant people, purified and redeemed; they are an obedient people, reflecting the justice and righteousness of God; and they are an international community from all ethnic backgrounds.”(1) How does God’s Kingdom come to earth? Do we somehow believe that we have no responsibility in bringing about this incredible life enhancing alternative reality? (2) Are we to be passive participants waiting and watching for the transformation of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light? The important question is how are we to understand this concept of God’s Kingdom being established on earth? From Abdu’l Baha: Ferocity has characterized men even more than animals. The lion, tiger, bear, and wolf are ferocious because of their needs. Unless they are fierce, cruel, and unrelenting, they will die of starvation. The lion cannot graze; its teeth are fitted only for food of flesh. This is also true of other wild animals. Ferocity is natural to them as their means of subsistence, but human ferocity proceeds from selfishness, greed and oppression. It springs from no natural necessity…ferocity does not belong to the kingdom of man. It is the province of man to confer life, not death. It behooves him to be the cause of human welfare, but inasmuch as he glories in the savagery of animalism, it is evident that divine civilization has not been established in human society. (3) Humans are different from animals in that we were given cognitive functioning through the frontal lobes of our brains which enables metacognition and the intuitive understanding of right from wrong. This is why the Qur’an repeatedly teaches us to “seek knowledge and use your reason.” Animals compete for territory and resources, but in this age of globalization this has become a destructive pattern of humanity. We are living in a crucial time of civilization such that unless we move towards unity and peace, we will allow destruction to continue its rapid pace until civilization will no longer be recognizable as “civil.” Abdu’l Baha shares wisdom on how the Kingdom of God will occur in his writings shortly before World War II: “The process of disintegration must inexorably continue, and its corrosive influence must penetrate deeper and deeper into the very core of a crumbling age. Much suffering will still be required ere the contending nations, creeds, classes and races of mankind are fused in the crucible of universal affliction and are forged by the fires of a fierce ordeal into one organic commonwealth, one unit, unified, and harmoniously functioning system. Adversities unimaginably appalling, undreamed of crisis’ and upheavals, war, famine, and pestilence, might well to combine to engrave the soul of an unheeding generation those truths and principles which it has disdained to recognize and follow. A paralysis more painful than any it has yet experienced much creep over and further afflict the fabric of a broken society ere it can be rebuilt and regenerated.” Heedlessness by mindlessly allowing social injustice, racism, rampant capitalism, selfishness, oppression, persecution and violence to continue without implementing solutions to promote human welfare, or even to protect the welfare of the planet and its environment as well. How far into the crucible will humanity need to go? Baha wrote the above quote before World War II, which is presently, due to the significant upheavals, violence and the pandemic appears to be extremely prophetic. The “paralysis” of non-action, non-caring, and immunity to the suffering of others will bring ongoing suffering until the hard-shell encasing human hearts is burned away so that compassion and love can begin truly building the Kingdom of God on earth. The Book of Isaiah (11:6–9) in beautiful imagery describes it this way: And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fattened steer will be together; And a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, Their young will lie down together, And the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea. Amen ________________________________________________________________ [1] Abernathy, Andrew, The Book of Isaiah and God’s Kingdom: a Thematic-Theological Approach, 2016 [2] Term “alternative reality” is a concept found in the modern-day Theologian, Walter Brueggeman’s, writings. [3] Khan, J. Peter, Peace, More Than an End to War.	34e36284-32ed-594a-9639-928cffaf79d6	25/08/2025 18:01:34
https://crossingenres.com/a-photo-a-day-for-30-days-f5c61935212f	medium.com	A Photo A Day For 30 Days	day 1	Allan Rae	https://medium.com/@alto	f5c61935212f	https://miro.medium.com/…OlzJdEGvvjA.jpeg	1 min	2017-11-01T18:31:37.050000	2017-11-01T19:33:32.086000	2018-04-13T20:58:29.701000	4	458	en	Photography,Multimedia,Creative Non Fiction,Writing,Poetry	<section> <h3>day 1</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1942/1*i656qSFjokIOlzJdEGvvjA.jpeg" width="1942" height="1182" loading="lazy" /> <h3>Country Grunge</h3> <p>The entrance to a local antique sale.</p> <p>Following the lead set by <a href="#">The Solitary Cook</a>, I’m going to do my own daily photo post for a month. Here’s just a few of the images she has posted over the last several months.</p> <p><strong><a href="https://</strong>medium.com/@Thesolitarycook/a-photo-a-day-110-bf38be1b5241">A Photo a Day 110 <em>Esmé the perfect dog</em>m</a>edium.com</p> <p><strong><a href="https:/</strong>/medium.com/@Thesolitarycook/a-photo-a-day-91-cc77340f5a58">A Photo a Day 91 <em>Experiments</em>m</a>edium.com</p> <p><strong><a href="https:/</strong>/medium.com/@Thesolitarycook/a-photo-a-day-80-18c52d6193e0">A Photo a Day 80 <em>Saturday morning visitor</em>m</a>edium.com</p> <p>Her daily inspiration, combined with a recent black and white photography challenge by <a href="#">Jack Herlocker</a>, and my growing interest in the field has seen me take practical steps to engage what is still a relatively new hobby. Starting last spring, I’ve taken two courses, shot literally thousands of pictures, posted several photo projects to my website, <a href="http://allanrae.com">allanrae.com</a>, and have designed said website using only my own art and photography. Finally, I’ve tried to include more of my own images in my written work here.</p> <p>While not specifically tagging anyone, if you feel so inclined, why don’t you try this with me? It is just going to be one photo a day with a title and a sentence or two of context. I’m not limiting the photos to a certain style, I’m keeping the possibilities wide. If you decide to do this, drop me a note in the responses so I can follow your images.</p> </section>	A Photo A Day For 30 Days day 1 Country Grunge The entrance to a local antique sale. Following the lead set by The Solitary Cook, I’m going to do my own daily photo post for a month. Here’s just a few of the images she has posted over the last several months. A Photo a Day 110 Esmé the perfect dogmedium.com A Photo a Day 91 Experimentsmedium.com A Photo a Day 80 Saturday morning visitormedium.com Her daily inspiration, combined with a recent black and white photography challenge by Jack Herlocker, and my growing interest in the field has seen me take practical steps to engage what is still a relatively new hobby. Starting last spring, I’ve taken two courses, shot literally thousands of pictures, posted several photo projects to my website, allanrae.com, and have designed said website using only my own art and photography. Finally, I’ve tried to include more of my own images in my written work here. While not specifically tagging anyone, if you feel so inclined, why don’t you try this with me? It is just going to be one photo a day with a title and a sentence or two of context. I’m not limiting the photos to a certain style, I’m keeping the possibilities wide. If you decide to do this, drop me a note in the responses so I can follow your images.	6680557a-9c41-52b1-b466-8b0ab6f792a5	25/08/2025 18:01:34
https://medium.com/merizo/whom-shall-we-send-63e20d6d7531	medium.com	Whom Shall We Send	Again, Heaven is hiring Seeking men and women Looking for young and old Searching out bond and free Anyone who will hear God’s voice	Femi Senjobi	https://medium.com/@femisenjobi	63e20d6d7531	https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0*sxFUIiO60F9Fqljg	1 min	2018-08-23T20:31:32.132000	2018-08-23T20:34:41.566000	2018-08-24T22:54:35.504000	0	4	en	Christianity,Spirituality,Devotion,Purpose,Surrender	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1000/0*sxFUIiO60F9Fqljg" width="1000" height="750" loading="lazy" /> <p>Again, Heaven is hiring Seeking men and women Looking for young and old Searching out bond and free Anyone who will hear God’s voice</p> <p>Heaven is calling out desperately Who do we have to send out Who is available to go for us The Lord is aching to reach men He’s in desperate need of vessels</p> <p>Heaven needs men who will hear Women who will listen and follow Who will intercept conversations Between the father, son and the Spirit And receive the urgency of purpose</p> <p>Heaven needs both young and old Who will press in place of devotion And burst out on the other side They will dig deep in study And like Daniel, discover by books</p> <p>Heaven needs both bond and free God needs both the noble and the lowly To reach from above and beneath He needs both the quick and the patient To reach from behind and in front</p> <p>God needs those who will wait Those who will tarry on the altar Until their lips are cleansed By the burning coals of His presence And their sins taken far away</p> <p>God is desperately in search of vessels The spirit is loudly groaning for Sons Looking into every nook and cranny Gathering all He can find to fill them up God didn’t run out, we ran out of vessels</p> <p>Heaven is in desperate need Of men who can lay all aside And start afresh at God’s command Who will say “Here I am, send me” And will never look back</p> <h3>More on the Series</h3> <p><a href="https://medium.com/merizo/god-is-hiring-325ce2690735">God is Hiring</a></p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/merizo/the-lord-is-seeking-such-2d2aa8a9c79c">The Lord is Seeking Such</a></p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/merizo/i-sought-for-a-man-ece89abab4c8">I Sought for a Man</a></p> <p><strong>Whom Shall I Send (You are here)</strong></p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/merizo/god-is-seeking-treasures-72cc774acedc">God is Seeking Treasures</a></p> </section>	Whom Shall We Send Photo by Andrew Ridley Again, Heaven is hiring Seeking men and women Looking for young and old Searching out bond and free Anyone who will hear God’s voice Heaven is calling out desperately Who do we have to send out Who is available to go for us The Lord is aching to reach men He’s in desperate need of vessels Heaven needs men who will hear Women who will listen and follow Who will intercept conversations Between the father, son and the Spirit And receive the urgency of purpose Heaven needs both young and old Who will press in place of devotion And burst out on the other side They will dig deep in study And like Daniel, discover by books Heaven needs both bond and free God needs both the noble and the lowly To reach from above and beneath He needs both the quick and the patient To reach from behind and in front God needs those who will wait Those who will tarry on the altar Until their lips are cleansed By the burning coals of His presence And their sins taken far away God is desperately in search of vessels The spirit is loudly groaning for Sons Looking into every nook and cranny Gathering all He can find to fill them up God didn’t run out, we ran out of vessels Heaven is in desperate need Of men who can lay all aside And start afresh at God’s command Who will say “Here I am, send me” And will never look back More on the Series God is Hiring The Lord is Seeking Such I Sought for a Man Whom Shall I Send (You are here) God is Seeking Treasures	c48091b0-ec3e-5cf5-b66a-9a975149f871	25/08/2025 18:01:35
https://medium.com/@teresafisher_60524/four-battles-girls-have-to-fight-78859972fdf5	medium.com	Four Battles Girls Have to Fight	And My Weapons to Fight Each	A Little Girl Tries	https://medium.com/@teresafisher_60524	78859972fdf5	https://miro.medium.com/…fd2NQ4NgXgg.jpeg	3 min	2019-04-23T03:06:45.965000	2019-04-23T04:09:05.612000	2021-12-09T12:44:54.537000	0	0	en	Christianity,Girls,Women,Catholic,Prayer	<section> <h3>And My Weapons to Fight Each</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2388/1*H7qlEdoAc2-fd2NQ4NgXgg.jpeg" width="2388" height="2388" loading="lazy" /> <p>It has been a long week. So long, in fact, that you march home and ignore everyone who tries to talk to you. Homework, social life, job: everything is pushed out of your mind to make room for the stormy cloud of anxiety and depression creeping in. If you are like most of us, you sit in your room with something sugary and cry.</p> <h3>Depression. We all struggle with it.</h3> <p>Maybe your phone will make you feel better? Not when your Instagram feed shows you friends standing on foreign beaches, winning awards, and hugging cute kitties. You look around at your dark room and the ice cream you spilled on your clothes and slowly anger seeps in. Why is your life so boring compared to theirs?</p> <h3>Jealousy. We all struggle with that too.</h3> <p>At this point, you might think your life could not get worse. Your brain disagrees. It decides this is the moment to flash the image of your crush or ex or imaginary boyfriend in front of your eyes. Just like that, you are now not only boring but rejected as well.The Amazon River has not water enough to supply all the tears that erupt from this realization.</p> <h3>Infatuation or Love. We all struggle.</h3> <p><em>(Except for me. My real friends know I have feelings for no one but Chick-Fil A)</em></p> <p>And maybe two years later when you really need to use the bathroom you will get up. You will see your terrible-looking face in the mirror and be inspired to improve it. That is a great idea, of course, unless it goes too far.</p> <p>“He’s going to notice me now”</p> <p>“If I only copy that look I saw on her post…”</p> <p>“Just dying my hair again will make me happy.”</p> <p>Out come the shorter skirts, the longer eyeliner, and the edgier language. It’s not a sin, right? Most girls our age are doing far worse. Do you even see what they’re wearing in Walmart?</p> <h3>Temptation to Give In to Fit In. We all struggle.</h3> <p>—</p> <h3>I come, as usual, without solutions but with prayers.</h3> <h3>Here are four short prayers that young women might find helpful when battling sadness, jealousy, infatuation, and temptation.</h3> <h3>By turning to them, at least you’d be more productive than eating ice cream while watching Netflix.</h3> <p><strong>For the Depressed:</strong> My God, I feel like I can offer you nothing in my brokeness. I feel dead inside. But you went through the worst of feelings for me. Give me strength to do the same. Only let me offer you these sad feelings. I feel now how little and weak I am and how strong you are. You want me to be sad and that’s ok but keep me from offending you in any way. I gives myself and my sad thoughts to you; just pull me closer to you.</p> <p><strong>For the Jealous:</strong> God, I have such a tiny heart! You have given me your body, your life, and your love yet I still am jealous. Why does she get this or why is he praised and not me? I want to grow in love because you are so good to have blessed them so. And there is so much beauty in the world that you have placed in other people. I am the tiniest of all your creatures and I am so happy I get the chance to serve others and love you in this world. May you be praised forever, God my Father!</p> <p><strong>For the Infatuated:</strong>My Lord Jesus, you know how I want him. I’m always thinking about him. My soul wants this beautiful thing for itself. But instead I give him to you. Lead him to you. I give myself into your hands because you are the love of my heart. You are the one I will follow, not him. And I trust entirely that you have a plan for me so I will not worry.</p> <p><strong>For the Tempted:</strong> Mother Mary, watch over your little daughter. I am confused by a lot right now. But what I do know for certain is that I am yours and I belong to Lord Jesus. Am I doing right now something that will bring me closer in love to you two? Otherwise, why am I doing anything? Give me strength to overcome this temptation because I fall so many times by myself. Let me bring you to others in everything I do and wear.</p> <p>— -</p> <p><em>Good luck fighting the battle! God is with you!</em></p> </section>	The Four Battles Girls Have to Fight And My Weapons to Fight Each It has been a long week. So long, in fact, that you march home and ignore everyone who tries to talk to you. Homework, social life, job: everything is pushed out of your mind to make room for the stormy cloud of anxiety and depression creeping in. If you are like most of us, you sit in your room with something sugary and cry. Depression. We all struggle with it. Maybe your phone will make you feel better? Not when your Instagram feed shows you friends standing on foreign beaches, winning awards, and hugging cute kitties. You look around at your dark room and the ice cream you spilled on your clothes and slowly anger seeps in. Why is your life so boring compared to theirs? Jealousy. We all struggle with that too. At this point, you might think your life could not get worse. Your brain disagrees. It decides this is the moment to flash the image of your crush or ex or imaginary boyfriend in front of your eyes. Just like that, you are now not only boring but rejected as well.The Amazon River has not water enough to supply all the tears that erupt from this realization. Infatuation or Love. We all struggle. (Except for me. My real friends know I have feelings for no one but Chick-Fil A) And maybe two years later when you really need to use the bathroom you will get up. You will see your terrible-looking face in the mirror and be inspired to improve it. That is a great idea, of course, unless it goes too far. “He’s going to notice me now” “If I only copy that look I saw on her post…” “Just dying my hair again will make me happy.” Out come the shorter skirts, the longer eyeliner, and the edgier language. It’s not a sin, right? Most girls our age are doing far worse. Do you even see what they’re wearing in Walmart? Temptation to Give In to Fit In. We all struggle. — I come, as usual, without solutions but with prayers. Here are four short prayers that young women might find helpful when battling sadness, jealousy, infatuation, and temptation. By turning to them, at least you’d be more productive than eating ice cream while watching Netflix. For the Depressed: My God, I feel like I can offer you nothing in my brokeness. I feel dead inside. But you went through the worst of feelings for me. Give me strength to do the same. Only let me offer you these sad feelings. I feel now how little and weak I am and how strong you are. You want me to be sad and that’s ok but keep me from offending you in any way. I gives myself and my sad thoughts to you; just pull me closer to you. For the Jealous: God, I have such a tiny heart! You have given me your body, your life, and your love yet I still am jealous. Why does she get this or why is he praised and not me? I want to grow in love because you are so good to have blessed them so. And there is so much beauty in the world that you have placed in other people. I am the tiniest of all your creatures and I am so happy I get the chance to serve others and love you in this world. May you be praised forever, God my Father! For the Infatuated:My Lord Jesus, you know how I want him. I’m always thinking about him. My soul wants this beautiful thing for itself. But instead I give him to you. Lead him to you. I give myself into your hands because you are the love of my heart. You are the one I will follow, not him. And I trust entirely that you have a plan for me so I will not worry. For the Tempted: Mother Mary, watch over your little daughter. I am confused by a lot right now. But what I do know for certain is that I am yours and I belong to Lord Jesus. Am I doing right now something that will bring me closer in love to you two? Otherwise, why am I doing anything? Give me strength to overcome this temptation because I fall so many times by myself. Let me bring you to others in everything I do and wear. — - Good luck fighting the battle! God is with you!	8203d32e-d73a-587f-8bfb-ca26b10219b3	25/08/2025 18:01:35
https://medium.com/@hilarygrantdixon/lets-see-what-develops-pt-10-5068e5d51543	medium.com	Let’s See What Develops, Pt. 10	null	Hilary Grant Dixon	https://medium.com/@hilarygrantdixon	5068e5d51543	https://miro.medium.com/…KNutbEyOcLsb.png	3 min	2017-10-04T12:52:45.978000	2017-01-06T22:33:34	2017-10-04T12:52:49.084000	0	0	en	Photography,Projects,Sharing,Writing	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/516/0tZ92KNutbEyOcLsb.png" width="516" height="513" loading="lazy" /> <p>I am getting back into the routine of writing. After months and months, the elusive time and space that I’ve been craving to set my work life to rights has materialized. I have an office. I have a desk and a comfortable chair. I have sorted through the water-logged bits and bobs salvaged from my old desk, filing what’s legible and casting off what isn’t. I’m revising older posts to see if some old ideas can jumpstart the creative engine.</p> <p>As it turns out, I’d started several drafts from the five blog buckets I made for myself several months ago. I’d chosen about five areas that I want to cultivate on the blog: Writing, Family Life, Fitness, Self, and Photography. Notice that those same areas are the ones I write most about on this blog.</p> <p>The old goal was to choose a bucket each day and spend time reading, brain-storming, note taking, and creating. Each day, I’d gotten sidetracked by Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook. Eventually, I’d redirect myself back to my keyboard and start writing. Just as I’d be hitting my stride, someone it was time to pick someone up from some activity.</p> <p>In order to bypass the pre-work foolishness and get down to business, I’ve scaled down the plan. In the past, I’ve touted quietly setting goals, but I want to share how I plan to get from A to B because I know I’m not the only one trying smash some goals out here. There are so many motivational quotes about how to reach your goals, how to persevere, and how the whole thing is a journey to appreciate not a race that has to be won. All true, in fact. For me, though, when I think about getting myself for here to there, <a href="https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/melinda-mae/">one poem</a> always pops into my head.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/490/0jPeVyADX52wXD8Gm.jpg" width="490" height="262" loading="lazy" /> <p>Illustration by Shel Silverstein</p> <p>To get from goals to achievement, you need discipline and consistency. One bite at a time, just like Melinda Mae.</p> <p>So, I’m back to work. First up? The list of interview questions from the photography blog, <em><a href="http://cli</em>ckitupanotch.com/">Click It Up a Notch</a>. These are a series of photographer interviews that I read years ago. I’m a little more than half-way done. If I’m perfectly honest, it was starting to feel a bit like homework, but now, not so much. More of a getting to know you (or me, as it were) exercise.</p> <p><em>*photographer interview questions courtesy of Courtney Slazinik of <a href="http://clic</em>kitupanotch.com/category/photographer-interviews/">Click It Up a Notch.</a></p> <p>If You Had $5000 to spend on photography gear, what would you buy?</p> <p>If I had $5000, photography gear would not be the first thing on my mind. That being said, if the money was specifically earmarked for photography gear, there are a few things on my wish list.</p> <ul> <li>A new camera body. I’ve been using the very first (and only) camera body that I bought. It’s time for an upgrade. Plus, I’d like to be able to switch between camera bodies while shooting instead of breaking flow to remove and replace lenses mid shoot.</li> <li>New lens(es). If I make the switch from Nikon to Canon with this new camera body, I’ll need some new glass to go with it, preferably a 50mm f1.8. That’s my favorite lens besides my 18–55mm f3.5. Oh, and my 70–200mm f4!</li> <li>Editing software. Again, I’m working on an older vintage version of LightRoom that probably doesn’t even exist anymore.</li> <li>Photo Printer. I still print my photos and put them into albums. It would be so nice to breakup with the photo by mail service and have a quality printer in my office.</li> <li>Childcare — so I can take classes! There are dozens of workshops available that provide instruction on everything from camera basics to shooting portraits to understanding editing software. I’d take a class on shooting with film and developing in a darkroom. I’d like to do a long week-end immersion program or a photography trip where your destination is the classroom. Your subjects are the locals, the architecture, the culture. I’m a visual learner who would appreciate having the opportunity for a hands on experience.</li> </ul> <p>Until that 5k comes in, I’ll shoulder my Nikon D5000 with my “nifty fifty” to snap photos of my kids which I’ll tweak in LR before sending off to Shutterfly. This routine has been so good to me for so long.</p> <p>SaveSaveSaveSave</p> <p>SaveSave</p> <p><em>Originally published at <a href="http://hila</em>rygrantdixon.com/lets-see-what-develops-part-ten/">Hilary With One L</a>.</p> </section>	Let’s See What Develops, Pt. 10 I am getting back into the routine of writing. After months and months, the elusive time and space that I’ve been craving to set my work life to rights has materialized. I have an office. I have a desk and a comfortable chair. I have sorted through the water-logged bits and bobs salvaged from my old desk, filing what’s legible and casting off what isn’t. I’m revising older posts to see if some old ideas can jumpstart the creative engine. As it turns out, I’d started several drafts from the five blog buckets I made for myself several months ago. I’d chosen about five areas that I want to cultivate on the blog: Writing, Family Life, Fitness, Self, and Photography. Notice that those same areas are the ones I write most about on this blog. The old goal was to choose a bucket each day and spend time reading, brain-storming, note taking, and creating. Each day, I’d gotten sidetracked by Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook. Eventually, I’d redirect myself back to my keyboard and start writing. Just as I’d be hitting my stride, someone it was time to pick someone up from some activity. In order to bypass the pre-work foolishness and get down to business, I’ve scaled down the plan. In the past, I’ve touted quietly setting goals, but I want to share how I plan to get from A to B because I know I’m not the only one trying smash some goals out here. There are so many motivational quotes about how to reach your goals, how to persevere, and how the whole thing is a journey to appreciate not a race that has to be won. All true, in fact. For me, though, when I think about getting myself for here to there, one poem always pops into my head. Illustration by Shel Silverstein To get from goals to achievement, you need discipline and consistency. One bite at a time, just like Melinda Mae. So, I’m back to work. First up? The list of interview questions from the photography blog, Click It Up a Notch. These are a series of photographer interviews that I read years ago. I’m a little more than half-way done. If I’m perfectly honest, it was starting to feel a bit like homework, but now, not so much. More of a getting to know you (or me, as it were) exercise. *photographer interview questions courtesy of Courtney Slazinik of Click It Up a Notch. If You Had $5000 to spend on photography gear, what would you buy? If I had $5000, photography gear would not be the first thing on my mind. That being said, if the money was specifically earmarked for photography gear, there are a few things on my wish list. A new camera body. I’ve been using the very first (and only) camera body that I bought. It’s time for an upgrade. Plus, I’d like to be able to switch between camera bodies while shooting instead of breaking flow to remove and replace lenses mid shoot. New lens(es). If I make the switch from Nikon to Canon with this new camera body, I’ll need some new glass to go with it, preferably a 50mm f1.8. That’s my favorite lens besides my 18–55mm f3.5. Oh, and my 70–200mm f4! Editing software. Again, I’m working on an older vintage version of LightRoom that probably doesn’t even exist anymore. Photo Printer. I still print my photos and put them into albums. It would be so nice to breakup with the photo by mail service and have a quality printer in my office. Childcare — so I can take classes! There are dozens of workshops available that provide instruction on everything from camera basics to shooting portraits to understanding editing software. I’d take a class on shooting with film and developing in a darkroom. I’d like to do a long week-end immersion program or a photography trip where your destination is the classroom. Your subjects are the locals, the architecture, the culture. I’m a visual learner who would appreciate having the opportunity for a hands on experience. Until that 5k comes in, I’ll shoulder my Nikon D5000 with my “nifty fifty” to snap photos of my kids which I’ll tweak in LR before sending off to Shutterfly. This routine has been so good to me for so long. SaveSaveSaveSave SaveSave Originally published at Hilary With One L.	16650672-0bcf-56fc-b6c1-81545b3cec97	25/08/2025 18:01:36
https://lionelpias.medium.com/how-to-inspire-a-team-and-achieve-more-ebbf20f2cd2	medium.com	How to Inspire a team and Achieve more	This is all about team motivation, communication with team, recognising them, compensate them well, and work life balance.	Pias	https://medium.com/@lionelpias	ebbf20f2cd2	https://miro.medium.com/…ZPzDpYI-2qg.jpeg	5 min	2018-05-12T07:03:00.054000	2018-05-12T07:08:04.892000	2019-10-24T12:57:18.492000	0	3	en	Startup,Team Building,Inspiration,Career Development,Leadership Development	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/638/1dIlLb_8YWo8ZPzDpYI-2qg.jpeg" width="638" height="479" loading="lazy" /> <p>It’s often said that no one can motivate people unless they motivate themselves. Though, self-motivation is important, but it cannot be possible if the external factors are out of control. External motivation depends on team manager and top management of the company. Building an atmosphere that boosts people and energies motivation is essential for an effective teamwork and commitment.</p> <p>So, how will you inspire your team and make a vitalizing work environment? Here are few ways for you.</p> <h1>1. Make sure everybody’s work is meaningful</h1> <p>This is not just about areas of duty — it’s also about company’s vision, mission and goals. It’s important that everyone on the team knows the tactical goals and their personal role in the movement towards them. Clear workflow is what is helpful here: it gives an idea of the big picture and how individuals fit into it. Besides, meaningful work is the best type of job security the employer can give to an employee: is the job is important, it is unlikely to be cut.</p> <h2>2. Pay your people what they are worth</h2> <p>When you set your employees’ salaries, be sure that their pay is consistent with what other companies in your industry and geographic area are paying. Remember: 26 percent of engaged employees say that they would leave their current job for just a 5 percent increase in pay.</p> <blockquote>Don’t lose great people because you’re underpaying them.</blockquote> <h2>3. Maintain a healthy and nice work environment</h2> <p>Work environment and company’s culture is one of the most important motivating (or demotivating) factors. Nobody likes envy, gossip, and conflicts, but sometimes it’s not really easy to prevent them. In this stage, a team leaders duty is to learn to recognise and eliminate work environment issues, find ways to solve conflicts if they happen, and build trust within their team. What’s also important here is avoiding micromanagement, as it undermines trust and impairs employees’ ability to make their own decisions. No one likes a boss who is constantly looking over her shoulder and second-guessing her every decision. In fact, 38 percent of employees in one survey reported that they would rather take on unpleasant activities than sit next to a micromanaging boss. Provide your people with clear goals, and then let them figure out the best way to achieve them. Remember, creating a nice work environment don’t a big amount of money to spend, it’s all depends on your mentality.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/1fQNyttZq1TQGBMGh6PlG6A.jpeg" width="960" height="454" loading="lazy" /> <h2>4. Provide growth opportunities & Self Development</h2> <p>Professional growth and development of new skills is a solid motivational factor. Make sure that all your employees see an outlook within company and team — and can make use of it. Know what team members expect: qualification improvement, career progression, or new skills — and give them growth opportunities when possible. Team members will be more valuable to organization, and to themselves, when they have opportunities to learn new skills. Provide them training, what they need badly to advance in their careers and to become knowledgeable about the latest technologies and industry news.</p> <h2>5. Listen to your team</h2> <p>Every team member has their own reasons to choose the work they’re doing (besides money, of course): flexible schedule, bonuses, opportunity to travel (or not to travel), etc. Among possible reasons, learning and professional growth are also worth mentioning. Knowing what the employees expect and giving them opportunities is crucial for their motivation to work.</p> <h2>6. Recognise and appreciate</h2> <p>Make sure that good work of team members is noticed and appreciated. Motivate individuals rather than teams in general by recognising their achievements and accomplishments. This will inspire the employees to do more and eventually increase standards within the team. A survey result shows that; 39 percent of employees don’t feel that their input is appreciated. Encourage the members of your team to fully participate by inviting their input and suggestions on how to do things better. Ask questions, listen to their answers, and, whenever possible, implement their solutions.</p> <h2>7. Encourage happiness</h2> <p>Happy employees are enthusiastic and positive members of the team, and their attitude is infectious. Keep an eye on whether or not your people are happy with their work, their employer, and you. If they’re not, you can count on this unhappiness to spread.</p> <h2>8. Communicate with team and avoid useless meetings</h2> <p>There’s no need to mention how lack of communication impairs work process. So communicate with your colleagues, make sure they stay informed about everything related to their work, and provide them with feedback about their work results. Organise efficient communication flows, and adopt special tools that meet your team’s needs. But don’t sit for useless meetings throughout the week. Meetings can be an incredible waste of time — the average professional wastes 3.8 hours in unproductive meetings each and every week. Create an agenda for your meetings and distribute it in advance. Invite only the people who really need to attend, start the meeting on time, and then end it as quickly as you possibly can.</p> <h2>9. Rewarding</h2> <p>Incentives are key point for employees’ engagement. Develop a reward system that will help you detect and incentivise high-performers and proactive employees.</p> <h2>10. Implement flexibility</h2> <p>Flexibility is not only about flexible schedules; however, they are a great way to get maximum value of a team’s working hours. It’s about having less strict rules to follow, treating employees like adults, and not focusing on unimportant small details. Concentrate on what is really important, and protect your team from unnecessary and inefficient bureaucracy.</p> <h2>11. Set clear goals</h2> <p>In one study it is found that, 63 percent of employees reported that they wasted time at work because they weren’t aware of what work was a priority, and what wasn’t. A leader’s responsibility is to work with the members of the team to set clear goals. And once you do that, make sure everyone knows exactly what those goals are, what their relative priority is, and what the team’s role is in reaching them.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/824/1*Ne6X2ho22SjhUbv1nzHSvg.jpeg" width="824" height="348" loading="lazy" /> <p>There are more ways to create an energising work environment where it’s easier for employees to stay motivated and engaged. But remember, do only those things which really work on your team and suitable. Otherwise the whole process will be faded. That’s why implementing motivational procedures and approaches is essential for teams’ productivity and performance development.</p> </section>	Inspire a team well and Achieve more Photo Courtesty: Google Image (Unknown Source) It’s often said that no one can motivate people unless they motivate themselves. Though, self-motivation is important, but it cannot be possible if the external factors are out of control. External motivation depends on team manager and top management of the company. Building an atmosphere that boosts people and energies motivation is essential for an effective teamwork and commitment. So, how will you inspire your team and make a vitalizing work environment? Here are few ways for you. 1. Make sure everybody’s work is meaningful This is not just about areas of duty — it’s also about company’s vision, mission and goals. It’s important that everyone on the team knows the tactical goals and their personal role in the movement towards them. Clear workflow is what is helpful here: it gives an idea of the big picture and how individuals fit into it. Besides, meaningful work is the best type of job security the employer can give to an employee: is the job is important, it is unlikely to be cut. 2. Pay your people what they are worth When you set your employees’ salaries, be sure that their pay is consistent with what other companies in your industry and geographic area are paying. Remember: 26 percent of engaged employees say that they would leave their current job for just a 5 percent increase in pay. Don’t lose great people because you’re underpaying them. 3. Maintain a healthy and nice work environment Work environment and company’s culture is one of the most important motivating (or demotivating) factors. Nobody likes envy, gossip, and conflicts, but sometimes it’s not really easy to prevent them. In this stage, a team leaders duty is to learn to recognise and eliminate work environment issues, find ways to solve conflicts if they happen, and build trust within their team. What’s also important here is avoiding micromanagement, as it undermines trust and impairs employees’ ability to make their own decisions. No one likes a boss who is constantly looking over her shoulder and second-guessing her every decision. In fact, 38 percent of employees in one survey reported that they would rather take on unpleasant activities than sit next to a micromanaging boss. Provide your people with clear goals, and then let them figure out the best way to achieve them. Remember, creating a nice work environment don’t a big amount of money to spend, it’s all depends on your mentality. Image Source: SlideShare 4. Provide growth opportunities & Self Development Professional growth and development of new skills is a solid motivational factor. Make sure that all your employees see an outlook within company and team — and can make use of it. Know what team members expect: qualification improvement, career progression, or new skills — and give them growth opportunities when possible. Team members will be more valuable to organization, and to themselves, when they have opportunities to learn new skills. Provide them training, what they need badly to advance in their careers and to become knowledgeable about the latest technologies and industry news. 5. Listen to your team Every team member has their own reasons to choose the work they’re doing (besides money, of course): flexible schedule, bonuses, opportunity to travel (or not to travel), etc. Among possible reasons, learning and professional growth are also worth mentioning. Knowing what the employees expect and giving them opportunities is crucial for their motivation to work. 6. Recognise and appreciate Make sure that good work of team members is noticed and appreciated. Motivate individuals rather than teams in general by recognising their achievements and accomplishments. This will inspire the employees to do more and eventually increase standards within the team. A survey result shows that; 39 percent of employees don’t feel that their input is appreciated. Encourage the members of your team to fully participate by inviting their input and suggestions on how to do things better. Ask questions, listen to their answers, and, whenever possible, implement their solutions. 7. Encourage happiness Happy employees are enthusiastic and positive members of the team, and their attitude is infectious. Keep an eye on whether or not your people are happy with their work, their employer, and you. If they’re not, you can count on this unhappiness to spread. 8. Communicate with team and avoid useless meetings There’s no need to mention how lack of communication impairs work process. So communicate with your colleagues, make sure they stay informed about everything related to their work, and provide them with feedback about their work results. Organise efficient communication flows, and adopt special tools that meet your team’s needs. But don’t sit for useless meetings throughout the week. Meetings can be an incredible waste of time — the average professional wastes 3.8 hours in unproductive meetings each and every week. Create an agenda for your meetings and distribute it in advance. Invite only the people who really need to attend, start the meeting on time, and then end it as quickly as you possibly can. 9. Rewarding Incentives are key point for employees’ engagement. Develop a reward system that will help you detect and incentivise high-performers and proactive employees. 10. Implement flexibility Flexibility is not only about flexible schedules; however, they are a great way to get maximum value of a team’s working hours. It’s about having less strict rules to follow, treating employees like adults, and not focusing on unimportant small details. Concentrate on what is really important, and protect your team from unnecessary and inefficient bureaucracy. 11. Set clear goals In one study it is found that, 63 percent of employees reported that they wasted time at work because they weren’t aware of what work was a priority, and what wasn’t. A leader’s responsibility is to work with the members of the team to set clear goals. And once you do that, make sure everyone knows exactly what those goals are, what their relative priority is, and what the team’s role is in reaching them. Image Source: Google Image (Unknown Source) There are more ways to create an energising work environment where it’s easier for employees to stay motivated and engaged. But remember, do only those things which really work on your team and suitable. Otherwise the whole process will be faded. That’s why implementing motivational procedures and approaches is essential for teams’ productivity and performance development.	40d6585e-a214-59a5-9053-53fa915e68d9	25/08/2025 18:01:36
https://jackheimbigner.medium.com/may-2020-edition-transformed-faith-aeeb10f6d267	medium.com	May 2020 Edition: Transformed Faith	Hello Friends!	J.R. HEIMBIGNER, AUTHOR	https://medium.com/@jackheimbigner	aeeb10f6d267	https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0*VoZeiIT3teqsCWSB	3 min	2020-05-01T12:47:23.167000	2020-05-01T13:02:53.025000	2021-12-14T09:07:27.617000	0	62	en	Faith,Christianity,Spirituality,Religion,Reading	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/5745/0VoZeiIT3teqsCWSB" width="5745" height="3830" loading="lazy" /> <h3>Hello Friends!</h3> <p>After spending a month in quarantine, many of us are ready to get out of the house and run through fields for wildflowers.</p> <p>Or at least start going to church again and seeing friends.</p> <p>It definitely felt like a strange month. Seemingly as a month it went by in a flash for me, but the day-to-day life sure felt like drudgery.</p> <p>However, many of us are praying for quarantine to end, COVID-19 to be removed from our world, and for seeing the beauty of God’s creation flourish again.</p> <p>To start off this month, I wanted to share with you the stories from last month. We started a new series walking through the Gospel of Matthew, which I am very excited about. And a quick thought on friendships. Here they are:</p> <h3><a href="https://medium.com/transformed-faith/what-we-can-learn-about-friendship-in-the-bible-a77f09f1400f?source=friends_link&sk=9e7976039e7394990854d5c0d9669742">What We Can Learn About Friendship in the Bible</a></h3> <p><em>Friendship is something we could learn to cultivate more in our lives today. With social media and the demands of our everyday lives, it can be difficult to foster strong bonds of friendship.</em></p> <h3><a href="https://medium.com/transformed-faith/the-gospel-of-mathew-the-kingdom-of-heaven-199c7dcc90e6?source=friends_link&sk=a800351a9c43c6c9278b428293eaddc6">The Gospel of Matthew: The Kingdom of Heaven</a></h3> <p><em>Several years ago, I read through the Bible in a year. I would read two or three chapters of the Bible every day, without fail, and it was life-changing. This practice of reading the Bible in a year also led me to discover some really powerful books of the Bible.</em></p> <h3><a href="https://medium.com/transformed-faith/listening-to-our-dreams-23af1d060a71?source=friends_link&sk=ac2065035e294ee2719557c86364b43b">Listening to Our Dreams (Matthew 1)</a></h3> <p><em>This has only happened a few times in my life. I had <a href="https://medium.com/transformed-faith/when-god-changes-everything-ea1d45c8008?source=friends_link&sk=cbf50a23a3c23c039d80730c8881c5da">a dream that changed everything for me</a>. It was a</em> dream which was so penetrating to my soul that I could not ignore it. It was also impactful to me because of how vivid and emotion-filled it felt.</p> <p>Please jump in and take a look at each post, tell me what you think, and drop some claps if you would. I am always looking for input for myself, but I want to hear how the stories impact you!</p> <h1>Transformed Faith Substack</h1> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4608/0WvvGRCAbzUSSaLf4" width="4608" height="3456" loading="lazy" /> <p>I have started a <a href="https://transformedfaith.substack.com/">Substack email list</a> for these posts. Instead of sending a bunch of letters from Medium, I am sharing the posts on Substack to break things up a little bit.</p> <p>This way you can sign up and get posts sent directly to you.</p> <h3>What you can expect from the Subtstack Email</h3> <p>You will receive the Gospel of Matthew posts in full in the email. This way you don’t have to jump back and forth between Medium and your email and these posts can be read as devotions later on or as they come out.</p> <p>Any other stories from Medium will come out as they are published, however, they will be preview emails where you get the first 300 words or so and then you can read more over on Medium.</p> <p>I don’t expect to be writing more than one or two posts a week, so you won’t have to worry about me clogging up your inbox with an email a day from Substack.</p> <h2>A Blessing for Your Month</h2> <p>Lastly, I want to bless your month.</p> <blockquote>I pray a blessing of health for you and your family. That you will experience happiness and growth this month. And I believe God is good and he will bring prosperity and security to you this month. Let this wash over you and provide you with fresh confidence in Jesus.</blockquote> <p>I hope you have a great month and look forward to seeing and hearing from you!</p> <blockquote><a href="#">Jack Heimbigner</a> at Transformed Faith</blockquote> </section>	May 2020 Edition: Transformed Faith Photo by Joel Holland on Unsplash Hello Friends! After spending a month in quarantine, many of us are ready to get out of the house and run through fields for wildflowers. Or at least start going to church again and seeing friends. It definitely felt like a strange month. Seemingly as a month it went by in a flash for me, but the day-to-day life sure felt like drudgery. However, many of us are praying for quarantine to end, COVID-19 to be removed from our world, and for seeing the beauty of God’s creation flourish again. To start off this month, I wanted to share with you the stories from last month. We started a new series walking through the Gospel of Matthew, which I am very excited about. And a quick thought on friendships. Here they are: What We Can Learn About Friendship in the Bible Friendship is something we could learn to cultivate more in our lives today. With social media and the demands of our everyday lives, it can be difficult to foster strong bonds of friendship. The Gospel of Matthew: The Kingdom of Heaven Several years ago, I read through the Bible in a year. I would read two or three chapters of the Bible every day, without fail, and it was life-changing. This practice of reading the Bible in a year also led me to discover some really powerful books of the Bible. Listening to Our Dreams (Matthew 1) This has only happened a few times in my life. I had a dream that changed everything for me. It was a dream which was so penetrating to my soul that I could not ignore it. It was also impactful to me because of how vivid and emotion-filled it felt. Please jump in and take a look at each post, tell me what you think, and drop some claps if you would. I am always looking for input for myself, but I want to hear how the stories impact you! Transformed Faith Substack Photo by Kate Macate on Unsplash I have started a Substack email list for these posts. Instead of sending a bunch of letters from Medium, I am sharing the posts on Substack to break things up a little bit. This way you can sign up and get posts sent directly to you. What you can expect from the Subtstack Email You will receive the Gospel of Matthew posts in full in the email. This way you don’t have to jump back and forth between Medium and your email and these posts can be read as devotions later on or as they come out. Any other stories from Medium will come out as they are published, however, they will be preview emails where you get the first 300 words or so and then you can read more over on Medium. I don’t expect to be writing more than one or two posts a week, so you won’t have to worry about me clogging up your inbox with an email a day from Substack. A Blessing for Your Month Lastly, I want to bless your month. I pray a blessing of health for you and your family. That you will experience happiness and growth this month. And I believe God is good and he will bring prosperity and security to you this month. Let this wash over you and provide you with fresh confidence in Jesus. I hope you have a great month and look forward to seeing and hearing from you! Jack Heimbigner at Transformed Faith	dece9445-0f85-5f9f-bc8d-52c2caf49c19	25/08/2025 18:01:36
https://medium.com/@lewiswilliam326/pool-remodeling-fort-lauderdale-592b876c9b13	medium.com	poolremodelingfortlauderdale	Pool Remodeling Fort Lauderdale	William Lewis	https://medium.com/@lewiswilliam326	592b876c9b13	https://miro.medium.com/…CvBdykb8Z2g.jpeg	0 min	2018-02-24T13:16:30.708000	2018-02-24T13:16:51.185000	2018-02-24T13:17:44.211000	0	0	en	Photography	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/300/1*fbxZ1tDa1eBCvBdykb8Z2g.jpeg" width="300" height="300" loading="lazy" /> <h1><strong>Pool Remodeling Fort Lauderdale</strong></h1> <p>Ross Services offers in complete pool deck remodeling and resurfacing in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and cover all of South Florida as well. We do pool pavers, waterfalls, travertine deck installation to pool resurfacing and complete patio remodeling. Ross Services also offers free inhome estimates and design for any new or existing customers.</p> <p>Ross Services</p> <p>4620 W Commercial Blvd suite 2, Tamarac, FL 33319</p> <p>(954) 227–8944</p> <p><a href="http://rossservicesforu.com/">http://rossservicesforu.com/</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/RossServicesForU/">Facebook</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/RossServicesPoolRemodeling/">Instagram</a></p> </section>	poolremodelingfortlauderdale Pool Remodeling Fort Lauderdale Ross Services offers in complete pool deck remodeling and resurfacing in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and cover all of South Florida as well. We do pool pavers, waterfalls, travertine deck installation to pool resurfacing and complete patio remodeling. Ross Services also offers free inhome estimates and design for any new or existing customers. Ross Services 4620 W Commercial Blvd suite 2, Tamarac, FL 33319 (954) 227–8944 http://rossservicesforu.com/ Facebook Instagram	4f88d197-ba73-5573-8296-ad498853c25a	25/08/2025 18:01:37
https://medium.com/write-a-catalyst/48-pieces-of-advice-after-1-5-years-as-a-solopreneur-43abdbc357bb	medium.com	48 Pieces of Advice After 1.5 Years as a Solopreneur	Luck is divided by sweat only	Uzman Ali	https://medium.com/@uzmanali	43abdbc357bb	https://miro.medium.com/…2BtNayv9UeyQ.png	2 min	2024-03-11T16:31:26.458000	2024-03-11T18:34:28.297000	2025-04-28T10:28:44.466000	5	203	en	Entrepreneurship,Life,Life Lessons,Learning,Mistakes	<section> <h3>Luck is divided by sweat only</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/720/1nMB8XbqHBw2BtNayv9UeyQ.png" width="720" height="608" loading="lazy" /> <p>I was scared.</p> <p>For the first time in my life I was taking steps toward my dreams, heck, in many ways I was living my dream.</p> <p>Nobody ever told me what it was like to live your dream. Mostly it’s the same as every other day but when you reflect on your life, you feel pretty proud.</p> <p>It’s been 1 and a half years since I started learning, implementing, and starting over and over again.</p> <p>I am just some random guy on the internet sharing what I’ve learned on my very specific journey, so it might not translate 100% for you.</p> <p>But I hope this list helps you avoid some of the mistakes I made over the last 1.5 years.</p> <p>Nobody is coming to save you.</p> <p>Respect other people’s time.</p> <p>Learn to teach yourself.</p> <p>You learn 10x more trying than reading.</p> <p>Learn to sell or you’re going to struggle very very much.</p> <p>Thick skin is a prerequisite for entrepreneurs.</p> <p>Support people, don’t tear them down.</p> <p>On your road to business, there are bound to be some enemies.</p> <p>Price your offer at what you’d be comfortable paying.</p> <p>Your network can speed you up or slow you down.</p> <p>Stop reading 50+ business books. Just get started.</p> <p>Stop asking everyone. Start figuring it out yourself.</p> <p>If people root for you to fail, cut them out of your life.</p> <p>Always over-communicate.</p> <p>Assume you can learn something from everyone.</p> <p>Assume everyone you talk to is also full of sht.</p> <p>Your business heroes are regular people like you.</p> <p>If you can make $1, you can make $1,000.</p> <p>If you can make $1,000 you can make $100k.</p> <p>Talk, talk, and talk to your customers.</p> <p>You can’t meditate your way to a good business.</p> <p>Do interesting things & attract mentors.</p> <p>Promote yourself online every day. Make yourself a brand.</p> <p>Write daily for at least 30 minutes.</p> <p>Ignore haters. They are the least interesting people.</p> <p>Help others. If they don’t reciprocate, stop.</p> <p>Go to therapy and be honest.</p> <p>Eat and drink a healthy diet to keep your body going.</p> <p>Start with one revenue stream. Diversify after.</p> <p>Anyone selling ‘instant results’ is a con. Don’t waste $$.</p> <p>Create your system. Systems beat motivation & discipline every time.</p> <p>Focus more on building and less on tools and tech.</p> <p>Experiment often, but never with 2 new variables.</p> <p>Use data to create better content.</p> <p>Never plagiarize people but borrow the idea.</p> <p>Stop trying to be cool. Be successful. Cool will come to you.</p> <p>You’re less clever than you think you are. Be clear.</p> <p>Be on time for important things.</p> <p>Pessimists are often right. Optimists are wealthy.</p> <p>Arguing online is a waste of time and energy.</p> <p>Don’t be arrogant, but have a strong mindset.</p> <p>Try a lot of different things. It’s the only way to find the right thing.</p> <p>Don’t argue with your customers.</p> <p>Everyone has the same 24 hours. It’s how you use it.</p> <p>Don’t study Elon and Bezos if you’re making $0.</p> <p>You can’t control your past.</p> <p>You are 100% responsible for your future.</p> <p>The last one, no one gets out alive. Live your life.</p> <p>I tried to be as straight as possible without being sassy. Take every piece of advice here with a grain of salt.</p> <p>If you enjoyed this.</p> <p>Consider following me <a href="https://medium.com/u/cb65ee296b9e?source=post_page-----2563a6f7cb0d--------------------------------">Ali</a> + <strong><a href="</strong>https://medium.com/m/signin?actionUrl=%2F_%2Fapi%2Fsubscriptions%2Fnewsletters%2Fb9a7d8b9ca86&operation=register&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2F%40uzmanali&newsletterV3=cb65ee296b9e&newsletterV3Id=b9a7d8b9ca86&user=Ali+Uzman&userId=cb65ee296b9e">subscribe</a> for more of these</p> <p>Have a great day and don’t forget to hit claps👌</p> <p>Cheers!</p> </section>	48 Pieces of Advice After 1.5 Years as a Solopreneur Luck is divided by sweat only Photo by Dieter Blom on Unsplash I was scared. For the first time in my life I was taking steps toward my dreams, heck, in many ways I was living my dream. Nobody ever told me what it was like to live your dream. Mostly it’s the same as every other day but when you reflect on your life, you feel pretty proud. It’s been 1 and a half years since I started learning, implementing, and starting over and over again. I am just some random guy on the internet sharing what I’ve learned on my very specific journey, so it might not translate 100% for you. But I hope this list helps you avoid some of the mistakes I made over the last 1.5 years. Nobody is coming to save you. Respect other people’s time. Learn to teach yourself. You learn 10x more trying than reading. Learn to sell or you’re going to struggle very very much. Thick skin is a prerequisite for entrepreneurs. Support people, don’t tear them down. On your road to business, there are bound to be some enemies. Price your offer at what you’d be comfortable paying. Your network can speed you up or slow you down. Stop reading 50+ business books. Just get started. Stop asking everyone. Start figuring it out yourself. If people root for you to fail, cut them out of your life. Always over-communicate. Assume you can learn something from everyone. Assume everyone you talk to is also full of sh*t. Your business heroes are regular people like you. If you can make $1, you can make $1,000. If you can make $1,000 you can make $100k. Talk, talk, and talk to your customers. You can’t meditate your way to a good business. Do interesting things & attract mentors. Promote yourself online every day. Make yourself a brand. Write daily for at least 30 minutes. Ignore haters. They are the least interesting people. Help others. If they don’t reciprocate, stop. Go to therapy and be honest. Eat and drink a healthy diet to keep your body going. Start with one revenue stream. Diversify after. Anyone selling ‘instant results’ is a con. Don’t waste $$. Create your system. Systems beat motivation & discipline every time. Focus more on building and less on tools and tech. Experiment often, but never with 2 new variables. Use data to create better content. Never plagiarize people but borrow the idea. Stop trying to be cool. Be successful. Cool will come to you. You’re less clever than you think you are. Be clear. Be on time for important things. Pessimists are often right. Optimists are wealthy. Arguing online is a waste of time and energy. Don’t be arrogant, but have a strong mindset. Try a lot of different things. It’s the only way to find the right thing. Don’t argue with your customers. Everyone has the same 24 hours. It’s how you use it. Don’t study Elon and Bezos if you’re making $0. You can’t control your past. You are 100% responsible for your future. The last one, no one gets out alive. Live your life. I tried to be as straight as possible without being sassy. Take every piece of advice here with a grain of salt. If you enjoyed this. Consider following me Ali + subscribe for more of these Have a great day and don’t forget to hit claps👌 Cheers!	96b1fe6f-61b7-5ee7-acaf-978118bf42b9	25/08/2025 18:01:37
https://astrologyrealm.medium.com/illuminating-the-trifecta-sun-sign-moon-sign-and-rising-sign-in-astrology-f2f6710edfa8	medium.com	Sun Sign, Moon Sign, and Rising Sign in Astrology	This article may include affiliate links, which means that if you click on one and decide to purchase something, I may receive a small…	Astrology Realm	https://medium.com/@astrologyrealm	f2f6710edfa8	https://miro.medium.com/…g1PLUVrkKHQ.jpeg	3 min	2023-06-30T09:30:35.913000	2023-06-30T09:30:56.430000	2024-05-02T23:57:57.582000	0	1	en	Astrology,Zodiac,Zodiac Signs	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/768/1*DDc0lhoiXRHg1PLUVrkKHQ.jpeg" width="768" height="768" loading="lazy" /> <p>This article may include affiliate links, which means that if you click on one and decide to purchase something, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.</p> <p>(Human directed ai content.)</p> <h1>Sun Sign, Moon Sign, and Rising Sign in Astrology</h1> <h3>In astrology, your Sun Sign represents your core personality traits and the essence of your ego. Your Moon Sign reflects your emotions, instincts, and subconscious responses, indicating your inner self and emotional needs. Your Rising Sign, also known as the Ascendant, governs how others perceive you and influences your outward behavior and appearance.</h3> <p>Astrology, the ancient art of divining information about human affairs and terrestrial events through the positions and movements of celestial bodies, has captivated humanity for centuries. Among its various components, the Sun sign, Moon sign, and Rising sign are fundamental in understanding an individual’s personality traits, behaviors, and life path. While the Sun sign is the most commonly known and recognized, delving into the Moon sign and Rising sign provides a deeper and more nuanced understanding of an individual’s astrological makeup.</p> <h2>The Sun Sign: Core Identity</h2> <p>The Sun sign, often simply referred to as one’s “sign,” is determined by the position of the Sun at the time of a person’s birth. It represents the core essence of an individual’s personality, their ego, and their fundamental traits. The Sun sign influences how a person expresses themselves, their ambitions, and their overall character.</p> <p><em><strong><a href="http://1sthoroscope.com/">Hey, do you want a free astrology reading? I am an affiliate, but I think this reading is very good</em>. I chec</strong>ked it out. http://1stHoroscope.com</a></p> <p>For example, a person born under the sign of Leo is likely to exhibit qualities such as confidence, creativity, and leadership. Similarly, a Virgo might be analytical, practical, and detail-oriented. The Sun sign provides a broad outline of one’s personality but doesn’t encompass the full spectrum of traits and behaviors.</p> <h2>The Moon Sign: Emotional Landscape</h2> <p>In contrast to the Sun sign, the Moon sign reflects one’s emotional nature and inner world. It represents our deepest needs, instincts, and emotional responses. Determined by the position of the Moon at the time of birth, the Moon sign provides insight into how we process and express our feelings, as well as our subconscious motivations.</p> <p>For instance, a person with a Moon in Pisces may be highly empathetic, intuitive, and compassionate, while someone with a Moon in Aries might be more impulsive, passionate, and quick to react emotionally. Understanding our Moon sign can help us navigate our emotional terrain, uncover patterns in our behavior, and foster emotional growth and self-awareness.</p> <p><strong><a href="https://youtube.com/shorts/inwMe8U588I?fe</strong>ature=share">What Zodiac Sign Is December 6? #quiz #zodiacsigns <em>What Zodiac Sign Is December 6? QuizGet your FREE Astrology Readinghttp://1stHoroscope.comPlease remember to like, sub…</em>yo</a>utube.com</p> <h2>The Rising Sign: Outer Persona</h2> <p>Also known as the Ascendant, the Rising sign is the zodiac sign that was rising on the eastern horizon at the moment of one’s birth. It represents the mask we wear in the world, our outward demeanor, and the impression we make on others. While the Sun sign reflects our core identity, the Rising sign influences how others perceive us and the image we project to the world.</p> <p>For example, a person with a Leo Rising may come across as confident, charismatic, and outgoing, even if their Sun sign or Moon sign suggests otherwise. Conversely, a Scorpio Rising individual might appear mysterious, intense, and deeply perceptive to others. The Rising sign shapes our social interactions, career path, and overall outward expression of self.</p> <h2>Integrating the Triad</h2> <p>While each of these signs — Sun, Moon, and Rising — offers valuable insights into different aspects of our personality, they are not isolated entities but interconnected pieces of a larger puzzle. Understanding how these signs interact and complement each other can provide a more holistic view of an individual’s astrological profile.</p> <p>For instance, someone with a Capricorn Sun sign, Cancer Moon sign, and Libra Rising may appear reserved and ambitious (Capricorn Sun), but deeply sensitive and nurturing on an emotional level (Cancer Moon), while presenting themselves as charming and diplomatic in social settings (Libra Rising).</p> <p><em><strong><a href="http://1sthoroscope.com/">Hey, do you want a free astrology reading? I am an affiliate, but I think this reading is very good</em>. I chec</strong>ked it out. http://1stHoroscope.com</a></p> <h2>Conclusion</h2> <p>In astrology, the Sun sign, Moon sign, and Rising sign serve as essential tools for understanding the complexities of human personality and behavior. While the Sun sign reveals our core identity, the Moon sign delves into our emotional landscape, and the Rising sign illuminates our outward persona. By integrating these three elements, we gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and others, empowering us to navigate life’s challenges with greater insight and self-awareness.</p> <p><em><strong>Re</em>ad More…</strong></p> <p><em><strong><a href="https://medium.com/@astrologyrealm/astrological-h</em>ouses-nu</strong>rturing-spiritual-development-and-intuition-1c2182ee7928">Astrological Houses: Nurturing Spiritual Development and Intuition</a></p> <p>LEGAL INFORMATION</p> <p>Any links in this article, may be affiliate links. Using my links is free at no extra cost to you, and helps to support my channel. Information in the articles is not business or investment advice, and these articles are created primarily for entertainment purpose. Thank you for your support!</p> </section>	Sun Sign, Moon Sign, and Rising Sign in Astrology This article may include affiliate links, which means that if you click on one and decide to purchase something, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. (Human directed ai content.) Sun Sign, Moon Sign, and Rising Sign in Astrology In astrology, your Sun Sign represents your core personality traits and the essence of your ego. Your Moon Sign reflects your emotions, instincts, and subconscious responses, indicating your inner self and emotional needs. Your Rising Sign, also known as the Ascendant, governs how others perceive you and influences your outward behavior and appearance. Astrology, the ancient art of divining information about human affairs and terrestrial events through the positions and movements of celestial bodies, has captivated humanity for centuries. Among its various components, the Sun sign, Moon sign, and Rising sign are fundamental in understanding an individual’s personality traits, behaviors, and life path. While the Sun sign is the most commonly known and recognized, delving into the Moon sign and Rising sign provides a deeper and more nuanced understanding of an individual’s astrological makeup. The Sun Sign: Core Identity The Sun sign, often simply referred to as one’s “sign,” is determined by the position of the Sun at the time of a person’s birth. It represents the core essence of an individual’s personality, their ego, and their fundamental traits. The Sun sign influences how a person expresses themselves, their ambitions, and their overall character. Hey, do you want a free astrology reading? I am an affiliate, but I think this reading is very good. I checked it out. http://1stHoroscope.com For example, a person born under the sign of Leo is likely to exhibit qualities such as confidence, creativity, and leadership. Similarly, a Virgo might be analytical, practical, and detail-oriented. The Sun sign provides a broad outline of one’s personality but doesn’t encompass the full spectrum of traits and behaviors. The Moon Sign: Emotional Landscape In contrast to the Sun sign, the Moon sign reflects one’s emotional nature and inner world. It represents our deepest needs, instincts, and emotional responses. Determined by the position of the Moon at the time of birth, the Moon sign provides insight into how we process and express our feelings, as well as our subconscious motivations. For instance, a person with a Moon in Pisces may be highly empathetic, intuitive, and compassionate, while someone with a Moon in Aries might be more impulsive, passionate, and quick to react emotionally. Understanding our Moon sign can help us navigate our emotional terrain, uncover patterns in our behavior, and foster emotional growth and self-awareness. What Zodiac Sign Is December 6? #quiz #zodiacsigns What Zodiac Sign Is December 6? QuizGet your FREE Astrology Readinghttp://1stHoroscope.comPlease remember to like, sub…youtube.com The Rising Sign: Outer Persona Also known as the Ascendant, the Rising sign is the zodiac sign that was rising on the eastern horizon at the moment of one’s birth. It represents the mask we wear in the world, our outward demeanor, and the impression we make on others. While the Sun sign reflects our core identity, the Rising sign influences how others perceive us and the image we project to the world. For example, a person with a Leo Rising may come across as confident, charismatic, and outgoing, even if their Sun sign or Moon sign suggests otherwise. Conversely, a Scorpio Rising individual might appear mysterious, intense, and deeply perceptive to others. The Rising sign shapes our social interactions, career path, and overall outward expression of self. Integrating the Triad While each of these signs — Sun, Moon, and Rising — offers valuable insights into different aspects of our personality, they are not isolated entities but interconnected pieces of a larger puzzle. Understanding how these signs interact and complement each other can provide a more holistic view of an individual’s astrological profile. For instance, someone with a Capricorn Sun sign, Cancer Moon sign, and Libra Rising may appear reserved and ambitious (Capricorn Sun), but deeply sensitive and nurturing on an emotional level (Cancer Moon), while presenting themselves as charming and diplomatic in social settings (Libra Rising). Hey, do you want a free astrology reading? I am an affiliate, but I think this reading is very good. I checked it out. http://1stHoroscope.com Conclusion In astrology, the Sun sign, Moon sign, and Rising sign serve as essential tools for understanding the complexities of human personality and behavior. While the Sun sign reveals our core identity, the Moon sign delves into our emotional landscape, and the Rising sign illuminates our outward persona. By integrating these three elements, we gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and others, empowering us to navigate life’s challenges with greater insight and self-awareness. Read More… Astrological Houses: Nurturing Spiritual Development and Intuition LEGAL INFORMATION Any links in this article, may be affiliate links. Using my links is free at no extra cost to you, and helps to support my channel. Information in the articles is not business or investment advice, and these articles are created primarily for entertainment purpose. Thank you for your support!	de485624-2f88-502e-a0d9-28ec129f446d	25/08/2025 18:01:37
https://medium.com/@hikeexperts/will-my-layering-system-be-sufficient-iceland-camping-read-here-https-t-co-gdrs9ri3hg-9283e888cf04	medium.com	Will my layering system be sufficient [Iceland]? #camping read here: https://t.co/GdRs9rI3hg	null	The Hiking Guy	https://medium.com/@hikeexperts	9283e888cf04	null	1 min	2017-02-27T15:41:43.445000	2017-02-27T15:41:44.383000	2017-02-27T15:41:44.383000	0	0	en	Hiking	<section> <p></p> <p><a href="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js">//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js</a> from Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/thehikeexperts">https://twitter.com/thehikeexperts</a></p> <p>February 27, 2017 at 09:29AM via <a href="http://thehikingguy.com/">thehikingguy.com</a></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/112/0kJN3jBaksJKx0uYO." width="112" height="16" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1/0eZmdUfYlII5Y9kPt." width="1" height="1" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>Originally published on <a href="</em>https://hikeexperts.wordpress.com/2017/02/27/will-my-layering-system-be-sufficient-iceland-camping-read-here-httpst-cogdrs9ri3hg/">Wordpress</a></p> </section>	//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js from Twitter https://twitter.com/thehikeexperts February 27, 2017 at 09:29AM via thehikingguy.com Originally published on Wordpress	51e7e3c1-10c6-54d5-b028-9b8ba59c8850	25/08/2025 18:01:37
https://tolaakinsulire.medium.com/work-place-advice-from-joseph-prince-of-egypt-7984a7c4be79	medium.com	Work-Place Advice from Joseph, Prince Of Egypt	Have you ever been in that situation? There is a problem at work that you seem to see the solution quicker than everyone else. So, all eyes…	Tola Akinsulire	https://medium.com/@tolaakinsulire	7984a7c4be79	https://miro.medium.com/…V7OQW3cbDTA.jpeg	4 min	2017-09-24T22:19:34.699000	2017-10-02T09:26:29.512000	2018-03-22T15:58:07.040000	0	0	en	Christianity,Christian Living,Workplace	<section> <p>Have you ever been in that situation? There is a problem at work that you seem to see the solution quicker than everyone else. So, all eyes are on you as you start to make the explanations and possibly offer your thoughts on the best solution.</p> <p>You get to the point in your narrative that you either give all the good stuff or keep something close to your chest. Conventional advice is that you need to keep some of the good stuff to yourself to maintain your continual relevance to either your boss or your organization.</p> <p>You think to yourself, “if I tell it all, they can get someone else to run the idea and I’ll just be forgotten. Having them wanting more could just be the golden ticket to make sure that I always get invited to the table.”</p> <p>Most of us work with the sense that someone better is just around the corner to make us look redundant. It’s nothing new. This is one of the reasons why we are always planning for the future and looking for new ways to improve our competencies in life.</p> <p>No matter how you put it, <em>there is always someone who could probably do your job better than you</em>. The only problem is when we let this fact keep us from giving the people at work the full value of our competencies.</p> <p>When we take up a job, we have committed ourselves to not hold back anything that would benefit the people we work with — Jesus style. No matter how underappreciated or under-rewarded we feel.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1280/1*JR5e2l8qU68V7OQW3cbDTA.jpeg" width="1280" height="724" loading="lazy" /> <h3>The Joseph Story</h3> <p>Let’s look at the story of Joseph. He gets called by Pharaoh to interpret his dreams. He could have stopped at that — he would have done his job.</p> <p>But he goes beyond that. He gives Pharaoh a strategic plan for economic sustainability during the famine years — “<em>And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine</em>.” <a href="https://biblia.com/bible/niv/Gen%2041.33-36">Gen 41:33–36</a>.</p> <p>Pharaoh could have decided to either execute this himself or appoint someone else amongst his inner circle for the job. So, why did he appoint Joseph?</p> <p>Perhaps, Joseph’s willingness to leave the decision on who the man for the job should be could have convinced Pharaoh that Joseph was not a position-seeking person. <strong>He could be trusted to be a good prime minister — number two to Pharaoh</strong>.</p> <p>What can we learn from Joseph?</p> <h3>1.Be Consistent In Delivering More Value</h3> <p>I bet this was probably not Joseph’s first time of giving people more than they ask for. In Potiphar’s house, he showed uncanny ability to increase the wealth of his master so much that Potiphar gave him control over all his house.</p> <p>He could have focused on the wrong situation he found himself in — sold by his siblings into slavery. <em>From being the top-dog to the doormat — what a change of position!</em> Rather, he put all the competencies he had gained from his father’s house into profiting his new master.</p> <h3>2.Live To Create Trust</h3> <p>Potiphar trusted him, the cupbearer trusted him, now Pharaoh trusts him. To earn their trust, he showed that he put their interests ahead of his own interests.</p> <p>He refused to sleep with Potiphar’s wife despite the easy opportunity to do so, he did not hold the cupbearer to ransom before interpreting his dream and he proposed a solution to Pharaoh that would protect his reign without increasing the burden of leadership on him (<em>let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt…</em>) or holding him hostage to Joseph’s gift of discernment.</p> <h3>3.Trust God For The Result</h3> <p>For all of Joseph’s faithfulness with Potiphar, he got the prison while the cupbearer suffered “<em>good-times amnesia</em>” once he got back to the palace. Despite the fact that there was no apparent reward in these, they all seem to add up in God’s story for Joseph.</p> <p>I bet he did not imagine that interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams would get him the prime minister position. As the saying goes, <em>hindsight is 20/20</em>. Let’s paint the movie tagline — <em>For all the good Joseph did to Potiphar, he was sent to prison where he would serve the cupbearer who forgot him for years but would eventually introduce him to Pharaoh so he could become his number 2 guy after he presented Pharaoh with the ultimate “Marshall Plan” that would save his kingdom.</em></p> <p>Looks like <strong>God had prepared Joseph for the big job.</strong></p> <p>Don’t let the fear of being left out or missing out keep you from offering the best you can bring to your job.</p> <p>Eventually, God works everything out as long as we don’t give up.</p> <p>……………………………………………………………..</p> <h1>Connect Deeper</h1> <p>If you resonated with this article, you would probably like a couple of the free stuff I give out on <a href="https://www.tolawrites.com/">my personal blog</a>. You can access some of them directly below:</p> <p>Learn how to design and live a life that matters: <strong>download free</strong> <a href="https://tolawrites.com/your-life-matters/">Your Life Matters: A Guide To Crafting The Story Of Your Life</a></p> <p>Learn to overcome prayerlessness and build a constant prayer habit:<strong>download free</strong> <a href="https://tolawrites.com/freebook/">Overcome The Guilt — How To Start & Keep A Daily Prayer Habit In 10 Days</a></p> </section>	Work-Place Advice from Joseph, Prince Of Egypt Have you ever been in that situation? There is a problem at work that you seem to see the solution quicker than everyone else. So, all eyes are on you as you start to make the explanations and possibly offer your thoughts on the best solution. You get to the point in your narrative that you either give all the good stuff or keep something close to your chest. Conventional advice is that you need to keep some of the good stuff to yourself to maintain your continual relevance to either your boss or your organization. You think to yourself, “if I tell it all, they can get someone else to run the idea and I’ll just be forgotten. Having them wanting more could just be the golden ticket to make sure that I always get invited to the table.” Most of us work with the sense that someone better is just around the corner to make us look redundant. It’s nothing new. This is one of the reasons why we are always planning for the future and looking for new ways to improve our competencies in life. No matter how you put it, there is always someone who could probably do your job better than you. The only problem is when we let this fact keep us from giving the people at work the full value of our competencies. When we take up a job, we have committed ourselves to not hold back anything that would benefit the people we work with — Jesus style. No matter how underappreciated or under-rewarded we feel. The Joseph Story Let’s look at the story of Joseph. He gets called by Pharaoh to interpret his dreams. He could have stopped at that — he would have done his job. But he goes beyond that. He gives Pharaoh a strategic plan for economic sustainability during the famine years — “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.” Gen 41:33–36. Pharaoh could have decided to either execute this himself or appoint someone else amongst his inner circle for the job. So, why did he appoint Joseph? Perhaps, Joseph’s willingness to leave the decision on who the man for the job should be could have convinced Pharaoh that Joseph was not a position-seeking person. He could be trusted to be a good prime minister — number two to Pharaoh. What can we learn from Joseph? 1.Be Consistent In Delivering More Value I bet this was probably not Joseph’s first time of giving people more than they ask for. In Potiphar’s house, he showed uncanny ability to increase the wealth of his master so much that Potiphar gave him control over all his house. He could have focused on the wrong situation he found himself in — sold by his siblings into slavery. From being the top-dog to the doormat — what a change of position! Rather, he put all the competencies he had gained from his father’s house into profiting his new master. 2.Live To Create Trust Potiphar trusted him, the cupbearer trusted him, now Pharaoh trusts him. To earn their trust, he showed that he put their interests ahead of his own interests. He refused to sleep with Potiphar’s wife despite the easy opportunity to do so, he did not hold the cupbearer to ransom before interpreting his dream and he proposed a solution to Pharaoh that would protect his reign without increasing the burden of leadership on him (let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt…) or holding him hostage to Joseph’s gift of discernment. 3.Trust God For The Result For all of Joseph’s faithfulness with Potiphar, he got the prison while the cupbearer suffered “good-times amnesia” once he got back to the palace. Despite the fact that there was no apparent reward in these, they all seem to add up in God’s story for Joseph. I bet he did not imagine that interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams would get him the prime minister position. As the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20. Let’s paint the movie tagline — For all the good Joseph did to Potiphar, he was sent to prison where he would serve the cupbearer who forgot him for years but would eventually introduce him to Pharaoh so he could become his number 2 guy after he presented Pharaoh with the ultimate “Marshall Plan” that would save his kingdom. Looks like God had prepared Joseph for the big job. Don’t let the fear of being left out or missing out keep you from offering the best you can bring to your job. Eventually, God works everything out as long as we don’t give up. …………………………………………………………….. Connect Deeper If you resonated with this article, you would probably like a couple of the free stuff I give out on my personal blog. You can access some of them directly below: Learn how to design and live a life that matters: download free Your Life Matters: A Guide To Crafting The Story Of Your Life Learn to overcome prayerlessness and build a constant prayer habit:download free Overcome The Guilt — How To Start & Keep A Daily Prayer Habit In 10 Days	f4a9f8b5-829e-500b-8295-14136b4ed917	25/08/2025 18:01:38
https://medium.com/@hikeexperts/grand-circle-tour-utah-winter-road-trip-suggestions-camping-read-here-https-t-co-gdrs9ri3hg-79d066bb5e50	medium.com	Grand Circle Tour (Utah) winter road trip suggestions. #camping read here: https://t.co/GdRs9rI3hg	null	The Hiking Guy	https://medium.com/@hikeexperts	79d066bb5e50	null	1 min	2016-12-09T01:42:15.081000	2016-12-09T01:42:15.783000	2016-12-09T01:42:15.783000	0	0	en	Hiking,Trekking,Twitter	<section> <p></p> <p><a href="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js">//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js</a> from Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/thehikeexperts">https://twitter.com/thehikeexperts</a></p> <p>December 08, 2016 at 07:34PM via <a href="http://thehikingguy.com/">thehikingguy.com</a></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/112/0nZSNNiLEMrfpw4ai." width="112" height="16" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1/0D-85QYpXEWHl99KP." width="1" height="1" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>Originally published on <a href="</em>https://hikeexperts.wordpress.com/2016/12/09/grand-circle-tour-utah-winter-road-trip-suggestions-camping-read-here-httpst-cogdrs9ri3hg/">Wordpress</a></p> </section>	//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js from Twitter https://twitter.com/thehikeexperts December 08, 2016 at 07:34PM via thehikingguy.com Originally published on Wordpress	eed79d06-b426-5767-94d5-baa0a356d79b	25/08/2025 18:01:38
https://mobappdaily.medium.com/mozilla-brings-webxr-the-melting-pot-for-virtual-and-mixed-reality-in-the-browser-b8952d5f22f9	medium.com	Mozilla Brings WebXR- The Melting Pot for Virtual and Mixed Reality in the Browser	The tech world is torn apart in two sides of the present day debate- the utility of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. However, what…	Mobileappdaily	https://medium.com/@mobappdaily	b8952d5f22f9	null	2 min	2017-10-21T11:40:08.343000	2010-01-21T00:00:00	2017-10-21T11:40:56.570000	0	0	en	Virtual Reality,Augmented Reality,AR,VR,Mozilla	<section> <p>The tech world is torn apart in two sides of the present day debate- the utility of <a href="http://www.mobileappdaily.com/category/virtual-reality">Virtual Reality</a> and Augmented Reality. However, what joins both sides in consensus is that the development and deployment of the AR and VR should be easier- especially on the web. Mozilla, in a similar direction, is developing a combined framework for developers to access standardized, well-documented tools for user’s chosen <a href="https://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2017/10/20/bringing-mixed-reality-web/">mixed reality platform</a>.</p> <p><strong>Related : <a href="http://www.mobileappdaily.com/2017/29</strong>/09/sponsored-3d-world-lenses-launched-by-snapchat">Sponsored 3D World Lenses Launched by Snapchat</a></p> <p>The construction of such a platform will allow developers to build things on the web, the deployment of which is not just limited to desktop browsers, but to mobile, VR and AR headsets, and anything else that is capable of doing a little reality mixing. The strategy is simple, if these things are going to be a part of our world, might as well make them easier to deploy.</p> <p>Over the course of last year, Mozilla in collaboration with <a href="http://www.mobileappdaily.com/category/google">Google</a> and others has worked on the WebVR API- which enabled browsers to launch VR experiences without any glitch or weird plugins. <a href="https://github.com/mozilla/webxr-api/blob/master/WebXR%20API.md">WebXR</a> (AR+VR=X) is a platform for expansion of WebVR to include AR/MR capabilities.GitHub is still working towards explaining the concept better, however, what we do know that its a platform that employs a language that can connect concepts like object anchoring despite changes in implementation between ARCore, ARKit, Hololens, and other platforms. Google isn’t a partner, but Mozilla’s efforts have been in constant sync with the former’s existing demos. Mozilla is giving constant feedback on its current projects and ensures that its WebXR javascript library works in <a href="http://www.mobileappdaily.com/tag/android-app">Android apps</a> so the developers have complete freedom to experiment with WebXR on any app of their choice. The company clearly states that WebXR is not meant to be an instant replacement to WebVR, yet believes that with further development of WebVR, it may acquire another terminology as WebXR or even WebMR.</p> <p><strong>Related : <a href="http://www.mobileappdaily.com/2017/22/09/5-ios-arkit-apps</strong>-that-will-show-you-the-power-of-augmented-reality">5 iOS ARKit Apps That Will Show You The Power Of Augmented Reality</a></p> <p>At present, it’s simply an open playground for developers to innovate- the platform supports desktop Firefox and there’s a WebXR Viewer on the <a href="http://www.mobileappdaily.com/tag/ios-app">iOS App</a> Store. To know more about the project, you can check out <a href="https://github.com/mozilla/webxr-api">GitHub</a>.</p> <p>For the Latest <a href="http://www.mobileappdaily.com/category/mobile-app-technology">Mobile App Technology</a> News and <a href="http://www.mobileappdaily.com/app-review">Reviews</a>, follow MobileAppDaily on <a href="https://twitter.com/mobileappdaily">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MobileAppDaily/">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/13278942/">LinkedIn</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mobileapp_daily/">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://flipboard.com/@Mobileappdaily">Flipboard</a>.</p> <p>Was this article helpful?</p> <p>Subscribe to our WhatsApp Alerts</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/23/0*ZfBmpBoWitRvixfi.png" width="23" height="23" loading="lazy" /> <p>Enter your name and press the <strong>WhatsApp</strong> icon</p> <p><em>Originally published at <a href="http://www.mobileappdaily.com/2017</em>/21/10/mozilla-brings-webxr-the-melting-pot-for-virtual-and-mixed-reality-in-the-browser">www.mobileappdaily.com</a> on January 21, 2010.</p> </section>	Mozilla Brings WebXR- The Melting Pot for Virtual and Mixed Reality in the Browser The tech world is torn apart in two sides of the present day debate- the utility of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. However, what joins both sides in consensus is that the development and deployment of the AR and VR should be easier- especially on the web. Mozilla, in a similar direction, is developing a combined framework for developers to access standardized, well-documented tools for user’s chosen mixed reality platform. Related : Sponsored 3D World Lenses Launched by Snapchat The construction of such a platform will allow developers to build things on the web, the deployment of which is not just limited to desktop browsers, but to mobile, VR and AR headsets, and anything else that is capable of doing a little reality mixing. The strategy is simple, if these things are going to be a part of our world, might as well make them easier to deploy. Over the course of last year, Mozilla in collaboration with Google and others has worked on the WebVR API- which enabled browsers to launch VR experiences without any glitch or weird plugins. WebXR (AR+VR=X) is a platform for expansion of WebVR to include AR/MR capabilities.GitHub is still working towards explaining the concept better, however, what we do know that its a platform that employs a language that can connect concepts like object anchoring despite changes in implementation between ARCore, ARKit, Hololens, and other platforms. Google isn’t a partner, but Mozilla’s efforts have been in constant sync with the former’s existing demos. Mozilla is giving constant feedback on its current projects and ensures that its WebXR javascript library works in Android apps so the developers have complete freedom to experiment with WebXR on any app of their choice. The company clearly states that WebXR is not meant to be an instant replacement to WebVR, yet believes that with further development of WebVR, it may acquire another terminology as WebXR or even WebMR. Related : 5 iOS ARKit Apps That Will Show You The Power Of Augmented Reality At present, it’s simply an open playground for developers to innovate- the platform supports desktop Firefox and there’s a WebXR Viewer on the iOS App Store. To know more about the project, you can check out GitHub. For the Latest Mobile App Technology News and Reviews, follow MobileAppDaily on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Flipboard. Was this article helpful? Subscribe to our WhatsApp Alerts Enter your name and press the WhatsApp icon Originally published at www.mobileappdaily.com on January 21, 2010.	f4e48745-0415-5008-a4ad-e077d5ca374b	25/08/2025 18:01:38
https://jonjpolk.medium.com/compelled-toward-community-a874276ee96e	medium.com	Compelled Toward Community	Hebrews 10.24–25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are…	Jon J. Polk	https://medium.com/@jonjpolk	a874276ee96e	https://miro.medium.com/…W4C34iFHQGcQ.png	2 min	2018-02-07T08:26:09.285000	2018-02-07T08:27:10.189000	2018-02-07T08:27:11.081000	0	1	en	Christianity,Community,Church,Service	<section> <h1>Compelled Toward Community</h1> <p><strong>Hebrews 10.24–25 </strong>And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.</p> <p>We have been made participants in a <a href="https://theparkforum.org/843-acres/new-and-improved/">New Covenant</a> of grace with God and we are beneficiaries of <a href="https://theparkforum.org/843-acres/divine-will-and-testament/">Christ’s inheritance</a> of forgiveness. Along with these great gifts of love comes a great responsibility for us as God’s people.</p> <p>God has forged with us and in us a new community of faith. Belonging to this community carries a responsibility to be accountable to each other.</p> <p>Therefore, let us <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+10%3A22&version=NIV">draw near to God</a>. We have a High Priest in Jesus who has provided us with direct access to God. We have entered into a relationship with God through the death of his Son and we can enter God’s presence confidently. Our response should be to take advantage of this privilege through personal study and devotion and through public worship together.</p> <p>Let us <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+10%3A23&version=NIV">hold to the hope we profess</a>. We have the promise from Jesus of assurance in faith and assistance in our time of need. We must lean forward into the future of our life in Christ and resist the temptation to lean back into our old lives of hopelessness.</p> <p>Let us <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+10%3A24&version=NIV">spur one another on</a> toward love and good deeds. We have been given the gift of Christian community for our encouragement and edification. The Christian faith is not merely a personal, individual, internal exercise. It can only be truly lived in community. Even the concept of fellowship is more than simply socializing when we come together at church. True fellowship occurs when we encourage and build up our fellow believers.</p> <p>Let us <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+10%3A25&version=NIV">not give up meeting</a> together. We have been given the gift of Christian community also as a place for service and ministry. In our consumer-driven culture, we often hear church seekers ask the question, “How will this church meet my needs?” Instead, our driving question should be, “How am I gifted to serve and meet the needs of my church?”</p> <p>We are called to pursue a life of <a href="https://theparkforum.org/843-acres/no-spiritual-fast-food/">spiritual maturity</a> and we are reminded that human infants in a physical sense require several things to grow and be healthy: nourishment, exercise and assistance. We receive our spiritual nourishment from God’s Word and exercise from service, but we cannot forget that we require assistance from one another to grow in Christ.</p> <p>Let us not neglect our responsibility to love, care for, and encourage one another in the body of Christ called the Church.</p> <p><em>Originally published at <a href="https://</em>theparkforum.org/843-acres/compelled-toward-community/">theparkforum.org</a>.</p> </section>	Compelled Toward Community Hebrews 10.24–25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching. We have been made participants in a New Covenant of grace with God and we are beneficiaries of Christ’s inheritance of forgiveness. Along with these great gifts of love comes a great responsibility for us as God’s people. God has forged with us and in us a new community of faith. Belonging to this community carries a responsibility to be accountable to each other. Therefore, let us draw near to God. We have a High Priest in Jesus who has provided us with direct access to God. We have entered into a relationship with God through the death of his Son and we can enter God’s presence confidently. Our response should be to take advantage of this privilege through personal study and devotion and through public worship together. Let us hold to the hope we profess. We have the promise from Jesus of assurance in faith and assistance in our time of need. We must lean forward into the future of our life in Christ and resist the temptation to lean back into our old lives of hopelessness. Let us spur one another on toward love and good deeds. We have been given the gift of Christian community for our encouragement and edification. The Christian faith is not merely a personal, individual, internal exercise. It can only be truly lived in community. Even the concept of fellowship is more than simply socializing when we come together at church. True fellowship occurs when we encourage and build up our fellow believers. Let us not give up meeting together. We have been given the gift of Christian community also as a place for service and ministry. In our consumer-driven culture, we often hear church seekers ask the question, “How will this church meet my needs?” Instead, our driving question should be, “How am I gifted to serve and meet the needs of my church?” We are called to pursue a life of spiritual maturity and we are reminded that human infants in a physical sense require several things to grow and be healthy: nourishment, exercise and assistance. We receive our spiritual nourishment from God’s Word and exercise from service, but we cannot forget that we require assistance from one another to grow in Christ. Let us not neglect our responsibility to love, care for, and encourage one another in the body of Christ called the Church. Originally published at theparkforum.org.	bbe709d4-632a-5543-acb5-0d80186a2aae	25/08/2025 18:01:38
https://medium.com/catholicism-for-the-modern-world/the-unknown-english-catholic-bastion-f85b4712d27a	medium.com	The Unknown English Catholic Bastion	Within many Anglo speaking countries ,when we think of a good love story to the road to communion with Rome, we often cite Saint…	Rt Hon Limbu	https://medium.com/@niwalimbu9798	f85b4712d27a	https://miro.medium.com/…txZ1c7H15Ag.jpeg	8 min	2022-06-07T22:34:16.455000	2022-06-09T00:55:08.716000	2022-06-12T22:03:06.527000	1	103	en	Anglican,Apologetics,Catholic,Catholicism,Christianity	<section> <h3>Saint Cardinal Newman often overshadows what the future was to come. One such individual to have been overshadowed is Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1200/1f5FYRyqSRUwtxZ1c7H15Ag.jpeg" width="1200" height="1917" loading="lazy" /> <h1>Introduction</h1> <p>Within many Anglo-speaking countries, when we think of a good love story to the road to communion with Rome, we often cite Saint Cardinal Newman as the only symbol of Anglican/Protestant clerics in the English-speaking world to have given such testimony of Sanctification to the true faith. Saint Cardinal Newman argued “to be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant”, and further summarized the Anglican position as “untenable". The jump to Rome in an Anti-Catholic Victorian England in the 1840s was a decision which definitely supports claims of Saint Cardinal Newman to be rightfully considered “The Darling of Protestant Conversions to Rome”, such like the nickname given to Michael Portillo MP as the “Darling of the Right”.</p> <p>However, what Saint Cardinal Newman often overshadows is what the future was to come. One such individual to have been overshadowed is Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson.</p> <p>Completely alien to outside Catholic circles and sadly neglected even among many Catholics alike. His conversion, although a Century ago, Benson has become the dark horse of the Catholic revival within the Anglosphere.</p> <h2>Humble Beginnings</h2> <p>Born on 18 November 1871, Benson was the youngest son of E. W. Benson, Archbishop of Canterbury, who was head of the Anglican Church of England, the upholder and the spine of the Protestant establishment in England. Like Father and Son, as he continued his studies and started writing he became an Anglican priest. However, he became more and more uneasy along with his doctrinal views. On 11 September 1903, he was received into the Catholic Church. Benson was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1904, this Unorthodox rupture caused a sensation. Not since Saint Cardinal Newman’s conversion, almost 60 years earlier, had the reception of a convert into the Church caused such a commotion. Frighten shudders of shock shook the Anglican Old Guard Elites, whereas many Catholics rejoiced at the news of such a high-profile concession with unrestrained triumphalism.</p> <p>There is little doubt that the new convert belonged to a noteworthy set of family members. Apart from his father’s rise to ecclesiastical prominence as head of the Church of England, both of Benson’s brothers became leading members of the Edwardian literati. A.C. Benson, his eldest brother, was master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, and built a reputation as a fine biographer, diarist, and literary critic. The other brother, E.F. Benson, wrote prolifically and is best known to posterity for his satirical Mapp and Lucia novels which have been successfully adapted for television.</p> <p>Yet Robert Benson was not to be outshone by his older siblings. Before his untimely death in 1914 at the age of 43, he would write 15 highly successful novels.</p> <h2>Novelist</h2> <p>The first of Benson’s novels, and just the one written while he was still an Anglican, was published in 1903 and written when he was within the midst of the convulsive throes of spiritual conversion. The book is awash with a veritable confusion of emotive mysticism — a confession of religious fidelity amidst the confusion of doubt. Once he had gained the clarity of Catholic perception, Benson looked upon his first novel with a degree of skepticism.</p> <p>The world depicted in<em> Lord of the World</em> is one where creeping secularism and Godless humanism have triumphed over religion and traditional morality. It’s a world where philosophical relativism has triumphed over objectivity; a world where, in the name of tolerance, religious doctrine is not tolerated. It is a world where euthanasia is practiced widely and religion hardly practiced at all. The lord of this nightmare world is a benign-looking politician intent on power in the name of “peace,” and intent on the destruction of religion in the name of “truth.” In such a world, only a small and shrinking Church stands resolutely against the demonic “Lord of the World.” In 1912, he commented that its subsequent popularity appeared to be determined by the religious denomination of those who read it. It was “rather significant” that it was popular among Anglicans whereas Catholics appreciated it to “a very much lesser degree”: “most Catholics, and myself among them, think that Richard Raynal, <em>Solitary</em> is very much better written and very much more religious.”</p> <p>A book contrary to his first was <em>The Dawn of All</em> (1911). Benson imagined an opposite future to <em>Lord of the World</em> in which the Catholic Church has emerged victorious in England (sort of a Cardinal Newman second spring!) and worldwide after Germany and Austria won the “Emperor War” of 1914. This book was to convey the principle to readers that of <em>The Dawn of All</em> shouldn’t be the ideal frame world — Benson presents Dawn of All as the dream of a real world.</p> <p>However, some would say the peak of Benson’s writings was in<em> Come Rack! Come Rope!, </em>possibly the most enticing of Benson’s historical novels. The Entire period of the Reformation is delivered to blood-lusting life. With a meticulous approach to period detail, <em>Come Rack! Come Rope!</em> leaps from the page with historical realism. The reader is transported to the time of persecution in England when priests were put to a slow and tortuous death. The fear and tension of the story grips the reader as tightly because it grips the leading characters who courageously witness to their faith in a hostile and deadly environment. Few novels have so successfully brought the past so potently to life.</p> <h2>Apologetics</h2> <p>Aside from his excellent novellas with many dashes of gripping pills of truth, like with Cardinal Newman they were both out-going apologists for the Roman Catholic faith. While another blog could be dedicated to Saint Cardinal Newman's and Monsignor Benson Apologetics, I have compromised the best takes from The Monsignor from accumulative lectures, books, studies etc.</p> <h3><em>The State of Religion in England- Article by Monsignor Benson</em></h3> <p>“While the Catholic Church has always lived on the lines that our Lord laid down, and has explicitly recognized them to consist, as regards her continuous life, of two principles namely the immutability of her doctrine and the development of its expression — other bodies [Anglican/Protestants] that have seceded from her have no such safeguard against the inroads of criticism and historical discovery..”</p> <h3>The Conversion of England- Article for The Ecclesiastical Review</h3> <p>“It is the utmost endeavour of these men to hinder their followers from dis- covering the truth, and to keep back souls from the Catholic Church by offering them a substitute for Catholicism that sufficiently resembles the real thing to deceive the simple, or those willing to be deceived. With unparalleled effrontery they adopt, and adapt to their purposes, all that is good, beautiful and desirable in the Catholic Church : her doctrines, her devotions, the writings of her saints and mystics, the very sermons of her greatest preachers of all times and countries.</p> <h3>(Continue) The Conversion of England- Article for The Ecclesiastical Review</h3> <p>“Imitation is the sincerest flattery (we have heard that before). No doubt, but it is not always a pleasing form of flattery. The descendant of a hundred earls would certainly not be pleased if some worthy but grandfatherless nouveau riche adopted his coat-of-arms, excusing himself for doing so on the plea that he had obtained possession of a portion of the family estates. It is, I believe, illegal to imitate and wear the uniform of soldiers and sailors ; and something disagreeable would probably occur were undecorated individuals He says that imitation is the sincerest flattery (we have heard that before). Why then should not Catholics object to have their vestments, and the distinctive dress of their priests (the Roman collar for instance), appropriated and worn by those who have no right to do so ?”</p> <p>“The tragic warning is that unless Rome climbs down and recognizes Anglican claims, England will one day awake Catholic, but emphatically nor Roman Catholic”</p> <h3>Non-Catholic Denominations , Book by Monsignor Benson</h3> <p>This position, therefore, still hotly claimed by High Churchmen, has a real historical basis, and is not nearly so intolerable, even to Catholic eyes, as what has be come the situation in practical politics</p> <p>Moderate High Churchism is largely degenerate from its parent. It retains indeed the quietness, the hesitation, and the refinement; but it has lost to a large extent the fine rigidity, the asceticism, the stern ; orthodoxy as well as the profound learning of the Oxford divines. Its loss of orthodoxy ; is shown to a great extent in its attitude towards the State.</p> <h3>Paradoxes of Catholicism , Book by Monsignor Benson</h3> <p>The words of Christ, This is My Body. Now the words as they stand may certainly be supposed to mean what you say they mean; yet, interpreted by Reason, they cannot possibly mean any- thing of the kind. Did not Christ Himself sit in bodily form at the table as He spoke them? How then could He hold Himself in His hand? Did He not speak in metaphors and images continually? Did He not call Himself a Door and a Vine? Using Reason, then, to interpret these words, it is evident that He meant no more than that He was instituting a memorial feast, in which the bread should symbolize His Body and the wine His Blood. So too with many other distinctively Catholic doctrines — with the Petrine claims, with the authority ‘to bind and loose/ and the rest. Catholic belief on these points exhibits not faith properly so- called — that is, Faith tested by Reason — but mere credulity. God gave us all Reason! Then in His Name let us use it!</p> <p>The book in particular, <em>Paradoxes of Catholicism</em> can illustrate why Benson was so popular as a preacher, attracting large audiences, laity and non-Catholic alike, wherever he spoke. Particularly remarkable is Benson’s masterly <em>Confessions of a Convert</em> which stands beside John Henry Newman’s <em>Apologia Pro Vita</em> as a timeless classic in the literature of conversion to the True Faith.</p> <h2><strong>Later life and Early Sadness</strong></h2> <p>As we know, he grew into an international figure in Catholic Anglo circles and even had a reputation for some form of holiness. Thus in 1911, Pope Saint Pius X recognized Benson, naming him a personal chamberlain, bearing the title “Monsignor.”</p> <p>At the beginning of WW1, he offered his services to the War Office as an Army chaplain. The surprising thing was that there was nothing more sickening to him, or terrifying, than having to face the horrors of the battlefield for Monsignor Benson. “ I had a beastly day,” Benson wrote.</p> <p>“I volunteered, heard nothing, then suddenly had a wire asking me where I was, and where a letter would find me ; and I was convinced it was from the War Office. Well, it was ; but it wasn’t about that. But for twenty- four hours I was terrified, made my last testament, wrote letters. But I didn’t really mind, because I willed to go.”</p> <p>However, his life was struck early as Benson died of pneumonia in 1914 in Salford, where he had been preaching a mission. He was 42. He was buried in the orchard of the Hare Street house, his former home in the Hertfordshire village of Hare Street. A chapel, dedicated to St Hugh, was built over the site, in living memory of him.</p> <p>Sadly no other visible public legacy was ever presented to preserve the image of Monsignor Robert Benson.</p> <h2>Epilogue</h2> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/291/1Y0uTQGmzNasPfD7ef16mqQ.png" width="291" height="359" loading="lazy" /> <p>In <em>Spiritual Aeneid</em>, Robert Knox, another converted cleric, confessed that Benson’s works and deeds were key to his own road to Rome: “I always looked on him as the guide who had led me to Catholic truth — I did not know then that he used to pray for my conversion.”</p> <p>In light of the spread of Modernism and progressive heresy, which our recent popes and secular leaders have been struggling to counter, the world needs the tough and crystal clean thought and moral conviction of Robert Hugh Benson in our time. His novels and apologetics can flourish today, as when they were scribed, to encourage Catholics to live their faith in an increasingly anti-Western and anti-Catholic agenda, or better yet to show the universal richness and beauty of Catholicism to other misguided Christians who have yet to discover it.</p> </section>	The Unknown English Catholic Bastion Saint Cardinal Newman often overshadows what the future was to come. One such individual to have been overshadowed is Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson Robert Hugh Benson (1871–1914) Introduction Within many Anglo-speaking countries, when we think of a good love story to the road to communion with Rome, we often cite Saint Cardinal Newman as the only symbol of Anglican/Protestant clerics in the English-speaking world to have given such testimony of Sanctification to the true faith. Saint Cardinal Newman argued “to be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant”, and further summarized the Anglican position as “untenable". The jump to Rome in an Anti-Catholic Victorian England in the 1840s was a decision which definitely supports claims of Saint Cardinal Newman to be rightfully considered “The Darling of Protestant Conversions to Rome”, such like the nickname given to Michael Portillo MP as the “Darling of the Right”. However, what Saint Cardinal Newman often overshadows is what the future was to come. One such individual to have been overshadowed is Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson. Completely alien to outside Catholic circles and sadly neglected even among many Catholics alike. His conversion, although a Century ago, Benson has become the dark horse of the Catholic revival within the Anglosphere. Humble Beginnings Born on 18 November 1871, Benson was the youngest son of E. W. Benson, Archbishop of Canterbury, who was head of the Anglican Church of England, the upholder and the spine of the Protestant establishment in England. Like Father and Son, as he continued his studies and started writing he became an Anglican priest. However, he became more and more uneasy along with his doctrinal views. On 11 September 1903, he was received into the Catholic Church. Benson was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1904, this Unorthodox rupture caused a sensation. Not since Saint Cardinal Newman’s conversion, almost 60 years earlier, had the reception of a convert into the Church caused such a commotion. Frighten shudders of shock shook the Anglican Old Guard Elites, whereas many Catholics rejoiced at the news of such a high-profile concession with unrestrained triumphalism. There is little doubt that the new convert belonged to a noteworthy set of family members. Apart from his father’s rise to ecclesiastical prominence as head of the Church of England, both of Benson’s brothers became leading members of the Edwardian literati. A.C. Benson, his eldest brother, was master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, and built a reputation as a fine biographer, diarist, and literary critic. The other brother, E.F. Benson, wrote prolifically and is best known to posterity for his satirical Mapp and Lucia novels which have been successfully adapted for television. Yet Robert Benson was not to be outshone by his older siblings. Before his untimely death in 1914 at the age of 43, he would write 15 highly successful novels. Novelist The first of Benson’s novels, and just the one written while he was still an Anglican, was published in 1903 and written when he was within the midst of the convulsive throes of spiritual conversion. The book is awash with a veritable confusion of emotive mysticism — a confession of religious fidelity amidst the confusion of doubt. Once he had gained the clarity of Catholic perception, Benson looked upon his first novel with a degree of skepticism. The world depicted in Lord of the World is one where creeping secularism and Godless humanism have triumphed over religion and traditional morality. It’s a world where philosophical relativism has triumphed over objectivity; a world where, in the name of tolerance, religious doctrine is not tolerated. It is a world where euthanasia is practiced widely and religion hardly practiced at all. The lord of this nightmare world is a benign-looking politician intent on power in the name of “peace,” and intent on the destruction of religion in the name of “truth.” In such a world, only a small and shrinking Church stands resolutely against the demonic “Lord of the World.” In 1912, he commented that its subsequent popularity appeared to be determined by the religious denomination of those who read it. It was “rather significant” that it was popular among Anglicans whereas Catholics appreciated it to “a very much lesser degree”: “most Catholics, and myself among them, think that Richard Raynal, Solitary is very much better written and very much more religious.” A book contrary to his first was The Dawn of All (1911). Benson imagined an opposite future to Lord of the World in which the Catholic Church has emerged victorious in England (sort of a Cardinal Newman second spring!) and worldwide after Germany and Austria won the “Emperor War” of 1914. This book was to convey the principle to readers that of The Dawn of All shouldn’t be the ideal frame world — Benson presents Dawn of All as the dream of a real world. However, some would say the peak of Benson’s writings was in Come Rack! Come Rope!, possibly the most enticing of Benson’s historical novels. The Entire period of the Reformation is delivered to blood-lusting life. With a meticulous approach to period detail, Come Rack! Come Rope! leaps from the page with historical realism. The reader is transported to the time of persecution in England when priests were put to a slow and tortuous death. The fear and tension of the story grips the reader as tightly because it grips the leading characters who courageously witness to their faith in a hostile and deadly environment. Few novels have so successfully brought the past so potently to life. Apologetics Aside from his excellent novellas with many dashes of gripping pills of truth, like with Cardinal Newman they were both out-going apologists for the Roman Catholic faith. While another blog could be dedicated to Saint Cardinal Newman's and Monsignor Benson Apologetics, I have compromised the best takes from The Monsignor from accumulative lectures, books, studies etc. The State of Religion in England- Article by Monsignor Benson “While the Catholic Church has always lived on the lines that our Lord laid down, and has explicitly recognized them to consist, as regards her continuous life, of two principles namely the immutability of her doctrine and the development of its expression — other bodies [Anglican/Protestants] that have seceded from her have no such safeguard against the inroads of criticism and historical discovery..” The Conversion of England- Article for The Ecclesiastical Review “It is the utmost endeavour of these men to hinder their followers from dis- covering the truth, and to keep back souls from the Catholic Church by offering them a substitute for Catholicism that sufficiently resembles the real thing to deceive the simple, or those willing to be deceived. With unparalleled effrontery they adopt, and adapt to their purposes, all that is good, beautiful and desirable in the Catholic Church : her doctrines, her devotions, the writings of her saints and mystics, the very sermons of her greatest preachers of all times and countries. (Continue) The Conversion of England- Article for The Ecclesiastical Review “Imitation is the sincerest flattery (we have heard that before). No doubt, but it is not always a pleasing form of flattery. The descendant of a hundred earls would certainly not be pleased if some worthy but grandfatherless nouveau riche adopted his coat-of-arms, excusing himself for doing so on the plea that he had obtained possession of a portion of the family estates. It is, I believe, illegal to imitate and wear the uniform of soldiers and sailors ; and something disagreeable would probably occur were undecorated individuals He says that imitation is the sincerest flattery (we have heard that before). Why then should not Catholics object to have their vestments, and the distinctive dress of their priests (the Roman collar for instance), appropriated and worn by those who have no right to do so ?” “The tragic warning is that unless Rome climbs down and recognizes Anglican claims, England will one day awake Catholic, but emphatically nor Roman Catholic” Non-Catholic Denominations , Book by Monsignor Benson This position, therefore, still hotly claimed by High Churchmen, has a real historical basis, and is not nearly so intolerable, even to Catholic eyes, as what has be come the situation in practical politics Moderate High Churchism is largely degenerate from its parent. It retains indeed the quietness, the hesitation, and the refinement; but it has lost to a large extent the fine rigidity, the asceticism, the stern ; orthodoxy as well as the profound learning of the Oxford divines. Its loss of orthodoxy ; is shown to a great extent in its attitude towards the State. Paradoxes of Catholicism , Book by Monsignor Benson The words of Christ, This is My Body. Now the words as they stand may certainly be supposed to mean what you say they mean; yet, interpreted by Reason, they cannot possibly mean any- thing of the kind. Did not Christ Himself sit in bodily form at the table as He spoke them? How then could He hold Himself in His hand? Did He not speak in metaphors and images continually? Did He not call Himself a Door and a Vine? Using Reason, then, to interpret these words, it is evident that He meant no more than that He was instituting a memorial feast, in which the bread should symbolize His Body and the wine His Blood. So too with many other distinctively Catholic doctrines — with the Petrine claims, with the authority ‘to bind and loose/ and the rest. Catholic belief on these points exhibits not faith properly so- called — that is, Faith tested by Reason — but mere credulity. God gave us all Reason! Then in His Name let us use it! The book in particular, Paradoxes of Catholicism can illustrate why Benson was so popular as a preacher, attracting large audiences, laity and non-Catholic alike, wherever he spoke. Particularly remarkable is Benson’s masterly Confessions of a Convert which stands beside John Henry Newman’s Apologia Pro Vita as a timeless classic in the literature of conversion to the True Faith. Later life and Early Sadness As we know, he grew into an international figure in Catholic Anglo circles and even had a reputation for some form of holiness. Thus in 1911, Pope Saint Pius X recognized Benson, naming him a personal chamberlain, bearing the title “Monsignor.” At the beginning of WW1, he offered his services to the War Office as an Army chaplain. The surprising thing was that there was nothing more sickening to him, or terrifying, than having to face the horrors of the battlefield for Monsignor Benson. “ I had a beastly day,” Benson wrote. “I volunteered, heard nothing, then suddenly had a wire asking me where I was, and where a letter would find me ; and I was convinced it was from the War Office. Well, it was ; but it wasn’t about that. But for twenty- four hours I was terrified, made my last testament, wrote letters. But I didn’t really mind, because I willed to go.” However, his life was struck early as Benson died of pneumonia in 1914 in Salford, where he had been preaching a mission. He was 42. He was buried in the orchard of the Hare Street house, his former home in the Hertfordshire village of Hare Street. A chapel, dedicated to St Hugh, was built over the site, in living memory of him. Sadly no other visible public legacy was ever presented to preserve the image of Monsignor Robert Benson. Epilogue Special Commissioned Portrait of Monsignor Benson In Spiritual Aeneid, Robert Knox, another converted cleric, confessed that Benson’s works and deeds were key to his own road to Rome: “I always looked on him as the guide who had led me to Catholic truth — I did not know then that he used to pray for my conversion.” In light of the spread of Modernism and progressive heresy, which our recent popes and secular leaders have been struggling to counter, the world needs the tough and crystal clean thought and moral conviction of Robert Hugh Benson in our time. His novels and apologetics can flourish today, as when they were scribed, to encourage Catholics to live their faith in an increasingly anti-Western and anti-Catholic agenda, or better yet to show the universal richness and beauty of Catholicism to other misguided Christians who have yet to discover it.	86326913-dd73-5e70-82a5-c689ced8b953	25/08/2025 18:01:39
https://medium.com/@hishamalshaebi/night-sky-b0a971422213	medium.com	Night Sky	Leaving my friend’s house at 1:30am, it is a beautiful night. I look up to the sky as I walk toward my car, a huge black blanket full of…	Hisham Alshaebi	https://medium.com/@hishamalshaebi	b0a971422213	null	1 min	2016-11-23T01:01:46.562000	2016-11-23T01:02:23.559000	2016-11-23T01:02:54.843000	0	0	en	Astronomy,Science,Self-awareness	<section> <p>Leaving my friend’s house at 1:30am, it is a beautiful night. I look up to the sky as I walk toward my car, a huge black blanket full of stars. The idea that those stars we are seeing at night died long time ago blows my mind!! These lighting dots are just a historical images for something that existed thousands of years ago. This earth didn’t look the same at the time the light left its source. Our entire history happened from that point till that light reached my eyes. I wonder.. what was life like back then? What about the history of the star next to it? How long did it take for its image to be seen?</p> <p>What a humbling thought! Our entire existence on this planet is so insignificant compared to the universe time scale.</p> <p>Wait a minute…. I’m pretty sure I parked my car right here?! Looking left and right… I can’t find it… What the hell?? Let me try and press the panic button… Nothing!</p> <p>….. Yup my car got towed… All these existential thoughts are irrelevant now.. I just want to get my car and go home….</p> </section>	Night Sky Leaving my friend’s house at 1:30am, it is a beautiful night. I look up to the sky as I walk toward my car, a huge black blanket full of stars. The idea that those stars we are seeing at night died long time ago blows my mind!! These lighting dots are just a historical images for something that existed thousands of years ago. This earth didn’t look the same at the time the light left its source. Our entire history happened from that point till that light reached my eyes. I wonder.. what was life like back then? What about the history of the star next to it? How long did it take for its image to be seen? What a humbling thought! Our entire existence on this planet is so insignificant compared to the universe time scale. Wait a minute…. I’m pretty sure I parked my car right here?! Looking left and right… I can’t find it… What the hell?? Let me try and press the panic button… Nothing! ….. Yup my car got towed… All these existential thoughts are irrelevant now.. I just want to get my car and go home….	6ee8b4d5-7aee-5f29-a01f-ff0ebd577b56	25/08/2025 18:01:39
https://medium.com/@FoodRecipe/boorelu-deep-fried-sweet-dumplings-recipe-e31d0a0fea18	medium.com	Boorelu (Deep Fried Sweet Dumplings) recipe	Learn how to get ready Boorelu (Deep Fried Sweet Dumplings) recipe using our easy to make homemade Boorelu recipes.	Food Recipes	https://medium.com/@FoodRecipe	e31d0a0fea18	https://miro.medium.com/…XtEQ1ONMxjA.jpeg	0 min	2017-06-27T09:29:25.154000	2017-06-27T09:31:15.799000	2017-06-27T09:34:29.558000	0	1	en	Boorelu,Breakfast Recipes,Snacks,Sweet,Food	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/800/1*wdqhZeycrzUXtEQ1ONMxjA.jpeg" width="800" height="400" loading="lazy" /> <p>Learn how to get ready <a href="http://masterchefu.com/boorelu-deep-fried-sweet-recipe/ (http://masterchefu.com/boorelu-deep-fried-sweet-recipe/)">Boorelu (Deep Fried Sweet Dumplings) recipe</a> using our easy to make homemade Boorelu recipes.</p> </section>	Boorelu (Deep Fried Sweet Dumplings) recipe Learn how to get ready Boorelu (Deep Fried Sweet Dumplings) recipe using our easy to make homemade Boorelu recipes.	3c3e834f-5331-5163-8acf-54ac014283e9	25/08/2025 18:01:39
https://medium.com/@shewasantimatter/beneath-the-quietness-of-the-night-0d6a5c1b1ef4	medium.com	beneath the quietness of the night	There’s more to the night than silence.	apricity	https://medium.com/@shewasantimatter	0d6a5c1b1ef4	https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0*dC9UKmNSarBEynG_	3 min	2025-04-10T12:58:07.213000	2025-04-10T13:01:45.385000	2025-06-16T01:27:41.452000	0	0	en	Life,This Happened To Me,Vulnerability,Peace,Hope	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/5968/0*dC9UKmNSarBEynG_" width="5968" height="3630" loading="lazy" /> <p>Tonight, I found myself sitting on a wooden chair on our balcony. I am resting my arms on the table, while holding a black gel pen and flipping the pages of my notebook using my other hand. The karaoke music played a few meters away, and the humming of cicadas created a serenely peaceful mood.</p> <p>Sitting in the stillness of the night, I wondered, is the night really quiet, as others describe it? The thought led me to write:</p> <p>The night isn’t quiet — not empty.</p> <p>It’s when the loudest screams and outcries are made, yet unheard, hidden behind closed doors and curtains, as if acknowledging the burdens were somehow wrong.</p> <p>It’s the time when tears flow, sometimes uncontrollably, because the day has ended, and you question whether to feel happy or sad — or wish the day had never happened.</p> <p>It’s also a time of rest — a supposedly well-deserved rest, because didn’t we do our best today, striving to stand despite the urge to fall? Yet, amidst this perceived quietness, nightmares seep in. There we find ourselves running in a physical loop — in an unchanging journey, in a similar story — until we are exhausted, wishing our breathing would just stop, because what’s the point of living and trying your best when you’re not going anywhere?</p> <p>This is perhaps one of life’s scariest aspects — our ghosts chase us, even in our dreams. But were they ghosts or our own horrors? Perhaps it was the chain we’ve been trying to break, yet no matter what we do, our feet remain held tight. We couldn’t move.</p> <p>The night was, once again, not quiet — not after the morning brought news of a man killed during the night. It’s frightening how, within its peaceful atmosphere, traumatizing events occur — how a life can be taken away without our knowledge, leaving us regretful and helpless.</p> <p>The night was even louder today because she could hear herself screaming for help, hoping someone would save her from the man she trusted. She could hear herself pleading for mercy, for her to be spared from her misery, and yet no one came. No matter how intensely and intently she prayed for the pain to stop, no matter how heavily the tears fell, no one heard her, not even those she thought would rescue her. In the morning, she was found dead. Breathing, but dead, because what difference does staying alive make when you’ve been stripped of the will to live?</p> <p>Tonight, the night longs for the darkness to end, but no matter how hard it prays, it will never see the day. It will never witness the bright morning smiles, nor the strength and courage vowed by the moon to help us face sunrises and sunsets. It will never see the effect of how it held us tight when everything seems to break.</p> <p>If anyone has witnessed us in our darkest hours, it was the moon and the setting sun, illuminating our shadowed bodies, allowing us to scream and be angry without judgment, to release all our feelings and feel validated, because the night is ours alone.</p> <p>On days when everything goes and feels wrong, it’s during the night that we quiet our souls, and in the stillness, our minds become clearer and sharper, allowing us to make up our minds. We also shed the weight of the passing day like a worn-out cloth, and in that space, we simply be — not somebody, and definitely not nobody — just you, just us.</p> <p>You, behind the curtains. Behind the closed doors. Behind the façade. Behind the toughness, calmness, or sweetness. Behind the straightened shoulders. Behind the eyes that we try so hard to keep alive.</p> <p>It is the time when everything melts, and all our walls break — whether we’re alone, or with those we trust most. Don’t you love how it soothes our weary bones?</p> <p>How beautiful it is to experience more nights, and to live within them without the fear of what is to come, because even with this beauty, its horrors remain the scariest.</p> <p>As I sit here on our balcony, the night wraps around me like a familiar blanket. Both comforting and haunting. Because it holds all our secrets — most especially those not visible in the eye. The wavering whispers of fears, the echoes of our outcries in its silence, and even the cheers on our surge of hope and need to change and do better. The night, with the stars, moon, wind and the crickets and cicadas, bear witness in our efforts to move forward, and illuminate our dark alleys so we could find our way back home. They are like an encouraging hug from a friend who have seen us in all our versions and different phases. A reminder that we are not alone in our struggles.</p> <p>So I hope, even in this darkness, we embrace the night and so as ourselves, with all its complexities.</p> </section>	Beneath the Quietness of the Night Photo by Hamza Baig on Unsplash Tonight, I found myself sitting on a wooden chair on our balcony. I am resting my arms on the table, while holding a black gel pen and flipping the pages of my notebook using my other hand. The karaoke music played a few meters away, and the humming of cicadas created a serenely peaceful mood. Sitting in the stillness of the night, I wondered, is the night really quiet, as others describe it? The thought led me to write: The night isn’t quiet — not empty. It’s when the loudest screams and outcries are made, yet unheard, hidden behind closed doors and curtains, as if acknowledging the burdens were somehow wrong. It’s the time when tears flow, sometimes uncontrollably, because the day has ended, and you question whether to feel happy or sad — or wish the day had never happened. It’s also a time of rest — a supposedly well-deserved rest, because didn’t we do our best today, striving to stand despite the urge to fall? Yet, amidst this perceived quietness, nightmares seep in. There we find ourselves running in a physical loop — in an unchanging journey, in a similar story — until we are exhausted, wishing our breathing would just stop, because what’s the point of living and trying your best when you’re not going anywhere? This is perhaps one of life’s scariest aspects — our ghosts chase us, even in our dreams. But were they ghosts or our own horrors? Perhaps it was the chain we’ve been trying to break, yet no matter what we do, our feet remain held tight. We couldn’t move. The night was, once again, not quiet — not after the morning brought news of a man killed during the night. It’s frightening how, within its peaceful atmosphere, traumatizing events occur — how a life can be taken away without our knowledge, leaving us regretful and helpless. The night was even louder today because she could hear herself screaming for help, hoping someone would save her from the man she trusted. She could hear herself pleading for mercy, for her to be spared from her misery, and yet no one came. No matter how intensely and intently she prayed for the pain to stop, no matter how heavily the tears fell, no one heard her, not even those she thought would rescue her. In the morning, she was found dead. Breathing, but dead, because what difference does staying alive make when you’ve been stripped of the will to live? Tonight, the night longs for the darkness to end, but no matter how hard it prays, it will never see the day. It will never witness the bright morning smiles, nor the strength and courage vowed by the moon to help us face sunrises and sunsets. It will never see the effect of how it held us tight when everything seems to break. If anyone has witnessed us in our darkest hours, it was the moon and the setting sun, illuminating our shadowed bodies, allowing us to scream and be angry without judgment, to release all our feelings and feel validated, because the night is ours alone. On days when everything goes and feels wrong, it’s during the night that we quiet our souls, and in the stillness, our minds become clearer and sharper, allowing us to make up our minds. We also shed the weight of the passing day like a worn-out cloth, and in that space, we simply be — not somebody, and definitely not nobody — just you, just us. You, behind the curtains. Behind the closed doors. Behind the façade. Behind the toughness, calmness, or sweetness. Behind the straightened shoulders. Behind the eyes that we try so hard to keep alive. It is the time when everything melts, and all our walls break — whether we’re alone, or with those we trust most. Don’t you love how it soothes our weary bones? How beautiful it is to experience more nights, and to live within them without the fear of what is to come, because even with this beauty, its horrors remain the scariest. As I sit here on our balcony, the night wraps around me like a familiar blanket. Both comforting and haunting. Because it holds all our secrets — most especially those not visible in the eye. The wavering whispers of fears, the echoes of our outcries in its silence, and even the cheers on our surge of hope and need to change and do better. The night, with the stars, moon, wind and the crickets and cicadas, bear witness in our efforts to move forward, and illuminate our dark alleys so we could find our way back home. They are like an encouraging hug from a friend who have seen us in all our versions and different phases. A reminder that we are not alone in our struggles. So I hope, even in this darkness, we embrace the night and so as ourselves, with all its complexities.	e45a69af-1ea8-5af0-9bc6-b630316514b1	25/08/2025 18:01:39
https://medium.com/@stevebailey_8577/unfulfilled-expectations-2eab77447f27	medium.com	Unfulfilled Expectations	People start out with expectations how things will be. During the journey we usually try to go ahead of the Holy Spirit because we are so…	Steve Bailey	https://medium.com/@stevebailey_8577	2eab77447f27	null	2 min	2017-07-17T05:11:57.239000	2017-07-17T05:56:18.607000	2017-07-17T05:56:19.276000	1	0	en	Christianity	<section> <p>People start out with expectations how things will be. During the journey we usually try to go ahead of the Holy Spirit because we are so sure of where we are headed. People who make their expectations their priority will always become disappointed. Jesus must be the focus of every Christian not expectations.</p> <p>A person can easily become shipwrecked by worshipping an expectation. A person will try to work themselves into a place of service instead being patient and waiting for Jesus to promote you. If Jesus does not promote you then you are probably in the wrong place physically and spiritually.</p> <p>I have known men who had expectations of ministry, and their lives evolved on Pastoring a Church. They set their goal as a Pastor instead of having a relationship with Jesus. Every place they went become a place of turmoil. They were never happy because people would not listen to what they said because they spoke down to people or was always trying to teach some revelation they had thought they received from God. Usually what they said did not make much sense and the man who desires ministry would become mad and depressed.</p> <p>I have known ladies who had and some still have unfulfilled expectations. They see their first call as a Minister, not a wife. This kind of thinking is totally unscriptureual. God gave to Adam Eve to be his helpmate. When a woman believes her first call is ministry instead of being a wife she ha become unbalanced and floats around trying to find her place This is dangerous because her first priority is unto Jesus not ministry. We can be sure God’s Ministry will flow out of a relationship with Jesus.</p> <p>We might be wise to ask Jesus what is really in our heart. Are we actually in the place God desires us to be? Do you find yourself having to suppress your feelings because your unfulfilled expectations over rule what is actually in your heart? If you remain in a state of confusion, it very well may be you are following your unfulfilled expectations instead of following what God has placed in your heart.</p> <p>Have your unfulfilled expectations shut you down? Has your dreams and words of others led you to believe something that has not nor will come to pass. Don’t let unfulfilled expectations rule you, ask Jesus to pull back the veil so you can see clearly and follow your heart.</p> </section>	Unfulfilled Expectations People start out with expectations how things will be. During the journey we usually try to go ahead of the Holy Spirit because we are so sure of where we are headed. People who make their expectations their priority will always become disappointed. Jesus must be the focus of every Christian not expectations. A person can easily become shipwrecked by worshipping an expectation. A person will try to work themselves into a place of service instead being patient and waiting for Jesus to promote you. If Jesus does not promote you then you are probably in the wrong place physically and spiritually. I have known men who had expectations of ministry, and their lives evolved on Pastoring a Church. They set their goal as a Pastor instead of having a relationship with Jesus. Every place they went become a place of turmoil. They were never happy because people would not listen to what they said because they spoke down to people or was always trying to teach some revelation they had thought they received from God. Usually what they said did not make much sense and the man who desires ministry would become mad and depressed. I have known ladies who had and some still have unfulfilled expectations. They see their first call as a Minister, not a wife. This kind of thinking is totally unscriptureual. God gave to Adam Eve to be his helpmate. When a woman believes her first call is ministry instead of being a wife she ha become unbalanced and floats around trying to find her place This is dangerous because her first priority is unto Jesus not ministry. We can be sure God’s Ministry will flow out of a relationship with Jesus. We might be wise to ask Jesus what is really in our heart. Are we actually in the place God desires us to be? Do you find yourself having to suppress your feelings because your unfulfilled expectations over rule what is actually in your heart? If you remain in a state of confusion, it very well may be you are following your unfulfilled expectations instead of following what God has placed in your heart. Have your unfulfilled expectations shut you down? Has your dreams and words of others led you to believe something that has not nor will come to pass. Don’t let unfulfilled expectations rule you, ask Jesus to pull back the veil so you can see clearly and follow your heart.	bb334de2-10cf-5c59-bd29-15dd17c30cb9	25/08/2025 18:01:40
https://crossingenres.com/land-of-10-000-lakes-1bbd5c98e4e2	medium.com	Land of 10,000 Lakes	Photo Day 01 of 30	Jess Byard	https://medium.com/@JessByard	1bbd5c98e4e2	https://miro.medium.com/…6EEv6NsyjAw.jpeg	0 min	2017-11-08T00:50:53.301000	2017-11-08T02:30:44.251000	2017-11-16T03:13:39.832000	1	79	en	Photography,Creative Non Fiction	<section> <p>Photo Day 01 of 30</p> <p>I’ve been traveling for work and this past week we were in Minnesota. I snapped this early one morning.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/651/1*WpQxhIa3njb6EEv6NsyjAw.jpeg" width="651" height="651" loading="lazy" /> </section>	Land of 10,000 Lakes Photo Day 01 of 30 I’ve been traveling for work and this past week we were in Minnesota. I snapped this early one morning.	b7345904-e601-5b6e-996f-ac218783094b	25/08/2025 18:01:40
https://medium.com/@bychristinephotography/wedding-photographer-can-create-real-magic-for-your-most-important-day-of-life-242534a65877	medium.com	Wedding Photographer Can Create Real Magic For Your Most Important Day Of Life	Wedding is an occasion which needs plethora of preparation and different secular things so that you can make the day remembering. There are…	Justin Bagley	https://medium.com/@bychristinephotography	242534a65877	https://miro.medium.com/…bhj7kdE-ylg.jpeg	2 min	2017-03-21T04:16:23.099000	2017-03-21T04:20:44.843000	2017-03-21T04:20:44.843000	0	1	en	Photography,Wedding Photography,Hochzeits Fotograf	<section> <p>Wedding is an occasion which needs plethora of preparation and different secular things so that you can make the day remembering. There are lots of things that you need to take care. Stating from the decoration and many more things to follow, but the sad thing is we don’t hold time for ever. But through memory we can make it over. Now, the trend of hiring wedding photographers is a surging trend and you need to be very clear about the deal. Hiring of the perfect photographer can create real magic for you.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/400/1fHbEm6od5R8bhj7kdE-ylg.jpeg" width="400" height="320" loading="lazy" /> <p>In terms of selecting best partner for the photographic assignment, you have to be careful in different aspects. The first and prime point is their experience and how good they are in their ventures. The more they are rich with experience, the good the memoir you will get. So, in the time of their selection take a very good care that your appointed one has profound experience. The next very thing that you should consider is their equipments. Now, quality of picture and other things are hugely dependent on the gadgets or devices used for the purpose.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2500/1rBd1f-V4U7bhkNsQUxSXKw.jpeg" width="2500" height="1076" loading="lazy" /> <p>To get assistance from the best service provider, appointment of the professional concern is more than necessary. Maximum of the reputed concerns just like <em><strong><a href="h</em>ttp://ww</strong>w.bychristine.photography/hochzeitsfotografwienvillachklagenfurt/">hochzeits fotograf</a> are remains busy throughout the year for sure. So if you really wish to take services only from them, then take best care that you are hiring them or considering them with sometime in your hand. People with brain generally be in touch with them with sometime in their hand so that they can get enough time to find a good substitution if their desired one is not available. Choices are immense only time matters.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/400/1*fHbEm6od5R8bhj7kdE-ylg.jpeg" width="400" height="320" loading="lazy" /> <p>Best of the concerns are available with variant of packages so that you can actually find your desired ones. Range starting from the very minimum price to the valuable packages so that everyone can avail their offers. While going for their deal, you should also come out with different brand names and choice or selection can award you with so many variant options. Checking out their web browser and their identification is there to help you in every possible aspect. Choice them according to he offers of affordability and availability — so that you can get the best deal with confidence.</p> </section>	Wedding Photographer Can Create Real Magic For Your Most Important Day Of Life Wedding is an occasion which needs plethora of preparation and different secular things so that you can make the day remembering. There are lots of things that you need to take care. Stating from the decoration and many more things to follow, but the sad thing is we don’t hold time for ever. But through memory we can make it over. Now, the trend of hiring wedding photographers is a surging trend and you need to be very clear about the deal. Hiring of the perfect photographer can create real magic for you. In terms of selecting best partner for the photographic assignment, you have to be careful in different aspects. The first and prime point is their experience and how good they are in their ventures. The more they are rich with experience, the good the memoir you will get. So, in the time of their selection take a very good care that your appointed one has profound experience. The next very thing that you should consider is their equipments. Now, quality of picture and other things are hugely dependent on the gadgets or devices used for the purpose. To get assistance from the best service provider, appointment of the professional concern is more than necessary. Maximum of the reputed concerns just like hochzeits fotograf are remains busy throughout the year for sure. So if you really wish to take services only from them, then take best care that you are hiring them or considering them with sometime in your hand. People with brain generally be in touch with them with sometime in their hand so that they can get enough time to find a good substitution if their desired one is not available. Choices are immense only time matters. Best of the concerns are available with variant of packages so that you can actually find your desired ones. Range starting from the very minimum price to the valuable packages so that everyone can avail their offers. While going for their deal, you should also come out with different brand names and choice or selection can award you with so many variant options. Checking out their web browser and their identification is there to help you in every possible aspect. Choice them according to he offers of affordability and availability — so that you can get the best deal with confidence.	cd259ce4-25e7-5da4-840a-90fb80e273d7	25/08/2025 18:01:40
https://medium.com/the-marketing-creative/skip-the-legal-drama-with-the-right-photos-66565ddf1756	medium.com	Skip The Legal Drama With The Right Photos	A handy guide on selecting photos for your social media or content marketing posts.	Leigh Andra	https://medium.com/@magnetize	66565ddf1756	https://miro.medium.com/…H3V-JtgfENA.jpeg	4 min	2019-10-11T02:53:03.842000	2019-10-11T12:31:01.351000	2021-12-12T05:37:07.893000	0	0	en	Photography,Copyright,Social Media,Content Marketing,Marketing	<section> <h3>Avoid legal issues with photos for your content marketing.</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/6720/1AH7JSUjUESNH3V-JtgfENA.jpeg" width="6720" height="4480" loading="lazy" /> <p>It’s no secret that people are visually driven creatures, hence why social media platforms like Instagram are a booming business. While user generated images and videos are always popular, business accounts also rely on using stock photos as filler content.</p> <p>However, there’s always a gray area when it comes to purchasing and using stock photos. Buying a stock photo doesn’t always mean you’re absolutely free to do whatever you want with it. Free photos doesn’t always mean that it’s free for any type of usage, either. That being said, the source where you got your photo from is also important to avoid any legal issues. Confused? Let me break it down for you. Did you get your photo from…</p> <h1>Google Images</h1> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/5685/1btPM-0htZZy1YKAn81ZUXQ.jpeg" width="5685" height="3790" loading="lazy" /> <p>Yikes, please don’t turn to Google for your images! Major red flag right here. See, Google is a search engine. When you search for photos of oranges, Google displays relevant images from all over the Internet. And usually, those relevant images belong to someone, which means they’re copyrighted. It doesn’t matter if it’s a photo of oranges from someone’s Instagram or Facebook. Using those photos on your social media without the owner’s permission is infringing the rights to someone else’s creative work. Choose stock photos instead for more peace of mind.</p> <p>Here are some free stock photo sites you can explore: <a href="http://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a>, <a href="http://pexels.com">Pexels</a>, <a href="http://pixabay.com">Pixabay</a>.</p> <p>These are some purchasable stock photo libraries to explore: <a href="http://123rf.com">123RF</a>, <a href="http://shutterstock.com">Shutterstock</a>, <a href="http://deathtostock.com">DeathToStock</a>.</p> <p>If you’ve been getting your photos off Google, this is where you need to think twice. What’s okay to pin on Pinterest? What’s not cool to re-upload to Instagram? Is suffering potential backlash of retweeting that copyright photo worth it? Now, if you want to avoid all of that, let’s talk about…</p> <h2>Commercial Images</h2> <p>What sets this category apart from editorial photos are the rights of usage, such as a royalty free license. Royalty free stock photos allow you to use them indefinitely for a set of specified intended usages. If the photo’s license type doesn’t list the types of usage you’re aiming for, you could consider other photo licenses. Here’s a <a href="https://blog.123rf.com/copyright-guide-stock-content/">free downloadable ebook</a> if you want to learn more about the types of stock photo licenses.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3000/1mB0dSzqxVKKxHcaoCFESQQ.jpeg" width="3000" height="3000" loading="lazy" /> <p>Let’s say you’ve purchased this stock image under a commercial license. You can add your logo or design onto the t-shirt, or around the model. You can even extract the model and change the background, edit the color of his skin, the color of his clothes and many more.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/6720/1AH7JSUjUESNH3V-JtgfENA.jpeg" width="6720" height="4480" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>Likewise, you can use commercial licensed stock photos for anything — your fashion brand, a phone service, communication advert, and many more.</em></p> <p>If you’ve purchased a commercial stock photo, you’re free to retouch and reproduce the image within the rights of usage. Stock photos were created for the sole purpose of advertising products or services, and as a tool for brand awareness. Anything ranging from photography of food, automobiles, news and journalism, sports, education and more fall under the commercial license. For example, a journalist would be able to use all of these commercial photography for the creation of newsworthy articles.</p> <h2>Editorial Images</h2> <p>When you see an image marked as editorial in a stock photo library, these photos have restricted reproduction rights. That means you can’t start selling a t-shirt with a print of Brad Pitt from the Grammy Awards without getting sued. It doesn’t mean these photos are exclusive — far from it. You’ll still see Brad Pitt’s face in news portals, celebrity gossip blogs and other journalism mediums under the editorial license.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/5184/10X4Zh6Mgpo7hrQrF_XzWDQ.jpeg" width="5184" height="3456" loading="lazy" /> <p>The editorial license doesn’t just encompass celebrities or other high profile figures, but also major events and dangerous situations. These involve a photographer being in a possibly life-threatening situation to capture the real scenes of what’s actually going on. Some current real world examples would be the street protests, terrorist acts and disaster relief all over the globe.</p> <h2>Retail Images</h2> <p>These images are considered absolutely okay for you to use because you’ve hired a photographer to capture them for you. In short, you’re commissioning a photographer to grant you a certain amount of personal use for the photos taken.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/6656/1tGZOgANOeOJPY3n3FNedMA.jpeg" width="6656" height="4437" loading="lazy" /> <p>These are for photo categories like professional wedding shots, your brand’s products, family portraits, or personal events. Reproducing these photos or sharing these types of photos on social media shouldn’t give you any licensing problems.</p> <p>Next up, explore how I <strong><a href="https://medium.com/th</strong>e-marketing-creative/heres-how-i-save-time-searching-for-photos-as-a-digital-creator-656d690492f3">save time searching for photos</a> as a digital content creator.</p> </section>	Skip Image Copyright Drama On Social Media Avoid legal issues with photos for your content marketing. It’s no secret that people are visually driven creatures, hence why social media platforms like Instagram are a booming business. While user generated images and videos are always popular, business accounts also rely on using stock photos as filler content. However, there’s always a gray area when it comes to purchasing and using stock photos. Buying a stock photo doesn’t always mean you’re absolutely free to do whatever you want with it. Free photos doesn’t always mean that it’s free for any type of usage, either. That being said, the source where you got your photo from is also important to avoid any legal issues. Confused? Let me break it down for you. Did you get your photo from… Google Images Photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash Yikes, please don’t turn to Google for your images! Major red flag right here. See, Google is a search engine. When you search for photos of oranges, Google displays relevant images from all over the Internet. And usually, those relevant images belong to someone, which means they’re copyrighted. It doesn’t matter if it’s a photo of oranges from someone’s Instagram or Facebook. Using those photos on your social media without the owner’s permission is infringing the rights to someone else’s creative work. Choose stock photos instead for more peace of mind. Here are some free stock photo sites you can explore: Unsplash, Pexels, Pixabay. These are some purchasable stock photo libraries to explore: 123RF, Shutterstock, DeathToStock. If you’ve been getting your photos off Google, this is where you need to think twice. What’s okay to pin on Pinterest? What’s not cool to re-upload to Instagram? Is suffering potential backlash of retweeting that copyright photo worth it? Now, if you want to avoid all of that, let’s talk about… Commercial Images What sets this category apart from editorial photos are the rights of usage, such as a royalty free license. Royalty free stock photos allow you to use them indefinitely for a set of specified intended usages. If the photo’s license type doesn’t list the types of usage you’re aiming for, you could consider other photo licenses. Here’s a free downloadable ebook if you want to learn more about the types of stock photo licenses. Photo by Anomaly on Unsplash Let’s say you’ve purchased this stock image under a commercial license. You can add your logo or design onto the t-shirt, or around the model. You can even extract the model and change the background, edit the color of his skin, the color of his clothes and many more. Photo by ROOM on Unsplash Likewise, you can use commercial licensed stock photos for anything — your fashion brand, a phone service, communication advert, and many more. If you’ve purchased a commercial stock photo, you’re free to retouch and reproduce the image within the rights of usage. Stock photos were created for the sole purpose of advertising products or services, and as a tool for brand awareness. Anything ranging from photography of food, automobiles, news and journalism, sports, education and more fall under the commercial license. For example, a journalist would be able to use all of these commercial photography for the creation of newsworthy articles. Editorial Images When you see an image marked as editorial in a stock photo library, these photos have restricted reproduction rights. That means you can’t start selling a t-shirt with a print of Brad Pitt from the Grammy Awards without getting sued. It doesn’t mean these photos are exclusive — far from it. You’ll still see Brad Pitt’s face in news portals, celebrity gossip blogs and other journalism mediums under the editorial license. Photo by Samantha Sophia on Unsplash The editorial license doesn’t just encompass celebrities or other high profile figures, but also major events and dangerous situations. These involve a photographer being in a possibly life-threatening situation to capture the real scenes of what’s actually going on. Some current real world examples would be the street protests, terrorist acts and disaster relief all over the globe. Retail Images These images are considered absolutely okay for you to use because you’ve hired a photographer to capture them for you. In short, you’re commissioning a photographer to grant you a certain amount of personal use for the photos taken. Photo by Martin Jernberg on Unsplash These are for photo categories like professional wedding shots, your brand’s products, family portraits, or personal events. Reproducing these photos or sharing these types of photos on social media shouldn’t give you any licensing problems. Next up, explore how I save time searching for photos as a digital content creator.	8b808ec7-6056-5f07-950a-8371b7515f1a	25/08/2025 18:01:41
https://medium.com/@bradleykanaris/expand-your-business-through-efficient-corporate-photographs-87e0a7148ea9	medium.com	Expand your business through efficient corporate photographs	Corporate photography is specifically used in commercial enterprises. They are very different from that of domestic photography used in…	Bradley Kanaris	https://medium.com/@bradleykanaris	87e0a7148ea9	null	2 min	2016-05-05T04:59:29.388000	2016-05-05T04:59:48.237000	2016-05-05T04:59:48.237000	0	0	en	Photography,Visual Thinking	<section> <p>Corporate photography is specifically used in commercial enterprises. They are very different from that of domestic photography used in weddings, birthdays, parties and celebrations like graduation functions, baby showers, engagements and other significant events like exhibitions. The photographs taken at celebrations are used as a memorabilia, but the corporate photographs are used in the business expansion, it is used to achieve a purpose, a goal to reach so they are of prime importance in the development of business enterprise. <strong>Corporate photography, Brisbane</strong> is a best place to consult if you are planning for a marketing campaign. They are the best in the field and they understand the significance of corporate photography for business development.</p> <p>These photographs are very powerful and they have visual effectiveness decides the fate of the product. Therefore it is important to produce unique images that are highly effective and beneficial for the business development. In has been observed by the experts that visual representation always affected the sales environment, therefore, it is always necessary to hire an expert to fulfil this purpose. What are the objectives business enterprises wish to achieve when they hire an expert in corporate photography? Well! Read further you will understand the purpose of hiring an expert for this specific job. <strong>Best corporate photographers, Brisbane</strong> extends their full support and assistance to business enterprises since they know the significance visual representation.</p> <p>With the able assistance and powerful visual presentation business organizations (irrespective of their business field) can have the following advantages.</p> <p>Enhance the online awareness: Online presence is very important since nowadays most of the business thrive based on their online presence. Effective and efficient online presence is necessary for the successful business development. It is only through powerful visual representation prospective consumers identify and recognize your products. Images incorporated in the relevant websites speak everything on behalf of the sellers and they enjoy powerful representation through these photographs.</p> <p>Significance increase in sales: Enhanced sales have been observed when photographs are used properly. This is extremely true in case of garments, and jewelry as it is one of the major needs of online marketing. When powerful visual presentation is made, then automatically increase in sales has been observed. Brands and products are identified and they get enhanced recognition when they are presented through strong visuals.</p> <p>Even <strong>corporate headshots, Brisbane</strong> have been used successfully so that enterprises can earn sufficient income through them. Headshots are picturized in such a magnificent manner, often the main purpose is forgotten and is used only for the decorative purpose. Unless, people are aware of the product, it is not easy to recognize how important they are for the business establishments. They provide much required professional touch and create high profile presence. One can get necessary publicity without spending much on the advertisement.</p> <p>Due to all these reasons, people are realising more and more about the needs and requirements of the corporate photography. It is also considered as an essential investment in the business strategies. Therefore, observe enough care and precaution and select the best person your online presence.</p> <p><strong>Author Bio:</strong> The writer is an expert in the field of <strong><a href="http://www.bradleykan</strong>aris.com/Asset.asp?AssetID=55802&AKey=RHKQ8CHR">Corporate Photography Brisbane</a> with focus on <strong><a href="http://www.bradleykan</strong>aris.com/GalleryMain.asp?GalleryID=129706&AKey=RHKQ8CHR">Sports Photographers Australia</a>.</p> </section>	Expand your business through efficient corporate photographs Corporate photography is specifically used in commercial enterprises. They are very different from that of domestic photography used in weddings, birthdays, parties and celebrations like graduation functions, baby showers, engagements and other significant events like exhibitions. The photographs taken at celebrations are used as a memorabilia, but the corporate photographs are used in the business expansion, it is used to achieve a purpose, a goal to reach so they are of prime importance in the development of business enterprise. Corporate photography, Brisbane is a best place to consult if you are planning for a marketing campaign. They are the best in the field and they understand the significance of corporate photography for business development. These photographs are very powerful and they have visual effectiveness decides the fate of the product. Therefore it is important to produce unique images that are highly effective and beneficial for the business development. In has been observed by the experts that visual representation always affected the sales environment, therefore, it is always necessary to hire an expert to fulfil this purpose. What are the objectives business enterprises wish to achieve when they hire an expert in corporate photography? Well! Read further you will understand the purpose of hiring an expert for this specific job. Best corporate photographers, Brisbane extends their full support and assistance to business enterprises since they know the significance visual representation. With the able assistance and powerful visual presentation business organizations (irrespective of their business field) can have the following advantages. Enhance the online awareness: Online presence is very important since nowadays most of the business thrive based on their online presence. Effective and efficient online presence is necessary for the successful business development. It is only through powerful visual representation prospective consumers identify and recognize your products. Images incorporated in the relevant websites speak everything on behalf of the sellers and they enjoy powerful representation through these photographs. Significance increase in sales: Enhanced sales have been observed when photographs are used properly. This is extremely true in case of garments, and jewelry as it is one of the major needs of online marketing. When powerful visual presentation is made, then automatically increase in sales has been observed. Brands and products are identified and they get enhanced recognition when they are presented through strong visuals. Even corporate headshots, Brisbane have been used successfully so that enterprises can earn sufficient income through them. Headshots are picturized in such a magnificent manner, often the main purpose is forgotten and is used only for the decorative purpose. Unless, people are aware of the product, it is not easy to recognize how important they are for the business establishments. They provide much required professional touch and create high profile presence. One can get necessary publicity without spending much on the advertisement. Due to all these reasons, people are realising more and more about the needs and requirements of the corporate photography. It is also considered as an essential investment in the business strategies. Therefore, observe enough care and precaution and select the best person your online presence. Author Bio: The writer is an expert in the field of Corporate Photography Brisbane with focus on Sports Photographers Australia.	c7d20e31-4265-5b3c-ab78-8fcba51fc5fd	25/08/2025 18:01:41
https://micklg.medium.com/to-all-my-friends-ae83fa232c20	medium.com	To all my friends	Hello hello hello	Mick Gibson	https://medium.com/@micklg	ae83fa232c20	https://miro.medium.com/…_Vzb3NKaFCLA.png	1 min	2024-11-04T11:32:00.978000	2024-11-04T11:43:26.483000	2024-11-14T03:40:00.255000	22	1,124	en	Friends,Medium,Gratitude	<section> <h1>To all my friends</h1> <h3>Hello hello hello</h3> <p>To all my medium friends (<a href="#">Natalie</a>, <a href="#">Stella Lyn Norris</a>, <a href="#">Judy Walker</a>, <a href="#">Benighted</a>, <a href="#">Jenny Lane</a>, <a href="#">Brian S. Hook</a>, <a href="#">Samuel</a>, <a href="#">Doug Brown</a>, <a href="#">Debra Urbacz</a>, <a href="#">Ted Czukor</a>, <a href="#">Jessica Levine</a> and everyone else I might have missed)</p> <p>A BIG hello.</p> <p>I’ve had quite a crazy last 2 months for a list of reasons too innumerate to describe. All that I can say is that I’m coming out the other side, with more self-love, more love for those closest to me, and a deeper appreciation for the moments of life that matter … the ones that involve: touch, tenderness and intimacy of two people who truly share their worlds with each other.</p> <p>And I’m so grateful.</p> <p>Big love to you all. Mick</p> </section>	Magic water ripples and light. Photo by author To all my friends Hello hello hello To all my medium friends (Natalie, Stella Lyn Norris, Judy Walker, Benighted, Jenny Lane, Brian S. Hook, Samuel, Doug Brown, Debra Urbacz, Ted Czukor, Jessica Levine and everyone else I might have missed) A BIG hello. I’ve had quite a crazy last 2 months for a list of reasons too innumerate to describe. All that I can say is that I’m coming out the other side, with more self-love, more love for those closest to me, and a deeper appreciation for the moments of life that matter … the ones that involve: touch, tenderness and intimacy of two people who truly share their worlds with each other. And I’m so grateful. Big love to you all. Mick	4f1ae72e-302a-5474-aab8-421a099ef453	25/08/2025 18:01:41
https://medium.com/geekculture/strategic-cyber-security-report-january-2023-edition-30041ec51975	medium.com	Strategic Cyber Security Report — January 2023 Edition	A Monthly summary of Strategic Information for Cyber Security Leaders	Andre Camillo, CISSP	https://medium.com/@andrecamillo	30041ec51975	https://miro.medium.com/…3FhXLkzm_uEw.png	4 min	2022-12-06T21:43:42.945000	2023-02-06T08:49:25.906000	2023-02-07T16:02:09.596000	1	21	en	Report,Cloud,Cybersecurity,Strategy,Leadership	<section> <p>A Monthly summary of Strategic Information for Cyber Security Leaders</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/687/1*ztR5HV0Ob-3FhXLkzm_uEw.png" width="687" height="305" loading="lazy" /> <p>This is a series spun from a need I identified when talking to CISOs — <a href="https://andrecamillo.medium.com/strategic-cyber-security-report-for-leaders-1556a2bb44ac">as explained on the kick-off article</a>, this series follows the format of:</p> <blockquote>What’s Top of mind in 3 domains: People, Processes, Technology for CISOs.</blockquote> <h1>People</h1> <h3>Microsoft Research 2022 year in Review</h3> <p>Microsoft published a blog post looking back at the advances its Research team has made in 2022 in the field of AI.</p> <p>From our perspective (Cloud or Security), given how the subject gained worldwide headlines late last year, it’s fair to be across the matter and how its development is being done in a responsible and safe manner.</p> <p>And in this aspect, it’s good to see “Responsible use of AI” as one of the highlighted Researches — something I alluded to <a href="https://medium.com/geekculture/ai-and-content-creation-a-perfect-dichotomy-83ff5d94fd4d">in my previous article</a>.</p> <p>Here’s the blog post on <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/blog/2022-a-look-back-at-a-year-of-accelerating-progress-in-ai/?ocid=eml_pg384512_gdc_comm_mw&mkt_tok=MTU3LUdRRS0zODIAAAGJoiz-ByfwYGL_NkOvSdVjdGFYbw-za6JgmF8XgyYBsFVH3rCb94630AL501XVTCEwG5b4a5QZKrdpsnVRiQ3H8CfF5xDmKFVX602BbMfYTdhY0e3kTrZ-hPE">Microsoft’s Research highlights of 2022</a>.</p> <h3>World Economic Forum’s Global Cyber Security Outlook Report 2023</h3> <p>A great document by the <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-economic-forum/">World Economic Forum</a>.</p> <p>The 2023 version of the yearly result is compared against 2022 and the findings are a good picture of what challenges Cyber leaders are facing — across talent shortage, addressing risks and strategic decision making and more. An excerpt from it reads:</p> <p>the study indicates that business leaders are more aware of their organizations’ cyber issues than they were a year ago. They are also more willing to address those risks. Nonetheless, cyber leaders still struggle to clearly articulate the risk that cyber issues pose to their organizations in a language that their business counterparts fully understand and can act upon. As a result, agreeing on how best to address cyber risk remains a challenge for organizational leaders.</p> <p>The public document can be found <a href="https://initiatives.weforum.org/global-cyber-outlook/home">here</a>.</p> <h2>Process</h2> <h3>Forrester Wave Security Analytics Platform Report</h3> <p>Forrester released its Wave report on “Security Analytics Platform”. These are solutions for the SOC (SIEM/SOAR).</p> <p>Amongst the main findings, Forrester highlighted that it’s seen that “Vendors Are Finally Putting The ‘Security’ Into Security Analytics Platforms” — Claiming some vendors are focusing on analyzing data than warehousing it.</p> <p>They recommend looking for vendors that:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Prioritize depth over breadth</strong></li> <li><strong>Improve the analyst experience</strong></li> <li><strong>Have a unique product vision with a strong execution path</strong></li> </ul> <p>Read more in Forrester’s report, found <a href="https://reprints2.forrester.com/#/assets/2/108/RES176427/report">here</a>.</p> <p>Some vendors have talked about it. Microsoft highlighted in a blog post its position. They highlighted the following:</p> <p>Microsoft achieved the highest possible score in 17 different criteria, including partner ecosystem, innovation roadmap, product security, case management, and architecture.</p> <p>Find the Microsoft post <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2022/12/19/forrester-names-microsoft-a-leader-in-q4-2022-security-analytics-platforms-wave-report/">here</a>.</p> <h3>Microsoft Identity Security Trends for 2023</h3> <p>I’m a big fan of looking to the future, understanding what’s next in a particular field, and reflect on how and what we want to follow next. It’s a life choice, but also applies to tech!</p> <p>January being the beginning of our calendar year — literally (see note below 😁) has techies talking about trends and what’s next.</p> <p>This time around I’m talking about trends in Microsoft Security Identity trends for 2023, <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2023/01/26/2023-identity-security-trends-and-solutions-from-microsoft/">this great blog post </a>by the identity VP contains some bits of gold on the subject.</p> <p>By looking back at popular identity attacks, it was possible to derive and define some trends to harden the area.</p> <p>Quoting the document:</p> <p>If I may be so bold as to propose some New Year’s resolutions for your identity security efforts:</p> <p>1. Protect all your users with multifactor authentication, always, using Authenticator, Fast Identity Online (FIDO), Windows Hello, or CBA.</p> <p>2. Apply Conditional Access rules to your applications to defend against application attacks.</p> <p>3. Use mobile device management and endpoint protection policies — especially prohibiting running as admin on devices — to inhibit token theft attacks.</p> <p>4. Limit on-premises exposure and integrate your SOC and identity efforts to ensure you are defending your identity infrastructure.</p> <p>5. Bet hard on agility with a cloud-first approach, adaptable authentication, and deep commitments to automated responses to common problems to save your critical resources for true crises.</p> <p>Have a look at the document for more information.</p> <p>Ps.: The word “January” actually originates from “the Latin noun use of Jānuārius, equivalent to Jānus.</p> <p>In ancient Roman culture, Jānus was a god of doorways, beginnings, and the rising and setting of the sun. His name comes from the Latin jānus, meaning “doorway, archway, arcade.””</p> <h2>Technology</h2> <h3>Identifying AI content</h3> <p>During my break, I spent some time playing around with new tech, different AIs such as Midjourney and OpenAI’s ChatGPT.</p> <p>And as always, I’m thinking of Information Security. With so much power available to us via this kind of technology, how do we know for sure whether we’re reading/seeing/hearing something created by AI?</p> <p>I reckon Content Validation is going to be massive in the coming years — both for Information Security and general population Safety.</p> <p>Anything created by AI has the potential to be misused, and that’s when I stumbled on this very interesting article written by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAA-4v9EBJc9GDm8xRAar0sa9RXXoQTH8P5Y">Melissa Heikkilä</a> about AI detection tools (specifically for text), a good read to understand what some start-ups like <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/huggingface/">Hugging Face</a> are tackling.</p> <p>According to the article:</p> <p>“AI is already fooling us. Researchers at Cornell University found that people found fake news articles generated by GPT-2 credible about 66% of the time.”</p> <p>The article can be found <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/12/19/1065596/how-to-spot-ai-generated-text/">here</a>.</p> <p>Learn more about my Cloud and Security Projects: <a href="https://linktr.ee/acamillo">https://linktr.ee/acamillo</a></p> <p><a href="https://andrecamillo.medium.com/membership">Consider subscribing to Medium (here) </a>to access more content that will empower you!</p> <p>Thank you for reading and leave your thoughts/comments!</p> <h2>./references</h2> <p>Scattered throughout the document</p> </section>	Strategic Cyber Security Report — January 2023 Edition A Monthly summary of Strategic Information for Cyber Security Leaders This is a series spun from a need I identified when talking to CISOs — as explained on the kick-off article, this series follows the format of: What’s Top of mind in 3 domains: People, Processes, Technology for CISOs. People Microsoft Research 2022 year in Review Microsoft published a blog post looking back at the advances its Research team has made in 2022 in the field of AI. From our perspective (Cloud or Security), given how the subject gained worldwide headlines late last year, it’s fair to be across the matter and how its development is being done in a responsible and safe manner. And in this aspect, it’s good to see “Responsible use of AI” as one of the highlighted Researches — something I alluded to in my previous article. Here’s the blog post on Microsoft’s Research highlights of 2022. World Economic Forum’s Global Cyber Security Outlook Report 2023 A great document by the World Economic Forum. The 2023 version of the yearly result is compared against 2022 and the findings are a good picture of what challenges Cyber leaders are facing — across talent shortage, addressing risks and strategic decision making and more. An excerpt from it reads: the study indicates that business leaders are more aware of their organizations’ cyber issues than they were a year ago. They are also more willing to address those risks. Nonetheless, cyber leaders still struggle to clearly articulate the risk that cyber issues pose to their organizations in a language that their business counterparts fully understand and can act upon. As a result, agreeing on how best to address cyber risk remains a challenge for organizational leaders. The public document can be found here. Process Forrester Wave Security Analytics Platform Report Forrester released its Wave report on “Security Analytics Platform”. These are solutions for the SOC (SIEM/SOAR). Amongst the main findings, Forrester highlighted that it’s seen that “Vendors Are Finally Putting The ‘Security’ Into Security Analytics Platforms” — Claiming some vendors are focusing on analyzing data than warehousing it. They recommend looking for vendors that: Prioritize depth over breadth Improve the analyst experience Have a unique product vision with a strong execution path Read more in Forrester’s report, found here. Some vendors have talked about it. Microsoft highlighted in a blog post its position. They highlighted the following: Microsoft achieved the highest possible score in 17 different criteria, including partner ecosystem, innovation roadmap, product security, case management, and architecture. Find the Microsoft post here. Microsoft Identity Security Trends for 2023 I’m a big fan of looking to the future, understanding what’s next in a particular field, and reflect on how and what we want to follow next. It’s a life choice, but also applies to tech! January being the beginning of our calendar year — literally (see note below 😁) has techies talking about trends and what’s next. This time around I’m talking about trends in Microsoft Security Identity trends for 2023, this great blog post by the identity VP contains some bits of gold on the subject. By looking back at popular identity attacks, it was possible to derive and define some trends to harden the area. Quoting the document: If I may be so bold as to propose some New Year’s resolutions for your identity security efforts: 1. Protect all your users with multifactor authentication, always, using Authenticator, Fast Identity Online (FIDO), Windows Hello, or CBA. 2. Apply Conditional Access rules to your applications to defend against application attacks. 3. Use mobile device management and endpoint protection policies — especially prohibiting running as admin on devices — to inhibit token theft attacks. 4. Limit on-premises exposure and integrate your SOC and identity efforts to ensure you are defending your identity infrastructure. 5. Bet hard on agility with a cloud-first approach, adaptable authentication, and deep commitments to automated responses to common problems to save your critical resources for true crises. Have a look at the document for more information. Ps.: The word “January” actually originates from “the Latin noun use of Jānuārius, equivalent to Jānus. In ancient Roman culture, Jānus was a god of doorways, beginnings, and the rising and setting of the sun. His name comes from the Latin jānus, meaning “doorway, archway, arcade.”” Technology Identifying AI content During my break, I spent some time playing around with new tech, different AIs such as Midjourney and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. And as always, I’m thinking of Information Security. With so much power available to us via this kind of technology, how do we know for sure whether we’re reading/seeing/hearing something created by AI? I reckon Content Validation is going to be massive in the coming years — both for Information Security and general population Safety. Anything created by AI has the potential to be misused, and that’s when I stumbled on this very interesting article written by Melissa Heikkilä about AI detection tools (specifically for text), a good read to understand what some start-ups like Hugging Face are tackling. According to the article: “AI is already fooling us. Researchers at Cornell University found that people found fake news articles generated by GPT-2 credible about 66% of the time.” The article can be found here. Learn more about my Cloud and Security Projects: https://linktr.ee/acamillo Consider subscribing to Medium (here) to access more content that will empower you! Thank you for reading and leave your thoughts/comments! ./references Scattered throughout the document	7ab7251a-d51a-5144-bb97-a95407485f72	25/08/2025 18:01:41
https://medium.com/@brettmhutton/the-truth-will-set-you-free-332e7e4d404	medium.com	The Truth Will Set You Free	Jesus says in John 8:32 “You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free”. Perhaps we have heard this so many times we have become…	Brett Hutton	https://medium.com/@brettmhutton	332e7e4d404	https://miro.medium.com/…xkyiY-SA9OwA.png	2 min	2018-03-15T17:33:21.886000	2018-03-15T17:37:29.405000	2018-03-15T22:49:06.973000	0	17	en	Christianity,Truth,Freedom,Bible	<section> <h1>The Truth Will Set You Free</h1> <p>Jesus says in John 8:32 “You shall know the truth and the truth <strong>will set</strong> you free”. Perhaps we have heard this so many times we have become somewhat dull to its potency and its power.</p> <p>It is the same word used when Jesus said, “whom the son <strong>sets</strong> free is free indeed”. It can also be translated “the truth <strong>will make</strong> you free”.</p> <p>If we connect the dots, to be “<strong>free indeed</strong>” will not happen outside of knowing the truth. If we are going to experience freedom it will be as the result of us connecting with the truth. It is the power stick that sets us free.</p> <p>As we mentioned in the first blog the Holy Spirit is the “spirit of truth.” All revelation knowledge is based in truth and revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. It is the sole instrument used by Him to get us free.</p> <p>If we back up one verse in John 8, Jesus precedes the above “truth” statement with “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.” Putting those two verses together we see the relationship between abiding in His word and knowing the truth.</p> <p>I can honestly say no revelation knowledge can occur if we are not abiding in His word. It is foundational to our being free and staying free. This can be occur both from hearing it and reading it.</p> <p>In John 17:17 Jesus is praying for His followers asking the Father to sanctify them in the truth. He goes on to say, “your word is truth”. Putting all three together we see the relationship between sanctification, the word, and truth. All of this is the work of the Holy Spirit.</p> <p>Of all the books in the New Testament John uses the word truth more times than any other author. Truth is defined as what is true, knowledge which is consistent with what is real. We, of course, are talking about God’s truth and God’s reality.</p> <p>The word of God is simply a testimony of His truth and of His reality.</p> <p>The Holy Spirit reveals to us through the word what is true about God and the knowledge of His reality. When we get a revelation of His reality the power of it sets us free.</p> <p>In Luke 10 Jesus is accused of casting out demons by Beelzebul. Here is how He responds:</p> <p>“Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 20 <strong>But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you</strong>.” (Luke 10:19,20)</p> <p>So, in verse 20 the finger of God which is metaphorical for the power of God or the Spirit of God sets those who have demons free. But notice the second part of that verse, what Jesus is saying is when the power of God shows up in this manner we are experiencing the reality of God in our life. Freedom will always be the result of our reality encounter with the Holy Spirit.</p> <p>It is the Spirit of God that brings God’s reality to our life. And it is only in this reality driven by the truth that will make us free.</p> <p>You can be free indeed!</p> </section>	The Truth Will Set You Free Jesus says in John 8:32 “You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free”. Perhaps we have heard this so many times we have become somewhat dull to its potency and its power. It is the same word used when Jesus said, “whom the son sets free is free indeed”. It can also be translated “the truth will make you free”. If we connect the dots, to be “free indeed” will not happen outside of knowing the truth. If we are going to experience freedom it will be as the result of us connecting with the truth. It is the power stick that sets us free. As we mentioned in the first blog the Holy Spirit is the “spirit of truth.” All revelation knowledge is based in truth and revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. It is the sole instrument used by Him to get us free. If we back up one verse in John 8, Jesus precedes the above “truth” statement with “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.” Putting those two verses together we see the relationship between abiding in His word and knowing the truth. I can honestly say no revelation knowledge can occur if we are not abiding in His word. It is foundational to our being free and staying free. This can be occur both from hearing it and reading it. In John 17:17 Jesus is praying for His followers asking the Father to sanctify them in the truth. He goes on to say, “your word is truth”. Putting all three together we see the relationship between sanctification, the word, and truth. All of this is the work of the Holy Spirit. Of all the books in the New Testament John uses the word truth more times than any other author. Truth is defined as what is true, knowledge which is consistent with what is real. We, of course, are talking about God’s truth and God’s reality. The word of God is simply a testimony of His truth and of His reality. The Holy Spirit reveals to us through the word what is true about God and the knowledge of His reality. When we get a revelation of His reality the power of it sets us free. In Luke 10 Jesus is accused of casting out demons by Beelzebul. Here is how He responds: “Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Luke 10:19,20) So, in verse 20 the finger of God which is metaphorical for the power of God or the Spirit of God sets those who have demons free. But notice the second part of that verse, what Jesus is saying is when the power of God shows up in this manner we are experiencing the reality of God in our life. Freedom will always be the result of our reality encounter with the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit of God that brings God’s reality to our life. And it is only in this reality driven by the truth that will make us free. You can be free indeed!	581f959a-6904-5533-a0fc-932c29acc727	25/08/2025 18:01:47
https://medium.com/core-shot/crowds-covid-and-the-casual-route-ecf845dcd30e	medium.com	Crowds, Covid, and the Casual Route	Climbing the Diamond (5.10a, IV) on Longs Peak, Colorado.	Dan Kay	https://medium.com/@thisisyouth	ecf845dcd30e	https://miro.medium.com/…WXsvOFo1BDw.jpeg	11 min	2020-07-16T22:20:28.525000	2020-07-24T23:13:00.155000	2021-12-15T07:53:49.419000	1	139	en	Outdoors,Sports,Climbing,Photography,Adventure	<section> <p>“Dr. Tony Fauci would be so pissed if he could see us,” the climber to my left says. He imitates <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j05xm-8_wjc">the USA’s top Coronavirus expert</a>, a well known figure in recent days: “‘You’re all the way out there, on the side of a mountain, and you fuckers <em>still</em> can’t stay six feet apart!?’”</p> <p>All three of us at the anchor laugh.</p> <p>We’re in tight proximity, for sure. Me, my climbing partner, and a stranger are in what’s called a “hanging belay”: literally hanging off the side of the Diamond, a huge alpine wall in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. There is no ground below us — just thousands of feet of air.</p> <p>A few pieces of climbing gear stuck into cracks in the rock and some short nylon tethers are all that keep us from dropping to the glacier below. We aren’t all attached to the same gear — but our anchors <strong>are</strong> built around each other, at the only possible stance. The wall is too smooth and vertical to spread out much.</p> <p>We are climbing the same route, chasing each other up. There are two climbing parties in front of us, and one behind. It <strong>is</strong> a bit ironic: we are more remote than most people will ever get in their lives, and yet… our new acquaintance is right. Dr. Fauci would not approve.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4032/150enUiqN4Y6WXsvOFo1BDw.jpeg" width="4032" height="3024" loading="lazy" /> <p>The Diamond is massive: about 1,000 feet high and even longer widthwise, shaped — you guessed it — like a diamond. The thing is dead vertical or overhanging in most sections, and tops out around 14,000 feet in altitude (~4,250 meters). The wall is the undisputed jewel of Colorado climbing, which helps explain why there are ten parties climbing it on this random Wednesday.</p> <p>Of those ten parties, four (including us) are stacked up on the Casual Route (5.10a), the easiest line up the wall. This is creating a bit of a traffic jam, as faster parties are forced to wait for the climbers in front of them to clear the “pitch” or section of the route, before continuing.</p> <p>Normally, this would be unsustainable. The wall, an East face, is totally blind to weather blowing in from the West, which is quite typical in Colorado. Climbing parties need to move fast to avoid being stuck in storms high up on the mountain. But we have a perfect weather forecast — a bluebird day. So we’re talking politics on the wall, relaxing, and trying not to let the crowds bother us.</p> <p>“I guess we weren’t the only ones that saw the forecast,” my climbing partner Beth says to me.</p> <p>“And everyone’s out of work due to the virus.”</p> <p>“Imagine this place on a weekend!”</p> <p>The thought makes me shudder.</p> <h1>Route Details</h1> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/17Z3YRSu4Hw-BZCXx-JB4Gg.jpeg" width="2000" height="1349" loading="lazy" /> <ul> <li><strong>Name</strong>: The Casual Route,</li> <li><strong>Grade</strong>: 5.10a (5c/6a), 7 pitches, Grade IV</li> <li><strong>Type</strong>: Alpine Trad Climbing Route — double ropes recommended</li> <li><strong>Location</strong>: Longs Peak, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA</li> <li><strong>Approach</strong>: 5.5 miles one-way to base of North Chimney, 3,000+ feet of elevation gain.</li> <li><strong>Descent</strong>: either join Keiner’s Route (Class 3) to the summit of Longs and descend via the Cables Route, or alternatively, rappel the Diamond Rappel Route (double ropes required) from Almost Table Ledge</li> <li><strong>Beta</strong>: Plentiful on <a href="https://www.mountainproject.com/route/105748496/casual-route">Mountain Project</a>. <a href="https://amzn.to/39sxwZ9">Richard Rossiter’s guidebook to Rocky Mountain National Park</a> also has an excellent chapter on the Diamond.</li> </ul> <h2>Our Climb</h2> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4032/1glgooersl238kl1Y1VYIFw.jpeg" width="4032" height="3024" loading="lazy" /> <p>Our climb up the Diamond is excellent — sunny weather, climbing within our abilities, and spectacular position. As I start up my first lead, someone on an adjacent route gives a monkey call — climbers all around us echo it. Early morning, monkeys on the wall. Pretty cool.</p> <p>As the day drags on, the crowds start to become a bit more of a bother. I spend an hour sitting in a hanging belay, waiting for the parties in front of us to create some space between us. They never do; we will be tight behind them all day.</p> <p>My partner leads out on the pitch 3 traverse, and I hear a couple familiar voices below. “Hey, you see those guys down below?” I shout out to Beth. “You might recognize them!”</p> <p>“Trying to climb, here!” she yells back at me, unappreciative. I put my attention back on the belay. Below me, on the Broadway ledge, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urRVZ4SW7WU">Alex Honnold</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edfw9ip9sCQ">Tommy Caldwell</a> are racking up. “How long you guys been waiting?” they ask the party in line behind us. “Over an hour already,” the couple answers. “Oh wow,” Honnold responds, before asking: “Do you guys mind if we climb through?”</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1162/11KxlCLE_DLbex81iBLHAfA.png" width="1162" height="1558" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1622/1t-IeUHfi9R9XU93YI3vgNQ.png" width="1622" height="1256" loading="lazy" /> <p>The pair of pro climbers blasts by us like a rocketship, passing up the traffic jam quite efficiently. They are <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simul_climbing">simulclimbing</a>, an advanced technique which does away with belaying entirely. “Best to think of it as soloing with a backup,” Honnold says as he steps over us at the third pitch anchor.</p> <p>The Honnold sighting gives us a spark of energy. Anyone good enough to be climbing on the Diamond knows those two guys. They are on a huge mission: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CCd11g6Bkka/">linking up a bunch of big climbs and ridges in Rocky Mountain National Park</a>. They will triple or quadruple our mileage today, easily.</p> <p>Honnold stops for a while above us to have a shouted conversation with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/christopherweidner/">Chris Weidner</a>, another (semi?) pro, who has rappelled in from the top of the face and is working on establishing a new route, way up high on the face. It’s kind of surreal, these two guys yelling back and forth, making plans to meet in Boulder later that week, to catch up, to hang out. Such a quotidian interaction in such an unlikely setting. But hey, that’s Colorado.</p> <h3>The party behind us bails.</h3> <p>That must be frustrating. I watch their double ropes spiral down towards Broadway.</p> <p>My partner pulls the lead on <a href="https://www.mountainproject.com/photo/1206952">the pitch 5 dihedral</a>, a 200-foot corner with sumptuous climbing up cracks and laybacks. I’m jealous. That must be the best pitch on the route. She eats that up and we arrive at the base of the crux pitch to find the belay, unsurprisingly, occupied. I use an ancient old bolt and a nut cinched down on top of a hanger-less bolt to build an alternate belay. I back it up with cams in an expando-flake.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4032/1[email protected]" width="4032" height="3024" loading="lazy" /> <p>The sun has passed behind the face at this point, and both my partner and I are getting <strong>cold</strong>, standing on a two-foot-wide “<a href="https://www.climbing.com/skills/the-essentials-survive-an-unplanned-bivy/">bivvy ledge</a>.” This would be an uncomfortable place to spend the night, I can’t help but think. We have rain jackets but no down. We start to shiver a bit while the leader ahead of us finishes the squeeze chimney and shouts down “that was the worst thing I have ever done.” His follower sighs, and soon takes off.</p> <p>I’m happy to get moving, even if I am staring the crux pitch in the face. A tricky thin section of 5.9+ fingers leads to a 5.8 squeeze chimney, which I actually find quite enjoyable. Maybe because I’ve been spending a lot of time at <a href="https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105744307/vedauwoo">Vedauwoo</a> this summer, where chimney and offwidth is the name of the game.</p> <p>The chimney goes down easy, but I’m still gassed by the time I reach the technical crux above, a bulgy reach. There are two fixed nuts at the crux, but one is literally held together with duct tape, and the cable on the other has frayed pretty severely. I skip them. I accidentally place a cam in a key hand jam, fiddle around for a while looking for the sequence, and eventually fall off. The twin ropes we’re using stretch quite a lot.</p> <p>It’s not really scary — I trust my gear, I trust my belayer, and the route is vertical enough that I’m in no danger of hitting anything. It’s frustrating, more than anything. The move isn’t hard. Our long day is catching up with us.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4032/1[email protected]" width="4032" height="3024" loading="lazy" /> <p>My belayer, down below, screams up asking me to just aid through the crux. My fall might have freaked her out a bit. She’s been motionless on the belay ledge for two hours now, and is getting really cold. She wants to get moving, ASAP. I exercise a bit of selfishness and figure out how to free the moves. I didn’t really have the right gear to aid it, anyways. Once I’m above it, the move seems almost laughably easy. But looking around from our position up high, the totality of the day sets in.</p> <p>My partner follows the crux pitch. She’s gassed, cold, a little scared, and ready to start getting off this mountain. I am, too. The shadows are getting long, and we still have nine rappels in front of us. I lead the final traverse out to Almost Table Ledge, my partner follows, and the route is done.</p> <p>Five double-rope rappels get us to Broadway Ledge, where our packs await us with water and snacks. The party in front of us forgot to untie the knot before pulling their last rappel- their rope is stuck in the anchors. We untie it and toss it down to them. They continue down. We eat, take in the sunset, and for the final time, allow these two guys to get ahead of us.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2096/1[email protected]" width="2096" height="3724" loading="lazy" /> <p>Soon we rappel the Crack of Delight, sliding some 600 feet down our ropes in the fading daylight. We are tired and it’s very repetitive, but we keep our focus set just a little longer. Most climbing accidents happen on the descent.</p> <p>We hit the ground, pull the ropes cleanly, and can finally relax. Safe.</p> <h2>So, what does it take to climb the Casual Route?</h2> <p>Just about every Colorado climber has the Diamond on their list. It’s inspiring. But only a few will ever get around to going up the thing. Here are a few things I think you need before trying to tackle this route.</p> <h3>First: a lot of trad climbing experience.</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4032/1[email protected]" width="4032" height="3024" loading="lazy" /> <p>I first set eyes on the Diamond three years ago, while attempting the Cables Route on Longs Peak. The Cables is two pitches of low-angle rock climbing; that day was my first ever roped alpine climb. Climbing alongside the Diamond, it looked intimidating and impossible. In the three years since, I climbed a lot, primarily on traditional gear. Easy routes, long routes, hard routes. I climbed with lots of partners, developed a sense for what I like and who I like to do it with. Through this process, eventually the Diamond stopped seeming so impossible.</p> <h3>Second: A Stupid Early Start</h3> <p>For most climbers, the Casual Route is a full day. The more popular approach is to do the route <strong>car-to-car, which should take from 12–24 hours</strong>, depending on how fast you hike, how efficiently you are climbing, whether you choose to summit the mountain or rappel the Diamond, how slow the parties are in front of you, etc.</p> <p>We hit the trail at 2:30 a.m. Our car-to-car time was about 22 hours, but I blame a lot of that on unavoidable waiting we had to do at the belays, waiting for the parties in front of us.</p> <p>However, as sad as it is, the simple fact is: <strong>crowds may be the crux of climbing The Casual Route</strong>.</p> <p>Next time I climb on the Diamond, I will seriously consider bivvying on Broadway ledge or near Chasm View, in order to beat the early-morning clown show.</p> <h3>Third: Big Lungs!</h3> <p>Climbing 5.10 at 14,000 feet is hard! Altitude definitely plays a role in this experience, and it can be tough to plan for if you have little opportunity to climb and train at elevation.</p> <p>All of the routes on the Diamond feature LONG, sustained pitches which will challenge your endurance. The 5.10 crux of the Casual Route is the second-to-last pitch, and it’s as high as you will go (the final pitch is a traverse). That means you’ve climbed over a thousand vertical feet at elevation, before you even hit the crux.</p> <p>Make sure there’s gas in the tank!</p> <p>Hiking 14ers around Colorado is a good way to get a feel for what altitude does to you. Sampling some of the more moderate alpine climbs in Rocky Mountain National Park is also great practice.</p> <h3>Fourth: Comfort soloing 5.5-ish terrain</h3> <p>There are two ways to access climbs on the Diamond:</p> <ul> <li>Climb the North Chimney (5.4–5.6)</li> <li>Rappel in from Chasm View</li> </ul> <p>Rappelling in from Chasm View is the safer option, but it adds several miles of hiking, plus three rappels to your day. Most parties opt to climb the North Chimney, which is about 600 feet of low-angle, decomposing rock. This is generally soloed or simulclimbed; pitching it out almost guarantees you’ll be stuck in line.</p> <p>This was the worst part of my day on the Diamond, and it suffered from the same problem as the rest: crowds. Basically, everyone looking to climb the Diamond in a particular day starts up this chimney at daybreak. This results in kind of a race, with people simultaneously soloing, simulclimbing, and pitching out the climbing through this low-angle funnel filled with loose rocks.</p> <p>There were probably between 10 and 15 people in this chimney while we were climbing it.</p> <p>It’s just a bad time. The climbing is easy, but the constant anxiety that someone is going to drop a rock on you or you are going to drop a rock on someone else is just a mess. So the quicker you can move through this section, the better.</p> <h3>Fifth: Familiarity with mountain weather</h3> <p>Understanding mountain weather is absolutely critical to climbing on the Diamond. Since the face points to the east, you don’t have a direct visual towards any storms that might be building.</p> <p>Alpine climbing is nothing like gym climbing, sport climbing, or even moderate trad climbing close to the ground, where bailing is quick and uncomplicated. You need to know what’s up with the weather, and you need to be comfortable making judgment calls about when to bail, when to continue, and what type of suffering you are prepared to endure.</p> <p>And although we were lucky enough to climb on a day with an absolutely splitter forecast — you can bet both Beth and I were keeping an eye on the skies. I have been caught in nasty, dangerous storms on this mountain. Don’t underestimate the weather up there.</p> <h2>Was It Worth It?</h2> <p><strong>Yes</strong>!!!</p> <p>We climbed the Diamond a few weeks ago — I stayed quiet because there is lots of other stuff happening in our country at the moment, and I didn’t really feel a need to take up space. I also felt that I was being drawn to writing about the crowds, which didn’t seem like a super optimistic piece. I kept thinking, seeing if there was anything else I wanted to say.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4032/1xZP3Q5c_QKZuxkdkmeSv7A.jpeg" width="4032" height="3024" loading="lazy" /> <p>Truthfully, the crowds <strong>did</strong> detract from the experience. I would have loved to be alone — or at least unhindered — up there. But these days, especially in Colorado, that’s just not the way things are.</p> <p>It’s easy to get elitist and snooty about things. But when I think back to my first time seeing the Diamond, three years ago, and the person I was then: would I be absolutely amazed to know that I climbed it? <em><strong></em>Hell yes</strong>! And would I have cared that it took all day, we went slower than I liked, and I fell at the crux? Hell no!</p> <p>We climbed <em>the Diamond</em>, man. Well worth it. Full stop.</p> <p>I suspect anyone who climbs it would feel the same.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3088/1*FdEpipZ5hdXmE8BpZYix5g.jpeg" width="3088" height="2320" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>And don’t worry Dr. Fauci</strong>: it’s been three weeks, and I’m feelin’ fine.</p> </section>	Crowds, Covid, and the Casual Route “Dr. Tony Fauci would be so pissed if he could see us,” the climber to my left says. He imitates the USA’s top Coronavirus expert, a well known figure in recent days: “‘You’re all the way out there, on the side of a mountain, and you fuckers still can’t stay six feet apart!?’” All three of us at the anchor laugh. We’re in tight proximity, for sure. Me, my climbing partner, and a stranger are in what’s called a “hanging belay”: literally hanging off the side of the Diamond, a huge alpine wall in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. There is no ground below us — just thousands of feet of air. A few pieces of climbing gear stuck into cracks in the rock and some short nylon tethers are all that keep us from dropping to the glacier below. We aren’t all attached to the same gear — but our anchors are built around each other, at the only possible stance. The wall is too smooth and vertical to spread out much. We are climbing the same route, chasing each other up. There are two climbing parties in front of us, and one behind. It is a bit ironic: we are more remote than most people will ever get in their lives, and yet… our new acquaintance is right. Dr. Fauci would not approve. Alpenglow on the Diamond, the morning of our climb. The Diamond is massive: about 1,000 feet high and even longer widthwise, shaped — you guessed it — like a diamond. The thing is dead vertical or overhanging in most sections, and tops out around 14,000 feet in altitude (~4,250 meters). The wall is the undisputed jewel of Colorado climbing, which helps explain why there are ten parties climbing it on this random Wednesday. Of those ten parties, four (including us) are stacked up on the Casual Route (5.10a), the easiest line up the wall. This is creating a bit of a traffic jam, as faster parties are forced to wait for the climbers in front of them to clear the “pitch” or section of the route, before continuing. Normally, this would be unsustainable. The wall, an East face, is totally blind to weather blowing in from the West, which is quite typical in Colorado. Climbing parties need to move fast to avoid being stuck in storms high up on the mountain. But we have a perfect weather forecast — a bluebird day. So we’re talking politics on the wall, relaxing, and trying not to let the crowds bother us. “I guess we weren’t the only ones that saw the forecast,” my climbing partner Beth says to me. “And everyone’s out of work due to the virus.” “Imagine this place on a weekend!” The thought makes me shudder. Route Details Topo of the Casual Route, overlaid on photo of the Diamond. CC credit Steph Abegg Name: The Casual Route, Grade: 5.10a (5c/6a), 7 pitches, Grade IV Type: Alpine Trad Climbing Route — double ropes recommended Location: Longs Peak, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA Approach: 5.5 miles one-way to base of North Chimney, 3,000+ feet of elevation gain. Descent: either join Keiner’s Route (Class 3) to the summit of Longs and descend via the Cables Route, or alternatively, rappel the Diamond Rappel Route (double ropes required) from Almost Table Ledge Beta: Plentiful on Mountain Project. Richard Rossiter’s guidebook to Rocky Mountain National Park also has an excellent chapter on the Diamond. Our Climb Our climb up the Diamond is excellent — sunny weather, climbing within our abilities, and spectacular position. As I start up my first lead, someone on an adjacent route gives a monkey call — climbers all around us echo it. Early morning, monkeys on the wall. Pretty cool. As the day drags on, the crowds start to become a bit more of a bother. I spend an hour sitting in a hanging belay, waiting for the parties in front of us to create some space between us. They never do; we will be tight behind them all day. My partner leads out on the pitch 3 traverse, and I hear a couple familiar voices below. “Hey, you see those guys down below?” I shout out to Beth. “You might recognize them!” “Trying to climb, here!” she yells back at me, unappreciative. I put my attention back on the belay. Below me, on the Broadway ledge, Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell are racking up. “How long you guys been waiting?” they ask the party in line behind us. “Over an hour already,” the couple answers. “Oh wow,” Honnold responds, before asking: “Do you guys mind if we climb through?” Tommy Caldwell on the pitch 3 traverse. I am at a hanging belay in the background. Let’s take a closer look… insert laughing emoji here The pair of pro climbers blasts by us like a rocketship, passing up the traffic jam quite efficiently. They are simulclimbing, an advanced technique which does away with belaying entirely. “Best to think of it as soloing with a backup,” Honnold says as he steps over us at the third pitch anchor. The Honnold sighting gives us a spark of energy. Anyone good enough to be climbing on the Diamond knows those two guys. They are on a huge mission: linking up a bunch of big climbs and ridges in Rocky Mountain National Park. They will triple or quadruple our mileage today, easily. Honnold stops for a while above us to have a shouted conversation with Chris Weidner, another (semi?) pro, who has rappelled in from the top of the face and is working on establishing a new route, way up high on the face. It’s kind of surreal, these two guys yelling back and forth, making plans to meet in Boulder later that week, to catch up, to hang out. Such a quotidian interaction in such an unlikely setting. But hey, that’s Colorado. The party behind us bails. That must be frustrating. I watch their double ropes spiral down towards Broadway. My partner pulls the lead on the pitch 5 dihedral, a 200-foot corner with sumptuous climbing up cracks and laybacks. I’m jealous. That must be the best pitch on the route. She eats that up and we arrive at the base of the crux pitch to find the belay, unsurprisingly, occupied. I use an ancient old bolt and a nut cinched down on top of a hanger-less bolt to build an alternate belay. I back it up with cams in an expando-flake. Yummmmm The sun has passed behind the face at this point, and both my partner and I are getting cold, standing on a two-foot-wide “bivvy ledge.” This would be an uncomfortable place to spend the night, I can’t help but think. We have rain jackets but no down. We start to shiver a bit while the leader ahead of us finishes the squeeze chimney and shouts down “that was the worst thing I have ever done.” His follower sighs, and soon takes off. I’m happy to get moving, even if I am staring the crux pitch in the face. A tricky thin section of 5.9+ fingers leads to a 5.8 squeeze chimney, which I actually find quite enjoyable. Maybe because I’ve been spending a lot of time at Vedauwoo this summer, where chimney and offwidth is the name of the game. The chimney goes down easy, but I’m still gassed by the time I reach the technical crux above, a bulgy reach. There are two fixed nuts at the crux, but one is literally held together with duct tape, and the cable on the other has frayed pretty severely. I skip them. I accidentally place a cam in a key hand jam, fiddle around for a while looking for the sequence, and eventually fall off. The twin ropes we’re using stretch quite a lot. It’s not really scary — I trust my gear, I trust my belayer, and the route is vertical enough that I’m in no danger of hitting anything. It’s frustrating, more than anything. The move isn’t hard. Our long day is catching up with us. Checking out the crux pitch from below (you’ll notice we’ve moved our belay). Longs’ famous “Boulder Field” is visible in the background. My belayer, down below, screams up asking me to just aid through the crux. My fall might have freaked her out a bit. She’s been motionless on the belay ledge for two hours now, and is getting really cold. She wants to get moving, ASAP. I exercise a bit of selfishness and figure out how to free the moves. I didn’t really have the right gear to aid it, anyways. Once I’m above it, the move seems almost laughably easy. But looking around from our position up high, the totality of the day sets in. My partner follows the crux pitch. She’s gassed, cold, a little scared, and ready to start getting off this mountain. I am, too. The shadows are getting long, and we still have nine rappels in front of us. I lead the final traverse out to Almost Table Ledge, my partner follows, and the route is done. Five double-rope rappels get us to Broadway Ledge, where our packs await us with water and snacks. The party in front of us forgot to untie the knot before pulling their last rappel- their rope is stuck in the anchors. We untie it and toss it down to them. They continue down. We eat, take in the sunset, and for the final time, allow these two guys to get ahead of us. Long shadows falling over Chasm Lake. Photo taken from Broadway. Soon we rappel the Crack of Delight, sliding some 600 feet down our ropes in the fading daylight. We are tired and it’s very repetitive, but we keep our focus set just a little longer. Most climbing accidents happen on the descent. We hit the ground, pull the ropes cleanly, and can finally relax. Safe. So, what does it take to climb the Casual Route? Just about every Colorado climber has the Diamond on their list. It’s inspiring. But only a few will ever get around to going up the thing. Here are a few things I think you need before trying to tackle this route. First: a lot of trad climbing experience. The Diamond seen from the Boulder Field on Long’s Peak. The Cable Route climbs just to the right of the Diamond, in between the snow patches. I first set eyes on the Diamond three years ago, while attempting the Cables Route on Longs Peak. The Cables is two pitches of low-angle rock climbing; that day was my first ever roped alpine climb. Climbing alongside the Diamond, it looked intimidating and impossible. In the three years since, I climbed a lot, primarily on traditional gear. Easy routes, long routes, hard routes. I climbed with lots of partners, developed a sense for what I like and who I like to do it with. Through this process, eventually the Diamond stopped seeming so impossible. Second: A Stupid Early Start For most climbers, the Casual Route is a full day. The more popular approach is to do the route car-to-car, which should take from 12–24 hours, depending on how fast you hike, how efficiently you are climbing, whether you choose to summit the mountain or rappel the Diamond, how slow the parties are in front of you, etc. We hit the trail at 2:30 a.m. Our car-to-car time was about 22 hours, but I blame a lot of that on unavoidable waiting we had to do at the belays, waiting for the parties in front of us. However, as sad as it is, the simple fact is: crowds may be the crux of climbing The Casual Route. Next time I climb on the Diamond, I will seriously consider bivvying on Broadway ledge or near Chasm View, in order to beat the early-morning clown show. Third: Big Lungs! Climbing 5.10 at 14,000 feet is hard! Altitude definitely plays a role in this experience, and it can be tough to plan for if you have little opportunity to climb and train at elevation. All of the routes on the Diamond feature LONG, sustained pitches which will challenge your endurance. The 5.10 crux of the Casual Route is the second-to-last pitch, and it’s as high as you will go (the final pitch is a traverse). That means you’ve climbed over a thousand vertical feet at elevation, before you even hit the crux. Make sure there’s gas in the tank! Hiking 14ers around Colorado is a good way to get a feel for what altitude does to you. Sampling some of the more moderate alpine climbs in Rocky Mountain National Park is also great practice. Fourth: Comfort soloing 5.5-ish terrain There are two ways to access climbs on the Diamond: Climb the North Chimney (5.4–5.6) Rappel in from Chasm View Rappelling in from Chasm View is the safer option, but it adds several miles of hiking, plus three rappels to your day. Most parties opt to climb the North Chimney, which is about 600 feet of low-angle, decomposing rock. This is generally soloed or simulclimbed; pitching it out almost guarantees you’ll be stuck in line. This was the worst part of my day on the Diamond, and it suffered from the same problem as the rest: crowds. Basically, everyone looking to climb the Diamond in a particular day starts up this chimney at daybreak. This results in kind of a race, with people simultaneously soloing, simulclimbing, and pitching out the climbing through this low-angle funnel filled with loose rocks. There were probably between 10 and 15 people in this chimney while we were climbing it. It’s just a bad time. The climbing is easy, but the constant anxiety that someone is going to drop a rock on you or you are going to drop a rock on someone else is just a mess. So the quicker you can move through this section, the better. Fifth: Familiarity with mountain weather Understanding mountain weather is absolutely critical to climbing on the Diamond. Since the face points to the east, you don’t have a direct visual towards any storms that might be building. Alpine climbing is nothing like gym climbing, sport climbing, or even moderate trad climbing close to the ground, where bailing is quick and uncomplicated. You need to know what’s up with the weather, and you need to be comfortable making judgment calls about when to bail, when to continue, and what type of suffering you are prepared to endure. And although we were lucky enough to climb on a day with an absolutely splitter forecast — you can bet both Beth and I were keeping an eye on the skies. I have been caught in nasty, dangerous storms on this mountain. Don’t underestimate the weather up there. Was It Worth It? Yes!!! We climbed the Diamond a few weeks ago — I stayed quiet because there is lots of other stuff happening in our country at the moment, and I didn’t really feel a need to take up space. I also felt that I was being drawn to writing about the crowds, which didn’t seem like a super optimistic piece. I kept thinking, seeing if there was anything else I wanted to say. Long’s Peak and the Diamond seen from the trailhead? The road? Idk. Truthfully, the crowds did detract from the experience. I would have loved to be alone — or at least unhindered — up there. But these days, especially in Colorado, that’s just not the way things are. It’s easy to get elitist and snooty about things. But when I think back to my first time seeing the Diamond, three years ago, and the person I was then: would I be absolutely amazed to know that I climbed it? Hell yes! And would I have cared that it took all day, we went slower than I liked, and I fell at the crux? Hell no! We climbed the Diamond, man. Well worth it. Full stop. I suspect anyone who climbs it would feel the same. Summit selfie. And don’t worry Dr. Fauci: it’s been three weeks, and I’m feelin’ fine.	bddac38d-e328-5083-9a72-ee369d38f760	25/08/2025 18:01:47
https://medium.com/@ohiorancher5/this-visit-was-supposed-to-be-the-blume-freewill-baptist-church-but-we-got-a-little-off-course-a4ee88ae069d	medium.com	This visit was supposed to be the Bloom Freewill Baptist Church but we got a little off course…	It was actually over a year ago that we attended this church and I am sure there have been changes. But if I do not write about it now we…	Randy Rucker	https://medium.com/@ohiorancher5	a4ee88ae069d	https://miro.medium.com/…aF21A4_Bulg.jpeg	4 min	2017-01-10T15:43:35.871000	2017-01-11T03:30:56.676000	2018-02-28T11:48:09.129000	0	3	en	Christianity,Church,Religion,Community,Family	<section> <p>This visit was supposed to be the Bloom Freewill Baptist Church but we got a little off course thanks to me and we ended up attending the Union Freewill Baptist Church. God must have wanted us to go here today!</p> <p>It was actually over a year ago that we attended this church and I am sure there have been changes. But if I do not write about it now we might not get back for awhile. So here it is, a lovely church and great people. Stop by to see them.</p> <p>Beverly and I didn’t realize there are so many Baptist Churches in our County. Neither did we realize they were divisioned into different denominations of Baptists. The Freewill Baptists migrated from Wales in 1701 settling in Pennsylvania known as the Welsh Tract. They are confined for the greater part to the South, Freewill Baptists in the North have affiliated with the American Baptist Convention. The Union Freewill Baptist Church is located on a stretch between South Webster and Wheelersburg Ohio, an early agricultural and livestock belt of Scioto County!</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4160/16x5ZfZlN9oxzWzN3XaCq-g.jpeg" width="4160" height="3120" loading="lazy" /> <p>Beverly and I were again blessed in our experience and the minister’s sermon was both inspiring and dynamic. It became obvious to us that we were experiencing with a surprised congregation this minister’s last sermon at this church.</p> <p>We were warmly greeted at the door by a youth minister named Zach Conkle. Small world, we learned that he is friends with my brother’s son Drew who owns Shorty’s Barber Shop. Always a good place to swap stories I might add! Here’s one for you. Zach was visiting Drew in their home in Greg and Jeannie’s absence. A snow storm arose extending his stay and they began searching out dinner. Zach said they found some filet mignon in the freezer and lit up the grill and there was dinner! Brother Greg and his wife Jeannie do not remember the event but gave me permission to tell the story.</p> <p>The pastor approached us in our usual back row pew, introduced himself and warmly welcomed us to the church knowing we were guests and he was about to extend his farewell message to the congregation.</p> <p>The service began and a congregation leader mentioned an upcoming men’s retreat. Then there was a birthday call with those having birthdays going forward with their offering. Now children went forward to make an offering to the tune of a song sounding like take me out to the ballgame. I found the name of their excellent organist on this day to be Sandy Little. She was at her post on the organ when a choir went forward and took their places. Their first piece was “My anchor holds”, followed by several others.</p> <p>Then it was time for the minister’s sermon. He started out by saying, “if you have a snickers bar you had better eat it cause you will not be going anywhere for awhile”. The pastor said he had been asking God about his future, though this was not his first time to do such and he had felt a great peace from God that this was his time to leave. He had been preaching at Freewill Baptist for 10 years.</p> <p>He said, “I have married here and buried here, I have worked with your children”! Then he shared a message of support and guidance for the deacons of the church. As far as his board he said there are those I would trust with the lives of my children. He pointed out that he had received other pulpit offers but had extended he was not ready to leave the Freewill Baptist Church.</p> <p>But now, he said, if I wanted to stay here, I could not. I’m not being run off by the board or anyone else. My master has other things for me to do. I don’t own me anymore.</p> <p>He then referred to Corianthians Chapter 1, verse 10. We don’t follow men, we don’t worship men, we worship Jesus Christ. He said, I used to run after people begging them to stay at our church. I no longer practice this. We don’t follow or serve a pastor, we serve christ.</p> <p>You don’t follow a man and what a man does, to build a church. If everything falls down when I walk out of here then everything I have done here is a lie. Never let the people of this church forget Calvary, nothing has changed mankind more. It was the pivotal event in our history and faith! The word of God and your soul is all that will get you through.</p> <p>This was your church when I got here and it will be your church when I am gone. A church doesn’t depend on a man, it depends on God. Don’t leave this church. Don’t follow me. I will still live a mile down this road! Someday I will return to this church and will sit in the back row. A little boy will come up and say, who are you? I will say nobody, just another visitor.</p> <p>Lastly the pastor pulled the congregation from their seats to circle the room. He had each person take up hands in this circle. Then he broke from the circle, placed the hands back together as he parted to the inside of this circle to close his point. He said, “as one breaks away from the church God will put it back together again”. Tears and love filled the room. Whatever had transpired to this point didn’t matter because a pastor and even more so God was sure to put it back together again!</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2560/1WXP0Nk5lza5DZY1i-wBg9g.jpeg" width="2560" height="1440" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4160/1*P1Ytwa6Z-EECXCRHXVzegQ.jpeg" width="4160" height="3120" loading="lazy" /> <p>And so we have visited the Union Freewill Baptist Church. We have been blessed by it’s people, their pastor, and his sermon. Beverly and I will continue our journey!</p> <p>As believers, let us share the good news of Jesus Christ as Savior of the world! Each one reach one!</p> </section>	This visit was supposed to be the Bloom Freewill Baptist Church but we got a little off course thanks to me and we ended up attending the Union Freewill Baptist Church. God must have wanted us to go here today! It was actually over a year ago that we attended this church and I am sure there have been changes. But if I do not write about it now we might not get back for awhile. So here it is, a lovely church and great people. Stop by to see them. Beverly and I didn’t realize there are so many Baptist Churches in our County. Neither did we realize they were divisioned into different denominations of Baptists. The Freewill Baptists migrated from Wales in 1701 settling in Pennsylvania known as the Welsh Tract. They are confined for the greater part to the South, Freewill Baptists in the North have affiliated with the American Baptist Convention. The Union Freewill Baptist Church is located on a stretch between South Webster and Wheelersburg Ohio, an early agricultural and livestock belt of Scioto County! Beverly and I were again blessed in our experience and the minister’s sermon was both inspiring and dynamic. It became obvious to us that we were experiencing with a surprised congregation this minister’s last sermon at this church. We were warmly greeted at the door by a youth minister named Zach Conkle. Small world, we learned that he is friends with my brother’s son Drew who owns Shorty’s Barber Shop. Always a good place to swap stories I might add! Here’s one for you. Zach was visiting Drew in their home in Greg and Jeannie’s absence. A snow storm arose extending his stay and they began searching out dinner. Zach said they found some filet mignon in the freezer and lit up the grill and there was dinner! Brother Greg and his wife Jeannie do not remember the event but gave me permission to tell the story. The pastor approached us in our usual back row pew, introduced himself and warmly welcomed us to the church knowing we were guests and he was about to extend his farewell message to the congregation. The service began and a congregation leader mentioned an upcoming men’s retreat. Then there was a birthday call with those having birthdays going forward with their offering. Now children went forward to make an offering to the tune of a song sounding like take me out to the ballgame. I found the name of their excellent organist on this day to be Sandy Little. She was at her post on the organ when a choir went forward and took their places. Their first piece was “My anchor holds”, followed by several others. Then it was time for the minister’s sermon. He started out by saying, “if you have a snickers bar you had better eat it cause you will not be going anywhere for awhile”. The pastor said he had been asking God about his future, though this was not his first time to do such and he had felt a great peace from God that this was his time to leave. He had been preaching at Freewill Baptist for 10 years. He said, “I have married here and buried here, I have worked with your children”! Then he shared a message of support and guidance for the deacons of the church. As far as his board he said there are those I would trust with the lives of my children. He pointed out that he had received other pulpit offers but had extended he was not ready to leave the Freewill Baptist Church. But now, he said, if I wanted to stay here, I could not. I’m not being run off by the board or anyone else. My master has other things for me to do. I don’t own me anymore. He then referred to Corianthians Chapter 1, verse 10. We don’t follow men, we don’t worship men, we worship Jesus Christ. He said, I used to run after people begging them to stay at our church. I no longer practice this. We don’t follow or serve a pastor, we serve christ. You don’t follow a man and what a man does, to build a church. If everything falls down when I walk out of here then everything I have done here is a lie. Never let the people of this church forget Calvary, nothing has changed mankind more. It was the pivotal event in our history and faith! The word of God and your soul is all that will get you through. This was your church when I got here and it will be your church when I am gone. A church doesn’t depend on a man, it depends on God. Don’t leave this church. Don’t follow me. I will still live a mile down this road! Someday I will return to this church and will sit in the back row. A little boy will come up and say, who are you? I will say nobody, just another visitor. Lastly the pastor pulled the congregation from their seats to circle the room. He had each person take up hands in this circle. Then he broke from the circle, placed the hands back together as he parted to the inside of this circle to close his point. He said, “as one breaks away from the church God will put it back together again”. Tears and love filled the room. Whatever had transpired to this point didn’t matter because a pastor and even more so God was sure to put it back together again! And so we have visited the Union Freewill Baptist Church. We have been blessed by it’s people, their pastor, and his sermon. Beverly and I will continue our journey! As believers, let us share the good news of Jesus Christ as Savior of the world! Each one reach one!	1b72ad3c-3c6d-504c-bfcb-ebd593a4118a	25/08/2025 18:01:47
https://medium.com/@bychristinephotography/how-to-locate-the-best-hochzeitsfotograf-salzburg-b34f9e7e3d99	medium.com	How To Locate The Best Hochzeitsfotograf Salzburg?	Google Search can give you many options for choosing hochzeitsfotograf Salzburg but you need using some filters to narrow down your search.	Justin Bagley	https://medium.com/@bychristinephotography	b34f9e7e3d99	null	2 min	2017-12-21T05:18:55.262000	2017-12-21T05:19:33.776000	2017-12-21T05:19:34.670000	0	0	en	Photography	<section> <p>Google Search can give you many options for choosing hochzeitsfotograf Salzburg but you need using some filters to narrow down your search.</p> <p>When you are meeting cameramen to hire a <strong><a href="http://www.bychri</strong>stine.photography/hochzeitsfotografwienvillachklagenfurt/">hochzeitsfotograf Salzburg</a>, you should keep your attitude straightforward. Make sure that you are able to convey your needs and also that the person understands your needs. You should understand that even a smallest gap in communication could spoil your plans. The person should understand what you want him to provide.</p> <p><strong>What Are Your Needs?</strong></p> <p>It is learnt that people feel impressed by experienced photographers. If you are hiring a very experienced cameraman, chances are that the person could convince you to get whatever he offers. And he could customize the services according to his needs. It is possible and there are many instances to show when people are unable to convey their needs and get the best services. If your cameraman is one of the leading professionals in your area, you could also feel depressed before him.</p> <p><strong>How To Negotiate With An Experienced Cameraman?</strong></p> <p>When you are dealing with a seasoned hochzeitsfotograf Salzburg, you are likely to get photography tips from the person. He will tell you how to start, which moments to capture and finally he could change your photography plan to suit to his needs. Also he will show some album designs and get a design finalized by you. He will use his experience to convince you to agree to his suggestions. But you should go prepared to meet an experienced cameraman.</p> <p><strong>What Preparation You Need Doing When Meeting A Photographer?</strong></p> <p>You should prepare a detailed questionnaire including service charges, service timings and quality of service. Your first meeting with the person is an opportunity to determine strength and reliability of your service provider. You should try knowing what the person can do and in this way make an opinion on him. Here it is necessary to mention that you shouldn’t make any prior opinion on the cameraman before meeting him.</p> <p><strong>Ask For Examples?</strong></p> <p>Ask the hochzeitsfotograf Salzburg to come prepared with all the work he has done and also with client testimonials so that you can make sure that you are dealing with right person. Your objective should be to know everything about the person and it is possible only when you are able to draw comprehensive information on the person. You can do a perfect job with your knowledge. If needed you can write the questions on a paper and keep the paper with you when going to meet the person.</p> </section>	How To Locate The Best Hochzeitsfotograf Salzburg? Google Search can give you many options for choosing hochzeitsfotograf Salzburg but you need using some filters to narrow down your search. When you are meeting cameramen to hire a hochzeitsfotograf Salzburg, you should keep your attitude straightforward. Make sure that you are able to convey your needs and also that the person understands your needs. You should understand that even a smallest gap in communication could spoil your plans. The person should understand what you want him to provide. What Are Your Needs? It is learnt that people feel impressed by experienced photographers. If you are hiring a very experienced cameraman, chances are that the person could convince you to get whatever he offers. And he could customize the services according to his needs. It is possible and there are many instances to show when people are unable to convey their needs and get the best services. If your cameraman is one of the leading professionals in your area, you could also feel depressed before him. How To Negotiate With An Experienced Cameraman? When you are dealing with a seasoned hochzeitsfotograf Salzburg, you are likely to get photography tips from the person. He will tell you how to start, which moments to capture and finally he could change your photography plan to suit to his needs. Also he will show some album designs and get a design finalized by you. He will use his experience to convince you to agree to his suggestions. But you should go prepared to meet an experienced cameraman. What Preparation You Need Doing When Meeting A Photographer? You should prepare a detailed questionnaire including service charges, service timings and quality of service. Your first meeting with the person is an opportunity to determine strength and reliability of your service provider. You should try knowing what the person can do and in this way make an opinion on him. Here it is necessary to mention that you shouldn’t make any prior opinion on the cameraman before meeting him. Ask For Examples? Ask the hochzeitsfotograf Salzburg to come prepared with all the work he has done and also with client testimonials so that you can make sure that you are dealing with right person. Your objective should be to know everything about the person and it is possible only when you are able to draw comprehensive information on the person. You can do a perfect job with your knowledge. If needed you can write the questions on a paper and keep the paper with you when going to meet the person.	6b9b37df-2a86-5589-b534-26d3bf90d9d2	25/08/2025 18:01:47
https://medium.com/@davidgbeer/walter-benjamins-focus-554ef10ea670	medium.com	Walter Benjamin’s focus	A review of On Photography: Walter Benjamin. Edited and translated by Esther Leslie. London: Reaktion Books. 2015.	Dave Beer	https://medium.com/@davidgbeer	554ef10ea670	https://miro.medium.com/…WOcjyeXj88A.jpeg	3 min	2017-12-29T16:24:47.103000	2018-01-02T18:00:39.274000	2018-04-26T17:00:36.213000	0	2	en	Photography,Books,Book Review,Culture,Walter Benjamin	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1280/1*I_LGJ8CwCXoWOcjyeXj88A.jpeg" width="1280" height="853" loading="lazy" /> <h3>A review of On Photography: Walter Benjamin. Edited and translated by Esther Leslie. London: Reaktion Books. 2015.</h3> <p>Writing in 1928, Walter Benjamin opened a review of a collection of nature photography by observing that ‘criticism is a convivial art’, to this he adjoined a less encouraging reminder: ‘a healthy reader doesn’t give a fig for the reviewer’s judgement’. Reviews, Benjamin concludes, draw readers into a book whilst also imbuing it with the reviewers perspective. In this respect the review has at least one similar property to the photograph; it changes the way that the object is seen.</p> <p>This recent collection of Benjamin’s writings on photography, edited and introduced by Esther Leslie, is slim but well-populated. It is one of a recent raft of books exploring Benjamin’s lesser-known and relatively neglected writings. This particular collection can be carved into thirds: with Leslie’s quality introductory essay covering a third of the book, a third is dedicated to Benjamin’s short history of photography and the final third is made up of Benjamin’s more fragmentary pieces on the topic. As well as providing the book’s introduction, Leslie also provides short contextual introductions to each of Benjamin’s pieces. The fact that a book can be hung around a relatively small amount of content from Benjamin is testament to the packed insights of his writing and the care and detail provided by the editor in explaining, developing and situating that content.</p> <p>Benjamin was writing as the social presence of photography was rapidly escalating. Photography was becoming commonplace, as Leslie tells us, in the period 1925 to 1938 covered by the essays gathered here. This called for, as Benjamin puts it, the movement of the ‘analysis out of the realm of aesthetic distinctions and into that of social functions’. Benjamin was, Leslie explains, exploring the ‘potentials and actualities of the medium’. Leslie makes the point that Benjamin was ‘its critic, in a profound sense, because he tracked it as something changing, adapting, developing in history’. Part of the power is in the traces or ‘afterlives’ of the images. Photography was wrapped up with profound social changes on a large scale. Benjamin wrote on these changes, which in turn influenced not only his ideas but also his writing — which Leslie argues took on a photographic style.</p> <p>What emerges from the collection is an argument about the way that photography, in the ‘crucial’ relationship between photographer and technology, changes perception and enables the world to be seen anew — the processes of ‘miniturization’ are, Benjamin notes, the facilitator. Photography became part of the shifts and shocks of modernity, it also captured the fragments of those modern experiences. Leslie’s excellent contextualisations superbly take the reader through Benjamin’s linkages of photography with these broader streams and the social effects it ‘unleashes’ — as well as laying out his intellectual influences.</p> <p>The question Benjamin implictly tackles concerns the properties of photography that drive its social effects. The pieces gathered here offer insights into the disruptive powers of photos. Seeing the world in photographic images brings with it shifts in what we see of that world. In his history of photography Benjamin uses the concept of the ‘optical unconcious’ to capture this. Photography reveals our optical unconciousness to us, we learn of it, Benjamin argues, through the perspective the pictures bring. Photography brings things into view that were previously outside of our awareness — small hidden details, qualities, movements, actions, the granular, and so on. As such, this collection taps into some of the arguments Benjamin made in his more famous essay on reproducibility and art.</p> <p>For Benjamin, as well as reshaping memory, fetishising creativity in photographic fashions, changing the traces left by people and challenging conceptions of art, it is in the redrawing of the limits of our optical consciousness that photography’s importance can be observed. It is with this central insight that this small collection leaves the reader wondering, especially given just how powerful images have become in the media environment we now occupy. Our optical conciousness, it would seem, continues to be reshaped, the same might also be said of the powerful social functions of photography to which Benjamin’s focus was attracted.</p> </section>	Walter Benjamin’s focus A review of On Photography: Walter Benjamin. Edited and translated by Esther Leslie. London: Reaktion Books. 2015. Writing in 1928, Walter Benjamin opened a review of a collection of nature photography by observing that ‘criticism is a convivial art’, to this he adjoined a less encouraging reminder: ‘a healthy reader doesn’t give a fig for the reviewer’s judgement’. Reviews, Benjamin concludes, draw readers into a book whilst also imbuing it with the reviewers perspective. In this respect the review has at least one similar property to the photograph; it changes the way that the object is seen. This recent collection of Benjamin’s writings on photography, edited and introduced by Esther Leslie, is slim but well-populated. It is one of a recent raft of books exploring Benjamin’s lesser-known and relatively neglected writings. This particular collection can be carved into thirds: with Leslie’s quality introductory essay covering a third of the book, a third is dedicated to Benjamin’s short history of photography and the final third is made up of Benjamin’s more fragmentary pieces on the topic. As well as providing the book’s introduction, Leslie also provides short contextual introductions to each of Benjamin’s pieces. The fact that a book can be hung around a relatively small amount of content from Benjamin is testament to the packed insights of his writing and the care and detail provided by the editor in explaining, developing and situating that content. Benjamin was writing as the social presence of photography was rapidly escalating. Photography was becoming commonplace, as Leslie tells us, in the period 1925 to 1938 covered by the essays gathered here. This called for, as Benjamin puts it, the movement of the ‘analysis out of the realm of aesthetic distinctions and into that of social functions’. Benjamin was, Leslie explains, exploring the ‘potentials and actualities of the medium’. Leslie makes the point that Benjamin was ‘its critic, in a profound sense, because he tracked it as something changing, adapting, developing in history’. Part of the power is in the traces or ‘afterlives’ of the images. Photography was wrapped up with profound social changes on a large scale. Benjamin wrote on these changes, which in turn influenced not only his ideas but also his writing — which Leslie argues took on a photographic style. What emerges from the collection is an argument about the way that photography, in the ‘crucial’ relationship between photographer and technology, changes perception and enables the world to be seen anew — the processes of ‘miniturization’ are, Benjamin notes, the facilitator. Photography became part of the shifts and shocks of modernity, it also captured the fragments of those modern experiences. Leslie’s excellent contextualisations superbly take the reader through Benjamin’s linkages of photography with these broader streams and the social effects it ‘unleashes’ — as well as laying out his intellectual influences. The question Benjamin implictly tackles concerns the properties of photography that drive its social effects. The pieces gathered here offer insights into the disruptive powers of photos. Seeing the world in photographic images brings with it shifts in what we see of that world. In his history of photography Benjamin uses the concept of the ‘optical unconcious’ to capture this. Photography reveals our optical unconciousness to us, we learn of it, Benjamin argues, through the perspective the pictures bring. Photography brings things into view that were previously outside of our awareness — small hidden details, qualities, movements, actions, the granular, and so on. As such, this collection taps into some of the arguments Benjamin made in his more famous essay on reproducibility and art. For Benjamin, as well as reshaping memory, fetishising creativity in photographic fashions, changing the traces left by people and challenging conceptions of art, it is in the redrawing of the limits of our optical consciousness that photography’s importance can be observed. It is with this central insight that this small collection leaves the reader wondering, especially given just how powerful images have become in the media environment we now occupy. Our optical conciousness, it would seem, continues to be reshaped, the same might also be said of the powerful social functions of photography to which Benjamin’s focus was attracted.	3025201a-676c-5574-b44e-4c9c0396730d	25/08/2025 18:01:47
https://medium.com/@irenedavidnc/about-the-healthy-carpet-of-nc-c6d62fb1306e	medium.com	About The Healthy Carpet of NC	Immediately DRY Organic Carpet Cleaning Service! Veteran Owned, local business in Apex serving Cary, Durham, Holly Springs, Fuquay Varina…	Irene David	https://medium.com/@irenedavidnc	c6d62fb1306e	https://miro.medium.com/…lr_XvrhEVGQ.jpeg	1 min	2017-03-02T18:04:41.060000	2017-03-02T18:06:17.676000	2017-07-01T20:17:51.721000	0	0	en	North Carolina,Food	<section> <p>Immediately DRY Organic Carpet Cleaning Service! Veteran Owned, local business in Apex serving Cary, Durham, Holly Springs, Fuquay Varina, Raleigh and surrounding communities.</p> <p>The Healthy Carpet of NC provides residential and commercial carpet cleaning in Apex, Cary, Durham and surrounding communities. After we service your home and business, your carpet is DRY IMMEDIATELY. NO WET Carpet, NO WAITING time.</p> <p><a href="http://thehealthycarpet.com/">The Healthy Carpet</a> way of cleaning is the better way. We leave no moisture behind but handled tough carpet stains including permanent marker! We use only organic product 100% safe. We service Apex, Cary, Durham, Holly Spring, Fuquay Varina, Raleigh and surrounding areas.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/300/1*U9h8kIu5qDJlr_XvrhEVGQ.jpeg" width="300" height="300" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>The Healthy Carpet of NC</strong> Business Address: 3916 Beryl Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607 Phone: (919) 446–5379 Email: <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a> Website: <a href="http://thehealthycarpet.com/">http://thehealthycarpet.com/</a></p> <p>Reach Us: <a href="https://plus.google.com/+TheHealthyCarpetofNCApex">Our Google+ Profile</a> \| <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheHealthyCarpet">Our Facebook Fan Page</a> \| <a href="https://twitter.com/CarpetHealthy">See us on Twitter</a> \| <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ireneferdinand-bencito-78888910b">Visit Our LinkedIn Page</a> \| <a href="https://www.angieslist.com/companylist/us/nc/apex/the-healthy-carpet-reviews-8691803.htm">See us on AngiesList</a></p> <p><a href="https://thehealthycarpetofnc.wordpress.com/">Visit Our WordPress Page</a> \| <a href="https://www.houzz.com/pro/thehealthycarpet/the-healthy-carpet-of-nc">Our Houzz Profile</a></p> <p><a href="https://the-healthy-carpet-of-nc.hub.biz/">Our hub.biz Site</a> \| <a href="https://raleigh.cylex-usa.com/company/the-healthy-carpet-of-nc-26033335.html">Our cylex-usa.com Page</a></p> </section>	About The Healthy Carpet of NC Immediately DRY Organic Carpet Cleaning Service! Veteran Owned, local business in Apex serving Cary, Durham, Holly Springs, Fuquay Varina, Raleigh and surrounding communities. The Healthy Carpet of NC provides residential and commercial carpet cleaning in Apex, Cary, Durham and surrounding communities. After we service your home and business, your carpet is DRY IMMEDIATELY. NO WET Carpet, NO WAITING time. The Healthy Carpet way of cleaning is the better way. We leave no moisture behind but handled tough carpet stains including permanent marker! We use only organic product 100% safe. We service Apex, Cary, Durham, Holly Spring, Fuquay Varina, Raleigh and surrounding areas. The Healthy Carpet of NC Business Address: 3916 Beryl Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607 Phone: (919) 446–5379 Email: [email protected] Website: http://thehealthycarpet.com/ Reach Us: Our Google+ Profile \| Our Facebook Fan Page \| See us on Twitter \| Visit Our LinkedIn Page \| See us on AngiesList Visit Our WordPress Page \| Our Houzz Profile Our hub.biz Site \| Our cylex-usa.com Page	d71496e0-c2a0-5965-af42-3cd0a6940c53	25/08/2025 18:01:47
https://medium.com/predict/ai-powered-it-support-transforming-workflows-enhancing-efficiency-and-redefining-user-experience-3eca6672a0f7	medium.com	AI-Powered IT Support: Transforming Workflows, Enhancing Efficiency, and Redefining User Experience	Who here has ever wanted to throw their computer out the window after being repeatedly prompted to reboot or reset a password with no…	Nadeem Mustafa	https://medium.com/@nmqasim	3eca6672a0f7	https://miro.medium.com/…VfD1uayXHcEQ.png	5 min	2024-03-30T11:02:54.266000	2024-03-30T17:15:13.995000	2024-11-29T12:56:31.575000	0	15	en	Artificial Intelligence,Productivity,Workflow,Strategy,User Experience	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2240/1*C3f-OauUjzVfD1uayXHcEQ.png" width="2240" height="1260" loading="lazy" /> <p>Who here has ever wanted to throw their computer out the window after being repeatedly prompted to reboot or reset a password with no resolution in sight? Raise your hand… thought so! IT support woes are all too real, leaving us users frustrated and borderline furious. But take heart, help is here and its name is AI! With artificial intelligence taking the helm, outdated IT workflows are poised for an extreme makeover.</p> <p>By intelligently automating routine processes like troubleshooting, AI can now diagnose issues in a snap and even fix basic problems without human assistance. The remaining cases are smoothly routed to agents with all relevant details upfront, saving precious time previously spent chasing down clues. Best of all, AI learns from each interaction to continuously improve. Say goodbye to callbacks and runarounds — with AI in the driver’s seat, support will finally drive straight to solutions without all the unnecessary detours.</p> <h1>Artificial Intelligence (AI) & IT Support</h1> <p>Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the field of IT support by introducing advanced technologies that streamline operations, enhance user experiences, and improve overall efficiency. The integration of AI in IT support services has brought about significant changes in various aspects of technical assistance and troubleshooting. Here are some key ways in which AI is impacting IT support:</p> <h3>Real-Time Assistance and 24/7 Availability</h3> <p>AI-powered chatbots are the ultimate night owls and early birds rolled into one. They’re always ready to lend a helping hand, no matter the time of day (or night!). In today’s fast-paced work environments, where issues can crop up at any moment, having a reliable, 24/7 support system is crucial. Chatbots are the unsung heroes of the digital world, tirelessly working to ensure users receive timely support whenever they need it.</p> <h3>Scalability and Efficiency: Handling the Multitudes</h3> <p>Imagine a world where a single chatbot could handle multiple support requests simultaneously, without breaking a sweat (or a circuit). Well, that world is here! Chatbots are the ultimate multitaskers, capable of assisting numerous users at once, greatly improving the scalability and efficiency of IT support operations. This means that businesses can provide top-notch support to a growing user base without needing to hire an army of support staff. It’s like having a superhero on your team, minus the cape and spandex.</p> <h3>Predictive Problem-Solving: The AI Crystal Ball</h3> <p>AI algorithms are not just reactive; they’re also proactive. They have the uncanny ability to foresee potential problems and take preventative measures to avoid them. It’s like having a crystal ball that can detect signs of hardware failure or network congestion before they escalate into full-blown crises. With AI on your side, you can stay one step ahead of the game and keep your IT systems running smoothly.</p> <h3>Automation of Routine Tasks: Freeing Up the Human Touch</h3> <p>Let’s face it: routine IT support tasks can be a real snooze-fest. But with AI, these mundane tasks can be automated, freeing up human agents to tackle more complex and critical issues. This allows IT professionals to focus their expertise where it’s most needed, like solving the mystery of why the printer always seems to jam just before a big meeting. It’s like having a trusty sidekick who takes care of the small stuff, so you can focus on saving the day.</p> <h3>Data-Driven Insights: Unlocking the Secrets of IT</h3> <p>AI systems are the ultimate data detectives, analyzing vast amounts of information to identify trends, patterns, and anomalies. These insights are invaluable for improving IT systems and processes, and can even help prevent recurring issues. It’s like having a super-smart partner who can sift through mountains of data and find the needle in the haystack, all while cracking jokes and keeping you entertained.</p> <h3>Challenges and Limitations: The Human Touch Still Matters</h3> <p>Despite their incredible capabilities, AI systems still struggle with complex or nuanced issues that require human intervention. Emotional intelligence and empathy, which are crucial in certain support scenarios, are areas where AI currently falls short. It’s like trying to get a robot to understand sarcasm — it’s just not their forte (yet). But fear not, dear humans, your unique skills and expertise are still very much needed in the world of IT support.</p> <h3>Productivity Boost: The AI-Powered Workplace of the Future</h3> <p>Brace yourselves, because AI is expected to increase company productivity by up to a whopping 40% by 2035. That’s like giving your business a super-charged productivity boost, without the need for caffeine or energy drinks. With AI handling the repetitive tasks and providing valuable insights, your team can focus on innovation, creativity, and problem-solving — the things that truly drive your business forward.</p> <h3>Enhancing Customer Support: The AI Advantage</h3> <p>AI is revolutionizing customer support, enabling deeper insights and a better user experience. From providing real-time service to categorizing support tickets and analyzing sentiments, AI is the ultimate customer support wingman. It can even automate responses in the user’s preferred language, making sure that no customer feels lost in translation. With AI by your side, you can provide a level of customer support that’s faster, smarter, and more personalized than ever before.</p> <h3>Reshaping IT Services: The AI Transformation</h3> <p>AI is not just changing the game; it’s rewriting the rulebook for IT services. By automating tasks, enhancing decision-making, and enabling predictive analytics, AI is optimizing operational efficiency like never before. It’s streamlining routine tasks, improving scalability, issue resolution, and even bolstering cybersecurity. With AI as your trusty sidekick, your IT services will be the envy of the digital world.</p> <h3>Augmenting Human Capabilities: The Dynamic Duo</h3> <p>Fear not, dear humans, for AI is not here to replace you, but to augment your capabilities. While AI takes care of the repetitive tasks and data crunching, IT professionals bring their creativity, problem-solving skills, and human touch to the table. It’s like having a superhero team-up, where AI and humans work together to tackle even the most daunting IT challenges. Together, you’re unstoppable!</p> <h2>Conclusion</h2> <p>In summary, AI shows incredible promise to enhance how IT teams and users interact. By surface critical insights and intelligently guiding routine tasks, AI empowers agents to focus their expertise where it truly matters. Users also benefit from swift resolutions and an experience defined by convenience, not confusion.</p> <p>What has your organization done to embrace AI-powered support? Any success stories with automation to share? Chat about your experiences in the comments — you could inspire others just getting started. And for those still skeptical, take the plunge with a small pilot project. You’ll be amazed by the possibilities AI unlocks to elevate support to a whole new level. Until next time, happy automating!</p> <p>👏 Enjoyed the post? Click up to 50 times to boost visibility! 👀 Your support matters — help others discover this content! 💬 Have thoughts or questions? Share in the comments! 🎤 Eager to hear from you — your experiences matter! 😊 Thanks for your time and participation!</p> </section>	AI-Powered IT Support: Transforming Workflows, Enhancing Efficiency, and Redefining User Experience Artfully Composed Image by the Author Who here has ever wanted to throw their computer out the window after being repeatedly prompted to reboot or reset a password with no resolution in sight? Raise your hand… thought so! IT support woes are all too real, leaving us users frustrated and borderline furious. But take heart, help is here and its name is AI! With artificial intelligence taking the helm, outdated IT workflows are poised for an extreme makeover. By intelligently automating routine processes like troubleshooting, AI can now diagnose issues in a snap and even fix basic problems without human assistance. The remaining cases are smoothly routed to agents with all relevant details upfront, saving precious time previously spent chasing down clues. Best of all, AI learns from each interaction to continuously improve. Say goodbye to callbacks and runarounds — with AI in the driver’s seat, support will finally drive straight to solutions without all the unnecessary detours. Artificial Intelligence (AI) & IT Support Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the field of IT support by introducing advanced technologies that streamline operations, enhance user experiences, and improve overall efficiency. The integration of AI in IT support services has brought about significant changes in various aspects of technical assistance and troubleshooting. Here are some key ways in which AI is impacting IT support: Real-Time Assistance and 24/7 Availability AI-powered chatbots are the ultimate night owls and early birds rolled into one. They’re always ready to lend a helping hand, no matter the time of day (or night!). In today’s fast-paced work environments, where issues can crop up at any moment, having a reliable, 24/7 support system is crucial. Chatbots are the unsung heroes of the digital world, tirelessly working to ensure users receive timely support whenever they need it. Scalability and Efficiency: Handling the Multitudes Imagine a world where a single chatbot could handle multiple support requests simultaneously, without breaking a sweat (or a circuit). Well, that world is here! Chatbots are the ultimate multitaskers, capable of assisting numerous users at once, greatly improving the scalability and efficiency of IT support operations. This means that businesses can provide top-notch support to a growing user base without needing to hire an army of support staff. It’s like having a superhero on your team, minus the cape and spandex. Predictive Problem-Solving: The AI Crystal Ball AI algorithms are not just reactive; they’re also proactive. They have the uncanny ability to foresee potential problems and take preventative measures to avoid them. It’s like having a crystal ball that can detect signs of hardware failure or network congestion before they escalate into full-blown crises. With AI on your side, you can stay one step ahead of the game and keep your IT systems running smoothly. Automation of Routine Tasks: Freeing Up the Human Touch Let’s face it: routine IT support tasks can be a real snooze-fest. But with AI, these mundane tasks can be automated, freeing up human agents to tackle more complex and critical issues. This allows IT professionals to focus their expertise where it’s most needed, like solving the mystery of why the printer always seems to jam just before a big meeting. It’s like having a trusty sidekick who takes care of the small stuff, so you can focus on saving the day. Data-Driven Insights: Unlocking the Secrets of IT AI systems are the ultimate data detectives, analyzing vast amounts of information to identify trends, patterns, and anomalies. These insights are invaluable for improving IT systems and processes, and can even help prevent recurring issues. It’s like having a super-smart partner who can sift through mountains of data and find the needle in the haystack, all while cracking jokes and keeping you entertained. Challenges and Limitations: The Human Touch Still Matters Despite their incredible capabilities, AI systems still struggle with complex or nuanced issues that require human intervention. Emotional intelligence and empathy, which are crucial in certain support scenarios, are areas where AI currently falls short. It’s like trying to get a robot to understand sarcasm — it’s just not their forte (yet). But fear not, dear humans, your unique skills and expertise are still very much needed in the world of IT support. Productivity Boost: The AI-Powered Workplace of the Future Brace yourselves, because AI is expected to increase company productivity by up to a whopping 40% by 2035. That’s like giving your business a super-charged productivity boost, without the need for caffeine or energy drinks. With AI handling the repetitive tasks and providing valuable insights, your team can focus on innovation, creativity, and problem-solving — the things that truly drive your business forward. Enhancing Customer Support: The AI Advantage AI is revolutionizing customer support, enabling deeper insights and a better user experience. From providing real-time service to categorizing support tickets and analyzing sentiments, AI is the ultimate customer support wingman. It can even automate responses in the user’s preferred language, making sure that no customer feels lost in translation. With AI by your side, you can provide a level of customer support that’s faster, smarter, and more personalized than ever before. Reshaping IT Services: The AI Transformation AI is not just changing the game; it’s rewriting the rulebook for IT services. By automating tasks, enhancing decision-making, and enabling predictive analytics, AI is optimizing operational efficiency like never before. It’s streamlining routine tasks, improving scalability, issue resolution, and even bolstering cybersecurity. With AI as your trusty sidekick, your IT services will be the envy of the digital world. Augmenting Human Capabilities: The Dynamic Duo Fear not, dear humans, for AI is not here to replace you, but to augment your capabilities. While AI takes care of the repetitive tasks and data crunching, IT professionals bring their creativity, problem-solving skills, and human touch to the table. It’s like having a superhero team-up, where AI and humans work together to tackle even the most daunting IT challenges. Together, you’re unstoppable! Conclusion In summary, AI shows incredible promise to enhance how IT teams and users interact. By surface critical insights and intelligently guiding routine tasks, AI empowers agents to focus their expertise where it truly matters. Users also benefit from swift resolutions and an experience defined by convenience, not confusion. What has your organization done to embrace AI-powered support? Any success stories with automation to share? Chat about your experiences in the comments — you could inspire others just getting started. And for those still skeptical, take the plunge with a small pilot project. You’ll be amazed by the possibilities AI unlocks to elevate support to a whole new level. Until next time, happy automating! 👏 Enjoyed the post? Click up to 50 times to boost visibility! 👀 Your support matters — help others discover this content! 💬 Have thoughts or questions? Share in the comments! 🎤 Eager to hear from you — your experiences matter! 😊 Thanks for your time and participation!	c32b3e6e-644e-5cf1-8e88-c2e91ba9a93f	25/08/2025 18:01:47
https://medium.com/@iipedu/professional-fashion-photography-95677222a360	medium.com	Professional Fashion Photography	Learning Starts in Studio ‘Day One’, To be Mentored by Renowned Fashion Photographers and International Faculties. Pro Models, Stylists and…	IIP ACADEMY	https://medium.com/@iipedu	95677222a360	https://miro.medium.com/…R3OYs-9YhwA.jpeg	0 min	2017-03-03T12:30:55.515000	2017-03-03T12:32:29.344000	2018-01-30T08:53:48.009000	0	3	en	Professional,Fashion,Photography	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1424/1*Pp8kmqI7QIER3OYs-9YhwA.jpeg" width="1424" height="2187" loading="lazy" /> <p>Learning Starts in Studio ‘Day One’, To be Mentored by Renowned Fashion Photographers and International Faculties. Pro Models, Stylists and Hi-Fashion Make Artists to Team up with. 25 Seats Only. Starting Soon… #9015 422322</p> <p>Read more: <a href="https://www.iipedu.com/diploma_in_fashion_photography.php">Professional Fashion Photography</a></p> </section>	Professional Fashion Photography Learning Starts in Studio ‘Day One’, To be Mentored by Renowned Fashion Photographers and International Faculties. Pro Models, Stylists and Hi-Fashion Make Artists to Team up with. 25 Seats Only. Starting Soon… #9015 422322 Read more: Professional Fashion Photography	3c67192e-2076-572b-ab8d-add49b4f5a58	25/08/2025 18:01:47
https://yaboyfrankieliu.medium.com/resistance-to-change-and-the-doomed-fate-of-false-brothers-and-sisters-ff3f2439232a	medium.com	Resistance to Change and the Doomed Fate of False Brothers and Sisters	“Lying to ourselves is more deeply ingrained than lying to others.” — Fyodor Dostoevsky	Frank Liu	https://medium.com/@yaboyfrankieliu	ff3f2439232a	null	11 min	2022-02-14T06:39:12.342000	2022-02-15T04:04:58.603000	2022-02-19T02:38:08.546000	0	50	en	Christianity,Abuse,Abusive Relationships,Truth,Growth	<section> <p>“Lying to ourselves is more deeply ingrained than lying to others.” — Fyodor Dostoevsky</p> <p>Those who have friends who go to <a href="https://www.blueskychurch.com/">Blue Sky Church</a> and those who go to <a href="https://www.blueskychurch.com/">Blue Sky Church</a> have fervently defended Blue Sky, saying things like “Things are changing”, “This hasn’t been my experience”, “I know [Name], [Name] would never treat someone like that”. These responses are unfortunately predictable and in actuality spoken by design [50].</p> <p>In [47], “In hindsight, I think to myself about how blinded I must have truly been. It is almost like I had Stockholm syndrome, an emotional response that happens to some abuse and hostage victims when they have positive feelings toward an abuser. <strong>You find ways to excuse behavior or defend and justify things that are said or done. But if you are able to distance yourself a bit, you can begin to clearly see how twisted some of the practices, beliefs, and mentalities are.</strong>”</p> <p><strong>The reality is that<em> change</em> at <a href="https://www.blueskychurch.com/">Blue Sky Churc</strong>h</a> and <a href="https://www.blueskychurch.com/our-network">its network churches</a> is simply <em>not possible.</em> The reprehensible mental and spiritual abuse which its False Brothers and Sisters reap upon unsuspecting victims are literally written into the DNA of how Blue Sky Church “Does church”. How to make people feel unvalued, how to make people feel excluded, how to make people begging for approval — these behaviors have been happening for years and will continue to happen for years to come.</p> <h3><strong>Deeper Dive into Network Church Bylaws</strong></h3> <p>Let’s go into the first defense of “Things are changing.” Perhaps maybe outwardly one might feel that things are changing. Maybe new pastors are coming in, new small group leaders are appointed; however these changes simply <strong>are not real.</strong> Even though outwardly things might seem to be changing, the actuality is that the <strong>bylaws and the written documents which dictate how people are treated remain unchanged</strong>. Any semblance of change is merely an illusion and distraction which has no ground in reality.</p> <p>As members of Blue Sky Church and its network of churches, you have literally no power to make a difference. First, let us look at the membership commitment forms [11, 12], simplifying everything down as a member you are required to pay 10% of your annual income, consistently attend and give your time to the church, be faithful to the network churches beliefs and values. Next let’s look at the network church bylaws and try and see what power members are afforded [8,9,10].</p> <p>Explicitly stated in the membership section of the church bylaws [8,9,10]—<strong> Members are not entitled to vote.</strong> Decision making regarding beliefs, programs, leadership, direction, and plans of the church are the responsibility of the staff pastors and the Board of Overseers. Members are allowed to have pastors officiate their wedding and their funeral. That is all. Essentially members of these network churches have <strong>no power to offer any meaningful change.</strong></p> <p>What about the lead staff and lead pastors? Again, these are simply worthless men who have surrendered their wills over to Steve Morgan as acting puppets. In the Network Membership section of the church bylaws [7,8,9,10] it states that “The Network Leadership Team reserves the right to remove any church from membership that departs from the Network Affirmation of Beliefs and Values or any church that is unwilling to follow the leadership of the Network Leadership Team”. Essentially even the leadership is at the mercy of Steve Morgan’s control. <strong>Even if the lead pastor at the local church wanted to make change, puppets hold no authority.</strong></p> <p>As members of Blue Sky Church, you have <strong>no power to create any meaningful change.</strong> As staff, you have <strong>no power to create any meaningful change</strong>. Change must start from the very top, which unfortunately will not happen. For any one to make the claim that change is possible within the Blue Sky Church and its network churches — it just shows that they do not understand or have not read the bylaws of how their church operates.</p> <h3><strong>Dismissive Attitudes at Blue Sky Church</strong></h3> <p>Many of the responses which members of Blue Sky have given me are unfortunately so predictable and it is incredibly obvious that these responses have been programmed into them. The general attitude which has been cultivated is an attitude which is insular and protects the leadership from any sort of criticism or discourse. As Steve Morgan shares in his overseer training [43,44] “when the overseers get around me and protect me and say, “Speak truth to me. We got this. It’s okay. We’re together.” All of that stuff, well, then I’m safe. But if I wonder about that, I’m not safe, and I can’t lead.”</p> <p>There is a type of dismissive attitude which is cultivated within these network churches. Rather than actually deal with the issues, the puppets at Blue Sky Church and its network churches will deflect and dismiss to avoid any sort of meaningful conversation. Steve shares about the attitude of how his right hand man Sándor Paul: “Once he learned to say, ‘<strong>Listen, it sounds like you have a problem</strong>. I know Steve, and I trust Steve.’ Once he started saying that, that you’re going to have to work through your problem and discerning when it was something big enough that it became from a leader or something like that when he had to send them to me. And when it was something to say, ‘Your heart’s not right. You have a problem. You better just deal with it and get over it and not send them to me.’”</p> <p>Blue Sky Church and its network of churches is also incredibly dismissive of people who are low income. The primary document Blue Sky Church uses, which was written by a previous Blue Sky Church staff shares that the love of money should not be encouraged and that the “poor” are merely lazy [42]. Imagine how disrespectful this attitude is while paying the staff a minimum wage salary of 30k a year [45] and also depending on unpaid labor of church members [34, 35,36].</p> <p>Blue Sky Church and its network of churches is dismissive of women and do not allow women ministries [46]. Blue Sky church and its network of churches is dismissive of leadership qualifications and would choose looks and charisma over experience and truthfulness. In [47], “There was a younger man in our small group who said the right things and looked the part that our pastor wanted to “fast track” into leadership. We would often jokingly refer to this as the boys club. You’d typically fit into the club if you were good-looking, charismatic, served, and said all the right things. Pastors would tend to gravitate to these individuals in order to vet them for potential leadership opportunities and either you were in or you were out.<strong> After a few months of being around, his wife confessed to some women in our small group that he was verbally abusing her </strong>which was heartbreaking to hear…<strong>What often mattered was how you looked, your age, and if you had charisma. And once you are looked over, examined, and then bypassed, leadership would move on to their next prospect.</strong>”</p> <h3><strong>Body Count</strong></h3> <p>How many testimonies will it take for people to realize how insidious these false brothers and sisters are? In [49], there are <strong>more than 20 testimonies of abuse</strong> from Vista Church — a church plant of Blue Sky church. This has just been in the recent months and there are likely hundreds of cases which have been unreported or where the victims are too afraid to come forward.</p> <p>From [48] “The pastor had taken our private conversation and used them for teaching material without my knowledge or consent.<strong> I was so angry that my leader had betrayed me that way, but I didn’t say anything because I wanted to be a good follower</strong>… Over time, I realized that he would use time spent with him as a manipulative tool. If I did something he disliked, he gave me a cold shoulder. If I did something that he liked, he gave me encouraging words or would talk to me for more than a few seconds. It was an unstable reality for me at a time when the uncertainties of the church plant were all around me. Since leaving the Network, <strong>I have learned that the Network trains pastors to withhold time and energy from those who are not seen as being of leadership potential or worthy for the overall mission of the church.</strong> I lived that reality for several years…It was an extremely lonely time of life. Many times I would sit at home alone and cry until I could cry no more. <strong>Although I did not seriously consider suicide, I wanted so badly for God to take me to heaven to escape the pain.</strong>”</p> <h3>In Conclusion</h3> <p>Blue Sky Church and its network of churches will not change. It is written into the very DNA of how these churches operate. In order to act actual change, the answer is very simple — vote with your feet. Believers, be leavers.</p> <p>The evidence is clear. The truth is clear. With power and authority, I — Frank Liu — publicly rebuke and condemn Blue Sky Church in Bellevue along with its network of churches for a systematic theology and practice of mental and spiritual abuse. This abuse and treatment of others is absolutely unacceptable.</p> <p><strong>Franchise God, Disenfranchise People — Blue Sky Church probably.</strong></p> <h3>What’s Next?</h3> <p>I have now presented significant evidence against Blue Sky Church and its network of churches about its abusive behavior towards its members and towards people in general. This will be my last blog about Blue Sky Church and its network of churches.</p> <p>For my next steps, I have already shared many of these pieces of evidence with local Christian leaders and groups in Seattle. Additionally, I have circulated my blogs to my friends and also within the UW community. More and more testimonies will continue to come out. More and more recorded sermons, primary documents will come to light. The resistance to change will lead to the doomed fate of these False Brothers and Sisters.</p> <p>Luke 8:17–18 “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”</p> <p>“If the truth kills them, let them die” — Ayn Rand.</p> <h3><strong>Question and Answer with Frank</strong></h3> <p><strong>Q: Why did you wait two years to share this instead of 2019 after the small group incident?</strong> A: I had a hunch that Blue Sky Church had a culture of dismissal and that its members would try to gaslight or discredit me as soon as I shared my story. In order to prevent this from happening, I did extensive and thorough research on this group for two years — gathering first hand documents, bylaws, and testimonies — before coming out with my stories and my blogs.</p> <p><strong>Q: How much evidence do you actually have?</strong> A: I joke with my friends that I am as thorough as the FBI. I’ve presented 50 unique pieces of evidence in the blogs I’ve shared. However, there are far more pieces of evidence I have not made public.</p> <p>I’ve been incredibly systematic in my evidence gathering. I’ve learned their mannerisms. I’ve learned their defenses. I’ve learned their excuses. I know the who’s who and the what’s what. In my opinion, no stone has been left unturned.</p> <p><strong>Q: Aren’t you afraid of getting trouble?</strong> A: If I were to get in trouble, I would have to be sharing lies and slander about Blue Sky Church. If I literally have their first hand documents, bylaws and testimonies from former network church members, then everything I have is the complete truth. They have no ground to stand against me.</p> <p>My rebukes and my dealings are surgically thorough and fully absolute. I rebuked the UW’s Greek Row in the Fall of 2020 for their excessive partying during the COVID pandemic. UW’s Greek Row has since then learned a healthy respect for others. I met with Greek Row leadership to discuss positive ways to move forward. If the entirety of UW Greek Row and its thousands of members has learned a healthy respect of consequences, why should I be afraid of Blue Sky Church — as it has far less reach, power, and social influence compared to that of the entirety of UW Greek Row.</p> <p><strong>Q: Aren’t you afraid of losing friends from speaking up?</strong> A: It is true, I had friends who went to Blue Sky Church. I <strong>had</strong> friends who went to Blue Sky Church. How much effort had I put into showing them bible verses about the full body of Christ? How much time did I put into preparing and fellowshipping with them? How long did I pray for them to see the light and error of their ways? Far too much for far too long, just to be dismissed, ignored and mistreated. I do not have any friends who attend Blue Sky Church or its network of Churches.</p> <p>First and foremost, I am a man of integrity. Any form of abuse is <strong>never ok.</strong> I can not stand with anyone who condones, overlooks, or justifies these abuses. When people would rather choose to associate with abusers and abuse apologists over what is right, then they’ve made their decision.<strong> If I lose friends because I stand for treating people right, then nothing of value was lost.</strong></p> <p><strong>Q. Do you have anything against the members of Blue Sky Church? </strong>Please understand that it is out of great compassion and care with which I have written these blogs. It is out of great compassion and care with which I have been incredibly thorough with the evidence I’ve gathered. My main point is how the system with which Blue Sky church is broken and corrupt and I primarily blame the so called leaders for taking advantage of people. I have nothing against the members who have unknowingly been led astray.</p> <p><strong>Q: Why should I believe you, Frank?</strong> A: It is your decision whether or not to believe me. As a simple litmus test if you are a member of Blue Sky Church, ask your lead pastor for the Blue Sky Church bylaws. Read through the bylaws and see whether it is in line with the evidence which I have presented — then you will receive your answer.</p> <p>If your lead pastor does not let you see the bylaws and you are a member, that should be a serious enough red flag to give you an answer as well.</p> <h3>Bonus: Comebacks & Roasts</h3> <p>These will be some of my rebuttals to the responses of Blue Sky Church members.</p> <p>“Frank, you are being demonic!” <em>Comeback 1:</em> I am literally just sharing your own primarily documents and bylaws. If I am being demonic doing so, I think that’s quite the self report. <em>Comeback 2:</em> Takes one to know one.</p> <p>“Frank, you are no longer welcome in any of our social circles” Unlike you, I actually have social skills and I don’t need to pay for my friendships. Also, I know your numbers. Social circles? More like social dots. Relax, be humble.</p> <p>“Frank, I’ll be praying for you” Sure, but don’t you dare touch my shoulder without my permission. I don’t consent. Please respect my boundaries — I know you guys have a lot of trouble understanding boundaries.</p> <p>“Frank, you are so bitter” I mean, I’m not very happy when you mentally and spiritually abuse my friends. Bitter is quite the understatement.</p> <p>“You are mad you weren’t cut out for our church.” Why would I want to be part of a group of socially inept spineless cowards who have no courage in standing up for the truth. You don’t even stand up to your friends when obviously incorrect things are shared during small group.</p> <p>“I’m going to make it personal.” It would not be profitable to do so. For your own sake, please stand down. If you are so bold to try and defend Blue Sky Church — at the very least take a look at your own bylaws. I don’t want to completely humiliate you in cold blood. Second, let’s imagine this scenario — because I am as thorough as the FBI, let’s imagine that I have gone out of my way and collected interviews and testimonies about the abusive behaviors of your dear friends, small group leaders and leaders. Let’s imagine that these interviews show quite damning and cancellable behavior. It would be quite unfortunate should these be released. Of course, we are just using our imagination here — so let’s keep it that way.</p> <h1>Appendix</h1> <p>More Primary Documents 42. <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lHw5gNe7nSDC1WU8A2id9fuCiBDG-QRr/view?usp=sharing">How to help the Poor, Brian Schneider — Stoneway Church Lead Pastor</a> 43. <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ENuozDRU-_2oDFoGw74kvfiGWAZ4RRAa/view?usp=sharing">Overseer Training, Steve Morgan — Founder of Blue Sky Church</a> 44. <a href="https://leavingthenetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Steve-Morgan-June-2008-Overseer-Training-1h-22m-43s.mp3">Audio of Overseer Training</a> 45. <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ojp0cO4xfIeL5FBWegu7PbgwQKzsatcBlwZ8sUz_9jQ/edit?usp=sharing">Vine Church Salary</a></p> <p>[4] <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IDUj3Tf5RNs3uuue_dfGMe3829uaeSCq/view?usp=sharing">How we do church</a> (From Previous Blog) [7] <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rKXlULLTGJiHMxLc9_SwYNv6sxkeZnpx/view?usp=sharing">Network Leadership Team Bylaws</a> (From Previous Blog) [8] <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LAPNAunaFRmOvn-fvo-zgEZekVgd-JKu/view?usp=sharing">Vista Church Bylaws</a> (From Previous Blog) [9] <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oB5mfg2YPQf8xXnTiRaxzT-E6Jr2Dgxw/view?usp=sharing">Rock Hills Church Bylaws</a> (From Previous Blog) [10] <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mn5MYJm-L_dWZcsmfVw07tzR7jx4o5Jw/view?usp=sharing">Clearview Church Bylaws</a> (From Previous Blog) [11] <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GqM0RK56TThSNQCmj49KIrwK3NBWGBAg/view?usp=sharing">Clearview Church Membership Commitment Form</a> (From Previous Blog) [12] <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dmExgrps6tB9Tx4kBfLOoT6rf8eEZkD0/view?usp=sharing">Vista Church Membership Commitment Form</a> (From Previous Blog) [34] <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wZiT86-JGWHOK24NSMgx2HQkKZaEml94zkGyoTUSQwM/edit?usp=sharing">Excel Sheet for Staff</a> (From Previous Blog) [35] <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BEZ0ZOmneNmW5S6eBJVIa1EWsa173zfV?usp=sharing">Website Screenshots</a> (From Previous Blog) [36] <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rc3oLrXyTorRd3jqS163KHd4-0Wokopl/view?usp=sharing">Stoneway Worship Leader Job Ad</a> (From Previous Blog)</p> <p>More Testimonies 46. <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ARULnGLqKrueyun5HtWszzNTUjm8gL7t/view?usp=sharing">Kicked out for suggesting a women’s ministry, Aaron M.</a> 47. <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/16z05eRgtUYk_V-KVUdZ2R-yUWUR0Xw4x/view?usp=sharing">Church Planting at Any Cost, Anonymous</a> 48. <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y9ghVbTjsPxzrUMOI7JHNmpEM9XQU2GT/view?usp=sharing">The Good Follower, Anonymous</a> 49. <a href="https://www.notovercome.org/blog/on-the-evidence-of-two-or-three-witnesses">On the evidence of two or three witnesses</a></p> <p>Other Resources 50. <a href="https://www.notovercome.org/blog/defenses-for-defenses-of-abuse">Defense for defense of abuses</a></p> </section>	Resistance to Change and the Doomed Fate of False Brothers and Sisters “Lying to ourselves is more deeply ingrained than lying to others.” — Fyodor Dostoevsky Those who have friends who go to Blue Sky Church and those who go to Blue Sky Church have fervently defended Blue Sky, saying things like “Things are changing”, “This hasn’t been my experience”, “I know [Name], [Name] would never treat someone like that”. These responses are unfortunately predictable and in actuality spoken by design [50]. In [47], “In hindsight, I think to myself about how blinded I must have truly been. It is almost like I had Stockholm syndrome, an emotional response that happens to some abuse and hostage victims when they have positive feelings toward an abuser. You find ways to excuse behavior or defend and justify things that are said or done. But if you are able to distance yourself a bit, you can begin to clearly see how twisted some of the practices, beliefs, and mentalities are.” The reality is that change at Blue Sky Church and its network churches is simply not possible. The reprehensible mental and spiritual abuse which its False Brothers and Sisters reap upon unsuspecting victims are literally written into the DNA of how Blue Sky Church “Does church”. How to make people feel unvalued, how to make people feel excluded, how to make people begging for approval — these behaviors have been happening for years and will continue to happen for years to come. Deeper Dive into Network Church Bylaws Let’s go into the first defense of “Things are changing.” Perhaps maybe outwardly one might feel that things are changing. Maybe new pastors are coming in, new small group leaders are appointed; however these changes simply are not real. Even though outwardly things might seem to be changing, the actuality is that the bylaws and the written documents which dictate how people are treated remain unchanged. Any semblance of change is merely an illusion and distraction which has no ground in reality. As members of Blue Sky Church and its network of churches, you have literally no power to make a difference. First, let us look at the membership commitment forms [11, 12], simplifying everything down as a member you are required to pay 10% of your annual income, consistently attend and give your time to the church, be faithful to the network churches beliefs and values. Next let’s look at the network church bylaws and try and see what power members are afforded [8,9,10]. Explicitly stated in the membership section of the church bylaws [8,9,10]— Members are not entitled to vote. Decision making regarding beliefs, programs, leadership, direction, and plans of the church are the responsibility of the staff pastors and the Board of Overseers. Members are allowed to have pastors officiate their wedding and their funeral. That is all. Essentially members of these network churches have no power to offer any meaningful change. What about the lead staff and lead pastors? Again, these are simply worthless men who have surrendered their wills over to Steve Morgan as acting puppets. In the Network Membership section of the church bylaws [7,8,9,10] it states that “The Network Leadership Team reserves the right to remove any church from membership that departs from the Network Affirmation of Beliefs and Values or any church that is unwilling to follow the leadership of the Network Leadership Team”. Essentially even the leadership is at the mercy of Steve Morgan’s control. Even if the lead pastor at the local church wanted to make change, puppets hold no authority. As members of Blue Sky Church, you have no power to create any meaningful change. As staff, you have no power to create any meaningful change. Change must start from the very top, which unfortunately will not happen. For any one to make the claim that change is possible within the Blue Sky Church and its network churches — it just shows that they do not understand or have not read the bylaws of how their church operates. Dismissive Attitudes at Blue Sky Church Many of the responses which members of Blue Sky have given me are unfortunately so predictable and it is incredibly obvious that these responses have been programmed into them. The general attitude which has been cultivated is an attitude which is insular and protects the leadership from any sort of criticism or discourse. As Steve Morgan shares in his overseer training [43,44] “when the overseers get around me and protect me and say, “Speak truth to me. We got this. It’s okay. We’re together.” All of that stuff, well, then I’m safe. But if I wonder about that, I’m not safe, and I can’t lead.” There is a type of dismissive attitude which is cultivated within these network churches. Rather than actually deal with the issues, the puppets at Blue Sky Church and its network churches will deflect and dismiss to avoid any sort of meaningful conversation. Steve shares about the attitude of how his right hand man Sándor Paul: “Once he learned to say, ‘Listen, it sounds like you have a problem. I know Steve, and I trust Steve.’ Once he started saying that, that you’re going to have to work through your problem and discerning when it was something big enough that it became from a leader or something like that when he had to send them to me. And when it was something to say, ‘Your heart’s not right. You have a problem. You better just deal with it and get over it and not send them to me.’” Blue Sky Church and its network of churches is also incredibly dismissive of people who are low income. The primary document Blue Sky Church uses, which was written by a previous Blue Sky Church staff shares that the love of money should not be encouraged and that the “poor” are merely lazy [42]. Imagine how disrespectful this attitude is while paying the staff a minimum wage salary of 30k a year [45] and also depending on unpaid labor of church members [34, 35,36]. Blue Sky Church and its network of churches is dismissive of women and do not allow women ministries [46]. Blue Sky church and its network of churches is dismissive of leadership qualifications and would choose looks and charisma over experience and truthfulness. In [47], “There was a younger man in our small group who said the right things and looked the part that our pastor wanted to “fast track” into leadership. We would often jokingly refer to this as the boys club. You’d typically fit into the club if you were good-looking, charismatic, served, and said all the right things. Pastors would tend to gravitate to these individuals in order to vet them for potential leadership opportunities and either you were in or you were out. After a few months of being around, his wife confessed to some women in our small group that he was verbally abusing her which was heartbreaking to hear…What often mattered was how you looked, your age, and if you had charisma. And once you are looked over, examined, and then bypassed, leadership would move on to their next prospect.” Body Count How many testimonies will it take for people to realize how insidious these false brothers and sisters are? In [49], there are more than 20 testimonies of abuse from Vista Church — a church plant of Blue Sky church. This has just been in the recent months and there are likely hundreds of cases which have been unreported or where the victims are too afraid to come forward. From [48] “The pastor had taken our private conversation and used them for teaching material without my knowledge or consent. I was so angry that my leader had betrayed me that way, but I didn’t say anything because I wanted to be a good follower… Over time, I realized that he would use time spent with him as a manipulative tool. If I did something he disliked, he gave me a cold shoulder. If I did something that he liked, he gave me encouraging words or would talk to me for more than a few seconds. It was an unstable reality for me at a time when the uncertainties of the church plant were all around me. Since leaving the Network, I have learned that the Network trains pastors to withhold time and energy from those who are not seen as being of leadership potential or worthy for the overall mission of the church. I lived that reality for several years…It was an extremely lonely time of life. Many times I would sit at home alone and cry until I could cry no more. Although I did not seriously consider suicide, I wanted so badly for God to take me to heaven to escape the pain.” In Conclusion Blue Sky Church and its network of churches will not change. It is written into the very DNA of how these churches operate. In order to act actual change, the answer is very simple — vote with your feet. Believers, be leavers. The evidence is clear. The truth is clear. With power and authority, I — Frank Liu — publicly rebuke and condemn Blue Sky Church in Bellevue along with its network of churches for a systematic theology and practice of mental and spiritual abuse. This abuse and treatment of others is absolutely unacceptable. Franchise God, Disenfranchise People — Blue Sky Church probably. What’s Next? I have now presented significant evidence against Blue Sky Church and its network of churches about its abusive behavior towards its members and towards people in general. This will be my last blog about Blue Sky Church and its network of churches. For my next steps, I have already shared many of these pieces of evidence with local Christian leaders and groups in Seattle. Additionally, I have circulated my blogs to my friends and also within the UW community. More and more testimonies will continue to come out. More and more recorded sermons, primary documents will come to light. The resistance to change will lead to the doomed fate of these False Brothers and Sisters. Luke 8:17–18 “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.” “If the truth kills them, let them die” — Ayn Rand. Question and Answer with Frank Q: Why did you wait two years to share this instead of 2019 after the small group incident? A: I had a hunch that Blue Sky Church had a culture of dismissal and that its members would try to gaslight or discredit me as soon as I shared my story. In order to prevent this from happening, I did extensive and thorough research on this group for two years — gathering first hand documents, bylaws, and testimonies — before coming out with my stories and my blogs. Q: How much evidence do you actually have? A: I joke with my friends that I am as thorough as the FBI. I’ve presented 50 unique pieces of evidence in the blogs I’ve shared. However, there are far more pieces of evidence I have not made public. I’ve been incredibly systematic in my evidence gathering. I’ve learned their mannerisms. I’ve learned their defenses. I’ve learned their excuses. I know the who’s who and the what’s what. In my opinion, no stone has been left unturned. Q: Aren’t you afraid of getting trouble? A: If I were to get in trouble, I would have to be sharing lies and slander about Blue Sky Church. If I literally have their first hand documents, bylaws and testimonies from former network church members, then everything I have is the complete truth. They have no ground to stand against me. My rebukes and my dealings are surgically thorough and fully absolute. I rebuked the UW’s Greek Row in the Fall of 2020 for their excessive partying during the COVID pandemic. UW’s Greek Row has since then learned a healthy respect for others. I met with Greek Row leadership to discuss positive ways to move forward. If the entirety of UW Greek Row and its thousands of members has learned a healthy respect of consequences, why should I be afraid of Blue Sky Church — as it has far less reach, power, and social influence compared to that of the entirety of UW Greek Row. Q: Aren’t you afraid of losing friends from speaking up? A: It is true, I had friends who went to Blue Sky Church. I had friends who went to Blue Sky Church. How much effort had I put into showing them bible verses about the full body of Christ? How much time did I put into preparing and fellowshipping with them? How long did I pray for them to see the light and error of their ways? Far too much for far too long, just to be dismissed, ignored and mistreated. I do not have any friends who attend Blue Sky Church or its network of Churches. First and foremost, I am a man of integrity. Any form of abuse is never ok. I can not stand with anyone who condones, overlooks, or justifies these abuses. When people would rather choose to associate with abusers and abuse apologists over what is right, then they’ve made their decision. If I lose friends because I stand for treating people right, then nothing of value was lost. Q. Do you have anything against the members of Blue Sky Church? Please understand that it is out of great compassion and care with which I have written these blogs. It is out of great compassion and care with which I have been incredibly thorough with the evidence I’ve gathered. My main point is how the system with which Blue Sky church is broken and corrupt and I primarily blame the so called leaders for taking advantage of people. I have nothing against the members who have unknowingly been led astray. Q: Why should I believe you, Frank? A: It is your decision whether or not to believe me. As a simple litmus test if you are a member of Blue Sky Church, ask your lead pastor for the Blue Sky Church bylaws. Read through the bylaws and see whether it is in line with the evidence which I have presented — then you will receive your answer. If your lead pastor does not let you see the bylaws and you are a member, that should be a serious enough red flag to give you an answer as well. Bonus: Comebacks & Roasts These will be some of my rebuttals to the responses of Blue Sky Church members. “Frank, you are being demonic!” Comeback 1: I am literally just sharing your own primarily documents and bylaws. If I am being demonic doing so, I think that’s quite the self report. Comeback 2: Takes one to know one. “Frank, you are no longer welcome in any of our social circles” Unlike you, I actually have social skills and I don’t need to pay for my friendships. Also, I know your numbers. Social circles? More like social dots. Relax, be humble. “Frank, I’ll be praying for you” Sure, but don’t you dare touch my shoulder without my permission. I don’t consent. Please respect my boundaries — I know you guys have a lot of trouble understanding boundaries. “Frank, you are so bitter” I mean, I’m not very happy when you mentally and spiritually abuse my friends. Bitter is quite the understatement. “You are mad you weren’t cut out for our church.” Why would I want to be part of a group of socially inept spineless cowards who have no courage in standing up for the truth. You don’t even stand up to your friends when obviously incorrect things are shared during small group. “I’m going to make it personal.” It would not be profitable to do so. For your own sake, please stand down. If you are so bold to try and defend Blue Sky Church — at the very least take a look at your own bylaws. I don’t want to completely humiliate you in cold blood. Second, let’s imagine this scenario — because I am as thorough as the FBI, let’s imagine that I have gone out of my way and collected interviews and testimonies about the abusive behaviors of your dear friends, small group leaders and leaders. Let’s imagine that these interviews show quite damning and cancellable behavior. It would be quite unfortunate should these be released. Of course, we are just using our imagination here — so let’s keep it that way. Appendix More Primary Documents 42. How to help the Poor, Brian Schneider — Stoneway Church Lead Pastor 43. Overseer Training, Steve Morgan — Founder of Blue Sky Church 44. Audio of Overseer Training 45. Vine Church Salary [4] How we do church (From Previous Blog) [7] Network Leadership Team Bylaws (From Previous Blog) [8] Vista Church Bylaws (From Previous Blog) [9] Rock Hills Church Bylaws (From Previous Blog) [10] Clearview Church Bylaws (From Previous Blog) [11] Clearview Church Membership Commitment Form (From Previous Blog) [12] Vista Church Membership Commitment Form (From Previous Blog) [34] Excel Sheet for Staff (From Previous Blog) [35] Website Screenshots (From Previous Blog) [36] Stoneway Worship Leader Job Ad (From Previous Blog) More Testimonies 46. Kicked out for suggesting a women’s ministry, Aaron M. 47. Church Planting at Any Cost, Anonymous 48. The Good Follower, Anonymous 49. On the evidence of two or three witnesses Other Resources 50. Defense for defense of abuses	4c23cb6e-daa1-5fd8-bcf4-817696da32c9	25/08/2025 18:01:47
https://medium.com/@hurom.co.in/what-makes-cold-press-juicers-the-best-choice-4a5c224205f9	medium.com	What makes Cold Press Juicers the Best Choice?	If you are living in 2018 and are totally into your health or your juice, the thought of owning a cold press juicer must have crossed your…	Hurom India	https://medium.com/@hurom.co.in	4a5c224205f9	null	2 min	2018-02-08T11:49:33.692000	2018-02-08T11:50:15.165000	2018-02-08T11:50:16.303000	0	0	en	Food,Hurom	<section> <p>If you are living in 2018 and are totally into your health or your juice, the thought of owning a cold press juicer must have crossed your mind a several time. And when it comes to buying one, you get a large variety to choose the <strong>best cold press juicer in India</strong>. A number of companies are striving harder and harder to yield the best of bests in juicing technology to feed the appetite of healthy juices to their customers. One can certainly find a superior quality and technology of cold press juicer, a wide range of which is even available in India with great ease. For example- the third generation cold press juicer of Hurom is not yet available in the country, the second generation cold press juicers still happen to rock Indian market without failing.</p> <p>Let’s look into few facts that make good cold press juicers in India the most lovable once.</p> <p>· In today’s market, the cold press juicers are absolutely in a wide range of weight, dimensions as well as the aesthetics. Color is another major factor that the designers take care of in order to reflect its class inside out.</p> <p>· Though these products are a bit costly but worthy as well, after all, who would not like to own a lightweight juicer that is easy to carry, access, use and then clean as well.</p> <p>· The concept of using pressers in place blades results in restoring all the nutrients in the juice. The former ones are usually recommended for cooking purposes but in case of consuming the juices directly, cold press juicers are the obvious answer.</p> <p>· A number of companies prefer ULTEM material for manufacturing their cold press juicers that makes the slow juicer expert in extracting maximum juice from the vegetables and fruits. You can even control the quantity of pulp you wish to have in your juice.</p> <p>· All the models of cold press juicers come handy with dishwasher, stainless steel parts, and BPA free plastic containers. The chambers provide you to hold a favorable quantity of juice saving you from the unwanted labor.</p> <p>· And obviously, the small and slim size of all the models contribute in easy spacing in your fashionable kitchen. These are further easy to deal with and then later clean.</p> <p>· The best part is, the market of cold press juicers is quite active over the years when it comes to introducing a number of modifications and newer technologies. Hence, one giving tough competition to the other ultimately providing better options for the customers.</p> <p>If you set out to buy a single bottle of cold press juice it would demand a good deal of price and a lot of people are actually spending on it. But the advantage of having cold pressed juice at your home is surely that you can double check its source, quality, and purity. Moreover, freshness is undoubtedly the prior option in this case. So, you go around checking for bottled cold press juice from shops to shops, when you have a great number of options to choose your <strong>best cold press juicer in India.</strong></p> <p><a href="https://www.hurom.co.in/">Hurom India</a> is the best of <strong><a href="https://www.hurom.co.i</strong>n/pages/technology">best cold press juicer in India</a> ,<a href="https://www.hurom.co.in/">Hurom is</a> juicing technology to feed the appetite of healthy juices to their customers.</p> </section>	What makes Cold Press Juicers the Best Choice? If you are living in 2018 and are totally into your health or your juice, the thought of owning a cold press juicer must have crossed your mind a several time. And when it comes to buying one, you get a large variety to choose the best cold press juicer in India. A number of companies are striving harder and harder to yield the best of bests in juicing technology to feed the appetite of healthy juices to their customers. One can certainly find a superior quality and technology of cold press juicer, a wide range of which is even available in India with great ease. For example- the third generation cold press juicer of Hurom is not yet available in the country, the second generation cold press juicers still happen to rock Indian market without failing. Let’s look into few facts that make good cold press juicers in India the most lovable once. · In today’s market, the cold press juicers are absolutely in a wide range of weight, dimensions as well as the aesthetics. Color is another major factor that the designers take care of in order to reflect its class inside out. · Though these products are a bit costly but worthy as well, after all, who would not like to own a lightweight juicer that is easy to carry, access, use and then clean as well. · The concept of using pressers in place blades results in restoring all the nutrients in the juice. The former ones are usually recommended for cooking purposes but in case of consuming the juices directly, cold press juicers are the obvious answer. · A number of companies prefer ULTEM material for manufacturing their cold press juicers that makes the slow juicer expert in extracting maximum juice from the vegetables and fruits. You can even control the quantity of pulp you wish to have in your juice. · All the models of cold press juicers come handy with dishwasher, stainless steel parts, and BPA free plastic containers. The chambers provide you to hold a favorable quantity of juice saving you from the unwanted labor. · And obviously, the small and slim size of all the models contribute in easy spacing in your fashionable kitchen. These are further easy to deal with and then later clean. · The best part is, the market of cold press juicers is quite active over the years when it comes to introducing a number of modifications and newer technologies. Hence, one giving tough competition to the other ultimately providing better options for the customers. If you set out to buy a single bottle of cold press juice it would demand a good deal of price and a lot of people are actually spending on it. But the advantage of having cold pressed juice at your home is surely that you can double check its source, quality, and purity. Moreover, freshness is undoubtedly the prior option in this case. So, you go around checking for bottled cold press juice from shops to shops, when you have a great number of options to choose your best cold press juicer in India. Hurom India is the best of best cold press juicer in India ,Hurom is juicing technology to feed the appetite of healthy juices to their customers.	7cd53349-a918-5691-905c-ecd60b918bd1	25/08/2025 18:01:47
https://catkslee.medium.com/deconstruction-93d3fe28afed	medium.com	Deconstruction	Deconstruction is frightening, to say the least. It’s been years of deconstructing my faith, yet it still remains an uncomfortable and…	Cat Lee	https://medium.com/@catkslee	93d3fe28afed	https://miro.medium.com/…L9P8UJstloA.jpeg	1 min	2020-11-11T06:45:51.621000	2020-11-29T03:08:57.407000	2021-12-22T10:07:03.987000	0	0	en	Faith,Christianity	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3264/1*HBEq6KQJQqzL9P8UJstloA.jpeg" width="3264" height="2448" loading="lazy" /> <p>Deconstruction is frightening, to say the least. It’s been years of deconstructing my faith, yet it still remains an uncomfortable and scary process. Like the blueprint that I had so confidently based my life following has been going through a paper shredder and I’m left with a lot of seemingly meaningless pieces.</p> <p><em><strong>All I’m certain about these days is that God is love. Most other aspects of faith seem pret</em>ty gray.</strong></p> <p><em>I am ashamed,</em></p> <p>in the ways that I was a bigot in the past, from blindly following what I was told was truth. I am sorry for the way I may have intentionally hurt both myself and others.</p> <p><em>I am grateful,</em></p> <p>for the people I’ve met and the experiences I’ve had along the way that have widened my perspective and shaken up a set of beliefs that were not much more than a mere inherited dogma, tainted by whitewashed Christianity and far from what I believe Jesus intended it to be.</p> <p><em>Faith was once</em></p> <p>Conformity. Blind submission. To leaders, to rules. Faith was not questioning. The more you stalled, the less faith you had. Faith was quiet. Non-political. Always promoting unity. Faith was… avoidance and denial wrapped in Christian sentiment. Selfishly disguised in prayer. Faith was… honestly so out of touch with reality.</p> <p><em>Faith is now</em></p> <p>Being vocal. Fighting for your neighbor. Being bold enough to ask the hard questions. Putting in the hard work. Being hopeful but realistic. Understanding that we can only do so much and real change often happens slowly. Realizing suffering happens even with the biggest of faiths.</p> </section>	Deconstruction Deconstruction is frightening, to say the least. It’s been years of deconstructing my faith, yet it still remains an uncomfortable and scary process. Like the blueprint that I had so confidently based my life following has been going through a paper shredder and I’m left with a lot of seemingly meaningless pieces. All I’m certain about these days is that God is love. Most other aspects of faith seem pretty gray. I am ashamed, in the ways that I was a bigot in the past, from blindly following what I was told was truth. I am sorry for the way I may have intentionally hurt both myself and others. I am grateful, for the people I’ve met and the experiences I’ve had along the way that have widened my perspective and shaken up a set of beliefs that were not much more than a mere inherited dogma, tainted by whitewashed Christianity and far from what I believe Jesus intended it to be. Faith was once Conformity. Blind submission. To leaders, to rules. Faith was not questioning. The more you stalled, the less faith you had. Faith was quiet. Non-political. Always promoting unity. Faith was… avoidance and denial wrapped in Christian sentiment. Selfishly disguised in prayer. Faith was… honestly so out of touch with reality. Faith is now Being vocal. Fighting for your neighbor. Being bold enough to ask the hard questions. Putting in the hard work. Being hopeful but realistic. Understanding that we can only do so much and real change often happens slowly. Realizing suffering happens even with the biggest of faiths.	84347be8-08c0-508d-aa0d-ac18318f6d4f	25/08/2025 18:01:47
https://medium.com/@fightfortogether/religion-is-an-art-show-not-a-final-exam-3fb8988f37c9	medium.com	Religion is an art show, not a final exam.	Most of my failure in practicing religion comes from a misunderstanding of what category the practice belongs in. The category makes all…	Ben Crawford	https://medium.com/@fightfortogether	3fb8988f37c9	https://miro.medium.com/…GFW9OOXiyxA.jpeg	2 min	2017-07-20T14:55:34.708000	2017-07-20T19:01:34.987000	2018-02-05T14:06:56.130000	1	58	en	Religion,Religion And Spirituality,Christianity,Christian Living,Philosophy Of Religion	<section> <p>Most of my failure in practicing religion comes from a misunderstanding of what category the practice belongs in. The category makes all the difference.</p> <p>Let’s contrast two categories.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4669/1FH8Ky9LKhQ2GFW9OOXiyxA.jpeg" width="4669" height="3113" loading="lazy" /> <h1>Category #1: Art Show</h1> <h3><em>def</em>— a collection of goods, works, or art for public display</h3> <p>Here’s a weird question…<strong>What does <em>success</em> at an art show l</strong>ook like?</p> <ul> <li>Enjoyment or appreciation of the art</li> <li>Attaining a greater enjoyment or understanding of the world</li> <li>A greater connection and understanding to others including the artist</li> </ul> <p><strong>So, on the flip side….</strong></p> <p><strong>What does <em>failure</em> l</strong>ook like?</p> <ul> <li>Not observing the art</li> <li>Lack of appreciation or understanding of the art</li> <li>Lack of connection or understanding with the artist</li> <li>(That’s it. It’s pretty hard to fck up going to an art show.)</li> </ul> <p><strong>This is obvious. Are you bored? One more category.</strong></p> <h2>Category #2: Final Exam</h2> <h3>def — a set of questions or exercises to evaluate ones skill or knowledge</h3> <p>Same questions…<strong>What does <em>success</em> at a final exam l</strong>ook like?</p> <ul> <li>You study or practice the material ahead of time.</li> <li>During the test, you answer all questions and/or perform every duty to the best of your ability.</li> <li>You get high enough results that you pass.</li> </ul> <p>so on the flip side…<strong> What does <em>failure</em> l</strong>ook like?</p> <ul> <li>Not knowing enough before hand</li> <li>Not performing well during the exam</li> <li>Not getting a high enough score</li> </ul> <blockquote>What if you walked into an exam and you thought it was an art show?</blockquote> <p>Although quite different, please note how simple these bullet points are. Given enough resources and motivation success can be easy for an art show or an exam. But, what if you walked into an exam and you thought it was an art show? You looked at the CPR mannequin and marveled at it’s construction, instead of performing CPR? FAIL. What if you walked into an art show and went right to work with a legal pad writing down all the factoids trying to impress the artist with all of your preparation? By our definition you have failed in experiencing the art show. Although art appreciation appears more subjective and recreational failure is no less sever.</p> <p>God is an artist. He was a master Creator. He made a world for us to enjoy and to understand him better. When we experience this we walk away changed and we are ALL qualified enough to experience the show.</p> <blockquote>Rules are important but keeping the rules does NOT equal success</blockquote> <h3>The Rub</h3> <p>Along the way God gave some rules for how best to enjoy the art. No flash photography, don’t touch, no outside food or drink. Rules are important but keeping the rules does NOT equal success (see our bullet points above). While rules are simple and can dominate our mentality (especially if you break one), the rules are just there to facilitate the success of the individuals and environment in experiencing the goal. Rules will always be a secondary feature.</p> <p>When we treat religion primarily as an exam: a set of things to know and do properly. We’re not just adding to the purpose of an art show. We’re changing it. We’re minimizing our chances of being able to observe and enjoy the art or to understand the artist. Exams bring with them different actions and expectations. You will always be wondering if you studied long enough, if you answered all the questions, and if your score is high enough. But these are terrible things to be wondering at an art show. So put your pencils down, stop obsessing, and please, no flash photography.</p> </section>	Religion is an art show, not a final exam. Most of my failure in practicing religion comes from a misunderstanding of what category the practice belongs in. The category makes all the difference. Let’s contrast two categories. Chicago 2015 Category #1: Art Show def— a collection of goods, works, or art for public display Here’s a weird question…What does success at an art show look like? Enjoyment or appreciation of the art Attaining a greater enjoyment or understanding of the world A greater connection and understanding to others including the artist So, on the flip side…. What does failure look like? Not observing the art Lack of appreciation or understanding of the art Lack of connection or understanding with the artist (That’s it. It’s pretty hard to f*ck up going to an art show.) This is obvious. Are you bored? One more category. Category #2: Final Exam def — a set of questions or exercises to evaluate ones skill or knowledge Same questions…What does success at a final exam look like? You study or practice the material ahead of time. During the test, you answer all questions and/or perform every duty to the best of your ability. You get high enough results that you pass. so on the flip side… What does failure look like? Not knowing enough before hand Not performing well during the exam Not getting a high enough score What if you walked into an exam and you thought it was an art show? Although quite different, please note how simple these bullet points are. Given enough resources and motivation success can be easy for an art show or an exam. But, what if you walked into an exam and you thought it was an art show? You looked at the CPR mannequin and marveled at it’s construction, instead of performing CPR? FAIL. What if you walked into an art show and went right to work with a legal pad writing down all the factoids trying to impress the artist with all of your preparation? By our definition you have failed in experiencing the art show. Although art appreciation appears more subjective and recreational failure is no less sever. God is an artist. He was a master Creator. He made a world for us to enjoy and to understand him better. When we experience this we walk away changed and we are ALL qualified enough to experience the show. Rules are important but keeping the rules does NOT equal success The Rub Along the way God gave some rules for how best to enjoy the art. No flash photography, don’t touch, no outside food or drink. Rules are important but keeping the rules does NOT equal success (see our bullet points above). While rules are simple and can dominate our mentality (especially if you break one), the rules are just there to facilitate the success of the individuals and environment in experiencing the goal. Rules will always be a secondary feature. When we treat religion primarily as an exam: a set of things to know and do properly. We’re not just adding to the purpose of an art show. We’re changing it. We’re minimizing our chances of being able to observe and enjoy the art or to understand the artist. Exams bring with them different actions and expectations. You will always be wondering if you studied long enough, if you answered all the questions, and if your score is high enough. But these are terrible things to be wondering at an art show. So put your pencils down, stop obsessing, and please, no flash photography.	1bced94a-a6e3-58e6-a4d2-f8365ac24e14	25/08/2025 18:01:47
https://medium.com/@menonamrita2/scaling-up-how-to-expand-without-diluting-your-brand-5dfa962556f	medium.com	Scaling Up: How to Expand Without Diluting Your Brand	Ensuring Authentic Growth while Protecting Brand Identity	Amrita Menon	https://medium.com/@menonamrita2	5dfa962556f	https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0*ttRaeXKfJGfj53oz	1 min	2023-09-18T10:54:20.767000	2023-09-18T10:57:12.086000	2023-09-19T05:25:01.674000	0	4	en	Business,Strategy,Scalability,Expansion,Entrepreneurship	<section> <h3>Ensuring Authentic Growth while Protecting Brand Identity</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3600/0*ttRaeXKfJGfj53oz" width="3600" height="2025" loading="lazy" /> <p>In the journey of business growth, one critical challenge stands out: How can you scale operations while ensuring the brand’s core identity remains intact? As the market grows increasingly competitive, maintaining brand authenticity during expansion is paramount. Here’s a guide to achieve this delicate balance:</p> <p><strong>Consistent Messaging: </strong>While diversifying into new territories or product lines, ensure that your brand’s primary message remains uniform. Whether it’s about quality, innovation, or customer service, this message should resonate consistently across all platforms and regions.</p> <p><strong>Quality Over Quantity:</strong> Rapid expansion can sometimes come at the cost of product or service quality. Avoid this trap by focusing on maintaining or even elevating the quality standards that your brand is known for.</p> <p><strong>Core Values are Sacred:</strong> Every brand is built on a foundation of core values. Whether it’s sustainability, craftsmanship, or community focus, these values should be non-negotiable, regardless of the scale of operations.</p> <p><strong>Customer Feedback Loop:</strong> As you grow, stay in touch with your original customer base. Their feedback will serve as a compass, helping you stay true to your brand promise.</p> <p><strong>Train and Orient:</strong> As the team grows, invest time in training new members about the brand’s history, values, and mission. An aligned team will naturally uphold and propagate the brand’s essence.</p> <p><strong>Leverage Technology:</strong> Use advanced brand management tools and platforms to ensure consistency in branding elements, from logos to color schemes, across different channels and touchpoints.</p> <p><strong>Collaborative Partnerships:</strong> If expanding through partnerships or franchises, choose partners who respect and understand your brand ethos. A shared vision can prevent brand dilution.</p> <p>Scaling up is a sign of success, but it comes with its challenges. By anchoring your growth strategies in your brand’s foundational elements, you can ensure that expansion amplifies, rather than dilutes, what your brand stands for.</p> </section>	Scaling Up: How to Expand Without Diluting Your Brand Ensuring Authentic Growth while Protecting Brand Identity Photo by Jukan Tateisi on Unsplash In the journey of business growth, one critical challenge stands out: How can you scale operations while ensuring the brand’s core identity remains intact? As the market grows increasingly competitive, maintaining brand authenticity during expansion is paramount. Here’s a guide to achieve this delicate balance: Consistent Messaging: While diversifying into new territories or product lines, ensure that your brand’s primary message remains uniform. Whether it’s about quality, innovation, or customer service, this message should resonate consistently across all platforms and regions. Quality Over Quantity: Rapid expansion can sometimes come at the cost of product or service quality. Avoid this trap by focusing on maintaining or even elevating the quality standards that your brand is known for. Core Values are Sacred: Every brand is built on a foundation of core values. Whether it’s sustainability, craftsmanship, or community focus, these values should be non-negotiable, regardless of the scale of operations. Customer Feedback Loop: As you grow, stay in touch with your original customer base. Their feedback will serve as a compass, helping you stay true to your brand promise. Train and Orient: As the team grows, invest time in training new members about the brand’s history, values, and mission. An aligned team will naturally uphold and propagate the brand’s essence. Leverage Technology: Use advanced brand management tools and platforms to ensure consistency in branding elements, from logos to color schemes, across different channels and touchpoints. Collaborative Partnerships: If expanding through partnerships or franchises, choose partners who respect and understand your brand ethos. A shared vision can prevent brand dilution. Scaling up is a sign of success, but it comes with its challenges. By anchoring your growth strategies in your brand’s foundational elements, you can ensure that expansion amplifies, rather than dilutes, what your brand stands for.	52125c8d-4679-5b7f-ab63-44ddb70a1520	25/08/2025 18:01:47
https://medium.com/ceoquest/week-18-the-servant-e7d33d8fdc26	medium.com	Week 18: The Servant	Rising Leader,	Tom Mohr	https://medium.com/@tmohr	e7d33d8fdc26	https://miro.medium.com/…-JBrjFgrZSQ.jpeg	5 min	2022-04-28T16:07:47.073000	2022-04-29T04:02:26.767000	2022-04-30T02:14:35.797000	0	0	en	Faith,Christianity,Connectedness	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4288/1*WrbiGlHGMzX-JBrjFgrZSQ.jpeg" width="4288" height="2848" loading="lazy" /> <p>Rising Leader,</p> <h1>Song for April. Listen =><a href="https://orcd.co/tmbtm"> Between the Moments </a>(on Christ’s faithfulness, despite our disconnectedness)</h1> <p>It is the habit of our times to separate our world lives from our faith lives. But this is silliness. Our faith teaches us how to live our lives in the world– how to see God in all people and things, and how to respond to His call. Given the challenges of our time, we need leaders who are both capable and ethical. How do leaders become ethical? You will recall (from previous letters) the ladder of virtues I call the “disciplines of goodness”:</p> <ul> <li>Sustainability</li> <li>Diplomacy</li> <li>Democracy</li> <li>Charity</li> <li>Civility</li> <li>Decency</li> <li>Piety</li> </ul> <p>It all flows up from the bottom. Servant leadership begins in our souls, in our relationship with God. With God by our side, in prayer and contemplation, we work to untangle soul knots. Once set free from our self-preoccupations, we look beyond ourselves. We begin to see dignity in all people. We begin to see our interconnectedness. This frees us to move up the ladder: to become more decent, civil and charitable. As we come to recognize the equal worth of all people now and in future generations, we become committed to the advancement of democracy, diplomacy and sustainability. It all flows up.</p> <p>In the life of Dag Hammarskjold, we find a servant leader who kept his world life and his faith life deeply integrated. Here is a man who spent his life working to steer a fractious world away from the abyss. We can learn much from his story.</p> <p>Hammarskjold was elected Secretary General of the United Nations in 1953 at the age of 47 years old. He was the only prospect for the job that all parties– the Soviets, the Western nations, China, other nations of Asia and Africa– could agree on. His good will and unimpeachable integrity were visible to all.</p> <p>It’s hard to overstate the tenuous state of the geopolitical situation at the time. Just eight years had passed since the end of a war that had claimed 75 million lives. The United Nations had been formed to avoid another descent into the hell of global conflict. In the years leading up to the end of World War II and shortly thereafter, Europe had been cut in two by the Iron Curtain; it had experienced massive human displacement. Stalin held all of Eastern Europe in his grip. The West, fearing the spread of Communism, mobilized to block Soviet expansion. Flash points were everywhere. Post-occupation Japan and Germany were still in shambles, struggling to find a new way forward. Many Jews who had survived the Holocaust left Europe for Palestine; soon they were fighting the British colonialists and native Palestinians to establish a new state of Israel. From Mahatma Gandhi in India to Messali Hadj in Algeria, new leaders were inspiring independence movements against colonial powers throughout Asia and Africa.</p> <p>Time and time again on the global stage, Hammarskjold ran to the need and intervened personally to broker differences between competing parties. He always sought first to understand. He once said, “You can only hope to find a lasting solution to a conflict if you have learned to see the other objectively, but, at the same time, to experience his difficulties subjectively.” He invented shuttle diplomacy, which he used to great effect in diffusing the Suez crisis, rising tensions in the Middle East, and civil war in the Congo. It was in the Congo, en route to another diplomatic meeting, that his plane crashed (under mysterious circumstances) and he died. President John F. Kennedy called him “the greatest statesman of our century.” To this day, Hammarskjold is the only person to have ever been posthumously awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.</p> <p>How did Hammarskjold become such a capable, effective servant leader? The answer lies in his interior faith journey. After he died, a journal was found in his New York apartment, containing his spiritual reflections. He had started the journal when twenty years old; its final entry was just a month before he died. Here in this journal, the entire arc of a global leader’s private relationship with God was revealed. Published under the title Markings, it became a bestseller.</p> <p>It was in this journal that the UN Secretary General bared his soul: “Before Thee, Father, in righteousness and humility. With Thee, Brother, in faith and courage. In Thee, Spirit, in stillness. Thine, for Thy will is my destiny; dedicated, for my destiny is to be used and used up according to Thy will.” Hammarskjold’s journal reveals vigilance against the sin of pride. Writing about himself, he said, “You listen badly, and read even worse. Unless it’s about yourself. Then you pay careful attention.” He strived for daily renewal in his life of service: “Each day the first day. Each day a life. Each morning we must hold out the chalice of our being to receive, to carry, and give back. It must be held out empty — for the past must only be reﬂected in its polish, its shape, its capacity.”</p> <p>For Hammarskjold, the connection between God, his interior soul work and his role as a servant leader was unbreakable. If we are to live our Christian faith, it cannot begin and end in private prayer and private morality. To be most fully Christian is to study, to pray, to search out our sins, to seek forgiveness, to welcome God’s grace, to deepen our sense of connectedness to God and all things, to form a conscience, to hear our call and then to go into the world and serve– animated by a gentleness of spirit. Dag Hammarskjold did just this in his time. Our hurting world waits, good leader. Will you do the same in yours? If not you, then whom?</p> <p><em>“Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.’” — Mark 10:42–44</em></p> <p>Blessings and good guidance on your journey, good leader!</p> <p>Tom</p> <p>(For past letters and songs go to: <a href="http://tommohr.com">TomMohr.com</a>. To add people to the mailing list, click <a href="http://tommohr.com">here.</a>)</p> <p>P.S.: You can become a servant leader without leading on the global stage. Over the course of his life my father served his nation and community in many ways, but his greatest act of service was to knit together our Brady Bunch family. He joined two broken parts, creating a new and loving whole. This too is servant leadership. This poem is about him.</p> <p>A GOOD LIFE</p> <p>To college he went, then to rising career</p> <p>Married, three kids, until tragedy struck</p> <p>Widowed, he wondered: “Where do I go from here?</p> <p>No Mom for the children– me down on my luck”</p> <p>But up from the depths he rose, brushed off the dirt</p> <p>Opened his heart again, found wounded love</p> <p>Three kids became six, each with gifts, joys and hurts</p> <p>From chaos grew family, soul-touched from above</p> <p>Each of Dad’s children count dear to this day</p> <p>The pure, saving grace of his soft, tender care</p> <p>Is this servant leadership? It is, I say</p> <p>Times six he gave all– times six he love-shared</p> <p>Great is the reach of a good leader’s worth</p> <p>When love meets child, neighbor, nation or Earth</p> <p>Previous Week’s Letters:</p> <p><a href="https://ceoquest.createsend1.com/t/d-i-fxell-l-i/">Week 1: A Time for Leadership</a></p> <p><a href="https://ceoquest.createsend1.com/t/d-i-fxell-l-d/">Week 2: Regaining Connectedness</a></p> <p><a href="https://ceoquest.createsend1.com/t/d-i-fxell-l-h/">Week 3: With Goodness in Your Heart</a></p> <p><a href="https://ceoquest.createsend1.com/t/d-i-fxell-l-k/">Week 4: Pluralism</a></p> <p><a href="https://ceoquest.createsend1.com/t/d-i-fxell-l-u/">Week 5: Connected in Time</a></p> <p><a href="https://ceoquest.createsend1.com/t/d-i-fxell-l-o/">Week 6: Leadership and the Holy Spirit</a></p> <p><a href="https://ceoquest.createsend1.com/t/d-i-fxell-l-b/">Week 7: Pursuing Piety</a></p> <p><a href="https://ceoquest.createsend1.com/t/d-i-fxell-l-c/">Week 8: Healing Waters</a></p> <p><a href="https://ceoquest.createsend1.com/t/d-i-fxell-l-q/">Week 9: Anointed by the Spirit</a></p> <p><a href="https://ceoquest.createsend1.com/t/d-i-fxell-l-a/">Week 10: The Jesus Journey</a></p> <p><a href="https://ceoquest.createsend1.com/t/d-i-fxell-l-f/">Week 11: The Love Way</a></p> <p><a href="https://ceoquest.createsend1.com/t/d-i-fxell-l-z/">Week 12: Truth Telling</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.tommohr.com/post/rising-leader-series-week-13-the-gift-of-grace">Week 13: The Gift of Grace</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.tommohr.com/post/rising-leader-series-week-14-the-sinner">Week 14: The Sinner</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.tommohr.com/post/rising-leader-series-week-15-the-saint">Week 15: The Saint</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.tommohr.com/post/rising-leader-series-week-16-the-sojourner">Week 16: The Sojourner</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.tommohr.com/post/rising-leader-series-week-17-the-seeker">Week 17: The Seeker</a></p> </section>	Week 18: The Servant Rising Leader, Song for April. Listen => Between the Moments (on Christ’s faithfulness, despite our disconnectedness) It is the habit of our times to separate our world lives from our faith lives. But this is silliness. Our faith teaches us how to live our lives in the world– how to see God in all people and things, and how to respond to His call. Given the challenges of our time, we need leaders who are both capable and ethical. How do leaders become ethical? You will recall (from previous letters) the ladder of virtues I call the “disciplines of goodness”: Sustainability Diplomacy Democracy Charity Civility Decency Piety It all flows up from the bottom. Servant leadership begins in our souls, in our relationship with God. With God by our side, in prayer and contemplation, we work to untangle soul knots. Once set free from our self-preoccupations, we look beyond ourselves. We begin to see dignity in all people. We begin to see our interconnectedness. This frees us to move up the ladder: to become more decent, civil and charitable. As we come to recognize the equal worth of all people now and in future generations, we become committed to the advancement of democracy, diplomacy and sustainability. It all flows up. In the life of Dag Hammarskjold, we find a servant leader who kept his world life and his faith life deeply integrated. Here is a man who spent his life working to steer a fractious world away from the abyss. We can learn much from his story. Hammarskjold was elected Secretary General of the United Nations in 1953 at the age of 47 years old. He was the only prospect for the job that all parties– the Soviets, the Western nations, China, other nations of Asia and Africa– could agree on. His good will and unimpeachable integrity were visible to all. It’s hard to overstate the tenuous state of the geopolitical situation at the time. Just eight years had passed since the end of a war that had claimed 75 million lives. The United Nations had been formed to avoid another descent into the hell of global conflict. In the years leading up to the end of World War II and shortly thereafter, Europe had been cut in two by the Iron Curtain; it had experienced massive human displacement. Stalin held all of Eastern Europe in his grip. The West, fearing the spread of Communism, mobilized to block Soviet expansion. Flash points were everywhere. Post-occupation Japan and Germany were still in shambles, struggling to find a new way forward. Many Jews who had survived the Holocaust left Europe for Palestine; soon they were fighting the British colonialists and native Palestinians to establish a new state of Israel. From Mahatma Gandhi in India to Messali Hadj in Algeria, new leaders were inspiring independence movements against colonial powers throughout Asia and Africa. Time and time again on the global stage, Hammarskjold ran to the need and intervened personally to broker differences between competing parties. He always sought first to understand. He once said, “You can only hope to find a lasting solution to a conflict if you have learned to see the other objectively, but, at the same time, to experience his difficulties subjectively.” He invented shuttle diplomacy, which he used to great effect in diffusing the Suez crisis, rising tensions in the Middle East, and civil war in the Congo. It was in the Congo, en route to another diplomatic meeting, that his plane crashed (under mysterious circumstances) and he died. President John F. Kennedy called him “the greatest statesman of our century.” To this day, Hammarskjold is the only person to have ever been posthumously awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. How did Hammarskjold become such a capable, effective servant leader? The answer lies in his interior faith journey. After he died, a journal was found in his New York apartment, containing his spiritual reflections. He had started the journal when twenty years old; its final entry was just a month before he died. Here in this journal, the entire arc of a global leader’s private relationship with God was revealed. Published under the title Markings, it became a bestseller. It was in this journal that the UN Secretary General bared his soul: “Before Thee, Father, in righteousness and humility. With Thee, Brother, in faith and courage. In Thee, Spirit, in stillness. Thine, for Thy will is my destiny; dedicated, for my destiny is to be used and used up according to Thy will.” Hammarskjold’s journal reveals vigilance against the sin of pride. Writing about himself, he said, “You listen badly, and read even worse. Unless it’s about yourself. Then you pay careful attention.” He strived for daily renewal in his life of service: “Each day the first day. Each day a life. Each morning we must hold out the chalice of our being to receive, to carry, and give back. It must be held out empty — for the past must only be reﬂected in its polish, its shape, its capacity.” For Hammarskjold, the connection between God, his interior soul work and his role as a servant leader was unbreakable. If we are to live our Christian faith, it cannot begin and end in private prayer and private morality. To be most fully Christian is to study, to pray, to search out our sins, to seek forgiveness, to welcome God’s grace, to deepen our sense of connectedness to God and all things, to form a conscience, to hear our call and then to go into the world and serve– animated by a gentleness of spirit. Dag Hammarskjold did just this in his time. Our hurting world waits, good leader. Will you do the same in yours? If not you, then whom? “Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.’” — Mark 10:42–44 Blessings and good guidance on your journey, good leader! Tom (For past letters and songs go to: TomMohr.com. To add people to the mailing list, click here.) P.S.: You can become a servant leader without leading on the global stage. Over the course of his life my father served his nation and community in many ways, but his greatest act of service was to knit together our Brady Bunch family. He joined two broken parts, creating a new and loving whole. This too is servant leadership. This poem is about him. A GOOD LIFE To college he went, then to rising career Married, three kids, until tragedy struck Widowed, he wondered: “Where do I go from here? No Mom for the children– me down on my luck” But up from the depths he rose, brushed off the dirt Opened his heart again, found wounded love Three kids became six, each with gifts, joys and hurts From chaos grew family, soul-touched from above Each of Dad’s children count dear to this day The pure, saving grace of his soft, tender care Is this servant leadership? It is, I say Times six he gave all– times six he love-shared Great is the reach of a good leader’s worth When love meets child, neighbor, nation or Earth Previous Week’s Letters: Week 1: A Time for Leadership Week 2: Regaining Connectedness Week 3: With Goodness in Your Heart Week 4: Pluralism Week 5: Connected in Time Week 6: Leadership and the Holy Spirit Week 7: Pursuing Piety Week 8: Healing Waters Week 9: Anointed by the Spirit Week 10: The Jesus Journey Week 11: The Love Way Week 12: Truth Telling Week 13: The Gift of Grace Week 14: The Sinner Week 15: The Saint Week 16: The Sojourner Week 17: The Seeker	ce35e657-8af4-5dd5-b813-d5e2b1497537	25/08/2025 18:01:47
https://wallygroup.medium.com/evolution-technology-business-space-and-the-future-of-change-4ec7c6929472	medium.com	Evolution; Technology, Business, Space and The future of change.	Technology is a funny old hag, it evolves slowly, like colossus dinosaurs of old, peaking and plateauing for a long while as they seem best…	Jinners	https://medium.com/@wallygroup	4ec7c6929472	https://miro.medium.com/…HDVC_8eKo8A.jpeg	4 min	2015-12-18T22:35:07.713000	2015-12-20T17:48:32.225000	2017-09-29T22:11:51.771000	0	0	en	Entrepreneurship,Startup,Virtual Reality	<section> <h1>Evolution; Technology, Business, Space and The future of change.</h1> <p>The Neuro Revolution</p> <p>Technology is a funny old hag, it evolves slowly, like colossus dinosaurs of old, peaking and plateauing for a long while as they seem best suited for their environment, as they become aware adaption sets in, individual platforms mature, slowly changing, becoming more user friendly, streamlined, optimised, as they attract more users striving to become the most popular. As these giants get bigger a new stage has become popular, acquisition by Technology giants such as Facebook, Google or Microsoft has become common place. Following the analogy they begin to hunt, like predators, stalking their prey on the plains of the sahara, looking for innovators and new potential profits, spending vast billions in their mission to become, bigger, stronger and more agile in their business objectives. <a href="http://time.com/3815612/silicon-valley-acquisition/">Acquisition have become common place</a> they expand an organisations work force pretty much over night and to name a few other benefits, it allows them to:</p> <p>Align new innovative ideas and individuals into the fold of an organisation.</p> <p>Kill competition or potential threats to future business objectives.</p> <p>Increasing audience reach, while introducing existing audiences to new products.</p> <p>Increase brand awareness, while providing new marketing opportunities.</p> <p>Yield vast profits for the acquiring organisation.</p> <blockquote>Overall spending on tech acquisitions topped $170 billion in 2014, up 54% from the previous year and more than double the amount spent in 2010.</blockquote> <p>If we consider this slow progressive, incremental change, these Goliath’s slowly spreading out to expand their reach, while developing new IP and Innovative ideas. What does it really take to revolutionise a market? In chemistry terms we would need a catalyst.</p> <blockquote>“a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change”</blockquote> <p>It takes a market stimulus to encourage real revolutionary change. Look at <a href="https://www.uber.com/">Uber</a> start-up <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/12/19/10607302/han-solo-is-the-ultimate-uber-driver">companies like these are the real rebel alliance</a>, not afraid to introduce new ideas and products into a market, they present real change and promote technology ease of use. However this is where companies need to flex a little bit of social responsibility, to much disruption in the market is bad news, as markets might not be ready for this level of change. Most noticeable in the Uber example since its launch the app has sparked protests in cities such as <a href="http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2015-12-18/french-livery-drivers-strike-against-drop-in-earnings-uber">Paris, Berlin and London</a> from cab drivers threatened by its low prices. The app has since been <a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/26/court-upholds-ban-on-uber-in-berlin/">banned</a> in Berlin by the government.</p> <p>Where do you draw the line in a companies ambition to increase audience reach and in its relentless search to maximise profits? Balancing business objectives against a markets resistance of change, is a difficult challenge. It comes down to perspective — you need to look at why the adoption was so rapid, it was obviously satisfy a need existing products were not. So is this bad? Definite — No. Innovation is needed to stimulate markets, OK it could be managed in a better way, but this stimulation in the market will encourage competition and further innovation. Wait and see what other transportation apps materialise as a result of this innovation. I’m gunning for grassroots movement, one published by taxi drivers themselves.</p> <h3>VIRTUAL WORLDS</h3> <p>Now turning my attention to what I originally wanted to talk about. This might form the basis for a follow up post in the coming days. Virtual Worlds have always captivated my imagination ever since I was young, how they themselves have changed and evolved over the years has always been a point of fascination, particularly their use in education and training. Creating a “forth space” somewhere people go to socialise. They themselves have been slow and incremental to change, changing slowly over the years. All of us as human beings are social creatures, we have told stories from the dawn of time, and thus, we are drawn to interact in virtual space, be it for conversation or play. Recently my curiosity has been peeked, inspired by a healthy dose of sci-fi films, like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133093/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Matrix</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0499549/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Avatar</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0986263/">Surrogates</a> and other films similar in nature. Its made me think about advances in current science and where this might lead for virtual worlds, if they were combined.</p> <h2>The question is not whether we can upload our brains onto a computer, but what will become of us when we do.</h2> <p><em>by <a href="https:/</em>/aeon.co/users/michael-graziano">Michael Graziano</a></p> <p>Imagine a world were simulated 3D virtual worlds out preformed their current clunky capabilities. Forget oculus rift or google cardboard. The world I’m a imagining, uses future science combined with technology, where “users” take on their own online personas through their own consciousness, embodying an avatar that is by in large them. Neuroscience, virtual worlds, genetics and wrapped up in gamification could lead to a new immersive environment, that could become the primarily space for interaction. Allowing users to, interact and explore opportunities, that they couldn’t otherwise preform, making decisions that impact the an impressional world.</p> <p>The key being Immersion — this is something that is achieved by heightening the senses, visual, audio, feel, touch, smell and a sixth sense, the need for narrative or story. OK, reality kicks in — we are incapable to tantalise all of these senses with current technology. Yet it has left me to ponder, what would it be like if technology and science made this a possibility? When does personal experience become shared experience? In a virtual world you can have shared experiences and personal ones, in a space that is virtual. What one person experiences has a completely different means to another person, in different ways — redefining what we original understand as space.</p> <p>For time being i’ll leave you marvel and wonder at where this train of thought is going and leave you with a very inspirational talk by <a href="https://twitter.com/milk">Chris Milk</a>, founder of Vrse.</p> <p>Windows of storytelling</p> <h2><strong>Foot Notes / References:</strong></h2> <h3>Acquisition<em> are the new norm: <a href="http://time.com/3815612/silicon-valley-acq</em>uisition/">http://time.com/3815612/silicon-valley-acquisition/</a></h3> <h3><em>Han solo would make the perfect Uber driver: <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/12/19/10607302/han-solo-is-the-ultimate-ub</em>er-driver">http://www.theverge.com/2015/12/19/10607302/han-solo-is-the-ultimate-uber-driver</a></h3> <h3>Virtual afterlife: <a href="https://aeon.co/essays/the-virtual-afterlife-will-transform-humanity">https://aeon.co/essays/the-virtual-afterlife-will-transform-humanity</a></h3> </section>	New worlds. Evolution; Technology, Business, Space and The future of change. The Neuro Revolution Technology is a funny old hag, it evolves slowly, like colossus dinosaurs of old, peaking and plateauing for a long while as they seem best suited for their environment, as they become aware adaption sets in, individual platforms mature, slowly changing, becoming more user friendly, streamlined, optimised, as they attract more users striving to become the most popular. As these giants get bigger a new stage has become popular, acquisition by Technology giants such as Facebook, Google or Microsoft has become common place. Following the analogy they begin to hunt, like predators, stalking their prey on the plains of the sahara, looking for innovators and new potential profits, spending vast billions in their mission to become, bigger, stronger and more agile in their business objectives. Acquisition have become common place they expand an organisations work force pretty much over night and to name a few other benefits, it allows them to: Align new innovative ideas and individuals into the fold of an organisation. Kill competition or potential threats to future business objectives. Increasing audience reach, while introducing existing audiences to new products. Increase brand awareness, while providing new marketing opportunities. Yield vast profits for the acquiring organisation. Overall spending on tech acquisitions topped $170 billion in 2014, up 54% from the previous year and more than double the amount spent in 2010. If we consider this slow progressive, incremental change, these Goliath’s slowly spreading out to expand their reach, while developing new IP and Innovative ideas. What does it really take to revolutionise a market? In chemistry terms we would need a catalyst. “a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change” It takes a market stimulus to encourage real revolutionary change. Look at Uber start-up companies like these are the real rebel alliance, not afraid to introduce new ideas and products into a market, they present real change and promote technology ease of use. However this is where companies need to flex a little bit of social responsibility, to much disruption in the market is bad news, as markets might not be ready for this level of change. Most noticeable in the Uber example since its launch the app has sparked protests in cities such as Paris, Berlin and London from cab drivers threatened by its low prices. The app has since been banned in Berlin by the government. Where do you draw the line in a companies ambition to increase audience reach and in its relentless search to maximise profits? Balancing business objectives against a markets resistance of change, is a difficult challenge. It comes down to perspective — you need to look at why the adoption was so rapid, it was obviously satisfy a need existing products were not. So is this bad? Definite — No. Innovation is needed to stimulate markets, OK it could be managed in a better way, but this stimulation in the market will encourage competition and further innovation. Wait and see what other transportation apps materialise as a result of this innovation. I’m gunning for grassroots movement, one published by taxi drivers themselves. VIRTUAL WORLDS Now turning my attention to what I originally wanted to talk about. This might form the basis for a follow up post in the coming days. Virtual Worlds have always captivated my imagination ever since I was young, how they themselves have changed and evolved over the years has always been a point of fascination, particularly their use in education and training. Creating a “forth space” somewhere people go to socialise. They themselves have been slow and incremental to change, changing slowly over the years. All of us as human beings are social creatures, we have told stories from the dawn of time, and thus, we are drawn to interact in virtual space, be it for conversation or play. Recently my curiosity has been peeked, inspired by a healthy dose of sci-fi films, like Matrix, Avatar, Surrogates and other films similar in nature. Its made me think about advances in current science and where this might lead for virtual worlds, if they were combined. The question is not whether we can upload our brains onto a computer, but what will become of us when we do. by Michael Graziano Imagine a world were simulated 3D virtual worlds out preformed their current clunky capabilities. Forget oculus rift or google cardboard. The world I’m a imagining, uses future science combined with technology, where “users” take on their own online personas through their own consciousness, embodying an avatar that is by in large them. Neuroscience, virtual worlds, genetics and wrapped up in gamification could lead to a new immersive environment, that could become the primarily space for interaction. Allowing users to, interact and explore opportunities, that they couldn’t otherwise preform, making decisions that impact the an impressional world. The key being Immersion — this is something that is achieved by heightening the senses, visual, audio, feel, touch, smell and a sixth sense, the need for narrative or story. OK, reality kicks in — we are incapable to tantalise all of these senses with current technology. Yet it has left me to ponder, what would it be like if technology and science made this a possibility? When does personal experience become shared experience? In a virtual world you can have shared experiences and personal ones, in a space that is virtual. What one person experiences has a completely different means to another person, in different ways — redefining what we original understand as space. For time being i’ll leave you marvel and wonder at where this train of thought is going and leave you with a very inspirational talk by Chris Milk, founder of Vrse. Windows of storytelling Foot Notes / References: Acquisition are the new norm: http://time.com/3815612/silicon-valley-acquisition/ Han solo would make the perfect Uber driver: http://www.theverge.com/2015/12/19/10607302/han-solo-is-the-ultimate-uber-driver Virtual afterlife: https://aeon.co/essays/the-virtual-afterlife-will-transform-humanity	9a6d798e-c81f-5438-8ec2-8d0bc8e31769	25/08/2025 18:01:48
https://thisisgaryking.medium.com/three-strategies-to-increase-revenue-tendo-d74cb44c2362	medium.com	Three strategies to increase revenue — Tendo	Part of the 60 Second Snippet Series	Gary King	https://medium.com/@thisisgaryking	d74cb44c2362	https://miro.medium.com/…yPcFn19Z6W_g.png	2 min	2022-09-05T17:15:28.876000	2022-09-01T17:11:18.607000	2022-09-05T17:16:29.527000	0	0	en	Mentoring,Sales,Strategy,Revenue,Business	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/940/0*qUGuyPcFn19Z6W_g.png" width="940" height="600" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>Part of the 60 Second Snippet Series</em></p> <p>In order for you to increase revenue in a sustained and controlled way, there are three strategies you must adopt.</p> <p>From the many businesses I chat with, most don’t execute all three and often, the ones they do adopt are the wrong ones.</p> <p>As a result, they are constantly chasing their tail and working hard to back fill the business they are losing.</p> <p>Here are the three strategies in the order they should be adopted:</p> <h1>Retain the customers you have</h1> <p>Most I speak to are off and busy trying to secure new customers (because they are chasing higher revenue) before the recently acquired and existing ones are nailed down and loyal.</p> <p>Make sure you have your customer touchpoints identified and being implemented by you and the team to deliver maximum value & great service levels.</p> <p>Mostly, customers do not leave because you have messed up, they leave because they think you don’t care about them.</p> <h2>Maximise customer spend</h2> <p>There’s no saying that grates on me more than “I didn’t know you sold that!”</p> <p>Are you clear what additional products and services your customers could buy to solve other problems? Are you telling them?</p> <p>If a customer is loyal, they will buy more from you. Think burger chains up-selling fries and the fuel station offering a bar of chocolate at check-out.</p> <p>Remember, if you aren’t selling these other services to your clients, your competitors are and they will be trying to up-sell.</p> <h2>Win new customers</h2> <p>This is usually the strategy that most are adopting without realising they have left the door open for their clients to exit.</p> <p>Once you have the first two strategies in place, and only then, chase new customers.</p> <p>The loyal customers you already have will recommend and refer you and act as advocates for new customers.</p> <p>Then adopt strategies one and two on these customers.</p> <p>Think about this like a multi-later cake. The base layer is your current customers, the middle layer, up-selling and the top layer new customers.</p> <p>Once you have the three strategies in place and working well, stick a candle in it and watch your revenue grow. Who said you can’t have your cake and eat it?</p> <p>A good business plan should have robust sales strategies and the above should be a key part of your thinking when developing them.</p> <p>Check out my recommended top ten customer Touchpoints <a href="https://tendo.lt.acemlnb.com/Prod/link-tracker?redirectUrl=aHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZnYXJ5a2luZ3RlbmRvLmxwYWdlcy5jbyUyRnRlbmRvLXRvdWNocG9pbnRzLW5ldyUyRg==&sig=CpYsa6Mk6SjpxQsg2HWDBNuFHwemMiF68U3UPvareq8e&iat=1662109338&a=%7C%7C25502050%7C%7C&account=tendo%2Eactivehosted%2Ecom&email=n5ubB4dhQcqEoLke9uVFw6afWSo6OKqwR5RcZtKB2W3Dr9yla9YKi7D6CQOLhLs0&s=df4ec0b52e8b367b28fac5cc550f024b&i=612A716A2A4168">here</a>.</p> <p><em>Originally published at <a href="https://www.tendo-uk.com/three-strate</em>gies-to-increase-revenue/">https://www.tendo-uk.com</a> on September 1, 2022.</p> </section>	Three strategies to increase revenue — Tendo Part of the 60 Second Snippet Series In order for you to increase revenue in a sustained and controlled way, there are three strategies you must adopt. From the many businesses I chat with, most don’t execute all three and often, the ones they do adopt are the wrong ones. As a result, they are constantly chasing their tail and working hard to back fill the business they are losing. Here are the three strategies in the order they should be adopted: Retain the customers you have Most I speak to are off and busy trying to secure new customers (because they are chasing higher revenue) before the recently acquired and existing ones are nailed down and loyal. Make sure you have your customer touchpoints identified and being implemented by you and the team to deliver maximum value & great service levels. Mostly, customers do not leave because you have messed up, they leave because they think you don’t care about them. Maximise customer spend There’s no saying that grates on me more than “I didn’t know you sold that!” Are you clear what additional products and services your customers could buy to solve other problems? Are you telling them? If a customer is loyal, they will buy more from you. Think burger chains up-selling fries and the fuel station offering a bar of chocolate at check-out. Remember, if you aren’t selling these other services to your clients, your competitors are and they will be trying to up-sell. Win new customers This is usually the strategy that most are adopting without realising they have left the door open for their clients to exit. Once you have the first two strategies in place, and only then, chase new customers. The loyal customers you already have will recommend and refer you and act as advocates for new customers. Then adopt strategies one and two on these customers. Think about this like a multi-later cake. The base layer is your current customers, the middle layer, up-selling and the top layer new customers. Once you have the three strategies in place and working well, stick a candle in it and watch your revenue grow. Who said you can’t have your cake and eat it? A good business plan should have robust sales strategies and the above should be a key part of your thinking when developing them. Check out my recommended top ten customer Touchpoints here. Originally published at https://www.tendo-uk.com on September 1, 2022.	fc47f7bf-6af5-59ac-aacd-094bea3d9c67	25/08/2025 18:01:48
https://apric.medium.com/what-does-the-second-generation-of-search-engine-entail-ecb5f08fdff8	medium.com	What does the Second Generation of Search Engine Entail?	“Does breathing burn calories?”, my 13-year-old niece types into a search engine while munching on a bag of lays. I was amused and…	Apric	https://medium.com/@apric	ecb5f08fdff8	https://miro.medium.com/…Rl21NAtmPJw.jpeg	3 min	2021-12-06T06:22:34.879000	2021-12-06T06:37:11.568000	2022-01-04T04:19:20.834000	0	4	en	SEO,Automation,AI,Artificial Intelligence,Technology	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1320/1*jqnB6kX1GxXRl21NAtmPJw.jpeg" width="1320" height="550" loading="lazy" /> <p>“Does breathing burn calories?”, my 13-year-old niece types into a search engine while munching on a bag of lays. I was amused and intrigued at the same time, to say the least. Well, Modern problems require innovative solutions and we do feel that search engines lower our curiosity to an extent but do they offer exactitude? That’s a whole another debate in itself. One thing we often discuss during lunch at Apric is the realm of possibilities for Search Engines. How have they changed in the last decade? Are we still in the first generation of Search Engines? Are we Progressing towards the Second Generation? If yes, what does it entail?</p> <p>We sure have come a long way from where we started. I remember how different search engines used to be back in the day. Nowadays, we are brimming with limitless opportunities and infinite choices on the kind of content we want to consume. We know what you are thinking, why do you think we are still in the first generation of Search Engines? Haven’t we progressed enough to delve into the Second already? Well, any search engine still attributes its searches based on a generic approach — Significance and Influence. The spectrum of these two terms has seemed to broaden over the years but the fundamental principle stays constant. So, if we are still bound to the first generation, what does the second generation encompass?</p> <ul> <li><strong>IoT</strong></li> </ul> <p>You probably are familiar with the wondrous nature of the Internet of Things. It is a full-blown phenomenon of the network of physical things connected to the internet for seamless convenience. A home appliance connected via the internet would be the optimal example for IoT. IoT works by using the internet to store data, sensors and working with algorithms to provide a unified experience with regards to comfort and convenience. The second generation of Search Engines could leap into an area of allocated search features or something that could be used from device to device seamlessly.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Customization</strong></li> </ul> <p>If you’re an avid user of search engines, you probably have seen the elevation in the dependence and support for it with regards to personal data. A lot of results for the things you search are mapped out on the basis of your history and liking. We strongly feel that it may be a possibility to have customized results in the second generation of Search Engines.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Direct Answers</strong></li> </ul> <p>There is no beating around the bush with search engines now, 9 out of 10 times, your query is preceded with a pretty direct answer! If you type in “What colors complement blue from the color wheel?”, You will get a list of colors that complement the color blue without sifting through pages and putting in much effort. In this case, it is evident that search engines will just get better with time and in the future, we may not need to do any browsing!</p> <ul> <li><strong>Technological Advancements</strong></li> </ul> <p>Every day we are acquainted with new kinds of innovation and technology. The world is progressing exponentially and it is only fitting to assume that we will be taking a plunge on the technological aspect to elevate our experiences with regards to search engines. This will in turn have a trailblazing effect on how we perceive searching and may end up altering the way we use it.</p> <p>Although we may be in the first generation as of now, there is always light at the end of the tunnel and we may break through and revolutionize to enter the second generation in a couple of years. Write to us at [email protected] to let us know your thoughts on this. We would love to hear what you think!</p> </section>	What does the Second Generation of Search Engine Entail? Image Copyright of Apric “Does breathing burn calories?”, my 13-year-old niece types into a search engine while munching on a bag of lays. I was amused and intrigued at the same time, to say the least. Well, Modern problems require innovative solutions and we do feel that search engines lower our curiosity to an extent but do they offer exactitude? That’s a whole another debate in itself. One thing we often discuss during lunch at Apric is the realm of possibilities for Search Engines. How have they changed in the last decade? Are we still in the first generation of Search Engines? Are we Progressing towards the Second Generation? If yes, what does it entail? We sure have come a long way from where we started. I remember how different search engines used to be back in the day. Nowadays, we are brimming with limitless opportunities and infinite choices on the kind of content we want to consume. We know what you are thinking, why do you think we are still in the first generation of Search Engines? Haven’t we progressed enough to delve into the Second already? Well, any search engine still attributes its searches based on a generic approach — Significance and Influence. The spectrum of these two terms has seemed to broaden over the years but the fundamental principle stays constant. So, if we are still bound to the first generation, what does the second generation encompass? IoT You probably are familiar with the wondrous nature of the Internet of Things. It is a full-blown phenomenon of the network of physical things connected to the internet for seamless convenience. A home appliance connected via the internet would be the optimal example for IoT. IoT works by using the internet to store data, sensors and working with algorithms to provide a unified experience with regards to comfort and convenience. The second generation of Search Engines could leap into an area of allocated search features or something that could be used from device to device seamlessly. Customization If you’re an avid user of search engines, you probably have seen the elevation in the dependence and support for it with regards to personal data. A lot of results for the things you search are mapped out on the basis of your history and liking. We strongly feel that it may be a possibility to have customized results in the second generation of Search Engines. Direct Answers There is no beating around the bush with search engines now, 9 out of 10 times, your query is preceded with a pretty direct answer! If you type in “What colors complement blue from the color wheel?”, You will get a list of colors that complement the color blue without sifting through pages and putting in much effort. In this case, it is evident that search engines will just get better with time and in the future, we may not need to do any browsing! Technological Advancements Every day we are acquainted with new kinds of innovation and technology. The world is progressing exponentially and it is only fitting to assume that we will be taking a plunge on the technological aspect to elevate our experiences with regards to search engines. This will in turn have a trailblazing effect on how we perceive searching and may end up altering the way we use it. Although we may be in the first generation as of now, there is always light at the end of the tunnel and we may break through and revolutionize to enter the second generation in a couple of years. Write to us at [email protected] to let us know your thoughts on this. We would love to hear what you think!	5b29bee2-7567-5c08-92d9-b46918b34c37	25/08/2025 18:01:48
https://medium.com/@rombaoagenevieve11/is-it-solitude-or-loneliness-a8361b7da531	medium.com	“is it solitude or loneliness?”	I have this habit of occupying spaces far from the public eye — not because I am afraid of attention or lack social skills, but because I…	veeviegne	https://medium.com/@rombaoagenevieve11	a8361b7da531	https://miro.medium.com/…pb0DPwyD4vA.jpeg	2 min	2024-08-31T05:19:46.634000	2024-08-31T06:15:00.757000	2024-11-17T10:41:27.464000	0	0	en	Self,This Happened To Me,Life	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/720/1*gNUWv6Z9W4upb0DPwyD4vA.jpeg" width="720" height="554" loading="lazy" /> <p>I have this habit of occupying spaces far from the public eye — not because I am afraid of attention or lack social skills, but because I prefer solitude and comfort over interaction.</p> <p>There is something endearing about enjoying your personal space, away from everybody. The tranquility brought by your own company and the quietness that allows you to think things through is deeply satisfying.</p> <p><em>For a quiet person, I have a rather noisy mind.</em></p> <p>I once walked through a park teeming with people and sought out the most secluded seat — a small bench meant for just two. I settled in and put on my AirPods; it is my subtle way of letting everyone know that I, in fact, prefer to be alone.</p> <p>I played my favorite song and stared into nothingness.</p> <p>But as I enjoyed the oblivion, I began to notice my surroundings. I saw a couple laughing in the distance, a group of students heading home, a child running endearingly to her mother, and vendors calling out to customers. This led me to wonder: Do I love solitude, or am I just lonely?</p> <p>It’s a subtle distinction that I found myself pondering.</p> <p><em>I have a noisy mind, but I am a quiet person.</em></p> <p>The contrast between my internal monologue and the soothing music in my ears made me wonder if I am genuinely content with this feeling or if I am merely hiding a deeper emotional need.</p> <p>As I sat in a place full of life yet apart from it, I couldn’t help but think: Is my idea of solitude a healthy choice, or is it a facade to hide an underlying sense of loneliness? Do I seek comfort in my personal space, or am I just so lonely that I avoid the complexities of interaction?</p> <p>The question continue to linger, and perhaps — perhaps the answer lies not in the solitude itself, but in the way we navigate our own thoughts and feelings within it.</p> <p>Nonetheless, during these moments of quiet introspection, I am learning to stay connected with myself to avoid the pitfalls of loneliness. After all, solitude is similar to a garden of flowers that needs to be nurtured and tended. Too much exposure and they overgrow and become chaotic; too much isolation will make the flowers wither.</p> <p>And so, the journey will still carry on with the persistent question: <em><strong>is it solitude or lone</em>liness? </strong>But you know what? Maybe we don’t need to choose one between the two for they are intertwined and we just need to embrace both as part of self-discovery and tranquility.</p> <p>It’s alright to enjoy your own company, but at the same time, you are allowed to feel lonely at times.</p> <p>We are humans after all, we’re complex and complicated by nature…and that what makes us wonderful.</p> </section>	is it solitude or loneliness? On the Beach at Night Alone (2017) I have this habit of occupying spaces far from the public eye — not because I am afraid of attention or lack social skills, but because I prefer solitude and comfort over interaction. There is something endearing about enjoying your personal space, away from everybody. The tranquility brought by your own company and the quietness that allows you to think things through is deeply satisfying. For a quiet person, I have a rather noisy mind. I once walked through a park teeming with people and sought out the most secluded seat — a small bench meant for just two. I settled in and put on my AirPods; it is my subtle way of letting everyone know that I, in fact, prefer to be alone. I played my favorite song and stared into nothingness. But as I enjoyed the oblivion, I began to notice my surroundings. I saw a couple laughing in the distance, a group of students heading home, a child running endearingly to her mother, and vendors calling out to customers. This led me to wonder: Do I love solitude, or am I just lonely? It’s a subtle distinction that I found myself pondering. I have a noisy mind, but I am a quiet person. The contrast between my internal monologue and the soothing music in my ears made me wonder if I am genuinely content with this feeling or if I am merely hiding a deeper emotional need. As I sat in a place full of life yet apart from it, I couldn’t help but think: Is my idea of solitude a healthy choice, or is it a facade to hide an underlying sense of loneliness? Do I seek comfort in my personal space, or am I just so lonely that I avoid the complexities of interaction? The question continue to linger, and perhaps — perhaps the answer lies not in the solitude itself, but in the way we navigate our own thoughts and feelings within it. Nonetheless, during these moments of quiet introspection, I am learning to stay connected with myself to avoid the pitfalls of loneliness. After all, solitude is similar to a garden of flowers that needs to be nurtured and tended. Too much exposure and they overgrow and become chaotic; too much isolation will make the flowers wither. And so, the journey will still carry on with the persistent question: is it solitude or loneliness? But you know what? Maybe we don’t need to choose one between the two for they are intertwined and we just need to embrace both as part of self-discovery and tranquility. It’s alright to enjoy your own company, but at the same time, you are allowed to feel lonely at times. We are humans after all, we’re complex and complicated by nature…and that what makes us wonderful.	1b10f20a-0996-5bec-b349-416193650f4a	25/08/2025 18:01:48
https://medium.com/@daily_bible_verses/matthew-18-20-daily-bible-verse-8deecaabcd9c	medium.com	Matthew 18:20 — Daily Bible Verse	Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. (NKJV)	Bible SMS	https://medium.com/@daily_bible_verses	8deecaabcd9c	null	0 min	2017-01-24T16:09:41.139000	2017-01-24T16:09:48.349000	2017-01-24T16:09:48.349000	0	0	en	Christianity,Bible	<section> <p><strong>Matthew 18:20</strong> For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. (NKJV)</p> <p><strong>Hash Tags: </strong>#Theology #Art #Discipleship #Words #WiseQuote #QuoteOfTheDay</p> <p>For daily devotional bible verses, signup at <strong><a href="http://w</strong>ww.bible-sms.com/">www.bible-sms.com</a> to receive free bible verses delivered as a text message (SMS) directly to your cell phone. Bible SMS encourages you to continue your daily journey with Jesus Christ by reading the Holy Bible.</p> <p><em>Originally published at <a href="http://ww</em>w.bible-sms.com/bible-texts/bible-verse-of-the-day.php?verse=Matthew%2018:20&dt=01.24.2017.08.09">www.bible-sms.com</a>.</p> </section>	Matthew 18:20 — Daily Bible Verse Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. (NKJV) Hash Tags: #Theology #Art #Discipleship #Words #WiseQuote #QuoteOfTheDay For daily devotional bible verses, signup at www.bible-sms.com to receive free bible verses delivered as a text message (SMS) directly to your cell phone. Bible SMS encourages you to continue your daily journey with Jesus Christ by reading the Holy Bible. Originally published at www.bible-sms.com.	a0f1c7b6-e5d7-5a21-8c6d-476931c65e89	25/08/2025 18:01:48
https://medium.com/@katiebeth0/10-commandments-of-human-relations-c6c775a2c7a8	medium.com	10 Commandments of Human Relations	Quick disclaimer, these commandments are not something I came up with but are something that I believe in greatly. I found a slip of paper…	Katie Beth	https://medium.com/@katiebeth0	c6c775a2c7a8	null	4 min	2018-02-23T14:06:23.369000	2018-02-23T14:10:12.018000	2018-03-06T20:52:43.165000	0	14	en	Christianity,Love,Life Lessons,Entrepreneurship,Productivity	<section> <p>Quick disclaimer, these commandments are not something I came up with but are something that I believe in greatly. I found a slip of paper with them typed up on it in a box of my great grandfather’s many old papers. I hope we can all learn to follow them a little bit better.</p> <h1>1. Speak to people</h1> <p>Communicate. Don’t glare. Don’t bury the lead. Don’t hesitate. Don’t whisper. Don’t stare. Don’t wait. Don’t hide what you really mean.</p> <p>Speak. To. Others.</p> <p>It’s simple, really. You have something to say, and another person is interested in listening. Just say it. If they’re worth saying it to, and if the words you are about to speak are worth it, you won’t need to explain yourself or what you’re speaking. You won’t have to be afraid of what other people are saying.</p> <p>Doing this will make communicating a million times easier and more enjoyable for everyone involved.</p> <p>“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21)</p> <h2>2. Smile at people</h2> <p>You might not feel like it at this stage in your life, or today, or this time of the month, or whatever — but believe me, you have something to be happy about.</p> <p>Smile. Please. It not only will make others happy to see you, but you’ll be happier as well.</p> <p>“As long as you live keep smiling because it brightens everybody’s day.” (Vin Scully)</p> <blockquote>You have a reason to be joyful.</blockquote> <p>“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)</p> <h2>3. Call people by name</h2> <p>Our names have more power than we think. In an article I was recently reading, the author discussed how we pick up on the emotions that the person saying our name is currently experiencing.</p> <p>Call someone else’s name with a smile and an attitude of joy. Recognize them. Acknowledge them in a positive light — and they’ll remember it. It might even change their whole day.</p> <p>That’s pretty stinkin’ awesome.</p> <p>When we call someone by name we validate them, telling them, if we say it right, that they are of importance.</p> <p>Learn other’s names and use it. Our name defines who we are — and we want it to be accepted by others.</p> <h2>4. Be friendly and helpful</h2> <p>This one goes hand in hand with all of the other ones. Be a friend to all. Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities to make others’ lives better.</p> <h2>5. Be cordial</h2> <p>What does cordial mean? I hope you know.</p> <p>Just kidding. Cordial, by definition, means to be warm, friendly. I think we could all work on being a bit warmer. Sure, we’re nice and friendly, but it needs to be that way ALL of the time, not just with the people we like.</p> <p>I have a challenge for you. Any time you see a stranger in a reasturant, on the street, anywhere, smile at them. Affirm them. Make their day better. Be warm with everyone.</p> <h2>6. Be genuinely interested in other people</h2> <p>The person you’re talking to might be talking about the most boring thing on the planet that you know nothing about. Thankfully, I’ve rarely ever been put in this sort of situation. Either way, there’s a cure.</p> <p>Get interested.</p> <p>You love that person, right? If you’re listening to them, probably. Well, then you can love what they love. Ask questions, find something about their boring topic that peaks your interest.</p> <p>Get interested, really. People are really good at seeing a lack of genuineness.</p> <h2>7. Be generous with praise — cautious with criticism</h2> <p>Give. Praise. Often. I have gained many young friends at my church simply because I utter a kind word. I would have given anything to get that kind of affirming talk from the older girls at my church many years ago.</p> <p>Praise means a lot to us. We’re all trying. Sometimes we just need a participation trophy in the form of an encouraging and praising word.</p> <p>On the other hand, there’s criticism. Criticism is not a bad thing. Again, it’s not a bad thing. We have to use it sometimes. But there’s a right way to do it. Helping someone who’s having a hard time with a math problem, a soccer drill, planning their life, is not bad. It’s helping.</p> <p>Giving a comment about someone’s behavior or performance in a certain activity is not bad, but always give a compliment sandwich. Tell them what they’re doing right, mean it, give them some guidance, and then praise them when they do it right.</p> <p>No one wants to be criticised. Do it because you love them — and let them know that that’s the reason.</p> <h2>8. Be considerate with the feelings of others</h2> <p>To be honest, I forget this far too much. Sometimes my big mouth gets ahead of me and I say something that, although well intentioned, might have the potential to hurt the feelings of someone else.</p> <p>Please be considerate of the emotions of the other humans in your life. I know, it’s hard.</p> <h2>9. Be thoughtful of the opinions of others</h2> <p>This one is really hard for me. I mean, what! Other people have opinions different from mine?! I know. It’s tough.</p> <p>Either way, their beliefs are legitimate. If there’s anything I’ve learned from debate, it’s that there are two sides to everything — and both sides are, in some way, valid. Respect that.</p> <p>Learn about the other side. Accept the other side as valid in that person’s mind. And, if it requires a debate, proceed with grace, love, and warmth.</p> <h2>10. Be alert to give service</h2> <p>Rain or shine, whatever your friend needs, be there for them. It can be something small, such as help with an assignment — or they might have a flat tire and are in dire need of your rescue.</p> <p>Whatever the case is, be on the lookout for any way that you can serve. It enriches both their lives and yours.</p> <p>“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” (Hebrews 6:10)</p> <p>We all love people. We all are around people. We all struggle, sometimes, with managing these complicated things that we call human relations. Either way, they’re not impossible — and, when done right, can be incredible joy creators and support systems in our life.</p> <p>Follow these ‘rules’, and you’ll be just fine.</p> <p>“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8)</p> <p>Love, Katie</p> </section>	10 Commandments of Human Relations Quick disclaimer, these commandments are not something I came up with but are something that I believe in greatly. I found a slip of paper with them typed up on it in a box of my great grandfather’s many old papers. I hope we can all learn to follow them a little bit better. 1. Speak to people Communicate. Don’t glare. Don’t bury the lead. Don’t hesitate. Don’t whisper. Don’t stare. Don’t wait. Don’t hide what you really mean. Speak. To. Others. It’s simple, really. You have something to say, and another person is interested in listening. Just say it. If they’re worth saying it to, and if the words you are about to speak are worth it, you won’t need to explain yourself or what you’re speaking. You won’t have to be afraid of what other people are saying. Doing this will make communicating a million times easier and more enjoyable for everyone involved. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21) 2. Smile at people You might not feel like it at this stage in your life, or today, or this time of the month, or whatever — but believe me, you have something to be happy about. Smile. Please. It not only will make others happy to see you, but you’ll be happier as well. “As long as you live keep smiling because it brightens everybody’s day.” (Vin Scully) You have a reason to be joyful. “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13) 3. Call people by name Our names have more power than we think. In an article I was recently reading, the author discussed how we pick up on the emotions that the person saying our name is currently experiencing. Call someone else’s name with a smile and an attitude of joy. Recognize them. Acknowledge them in a positive light — and they’ll remember it. It might even change their whole day. That’s pretty stinkin’ awesome. When we call someone by name we validate them, telling them, if we say it right, that they are of importance. Learn other’s names and use it. Our name defines who we are — and we want it to be accepted by others. 4. Be friendly and helpful This one goes hand in hand with all of the other ones. Be a friend to all. Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities to make others’ lives better. 5. Be cordial What does cordial mean? I hope you know. Just kidding. Cordial, by definition, means to be warm, friendly. I think we could all work on being a bit warmer. Sure, we’re nice and friendly, but it needs to be that way ALL of the time, not just with the people we like. I have a challenge for you. Any time you see a stranger in a reasturant, on the street, anywhere, smile at them. Affirm them. Make their day better. Be warm with everyone. 6. Be genuinely interested in other people The person you’re talking to might be talking about the most boring thing on the planet that you know nothing about. Thankfully, I’ve rarely ever been put in this sort of situation. Either way, there’s a cure. Get interested. You love that person, right? If you’re listening to them, probably. Well, then you can love what they love. Ask questions, find something about their boring topic that peaks your interest. Get interested, really. People are really good at seeing a lack of genuineness. 7. Be generous with praise — cautious with criticism Give. Praise. Often. I have gained many young friends at my church simply because I utter a kind word. I would have given anything to get that kind of affirming talk from the older girls at my church many years ago. Praise means a lot to us. We’re all trying. Sometimes we just need a participation trophy in the form of an encouraging and praising word. On the other hand, there’s criticism. Criticism is not a bad thing. Again, it’s not a bad thing. We have to use it sometimes. But there’s a right way to do it. Helping someone who’s having a hard time with a math problem, a soccer drill, planning their life, is not bad. It’s helping. Giving a comment about someone’s behavior or performance in a certain activity is not bad, but always give a compliment sandwich. Tell them what they’re doing right, mean it, give them some guidance, and then praise them when they do it right. No one wants to be criticised. Do it because you love them — and let them know that that’s the reason. 8. Be considerate with the feelings of others To be honest, I forget this far too much. Sometimes my big mouth gets ahead of me and I say something that, although well intentioned, might have the potential to hurt the feelings of someone else. Please be considerate of the emotions of the other humans in your life. I know, it’s hard. 9. Be thoughtful of the opinions of others This one is really hard for me. I mean, what! Other people have opinions different from mine?! I know. It’s tough. Either way, their beliefs are legitimate. If there’s anything I’ve learned from debate, it’s that there are two sides to everything — and both sides are, in some way, valid. Respect that. Learn about the other side. Accept the other side as valid in that person’s mind. And, if it requires a debate, proceed with grace, love, and warmth. 10. Be alert to give service Rain or shine, whatever your friend needs, be there for them. It can be something small, such as help with an assignment — or they might have a flat tire and are in dire need of your rescue. Whatever the case is, be on the lookout for any way that you can serve. It enriches both their lives and yours. “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” (Hebrews 6:10) We all love people. We all are around people. We all struggle, sometimes, with managing these complicated things that we call human relations. Either way, they’re not impossible — and, when done right, can be incredible joy creators and support systems in our life. Follow these ‘rules’, and you’ll be just fine. “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8) Love, Katie	720adf5e-c2ac-5611-9862-21b998cd5916	25/08/2025 18:01:48
https://cashflowmarketer.medium.com/the-most-expensive-leadership-mistakes-of-an-entrepreneurs-life-dc70c59558a0	medium.com	The Most Expensive Leadership Mistakes Of An Entrepreneurs Life	Let me tell you a quick story about a time when I felt challenged with a HUGE project… and what you can learn from it.	Steven Droege	https://medium.com/@cashflowmarketer	dc70c59558a0	https://miro.medium.com/…KuThz1JKaNw.jpeg	3 min	2020-10-11T18:21:08.535000	2020-10-11T20:53:33.685000	2022-03-30T21:20:20.514000	0	0	en	Leadership,Leadership Development,Entrepreneurship,Business,Success	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/662/1*xc6sIeBpfwgKuThz1JKaNw.jpeg" width="662" height="619" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Let me tell you a quick story about a time when I felt challenged with a HUGE project… and what you can learn from it.</strong></p> <p>I was a mortgage loan originator at Quicken Loans trying to serve people. I really wanted to reach #1 in sales for the Detroit office so I wouldn’t have to keep living in my mom’s trailer.</p> <p>I wanted to be able to retire my whole family and earn more money than than anyone in my family had ever seen.</p> <p>At the time I was working 12–15 hours everyday (not including commute time). That meant I wasn’t able to retire my whole family, let alone earn more money than than anyone in my family had ever seen.</p> <p>To make things worse, I felt terrible because I got home just in time to sleep and do it again the next day. I felt terrible about the situation because I was putting work before my health. I felt like I was leading my life to a dead end.</p> <p>The problem was that one busy day I got overwhelmed with calls, emails, voicemails, and visits from angry people. I was still new, and all alone (the office was a ghost town). Which meant I suddenly felt like the world was crashing down around me.</p> <p>I had a fever and thought the stress would finish me right there., which made me want to curl up and quit. I felt like I had failed the company and customers.</p> <p><em>That is, until something happened I’ll never forget…</em></p> <p>That’s when I felt a hand on my shoulder. My director came by my side and told me all about his first few days, doing his best, figuring things out, and <em>being a leader who creates more leaders!</em></p> <p>It was now crystal clear to me how to start creating leadership movements in business, because I saw I can empower people (regardless of their position) to take charge and create more leaders in their business.</p> <p>I also learned that leaders aren’t born, you need to create them instead.</p> <p>As a result I committed to creating leadership movements.</p> <p>After I did that, I started finding my voice and my strength.</p> <p>Suddenly, I was planting the seed of leadership movements in others.</p> <p>That’s when I realized that the secret to serve people was to help them create movements in their life.</p> <p>My plan was to start writing a leadership book that elevates humanity.</p> <p>So I started pouring my soul into it. But we didn’t stop there.</p> <p>We then created a whole leadership suite that gives you the power to create movements in your life.</p> <p>After that, we cut out everything except the information that gets fast results.</p> <p><em>But there was still a problem…</em></p> <p><strong>People were still hurting themselves by practicing cheap leadership tactics that just don’t work.</strong></p> <p>We ended up getting so frustrated that we decided to put together a powerful course that gets results in less than 60 minutes.</p> <p>It’s called “<em>The Choose to Lead System</em>”.</p> <p>We thought if we could create something that would make it possible to trade 50 minutes for a leadership system that gives you unbeatable advantages, we’d feel fulfilled.</p> <p>After 8 years and thousands of dollars in mistakes (not to mention emotional pain), we created <em>The Choose to Lead System</em>.</p> <p>I can now guide you to create leadership movements in your organization in less than 60 minutes.</p> <p><em>As a result, we were proud to achieve the following:</em></p> <p>Within 50 minutes, entrepreneurs teach their team how to create leadership movements & develop unbeatable competitive advantages in their business (think of movements like Tesla and Apple).</p> <p>After creating <em>The Choose to Lead System</em>, I was not only able to teach anybody to create a leadership movement, I’ve also been able to stop feeling overwhelmed, because we can now quickly develop leadership movements that make teams stronger and more successful.</p> <p>At the end of the day, all of this means I’m now able to wake up everyday with fulfillment because I’m elevating people to be their best-self.</p> </section>	The Most Expensive Leadership Mistakes Of An Entrepreneurs Life Let me tell you a quick story about a time when I felt challenged with a HUGE project… and what you can learn from it. I was a mortgage loan originator at Quicken Loans trying to serve people. I really wanted to reach #1 in sales for the Detroit office so I wouldn’t have to keep living in my mom’s trailer. I wanted to be able to retire my whole family and earn more money than than anyone in my family had ever seen. At the time I was working 12–15 hours everyday (not including commute time). That meant I wasn’t able to retire my whole family, let alone earn more money than than anyone in my family had ever seen. To make things worse, I felt terrible because I got home just in time to sleep and do it again the next day. I felt terrible about the situation because I was putting work before my health. I felt like I was leading my life to a dead end. The problem was that one busy day I got overwhelmed with calls, emails, voicemails, and visits from angry people. I was still new, and all alone (the office was a ghost town). Which meant I suddenly felt like the world was crashing down around me. I had a fever and thought the stress would finish me right there., which made me want to curl up and quit. I felt like I had failed the company and customers. That is, until something happened I’ll never forget… That’s when I felt a hand on my shoulder. My director came by my side and told me all about his first few days, doing his best, figuring things out, and being a leader who creates more leaders! It was now crystal clear to me how to start creating leadership movements in business, because I saw I can empower people (regardless of their position) to take charge and create more leaders in their business. I also learned that leaders aren’t born, you need to create them instead. As a result I committed to creating leadership movements. After I did that, I started finding my voice and my strength. Suddenly, I was planting the seed of leadership movements in others. That’s when I realized that the secret to serve people was to help them create movements in their life. My plan was to start writing a leadership book that elevates humanity. So I started pouring my soul into it. But we didn’t stop there. We then created a whole leadership suite that gives you the power to create movements in your life. After that, we cut out everything except the information that gets fast results. But there was still a problem… People were still hurting themselves by practicing cheap leadership tactics that just don’t work. We ended up getting so frustrated that we decided to put together a powerful course that gets results in less than 60 minutes. It’s called “The Choose to Lead System”. We thought if we could create something that would make it possible to trade 50 minutes for a leadership system that gives you unbeatable advantages, we’d feel fulfilled. After 8 years and thousands of dollars in mistakes (not to mention emotional pain), we created The Choose to Lead System. I can now guide you to create leadership movements in your organization in less than 60 minutes. As a result, we were proud to achieve the following: Within 50 minutes, entrepreneurs teach their team how to create leadership movements & develop unbeatable competitive advantages in their business (think of movements like Tesla and Apple). After creating The Choose to Lead System, I was not only able to teach anybody to create a leadership movement, I’ve also been able to stop feeling overwhelmed, because we can now quickly develop leadership movements that make teams stronger and more successful. At the end of the day, all of this means I’m now able to wake up everyday with fulfillment because I’m elevating people to be their best-self.	714b35f5-9288-590f-880e-30a89be32947	25/08/2025 18:01:48
https://medium.com/@ayessha486/i-have-no-idea-what-to-write-40d83d0e1d97	medium.com	I Have No Idea What To Write	Since I started writing on Medium, I have written 16 articles. It hasn’t been a whole month since I started writing on Medium.	Ayesha Amjad	https://medium.com/@ayessha486	40d83d0e1d97	https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0*HjpDmRQQbJ_RA8qW	1 min	2024-10-04T16:16:34.343000	2024-10-04T16:22:23.176000	2024-11-15T15:30:20.860000	11	257	en	Writing,Writing Tips,Writing Life,Writers On Medium,Medium	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/6000/0*HjpDmRQQbJ_RA8qW" width="6000" height="4000" loading="lazy" /> <p>Since I started writing on Medium, I have written 16 articles. It hasn’t been a whole month since I started writing on Medium.</p> <p>It often happens that sometimes I get ideas without any effort and sometimes even after researching, reading, and scrolling, I don’t get any idea about what to write.</p> <p>Maybe I overthink a lot but no, I can’t write on this because that’s not relevant to my topic or niche.</p> <p>Writers who write about any topic get decent ideas for writing daily, but if you are specific in one niche or category, it gets harder to find topics to write on daily.</p> <p>Well, both have pros and cons. If you write on a specific niche, you become an authority and people see you as an expert in that field later, you can monetize in more ways like you can start a service-based business to help people with your expertise and people will hire you because they see you as an expert.</p> <p>However, the cons of specific niche writing are that you have to worry a lot about topics and ideas to write about.</p> <p>On the other side, if you have no niche and you write about everything, you get unlimited ideas to write on but you don’t become an authority that people can blindly trust and from people can easily buy.</p> <p>It can be possible but chances are less.</p> <p>As a beginner, if you already have written many ideas about a specific niche, then you can go for niche-based writing but if you don’t have, it is best to write on anything in the beginning.</p> <p>Later, you can pick one niche in which you enjoy writing.</p> <p>And I think I should also write on multiple topics now because I am struggling with ideas.</p> <p>What’s your opinion on it? How do you get writing ideas?</p> </section>	I Have No Idea What To Write Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash Since I started writing on Medium, I have written 16 articles. It hasn’t been a whole month since I started writing on Medium. It often happens that sometimes I get ideas without any effort and sometimes even after researching, reading, and scrolling, I don’t get any idea about what to write. Maybe I overthink a lot but no, I can’t write on this because that’s not relevant to my topic or niche. Writers who write about any topic get decent ideas for writing daily, but if you are specific in one niche or category, it gets harder to find topics to write on daily. Well, both have pros and cons. If you write on a specific niche, you become an authority and people see you as an expert in that field later, you can monetize in more ways like you can start a service-based business to help people with your expertise and people will hire you because they see you as an expert. However, the cons of specific niche writing are that you have to worry a lot about topics and ideas to write about. On the other side, if you have no niche and you write about everything, you get unlimited ideas to write on but you don’t become an authority that people can blindly trust and from people can easily buy. It can be possible but chances are less. As a beginner, if you already have written many ideas about a specific niche, then you can go for niche-based writing but if you don’t have, it is best to write on anything in the beginning. Later, you can pick one niche in which you enjoy writing. And I think I should also write on multiple topics now because I am struggling with ideas. What’s your opinion on it? How do you get writing ideas?	22466b8b-bb2f-566c-9403-78e10a455cd2	25/08/2025 18:01:48
https://medium.com/@gregoryhamblin/kanab-utah-hikes-1fbfab81b97d	medium.com	Kanab, Utah hikes	I have a friend who works in Kanab, Utah and who takes a hike almost every day. He tries to post a picture of what he finds. Here are a few…	Greg Hamblin	https://medium.com/@gregoryhamblin	1fbfab81b97d	https://miro.medium.com/…feli3abDbgw.jpeg	3 min	2016-01-15T20:57:11.634000	2016-01-15T21:04:27.556000	2018-03-19T15:46:07.758000	0	0	en	Travel,Hiking,Outdoors	<section> <p>I have a friend who works in Kanab, Utah and who takes a hike almost every day. He tries to post a picture of what he finds. Here are a few from the past year.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/768/1SCNiwyuC9X5feli3abDbgw.jpeg" width="768" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/866/1orKvFe6thWDL5rAt19i6eg.jpeg" width="866" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/1V90QHd4_xBImf4wO-IcIJQ.jpeg" width="960" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/1FRWil-uTGHKsZa5ITwJxVQ.jpeg" width="960" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/640/1hPC5LjoPJFo9RDvqKRTxHQ.jpeg" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/1KKcjRJjWYkVGzKTzSxwF7w.jpeg" width="960" height="720" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/640/1budC9nrROnDiONqTVk9R7Q.jpeg" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/640/151AipXgjrEi4ijLnfHclMA.jpeg" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/640/1r0IXIyOemEFcp0epzUfcAw.jpeg" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/640/1BdZGAABElxybhPZ-H37gug.jpeg" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/640/10YpWYulGXGmduJKqdeVvJA.jpeg" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/640/1hr4oG-_Mq8IwxB-U1DiEzg.jpeg" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/640/1CLtBH_WbPEM5qYJA0KX6Zw.jpeg" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/817/1N4490CckGtNO7Stfnnq9fA.jpeg" width="817" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/640/1-QWqbf_n3qrFYPZwKtnE3w.jpeg" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/1lG1ml54IjwzvBW1ZuTqKow.jpeg" width="960" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/640/1E8a6t9Y7aM5e_i16XrV8Ww.jpeg" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/1fiac7SULnIDxArlh_umOyQ.jpeg" width="960" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/640/1CQUqkaHJ1D-aA9j-wUKegQ.jpeg" width="640" height="640" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/1bFXEc48cLVyAH7RXcAGazw.jpeg" width="960" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/1qw-28ZoulL97gDaaMLzksA.jpeg" width="960" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/1rXPBfD9c9IOZ181ELb6pPA.jpeg" width="960" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/1n29NJDCuNxDw9Utty0B3qQ.jpeg" width="960" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/720/1zIH7U32bSfbia9a8PPriqw.jpeg" width="720" height="720" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/1U6oberAwiIJitGWAGTTG8Q.jpeg" width="960" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/1T95wsf5xUNJ-hyaemYqeLA.jpeg" width="960" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/12wKMLwo53vymdrKzaHcaoA.jpeg" width="960" height="720" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/1dvDrZ5re4yq2ZU27hEJ3fw.jpeg" width="960" height="720" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/768/1ppLXfSKJ1dAoNrJkka-Djw.jpeg" width="768" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/16B0Ig2OOQefJRHLncm_eWQ.jpeg" width="960" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/1cZJzZqSJV24VNCreNuE8EA.jpeg" width="960" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/768/1gunvdXMZCarZK6fFhmmDug.jpeg" width="768" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/768/1mYqXGdilMaxKKsbVuOTdBw.jpeg" width="768" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/1238aI3LaFjEYIt3NegYUzA.jpeg" width="960" height="720" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/768/1UND0TVrtW49hlBBdaQubCA.jpeg" width="768" height="960" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/960/1osdbIBJwwtOBiqE58H-MQg.jpeg" width="960" height="960" loading="lazy" /> </section>	Kanab, Utah hikes I have a friend who works in Kanab, Utah and who takes a hike almost every day. He tries to post a picture of what he finds. Here are a few from the past year.	bd8d1106-b1ac-5ba2-8be4-fe314b2df3cb	25/08/2025 18:01:48
https://husenmulla3.medium.com/healthy-meal-plans-for-busy-people-ff4358247240	medium.com	HEALTHY MEAL PLANS FOR BUSY PEOPLE.	Eating healthy food can be a big challenge when you are really busy.	healthymiya	https://medium.com/@husenmulla3	ff4358247240	https://miro.medium.com/…ebF6S3DdprQ.jpeg	2 min	2021-11-03T01:07:06.196000	2021-11-03T01:11:36.435000	2022-01-04T15:38:33.317000	0	7	en	Diet,Personal Development,Food	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2048/13hJgoO8SuHfebF6S3DdprQ.jpeg" width="2048" height="1464" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Eating healthy food</strong> can be a big challenge when you are really busy.</p> <p>I hope everyone had a happy and satisfying Thanksgiving! I’m sure everyone ate plenty today… I know I did. Right after Thanksgiving is a great time to talk about some <strong>healthy food or healthy meal plans</strong> since everyone will be looking to get back on the <strong>healthy eating</strong> track. There are many <strong>healthy meal plans</strong> available today. But how many of them are actually practical for busy people? Today, many people fail to make healthy eating a priority simply because it’s kind of a hassle to do so.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/300/0EUCdc8n75Nz8flxb.jpg" width="300" height="189" loading="lazy" /> <p>ANYONE CAN PREPARE HEALTHY MEALS IF THEY HAVE A FEW HOURS A DAY TO COOK.</p> <p>But throw in a full-time job, family, and other responsibilities, and all of a sudden, the<a href="https://healthymiya.com/healthy-fast-food-choices/"> fast-food</a> drive-thru is looking more and more like your best option. Let’s face it. You’re never going to get lean or stay lean unless you take some time to prepare <strong>healthy foods</strong>. The good news is you don’t have to spend a ton of money or be Curtis Stone to pull this off. After a couple of years of experimentation, I have developed a meal plan that requires very little preparation time and keeps the pounds off.</p> <h1>(1.) MY BREAKFAST: LOADED OMELET AND SIDE OF TURKEY BACON</h1> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/300/0*CtITxFvdc-jMRIWt.jpg" width="300" height="200" loading="lazy" /> <p>Ingredients:</p> <p>2 omega-3 eggs Chopped red onions Chopped green peppers <a href="https://amzn.to/3w0lh18">Diced jalapenos</a> (jarred) <a href="https://amzn.to/3BBtA4G">Shredded cheese</a> 2 small <a href="https://amzn.to/3nIxbcd">turkey sausage</a> links 2 strips of turkey bacon Extra virgin olive oil cooking spray</p> <p><strong>Preparation:</strong></p> <p>Chop up red onions and green peppers (I do this on the weekend and chop up enough for the entire week). Microwave turkey sausage links (the ones I buy are already cooked, just need to be heated) and chop them up into small pieces. Mix eggs, turkey sausage pieces, chopped red onions, chopped green peppers, diced jalapenos, and shredded cheese in a bowl. Heat skillet with extra virgin olive oil cooking spray and cook an omelet. Throw on turkey bacon strips after the omelet is done.</p> <p>Since I chop the veggies ahead of time, the total prep time in the morning is about 5 minutes. Cooking time is another 5 minutes or so. This is a very quick and easy breakfast to make and it only requires about 10 minutes. Also, it keeps me full for a few hours and beats the pants off of a high-carb breakfast of bread and cereal. For me, this is a no-brainer and well worth waking up a few minutes early….<strong><a href="</strong>https://healthymiya.com/healthy-food-or-healthy-meal-plans-for-busy-people/">READ MORE</a></p> </section>	HEALTHY MEAL PLANS FOR BUSY PEOPLE. Eating healthy food can be a big challenge when you are really busy. I hope everyone had a happy and satisfying Thanksgiving! I’m sure everyone ate plenty today… I know I did. Right after Thanksgiving is a great time to talk about some healthy food or healthy meal plans since everyone will be looking to get back on the healthy eating track. There are many healthy meal plans available today. But how many of them are actually practical for busy people? Today, many people fail to make healthy eating a priority simply because it’s kind of a hassle to do so. Happy Turkey Day! ANYONE CAN PREPARE HEALTHY MEALS IF THEY HAVE A FEW HOURS A DAY TO COOK. But throw in a full-time job, family, and other responsibilities, and all of a sudden, the fast-food drive-thru is looking more and more like your best option. Let’s face it. You’re never going to get lean or stay lean unless you take some time to prepare healthy foods. The good news is you don’t have to spend a ton of money or be Curtis Stone to pull this off. After a couple of years of experimentation, I have developed a meal plan that requires very little preparation time and keeps the pounds off. (1.) MY BREAKFAST: LOADED OMELET AND SIDE OF TURKEY BACON Ingredients: 2 omega-3 eggs Chopped red onions Chopped green peppers Diced jalapenos (jarred) Shredded cheese 2 small turkey sausage links 2 strips of turkey bacon Extra virgin olive oil cooking spray Preparation: Chop up red onions and green peppers (I do this on the weekend and chop up enough for the entire week). Microwave turkey sausage links (the ones I buy are already cooked, just need to be heated) and chop them up into small pieces. Mix eggs, turkey sausage pieces, chopped red onions, chopped green peppers, diced jalapenos, and shredded cheese in a bowl. Heat skillet with extra virgin olive oil cooking spray and cook an omelet. Throw on turkey bacon strips after the omelet is done. Since I chop the veggies ahead of time, the total prep time in the morning is about 5 minutes. Cooking time is another 5 minutes or so. This is a very quick and easy breakfast to make and it only requires about 10 minutes. Also, it keeps me full for a few hours and beats the pants off of a high-carb breakfast of bread and cereal. For me, this is a no-brainer and well worth waking up a few minutes early….READ MORE	b819a623-b943-5c78-8f0b-c1fa86e8f19b	25/08/2025 18:01:48
https://medium.com/@Ostodam/now-the-god-of-hope-fill-you-with-all-joy-and-peace-in-believing-that-ye-may-abound-in-hope-c91b3bc9ba02	medium.com	Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope…	null	D. L Ostodam	https://medium.com/@Ostodam	c91b3bc9ba02	null	0 min	2018-08-12T10:00:10.570000	2018-10-30T06:33:53.438000	2018-10-30T06:33:53.438000	0	0	en	Scripture,Bible,Christianity,Christian	<section> </section>	Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Romans 15:13 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/rom.15.13.KJV	289504ea-0e46-57f1-a037-cb06acb2eef6	25/08/2025 18:01:48
https://medium.com/@alejandroperez_58771/the-evening-has-a-pinkish-fiery-glow-to-it-as-the-clouds-disappear-into-darkness-d23c3696fac6	medium.com	L.A. Fiery Evenings	The evening has a pinkish fiery glow to it as the clouds disappear into darkness. L.A., with its expansiveness, is unlike anything I have…	Alejandro Perez	https://medium.com/@alejandroperez_58771	d23c3696fac6	null	2 min	2017-02-28T14:38:20.920000	2017-02-28T14:41:33.142000	2017-12-07T04:10:22.604000	0	1	en	Short Story,Fiction,Poetry,Los Angeles,Travel	<section> <p>The evening has a pinkish fiery glow to it as the clouds disappear into darkness. L.A., with its expansiveness, is unlike anything I have ever seen. It is the epitome of what I consider scifi megacity- thousands of people, living, breathing, sitting in their cars in a world of concrete and asphalt, the highways intertwining like some disordered rug tapestry that a large cat has just clawed.</p> <p>“You live in Long Beach, not L.A.” she corrects me. I shrug my shoulders because it’s all the same gravy.</p> <p>“The cool thing about L.A. is that you never actually arrive to any city; just a string of towns,” a friend explains as we drive to a dying record store in Korea town.</p> <p>Now, I sit in a room, a room of my own, and I think of the Japanese master poets, of the many books I have read, and of the many more still to be done. Meanwhile, an old Indian man in a down jacket and sandals walks back and forth through the small courtyard that connects the apartment buildings that all face the tiny pool at the center.</p> <p>L.A., you have felt foreign for so long yet now I call you home. I have made peace with what was left behind in D.C., city of politics and prose that was so good to me. The days of kayaking and rooftop laughter are behind me and new ones of beach bumming and taco scrumming lie ahead.</p> <p>“That taco was a blow out,” another friend explains before we purchase burritos from the same place that caused him stomach problems.</p> <p>We order too much dim sum, and one plate looks like tiny skin pillows with shrimp inside. Who sleeps on these? “These definitely won’t keep,” she says as she picks one up with her chop sticks and throws it in her mouth.</p> <p>The bodies are always ripped here, and the cholos are real. A tattoo wraps around the neck of a man wearing a sweater at a gym and Rico Suave is a regular just like me: a fade, a mustache and a different color muscle shirt depending on the day.</p> <p>The older woman with bangs tells me, “Adulting is hard. I didn’t actually feel mature until 55.”</p> <p>That’s a good thing, I think, as I try to figure out if form 5689 is the same as 5678. We do need robots to at least do our taxes because not even Turbo Tax can save me from the IRS.</p> <p>“Corporations are the monsters of our time. They are the cyclopean behemoths we have created,” I tell him as I lie next to him, like a ten year old at a sleep over club. He doesn’t respond either because he is so blown away at my statement or just asleep.</p> <p>There are no ships, no gods that raise the waves; only our own gigantic enterprises that cough smoke into the sky. L.A., sometimes I see your snow-topped mountains and at others, it’s just a memory or a dream. I will become better acquainted with you, I promise. The stray cat licks its paws.</p> </section>	L.A. Fiery Evenings The evening has a pinkish fiery glow to it as the clouds disappear into darkness. L.A., with its expansiveness, is unlike anything I have ever seen. It is the epitome of what I consider scifi megacity- thousands of people, living, breathing, sitting in their cars in a world of concrete and asphalt, the highways intertwining like some disordered rug tapestry that a large cat has just clawed. “You live in Long Beach, not L.A.” she corrects me. I shrug my shoulders because it’s all the same gravy. “The cool thing about L.A. is that you never actually arrive to any city; just a string of towns,” a friend explains as we drive to a dying record store in Korea town. Now, I sit in a room, a room of my own, and I think of the Japanese master poets, of the many books I have read, and of the many more still to be done. Meanwhile, an old Indian man in a down jacket and sandals walks back and forth through the small courtyard that connects the apartment buildings that all face the tiny pool at the center. L.A., you have felt foreign for so long yet now I call you home. I have made peace with what was left behind in D.C., city of politics and prose that was so good to me. The days of kayaking and rooftop laughter are behind me and new ones of beach bumming and taco scrumming lie ahead. “That taco was a blow out,” another friend explains before we purchase burritos from the same place that caused him stomach problems. We order too much dim sum, and one plate looks like tiny skin pillows with shrimp inside. Who sleeps on these? “These definitely won’t keep,” she says as she picks one up with her chop sticks and throws it in her mouth. The bodies are always ripped here, and the cholos are real. A tattoo wraps around the neck of a man wearing a sweater at a gym and Rico Suave is a regular just like me: a fade, a mustache and a different color muscle shirt depending on the day. The older woman with bangs tells me, “Adulting is hard. I didn’t actually feel mature until 55.” That’s a good thing, I think, as I try to figure out if form 5689 is the same as 5678. We do need robots to at least do our taxes because not even Turbo Tax can save me from the IRS. “Corporations are the monsters of our time. They are the cyclopean behemoths we have created,” I tell him as I lie next to him, like a ten year old at a sleep over club. He doesn’t respond either because he is so blown away at my statement or just asleep. There are no ships, no gods that raise the waves; only our own gigantic enterprises that cough smoke into the sky. L.A., sometimes I see your snow-topped mountains and at others, it’s just a memory or a dream. I will become better acquainted with you, I promise. The stray cat licks its paws.	4df43c63-2a05-51f9-b718-17e38c87e061	25/08/2025 18:01:48
https://ucokonmah.medium.com/read-and-choose-a-fitting-topic-e38579a653ee	medium.com	Read And Choose a Fitting Topic	Lizzy used to be a cheerful and lively young girl in our neighbourhood.	Uc-Okonmah	https://medium.com/@ucokonmah	e38579a653ee	https://miro.medium.com/…4d-aNF09yew.jpeg	2 min	2018-02-25T12:34:06.176000	2018-02-25T13:04:27.968000	2018-02-26T07:44:50.796000	0	53	en	Christianity	<section> <p>Lizzy used to be a cheerful and lively young girl in our neighbourhood.</p> <p>She knew how to make a joke of everything. We spent hours laughing to the tiniest details. Lizzy was drawn to her friends and I will say, she had sincere friendships and of peeps who sincerely cared for her.</p> <p>We all went to church, lived our lives according to the dictates of Christ; we were relatively happy in our simple lives.</p> <p>Then something happened! Lizzy found "Christ". Yes! She found Christ as she claimed. Lizzy went spiritual as everything and all things done around Lizzy now had spiritual implications.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/1XEDXFmgDbvq4d-aNF09yew.jpeg" width="480" height="640" loading="lazy" /> <p>She began to dream "dreams"… dreams on "warnings of afflictions", dreams on deaths, Lizzy became a different person. She became secluded, and the friendly friend we had, fizzled out. She kept to herself. She suspected everyone as an agent of 'darkness’. She began to keep company with other fanatical pastors which worsened it all.</p> <p>I wasn’t excited to be around Lizzy anymore, because I wouldn’t know what the next "revelation " would be about, who was going to be hit with an affliction and all-what-not. It got to a point, I had to ignore her phone calls just to protect my energy.</p> <p>But It didn’t stop there; Lizzy became very critical of our ways of worship.She was quick to tell who prayed well and who didn’t, which prayers deserves answers and which didn’t. Lizzy claimed to know God’s mind and His thinking.</p> <p>So I asked myself ; What was going on with my dear friend? Should knowledge and understanding of who Christ is make us unapproachable, critical and less accommodating, considering the fact we were not all too “worldly” we still had our Christian principles? Why should Lizzy look at us as if our Christ was different from hers? Again, i asked, Should the knowledge of Christ leave us judgemental of our neighbours? Should the understanding of who Christ is make us superior and more worthy body of Christ?</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/480/10CIy4HxzizZRPiV10jXdXw.jpeg" width="480" height="499" loading="lazy" /> <p>I thought Christianity was Freedom. Is Christ not Love? Were we not taught not to judge?</p> <p>I tell you, we missed the old Lizzy before the "discovery". A Lizzy, who we loved, and still love , the warmth of being around her, her non- judgmental personality, her welcoming nature and all. All these, we miss. And i thought to myself, If this is what it took to know Christ… we didn’t want to know Him, Lizzy’s way.</p> <p>Jesus Christ is one! His teachings are clear and direct. We are the ones who have complicated things.</p> <p>God is Love. And following Christ demands a high degree of maturity; spiritual maturity, so to speak.</p> <p>Where we are not matured as Christ’s followers , we make the whole experience unwelcoming for anyone who might want to know Christ.</p> <p>I resolved to know Christ, to go deeper in love with Him, but not Lizzy's Christ.</p> <p>PRAYER Lord may I not only know You, buy may my life draw people genuinely to you. Amen</p> <p>P.S</p> <p>As a writer sometimes, you are at loss for topics for articles. Please read and propose a suitable topic for this article.</p> <p>Copyright © Uc-Okonmah 2018</p> </section>	Read And Choose a Fitting Topic Lizzy used to be a cheerful and lively young girl in our neighbourhood. She knew how to make a joke of everything. We spent hours laughing to the tiniest details. Lizzy was drawn to her friends and I will say, she had sincere friendships and of peeps who sincerely cared for her. We all went to church, lived our lives according to the dictates of Christ; we were relatively happy in our simple lives. Then something happened! Lizzy found "Christ". Yes! She found Christ as she claimed. Lizzy went spiritual as everything and all things done around Lizzy now had spiritual implications. She began to dream "dreams"… dreams on "warnings of afflictions", dreams on deaths, Lizzy became a different person. She became secluded, and the friendly friend we had, fizzled out. She kept to herself. She suspected everyone as an agent of 'darkness’. She began to keep company with other fanatical pastors which worsened it all. I wasn’t excited to be around Lizzy anymore, because I wouldn’t know what the next "revelation " would be about, who was going to be hit with an affliction and all-what-not. It got to a point, I had to ignore her phone calls just to protect my energy. But It didn’t stop there; Lizzy became very critical of our ways of worship.She was quick to tell who prayed well and who didn’t, which prayers deserves answers and which didn’t. Lizzy claimed to know God’s mind and His thinking. So I asked myself ; What was going on with my dear friend? Should knowledge and understanding of who Christ is make us unapproachable, critical and less accommodating, considering the fact we were not all too “worldly” we still had our Christian principles? Why should Lizzy look at us as if our Christ was different from hers? Again, i asked, Should the knowledge of Christ leave us judgemental of our neighbours? Should the understanding of who Christ is make us superior and more worthy body of Christ? I thought Christianity was Freedom. Is Christ not Love? Were we not taught not to judge? I tell you, we missed the old Lizzy before the "discovery". A Lizzy, who we loved, and still love , the warmth of being around her, her non- judgmental personality, her welcoming nature and all. All these, we miss. And i thought to myself, If this is what it took to know Christ… we didn’t want to know Him, Lizzy’s way. Jesus Christ is one! His teachings are clear and direct. We are the ones who have complicated things. God is Love. And following Christ demands a high degree of maturity; spiritual maturity, so to speak. Where we are not matured as Christ’s followers , we make the whole experience unwelcoming for anyone who might want to know Christ. I resolved to know Christ, to go deeper in love with Him, but not Lizzy's Christ. PRAYER Lord may I not only know You, buy may my life draw people genuinely to you. Amen P.S As a writer sometimes, you are at loss for topics for articles. Please read and propose a suitable topic for this article. Copyright © Uc-Okonmah 2018	e8787faa-4472-590a-8fb8-fb9d6c2c1956	25/08/2025 18:01:49
https://medium.com/@Yedwa/mask-off-6493cd69ecae	medium.com	Mask Off	When was the last time you took your mask off? All too often, we only show people the perfect image we’ve sculpted of ourselves. These days…	Yedwa	https://medium.com/@Yedwa	6493cd69ecae	https://miro.medium.com/…cQG4SHN82hg.jpeg	1 min	2018-04-18T20:46:13.411000	2018-08-10T13:56:37.726000	2018-08-10T13:56:38.046000	0	0	en	Poetry,Photography,Mental Health,Self Help,Self Care	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1920/1URVTk6VLzDccQG4SHN82hg.jpeg" width="1920" height="1280" loading="lazy" /> <p>When was the last time you took your mask off? All too often, we only show people the perfect image we’ve sculpted of ourselves. These days with social media it’s easier than ever to share our life’s highlights, but this paints a false picture of ourselves.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1920/108ozh59cAUWMe5Op3S-yIw.jpeg" width="1920" height="1280" loading="lazy" /> <p>Just because we show people the best of ourselves doesn’t mean the worst isn’t there. All of the scars, wrinkles, and imperfections are right there underneath the thin veil we wear everyday, and hiding them can be one of the most dangerous things we can do.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1920/1IZl6zyv9cWKreXprVanX-g.jpeg" width="1920" height="1280" loading="lazy" /> <p>When we hide who we are, flaws and all, we’re preventing ourselves from truly connecting with people, and most importantly from receiving the help we may desperately need. What’s underneath your mask may be ugly, but if you never face it it’ll never change.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1920/1QQ71SH3DYGYIyOL3o_u0KQ.jpeg" width="1920" height="1280" loading="lazy" /> <p>Take off the mask. Examine what’s really there, let the people you trust the most to call you out on your bulls**t. When we feel most like hiding, is often when we need to be the most transparent. I say this as a reminder to myself just as much as I’m saying it to you. Being honest can be hard, but it’s the only way we can grow into our best selves.</p> </section>	Mask Off When was the last time you took your mask off? All too often, we only show people the perfect image we’ve sculpted of ourselves. These days with social media it’s easier than ever to share our life’s highlights, but this paints a false picture of ourselves. Just because we show people the best of ourselves doesn’t mean the worst isn’t there. All of the scars, wrinkles, and imperfections are right there underneath the thin veil we wear everyday, and hiding them can be one of the most dangerous things we can do. When we hide who we are, flaws and all, we’re preventing ourselves from truly connecting with people, and most importantly from receiving the help we may desperately need. What’s underneath your mask may be ugly, but if you never face it it’ll never change. Take off the mask. Examine what’s really there, let the people you trust the most to call you out on your bulls**t. When we feel most like hiding, is often when we need to be the most transparent. I say this as a reminder to myself just as much as I’m saying it to you. Being honest can be hard, but it’s the only way we can grow into our best selves.	0497b70f-5be0-5a25-aae7-10fb426faa20	25/08/2025 18:01:49
https://medium.com/@neelambirthare/influencing-consumer-psychology-with-augmented-reality-c247844f3910	medium.com	Influencing Consumer Psychology with Augmented Reality!	“Knowing who your customers are is great, but knowing how they behave is even better.” -Jon Miller	Neelam Birthare	https://medium.com/@neelambirthare	c247844f3910	https://miro.medium.com/…oXRkci4FqLQ.jpeg	2 min	2017-02-14T17:06:56.759000	2017-02-14T17:15:08.397000	2017-07-01T04:15:36.172000	0	3	en	Augmented Reality,Virtual Reality,Mobile Advertising,Technology,Branding	<section> <p>“Knowing who your customers are is great, but knowing how they behave is even better.” -Jon Miller</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1280/1Y143TL-lUSEoXRkci4FqLQ.jpeg" width="1280" height="720" loading="lazy" /> <p>Isn’t it amusing to realize that so much of information, insights and knowledge are augmented in the collective wisdom. The concept of co-intelligence is so phenomenal and beautifully integrated that it simply binds every branch of knowledge to another, somewhat like molecules in the matter. Undoubtedly Intelligence is sexy, if you have that hunger for creativity, innovation and learning. Considering the hot trends, there arise only one question- Can artificial intelligence overpower human intelligence?</p> <p>To answer this question, let us go back to one of the initial sources of wisdom: Plato. The one who concluded that human behavior flows from three main sources- desire, emotion and knowledge. In a world of Digital Darwinism, where technology and society is evolving with the speed of light but the individual responses and behavior are still innate and governed by instincts. Emotions still play a crucial role at decision making and defining our buying behavior. To quote Si Brown, the chief marketing officer of an augmented reality firm, “When your emotions are high, common sense is low, so you’re more likely to spend money,”</p> <p>Virtual reality is only making the process of heating up these emotions and desires staunch in the most interactive and engaging manner. To understand this, consider the practical example <a href="https://travel-brilliantly.marriott.com/our-innovations/oculus-get-teleported">Teleporter designed by Marriott</a>. How they influence an individual with the use of technology and common sense is truly astonishing.</p> <p>Teleporter gives you a unique experience of travel. The company has applied technical acumen in an appealing way; this endeavor not only gratify your audio-visual sensation, they succeeded to create a deeper impact by satiating other sensations like smell, air pressure, kinesthetics. Targeting audience coming all the way from united states courthouse. The company ensured to deliver a memorable experience to these people, who are already full of positive emotions by using sound technology and great understanding of human perception. Why advertise to only two sense organs when you can appeal to all the major 7 senses defining human experience?</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/500/1Zs3hE71UbFeefSInnYV-VQ.jpeg" width="500" height="281" loading="lazy" /> <p>Gone are the days when the image of a child for Tyre advertising made an impact on the audience mind. Modern marketers are killing it with a deeper understanding of human behavior, big data, robotics and evolving concepts like mobile advertising. Native advertising is ruling the market with value-added information, Big brands are investing more and more in research and innovative usage of technical advancements. Programmatic, DMP, advertising platforms like DSP such as MobiVisits are delivering more personalized form of advertising, influencing audience at a subconscious level in a more meaningful manner. Undoubtedly digital marketing mix is altogether redefined with concepts like augmented reality, gamification and ever evolving new trends.</p> <p>With modern social media and digital marketing efforts every smart marketer is trying to be memorable,if not brilliant. There is a possibility of a day when advertising would influence our behavior by appealing to as many as 21 senses identified by neurologists. To sum up a deep thought in a single line- “Intelligence and advertising go hand in hand!”</p> <p>6eQQDױ��T��</p> </section>	Influencing Consumer Psychology with Augmented Reality! “Knowing who your customers are is great, but knowing how they behave is even better.” -Jon Miller augmenting the future! Isn’t it amusing to realize that so much of information, insights and knowledge are augmented in the collective wisdom. The concept of co-intelligence is so phenomenal and beautifully integrated that it simply binds every branch of knowledge to another, somewhat like molecules in the matter. Undoubtedly Intelligence is sexy, if you have that hunger for creativity, innovation and learning. Considering the hot trends, there arise only one question- Can artificial intelligence overpower human intelligence? To answer this question, let us go back to one of the initial sources of wisdom: Plato. The one who concluded that human behavior flows from three main sources- desire, emotion and knowledge. In a world of Digital Darwinism, where technology and society is evolving with the speed of light but the individual responses and behavior are still innate and governed by instincts. Emotions still play a crucial role at decision making and defining our buying behavior. To quote Si Brown, the chief marketing officer of an augmented reality firm, “When your emotions are high, common sense is low, so you’re more likely to spend money,” Virtual reality is only making the process of heating up these emotions and desires staunch in the most interactive and engaging manner. To understand this, consider the practical example Teleporter designed by Marriott. How they influence an individual with the use of technology and common sense is truly astonishing. Teleporter gives you a unique experience of travel. The company has applied technical acumen in an appealing way; this endeavor not only gratify your audio-visual sensation, they succeeded to create a deeper impact by satiating other sensations like smell, air pressure, kinesthetics. Targeting audience coming all the way from united states courthouse. The company ensured to deliver a memorable experience to these people, who are already full of positive emotions by using sound technology and great understanding of human perception. Why advertise to only two sense organs when you can appeal to all the major 7 senses defining human experience? Technology is the new thrill. Gone are the days when the image of a child for Tyre advertising made an impact on the audience mind. Modern marketers are killing it with a deeper understanding of human behavior, big data, robotics and evolving concepts like mobile advertising. Native advertising is ruling the market with value-added information, Big brands are investing more and more in research and innovative usage of technical advancements. Programmatic, DMP, advertising platforms like DSP such as MobiVisits are delivering more personalized form of advertising, influencing audience at a subconscious level in a more meaningful manner. Undoubtedly digital marketing mix is altogether redefined with concepts like augmented reality, gamification and ever evolving new trends. With modern social media and digital marketing efforts every smart marketer is trying to be memorable,if not brilliant. There is a possibility of a day when advertising would influence our behavior by appealing to as many as 21 senses identified by neurologists. To sum up a deep thought in a single line- “Intelligence and advertising go hand in hand!” 6eQQDױ��T��	37b917c8-d2db-5a54-b77f-f8f2d6cb9fb8	25/08/2025 18:01:49
https://medium.com/@valentinennebe/the-christian-pilgrim-8e9acaefeddf	medium.com	THE CHRISTIAN PILGRIM	From inexistence came I to exist, From nothingness broke I into your midst, Once I was empty of right and wrong, Now my living soul beats…	Valentine Nnebe	https://medium.com/@valentinennebe	8e9acaefeddf	https://miro.medium.com/…[email protected]	1 min	2018-10-16T02:25:47.689000	2018-10-16T02:34:25.341000	2019-06-20T01:22:29.024000	1	5	en	Christianity,Pilgrimage,Heaven,Holiness,Poem	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/5184/1*[email protected]" width="5184" height="3456" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>From inexistence came I to exist, From nothingness broke I into your midst, Once I was empty of right and wrong, Now my living soul beats like a gong.</em></p> <p><em>The innocence of childhood sung I like a song, But the age of maturity stood strong for wrong. The earth now has written its demand, That my recompense weighs very grand, This I must receive, even to the very last strand.</em></p> <p><em>My sins must I pay or accept that ransom. For all my lies and lust, their heaviness I can’t fathom. For all careless deeds, now I must give account, even if handsome. For the god of gold in my mansion, I weep in frustration with great tension.</em></p> <p><em>Open before me are the penalties in your law book: Saying holiness is the stairway to a celestial look, Sinfulness, the hook in the depth of hell’s nooks. I think in fear before those fiery brooks. But in silence gave I thought to your approving look.</em></p> <p><em>The rewards of everlasting life satisfy better. The letters in your book remain a pacesetter. The rain of heaven is wetter than the loot of gold-getters. Many love the night like the scent of ether, But love letters write I, in thanks for broken fetters.</em></p> <p><em>I’m a Christian pilgrim journeying through a road at crossroads. Earth is an abode but isn’t my abode. The life I live was only borrowed. I will offer it back from whom I owed. No matter how purity may erode, Sanctity remains my code. Earthly pleasures I once rode, Now they count no more, though beautiful as the Rhodes. I’m a Christian pilgrim journeying with a cross as my load.</em></p> <p>©Valentine Photo Credits: Alexandre Godreau</p> </section>	THE CHRISTIAN PILGRIM From inexistence came I to exist, From nothingness broke I into your midst, Once I was empty of right and wrong, Now my living soul beats like a gong. The innocence of childhood sung I like a song, But the age of maturity stood strong for wrong. The earth now has written its demand, That my recompense weighs very grand, This I must receive, even to the very last strand. My sins must I pay or accept that ransom. For all my lies and lust, their heaviness I can’t fathom. For all careless deeds, now I must give account, even if handsome. For the god of gold in my mansion, I weep in frustration with great tension. Open before me are the penalties in your law book: Saying holiness is the stairway to a celestial look, Sinfulness, the hook in the depth of hell’s nooks. I think in fear before those fiery brooks. But in silence gave I thought to your approving look. The rewards of everlasting life satisfy better. The letters in your book remain a pacesetter. The rain of heaven is wetter than the loot of gold-getters. Many love the night like the scent of ether, But love letters write I, in thanks for broken fetters. I’m a Christian pilgrim journeying through a road at crossroads. Earth is an abode but isn’t my abode. The life I live was only borrowed. I will offer it back from whom I owed. No matter how purity may erode, Sanctity remains my code. Earthly pleasures I once rode, Now they count no more, though beautiful as the Rhodes. I’m a Christian pilgrim journeying with a cross as my load. ©Valentine Photo Credits: Alexandre Godreau	59e32e78-3d48-57dc-9f88-cd8e6a44de12	25/08/2025 18:01:50
https://medium.com/taskhusky/the-best-legal-sites-on-the-web-for-free-ecommerce-marketing-images-b00f307c121b	medium.com	The Best LEGAL Sites on the Web for FREE eCommerce Marketing Images	Let me tell you a story of woe. I got stung by an image trap.	Zachary McClung	https://medium.com/@taskhusky	b00f307c121b	https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0*2xqJGls7NZWv-6RT.	8 min	2017-09-08T15:28:49.458000	2017-09-08T15:29:30.604000	2018-02-19T07:20:38.071000	0	0	en	Photography,Ecommerce,Marketing,Stock Images,Shopify	<section> <p>Let me tell you a story of woe. <strong>I got stung by an image trap.</strong></p> <p>I write ten thousand of words of content every week and handle dozens of images. I know copyright law. As a content creator — and a creative person by nature — I respect it. It protects me, you, and everyone else and let’s content creators get rewarded for making things. So I am really careful to only use images that I can get a verified license to use. But as careful as I am, I got tricked one time into using an image by one site from a so-called “free” image supplier. But it was a trap, because that image was posted “illegally” by another person and the original copyright owner came knocking on my internet door looking for me to pay a fine.</p> <p>I know that I got stung because a “real” copyright owner would recognize an error and simply ask for a cease and desist — basically instructing me to take the image down. But this guy just wanted me to pay a penalty. I’m still a little embarrased by the whole affair because I try to be careful. Anyway … penalty paid, lesson learned. I am WAY more careful now and I make sure that I double check the source and the licensing arrangements before I get started.</p> <h1>When “Free” is the Most Expensive Option</h1> <p>I have paid subscriptions to some high-profile image subscription services. The most famous one is <a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/">iStock / Getty Images</a>. for a couple hundred dollars per month I get access to hundreds of thousands of images that I can mostly use any way I want to. You need to read the fine print because <a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/help/licenses">there are some restrictions</a>, but for blogs, articles, social media posts, presentations, and general website use it’s all included. But I make content for a living so I can maximize the value of a paid subscription. If you are a heavy user — meaning that you need ten images or more per week — definitely look into it for yourself.</p> <p>In the online world, EVERYTHING gets better performance with images — email, blogs, social media, web content … everything. Becasue most people do not create content for a living, I completely understand that <strong>most small businesses just can’t afford to maintain subscriptions</strong>. And buying images one-by-one is time intensive and expensive. So a lot of website owners just copy images out of a Google search or from another site. It’s risky, and we just don’t recommend it to anyone. You can get caught and — whether your website is hosted on the Shopify platform or use some other platform or service — you can get hit with a “take-down” notice that can cause your site to be unavailable until the “issue” is resolved. It’s real, it happens, and that’s just no bueno. You can <a href="https://www.shopify.com/legal/dmca">read about Shopify policy about take-down notices here</a>.</p> <h2>Fortunately, there are a lot of legitimate ways to get free images online these days.</h2> <p>Before we get started on this, let’s be clear. You need to read the licensing for each recommendation in this blog post and understand if there are any limitations. And individual websites can change their terms and conditions. But I have a list of more than three dozen sources of images and I want to share the wealth and opportunity with you. So here are the top five FREE eCommerce image sites that I have used for marketing and in Shopify sites — and you can too. They can <strong>add real power to your marketing without adding any cost</strong>.</p> <h2>Understanding eCommmerce Photo and Image Licenses</h2> <p>First things first … let’s talk about photo and image licensing.</p> <p>If you are looking for free eCommerce pictures, photos, graphics, and other images, your best bet is to take no chances and look for <strong>“Creative Commons Zero — CC0.”</strong> This is license has no restrictions. But there are several other types of “free” image licenses. If you want to know more about them, you can start with this <a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/help/licenses">Wikipedia page</a> that covers the basics.</p> <p>But again, I do this for a living and can keep track of the various kinds of image, graphic, and photo licenses and how I’m allowed to use them. You might not have the time or ability to do that. So I recommend that you stick with <strong>Creative Commons Zero — CC0</strong>. You will still have plenty of choices to work with.</p> <h2>My List of FREE eCommerce Images for Shopify and Beyond</h2> <p>Here are my top five FREE eCommerce resources for images, photos, and graphics, in no particular order.</p> <h2>Shopify Burst Images</h2> <p>The folks at Shopify have recognized that acquiring free images is a real challenge. So they have created a resource called “<a href="https://burst.shopify.com/">Burst.Shopify</a>” that lets you download and use images for free.</p> <p><strong>Upside</strong></p> <p>All images are free to use for any purpose under the Creative Commons CC0 license. Cool! And not just for Shopify account holders … this is for everyone. You can read the <a href="https://burst.shopify.com/legal/terms">Burst Terms and Conditions here</a>.</p> <p><strong>Downside</strong></p> <p>It’s still a really new service, so selection is pretty limited. They are adding photos all the time, but it takes a long time to build up a library of things like this.</p> <p><strong>Recommendation</strong></p> <p>Go here first and search. If the perfect image pops up, great! Use it. Otherwise move on quickly because you have other options.</p> <h2>Unsplash</h2> <p>The folks at <a href="https://unsplash.com/">Unsplash</a> are totally awesome. It started as a free service to get attention for a design company. They started giving images away to keep people paying attention to what they were doing. But the Unsplash free photo service has now stepped out on its own and they are building a lot of community around it.</p> <p><strong>Upside</strong></p> <p>More than 200k images and growing with a decent search tool. All images are granted “irrevocable, nonexclusive copyright license to download, copy, modify, distribute, perform, and use photos from Unsplash for free, including for commercial purposes, without permission from or attributing the photographer or Unsplash” (read <a href="https://unsplash.com/license">their license agreement here</a>). It doesn’t get any better than that.</p> <p><strong>Downside</strong></p> <p>We can’t think of anything at the moment.</p> <p><strong>Recommendation</strong></p> <p>These guys are pretty wonderful. If you join their online community (it’s still free for now) you get special collections emailed to you — it’s worth it. But at some point I think that they are going to have to find a way to monetize this beast of a creative community that they are building, so that’s an unknown for the future. But for now, search to your heart’s content and enjoy.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/600/02xqJGls7NZWv-6RT." width="600" height="327" loading="lazy" /> <h2>Pexels</h2> <p><a href="https://www.pexels.com/">Pexels</a> does a great job too. They have several thousand images available and their online search works fairly well.</p> <p><strong>Upside</strong></p> <p>Good inventory of stock images and all images are free to use for any purpose under the Creative Commons CC0 license. You can <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo-license/">read the Pexels license agreement here</a>. They have two revenue models — ads and donations. If you use a few images, I say consider donating $5 every once in a while because it’s just a nice thing to do.</p> <p><strong>Downside</strong></p> <p>Remember that there are ads. Some of those ads are for paid image sites. There is NOTHING wrong with advertising, but they share search data with their advertisers. This means that ads are displayed that are often similar to the free image that you are looking at. Because image ads appear on pages with the free images, make sure you know if you are clicking on another free image or on an ad.</p> <p><strong>Recommendation</strong></p> <p>They are definitely a good source for images. Just be careful about the ads.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/599/0Uv20PGNnPM4hCMog." width="599" height="358" loading="lazy" /> <h2>Pixabay</h2> <p>Just about everything we said about Pexels also applies to <a href="https://pixabay.com/">Pixabay</a>. They also have thousands images available and a decent search tool.</p> <p><strong>Upside</strong></p> <p>Good inventory of stock images and all images are free to use for any purpose under the Creative Commons CC0 license. You can <a href="https://pixabay.com/en/service/terms/">read the Pixabay license agreement here</a>. As an added bonus they have easy to see meta data about each image (the type, size, and upload date) and you can search for similar images easily. They also have two revenue models — ads and donations (they call donations “buy us a cup of coffee”). And just like Pexels, if you use a few images, I say consider donating few bucks to the cause. I have.</p> <p><strong>Downside</strong></p> <p>The ads are little bit more intrusive than on Pexels. Again, we get it. Everyone’s got to pay the bills. But it kind of breaks you heart a little when you are searching for a “free” image and suddenly see the PERFECT photo only to realize that one is an ad for a paid image.</p> <p><strong>Recommendation</strong></p> <p>Use them and use them again, but watch out for those pesky ads in context.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/600/0Qurx2V-gh3XadHjc." width="600" height="394" loading="lazy" /> <h2>The Metropolitan Museum of Art</h2> <p>I almost hesitated sharing this resource because … well … it’s one of my secret weapons. But <a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection">The Metropolitan Museum of Art Collection</a> is definitely one of my top five free image sites and I cannot, in good conscience, deny sharing it with you.</p> <p><strong>Upside</strong></p> <p>AMAZING images of some of the most famous art pieces in history. They have nearly a half million images ready to go or in production. You can <a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/information/terms-and-conditions">read the Metropolitan Museum license agreement here</a>. Some of the images are super-high resolution.</p> <p><strong>Downside</strong></p> <p>No downside whatsoever. The only thing is that these are images of actual fine art pieces, so it can be hard to find “business-y” images to use. But I ALWAYS look.</p> <p><strong>Recommendation</strong></p> <p>If you can find a way to put a Picasso in your eCommerce email, why the heck not? If including a painting by Leonard da Vinci on your website is right for you, now you can do it. If your Instagram account could use an impressionistic masterpiece by Monet, here you go. <strong>Or you can just kill a few hours staring into artistic genius on the web and feel better about the world for a while.</strong> They are doing a service to the world.</p> <h2>Here is “Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lilies” by Claude Monet … posted here just because I can.</h2> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/478/0LaoS631hMUer3GaD." width="478" height="600" loading="lazy" /> <h2>You Now Have Access to Millions of FREE eCommerce Images</h2> <p>You now have instant access to literally millions of images that you can use for free in your Shopify eCommerce store and in your email and social media marketing. Like I said before, I have dozens of resources, but I truly believe that these five will be able to handle the needs of nearly all my readers … at least it’s enough to get you started and make your marketing really jump.</p> <p>That’s it for this week. More content to come. Thanks for reading!</p> <p><em>Originally published at <a href="https://w</em>ww.taskhusky.com/blogs/ecommerce-insights/best-legal-sites-on-the-web-internet-free-ecommerce-marketing-images-photos-graphics">www.taskhusky.com</a>.</p> </section>	The Best LEGAL Sites on the Web for FREE eCommerce Marketing Images Let me tell you a story of woe. I got stung by an image trap. I write ten thousand of words of content every week and handle dozens of images. I know copyright law. As a content creator — and a creative person by nature — I respect it. It protects me, you, and everyone else and let’s content creators get rewarded for making things. So I am really careful to only use images that I can get a verified license to use. But as careful as I am, I got tricked one time into using an image by one site from a so-called “free” image supplier. But it was a trap, because that image was posted “illegally” by another person and the original copyright owner came knocking on my internet door looking for me to pay a fine. I know that I got stung because a “real” copyright owner would recognize an error and simply ask for a cease and desist — basically instructing me to take the image down. But this guy just wanted me to pay a penalty. I’m still a little embarrased by the whole affair because I try to be careful. Anyway … penalty paid, lesson learned. I am WAY more careful now and I make sure that I double check the source and the licensing arrangements before I get started. When “Free” is the Most Expensive Option I have paid subscriptions to some high-profile image subscription services. The most famous one is iStock / Getty Images. for a couple hundred dollars per month I get access to hundreds of thousands of images that I can mostly use any way I want to. You need to read the fine print because there are some restrictions, but for blogs, articles, social media posts, presentations, and general website use it’s all included. But I make content for a living so I can maximize the value of a paid subscription. If you are a heavy user — meaning that you need ten images or more per week — definitely look into it for yourself. In the online world, EVERYTHING gets better performance with images — email, blogs, social media, web content … everything. Becasue most people do not create content for a living, I completely understand that most small businesses just can’t afford to maintain subscriptions. And buying images one-by-one is time intensive and expensive. So a lot of website owners just copy images out of a Google search or from another site. It’s risky, and we just don’t recommend it to anyone. You can get caught and — whether your website is hosted on the Shopify platform or use some other platform or service — you can get hit with a “take-down” notice that can cause your site to be unavailable until the “issue” is resolved. It’s real, it happens, and that’s just no bueno. You can read about Shopify policy about take-down notices here. Fortunately, there are a lot of legitimate ways to get free images online these days. Before we get started on this, let’s be clear. You need to read the licensing for each recommendation in this blog post and understand if there are any limitations. And individual websites can change their terms and conditions. But I have a list of more than three dozen sources of images and I want to share the wealth and opportunity with you. So here are the top five FREE eCommerce image sites that I have used for marketing and in Shopify sites — and you can too. They can add real power to your marketing without adding any cost. Understanding eCommmerce Photo and Image Licenses First things first … let’s talk about photo and image licensing. If you are looking for free eCommerce pictures, photos, graphics, and other images, your best bet is to take no chances and look for “Creative Commons Zero — CC0.” This is license has no restrictions. But there are several other types of “free” image licenses. If you want to know more about them, you can start with this Wikipedia page that covers the basics. But again, I do this for a living and can keep track of the various kinds of image, graphic, and photo licenses and how I’m allowed to use them. You might not have the time or ability to do that. So I recommend that you stick with Creative Commons Zero — CC0. You will still have plenty of choices to work with. My List of FREE eCommerce Images for Shopify and Beyond Here are my top five FREE eCommerce resources for images, photos, and graphics, in no particular order. Shopify Burst Images The folks at Shopify have recognized that acquiring free images is a real challenge. So they have created a resource called “Burst.Shopify” that lets you download and use images for free. Upside All images are free to use for any purpose under the Creative Commons CC0 license. Cool! And not just for Shopify account holders … this is for everyone. You can read the Burst Terms and Conditions here. Downside It’s still a really new service, so selection is pretty limited. They are adding photos all the time, but it takes a long time to build up a library of things like this. Recommendation Go here first and search. If the perfect image pops up, great! Use it. Otherwise move on quickly because you have other options. Unsplash The folks at Unsplash are totally awesome. It started as a free service to get attention for a design company. They started giving images away to keep people paying attention to what they were doing. But the Unsplash free photo service has now stepped out on its own and they are building a lot of community around it. Upside More than 200k images and growing with a decent search tool. All images are granted “irrevocable, nonexclusive copyright license to download, copy, modify, distribute, perform, and use photos from Unsplash for free, including for commercial purposes, without permission from or attributing the photographer or Unsplash” (read their license agreement here). It doesn’t get any better than that. Downside We can’t think of anything at the moment. Recommendation These guys are pretty wonderful. If you join their online community (it’s still free for now) you get special collections emailed to you — it’s worth it. But at some point I think that they are going to have to find a way to monetize this beast of a creative community that they are building, so that’s an unknown for the future. But for now, search to your heart’s content and enjoy. Pexels Pexels does a great job too. They have several thousand images available and their online search works fairly well. Upside Good inventory of stock images and all images are free to use for any purpose under the Creative Commons CC0 license. You can read the Pexels license agreement here. They have two revenue models — ads and donations. If you use a few images, I say consider donating $5 every once in a while because it’s just a nice thing to do. Downside Remember that there are ads. Some of those ads are for paid image sites. There is NOTHING wrong with advertising, but they share search data with their advertisers. This means that ads are displayed that are often similar to the free image that you are looking at. Because image ads appear on pages with the free images, make sure you know if you are clicking on another free image or on an ad. Recommendation They are definitely a good source for images. Just be careful about the ads. Pixabay Just about everything we said about Pexels also applies to Pixabay. They also have thousands images available and a decent search tool. Upside Good inventory of stock images and all images are free to use for any purpose under the Creative Commons CC0 license. You can read the Pixabay license agreement here. As an added bonus they have easy to see meta data about each image (the type, size, and upload date) and you can search for similar images easily. They also have two revenue models — ads and donations (they call donations “buy us a cup of coffee”). And just like Pexels, if you use a few images, I say consider donating few bucks to the cause. I have. Downside The ads are little bit more intrusive than on Pexels. Again, we get it. Everyone’s got to pay the bills. But it kind of breaks you heart a little when you are searching for a “free” image and suddenly see the PERFECT photo only to realize that one is an ad for a paid image. Recommendation Use them and use them again, but watch out for those pesky ads in context. The Metropolitan Museum of Art I almost hesitated sharing this resource because … well … it’s one of my secret weapons. But The Metropolitan Museum of Art Collection is definitely one of my top five free image sites and I cannot, in good conscience, deny sharing it with you. Upside AMAZING images of some of the most famous art pieces in history. They have nearly a half million images ready to go or in production. You can read the Metropolitan Museum license agreement here. Some of the images are super-high resolution. Downside No downside whatsoever. The only thing is that these are images of actual fine art pieces, so it can be hard to find “business-y” images to use. But I ALWAYS look. Recommendation If you can find a way to put a Picasso in your eCommerce email, why the heck not? If including a painting by Leonard da Vinci on your website is right for you, now you can do it. If your Instagram account could use an impressionistic masterpiece by Monet, here you go. Or you can just kill a few hours staring into artistic genius on the web and feel better about the world for a while. They are doing a service to the world. Here is “Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lilies” by Claude Monet … posted here just because I can. You Now Have Access to Millions of FREE eCommerce Images You now have instant access to literally millions of images that you can use for free in your Shopify eCommerce store and in your email and social media marketing. Like I said before, I have dozens of resources, but I truly believe that these five will be able to handle the needs of nearly all my readers … at least it’s enough to get you started and make your marketing really jump. That’s it for this week. More content to come. Thanks for reading! Originally published at www.taskhusky.com.	38971d22-782b-5358-8729-a343c763a6de	25/08/2025 18:01:51
https://medium.com/write-a-catalyst/is-medium-the-best-place-for-writers-30607c12f103	medium.com	Is Medium the Best Place for Writers?	What makes Medium a top choice for writers—and the challenges it brings.	Usama Ekenem Dan	https://medium.com/@usamadan	30607c12f103	https://miro.medium.com/…HV5xwcNGW1Ow.png	3 min	2024-10-31T03:47:18.291000	2024-10-31T04:43:03.038000	2024-11-14T06:43:36.122000	3	133	en	Medium,Medium Partner Program,Writing,Writing Tips,Self Improvement	<section> <h3>What makes Medium a top choice for writers—and the challenges it brings.</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/739/1VZm5_TukstHV5xwcNGW1Ow.png" width="739" height="415" loading="lazy" /> <p>You should ask yourself this question: In your opinion, is Medium good for posting articles?</p> <p>As Medium is a writers’ platform, it will also assist you in getting connected and networking with other writers and millions of readers. However, like any communicating platform, it has its strengths and weaknesses. From guaranteed readership, suspension, and account revoking to losing control over your posts, scroll down to learn the benefits and demerits of using Medium to share your content and determine if it is worth the time.</p> <h1>Advantages</h1> <h3>1. Versatility</h3> <p>While Medium primarily works with articles, the platform can also include stories, essays, some other types of texts, and media content. It makes it easier to target a wide audience as well as to find out which format is more appropriate for a specific group of readers.</p> <h3>2. Accessibility</h3> <p>Due to the simple design of the site, even those who have never used online platforms for writing can easily navigate through Medium. It has some writing features that ease the writing process and make it easier for writers to share their work widely, as it can be done without having a personal website of your own.</p> <h3>3. Built-in Audience</h3> <p>Medium offers an opportunity for direct users to a vast audience that is ready to engage with the content available on the platform. This built-in audience can help hasten the process of exposure, and therefore, new writers can reach more people in less time than when writing in their own individual blog or website.</p> <p>4. Networking and Collaboration</p> <p>Medium also lets the user comment, recommend the stories, and interact with other writers and publishers. For a writer, such an environment can result in contacts, evaluations, and, at times, even business associations that aid the writer in expanding one’s portfolio.</p> <h2>Disadvantages</h2> <h3>1. Content Saturation</h3> <p>For instance, with thousands of articles being published daily, it is relatively easy for individual writers on Medium to get lost. Getting noticed, in general, can only be achieved through the act of consistency or through very creative means of publishing your article.</p> <h3>2. Limited Earnings Potential</h3> <p>Income through Medium depends on the reader’s interest, which is mostly low and will not allow most writers to support themselves through it since it utilizes the Partner Program for monetization. In my experience, I have realized that earnings from the platform can at times be low, making it difficult to rely on Medium as the main source of income.</p> <h3>3. Restricted Content Ownership</h3> <p>One of the cons that come with using Medium to post your articles is some loss of content formatting, dissemination, and earning capabilities. However, it is important to note that the writers can export their work, but ownership and full control of their content remain with the platform, meaning that a writer may not be fully self-employed.</p> <h3>4. Algorithmic Variability</h3> <p>Medium evolves its algorithms and policies over time, which decide what the readers are shown and how that content is presented to them. These changes may require the writer to change the approach if they are to proceed with making some beneficial impact on the audience in the future.</p> <h2>Conclusion</h2> <p>Medium is important and useful for self-promoting and sharing ideas, receiving feedback from the readers, as well as having your own community. However, before choosing the platform as the primary source of publication, the writer should deliberate on several factors, including the competitive environment of the given platform, reduced payout rates, and changes in the algorithms.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3000/1AzqZ4Awq_aGVGRamqyMsOA.jpeg" width="3000" height="3000" loading="lazy" /> </section>	Is Medium the Best Place for Writers? What makes Medium a top choice for writers—and the challenges it brings. Medium Logo Downloaded from Google Search You should ask yourself this question: In your opinion, is Medium good for posting articles? As Medium is a writers’ platform, it will also assist you in getting connected and networking with other writers and millions of readers. However, like any communicating platform, it has its strengths and weaknesses. From guaranteed readership, suspension, and account revoking to losing control over your posts, scroll down to learn the benefits and demerits of using Medium to share your content and determine if it is worth the time. Advantages 1. Versatility While Medium primarily works with articles, the platform can also include stories, essays, some other types of texts, and media content. It makes it easier to target a wide audience as well as to find out which format is more appropriate for a specific group of readers. 2. Accessibility Due to the simple design of the site, even those who have never used online platforms for writing can easily navigate through Medium. It has some writing features that ease the writing process and make it easier for writers to share their work widely, as it can be done without having a personal website of your own. 3. Built-in Audience Medium offers an opportunity for direct users to a vast audience that is ready to engage with the content available on the platform. This built-in audience can help hasten the process of exposure, and therefore, new writers can reach more people in less time than when writing in their own individual blog or website. 4. Networking and Collaboration Medium also lets the user comment, recommend the stories, and interact with other writers and publishers. For a writer, such an environment can result in contacts, evaluations, and, at times, even business associations that aid the writer in expanding one’s portfolio. Disadvantages 1. Content Saturation For instance, with thousands of articles being published daily, it is relatively easy for individual writers on Medium to get lost. Getting noticed, in general, can only be achieved through the act of consistency or through very creative means of publishing your article. 2. Limited Earnings Potential Income through Medium depends on the reader’s interest, which is mostly low and will not allow most writers to support themselves through it since it utilizes the Partner Program for monetization. In my experience, I have realized that earnings from the platform can at times be low, making it difficult to rely on Medium as the main source of income. 3. Restricted Content Ownership One of the cons that come with using Medium to post your articles is some loss of content formatting, dissemination, and earning capabilities. However, it is important to note that the writers can export their work, but ownership and full control of their content remain with the platform, meaning that a writer may not be fully self-employed. 4. Algorithmic Variability Medium evolves its algorithms and policies over time, which decide what the readers are shown and how that content is presented to them. These changes may require the writer to change the approach if they are to proceed with making some beneficial impact on the audience in the future. Conclusion Medium is important and useful for self-promoting and sharing ideas, receiving feedback from the readers, as well as having your own community. However, before choosing the platform as the primary source of publication, the writer should deliberate on several factors, including the competitive environment of the given platform, reduced payout rates, and changes in the algorithms. Image by Author	7ecdfbf8-26af-50a6-a1f7-88414c67559d	25/08/2025 18:01:51
https://medium.com/@drgerrylewis/day-8-dont-be-a-big-mouth-87c6f23ca2b2	medium.com	Day 8 — Don’t be a Big Mouth	“Have you ever met someone who is overly eager to talk? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” (Proverbs 29:29, The Voice)	Gerry Lewis	https://medium.com/@drgerrylewis	87c6f23ca2b2	null	1 min	2017-08-29T18:00:21.027000	2017-08-29T18:02:01.851000	2017-12-12T15:39:58.850000	0	0	en	Devotional,Inspiration,Christianity,Encouragement,Life Lessons	<section> <p><em>“Have you ever met someone who is overly eager to talk?<strong> </strong>There is more hope for a fo</em>ol than for him.” (Proverbs 29:29, The Voice)</p> <p><em>“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.”</em> (James 1:19, New Living Translation)</p> <p><em>“Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”</em> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seven_Habits_of_Highly_Effective_People">Stephen R. Covey, The Seven a Habits of Highly Effective People</a>)</p> <p>Why did God give us two ears and one mouth? Could it be that He intends for us to <strong>listen</strong> twice as much as we <strong>speak</strong>?</p> <p>My father-in-law is one of the wisest men I know. He once said, “I’ve never learned much with my mouth open.”</p> <p><strong>Question: What can you do today to be sure that you understand before you speak?</strong></p> </section>	Day 8 — Don’t be a Big Mouth “Have you ever met someone who is overly eager to talk? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” (Proverbs 29:29, The Voice) “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” (James 1:19, New Living Translation) “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” (Stephen R. Covey, The Seven a Habits of Highly Effective People) Why did God give us two ears and one mouth? Could it be that He intends for us to listen twice as much as we speak? My father-in-law is one of the wisest men I know. He once said, “I’ve never learned much with my mouth open.” Question: What can you do today to be sure that you understand before you speak?	b11f6e77-0040-5d82-8ae6-30a02eecb6a5	25/08/2025 18:01:51
https://medium.com/@mathewtrivett/last-year-i-lost-my-camera-but-i-also-lost-my-focus-when-it-came-to-photography-4788166d2844	medium.com	Adventures in film	Last year I lost my camera. But I also lost my focus when it came to photography.	Mathew Trivett	https://medium.com/@mathewtrivett	4788166d2844	https://miro.medium.com/…[email protected]	3 min	2019-03-17T13:35:29.925000	2019-03-17T14:16:45.841000	2021-12-08T23:46:16.030000	0	0	en	Photography,Japan,Personal Growth	<section> <p>Last year I lost my camera. But I also lost my focus when it came to photography.</p> <p>Working in design, most of my photos ended up being pictures of walls of post-it notes or receipts. I decided instead of rushing to buy a DSLR, I would rekindle my love of photography with a film camera.</p> <p>I bought a <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_AE-1_Program">Canon AE-1 Program</a> off eBay and some Kodak Porta film. My mum gave me some old Ilford Black & White film she had left over.</p> <p>In November and December, me and <a href="">Charlotte Fountaine</a> travelled to Japan. It was the biggest adventure that I’d ever been on. Here are some shots from our trip.</p> <h1>Tokyo</h1> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <h2>Kyoto</h2> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2075/1[email protected]" width="2075" height="3130" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2075/1[email protected]" width="2075" height="3130" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2075/1[email protected]" width="2075" height="3130" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2075/1[email protected]" width="2075" height="3130" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2075/1[email protected]" width="2075" height="3130" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2075/1[email protected]" width="2075" height="3130" loading="lazy" /> <h2>Koyasan</h2> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2075/1[email protected]" width="2075" height="3130" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2075/1[email protected]" width="2075" height="3130" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2075/1[email protected]" width="2075" height="3130" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2075/1[email protected]" width="2075" height="3130" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1sifCOO98KxmUinzjSCytQA.jpeg" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2075/1[email protected]" width="2075" height="3130" loading="lazy" /> <h2>Nara</h2> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2075/1[email protected]" width="2075" height="3130" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3130/1[email protected]" width="3130" height="2075" loading="lazy" /> <p>Shooting on film has pushed me to consider composition and story more. It has helped me find confidence shooting portraits.</p> <p>I’m thinking about investing in that DSLR a few months from now. Any recommendations welcome.</p> </section>	Adventures in film Last year I lost my camera. But I also lost my focus when it came to photography. Working in design, most of my photos ended up being pictures of walls of post-it notes or receipts. I decided instead of rushing to buy a DSLR, I would rekindle my love of photography with a film camera. I bought a Canon AE-1 Program off eBay and some Kodak Porta film. My mum gave me some old Ilford Black & White film she had left over. In November and December, me and Charlotte Fountaine travelled to Japan. It was the biggest adventure that I’d ever been on. Here are some shots from our trip. Tokyo Kyoto Koyasan Nara Shooting on film has pushed me to consider composition and story more. It has helped me find confidence shooting portraits. I’m thinking about investing in that DSLR a few months from now. Any recommendations welcome.	31494053-a8e4-50c8-b74f-5d1d7795cbd3	25/08/2025 18:01:51
https://medium.com/c-type/acinteyya-%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%84%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%A2-40c55bdcf334	medium.com	Acinteyya (อจินไตย)	These are the things that are not to be pondered because they would bring madness and vexation	CTypeMag	https://medium.com/@iamakkara	40c55bdcf334	https://miro.medium.com/…vtECrAGNvVA.jpeg	4 min	2017-06-05T16:13:02.206000	2017-07-01T00:56:22.345000	2017-10-21T17:57:04.476000	0	5	en	Photography	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1admNlFJucr61igNDma6MPA.jpeg" width="2000" height="1336" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>Say something about yourself </em>My name is Kanrapee a member of Street Photo Thailand. Currently I am living in New York and working as a videographer and photographer for a fashion branding company named Cosmic Modesty. I came here to discover myself in the world of photography. For me, photography is a way to express myself and to share with the world with my belief and vision of life.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1NxUyf8nv-2XGHdLtfNiETA.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1QV91Ka4tJTWLqHLXiV_puA.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1uT5CdYox2ToQW5hQRDG0Hw.jpeg" width="2000" height="1336" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>What is this series?</em><strong> </strong>Acinteyya is a Buddhist term that is translated as ‘imponderable.’ These are the things that are not to be pondered because they would bring madness and vexation upon anyone who ponders them and they would distract us from the Buddha’s teachings. However, we have to admit that we ponder the ‘imponderable’ all the time. <em>“what is out there in the universe?”</em> <em>“why are we here?” “what happens when we die?”</em> because we are just human.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1kZQb8EoXqga-oR89ZG_CMA.jpeg" width="2000" height="1334" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/13iyEpbbW-hr-TTj02baDTQ.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>How/When did you start this series?</em><strong> </strong>It started when I went through my previous work and very similar style that runs through most of the photographs. I could say they look as if they are captured from an Alien Sci-Fi movie or something of that sort. Then I realized that my work is mostly influenced by my interest about extraterrestrial beings since I was young. I did a lot of research and read up everything that I can find on the subject.</p> <p>Also I have to say, I believe that I’ve seen UFO 3 times in my life. I looked at the sky and saw a ball of light just like a star moving in light speed and disappeared. I usually don’t tell anyone except people that are closed to me, but I do believe they are existed somewhere in the universe. So I began gathering my previous work with this same particular style and also continued to take more photos as well.</p> <p>As to how the name ‘Acinteyya’ came about, was when my friend told me what Buddha didn’t want his apprentices to ponder and that included unprovable things which is exactly what the subject of the existence of extraterrestrial being is all about.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1wSFmpwOsWnKXL9g8UDttZQ.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1RyW8AdTdY2RxSrf2YAQGdQ.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/192aGzjLdff4Ga_Erqq9dcw.jpeg" width="2000" height="1334" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>What message do you want to tell the audience?</em><strong> </strong>I’m not exactly certain what I want to convey to the audience because my work is based mainly on my personal interest. However, what I would say is I convey my belief and vision through images and would let the audience figure the story themselves.</p> <p><em>Any news update?</em> I’m still going to continue working on this series along with a bigger one about NYC and possibly and exhibition or a photo book would be followed. That’s my rough plan for now.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1Xa3N-0mTTxaIbYCWvSBV3g.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/14LMumd-u8D0SqrbFsevfqw.jpeg" width="2000" height="1336" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1hWZfSIdxwBClrQcXkWMzgA.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/18glFgbYv4YAUYOiljYd3LQ.jpeg" width="2000" height="1336" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1Cvg0-cl7yFbvtECrAGNvVA.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1fjBARvfvWJaPlUb6AEe4Iw.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1p0vmSjLm-NuhLBCyM6WJhA.jpeg" width="2000" height="1336" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1v59nU1BX5L9iR6NCIPFtLg.jpeg" width="2000" height="1336" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1h1aAey9nBWmS3mDvMlwUSQ.jpeg" width="2000" height="1336" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1KGxp0Io2YAnHsuXXsg3dtg.jpeg" width="2000" height="1336" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1oW6yPqDO4H_llh7AxwFdWQ.jpeg" width="2000" height="1336" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/16gScDNIcc8Vp3u_ZlyzaGA.jpeg" width="2000" height="1334" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1vaYYT0rc1twcRCykpl51_A.jpeg" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Kanrapee Chokpaiboon</strong> was born and raised in Chiang Mai, Thailand in 1990. He dove into the world of photography in his early adolescence years. During that time he found photography as a way to express his inner self, but never quite sure of himself at the same time. It was a long journey of finding oneself and his own style until he attended a workshop in New York organized by two of photographers he admires; Gus Powell and Dirty Harry, that he finally found himself. Now he will continue to uncover deeper aspects of his imagination and express it through his photographs.</p> </section>	Acinteyya (อจินไตย) Say something about yourself My name is Kanrapee a member of Street Photo Thailand. Currently I am living in New York and working as a videographer and photographer for a fashion branding company named Cosmic Modesty. I came here to discover myself in the world of photography. For me, photography is a way to express myself and to share with the world with my belief and vision of life. What is this series? Acinteyya is a Buddhist term that is translated as ‘imponderable.’ These are the things that are not to be pondered because they would bring madness and vexation upon anyone who ponders them and they would distract us from the Buddha’s teachings. However, we have to admit that we ponder the ‘imponderable’ all the time. “what is out there in the universe?” “why are we here?” “what happens when we die?” because we are just human. How/When did you start this series? It started when I went through my previous work and very similar style that runs through most of the photographs. I could say they look as if they are captured from an Alien Sci-Fi movie or something of that sort. Then I realized that my work is mostly influenced by my interest about extraterrestrial beings since I was young. I did a lot of research and read up everything that I can find on the subject. Also I have to say, I believe that I’ve seen UFO 3 times in my life. I looked at the sky and saw a ball of light just like a star moving in light speed and disappeared. I usually don’t tell anyone except people that are closed to me, but I do believe they are existed somewhere in the universe. So I began gathering my previous work with this same particular style and also continued to take more photos as well. As to how the name ‘Acinteyya’ came about, was when my friend told me what Buddha didn’t want his apprentices to ponder and that included unprovable things which is exactly what the subject of the existence of extraterrestrial being is all about. What message do you want to tell the audience? I’m not exactly certain what I want to convey to the audience because my work is based mainly on my personal interest. However, what I would say is I convey my belief and vision through images and would let the audience figure the story themselves. Any news update? I’m still going to continue working on this series along with a bigger one about NYC and possibly and exhibition or a photo book would be followed. That’s my rough plan for now. Kanrapee Chokpaiboon was born and raised in Chiang Mai, Thailand in 1990. He dove into the world of photography in his early adolescence years. During that time he found photography as a way to express his inner self, but never quite sure of himself at the same time. It was a long journey of finding oneself and his own style until he attended a workshop in New York organized by two of photographers he admires; Gus Powell and Dirty Harry, that he finally found himself. Now he will continue to uncover deeper aspects of his imagination and express it through his photographs.	6a08d820-9a58-55c9-b323-5e18066d6bfe	25/08/2025 18:01:51
https://medium.com/dayone-a-new-perspective/the-quiet-rise-of-google-cardboard-d29612b566b2	medium.com	The Quiet Rise of Google Cardboard	The tech everyone wanted to try out at the Jisc Digital Festival this year (digifest15) didn’t cost hundreds of pounds — instead it was an…	Martin Hamilton	https://medium.com/@martin_hamilton	d29612b566b2	null	2 min	2015-07-31T22:15:48.848000	2015-07-31T22:18:16.325000	2018-04-25T03:06:20.916000	0	0	en	Google Cardboard,Virtual Reality	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/168/0*EyQxLTU1INolNrWR.png" width="168" height="300" loading="lazy" /> <p>The tech everyone wanted to try out at the Jisc Digital Festival this year (<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/digifest15">digifest15</a>) didn’t cost hundreds of pounds — instead it was an ultra low cost virtual reality headset based on the <a href="https://www.google.com/get/cardboard/">Google Cardboard</a> design, which you simply slot your Android phone into. Google Cardboard is the successful virtual reality product you might not have heard of — over <a href="http://voicesofvr.com/109-trevor-claiborne-on-google-cardboards-journey-from-20-side-project-to-500000-units-shipped/">500,000 units of Google Cardboard have now been shipped</a> since its launch last year, and there are over 250 Cardboard compatible apps in the Google Play Store.</p> <p>Google Cardboard came out of a “20% project” by David Coz and Damien Henry at the Google Cultural Institute in Paris, and launched last summer at Google’s IO developer conference. IO attendees are accustomed to receiving gifts of the latest Google hardware like smartphones, tablets or laptops, so you can imagine that being given a piece of cardboard might initially have been something of a disappointment. Here’s how it unfolded, courtesy of TechCrunch’s Greg Kumparak…</p> <p></p> <p>Fast forward to early 2015 and Google has quietly turned virtual reality into a paying business by <a href="https://www.google.com/get/cardboard/manufacturers.html">giving away the Cardboard design specs</a>, so anyone can make compatible virtual reality viewers. It also makes <a href="https://developers.google.com/cardboard/?utm_campaign=cardboard-1214">software development kits (SDK) freely available</a> for Android and the popular Unity 3D environment. In turn Google makes money from the sale of Cardboard compatible apps through its commission on Play Store sales.</p> <p>What’s really telling about Cardboard is that it shows you actually already had virtually all the hardware you needed for virtual reality — in your pocket. Perhaps the message here is that the smartphone has already usurped the nascent virtual reality viewer product category, as it absorbed much of the market for digital cameras, music players, maps, books etc. And as the screenshot at the top of the post alludes to, perhaps we are finally approaching the world envisaged by William Gibson in his seminal cyberpunk novels.</p> <p>Educators and e-learning specialists attending digifest15 told me that they were very excited by Google Cardboard, due to its immediate availability and low cost. What can you see yourself using it for?</p> <p>[This piece originally appeared on the Jisc <a href="http://foresight.jiscinvolve.org">Technology Foresight</a> blog in June 2015]</p> </section>	The Quiet Rise of Google Cardboard “The stepped scarlet pyramid of the Eastern Seaboard Fission Authority” — or central Birmingham, UK via Google Cardboard’s version of Google Earth The tech everyone wanted to try out at the Jisc Digital Festival this year (digifest15) didn’t cost hundreds of pounds — instead it was an ultra low cost virtual reality headset based on the Google Cardboard design, which you simply slot your Android phone into. Google Cardboard is the successful virtual reality product you might not have heard of — over 500,000 units of Google Cardboard have now been shipped since its launch last year, and there are over 250 Cardboard compatible apps in the Google Play Store. Google Cardboard came out of a “20% project” by David Coz and Damien Henry at the Google Cultural Institute in Paris, and launched last summer at Google’s IO developer conference. IO attendees are accustomed to receiving gifts of the latest Google hardware like smartphones, tablets or laptops, so you can imagine that being given a piece of cardboard might initially have been something of a disappointment. Here’s how it unfolded, courtesy of TechCrunch’s Greg Kumparak… Fast forward to early 2015 and Google has quietly turned virtual reality into a paying business by giving away the Cardboard design specs, so anyone can make compatible virtual reality viewers. It also makes software development kits (SDK) freely available for Android and the popular Unity 3D environment. In turn Google makes money from the sale of Cardboard compatible apps through its commission on Play Store sales. What’s really telling about Cardboard is that it shows you actually already had virtually all the hardware you needed for virtual reality — in your pocket. Perhaps the message here is that the smartphone has already usurped the nascent virtual reality viewer product category, as it absorbed much of the market for digital cameras, music players, maps, books etc. And as the screenshot at the top of the post alludes to, perhaps we are finally approaching the world envisaged by William Gibson in his seminal cyberpunk novels. Educators and e-learning specialists attending digifest15 told me that they were very excited by Google Cardboard, due to its immediate availability and low cost. What can you see yourself using it for? [This piece originally appeared on the Jisc Technology Foresight blog in June 2015]	57c0540c-0d62-5faa-be5c-ef1293b4ecc9	25/08/2025 18:01:51
https://medium.com/@sylvialafair/5-ways-to-keep-your-team-magnetic-and-connected-a2c5e121247a	medium.com	5 Ways To Keep Your Team Magnetic and Connected	First, you need a sense of the mission.	Sylvia Lafair	https://medium.com/@sylvialafair	a2c5e121247a	https://miro.medium.com/…FkvieHR64mQ.jpeg	2 min	2017-12-21T23:35:26.020000	2017-12-23T00:37:42.135000	2017-12-23T00:37:42.932000	0	0	en	Leadership,Business,Entrepreneurship,Business Strategy,Leadership Development	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/922/1YYm4ougRIbxFkvieHR64mQ.jpeg" width="922" height="615" loading="lazy" /> <p>First, you need a sense of the mission.</p> <p>Getting a work puzzle on the table is the starting point. However, a team needs to know why it’s putting the parts together. It needs to know where its going.</p> <p>Give everyone that sense of the mission.</p> <p>Make your vision of what the future holds compelling.</p> <p><a href="https://hbr.org/2012/12/to-give-your-employees-meaning">What makes a vision compelling?</a></p> <p>Draw people together with bold words, clear images, deep emotions.</p> <p><em><strong>Read the entire article here </em>on Inc: </strong><a href="https://www.inc.com/sylvia-lafair/5-ways-to-keep-your-team-magnetic-connected.html?cid=search">https://www.inc.com/sylvia-lafair/5-ways-to-keep-your-team-magnetic-connected.html?cid=search</a></p> <h1>About Sylvia Lafair</h1> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/239/1-9ndTj3oUXzJEfuI0J5toA.jpeg" width="239" height="215" loading="lazy" /> <p>As a curious kid, I was fascinated watching how often people would make the same mistakes and complain about the same upsets time after time. I observed it in family, neighbors, at school and even in books and films.</p> <p>As I grew older I saw how specific experiences become behavior patterns that people lived by yet barely noticed. It was “same stuff, different day,” just like in “Groundhog Day.”</p> <p>My fascination with the power of personal and cultural patterns deepened after my father died from a sudden heart attack when I was 14. The cause? Constant conflict at work.</p> <p>My determination to understand what happened and why led me to an amazing discovery: unresolved family patterns follow us to work. That’s what was behind the stress my father carried throughout his career.</p> <p>Work stress became the enemy.</p> <p>My search for more answers became my passion, to find ways to transform outdated, ingrained patterns that destroy health and the joy of success.</p> <p>Now, I do what I do to prepare, liberate and empower leaders and teams — and to ensure no one need lose a loved one over unresolved conflict and stress at work.</p> <h2>Ready to take your leadership to the next level?</h2> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/321/1*GRttBUSBQKsFwKMsihBRiw.jpeg" width="321" height="579" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Take the leadership quiz<a href=</strong>"https://ceoptions.com/leadership-behavior-quiz/">>>HERE<<</a></p> <p><strong>Find out why kind of leader you are and how you can break through the barriers holding you back!</strong></p> <p><em><strong>— Sylvia Lafair PhD — founder of Creative Energy Options (CEOInc.) and the world’s leading authority in Pattern Aware Leadership Development, <a href="http://globalgurus.org/best-leadership-speakers/">Top Global </em>Leadersh</strong>ip Guru</a> and award winning author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sylvia-Lafair/e/B0025L48WS/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1488523114&sr=1-2-ent">Don’t Bring It To Work</a>.</p> <p><em><strong>Read Sylvia’s columns in<a href="http://www.queryly.com/inc</em>_advance</strong>.htm?searchkey=sylvia%20lafair">INC.com</a> and <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/search/results?q=Sylvia%20Lafair">The National Business Journals</a>.</p> <p><em>Originally published at <a href="htt</em>ps://www.inc.com/sylvia-lafair/5-ways-to-keep-your-team-magnetic-connected.html?cid=search">www.inc.com</a>.</p> </section>	5 Ways To Keep Your Team Magnetic and Connected First, you need a sense of the mission. Getting a work puzzle on the table is the starting point. However, a team needs to know why it’s putting the parts together. It needs to know where its going. Give everyone that sense of the mission. Make your vision of what the future holds compelling. What makes a vision compelling? Draw people together with bold words, clear images, deep emotions. Read the entire article here on Inc: https://www.inc.com/sylvia-lafair/5-ways-to-keep-your-team-magnetic-connected.html?cid=search About Sylvia Lafair As a curious kid, I was fascinated watching how often people would make the same mistakes and complain about the same upsets time after time. I observed it in family, neighbors, at school and even in books and films. As I grew older I saw how specific experiences become behavior patterns that people lived by yet barely noticed. It was “same stuff, different day,” just like in “Groundhog Day.” My fascination with the power of personal and cultural patterns deepened after my father died from a sudden heart attack when I was 14. The cause? Constant conflict at work. My determination to understand what happened and why led me to an amazing discovery: unresolved family patterns follow us to work. That’s what was behind the stress my father carried throughout his career. Work stress became the enemy. My search for more answers became my passion, to find ways to transform outdated, ingrained patterns that destroy health and the joy of success. Now, I do what I do to prepare, liberate and empower leaders and teams — and to ensure no one need lose a loved one over unresolved conflict and stress at work. Ready to take your leadership to the next level? Take the leadership quiz>>HERE<< Find out why kind of leader you are and how you can break through the barriers holding you back! — Sylvia Lafair PhD — founder of Creative Energy Options (CEOInc.) and the world’s leading authority in Pattern Aware Leadership Development, Top Global Leadership Guru and award winning author of Don’t Bring It To Work. Read Sylvia’s columns inINC.com and The National Business Journals. Originally published at www.inc.com.	cb73e2cf-d508-527f-bb2a-fc4b297acc59	25/08/2025 18:01:52
https://medium.com/@BuyFudgeOnline/online-fudge-farm-in-australia-call-us-0427-473-661-5c093105abf7	medium.com	ONLINE FUDGE FARM IN AUSTRALIA CALL US @ 0427 473 661	True happiness comes from sharing your love with people and never stop it. When you wants to expose your love we will buy a gifts for our…	alfyalin	https://medium.com/@BuyFudgeOnline	5c093105abf7	https://miro.medium.com/…kRE-3rzAVfg.jpeg	1 min	2018-08-06T05:28:14.410000	2018-08-06T05:37:17.781000	2018-08-06T05:37:18.189000	0	0	en	Food	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1000/1*07xDAs1ImsVkRE-3rzAVfg.jpeg" width="1000" height="959" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>True happiness comes from sharing your love with people and never stop it. When you wants to expose your love we will buy a gifts for our lovable persons like friends, family, mother, father and siblings. Sharing our gifts is spiritual, it’s one way for us to grow stronger in our faith. Sharing a gift is not like diamond, gold or some costly items. These product are very common gifts. I will suggest you a unique gift, that is FUDGE. Fudge is a chocolate cake with sugar, honey, nuts and egg white. To get a healthy and delicious Fudge contact <strong><a href="http://www.charlotte</strong>piper.com.au">Buy Chocolate Fudge Australia</a>. How Fudge becomes healthy?? fudges are rich in minerals, vitamins, iron, potassium and copper. Fudges keep your sugar level normal, boots blood flow and prevent you from blood clot makes your heart healthy. Fudge will boost your smile, high in antioxidants and glows your skin. <strong>OCCASIONS TO SHARE FUDGE: </strong> Australian’s will love to share a “SEASONAL GIFT” that is sharing a gift during Australian holidays like Christmas, Easter, saint Joseph day, weeding, birthday, get-together, valentine’s Day etc. A perfect idea is to shop Regular Bar Gift Boxes at Buy Chocolate Fudge Australia which will truly satisfy everyone’s cravings. Gift sharing is more accepted in business world. Australians give “CORPORATE GIFT” to promote goodwill and show gratitude to continue good relationships with clients and business colleagues. There are different types of Corporate gift box available at <strong><a href</em>="https://www.charlott</strong>epiper.com.au/about-charlotte-piper-fudge">Buy Chocolate Fudge Australia</a>. It’s so easy to order. For question, call us at 0427 473 661.</p> <p><em><strong>Follow Us On : <a href="https://w</em>ww.faceb</strong>ook.com/CharlottePiperOz">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/cpfudgeOz">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/charlottepiperoz/">Instagram</a></p> </section>	ONLINE FUDGE FARM IN AUSTRALIA CALL US @ 0427 473 661 True happiness comes from sharing your love with people and never stop it. When you wants to expose your love we will buy a gifts for our lovable persons like friends, family, mother, father and siblings. Sharing our gifts is spiritual, it’s one way for us to grow stronger in our faith. Sharing a gift is not like diamond, gold or some costly items. These product are very common gifts. I will suggest you a unique gift, that is FUDGE. Fudge is a chocolate cake with sugar, honey, nuts and egg white. To get a healthy and delicious Fudge contact Buy Chocolate Fudge Australia. How Fudge becomes healthy?? fudges are rich in minerals, vitamins, iron, potassium and copper. Fudges keep your sugar level normal, boots blood flow and prevent you from blood clot makes your heart healthy. Fudge will boost your smile, high in antioxidants and glows your skin. OCCASIONS TO SHARE FUDGE: Australian’s will love to share a “SEASONAL GIFT” that is sharing a gift during Australian holidays like Christmas, Easter, saint Joseph day, weeding, birthday, get-together, valentine’s Day etc. A perfect idea is to shop Regular Bar Gift Boxes at Buy Chocolate Fudge Australia which will truly satisfy everyone’s cravings. Gift sharing is more accepted in business world. Australians give “CORPORATE GIFT” to promote goodwill and show gratitude to continue good relationships with clients and business colleagues. There are different types of Corporate gift box available at Buy Chocolate Fudge Australia. It’s so easy to order. For question, call us at 0427 473 661. Follow Us On : Facebook Twitter Instagram	e1092f49-6cbb-5336-9d12-6c6a04b70d3d	25/08/2025 18:01:52
https://louisepeacock.medium.com/uber-%C3%BCber-alles-cf7ae2d163bd	medium.com	Uber über alles!	Some things just have to be shared.	Louise Peacock	https://medium.com/@louisepeacock	cf7ae2d163bd	https://miro.medium.com/…vUdg-C0nxhg.jpeg	1 min	2017-02-23T13:26:04.566000	2017-02-23T13:45:44.581000	2021-12-26T16:20:55.233000	0	4	en	Uber,Sexual Harassment,Women In Tech,Photography	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/678/1*f-Jev-xycqkvUdg-C0nxhg.jpeg" width="678" height="800" loading="lazy" /> <p>Some things just have to be shared.</p> <p>My husband I sent me this link to a disturbing article by an Ex Uber employee. If this does not make your toes curl back in horror, I don’t know what will.</p> <p>In the past, when I was in the office working world, I experienced mild versions of the kind of BS this Susan Fowler was exposed to.</p> <p>It stuns me that this kind of nonsense would be going on today, in a company like Uber which touts itself as being up to date.</p> <p>I wish the ex-employees that suffered discrimination and harassment at Uber would start up a class lawsuit against Uber.</p> <p>I would love to hear your thoughts about this travesty.</p> <p><strong><a href="https://www.susanjfowler.com/blog/2017/2</strong>/19/reflecting-on-one-very-strange-year-at-uber">Reflecting on one very, very strange year at Uber <em>As most of you know, I left Uber in December and joined Stripe in January. I've gotten a lot of questions over the past…</em>www.susanjf</a>owler.com</p> <p></p> </section>	Uber über alles! Photo by Bruce M. Walker Some things just have to be shared. My husband I sent me this link to a disturbing article by an Ex Uber employee. If this does not make your toes curl back in horror, I don’t know what will. In the past, when I was in the office working world, I experienced mild versions of the kind of BS this Susan Fowler was exposed to. It stuns me that this kind of nonsense would be going on today, in a company like Uber which touts itself as being up to date. I wish the ex-employees that suffered discrimination and harassment at Uber would start up a class lawsuit against Uber. I would love to hear your thoughts about this travesty. Reflecting on one very, very strange year at Uber As most of you know, I left Uber in December and joined Stripe in January. I've gotten a lot of questions over the past…www.susanjfowler.com	ef800d94-b76b-5c15-82de-4d503c2b4be4	25/08/2025 18:01:52
https://medium.com/@OutdoorsFather/the-me-effect-all-about-solo-backpacking-ac0fc03b96f2	medium.com	The me effect — all about solo backpacking	Everyone who is into backpacking (or hiking, hill walking, trekking, thru-hiking or what ever you want to call it) has been asked about…	Gilad Nachmani	https://medium.com/@OutdoorsFather	ac0fc03b96f2	null	9 min	2015-12-18T14:54:54.368000	2015-10-24T18:00:11	2018-05-11T07:03:33.096000	1	8	en	Hiking,Backpacking,Outdoors	<section> <p>Everyone who is into backpacking (or hiking, hill walking, trekking, thru-hiking or what ever you want to call it) has been asked about going solo, and if you know of people who do solo backpacking, you must have wondered how they do it.</p> <p>Let me start by saying that I spend most of my time outdoors by myself, completely. Rarely do I walk with company and all my <a href="http://www.outdoorsfather.com/category/adventures/">adventures </a>are solo backpacking trips, mainly when they are in the UK. The idea of going solo was born partially by accident and continued out of necessity and to get some of the “me time” effect.</p> <p>The first time I went solo backpacking was while traveling in South America, specifically Chile, with a friend of mine. I had dragged him up and down a few mountains and we ended up in a small town called Pucon after a few days of backpacking in the Villarica national reserve. My friend was tired but I was so invigorated with my newly found hobby (backpacking, that is) and the size of the natural world, I wanted to go out again. After a couple of days of attempted persuasion, I was told a clear “NO,” so a decision was made — I would be going by myself. All this happened back in 2007, and the year before I had been in New Zealand where I did some solo hiking (day walks), but nothing like what I was planning now: I would be walking the Villarica Traverse from the Villarica volcano to the Lannin volcano — some 100km, passing 3 volcanoes (I only summited Lannin).</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/300/0BysdkzyThhnPY6nZ.jpg" width="300" height="179" loading="lazy" /> <p>That trip along the Villarica Traverse, which took me great 4 days (I was a heavy and slow mover back then), introduced me to something amazing: the freedom of solo backpacking with full control on time, pace, camping spots and breaks — a total sense of freedom. After that I got the taste for it and continued backpacking most of the trails I could find along the Andes in Peru and Bolivia by myself (my friend had returned home by then).</p> <p>Since that trip to South America have I gotten married, had a child and built a career, but the sentiment has not changed: solo backpacking is still total freedom, but now it is also a necessity as I <a href="http://www.outdoorsfather.com/2015/09/the-tortoise-and-the-hare-what-is-fast-hiking/">hike faster</a>, for longer days and for less time. I require more flexibility around my trips, so I’m unable to go with another person as the logistics of planning for other people complicates things. I do enjoy the company of others from time to time, but solo backpacking is the best solution for my outdoor “needs”.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/300/0_vgaIN5zz93Pu8IB.jpg" width="300" height="60" loading="lazy" /> <h1>Why solo backpacking?</h1> <p>I think I have made it pretty clear why I do solo backpacking, but why should you?</p> <p><strong>The ultimate freedom</strong> — from where to camp to pace, breaks or even where to go, it is all up to you. It does mean that you need to know all the camping skills, know how to hike responsibly, take care of your health and safety and most importantly know when to stop and when to avoid dangers. You might get the freedom, but it is also your responsibility.</p> <p><strong>No one makes stupid navigation errors and argues about it with you</strong> (unless it is you…), or looks over your shoulder or makes broad claims about where to go. On the other hand, <a href="http://www.outdoorsfather.com/category/skills/navigation/">your navigation skills</a> need to be sufficient for your solo backpacking trip. It doesn’t mean you need to be a high level orienteer or tracker, but you need to be able to deal with the trail ahead.</p> <p><em>Every time you’ll climb a peak, source water, make food, navigate or accomplish anything else is because you have done it, and I don’t know of a better way to boost self esteem.</em></p> <p><strong>When you are camping, you can just read a book, look at the sunset or just lay down</strong>; there is no need to entertain anyone else. The need to up keep a conversation with someone in your company means that you usually don’t get just quiet time to use at your own discretion. Solo backpacking gives you all the time to do as you wish. I usually read, write, think (I like doing that) or just meditate, mostly while walking.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/300/0Mbiv_Yez0Fj3OtpY.jpg" width="300" height="117" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Other walkers and locals will be happy to chat and share a good story or a cup of tea with you</strong>, as you are less intimidating when you are solo. There is something that seems vulnerable and open to people when they see a solo backpacker, so conversation start easily and warmly.</p> <p><strong>You must get your skills up to scratch and you then get to practice them, all the time</strong>! As you have no one to fall back on if you are not sure/too tired/hate doing that, well, you have to do it yourself. This is a great opportunity to learn new skills, practice them and be just out of your comfort zone.</p> <p><strong>The physical and mental challenge is all yours to deal with, but solely yours to enjoy conquering</strong>, as you finish the day and find the perfect camping spot. Walking day in day out is hard, there is no question there, but there is a real satisfaction in getting to a perfect spot (or just one with great views), pitching your tent, getting your gear spread out and making a brew. That sitting at the end of a long day is almost meditative, especially when solo backpacking, allowing for a great time to clear the head and have a silent tap on one’s back.</p> <p><strong>A great character building tool</strong>: from self esteem and sense of accomplishment to facing fears and real dangers, everything you do is thanks to you, <strong>you have done it.</strong> Every time you <a href="http://www.outdoorsfather.com/2015/02/how-to-mentally-climb-a-mountain/">climb a peak</a>, source water, make food, navigate or accomplish anything else is because you have done it, and I don’t know of a better way to boost self esteem. The constant satisfaction and feedback from succeeding and the ability to pull your self out when failing (it will happen every trip) are the best way to feel really good about yourself. You will have to deal with your fears (from dark to spiders to wet feet) and conquer them, because it is all up to you.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/300/0TZUHpluc2ZCwA_LF.jpg" width="300" height="89" loading="lazy" /> <p>If dealing with your fears sounds daunting, don’t worry, they will come up along the way and you will barely notice them until the day ends. When solo backpacking you easily fall into the routine of being outside and all those less than great aspects of it just happen and you move on, you won’t even notice that your feet are wet…..</p> <h2>And now the downsides</h2> <p>As much as I like to tell myself otherwise, solo backpacking is not all roses and rainbows; there are some tough, frustrating and out-right dangerous parts of it, but all those can be solved if you keep your cool and use the skills you have gathered. To name some downsides and how to address them:</p> <p>The most obvious is the <strong>potential of injury and no rescue</strong>. When you are solo backpacking you are, well, alone — if something happens: a fall, a broken limb, fallen tree, animal attack etc, you will have no one to help or call for help if needed. This is probably the biggest problem with solo backpacking but can be solved easily with a variety of methods:</p> <ul> <li>Plan ahead and know your route, potential camping spots and time frame. Leave a copy of those details with a couple of trusted people who will call for help if they haven’t heard for you in the time frame you have set.</li> <li>Be prepared for any potential animal threats such as bears, large cats etc with the right gear and skills for the area you are visiting. Check if there are any dangers and be ready for them.</li> <li>Carry a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) device such as <a href="http://www.findmespot.com/en/">SPOT</a>, <a href="http://www.inreachdelorme.com/">DeLorme</a>, etc. A great post about it by Andrew Skurka can be found <a href="http://andrewskurka.com/2015/plbs-satellite-messengers-phones-pros-cons-my-picks/">here</a>.</li> <li>Be careful — this is probably the simplest but least used one: watch your step, know when to stop when you are too tired and prone to accidents, avoid unnecessary climbs and traverses, don’t confront animals and other people — you get the point. Just think before you do something and do a constant risk assessment.</li> </ul> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/300/0umRSNYcTyaFNakZV.jpg" width="300" height="76" loading="lazy" /> <p>The next down side is <strong>loneliness</strong>, which is the by product of being alone for a while. I personally am not a people person (hence the solo backpacking) but when going out for 2, 3 or more days I miss my family, I miss talking to my wife and sharing my experiences. I have found a couple of ways to deal with this:</p> <ul> <li>Write a trip journal — take a pencil (better than a pen) and a small notebook and write notes, tell the story, share the adventure — the journal won’t answer back.</li> <li>Try and communicate — find a place with signal and call, it is simple. I know we are going outdoors to disconnect, leave the over-technological world behind, but if you have the means (phone with service or a landline), just call, you will all feel better.</li> <li>This is my secret and it is a little strange — talk. Talk with your pack, your walking poles, your shoes, all your gear. When you have had enough with them, just have a conversation with a person you know; you can probably predict their answers, just make the whole thing up. Just keep in mind that it only happened in your head, so don’t expect them to remember….</li> </ul> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/300/09I2KjA44nic_fRnD.jpg" width="300" height="132" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>Low morale and physical difficulty</strong> are the also a big problem. The reason I put them both in the same category is because they are the same problem: not being “able” to do something is because you just can’t be bothered to. Low morale on the trail (or off trail) is a major problem and hits all walkers at some point, the problem is that you have no one to help you or kick you in the buns — you have to do it yourself. I find that just constantly challenging myself and giving myself small goals is the best way: reach that cliff in 50 minutes, etc. If I make it, I earn some brownie points with myself and boost my morale a little. Break your day into short and simple tasks to get on with it.</p> <p>There are also fears, lack of skills, <a href="http://www.outdoorsfather.com/2014/11/what-does-it-mean-to-be-lost-outdoors-introduction-to-land-navigation/">navigation errors</a> and many more hurdles of solo backpacking, but I think those are all easily solved with more hiking, you just need to practice walking and they are much less challenging.</p> <h2>Is it for you?</h2> <p>I know that solo backpacking is not for everyone — all I need to do is talk to my wife and I get it, she is happy to go with me but sees no point of going solo. That’s fine, but you need to try it. Solo backpacking is challenging and a little formidable, but it is a great experience (or not?) that you need to try before you say no to it.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/300/0NTFlMnFYaFFEI252.jpg" width="300" height="109" loading="lazy" /> <p><strong>To get into solo backpacking I recommend building up to it:</strong></p> <p>Start by hiking solo — spending time with yourself all day long is the biggest part of solo backpacking.</p> <p>Spend a whole day outside, until it gets dark.</p> <p>Find an easy camping place (not an organized camp ground) to spend the night at; it can be 100 meters from your car, but you need to sleep in the tent….</p> <p>Camp in a place that is an inconvenient distance from your car, that distance that is just too far to turn back if things go off.</p> <p>Do a 2 day hike and spend the night in a place nearby with someone who you enjoy going outside with.</p> <p>Repeat the trip from before, but solo.</p> <p>Go on a 2 day backpacking trip solo in a new place.</p> <p>If you have made it to this point, you are ready for solo backpacking — just pick a route and go!</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/300/01ExPlwDm8PgPqwnY.jpg" width="300" height="139" loading="lazy" /> <p>If you are a seasoned backpacker, thru-hiker, long distance walker or anything in between, making the move to solo adventures is easy, just forget to call your hiking partner and you are set!</p> <p><em>Originally published at <a href="http://www.outdoorsfather.com/2015</em>/10/the-me-effect-all-about-solo-backpacking/">www.outdoorsfather.com</a> on October 24, 2015.</p> </section>	The me effect — all about solo backpacking Everyone who is into backpacking (or hiking, hill walking, trekking, thru-hiking or what ever you want to call it) has been asked about going solo, and if you know of people who do solo backpacking, you must have wondered how they do it. Let me start by saying that I spend most of my time outdoors by myself, completely. Rarely do I walk with company and all my adventures are solo backpacking trips, mainly when they are in the UK. The idea of going solo was born partially by accident and continued out of necessity and to get some of the “me time” effect. The first time I went solo backpacking was while traveling in South America, specifically Chile, with a friend of mine. I had dragged him up and down a few mountains and we ended up in a small town called Pucon after a few days of backpacking in the Villarica national reserve. My friend was tired but I was so invigorated with my newly found hobby (backpacking, that is) and the size of the natural world, I wanted to go out again. After a couple of days of attempted persuasion, I was told a clear “NO,” so a decision was made — I would be going by myself. All this happened back in 2007, and the year before I had been in New Zealand where I did some solo hiking (day walks), but nothing like what I was planning now: I would be walking the Villarica Traverse from the Villarica volcano to the Lannin volcano — some 100km, passing 3 volcanoes (I only summited Lannin). Walking in the shadow of Mount Villarica That trip along the Villarica Traverse, which took me great 4 days (I was a heavy and slow mover back then), introduced me to something amazing: the freedom of solo backpacking with full control on time, pace, camping spots and breaks — a total sense of freedom. After that I got the taste for it and continued backpacking most of the trails I could find along the Andes in Peru and Bolivia by myself (my friend had returned home by then). Since that trip to South America have I gotten married, had a child and built a career, but the sentiment has not changed: solo backpacking is still total freedom, but now it is also a necessity as I hike faster, for longer days and for less time. I require more flexibility around my trips, so I’m unable to go with another person as the logistics of planning for other people complicates things. I do enjoy the company of others from time to time, but solo backpacking is the best solution for my outdoor “needs”. Solo backpacking along the Pennine Way while practicing ultralight backpacking Why solo backpacking? I think I have made it pretty clear why I do solo backpacking, but why should you? The ultimate freedom — from where to camp to pace, breaks or even where to go, it is all up to you. It does mean that you need to know all the camping skills, know how to hike responsibly, take care of your health and safety and most importantly know when to stop and when to avoid dangers. You might get the freedom, but it is also your responsibility. No one makes stupid navigation errors and argues about it with you (unless it is you…), or looks over your shoulder or makes broad claims about where to go. On the other hand, your navigation skills need to be sufficient for your solo backpacking trip. It doesn’t mean you need to be a high level orienteer or tracker, but you need to be able to deal with the trail ahead. Every time you’ll climb a peak, source water, make food, navigate or accomplish anything else is because you have done it, and I don’t know of a better way to boost self esteem. When you are camping, you can just read a book, look at the sunset or just lay down; there is no need to entertain anyone else. The need to up keep a conversation with someone in your company means that you usually don’t get just quiet time to use at your own discretion. Solo backpacking gives you all the time to do as you wish. I usually read, write, think (I like doing that) or just meditate, mostly while walking. Resting when going solo means time for yourself Other walkers and locals will be happy to chat and share a good story or a cup of tea with you, as you are less intimidating when you are solo. There is something that seems vulnerable and open to people when they see a solo backpacker, so conversation start easily and warmly. You must get your skills up to scratch and you then get to practice them, all the time! As you have no one to fall back on if you are not sure/too tired/hate doing that, well, you have to do it yourself. This is a great opportunity to learn new skills, practice them and be just out of your comfort zone. The physical and mental challenge is all yours to deal with, but solely yours to enjoy conquering, as you finish the day and find the perfect camping spot. Walking day in day out is hard, there is no question there, but there is a real satisfaction in getting to a perfect spot (or just one with great views), pitching your tent, getting your gear spread out and making a brew. That sitting at the end of a long day is almost meditative, especially when solo backpacking, allowing for a great time to clear the head and have a silent tap on one’s back. A great character building tool: from self esteem and sense of accomplishment to facing fears and real dangers, everything you do is thanks to you, you have done it. Every time you climb a peak, source water, make food, navigate or accomplish anything else is because you have done it, and I don’t know of a better way to boost self esteem. The constant satisfaction and feedback from succeeding and the ability to pull your self out when failing (it will happen every trip) are the best way to feel really good about yourself. You will have to deal with your fears (from dark to spiders to wet feet) and conquer them, because it is all up to you. A satisfying rest on top of the ridge towards mount Lannin, Chille — really satisfying If dealing with your fears sounds daunting, don’t worry, they will come up along the way and you will barely notice them until the day ends. When solo backpacking you easily fall into the routine of being outside and all those less than great aspects of it just happen and you move on, you won’t even notice that your feet are wet….. And now the downsides As much as I like to tell myself otherwise, solo backpacking is not all roses and rainbows; there are some tough, frustrating and out-right dangerous parts of it, but all those can be solved if you keep your cool and use the skills you have gathered. To name some downsides and how to address them: The most obvious is the potential of injury and no rescue. When you are solo backpacking you are, well, alone — if something happens: a fall, a broken limb, fallen tree, animal attack etc, you will have no one to help or call for help if needed. This is probably the biggest problem with solo backpacking but can be solved easily with a variety of methods: Plan ahead and know your route, potential camping spots and time frame. Leave a copy of those details with a couple of trusted people who will call for help if they haven’t heard for you in the time frame you have set. Be prepared for any potential animal threats such as bears, large cats etc with the right gear and skills for the area you are visiting. Check if there are any dangers and be ready for them. Carry a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) device such as SPOT, DeLorme, etc. A great post about it by Andrew Skurka can be found here. Be careful — this is probably the simplest but least used one: watch your step, know when to stop when you are too tired and prone to accidents, avoid unnecessary climbs and traverses, don’t confront animals and other people — you get the point. Just think before you do something and do a constant risk assessment. Encountering more snow than planned in the Yorkshire Dales The next down side is loneliness, which is the by product of being alone for a while. I personally am not a people person (hence the solo backpacking) but when going out for 2, 3 or more days I miss my family, I miss talking to my wife and sharing my experiences. I have found a couple of ways to deal with this: Write a trip journal — take a pencil (better than a pen) and a small notebook and write notes, tell the story, share the adventure — the journal won’t answer back. Try and communicate — find a place with signal and call, it is simple. I know we are going outdoors to disconnect, leave the over-technological world behind, but if you have the means (phone with service or a landline), just call, you will all feel better. This is my secret and it is a little strange — talk. Talk with your pack, your walking poles, your shoes, all your gear. When you have had enough with them, just have a conversation with a person you know; you can probably predict their answers, just make the whole thing up. Just keep in mind that it only happened in your head, so don’t expect them to remember…. When it is cold and you are tired from a full day of walking, loneliness can creep in Low morale and physical difficulty are the also a big problem. The reason I put them both in the same category is because they are the same problem: not being “able” to do something is because you just can’t be bothered to. Low morale on the trail (or off trail) is a major problem and hits all walkers at some point, the problem is that you have no one to help you or kick you in the buns — you have to do it yourself. I find that just constantly challenging myself and giving myself small goals is the best way: reach that cliff in 50 minutes, etc. If I make it, I earn some brownie points with myself and boost my morale a little. Break your day into short and simple tasks to get on with it. There are also fears, lack of skills, navigation errors and many more hurdles of solo backpacking, but I think those are all easily solved with more hiking, you just need to practice walking and they are much less challenging. Is it for you? I know that solo backpacking is not for everyone — all I need to do is talk to my wife and I get it, she is happy to go with me but sees no point of going solo. That’s fine, but you need to try it. Solo backpacking is challenging and a little formidable, but it is a great experience (or not?) that you need to try before you say no to it. Solo bacpacking is not for everyone — a group of walkers navigate in the Peak District To get into solo backpacking I recommend building up to it: Start by hiking solo — spending time with yourself all day long is the biggest part of solo backpacking. Spend a whole day outside, until it gets dark. Find an easy camping place (not an organized camp ground) to spend the night at; it can be 100 meters from your car, but you need to sleep in the tent…. Camp in a place that is an inconvenient distance from your car, that distance that is just too far to turn back if things go off. Do a 2 day hike and spend the night in a place nearby with someone who you enjoy going outside with. Repeat the trip from before, but solo. Go on a 2 day backpacking trip solo in a new place. If you have made it to this point, you are ready for solo backpacking — just pick a route and go! Setting a solo night camp near a road, that is in the middle of the Highland’s backcountry If you are a seasoned backpacker, thru-hiker, long distance walker or anything in between, making the move to solo adventures is easy, just forget to call your hiking partner and you are set! Originally published at www.outdoorsfather.com on October 24, 2015.	b035e966-d6d8-59b1-929c-09689a23dba8	25/08/2025 18:01:53
https://medium.com/@mandyc2015/the-clean-good-life-a-terminal-diagnosis-and-the-negative-mindset-60485a23243f	medium.com	The Clean Good Life — A Terminal Diagnosis and the Negative Mindset	A short while ago, I was told I would die within the next 18 years.	The Clean Good Life	https://medium.com/@mandyc2015	60485a23243f	https://miro.medium.com/…MD-SpMe6-QY9.png	3 min	2020-03-08T03:48:11.734000	2020-02-21T03:55:47	2021-12-13T13:25:55.779000	0	0	en	Blog,Christianity,Death,Illness,Negativity	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1600/0*03a2MD-SpMe6-QY9.png" width="1600" height="900" loading="lazy" /> <p>A short while ago, <strong>I was told I would die within the next 18 years.</strong></p> <p>You have no idea what kind of thoughts fly through your mind when you’re told that and your only just out of your 20's.</p> <p>Following an episode of chest pain and an EKG, the doctor told me I had a congenital heart defect called Atrial Septal Defect, a.k.a. a hole in the heart.</p> <p>He didn’t tell me at the time, but instead told me to look it up (he was an acquaintance of mine and did not want to break the news to me).</p> <p>When I did look it up, I found that the average age at death was under 50 years. To make it worse, the treatment for it is open heart surgery which, considering it was found late, would most likely not change the outcome.</p> <p>My mind reeled.</p> <p>I haven’t even given birth to children yet.</p> <p>Now, I thought there was no point. I worked it out in my mind. I was going to retire, spend every minute with my husband, go on vacations together everywhere, and eat whatever I want, whenever I want.</p> <p>The chest pain got worse as the days went by. I had to wait forever to get into an appointment with a cardiologist. So, I had this diagnosis that I wanted to back up with more testing, but I couldn’t until an appointment that was far ahead of me. I started snapping at people for the littlest things.</p> <p>It wasn’t fair, I had so much that I wanted to accomplish.</p> <p><strong>That was the worst time of my life.</strong></p> <p>My appointment finally came, and I went in for an echocardiogram. By that time, I had gone through all the stages of grieving, finally, ending with acceptance of my situation.</p> <p>Then they told me that I had a normal echocardiogram.</p> <p>… I went through all that for nothing.</p> <p>I’m not going to lie and say that happiness was my knee jerk reaction. Anger was. For having been put through that for nothing.</p> <p>But, it’s not nothing. I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. In this case, it was so I could start this blog.</p> <p>If there’s one thing to learn from my experience, it’s that<strong> your mind is a powerful (and scary!) thing.</strong> It can and does control just about everything.</p> <p>Even though there was nothing wrong, my mind told my body that my heart must continue to hurt because there was a hole.</p> <p>Because I believed I was going to die, I started getting angry with people that I shouldn’t have been angry with.</p> <p>Interestingly enough, because I accepted that I was going to die, I did not jump for joy when I heard that I would live after all.</p> <p>Believe it or not, there are actually <strong>studies that prove that having a negative mindset can decrease life expectancy</strong>.</p> <p>But, how do we avoid this when we live in a world where just about everything we see or hear, especially on television, is negative? And why is it all negative?</p> <p>Simple, I am careful with what goes into my mind. I am very careful what I read, watch and who I choose to communicate with. What we watch, hear, and say can all bring a negative mindset.</p> <p>Ever heard about the bible saying that words have power? It’s true. The doctor spoke the words and my body believed what it was told and in turn acted the way it thought it should.</p> <p>Television, in particular the news, is just about the most negative thing you can watch. There is always someone dying, or a shooter, or natural disasters on there. The news’ purpose in these segments is actually cause fear. Fear means that we won’t look away because in our minds there is a threat that we much watch until it’s over. It’s pretty primitive, but it’s been successful.</p> <p>Bottom line, stick to shows, people and music that are more positive in nature. Over time, you will see your outlook on life change. You could be happier, have better relationships and increase your potential.. But, … <em>that’s all for another post</em>. See you soon!</p> <p>Love,</p> <p>Matcha</p> <p><em>Originally published at <a href="https://thecleangoodlife.com/a-terminal-d</em>iagnosis-and-the-negative-mindset/">https://thecleangoodlife.com</a> on February 21, 2020.</p> </section>	The Clean Good Life — A Terminal Diagnosis and the Negative Mindset A short while ago, I was told I would die within the next 18 years. You have no idea what kind of thoughts fly through your mind when you’re told that and your only just out of your 20's. Following an episode of chest pain and an EKG, the doctor told me I had a congenital heart defect called Atrial Septal Defect, a.k.a. a hole in the heart. He didn’t tell me at the time, but instead told me to look it up (he was an acquaintance of mine and did not want to break the news to me). When I did look it up, I found that the average age at death was under 50 years. To make it worse, the treatment for it is open heart surgery which, considering it was found late, would most likely not change the outcome. My mind reeled. I haven’t even given birth to children yet. Now, I thought there was no point. I worked it out in my mind. I was going to retire, spend every minute with my husband, go on vacations together everywhere, and eat whatever I want, whenever I want. The chest pain got worse as the days went by. I had to wait forever to get into an appointment with a cardiologist. So, I had this diagnosis that I wanted to back up with more testing, but I couldn’t until an appointment that was far ahead of me. I started snapping at people for the littlest things. It wasn’t fair, I had so much that I wanted to accomplish. That was the worst time of my life. My appointment finally came, and I went in for an echocardiogram. By that time, I had gone through all the stages of grieving, finally, ending with acceptance of my situation. Then they told me that I had a normal echocardiogram. … I went through all that for nothing. I’m not going to lie and say that happiness was my knee jerk reaction. Anger was. For having been put through that for nothing. But, it’s not nothing. I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. In this case, it was so I could start this blog. If there’s one thing to learn from my experience, it’s that your mind is a powerful (and scary!) thing. It can and does control just about everything. Even though there was nothing wrong, my mind told my body that my heart must continue to hurt because there was a hole. Because I believed I was going to die, I started getting angry with people that I shouldn’t have been angry with. Interestingly enough, because I accepted that I was going to die, I did not jump for joy when I heard that I would live after all. Believe it or not, there are actually studies that prove that having a negative mindset can decrease life expectancy. But, how do we avoid this when we live in a world where just about everything we see or hear, especially on television, is negative? And why is it all negative? Simple, I am careful with what goes into my mind. I am very careful what I read, watch and who I choose to communicate with. What we watch, hear, and say can all bring a negative mindset. Ever heard about the bible saying that words have power? It’s true. The doctor spoke the words and my body believed what it was told and in turn acted the way it thought it should. Television, in particular the news, is just about the most negative thing you can watch. There is always someone dying, or a shooter, or natural disasters on there. The news’ purpose in these segments is actually cause fear. Fear means that we won’t look away because in our minds there is a threat that we much watch until it’s over. It’s pretty primitive, but it’s been successful. Bottom line, stick to shows, people and music that are more positive in nature. Over time, you will see your outlook on life change. You could be happier, have better relationships and increase your potential.. But, … that’s all for another post. See you soon! Love, Matcha Originally published at https://thecleangoodlife.com on February 21, 2020.	ede8fb93-914f-589b-bb32-ce517b7f816d	25/08/2025 18:01:53
https://medium.com/@armalik1/shocking-truth-the-dark-secrets-behind-western-leaders-moral-collapse-on-gaza-crisis-c01d175ff000	medium.com	✨Shocking Truth: The Dark Secrets Behind Western Leaders’ Moral Collapse on Gaza Crisis	null	Abdul Rahman	https://medium.com/@armalik1	c01d175ff000	https://miro.medium.com/…e8GZsgZV7N4.jpeg	4 min	2023-11-06T13:33:37.971000	2023-11-06T13:33:38.137000	2023-11-06T13:33:40.526000	0	5	en	Gazacrisis,News,Opinion,Us,World	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1733/0*a395ee8GZsgZV7N4.jpeg" width="1733" height="1300" loading="lazy" /> <p>The world has watched in recent years as a moral conundrum involving the United States and its Western allies has come to light. Their handling of the Israel-Palestine dispute is at the centre of this crisis, which exposes a serious moral breakdown among these influential figures. Their incapacity to manage the narrative surrounding Palestinian persecution puts a shadow over their moral stature on the international scene, even while they can sell their proxy war in Ukraine and even escalate tensions over Taiwan. This lengthy opinion piece seeks to analyze the intricate circumstances while providing a human viewpoint.</p> <h3>1: Understanding the Israel-Palestine Conflict</h3> <p>The Israel-Palestine conflict is one of the most enduring and contentious disputes in modern history. It’s crucial to delve into the roots of this conflict and its implications for today’s world.For decades, Israel and Palestine have been entangled in a bitter struggle over land, resources, and sovereignty. The conflict’s history is deeply rooted in religious, historical, and political factors. The United States’ involvement in this dispute has evolved over the years, reflecting shifting alliances and priorities in the Middle East.</p> <h3>2: The Moral High Ground Eroded</h3> <p>One key aspect of the moral collapse of Western leaders is the erosion of the moral high ground they once claimed in this conflict. The United States and its Western allies have historically positioned themselves as arbiters of justice and fairness. However, their actions in recent years have called this moral high ground into question. Their unwavering support for Israel, despite controversial actions in the occupied territories, raises concerns about their commitment to human rights and international law.</p> <h3>3: The Ceasefire Conundrum</h3> <p>The recent ceasefire in Gaza shed light on the complex dynamics at play. While Western leaders praised the ceasefire as a sign of peace, many questioned the sincerity behind their support. The prolonged suffering of the Palestinian people, especially in Gaza, raised questions about the moral compass guiding Western leaders. The world watched as children and civilians were caught in the crossfire, begging for a ceasefire while Western powers hesitated.</p> <h3>4: U.S.-Israel Relations</h3> <p>Examining the relationship between the United States and Israel is crucial in understanding the moral collapse of Western leaders. For decades, these two nations have shared a deep alliance. However, this alliance has often led to biased policies that favour Israel while neglecting the Palestinian perspective. The question arises: does the U.S.’s unwavering support for Israel come at the expense of moral integrity?</p> <h3>5: The Power of Lobbying</h3> <p>The influence of pro-Israel lobbying groups in the United States has been debated. Many argue that these groups have a substantial impact on U.S. policy in the Middle East, further complicating the moral landscape. The power of lobbying has raised concerns about the ability of Western leaders to make impartial decisions.</p> <h3>6: Humanitarian Concerns</h3> <p>Western leaders must address humanitarian concerns in the Israel-Palestine conflict. The suffering of the Palestinian people is undeniable. Despite providing humanitarian aid, Western powers must ask themselves if their support for Israel contributes to the ongoing crisis. The moral imperative to alleviate suffering conflicts with their political interests.</p> <h3>7: Global Perception</h3> <p>Global perception of Western leaders’ handling of the Israel-Palestine conflict has shifted dramatically. While they may assert their commitment to justice, the world sees a different reality. Critics argue that their approach to this conflict has diminished their standing on the international stage.</p> <h3>8: The Role of Media</h3> <p>The media plays a significant role in shaping public opinion on this issue. News coverage, both internationally and domestically, influences how the world perceives the conflict. Western leaders’ inability to control the narrative over Palestinian repression highlights their moral collapse.</p> <h3>9: Geopolitical Ramifications</h3> <p>The Israel-Palestine conflict has far-reaching geopolitical implications, not just for the Middle East but for global stability. The inability of Western leaders to find a just resolution has fueled tensions in the region, affecting relationships with other nations, such as Iran and Saudi Arabia.</p> <h3>10: Lessons from History</h3> <p>Historical parallels can shed light on the moral collapse of Western leaders. Looking back at other instances of international conflict, it’s clear that lessons should have been learned and applied to the Israel-Palestine issue. Failing to do so further highlights their moral shortcomings.</p> <h3>11: The Path to Redemption</h3> <p>While this article has been critical of Western leaders, it’s essential to discuss the path to redemption. Reevaluating their policies, promoting peace talks, and genuinely advocating for a two-state solution could help them regain their moral standing.</p> <h3>Conclusion</h3> <p>There are many different aspects to the complicated problem of Western politicians’ moral collapse over the Israel-Palestine conflict. Even if they are skilled at handling world affairs, the United States and its Western allies have failed to confront the injustices and misery that the Palestinian people must endure. Several people now doubt their dedication to justice and international law as a result of their acts and policies, which have undermined their moral superiority. They must reconsider their strategy and work for a fair and peaceful settlement to this protracted dispute to reclaim their moral position.</p> <p>It’s time for Western leaders to show a commitment to justice, fairness, and the welfare of all parties involved in the Israel-Palestine dispute in a world where moral leadership is essential. It’s time for a change, for the entire world is watching.</p> </section>	✨Shocking Truth: The Dark Secrets Behind Western Leaders’ Moral Collapse on Gaza Crisis The world has watched in recent years as a moral conundrum involving the United States and its Western allies has come to light. Their handling of the Israel-Palestine dispute is at the centre of this crisis, which exposes a serious moral breakdown among these influential figures. Their incapacity to manage the narrative surrounding Palestinian persecution puts a shadow over their moral stature on the international scene, even while they can sell their proxy war in Ukraine and even escalate tensions over Taiwan. This lengthy opinion piece seeks to analyze the intricate circumstances while providing a human viewpoint. 1: Understanding the Israel-Palestine Conflict The Israel-Palestine conflict is one of the most enduring and contentious disputes in modern history. It’s crucial to delve into the roots of this conflict and its implications for today’s world.For decades, Israel and Palestine have been entangled in a bitter struggle over land, resources, and sovereignty. The conflict’s history is deeply rooted in religious, historical, and political factors. The United States’ involvement in this dispute has evolved over the years, reflecting shifting alliances and priorities in the Middle East. 2: The Moral High Ground Eroded One key aspect of the moral collapse of Western leaders is the erosion of the moral high ground they once claimed in this conflict. The United States and its Western allies have historically positioned themselves as arbiters of justice and fairness. However, their actions in recent years have called this moral high ground into question. Their unwavering support for Israel, despite controversial actions in the occupied territories, raises concerns about their commitment to human rights and international law. 3: The Ceasefire Conundrum The recent ceasefire in Gaza shed light on the complex dynamics at play. While Western leaders praised the ceasefire as a sign of peace, many questioned the sincerity behind their support. The prolonged suffering of the Palestinian people, especially in Gaza, raised questions about the moral compass guiding Western leaders. The world watched as children and civilians were caught in the crossfire, begging for a ceasefire while Western powers hesitated. 4: U.S.-Israel Relations Examining the relationship between the United States and Israel is crucial in understanding the moral collapse of Western leaders. For decades, these two nations have shared a deep alliance. However, this alliance has often led to biased policies that favour Israel while neglecting the Palestinian perspective. The question arises: does the U.S.’s unwavering support for Israel come at the expense of moral integrity? 5: The Power of Lobbying The influence of pro-Israel lobbying groups in the United States has been debated. Many argue that these groups have a substantial impact on U.S. policy in the Middle East, further complicating the moral landscape. The power of lobbying has raised concerns about the ability of Western leaders to make impartial decisions. 6: Humanitarian Concerns Western leaders must address humanitarian concerns in the Israel-Palestine conflict. The suffering of the Palestinian people is undeniable. Despite providing humanitarian aid, Western powers must ask themselves if their support for Israel contributes to the ongoing crisis. The moral imperative to alleviate suffering conflicts with their political interests. 7: Global Perception Global perception of Western leaders’ handling of the Israel-Palestine conflict has shifted dramatically. While they may assert their commitment to justice, the world sees a different reality. Critics argue that their approach to this conflict has diminished their standing on the international stage. 8: The Role of Media The media plays a significant role in shaping public opinion on this issue. News coverage, both internationally and domestically, influences how the world perceives the conflict. Western leaders’ inability to control the narrative over Palestinian repression highlights their moral collapse. 9: Geopolitical Ramifications The Israel-Palestine conflict has far-reaching geopolitical implications, not just for the Middle East but for global stability. The inability of Western leaders to find a just resolution has fueled tensions in the region, affecting relationships with other nations, such as Iran and Saudi Arabia. 10: Lessons from History Historical parallels can shed light on the moral collapse of Western leaders. Looking back at other instances of international conflict, it’s clear that lessons should have been learned and applied to the Israel-Palestine issue. Failing to do so further highlights their moral shortcomings. 11: The Path to Redemption While this article has been critical of Western leaders, it’s essential to discuss the path to redemption. Reevaluating their policies, promoting peace talks, and genuinely advocating for a two-state solution could help them regain their moral standing. Conclusion There are many different aspects to the complicated problem of Western politicians’ moral collapse over the Israel-Palestine conflict. Even if they are skilled at handling world affairs, the United States and its Western allies have failed to confront the injustices and misery that the Palestinian people must endure. Several people now doubt their dedication to justice and international law as a result of their acts and policies, which have undermined their moral superiority. They must reconsider their strategy and work for a fair and peaceful settlement to this protracted dispute to reclaim their moral position. It’s time for Western leaders to show a commitment to justice, fairness, and the welfare of all parties involved in the Israel-Palestine dispute in a world where moral leadership is essential. It’s time for a change, for the entire world is watching.	a3400f7a-92a0-5421-bd62-aefcd9661a34	25/08/2025 18:01:53
https://alwyn-lau.medium.com/the-paranoia-over-christian-evangelism-in-malaysia-8ff639475b5f	medium.com	The Paranoia Over Christian Evangelism in Malaysia	The claim by Ummah chairman and Ikatan Muslim Malaysia (Isma) president Aminuddin Yahya, in his speech during the National Ummah Unity…	Alwyn Lau	https://medium.com/@alwyn-lau	8ff639475b5f	https://miro.medium.com/…DcxiTzGCRSol.JPG	3 min	2019-08-30T05:21:21.990000	2019-08-30T05:24:07.496000	2021-12-11T12:28:59.587000	0	0	en	Christianity,Malaysia	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1000/0*WxiZDcxiTzGCRSol.JPG" width="1000" height="667" loading="lazy" /> <p>The claim by Ummah chairman and Ikatan Muslim Malaysia (Isma) president Aminuddin Yahya, <a href="https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2019/08/25/in-unity-convention-liberalism-christian-evangelism-again-painted-as-threat/1784002">in his speech during the National Ummah Unity Convention last week</a>, that there is some drive to ‘evangelise’ Putrajaya is, frankly, amazing. It’s incredible not only for the sheer bull-shittery of the content but also for what it shows about the paranoid fundamentalist mindset.</p> <p>Groups like Isma seek the serenity and accord that they <em>think</em> accusing Christians of national schemes will provide. But people who make claims like those Aminuddin did will never be satisfied. They’re like flat-earthers for whom no amount of evidence will suffice to change their minds.</p> <p>I could tell Aminuddin that I’ve been attending Christian churches and meetings for over forty years and never once have I heard anything about any scheme or plot or design to ‘place as many Christians as possible in national leadership positions’. All I ever hear are Christian leaders praying for Malaysia, for justice and good governance to prevail.</p> <p>I could tell him that evangelism — the sharing of one’s faith to someone outside the religious community — is one of the <em>weakest</em> aspects of almost any church in the country. Christians are way better at sharing out complaints about everything wrong with the church building, the church leaders, Hollywood movies, politics, culture, food, what <em>other</em> ‘heretical’ Christians believe, etc. The point is, we suck at evangelism. Especially nowadays, when the average Christian prefers to spend 10 hours scrolling on his phone than 10 seconds telling non-Christians about the good news of salvation in Jesus.</p> <p>So the idea that there is some grand elaborate evangelical ‘drive’ to control the country sounds even weirder than the thought that maybe Donald Trump wants to buy Malaysia.</p> <p>I could ask Aminuddin where on earth he got his information from and how he knows something that almost no other Christian knows about. Perhaps, to stop all the speculation and objections, in future he should just record his conversations with his dodgy informers and upload that for the whole country to listen to. I mean, like, don’t we all want to know the truth, too?</p> <p>Because failing real evidence, it just sounds like paranoia.</p> <p>Paranoid groups like Isma are always complaining that someone somewhere has stole (or is about to steal) something precious to them. <em>My precioussssss</em>. They need to retrieve this object and thus will constantly harass this certain others to give it up, to fess up, to roll over and die.</p> <p>What they cannot accept is that this ‘treasure’ was never really lost. Why? Because it never existed in anywhere by their troubled psyches.</p> <p>The situation resembles Victoria’s Secret. What <em>is</em> the secret which, uh, belongs to Victoria? It’s the secret that there <em>is no</em> secret, but it’s worth believing there is. It’s the secret that people long to convince themselves there’s something <em>more</em>. It’s the secret that something mysterious resides in deep places and the mere appearance of a veil spurs a passion to discover and possess.</p> <p>Bulls are infatuated with the color red. People are infatuated with infatuation itself. Likewise, religious bigots are fascinated with bigotry for bigotry’s sake. “How can we stop the Christianisation of Putrajaya?” is the same kind of question as, “What is Victoria hiding?” The answer is less enigmatic than the challenge of the question itself.</p> <p>Victoria’s secret, in a word, is the secret of desire. And desire is produced by loss. To keep enjoying desire, one must keep <em>producing loss</em>.</p> <p>This is the problem with fundamentalist Islam in our country: Its members long to enjoy their desires (or suffer their enjoyment, which is about the same thing) but they have to keep telling themselves they have lost something. So others need to pay for that ‘loss’ by being irrationally targeted.</p> <p>That’s the open secret, isn’t it?</p> </section>	The Paranoia Over Christian Evangelism in Malaysia Gerakan Pembela Ummah chairman Aminuddin Yahya delivers his speech during the Ummah National Unity Convention at the Kuala Lumpur International Hotel August 25, 2019. Photo by Hari Anggara The claim by Ummah chairman and Ikatan Muslim Malaysia (Isma) president Aminuddin Yahya, in his speech during the National Ummah Unity Convention last week, that there is some drive to ‘evangelise’ Putrajaya is, frankly, amazing. It’s incredible not only for the sheer bull-shittery of the content but also for what it shows about the paranoid fundamentalist mindset. Groups like Isma seek the serenity and accord that they think accusing Christians of national schemes will provide. But people who make claims like those Aminuddin did will never be satisfied. They’re like flat-earthers for whom no amount of evidence will suffice to change their minds. I could tell Aminuddin that I’ve been attending Christian churches and meetings for over forty years and never once have I heard anything about any scheme or plot or design to ‘place as many Christians as possible in national leadership positions’. All I ever hear are Christian leaders praying for Malaysia, for justice and good governance to prevail. I could tell him that evangelism — the sharing of one’s faith to someone outside the religious community — is one of the weakest aspects of almost any church in the country. Christians are way better at sharing out complaints about everything wrong with the church building, the church leaders, Hollywood movies, politics, culture, food, what other ‘heretical’ Christians believe, etc. The point is, we suck at evangelism. Especially nowadays, when the average Christian prefers to spend 10 hours scrolling on his phone than 10 seconds telling non-Christians about the good news of salvation in Jesus. So the idea that there is some grand elaborate evangelical ‘drive’ to control the country sounds even weirder than the thought that maybe Donald Trump wants to buy Malaysia. I could ask Aminuddin where on earth he got his information from and how he knows something that almost no other Christian knows about. Perhaps, to stop all the speculation and objections, in future he should just record his conversations with his dodgy informers and upload that for the whole country to listen to. I mean, like, don’t we all want to know the truth, too? Because failing real evidence, it just sounds like paranoia. Paranoid groups like Isma are always complaining that someone somewhere has stole (or is about to steal) something precious to them. My precioussssss. They need to retrieve this object and thus will constantly harass this certain others to give it up, to fess up, to roll over and die. What they cannot accept is that this ‘treasure’ was never really lost. Why? Because it never existed in anywhere by their troubled psyches. The situation resembles Victoria’s Secret. What is the secret which, uh, belongs to Victoria? It’s the secret that there is no secret, but it’s worth believing there is. It’s the secret that people long to convince themselves there’s something more. It’s the secret that something mysterious resides in deep places and the mere appearance of a veil spurs a passion to discover and possess. Bulls are infatuated with the color red. People are infatuated with infatuation itself. Likewise, religious bigots are fascinated with bigotry for bigotry’s sake. “How can we stop the Christianisation of Putrajaya?” is the same kind of question as, “What is Victoria hiding?” The answer is less enigmatic than the challenge of the question itself. Victoria’s secret, in a word, is the secret of desire. And desire is produced by loss. To keep enjoying desire, one must keep producing loss. This is the problem with fundamentalist Islam in our country: Its members long to enjoy their desires (or suffer their enjoyment, which is about the same thing) but they have to keep telling themselves they have lost something. So others need to pay for that ‘loss’ by being irrationally targeted. That’s the open secret, isn’t it?	642bd868-6011-57dd-87fb-7a987c0dd922	25/08/2025 18:01:53
https://logangreenhaw.medium.com/resurrecting-trauma-part-1-303742ccbca9	medium.com	Resurrecting Trauma: Part 1	My grandfather died a few hours ago.	Logan Greenhaw	https://medium.com/@logangreenhaw	303742ccbca9	https://miro.medium.com/…iymSAKtTO_Iw.png	4 min	2019-06-01T16:07:30.637000	2019-06-02T01:57:48.298000	2021-12-10T08:53:22.797000	0	0	en	Christianity,Trauma,PTSD,Therapy,Philosophy	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2160/1*3p1lJ2XDsjiymSAKtTO_Iw.png" width="2160" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <p>My grandfather died a few hours ago.</p> <p>He had been sick for a while and I knew that it would only be a short period of time before he slipped away after he was moved into hospice care. Just a few days ago I sat by his side in the hospital and talked to him about jazz music. He could play the piano unlike anybody else. When his fingers touched the keys, he no longer needed to speak — music was his language and acts of love were his harmony.</p> <p>I couldn’t sleep last night. In fact, I stayed up until 5 AM tossing, turning, and becoming increasingly restless. At the first glimmer of the sun’s rising, I slipped off to sleep only to awake a few short hours later to my dad calling my wife. Morgan bolted up out of the bed (we were both expecting the call any day now) and answered the phone. She went into another room, but I could tell what news filled the air.</p> <p>I trudged out of the bedroom and walked to see Morgan’s face full of disappointment. She looked into my eyes with a gaze that already communicated the news.</p> <p>“Did he die?” I asked.</p> <p>“Just a few minutes ago,” Morgan softly replied.</p> <p>I collapsed inwardly and felt the onslaught of the crushing waves of sorrow begin to pour over me. I fell into Morgan’s embrace and sobbed. I attempted to find the breath that had left me. The pain that I had been anticipating and nudging up against the whole week enveloped me in one swift action.</p> <p>Weight.</p> <p>In Hebrew, the word for God’s glory is <em>kavod</em>. In a more literal sense, this word mean ‘heaviness’ or ‘weight’. It seems like the Hebrew people understood a confrontation with the Divine as having a certain weightiness. When God spoke to Moses at Mt. Sinai from the cloud, the lighting, the fire, the storm…that’s what God’s glory is like. Confronting the Divine is terrifying. It causes one to tremble, to shove your face into the dirt, to collapse, to fear, to shield one’s eyes.</p> <p>Yet, within God’s weightiness, God speaks.</p> <p>From the cloud, the storm, the fire, the lighting, God speaks.</p> <p>Within that moment of collapse, in the overwhelming sensation of fear that takes over your body, in the dread and angst of loss…there, God speaks. I have to believe that as Morgan held me and as the breath left me and as my tears littered the ground, that God was speaking. Within each tear, within each embrace, within each grasping for fresh air, God’s glory abounded and held us down.</p> <p>When Grandaddy Todd played jazz music on the piano, God’s glory abounded. Within that captivating, mystifying, and mesmerizing dance between fingers and keys, God speaks. Within every act of love and every display of protection, Grandaddy Todd brought about the weight–the glory–of the Divine. And, it is within jazz and acts of love that I will perpetually hear Grandaddy Todd and the weightiness of God.</p> <p>Grandaddy Todd’s death came at an unexpected time. Earlier this year, I started therapy to begin confronting ongoing unresolved grief and my struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder.</p> <p>For many that know me, that might come as a shock given that I attempt to remain superficially positive in most social contexts. I spend most of my energy avoiding letting anyone (myself included) into my past pains. A few months ago, however, my avoidance caught up with me and thrust me into a state of depression to the extent that I have become nearly numb to any and all sensation.</p> <p>Through therapy (and many, many, many conversations with Morgan), I am learning to come clean with myself, with my family, with my friends (at least the ones I still have), and with new people. I am learning to confront past traumas, bring them back to life in the present, and understand them in such a capacity that I might live again.</p> <p>Grandaddy Todd’s death has brought up so many of the emotions that I have for so long kept suppressed, repressed, and beneath my skin. I turn to writing to make some semblance of sense of these sensations and somatic simulations. But, it hurts so much to think about sharing these thoughts with others and, even more so, <em>to believe them for myself</em>.</p> <p>Grandaddy Todd’s death brings me face-to-face with the weight of all things. The weight of death. The weight of trauma. The weight of jazz. The weight of a warm embrace from the person that loves you the most in the whole cosmos. The weight of the Divine.</p> <p>Over the next few months, I hope to tap into the weight of this process I am in and to share my reflections with others. My hope is that as I confront the ‘glory’ (that weighty, mystifying, and ineffable mystery that shoves my face into the dirt) of trauma, I will encounter the voice of the Divine. My hope is that just as Grandaddy Todd allowed the voice of God to flow through him in the form of improvisational jazz and acts of love I will be able to allow the voice of the Divine to flow through me in these words.</p> <p>My grandfather died just a few hours ago.</p> <p>But, before he died…he found Life. He found Life in jazz and family and fried shrimp and golf and traveling and steak and humor and loyalty and laughter and care and compassion and love. It is now in the moments of Life, that I will forever hear Grandaddy Todd, his jazz music, and his acts of love. And, it is in those very moments that I will feel the weight of the Divine and hear the voice of God.</p> <p><em>In the blessed memory of <a href="https://www.dignityme</em>morial.com/obituaries/columbus-ga/thomas-greenhaw-8730265">Thomas E. Greenhaw</a> (1929–2019)</p> </section>	Resurrecting Trauma: Part I My grandfather died a few hours ago. He had been sick for a while and I knew that it would only be a short period of time before he slipped away after he was moved into hospice care. Just a few days ago I sat by his side in the hospital and talked to him about jazz music. He could play the piano unlike anybody else. When his fingers touched the keys, he no longer needed to speak — music was his language and acts of love were his harmony. I couldn’t sleep last night. In fact, I stayed up until 5 AM tossing, turning, and becoming increasingly restless. At the first glimmer of the sun’s rising, I slipped off to sleep only to awake a few short hours later to my dad calling my wife. Morgan bolted up out of the bed (we were both expecting the call any day now) and answered the phone. She went into another room, but I could tell what news filled the air. I trudged out of the bedroom and walked to see Morgan’s face full of disappointment. She looked into my eyes with a gaze that already communicated the news. “Did he die?” I asked. “Just a few minutes ago,” Morgan softly replied. I collapsed inwardly and felt the onslaught of the crushing waves of sorrow begin to pour over me. I fell into Morgan’s embrace and sobbed. I attempted to find the breath that had left me. The pain that I had been anticipating and nudging up against the whole week enveloped me in one swift action. Weight. In Hebrew, the word for God’s glory is kavod. In a more literal sense, this word mean ‘heaviness’ or ‘weight’. It seems like the Hebrew people understood a confrontation with the Divine as having a certain weightiness. When God spoke to Moses at Mt. Sinai from the cloud, the lighting, the fire, the storm…that’s what God’s glory is like. Confronting the Divine is terrifying. It causes one to tremble, to shove your face into the dirt, to collapse, to fear, to shield one’s eyes. Yet, within God’s weightiness, God speaks. From the cloud, the storm, the fire, the lighting, God speaks. Within that moment of collapse, in the overwhelming sensation of fear that takes over your body, in the dread and angst of loss…there, God speaks. I have to believe that as Morgan held me and as the breath left me and as my tears littered the ground, that God was speaking. Within each tear, within each embrace, within each grasping for fresh air, God’s glory abounded and held us down. When Grandaddy Todd played jazz music on the piano, God’s glory abounded. Within that captivating, mystifying, and mesmerizing dance between fingers and keys, God speaks. Within every act of love and every display of protection, Grandaddy Todd brought about the weight–the glory–of the Divine. And, it is within jazz and acts of love that I will perpetually hear Grandaddy Todd and the weightiness of God. Grandaddy Todd’s death came at an unexpected time. Earlier this year, I started therapy to begin confronting ongoing unresolved grief and my struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder. For many that know me, that might come as a shock given that I attempt to remain superficially positive in most social contexts. I spend most of my energy avoiding letting anyone (myself included) into my past pains. A few months ago, however, my avoidance caught up with me and thrust me into a state of depression to the extent that I have become nearly numb to any and all sensation. Through therapy (and many, many, many conversations with Morgan), I am learning to come clean with myself, with my family, with my friends (at least the ones I still have), and with new people. I am learning to confront past traumas, bring them back to life in the present, and understand them in such a capacity that I might live again. Grandaddy Todd’s death has brought up so many of the emotions that I have for so long kept suppressed, repressed, and beneath my skin. I turn to writing to make some semblance of sense of these sensations and somatic simulations. But, it hurts so much to think about sharing these thoughts with others and, even more so, to believe them for myself. Grandaddy Todd’s death brings me face-to-face with the weight of all things. The weight of death. The weight of trauma. The weight of jazz. The weight of a warm embrace from the person that loves you the most in the whole cosmos. The weight of the Divine. Over the next few months, I hope to tap into the weight of this process I am in and to share my reflections with others. My hope is that as I confront the ‘glory’ (that weighty, mystifying, and ineffable mystery that shoves my face into the dirt) of trauma, I will encounter the voice of the Divine. My hope is that just as Grandaddy Todd allowed the voice of God to flow through him in the form of improvisational jazz and acts of love I will be able to allow the voice of the Divine to flow through me in these words. My grandfather died just a few hours ago. But, before he died…he found Life. He found Life in jazz and family and fried shrimp and golf and traveling and steak and humor and loyalty and laughter and care and compassion and love. It is now in the moments of Life, that I will forever hear Grandaddy Todd, his jazz music, and his acts of love. And, it is in those very moments that I will feel the weight of the Divine and hear the voice of God. In the blessed memory of Thomas E. Greenhaw (1929–2019)	fb65a79c-046b-56dd-97d2-79de29ae2675	25/08/2025 18:01:54
https://medium.com/@shawnwhiting/the-museum-of-other-realities-aeee522d4dc1	medium.com	The Museum of Other Realities	This is my first post in a series that will document the happenings and evolution of Social VR spaces. I’ve visited the MOR a few times now…	Shawn Whiting	https://medium.com/@shawnwhiting	aeee522d4dc1	https://miro.medium.com/…25SD8dihN5Lg.png	3 min	2018-07-09T08:07:50.763000	2018-07-09T08:55:28.318000	2018-07-09T20:14:41.111000	0	104	en	Virtual Reality,Social Virtual Reality,Art,VR,Social	<section> <p>This is my first post in a series that will document the happenings and evolution of Social VR spaces. I’ve visited the MOR a few times now and wanted to share some photos and notes for posterity.</p> <p>— — —</p> <p>The Museum of Other Realities is a virtual exhibit hall that houses immersive art from some of the top VR artists around the world. Also known as the MOR, the space fills with artists and guests once or twice a month on scheduled dates for the opening of new exhibits and to test updates in a private beta. On this visit I mostly focused on grabbing photos using the app’s delightful Spielbergian capture gesture (photo of the gesture below). In future visits I hope to have time to capture gifs and video since there’s a lot of depth and movement being left behind by the stills.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1QgI2HVsy2r25SD8dihN5Lg.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1d8S3_GK6jkd-KGCJOQJCMw.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1mvFpKnfYZTClOtKafJXl_g.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1I28a5-pPTJMFFJpsYOF0cA.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1XNi1ZPai0I5eKh_YEXuIbg.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1ZLD-ZfPk8dCkvPaq9X3QaA.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1kyP7QvM4z58ggYjPyT2qIg.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1F3vCFxtHQOA4XB60QICh6w.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1ZAf6afesWxFiqFkZsn92kw.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1474adoX3zaGmEXX_BPcQeg.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1vdlen56RY6HU2562F-6VzA.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1WjKWNB5tk8OBBC_xgKEsAQ.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1JySeuSIC7NXjD9neozOHVA.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1ktOqRX7EWYN0Csrd7bIzSQ.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1C5BYTb7O0X34HCjOMWIu9A.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2160/1wvKuAKpTSnmenGxPIw5j6w.png" width="2160" height="3840" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1ZL35QuH32JyAvwaPDHeIsw.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1v0rLIDR1ehZe3ssGE2pl1Q.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1SUyryVUevrA2JlP6-nZzVw.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1LTvw6BR376JruHCnLYLv1Q.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1Y8-hSpxlaMAxaLQmAHMFLg.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1LDERFOySSQur7zA2aufRTA.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1YmiMd8XEL2-pTnwVs1CXEw.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1iJCSkQka_S49gRS2MACfrw.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1o7uvSw2HXnkXWV8o86901Q.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1VoGbvzERIahth0TKQSTHmQ.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1q6PlRdoEKUaBw63jE0flDA.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1oRewHk_UubRStkTC0R3wjg.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3840/1*uxjGF7HvXGiI-nfC2fjmOg.png" width="3840" height="2160" loading="lazy" /> <p>MOR info — including the artists and links to their work</p> <p><a href="http://museumor.com/">http://museumor.com/</a></p> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/museumor">https://twitter.com/museumor</a></p> <p><a href="https://uploadvr.com/museum-of-other-realities-vr-northway/">https://uploadvr.com/museum-of-other-realities-vr-northway/</a></p> <p>I’m looking forward to documenting more Social VR spaces and also posting some older material I’ve stored but never shared, so give the blog a follow if that’s something you’re into.</p> <p>Cheers!</p> </section>	The Museum of Other Realities This is my first post in a series that will document the happenings and evolution of Social VR spaces. I’ve visited the MOR a few times now and wanted to share some photos and notes for posterity. — — — The Museum of Other Realities is a virtual exhibit hall that houses immersive art from some of the top VR artists around the world. Also known as the MOR, the space fills with artists and guests once or twice a month on scheduled dates for the opening of new exhibits and to test updates in a private beta. On this visit I mostly focused on grabbing photos using the app’s delightful Spielbergian capture gesture (photo of the gesture below). In future visits I hope to have time to capture gifs and video since there’s a lot of depth and movement being left behind by the stills. Upon logging in you are greeted with a handy 3D map. People on the second floor are shown higher off the surface of the table. The map is great for quickly meeting up with friends and seeing who else is currently in the museum. Avatars are simple and can be customized with a primary and secondary color. The secondary color, along with name plate direction, gives a good sense of where someone is directing their attention. A crowd gathered around the artist of these pieces @JohnOrionYoung who was discussing how they were sold and could be tracked via the Etherium blockchain. At the time of this photo it appears the JOYbot piece was worth 2.25 ETH / 950.72 USD. People also have an info icon by their name when you direct your gaze at them. You can then expand this into a bio and contact info on the person if they have set one, which was super useful for starting conversations or seeing who had created what exhibits. Teleporting onto the back of one of the beasts will start an epic music track :) Exhibit by @NickTheLadd. This piece by @DannyBittman feels about the size of a large table as you approach. Then, you teleport into it… A lot of pieces in the MOR use this ‘teleport to scale’ feature to incredible effect. It really makes the space feel like a gateway to many different experiences rather than just a single space containing multiple exhibits. Transitions between scale are seamless and you can sometimes see larger avatars looming over you as they approach the piece. Thanks to @vladstorm_ for hopping into this shot to provide scale, and possibly dabbing on the mystical forest orb. A good side view of the magenta piece on the left that someone is about to teleport into. Front view Watching someone teleport in and explore the piece. Another scene waiting to be explored. I really like the style of this piece by @_naam. You enter through a door behind the rock into this cloudy scene. This was the first piece I teleported into on one of my previous visits. A friend and I ended up finding a cabin after some time exploring the immense winter landscape. We were shocked when we walked through the cabin door and found it held a good amount of detail on the inside as well, including a fire place. More info on the piece by @lizaledwards here: https://lizedwardsvr.artstation.com/blog This creature moves slowly around the room like a jellyfish, creating mesmerizing reflections and movements in its tentacles. By @Cabbibo. Here you enter a dome that changes into different fractal patterns based on your movements. The warping and swilring movements in this piece kept me staring for a while. Its hard to appreciate the scale and 3D nature of this piece via a photo but it was one of my favorites. As you make eye contact with each of the skeletons in the room they let out their own unique taunt or cackling laugh. The idle animations on these guys were terrifying. They have a little bounce in their stance like they‘re waiting to pounce and their hands swing forward toward you. Secret owl is wise. Really loved the color palette of this one. You can capture photos in the MOR by holding your hands out in a framing gesture, like a director composing shots on a film set. There was also a runway exhibit (by @FlashBunny) where you could stand in a costume for long enough and then wear it around the museum. I chose the flower dress. A piece by @samluckart that preserves the memory of her grandparent’s chalet where she would visit them growing up. There was background / atmosphere audio once you teleport in that was gathered from footage Sam’s family had taken during their time at the house. It did a lot to bring the scene to life and help you imagine all the great memories the location holds. A giant @NickTheLadd appears from outside the piece providing a reference for the scale change. MOR info — including the artists and links to their work http://museumor.com/ https://twitter.com/museumor https://uploadvr.com/museum-of-other-realities-vr-northway/ I’m looking forward to documenting more Social VR spaces and also posting some older material I’ve stored but never shared, so give the blog a follow if that’s something you’re into. Cheers!	759ea7ff-6d3a-58ff-8568-a8ca21a3cba0	25/08/2025 18:01:55
https://medium.com/free-yah-mind/think-less-feel-more-5f0890421f	medium.com	Think less, Feel more …	Make it impossible to deny your desires!	Hilary Booker, Ph.D.	https://medium.com/@hilaryb130	5f0890421f	https://miro.medium.com/…vistgLW370Q.jpeg	1 min	2019-11-17T20:41:23.641000	2019-11-17T20:45:11.239000	2022-03-30T20:24:15.957000	0	0	en	Astrology,Desire,Dreams,Purpose	<section> <h3>Make it impossible to deny your desires!</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2384/1*jfYlCqp4B2zvistgLW370Q.jpeg" width="2384" height="4240" loading="lazy" /> <p>The upcoming week is full of powerful and positive astrological shifts that I expect will feel huge if you’re tuned into them.</p> <p>The moon that culminated in Taurus last week is waning, and we’ll be whisked away into Sagittarius season at the end of this one. Before then, however, Mercury will finally station direct on Thursday and we will move forward with new minds and a new sense of self-worth rooted in deep indestructible truths.</p> <p>A week from today, Jupiter and Venus will conjoin in Sagittarius, which is a MOST auspicious aspect!</p> <p>Even though the moon is waning and the sun is reaching the final degrees of Scorpio, this season continues to blur the lines between beginnings and endings. If you’re someone with a highly analytical mind who wants to figure things out and values certainty (🙋🏼‍♀️👀), you will miss the value this week has to offer if you don’t let go a little bit.</p> <p>Think less, feel more. Think less, feel more. Make it impossible to escape your feelings this week so that you can tap into your soul’s desires.</p> <p>The conjunction between Jupiter and Venus in Sag as the Sun enters Sag could feel like a genie in a lantern coming to grant you a wish. Don’t you want to be clear about your greatest wishes and soul’s desires when the genie appears? I know I do!</p> <p>Today, commit to something that will allow you to think less and feel more, to cultivate the relationship between your body and spirit this week.</p> <p>What are YOU committing to? Let us know in the comments!!</p> </section>	Think less, Feel more … Make it impossible to deny your desires! 📸 by Catherine Heath on Unsplash The upcoming week is full of powerful and positive astrological shifts that I expect will feel huge if you’re tuned into them. The moon that culminated in Taurus last week is waning, and we’ll be whisked away into Sagittarius season at the end of this one. Before then, however, Mercury will finally station direct on Thursday and we will move forward with new minds and a new sense of self-worth rooted in deep indestructible truths. A week from today, Jupiter and Venus will conjoin in Sagittarius, which is a MOST auspicious aspect! Even though the moon is waning and the sun is reaching the final degrees of Scorpio, this season continues to blur the lines between beginnings and endings. If you’re someone with a highly analytical mind who wants to figure things out and values certainty (🙋🏼‍♀️👀), you will miss the value this week has to offer if you don’t let go a little bit. Think less, feel more. Think less, feel more. Make it impossible to escape your feelings this week so that you can tap into your soul’s desires. The conjunction between Jupiter and Venus in Sag as the Sun enters Sag could feel like a genie in a lantern coming to grant you a wish. Don’t you want to be clear about your greatest wishes and soul’s desires when the genie appears? I know I do! Today, commit to something that will allow you to think less and feel more, to cultivate the relationship between your body and spirit this week. What are YOU committing to? Let us know in the comments!!	e0f16392-a55a-5884-834e-7e637d9a022d	25/08/2025 18:01:55
https://kaylakeepstraveling.medium.com/catania-food-edition-f69d79086cb7	medium.com	Catania (food edition)	Being in Catania was the first time Andrew and I had been apart in 2 months. It was a strange feeling to be together 24/7, and then to be…	Kayla Keeps Traveling	https://medium.com/@kaylakeepstraveling	f69d79086cb7	https://miro.medium.com/…[email protected]	3 min	2022-02-11T16:28:54.924000	2022-02-17T14:36:04.748000	2022-02-19T02:42:53.513000	0	1	en	Food,Europe,Italy,Culture	<section> <p>Being in Catania was the first time Andrew and I had been apart in 2 months. It was a strange feeling to be together 24/7, and then to be alone for a few days. As someone who has always been very independent it was strange to feel “alone” when I first arrived. However, it was just a few days until my friend, Ruken, came to visit. Before Ruken came to visit, I explored the city solo. I went to the markets (which are amazing in Catania), went on a walking tour, some random bus tour, as well as a Banksy x Warhol art exhibit. I love to walk so every morning I would go out & explore on my own.</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3024/1[email protected]" width="3024" height="4032" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3024/1[email protected]" width="3024" height="4032" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3024/1[email protected]" width="3024" height="4032" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3024/1[email protected]" width="3024" height="4032" loading="lazy" /> <p>My favorite afternoon activity was to go to a nearby bakery and have a granita & brioche- this you can only find in Sicily. At first I thought this was just Italian ice, BUT, it is so much more. Italian ice is very icey (so technical with my description), where granita is creamy (although it is made with only water). The most common flavors are lemon and almond, however I’ve fallen for pistachio and I’m never looking back. It is so creamy & delish. I confirmed with the people who make it that it is just the nuts, water, and a bit of sugar. I have also convinced myself that since its basically nuts & water, it’s a health food… and have had one every day. In the summer locals typically eat this for breakfast, so it has to be healthy- right?</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/3024/1[email protected]" width="3024" height="4032" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4032/1[email protected]" width="4032" height="3024" loading="lazy" /> <p>Other than my granita, I really enjoyed going to the market and seeing all the different vendors and, of course, the food they are selling. The prices here are significantly cheaper than the US, and even the main land, and it’s astonishing to me how people can eat fresh fruits & vegetables so economically. It’s more expensive to buy the frozen foods, or the pre made stuff, which is the opposite in the US. Overall, this encourages everyone to eat healthier & eat locally. I ended up buying groceries to cook at home for my stay in Catania, which was nice. I bought ingredients that locals would buy, like ricotta from a deli that specializes in cheeses, purple cauliflower, and sardines. I tried my best to cook like a local too, which I enjoyed. Since the markets were so amazing, I actually preferred to stay in and cook while in Catania, vs. going out. However, there is an aperitivo (Italian happy hour) place that is a must. The place is called Vermut, and like their name, they specialize in vermouth cocktails. However, you don’t go for the cocktails, you go for the charcuterie. They serve the meats and cheeses alla cart by the gram, like a deli, so you can try a bunch of different cheeses and meats (our favorite was the pistachio sausage), along with bruchettas, oiled vegetables, and baked potatoes with different toppings. Honestly if you are going to experience one place in Catania, it should be here, it’s so amazing.</p> <p>When Vermut first opened it was on a street that was basically abandoned, and now so many restaurants and bars have opened around it that the residents that live upstairs are protesting, since it gets so loud at night. Andrew and I found that interesting, since in the US the new livelihood of the neighbor would make the real estate go up, the owners would most likely sell, make a bunch of money, and move somewhere else. Nope, not in Italy, they are angry that bars opened near their home and refuse to move- it’s funny how different the cultural perspectives can be.</p> <p>Anyway, back to Ruken and I’s visit. We walked around all of the markets, visited Mount Etna, which is a volcano nearby, as well as Taormina. Since this post is getting a tad long I’m going to make Catania 2.0 to chat about these experiences.</p> <p>A dopo!</p> </section>	Catania (food edition) Being in Catania was the first time Andrew and I had been apart in 2 months. It was a strange feeling to be together 24/7, and then to be alone for a few days. As someone who has always been very independent it was strange to feel “alone” when I first arrived. However, it was just a few days until my friend, Ruken, came to visit. Before Ruken came to visit, I explored the city solo. I went to the markets (which are amazing in Catania), went on a walking tour, some random bus tour, as well as a Banksy x Warhol art exhibit. I love to walk so every morning I would go out & explore on my own. My favorite afternoon activity was to go to a nearby bakery and have a granita & brioche- this you can only find in Sicily. At first I thought this was just Italian ice, BUT, it is so much more. Italian ice is very icey (so technical with my description), where granita is creamy (although it is made with only water). The most common flavors are lemon and almond, however I’ve fallen for pistachio and I’m never looking back. It is so creamy & delish. I confirmed with the people who make it that it is just the nuts, water, and a bit of sugar. I have also convinced myself that since its basically nuts & water, it’s a health food… and have had one every day. In the summer locals typically eat this for breakfast, so it has to be healthy- right? Other than my granita, I really enjoyed going to the market and seeing all the different vendors and, of course, the food they are selling. The prices here are significantly cheaper than the US, and even the main land, and it’s astonishing to me how people can eat fresh fruits & vegetables so economically. It’s more expensive to buy the frozen foods, or the pre made stuff, which is the opposite in the US. Overall, this encourages everyone to eat healthier & eat locally. I ended up buying groceries to cook at home for my stay in Catania, which was nice. I bought ingredients that locals would buy, like ricotta from a deli that specializes in cheeses, purple cauliflower, and sardines. I tried my best to cook like a local too, which I enjoyed. Since the markets were so amazing, I actually preferred to stay in and cook while in Catania, vs. going out. However, there is an aperitivo (Italian happy hour) place that is a must. The place is called Vermut, and like their name, they specialize in vermouth cocktails. However, you don’t go for the cocktails, you go for the charcuterie. They serve the meats and cheeses alla cart by the gram, like a deli, so you can try a bunch of different cheeses and meats (our favorite was the pistachio sausage), along with bruchettas, oiled vegetables, and baked potatoes with different toppings. Honestly if you are going to experience one place in Catania, it should be here, it’s so amazing. When Vermut first opened it was on a street that was basically abandoned, and now so many restaurants and bars have opened around it that the residents that live upstairs are protesting, since it gets so loud at night. Andrew and I found that interesting, since in the US the new livelihood of the neighbor would make the real estate go up, the owners would most likely sell, make a bunch of money, and move somewhere else. Nope, not in Italy, they are angry that bars opened near their home and refuse to move- it’s funny how different the cultural perspectives can be. Anyway, back to Ruken and I’s visit. We walked around all of the markets, visited Mount Etna, which is a volcano nearby, as well as Taormina. Since this post is getting a tad long I’m going to make Catania 2.0 to chat about these experiences. A dopo!	1ba54711-dd06-5d97-8186-dc903c04489a	25/08/2025 18:01:55
https://medium.com/@centralparkpaws/war-crime-b76b720ec1d	medium.com	War Crime	null	Central Park Paws	https://medium.com/@centralparkpaws	b76b720ec1d	https://miro.medium.com/…6jGNM1FUVE_6.jpg	1 min	2016-04-21T18:29:09.598000	2016-04-21T18:29:10.535000	2016-04-24T01:58:02.083000	0	3	en	Pets,Dogs,Cats	<section> <p><a href="http://www.dogshaming.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Exeter-with-book-2-637%C3%97849.jpg">http://www.dogshaming.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Exeter-with-book-2-637×849.jpg</a></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max//0hSy1d5s2nngoibk8.jpg" width="" height="" loading="lazy" /> <p>This book survived World War II, but not me.</p> <p>Via <a href="http://www.dogshaming.com/2016/04/war-crime/">http://www.dogshaming.com/2016/04/war-crime/</a></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max//05VMrPaIr5KX2JRUJ." width="" height="" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max//0*c3rbS0YVYEeGcgRU." width="" height="" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>Originally published on <a href="</em>https://aboutcentralparkpaws.wordpress.com/2016/04/21/war-crime/">Wordpress</a></p> </section>	http://www.dogshaming.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Exeter-with-book-2-637×849.jpg This book survived World War II, but not me. Via http://www.dogshaming.com/2016/04/war-crime/ Originally published on Wordpress	d1f4c7e7-f351-56b0-80b5-0a2fa75c58d4	25/08/2025 18:01:56
https://medium.com/@naziihasyahlaa/almost-is-never-enough-youre-in-love-but-not-with-me-de58025c04a5	medium.com	“almost is never enough; you’re in love but not with me.”	null	butterlove.jpg	https://medium.com/@naziihasyahlaa	de58025c04a5	https://miro.medium.com/…gCYSpOHBiEw.jpeg	1 min	2024-08-23T12:28:44.849000	2024-09-02T12:16:57.389000	2024-11-17T07:54:31.325000	0	0	en	This Happened To Me,Writing,Poetry,Life,Relationships	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/735/1*6zYlHY7l0ekgCYSpOHBiEw.jpeg" width="735" height="528" loading="lazy" /> <p>At first, I didn’t really notice you. I was there, close to you, but you were just another face, a name I didn’t know. But you kept trying—almost effortlessly—to make me see you. And eventually, I did. Our eyes always seemed to find each other at school, sparkling with what felt like happiness.</p> <p>You always looked my way, always threw those playful jabs, as if trying to keep something—some connection—between us. And then, damn, I fell for you. But you didn’t.</p> <p>Suddenly, you changed, almost overnight. We became strangers, even though we knew each other so well. You stopped looking at me; your laughter no longer echoed with mine.</p> <p>I realized I was nothing to you, despite all those late-night conversations, I was nothing.</p> <p>At first, I thought I was just imagining it, so I tried to move on, tried to act like everything was normal. But then, you gave me hope again, making me believe I could be the one you dreamed of. But I was wrong—still not the one.</p> <p>Everything you did, it was out of boredom, out of curiosity. You were never serious about me, about us.</p> <p>while I was nothing to you, you were everything to me. I talked about you to my friends, while I was just a fleeting thought to you, a curiosity to pass the time.</p> <p>— And now, we act like strangers who never met, who never knew each other; Even though we share stories that speak volumes in the silence.</p> </section>	“We were almost something, almost real, but ‘almost’ never counts when it comes to the heart.” we almost had something real, but it was never quite enough. At first, I didn’t really notice you. I was there, close to you, but you were just another face, a name I didn’t know. But you kept trying—almost effortlessly—to make me see you. And eventually, I did. Our eyes always seemed to find each other at school, sparkling with what felt like happiness. You always looked my way, always threw those playful jabs, as if trying to keep something—some connection—between us. And then, damn, I fell for you. But you didn’t. Suddenly, you changed, almost overnight. We became strangers, even though we knew each other so well. You stopped looking at me; your laughter no longer echoed with mine. I realized I was nothing to you, despite all those late-night conversations, I was nothing. At first, I thought I was just imagining it, so I tried to move on, tried to act like everything was normal. But then, you gave me hope again, making me believe I could be the one you dreamed of. But I was wrong—still not the one. Everything you did, it was out of boredom, out of curiosity. You were never serious about me, about us. while I was nothing to you, you were everything to me. I talked about you to my friends, while I was just a fleeting thought to you, a curiosity to pass the time. — And now, we act like strangers who never met, who never knew each other; Even though we share stories that speak volumes in the silence.	9440c697-a095-5fbb-9cf9-b3f0c912f845	25/08/2025 18:01:56
https://itsyourturnblog.com/research-shines-light-on-5-reasons-to-use-probiotics-in-your-diet-d87513978aff	medium.com	Research shines light on 5 reasons to use probiotics in your diet	And some might surprise you	Lana Camiel	https://medium.com/@lanacamiel	d87513978aff	https://miro.medium.com/…V6cEJJBANsQ.jpeg	3 min	2017-06-26T15:04:03.511000	2017-07-09T17:57:04.245000	2018-05-01T21:41:10.125000	1	17	en	Health,Wellness,Food,Probiotics,Research	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1400/1*HuD7-hvlRKkV6cEJJBANsQ.jpeg" width="1400" height="700" loading="lazy" /> <p>When I was a kid I used to get a lot of colds and ear infections. As you can imagine I was prescribed antibiotics as a treatment pretty often.</p> <p>I still remember how hesitant my mom was each time about giving me these medications. A great respect (or fear) for this group of drugs was deeply planted into my mind.</p> <p>Only later, after becoming an adult and starting to learn about the importance of microbiome (all those friendly bacteria living in your belly), I clearly appreciated why too many courses of antibiotics aren’t good for you.</p> <h3>The importance of your microbiome</h3> <p>Your gut is a home of trillions of microbes. Combined, all the bacteria can weigh up to 3 pounds.</p> <p>You develop a very strong relationship with your microbiome. You feed the bacteria and in response they produce many protective functions for your body.</p> <p>In the past several decades there has been an explosion of discoveries explaining just how truly symbiotic your existence is with all that bacteria in your gut.</p> <p>When you are born with a sterile gut, initially you get a lot of microbes from your mom (through her birth canal and later every time you’re breastfeeding).</p> <p>Imagine how these new colonies form and bloom like flowers in desert eventually taking over your gut.</p> <p>Each time a baby gets a course of antibiotics all those lovely colonies are killed off and the whole entire process needs to begin again. Depending on the reference, a single course of antibiotics can set you back as much as 10 months when you’re young.</p> <p>When you were a baby you started primarily with Bifidobacteria in your gut. Some of the species include bifidum and lactis.</p> <p>As you grow up (and specifically when you lose your baby teeth), your gut flora switches to mostly Lactobacillus species.</p> <p>Some of the examples of Lactobacillus that you can find studied or sold include acidophilus, casei, GG, rhamnosus, reuteri, johnsonii, plantarum, salivarius and other.</p> <h3>So what are some of the specific reasons why your microbiome is so important?</h3> <p>These are five areas with the most established research about probiotics:</p> <h3><strong>1. Digestive health</strong></h3> <p>There is quite a bit of research looking at the use of probiotics for <strong>traveler’s diarrhea</strong> and <strong>rotaviral diarrhea</strong> in kids. In most of these reports, patients recovered faster and had less severe symptoms.</p> <p>When taken with <strong>antibiotics</strong> and <strong>chemotherapy</strong>, the use of probiotics decreased the risk of diarrhea and discomfort. Also, patients undergoing chemotherapy who received probiotics lozenges seem to have fewer instances of <strong>inflammation of the mouth</strong> (oral mucositis.)</p> <p>Even though the findings aren’t always consistent, it appears that taking probiotics is beneficial to patients with <strong>Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome</strong> and <strong>Ulcerative colitis</strong>.</p> <p>Patients who suffer from ulcers caused by bacteria called <strong>Helicobacter pylori</strong> seem to have better chance of getting rid off this infection when they take probiotics.</p> <p>Some research (although not consistent) suggests that babies with <strong>colic</strong> that get probiotics seem to cry less.</p> <h3><strong>2. Immune health</strong></h3> <p>Researchers discovered that taking probiotics helps to prevent or decrease symptoms for patients with <strong>eczema</strong> and <strong>allergies</strong>.</p> <p>Additionally, pregnant women who take probiotics seem to have babies with fewer allergies.</p> <p>At last, toddlers that go to daycare have <strong>fewer colds</strong> when they drink milk with probiotics.</p> <h3><strong>3. Women’s health</strong></h3> <p>Even though there is some controversy, women who use vaginal suppositories with probiotics get better quicker and might have <strong>bacterial vaginal infections</strong> less frequently than those who do not use this treatment.</p> <h3><strong>4. Heart health</strong></h3> <p>Patients who eat probiotics rich foods or take capsules appear to have better <strong>total cholesterol </strong>and <strong>lower LDL (bad) cholesterol</strong>.</p> <h3><strong>5. Joint Health</strong></h3> <p>Patients suffering from <strong>rheumatoid arthritis</strong> who take probiotics have fewer swollen joints and fewer symptoms of discomfort.</p> <p>There are a lot of recent fascinating findings related to microbiome and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27375553">diabetes</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27255389">obesity</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27413138">nervous system</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27274912">neurological disorders</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27287940">mental health in teens</a>, and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27319972">behavior</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27350881">autoimmune and inflammatory conditions</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27350830">colorectal cancer</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27317164">bone health</a> and so much more.</p> <p>If you are looking for an interesting book about the importance of microbiome for your brain health, here is a good one by Dr. David Pearlmutter to add to your reading list <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Brain-Maker-Power-Microbes-Protect/dp/0316380105/ref=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=lanacamielblog-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=6911297927b97a387a4cd6c4b08fd5ab&creativeASIN=0316380105">Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain — For Life</a>.</p> <p>Next time, I’d like to share with you some good dietary sources of probiotics and prebiotics.</p> <p><em>Originally published at <a href="http://www</em>.lanacamiel.com/research-reasons-probiotics/">www.lanacamiel.com</a>.</p> <h3>Found this post useful? Kindly tap the 💚 button below! :)</h3> <h3>About the Author</h3> <p>I am a college professor, pharmacist and herbalist, teaching young professionals and students how to have less stress and more focus on the right food and herbs.</p> <p>Are you tired of being tired? Check out <a href="http://www.lanacamiel.com/ultimate-wellness-tips/">my list with 7 simple wellness tips</a> to make your life more focused, vibrant and healthy.</p> </section>	Research shines light on 5 reasons to use probiotics in your diet Image courtesy of Pixabay/Fotocitizen When I was a kid I used to get a lot of colds and ear infections. As you can imagine I was prescribed antibiotics as a treatment pretty often. I still remember how hesitant my mom was each time about giving me these medications. A great respect (or fear) for this group of drugs was deeply planted into my mind. Only later, after becoming an adult and starting to learn about the importance of microbiome (all those friendly bacteria living in your belly), I clearly appreciated why too many courses of antibiotics aren’t good for you. The importance of your microbiome Your gut is a home of trillions of microbes. Combined, all the bacteria can weigh up to 3 pounds. You develop a very strong relationship with your microbiome. You feed the bacteria and in response they produce many protective functions for your body. In the past several decades there has been an explosion of discoveries explaining just how truly symbiotic your existence is with all that bacteria in your gut. When you are born with a sterile gut, initially you get a lot of microbes from your mom (through her birth canal and later every time you’re breastfeeding). Imagine how these new colonies form and bloom like flowers in desert eventually taking over your gut. Each time a baby gets a course of antibiotics all those lovely colonies are killed off and the whole entire process needs to begin again. Depending on the reference, a single course of antibiotics can set you back as much as 10 months when you’re young. When you were a baby you started primarily with Bifidobacteria in your gut. Some of the species include bifidum and lactis. As you grow up (and specifically when you lose your baby teeth), your gut flora switches to mostly Lactobacillus species. Some of the examples of Lactobacillus that you can find studied or sold include acidophilus, casei, GG, rhamnosus, reuteri, johnsonii, plantarum, salivarius and other. So what are some of the specific reasons why your microbiome is so important? These are five areas with the most established research about probiotics: 1. Digestive health There is quite a bit of research looking at the use of probiotics for traveler’s diarrhea and rotaviral diarrhea in kids. In most of these reports, patients recovered faster and had less severe symptoms. When taken with antibiotics and chemotherapy, the use of probiotics decreased the risk of diarrhea and discomfort. Also, patients undergoing chemotherapy who received probiotics lozenges seem to have fewer instances of inflammation of the mouth (oral mucositis.) Even though the findings aren’t always consistent, it appears that taking probiotics is beneficial to patients with Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome and Ulcerative colitis. Patients who suffer from ulcers caused by bacteria called Helicobacter pylori seem to have better chance of getting rid off this infection when they take probiotics. Some research (although not consistent) suggests that babies with colic that get probiotics seem to cry less. 2. Immune health Researchers discovered that taking probiotics helps to prevent or decrease symptoms for patients with eczema and allergies. Additionally, pregnant women who take probiotics seem to have babies with fewer allergies. At last, toddlers that go to daycare have fewer colds when they drink milk with probiotics. 3. Women’s health Even though there is some controversy, women who use vaginal suppositories with probiotics get better quicker and might have bacterial vaginal infections less frequently than those who do not use this treatment. 4. Heart health Patients who eat probiotics rich foods or take capsules appear to have better total cholesterol and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. 5. Joint Health Patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis who take probiotics have fewer swollen joints and fewer symptoms of discomfort. There are a lot of recent fascinating findings related to microbiome and diabetes, obesity, nervous system and neurological disorders, mental health in teens, and behavior, autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, colorectal cancer, bone health and so much more. If you are looking for an interesting book about the importance of microbiome for your brain health, here is a good one by Dr. David Pearlmutter to add to your reading list Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain — For Life. Next time, I’d like to share with you some good dietary sources of probiotics and prebiotics. Originally published at www.lanacamiel.com. Found this post useful? Kindly tap the 💚 button below! :) About the Author I am a college professor, pharmacist and herbalist, teaching young professionals and students how to have less stress and more focus on the right food and herbs. Are you tired of being tired? Check out my list with 7 simple wellness tips to make your life more focused, vibrant and healthy.	98a8d2bc-010e-5c80-b306-cb2324e06d60	25/08/2025 18:01:56
https://medium.com/@evisionindia/cctv-camera-service-in-nehru-place-984ff618e003	medium.com	cctv camera service in nehru place	MODERN CCTV CAMERA USE FOR SECURITY BECAUSE IN WHICH USE GLASS IS CLEAR AND CAMERA ARE HD VIDEO RECORDER.These cameras do not require a…	evision india	https://medium.com/@evisionindia	984ff618e003	null	1 min	2017-11-21T11:57:22.425000	2017-11-21T12:03:05.233000	2017-11-21T12:03:05.994000	0	0	en	Virtual Reality,Camera Use Security	<section> <p>MODERN CCTV CAMERA USE FOR SECURITY BECAUSE IN WHICH USE GLASS IS CLEAR AND CAMERA ARE HD VIDEO RECORDER.These cameras do not require a video capture card because they work using a digital signal which can be saved directly to a computer.The most common use of CCTV is in security camera systems.In hotels, stadiums, and convention centers, CCTV is often used in private television networks, broadcasting sporting events or special events throughout their facilities.for more visit:-<a href="http://www.evisionindia.com/">http://www.evisionindia.com/</a> call@ 9278784444</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/200/1*6gm3iGe37p_D3KAegQ1eSA.jpeg" width="200" height="120" loading="lazy" /> <p>EV IPSP682 CAMERA ARE BEST HD-CAMERA RECORDER.</p> <p></p> </section>	cctv camera service in nehru place MODERN CCTV CAMERA USE FOR SECURITY BECAUSE IN WHICH USE GLASS IS CLEAR AND CAMERA ARE HD VIDEO RECORDER.These cameras do not require a video capture card because they work using a digital signal which can be saved directly to a computer.The most common use of CCTV is in security camera systems.In hotels, stadiums, and convention centers, CCTV is often used in private television networks, broadcasting sporting events or special events throughout their facilities.for more visit:-http://www.evisionindia.com/ call@ 9278784444 EV IPSP682 CAMERA ARE BEST HD-CAMERA RECORDER.	2185a4d7-aa5a-55d5-8455-37b9826a5b4a	25/08/2025 18:01:56
https://medium.com/@JesseDEngland/final-sd-card-manufactured-b195532df9dc	medium.com	Final SD card manufactured	July 20, 2045	Jesse D. England	https://medium.com/@JesseDEngland	b195532df9dc	https://miro.medium.com/…SmnjY1h-jPRg.png	2 min	2016-06-01T07:21:11.218000	2016-06-01T14:11:01.557000	2017-10-29T22:21:57.227000	0	35	en	Photography,Tech,Speculative Fiction	<section> <h1>Final SD card manufactured</h1> <h3><strong>July 20, 2045</strong></h3> <p>SHENZHEN- The final Secure Digital (SD) memory card made by a major electronics manufacturer rolled off the assembly line today, putting an official end to not only the medium’s 47 year history as a storage device for digital content, but also leaving a small number of photographers, sound recordists and other content generators in a lurch as they scramble to stockpile remaining cards for non-cloud-based storage.</p> <p>The final card, a 512TB model by DataBlast, represented the last capacity increase offered since 2036 when Kingston and PNY-Monsanto abandoned their portable flash memory line. Both refocused on high capacity protein memory server banks, a technology uneconomical to adapt to the SD form factor.</p> <p>Since the near-total completion of global, universal internet coverage over ten years ago, localized flash-based storage has become less important in the face of instant cloud-based backup on globally available servers. Additionally, the lack of instant monetization for offline device content is thought to have hastened the shift to online-only storage.</p> <p>“No one buys memory cards anymore,” said Lawrence Rodriguez, owner of Wearable/Connect, a downtown electronics shop in Seattle. “Occasionally I’ll get someone in here that’s bought a camera at Goodwill or found a VR recorder in their grandparent’s basement, but most choose a Sat-Fi card instead of a memory one.”</p> <p>Various hobbyists have published plans to create new flash memory devices from larger memory bricks meant for server use, but the complicated process and high price leaves it out of reach of most offline memory enthusiasts.</p> <p>At least one local media boutique offers new SD cards marketed to creators seeking a retro photography experience. Elaine Rogert, proprietor of PreCloud Technology in Bellevue, Washington, will continue to manufacture new SD cards in small batches, but at double the price of major suppliers. Although they have a smaller capacity at 16TB, it’s more than enough for users still shooting on vintage, lo-fi DSLRs.</p> <p>“Our biggest customers are artists wanting to experience non-autocuratorial photography without instant feedback,” Rogert said. “There’s just something special about pressing a button to take a single photo and getting to see it without an algorithm choosing the best moment, and without seeing instant ratings from other photocloud users. It’s a unique feeling to look at the back of your camera and know that you’re the only one with that data.”</p> </section>	Final SD card manufactured July 20, 2045 SHENZHEN- The final Secure Digital (SD) memory card made by a major electronics manufacturer rolled off the assembly line today, putting an official end to not only the medium’s 47 year history as a storage device for digital content, but also leaving a small number of photographers, sound recordists and other content generators in a lurch as they scramble to stockpile remaining cards for non-cloud-based storage. The final card, a 512TB model by DataBlast, represented the last capacity increase offered since 2036 when Kingston and PNY-Monsanto abandoned their portable flash memory line. Both refocused on high capacity protein memory server banks, a technology uneconomical to adapt to the SD form factor. Since the near-total completion of global, universal internet coverage over ten years ago, localized flash-based storage has become less important in the face of instant cloud-based backup on globally available servers. Additionally, the lack of instant monetization for offline device content is thought to have hastened the shift to online-only storage. “No one buys memory cards anymore,” said Lawrence Rodriguez, owner of Wearable/Connect, a downtown electronics shop in Seattle. “Occasionally I’ll get someone in here that’s bought a camera at Goodwill or found a VR recorder in their grandparent’s basement, but most choose a Sat-Fi card instead of a memory one.” Various hobbyists have published plans to create new flash memory devices from larger memory bricks meant for server use, but the complicated process and high price leaves it out of reach of most offline memory enthusiasts. At least one local media boutique offers new SD cards marketed to creators seeking a retro photography experience. Elaine Rogert, proprietor of PreCloud Technology in Bellevue, Washington, will continue to manufacture new SD cards in small batches, but at double the price of major suppliers. Although they have a smaller capacity at 16TB, it’s more than enough for users still shooting on vintage, lo-fi DSLRs. “Our biggest customers are artists wanting to experience non-autocuratorial photography without instant feedback,” Rogert said. “There’s just something special about pressing a button to take a single photo and getting to see it without an algorithm choosing the best moment, and without seeing instant ratings from other photocloud users. It’s a unique feeling to look at the back of your camera and know that you’re the only one with that data.”	fcd29c44-09e3-573f-ae99-dbb122e2b1fb	25/08/2025 18:01:57
https://sheliahuggins.medium.com/why-granola-is-the-enemy-4d58cb256538	medium.com	Why Granola is the Enemy	We’re not even frenemies.	Shelia Huggins	https://medium.com/@sheliahuggins	4d58cb256538	https://miro.medium.com/…C01DfR1vwJQ.jpeg	2 min	2018-01-08T16:25:14.241000	2018-01-12T22:34:31.695000	2018-06-11T23:30:57.601000	0	1	en	Food,Health,Diabetes,Fitness,Body	<section> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1920/1*5zMRsM65FK8C01DfR1vwJQ.jpeg" width="1920" height="1081" loading="lazy" /> <p>“Granola is a breakfast food and snack food consisting of rolled oats, nuts, honey or other sweeteners such as brown sugar, and sometimes puffed rice, that is usually baked until it is crisp, toasted and golden brown…” says Wikepedia. I say it’s something even more insidious. Well, at least it is for me.</p> <p>No. It’s not as bad as cigarettes. However, for some of us, the biochemical consequences resulting from eating a single reasonable sized serving are…not that reasonable. I hunger for more and more and more.</p> <p><strong>French Vanilla Almond</strong></p> <p>Currently, that’s what I’m eating. On the outside of the box, it says “certified organic,” “non-gmo,” and “no artificial colors or flavors.” To be honest none of those things really matter to me. They probably should. It’s just that when I have to rank these things in terms of personal importance, they don’t rank as high as, for instance, sugar. Especially when you have a family history that includes diabetes.</p> <p>What does matter is the 42 grams of carbs, of which 13 grams are classified as “sugars.” There are 7 grams of total fat, and 8% of my daily supply of iron, which is a good thing. All those carbs, that crunchy goodness dumped on top of some greek yogurt (Chobani…yogurt of choice right now, vanilla), and this is looking less like a breakfast meal and more like a snack. Oh, and it’s more like having a little yogurt with my granola. Yeah…that’s why weren’t not friends anymore.</p> <p><strong>It’s a Snack.</strong></p> <p>So, really, I just need to understand that this is a snack, and I should treat it as such. I’m pretty sure it’s been tested over and over again to make certain that it provides as much memorable pleasure to the palate as can be provided given all the badges shown on the front of the box. And besides, it makes me bloated, and well, you can figure out the rest of that one with me having to be totally explicit.</p> <p>In any case, I just need to find another convenience food. You see, I don’t really cook much anymore. ’Cause there’s cleaning up, deciding what to cook, and checking whether I got everything. So I’m trying to remember what I used to “snack” on before the vanilla almond granola got a hold of me.</p> <p>This: a crustless quiche with a mix of eggs, egg whites, chicken, broccoli, and maybe mushrooms, if they’re around. pretty easy. dump in a small casserole dish. throw in toaster oven. breakfast.</p> <p>This: beef jerky. travels well. nothing to clean up. anytime.</p> <p>This: oranges and grapes, which are out of season and hard to find right now. oranges are in. need to make them my friends again. little to clean up. anytime.</p> <p><em>Note: I’m a work in progress. As I wrote this article, I snacked on beef jerky. It’s 2:38 pm.</em></p> <p><em>IG@sheliafit</em></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWcqKgLKAS4R6DRj4UFiLgg">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWcqKgLKAS4R6DRj4UFiLgg</a></p> </section>	Why Granola is The Enemy “Granola is a breakfast food and snack food consisting of rolled oats, nuts, honey or other sweeteners such as brown sugar, and sometimes puffed rice, that is usually baked until it is crisp, toasted and golden brown…” says Wikepedia. I say it’s something even more insidious. Well, at least it is for me. No. It’s not as bad as cigarettes. However, for some of us, the biochemical consequences resulting from eating a single reasonable sized serving are…not that reasonable. I hunger for more and more and more. French Vanilla Almond Currently, that’s what I’m eating. On the outside of the box, it says “certified organic,” “non-gmo,” and “no artificial colors or flavors.” To be honest none of those things really matter to me. They probably should. It’s just that when I have to rank these things in terms of personal importance, they don’t rank as high as, for instance, sugar. Especially when you have a family history that includes diabetes. What does matter is the 42 grams of carbs, of which 13 grams are classified as “sugars.” There are 7 grams of total fat, and 8% of my daily supply of iron, which is a good thing. All those carbs, that crunchy goodness dumped on top of some greek yogurt (Chobani…yogurt of choice right now, vanilla), and this is looking less like a breakfast meal and more like a snack. Oh, and it’s more like having a little yogurt with my granola. Yeah…that’s why weren’t not friends anymore. It’s a Snack. So, really, I just need to understand that this is a snack, and I should treat it as such. I’m pretty sure it’s been tested over and over again to make certain that it provides as much memorable pleasure to the palate as can be provided given all the badges shown on the front of the box. And besides, it makes me bloated, and well, you can figure out the rest of that one with me having to be totally explicit. In any case, I just need to find another convenience food. You see, I don’t really cook much anymore. ’Cause there’s cleaning up, deciding what to cook, and checking whether I got everything. So I’m trying to remember what I used to “snack” on before the vanilla almond granola got a hold of me. This: a crustless quiche with a mix of eggs, egg whites, chicken, broccoli, and maybe mushrooms, if they’re around. pretty easy. dump in a small casserole dish. throw in toaster oven. breakfast. This: beef jerky. travels well. nothing to clean up. anytime. This: oranges and grapes, which are out of season and hard to find right now. oranges are in. need to make them my friends again. little to clean up. anytime. Note: I’m a work in progress. As I wrote this article, I snacked on beef jerky. It’s 2:38 pm. IG@sheliafit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWcqKgLKAS4R6DRj4UFiLgg	b348cdbd-1faa-56f2-a550-1154d42432e6	25/08/2025 18:01:57
https://medium.com/promptly-written/fog-bathing-f76e808f092f	medium.com	Fog Bathing	An Essay	Joanne Olivieri	https://medium.com/@jodapoet	f76e808f092f	https://miro.medium.com/…gVID15DfMSg.jpeg	1 min	2022-04-04T16:29:39.643000	2022-04-04T16:45:53.221000	2022-05-09T15:34:13.304000	2	225	en	Essay,Photography,Writing,Prompt Response,Beach	<section> <h3>An Essay</h3> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1586/1kPQekBpeDqogVID15DfMSg.jpeg" width="1586" height="1380" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1600/1Pn5NSyLbQxkKa1jLS0vPgw.jpeg" width="1600" height="1200" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1600/1y4aD-M4hVh73UvGqoNmNhg.jpeg" width="1600" height="1319" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1600/1yR-wIdF9WSs3Eqjw9zjPsw.jpeg" width="1600" height="1200" loading="lazy" /> <p>Rockaway Beach is located in Pacifica, California just a few miles south of San Francisco. It is a charming and quaint spot for visitors to the area. The beach is spectacular even on foggy and misty days like what is shown in these photos. For me, the fog adds an element to the scenes which just enhances the overall beauty. Enjoy the photos.</p> <p>Thank you to <a href="">Christine Graves</a> for your word a day prompt and <a href="">Ravyne Hawke</a> for all you do.</p> <p><strong><a href="htt</strong>ps://link.medium.com/maAf7d0iSob">A Word-A-Day <em>Your daily word prompts for April Happy April, my beautiful babies. Aw, April. That beautiful time of year when life…</em>link.m</a>edium.com</p> <p>Visit my publications Artique and Delicious Delights.</p> <p><strong><a href="https://jodapoet.medi</strong>um.com/list/660d4d3f5064">Artique and Delicious Delights <em>New Artist and Food Publications</em>jodapoet.m</a>edium.com</p> <p>My Sammers The Cockatiel Stories.</p> <p><strong><a href</strong>="https://jodapoet.medium.com/list/3fbcf826b0eb">Sammers <em>My Cockatiel</em>jodapoet.m</a>edium.com</p> <p>If you enjoy my work consider buying me a coffee.</p> <p><a href="https://ko-fi.com/jodapoet">https://ko-fi.com/jodapoet</a></p> <p>Thank you for reading.</p> </section>	Fog Bathing An Essay Photo by Author Joanne Olivieri Photo by Author Joanne Olivieri Photo by Author Joanne Olivieri Photo by Author Joanne Olivieri Rockaway Beach is located in Pacifica, California just a few miles south of San Francisco. It is a charming and quaint spot for visitors to the area. The beach is spectacular even on foggy and misty days like what is shown in these photos. For me, the fog adds an element to the scenes which just enhances the overall beauty. Enjoy the photos. Thank you to Christine Graves for your word a day prompt and Ravyne Hawke for all you do. A Word-A-Day Your daily word prompts for April Happy April, my beautiful babies. Aw, April. That beautiful time of year when life…link.medium.com Visit my publications Artique and Delicious Delights. Artique and Delicious Delights New Artist and Food Publicationsjodapoet.medium.com My Sammers The Cockatiel Stories. Sammers My Cockatieljodapoet.medium.com If you enjoy my work consider buying me a coffee. https://ko-fi.com/jodapoet Thank you for reading.	0ce88221-927a-5a24-9bff-43f80ab7e412	25/08/2025 18:01:57
https://medium.com/mustard-seed-sentinel/i-trust-him-9bc43a53f561	medium.com	I Trust Him!	Do you?	Elizabeth Oluwatosin	https://medium.com/@betty123	9bc43a53f561	https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/0*k2ZZx2VmlSQ0JXYD	1 min	2023-10-02T19:45:15.478000	2023-10-02T21:44:49.785000	2023-10-02T21:44:52.278000	2	107	en	Christianity,Trust,Guidance,Christian Living,Spirituality	<section> <p>Do you?</p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/4901/0*k2ZZx2VmlSQ0JXYD" width="4901" height="2753" loading="lazy" /> <p>When God called upon Abraham and directed him to leave his familiar surroundings for an undisclosed destination, Abraham displayed unwavering faith. He didn’t question God’s command; instead, he faithfully followed and obeyed.</p> <p>God’s instructions became Abraham’s guiding light, and God’s presence was a constant companion throughout his journey. This story teaches us the importance of trusting in the Word of God. It’s not mere text on a page; it holds the key to divine guidance.</p> <p>When we earnestly obey His guidance in any aspect of our lives, we can rest assured that God will watch over us with loving care. He always keeps His promises, and He faithfully brings to completion what He initiates. All we need to do is place our trust in Him.</p> <p>‘I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.’ Psalm 32:8, (KJV)</p> </section>	I Trust Him! Do you? Photo by Tony Eight Media on Unsplash When God called upon Abraham and directed him to leave his familiar surroundings for an undisclosed destination, Abraham displayed unwavering faith. He didn’t question God’s command; instead, he faithfully followed and obeyed. God’s instructions became Abraham’s guiding light, and God’s presence was a constant companion throughout his journey. This story teaches us the importance of trusting in the Word of God. It’s not mere text on a page; it holds the key to divine guidance. When we earnestly obey His guidance in any aspect of our lives, we can rest assured that God will watch over us with loving care. He always keeps His promises, and He faithfully brings to completion what He initiates. All we need to do is place our trust in Him. ‘I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.’ Psalm 32:8, (KJV)	bbbba12c-9815-5957-a816-a3ac827e7e93	25/08/2025 18:01:57
https://medium.com/@hikeexperts/platform-twitter-com-widgets-js-from-twitter-https-twitter-com-thehikeexperts-94af19bf80ae	medium.com	//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js from Twitter https://twitter.com/thehikeexperts	March 16, 2017 at 02:31PM via thehikingguy.com	The Hiking Guy	https://medium.com/@hikeexperts	94af19bf80ae	null	1 min	2017-03-16T19:48:16.035000	2017-03-16T19:48:16.761000	2017-03-16T19:48:16.761000	0	0	en	Hiking	<section> <p></p> <p><a href="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js">//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js</a> from Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/thehikeexperts">https://twitter.com/thehikeexperts</a></p> <p>March 16, 2017 at 02:31PM via <a href="http://thehikingguy.com/">thehikingguy.com</a></p> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/112/0ACjLnVj8J8bKgSgP." width="112" height="16" loading="lazy" /> <img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/1/0h6P5ejcm6vYMMrOq." width="1" height="1" loading="lazy" /> <p><em>Originally published on <a href="</em>https://hikeexperts.wordpress.com/2017/03/16/picture-from-2016-camping-trip-to-pahalgam-kashmir-warming-up-on-a-cold-morning-camping-read-here-httpst-cogdrs9ri3hg/">Wordpress</a></p> </section>	//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js from Twitter https://twitter.com/thehikeexperts March 16, 2017 at 02:31PM via thehikingguy.com Originally published on Wordpress	3e8cd208-b1d6-5a27-9ce8-5c5a680d5430	25/08/2025 18:01:58

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