Villa d'Este Audioguide
"Villa d’Este Audioguide" app lets you easily experience Tivoli Villa D’Este, one of the nicest archeological sites in the Rome area and surroundings, driving you through its main cultural and historical features. The guide provides themed audio tours, offering information on several topics, ranging from history, art and architecture. Audio contents are enrichened by music and sound effects and they are also paired with planned routs, maps and pictures. The guide is also available in French, German, Italian and Spanish.


Mosaic Painting of Orange Spring Mound
Creative Camera Technique creates a mosaic painting of Orange Spring Mound, Yellowstone National Park..Bacteria and algae create the streaks of color on Orange Spring Mound. It is noticeably different from many of the other terrace formations nearby. Its large mounded shape is the result of very slow water flow and mineral deposition.
Photo ID: 2456755-10743
Author: Roderick Bley
© outNbout - Roderick Bley
File state: Final
Photo size: 8.0 Mpixels (22.9 MB uncompressed) - 2448x3264 pixels (8.1x10.8 in / 20.7x27.6 cm at 300 ppi)
Photo keywords: abstract, Americas, concept, concepts, conceptual, design, geyser, golden color, national park, North America, Orange Spring Mound, painting, park, provincial park, state park, summer, United States, United States of America, USA, Wyoming, yellow, Yellowstone, Yellowstone National Park


Catch a bit of the Hollywood glamour by making your very own Marquee Sign. These signs are super popular, but buying one can get pretty pricey. The great thing about making your own is that you are not limited to what is sold in stores. Just take a few cardboard letters, some paint, and add a string of round lights for the ultimate room decoration. If you want to get fancy, grab a cardboard star, paint it gold, and add the lights to create an awesome twist on this favorite. Be creative!
- Hollow cardboard letters
- Utility knife (such as an X-Acto)
- Acrylic paint
- 1 (1″) sponge brush
- 1 strand round-bulbed string lights (this is enough to create a three-letter word, with about 10 lights per letter)
- 2 thumbtacks per letter (optional)
- Start by using your utility knife to cut the front of the cardboard letter off. Insert the knife tip into the side of the letter, as close to the front edge as you can without going over the edge to the front itself, and cut. Once the entire front of the letter is open, remove the inner lining from the cardboard letter.
- Next, apply a coat of paint to the inside of each letter. You may need to use two coats of paint to make sure your cardboard is all one color. Set aside to dry for about 1 hour. (See following photo.)
- Once the paint is dry, sketch out where you want your lights to go by using your pencil to make a circle on the back of the letter where each light will be placed. The circles should be about the size of the bulbs on your string of lights, and equally spaced apart. You will use about 10 lights per letter, so you should have 10 circles. Use your ruler to make sure the circles are evenly spaced. A good rule of thumb is to place them 4″ apart, though this may vary with the size of your letters and the number of lights you have. These circles will give you a rough idea of where each light will go.
- Repeat the previous steps for each additional letter you’ll use in your sign.
- Next, lay out your word painted side down with the letters in reverse order, so that it reads from right to left. Use your utility knife to create X-shaped cuts in the center of each circle you sketched on the cardboard. These holes should be big enough to fit the socket of the light through, but not so large that the bulb will fit through. (See following photo.)
- Remove the bulb from the first light and push the socket through the hole you made. Once the socket is through the hole, lift up the letter and screw the bulb back on from the front side to secure it. Unless the letter you are making is straight up and down, like an “L”, while looking at the backside of the letter, you want to start adding your lights at the bottom right of the first letter in the word, go up and around the letter, and end at the bottom left of each letter. This will make it easier when switching to the next letter, since you’re using the same strand of lights.
- Once the lights are fastened on each letter, your Marquee Sign is complete. If desired, use thumbtacks to hang it up on your wall near an electric outlet so you can plug it in.
MAKE IT PERSONAL!
To make this project a little easier, just use the Ping-Pong Ball Lights from Chapter 6. Simply wait until you poke the lights through the cardboard letters to attach the Ping-Pong balls to the bulbs.


The factory had never been quieter. It was the close of the day, and the machines had wound down to a gentle hum, as though they too sensed the poignant shift in the air. Santiago stood before the heart of the factory, his hand lightly resting on its metallic surface, the vibrations whispering the tales of a partnership that had transformed their world.
David was leaving. An overseas opportunity had come his way, a chance to shape the future of engineering on a global scale. It was an offer he couldn’t refuse. But it also meant bidding farewell to Santiago and the factory that had been his first home in the world of maintenance engineering.
Santiago knew this day would come. He had seen David’s eyes light up when he spoke of the advances in technology, the new horizons that awaited in far-off places. But knowing did not ease the ache. David was not just his protégé, but his friend, a guiding light that had illuminated the path to embracing the future.
As David approached, Santiago turned to him, his weathered face softened by affection and respect. “You’re destined for great things, David,” he said, his voice heavy with emotion. “You have a knack for understanding the heart of machines and people alike.”
David smiled, a hint of sadness in his eyes. “I learned from the best, Santiago. You taught me to listen, to understand the pulse of the machines, to respect the old ways while embracing the new. I’ll carry that with me wherever I go.”
They spent the remainder of the day reminiscing, revisiting the countless triumphs they’d shared, the trials they’d overcome, the symphony they’d conducted together in this mechanical wonderland. As the sun set, painting the factory in hues of gold and crimson, they stood in silence, each man lost in his own thoughts.
Finally, it was time to say goodbye. Santiago extended a hand to David, his grip strong and reassuring. “Promise me you’ll continue to bridge the gap between the old and the new,” Santiago said, his eyes meeting David’s. “Promise me you won’t forget the lessons of the past as you forge ahead into the future.”
David nodded, his throat tight. “I promise, Santiago. And I hope…I hope you’ll continue to embrace the new ways, too. There’s so much more out there, so many more melodies to add to our symphony.”
Their farewell was bittersweet, a melange of pride, sorrow, and gratitude. As David walked away, Santiago looked on, a sense of fulfillment washing over him. The factory, his lifelong companion, hummed softly, a comforting echo in the vast, empty space.
Santiago was alone again, but he was not the same man. He had changed, had learned to dance to a new rhythm. David had opened his eyes to the boundless potential of embracing change, and for that, he would always be grateful.
The final chapter in the story of the Old Maintenance Engineer was not an ending, but a new beginning. A reminder that no matter how set we are in our ways, there’s always room for growth, for learning, for new melodies. Santiago, the man who once resisted change, now stood as a testament to the power of adaptation, of friendship, and the beautiful harmony that could arise when the old and the new came together. It was the perfect ode to the symphony of change, a tune that would continue to resonate through the halls of the factory, echoing the legacy of an unlikely partnership that had redefined the essence of maintenance.


We know how important a quality bordered rug is to the finish of a room.
Our bordered rugs needs to complement the décor that you, as a home owner or interior designer, have perfected. We are delighted to work with professional interior designers and home owners. To ensure that the colour, design and fitting is faultless.
As all our bordered rugs and carpets are custom-made to your requirements. You can be rest assured that we are firmly in control of your order.
We work to your instructions and are happy to meet with you to measure your requirements on site. As well as providing a detailed no obligation quote for the work required. On acceptance of an order, we then put your bordered rugs into production to meet the delivery and fitting schedule agreed.
What’s more, with a choice of 2,500 rug colours to choose from. As well as the option to dye a carpet. It can be tailored to your exact specifications. Of course, we also have our wide selection of bordered rugs to choose from, which bring that all important wow factor to a room.
You can trust Colourmatched carpets to work with you on your designs to time, budget, quality and specifications.
If you are an interior designer and would like to find out more about how our exceptional carpets can work for you or to request a sample, please email email@example.com Alternatively, you can call us directly on 01282 844433 or 07833 114 229.


There is an irony to creation. I have found that the harder I work on something, the less ownership I have over it. The more I put into it, the less it is mine. So it is only with great humility that I can present you with our latest album, Another Year.
This music is lush, organic, optimistic, and unlike anything we’ve done before. It was made collaboratively, built around each individual’s unique sensibilities and bound together by our mutual respect. I love this album and the people who made it. This year has certainly taught me that the best thing about making art is that it’s a good excuse for friends to get together.
We had planned for a Fall release, and are sticking to that in the sense that physical copies are now available, but we are saving the digital/streaming release for when we can safely put on a live release show. You can sample the first third of the album below:
CD’s are pay what you want (+ $3 s/h) from now through the end of October. They include a CD, digipak, mp3s, and 9 individual lyric postcards. We accept Paypal or Venmo. Order by emailing us at firstname.lastname@example.org
Created by David Lindstrom: Josh Pfohl: Bass // Nina Nelson: Mallet Percussion, Vocals // Matt Nelson: Guitars, Oud, Vocals, Sand, Orchestrations, Visuals // Devin Tomczik: Drums, Percussion
Additional performances: Matt Dehnbostel: Violin, Viola // Sean Jacobson: Trumpet, Trombone
Recorded and Mixed by Matt Nelson at Greenspeak Studio. Additional Field Recordings captured onsite across Minnesota and Iceland. Mastered by Greg Reierson at Rareform Mastering
Dedicated to our parents and grandparents, children and grandchildren.
Thank you for listening and have a great Fall!


I believe in simple things, beautifully made.
Having studied fashion in a more traditional and technical way with a degree in pattern cutting, my focus is on the form, fit and functionality of each garment. I use complex pattern techniques to tailor well cut, stylish clothes that are immaculately detailed, unapologetically simple and comfortable to wear.
My clothes are made to order and made to last. I am passionate about sustainable fashion, using natural fabrics to create uniquely elegant, timeless pieces that will last you a lifetime.


For the last few years, I have been doing what I can to get into habit of sketching more often. And if you look at the photo above, you’ll see how many sketchbooks I’ve been able to fill up over this time. Before I really began sketching in earnest, I had a few sketchbooks (you can see the ones that were much further into the past), but they would only get opened every six months or so, and then only for a sketch or two.
I’m still not sketching on a daily basis, but I’ve been able to pull out a sketchbook for some doodling almost at least once a week. For the last two years, I have participated in the “Every Day in May” and Inktober challenges. They have been a great way to force myself to stick to some regular sketching. You can see the results from Every Day in May 2015 & 2016, and my Inktober sketches from 2016 up on Flickr.
When there aren’t any ongoing challenges, it is a bit harder to keep up with sketching, but it’s something that’s almost always on my mind. And even if it isn’t an every day habit, I do enjoy the practice very much - which I’ll probably get into more over the next few months. If you’d like to follow along, I’ve been using both my Flickr and Instagram accounts to upload my sketches and paintings.


Welcome to Dance Allegro Academy of Meridian, Idaho! We were founded in 2010 by R. Jessica Seymour and have been providing art and beauty to the treasure valley since 2010. Our mission is to provide dance classes to students with informative, fun and physically stimulating instruction while boosting self-confidence. To that end, Dance Allegro Academy is committed to providing a safe atmosphere where students can learn, broaden and expand their understanding and skills within dance. Feel free to explore our website or contact us for more information. Click Here for the Current Class Schedule!


What is required to book my date?
A non-refundable retainer fee and signed contract are required to book your event date. The remaining balance is by the date of your wedding. My calendar is always changing as I typically book up 9-12 months in advance of each wedding or event, so please contact me to check my current availability for your event date as soon as possible.
How many pictures are usually provided?
When I photograph an event, I never limit myself to the amount of images taken. I will take as many images necessary to capture the story of your wedding or event. For most weddings, I usually provide around 600-800 finished images. The total amount of images vary depending on the length of coverage and locations traveled.
Are your photos retouched?
All hi-res files (for both weddings and engagements) are finished and fully color-corrected and developed to my personal style and taste.
What is your turnaround time after the wedding?
1 week: A blog post highlighting my favorite images
3 weeks: Online gallery with fully edited photographs to share with family and friends
4 weeks: Custom DVD delivered to you
If I am creating a short film, that will be finished by the 4 week mark and delivered online and on DVD with your photographs
Do you have second photographers available?
Yes, my prices always include a second photographer. I realize the importance of having two photographers to cover multiple perspectives of the wedding day (e.g. bride getting ready and groom getting ready) in order to tell the most comprehensive story of each unique event.
Do you travel for weddings?
Absolutely! I love traveling and shooting weddings in different locations. I’ve shot weddings from the glacier carved valley of Yosemite to a small village deep in Mexico.
What kind of equipment do you use?
I shoot exclusively with professional Canon cameras and lenses and always carry backup equipment to prepare for any situation.


Morgan Howell is the pen name of Will Hubbell, sci-fi-writer and author of children’s books. He has been writing novels for years and one of them is the fantastic trilogy about Dar in „Queen of the Orcs“. (Photo: Copyright William H. Hubbell, next to him a picture of his new heroine Nartha-hak)
Thank you for taking the time for this interview.
I’ve just finished your great trilogy about Dar in „Queen of the Orcs“. In some ways it reminded me of Jean M. Auels saga about the Stone Age. The conflict between different cultures is very distinct in both novels. How did you come up with the series or what was first: characters or story?
The story began with a question: what if orcs were actually a noble race? If that was true, then I had to explain why humans regarded them as demons. My answer was inspired by American history. In the nineteenth century, Indians were commonly viewed as evil incarnate. That attitude helped eased the white man’s conscience as he stole Indian lands. The conflict between whites and Indians guided my writing when I wrote about the urkzimmuthi and the washavokis.
I created Dar to transform the reader’s vision of orcs as her attitudes evolve. She’s the heart of the story. As a woman living in a traditional society, she’s helpless in a man’s world. At first, orcs terrify her. But after she understands their culture, she’s empowered by her knowledge. I thoroughly enjoyed writing Dar’s complex interactions with Kovok-mah.
The Orcs in your story have their own culture and language. How much time did you spend with the development of all the details?
I immersed myself in orc culture. I tried to imagine every aspect of their lives, so I could understand how they would act in any given situation. Believing that people learn about others through observation, I avoided describing orc culture in favor of showing it in action.
One of the first things I did upon conceiving the story was to devise the grammar of the orcish language and begin a dictionary. Language reflects culture, so I put much thought into creating Pahmuthi. The word, which translates as „speech of mothers,“ demonstrates the language’s matriarchal roots. The abundant personal pronouns show gender’s importance. I had fun combining words to create new ones. For example, the alcoholic drink, falfhissi, combines „water“ and „laugh.“ I also paid much attention to how the language sounds when spoken.
How did you keep track of all the characters and rituals and words?
I kept a detailed notes on characters and cultural practices. As for the words, I own a copy of Professor Hubbell’s Traveler’s Guide to Orcish: A Grammar and Dictionary for Everyday Usage.
What and who was your inspiration to start writing?
I was an artist who wanted to create picture books, and to have complete control, I had to write them. Thus Maurice Sendak, Chris Van Allsburg, and Holling Clancy Holling—all writer/illustrators— first inspired me. When I started writing novels, J. R. R.Tolkein, Ursula K. LeGuin, John Cavell, and Elizabeth Marshall Thomas became inspirations.
How much of your experiences in the military go into your writing?
Being in the military convinced me that warfare is a chaotic and gruesome enterprise that rarely achieves its intended ends. I try to make my battles ugly. My characters are often sickened by what they do in combat.
On the a other hand, a good grasp of tactics is extremely useful for a fantasy writer. In my second trilogy, The Shadowed Path, I have a long passage where my hero conducts a successful one-man guerrilla campaign against thirty-nine armed and armored men.
How did you come up with your pen name?
Since my main character was a woman, I decided to use an androgynous name. In America, both men and woman are named Morgan. My favorite art teacher, a male, was Morgan. So was my favorite cat, a female. „Howells“ was my Grandmother’s maiden name. I dropped the „s,“ so it didn’t sound like „howls.“
You first wrote children’s stories. How and why did you switch to writing novels?
Actually, I continue to write both, although the novels have taken up most of my time recently. It can take years to break into the children’s market, so as my children aged, I wrote older books for them. My oldest son was a teenager and I was still unpublished when I wrote my first novel. It was about a centuries-long space voyage that was undertaken as an act of faith. That book was never published, but it led to the publication of my first science fiction novel, Cretaceous Sea.
Writing my first novel was a revelation. I fell in love with the power of words to evoke character and emotion. I found I enjoyed creating new worlds and devising tales that drew readers into them. When I’m writing a novel, it’s the place I live. It’s characters and settings become real to me. Writing is the ultimate getaway.
What is the difference for you between writing fantasy/Sci-Fi and children’s books?
The artwork in my children’s books is a major element. The richly detailed drawings are a means for a child to explore the natural world. I would characterize my children’s books as lyrical.
I aim for emotional intensity in my novels, which tends to make them dark in tone. Character is paramount, and my characters often to suffer. I strive to create a fast pace, twists in my plots, and realistic but exotic settings.
Are you currently working on new novels? Can you tell us a little bit about them?
My next novel will revisit the orcs. It’s currently undergoing final editing, and I hope to have it out by early fall. It’s titled A Single Deed, and tells the story of Nartha-hak in her own words. Nartha considers herself an orc, but at eleven she learns that her father was human. The circumstances that lead to that revelation throw her life into a downward spiral. By the time she’s sixteen, Nartha feels she can find solace only by tracking down her father and killing him. She doesn’t understand the human tongue, she knows nothing about human ways, but she believes her goal will be easy to achieve because her father has yellow hair. Nartha thinks such a „freakish trait“ will cause him to stand out like a white stag. By the time she learns otherwise, she can’t return home. Worse, she’s provoked a band of deadly enemies.
The story, which is complete in a single volume, offers an insider’s view of the orc’s culture and an outsider’s perspective of the human’s one. It’s a tale of a life dedicated to revenge that becomes a journey to self-discovery.
Which novels would you recommend and which are currently lying on your nightstand?
I get much of my inspiration from reading nonfiction, but my favorite novels include Reindeer Moon by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, The EarthSea Trilogy by Ursula K. LeGuin, The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury, The Time Machine by H. G. Wells, The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov, Shogun by James Cavell, and—of course, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.
I’m currently reading The Last Witchfinder by James Morrow. It’s a richly imagined historical novel that’s darkly ironic and often hilarious.
Thank you so much.


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For so long plant decor has been limited to a pot.
We're going to change that.
HELLO, WE'RE PLANTISTE.
Yes, we've binge watched home improvement shows. Yes, we like to pass the time by visiting home decor stores and plant nurseries.
Like you, we're plant people with an appreciation for unique style. But in the plant world, styling has been limited to a plant's pot. We’re going to change that. We’re reimagining all indoor plant accessories with a focus on home decor.
So we invite you to join a group of artists, decorators and plant lovers as we explore our creativity with new colors and styles for your plants and home.
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"We sat down in Jay's Toronto home to talk performing and his approach to stand-up and magic. We chatted about the power of making people feel invisible, the theory of not getting caught starting, the close-up to stand-up changes we should make, the innate need to perform, and how to develop courage and confidence as performers.
Jay Sankey is a friend and someone I consider a national Canadian treasure. If you're a performer, the things he says here will enrich you." -Bill Abbott
Jay Sankey is a true magician’s magician and is widely considered to be one of the most original thinkers and finest magic teachers alive today. He is also one of the most prolific magic creators on the planet.
While many of his creative contemporaries have a few dozen original routines to their credit, at last count Jay has created well over 1500 original magic effects.
Jay’s uncanny gift as magic inventor was evident from an early age. For his 11th birthday he was given a toy magic set, and by the age of 18 he was traveling the world lecturing on the subject of sleight-of-hand magic to both professional and amateur magicians.
Somehow, Jay still made the time to graduate from the University of Toronto where he studied psychology, philosophy and film. As a performer, Jay has mystified audiences at private parties, trade shows, banquets and corporate functions including work for Coca Cola, Honda, Chrysler, Panasonic, McDonald’s and Club Med.
Jay has also worked as a consultant for many of the world’s most famous magicians including David Blaine, Criss Angel, Keith Barry and David Copperfield.
In conjunction with the Ottawa-based production company GAPC, Jay and his company Sankey Magic created the magic-based children’s television series SPELLZ. Jay also hosted the show for two seasons, and starred in all 26 half-hour episodes.
As a stand-up comic, Jay headlined comedy clubs for years and performed at the numerous festivals including two appearances at the prestigious JUST FOR LAUGHS comedy festival in Montreal. And as a monologist Jay has mounted several live one-man shows including CONTENTS UNDER PRESSURE and BORROWED BREATH.
CONTENTS UNDER PRESSURE was later produced for television by Sleeping Giant Productions and starring Jay it aired on BRAVO!
Jay’s experiences as both a professional comic and a monologist inspired him to write ZEN AND THE ART OF THE MONOLOGUE as well as a book that is considered to be one of the modern bibles of stand-up comedy ZEN AND THE ART OF STAND-UP COMEDY. Both books are published by Routledge in New York.
See more about Jay Sankey here:


Connor first became interested in film music through John Williams’ incredible scores for the Star Wars series. As a young boy, he could listen to a passage and vividly see the film accompanying it in his head. As he grew older, Connor started to focus on filmmaking as a career. In 2012, Connor enrolled at Temple University in Philadelphia, obtaining a degree in Film & Media Arts and a minor in General Business Studies. Throughout Connor’s early filmmaking career, the music for his films was always of great importance to him. As his skills as a musician developed, he began writing his own original music.
Eventually, Connor came to the realization that of all the aspects of filmmaking, what truly interested him the most was creating the musical score. He subsequently shifted his focus towards film composing, and has been pursuing it ever since.
Since 2009, Connor has scored over 50 short films, two award winning web series, and two feature length documentaries. He recently composed additional music for the first season of YouTube Premium series “Sherwood”.
In the summer of 2015, a fanfare of Connor's was licensed as the opening music to the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, a massively popular televised live event broadcast across the country.
Connor currently lives in Los Angeles.


Linda White - flutist
A dynamic performer and versatile musician, flutist Linda White excels in an array of musical styles and plays the entire spectrum of flutes from the piccolo to the contrabass flute. Linda is an avid chamber musician and champion of contemporary music. She regularly collaborates with the composers of The Cleveland Composers Guild and performs on the annual Local 4 Musician’s Union She Scores series. Linda regularly performs with classical guitarist Robert Gruca as part of the Gruca White Ensemble. The duo stretches the boundaries of the standard classical concert with their improvisations and unique musical arrangements. In 2020, the Gruca White Ensemble released their debut recording A Different Take through PARMA Recordings Big Round label. Linda also enjoys performing with the flute quartet Idle Twittering along with fellow flutists Jane Berkner, Kyra Kester and George Pope. Linda is a founding member of the Blue Water Chamber Orchestra, and has also performed with the Cleveland Pops, Cleveland Ballet, Cleveland Opera Orchestra, Erie Philharmonic, Akron Symphony and Canton Symphony. Linda teaches at The Music Settlement where she teaches individual lessons, co-directs three flute ensembles and coordinates a program for adult amateurs to gather and play chamber music. She has been a guest clinician for the Interlochen Adult Flute Ensemble since 2020. Linda received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wyoming and a Master of Music degree from The Cleveland Institute of Music.


As the owners of a boutique gift store, we try to sell as many items handcrafted by independent crafters and small businesses as we can find. We love establishing relationships with the people who design and/or make the items you love discovering in our little shop. But we also carry many internationally known brands as well. If there is something that we don’t have in stock, ask us… Chances are we can get it for you or point you in the right direction. If you like buying only “Made in America” we’ll show you the many beautiful things you can bring home.


The Buddha replied to Ananda, "The Bodhisattva Dharmakara has already attained Buddhahood and is now dwelling in a western Buddha-land, called 'Peace and Bliss,' a hundred thousand kotis of lands away from here."
"Again, Shariputra, in that land there are always many kinds of rare and beautiful birds of various colors, such as swans, peacocks, parrots, sharis, kalavinkas and jivamjivakas. Six times during the day and night birds sing with melodious and delicate sounds, which proclaim such teachings as the five roots of goodness, the five powers, the seven practices leading to Enlightenment, and the Eightfold Noble Path. On hearing them, the people of that land become mindful of the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. But, Shariputra, you should not assume that these birds are born as retribution of their evil karma. The reason is that none of the three evil realms exists in that Buddha-land. Shariputra, even the names of the three evil realms do not exist there; how much less the realms themselves? These birds are manifested by Amida Buddha so that their singing can proclaim and spread the Dharma.
"In that Buddha-land, Shariputra, when soft breezes waft through the rows of jewelled trees and jewelled nets, they produce subtle, wonderful sounds. It is as if a hundred thousand musical instruments were playing together. Everyone who hears the sounds spontaneously becomes mindful of the Buddha, the Dharma and Sangha. Shariputra, that Buddha-land is filled with such splendid adornments.”
"There are gold trees with leaves, flowers and fruits of silver; silver trees with leaves, flowers and fruits of gold; beryl trees with leaves, flowers and fruits of crystal; crystal trees with leaves, flowers and fruits of beryl; coral trees with leaves, flowers and fruits of ruby; ruby trees with leaves, flowers and fruits of beryl; agate trees with leaves, flowers and fruits made of various jewels.
"Again, there are jewelled trees with purple-gold roots, white-silver trunks, beryl branches, crystal twigs, coral leaves, ruby flowers and agate fruits. There are jewelled trees with white-silver roots, beryl trunks, crystal branches, coral twigs, ruby leaves, agate flowers and purple-gold fruits. There are jewelled trees with beryl roots, crystal trunks, coral branches, ruby twigs, agate leaves, purple-gold flowers and white-silver fruits. There are jewelled trees with crystal roots, coral trunks, ruby branches, agate twigs, purple-gold leaves, white-silver flowers and beryl fruits. There are jewelled trees with coral roots, ruby trunks, agate branches, purple-gold twigs, white-silver leaves, beryl flowers and crystal fruits. There are jewelled trees with ruby roots, agate trunks, purple-gold branches, white-silver twigs, beryl leaves, crystal flowers and coral fruits. There are jewelled trees with agate roots, purple-gold trunks, white-silver branches, beryl twigs, crystal leaves, coral flowers and ruby fruits.
"These jewelled trees are in parallel rows, their trunks are evenly spaced, their branches are in level layers, their leaves are symmetrical, their flowers harmonize, and their fruits are well arranged. The brilliant colors of these trees are so luxuriant that it is impossible to see them all. When a pure breeze wafts through them, exquisite sounds of the pentatonic scales, such as kung and shang, spontaneously arise and make symphonic music.
"Inside and out, to right and left, are bathing pools. Some of them are ten yojanas in length, breadth and depth; some are twenty yojanas, others, thirty, and so on, until we come to those measuring a hundred thousand yojanas in length, breadth and depth. They are brimful of the water of eight excellent qualities, clear, fragrant and tasting like nectar.
"There are golden pools with beds of silver sand; silver pools with beds of golden sand; crystal pools with beds of beryl sand; beryl pools with beds of crystal sand; coral pools with beds of amber sand; amber pools with beds of coral sand; agate pools with beds of ruby sand; ruby pools with beds of agate sand; white-jade pools with beds of purple-gold sand; purple-gold pools with beds of white-jade sand. Others are composed of two to seven jewels.
"On the banks of these pools are sandalwood trees, whose flowers and leaves hang down and diffuse perfumes everywhere. Heavenly lotuses of blue, pink, yellow and white bloom profusely in various tints and tones, completely covering the surface of the water.”


Reshaping the world of dance, one dancer at a time
At Metamorphosis Dance, our profound belief in the transformative influence of dance drives us forward. We see this art form as possessing an extraordinary power to inspire, foster connections, and shatter barriers. Our company is dedicated to breaking away from traditional ballet norms, embracing dancers of all gender identities, races, shapes, heights and weights. We believe that the art of ballet should be inclusive and reflective of the diversity that exists in the world. Our commitment to this mission is evident in our rigorous training programs, tailored to support the unique attributes of each dancer, ensuring they have the opportunity to flourish and shine, regardless of conventional expectations. By celebrating diversity in our performances and encouraging dancers of all backgrounds to join us, we are not only pushing the boundaries of ballet but also fostering a more inclusive and accepting community within the dance world.
Our vision is simple yet profound: to honor every dancer’s unique artistic expression and unwavering dedication. We aim to cultivate a warm and welcoming artistic community where everyone feels valued and included.
Together, we are reshaping the world of dance, one dancer at a time.
- Elevating Dancers: We are dedicated to putting dancers at the forefront of the artistic world, ensuring that their talent and hard work are recognized and celebrated.
- Fostering a Thriving and Inclusive Artistic Community: We believe in the power of diversity and inclusion in the arts. We work tirelessly to create an environment where dancers and audience members from all backgrounds feel welcome and valued. Our goal is to craft productions with universal relevance and significance. Dance, as an art form, possesses a unique ability to connect and convey profound stories. Our strength lies in creating productions that resonate with individuals, irrespective of their background—whether it’s related to race, gender, body type, age, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, or prior dance experience. We are committed to sharing the beauty of dance with everyone, ensuring it is a medium that speaks to the heart of each and every person.
- Upholding the Highest Standards of Artistic Excellence: At the core of our mission is an unwavering commitment to excellence. We dedicate ourselves to showcasing our artists in their finest form and continually setting the highest standards for each and every performance.
Metamorphosis Dance aims to nurture a vibrant and caring community of artists who are deeply dedicated to achieving the pinnacle of artistic excellence. As an organization founded by dancers, we place our dancers’ well-being and growth at the forefront. We do this by offering expert guidance, presenting captivating and challenging choreography, and creating top-tier performance opportunities for both emerging talents and seasoned professionals.
- Expert Guidance: Our dancers receive world-class training and mentorship from industry experts.
- Compelling Choreography: Our productions are celebrated for their mixed-genre choreography, spanning a rich tapestry of dance styles such as ballet, modern, contemporary, jazz, and tap.
- Top-Tier Performance Opportunities: We are committed to offering our dancers high-caliber performance opportunities meticulously tailored to showcase their unique talents and abilities.
Board of Directors
Eli Alborn – President
Carly Criscoe – Treasurer
Jennifer DeHaven – Secretary
Orlando Julius Canova – Member
Sonya Alborn – Member


Unleash the vibrant spirit of a Lagos fiesta with our captivating eyeshadow palette, offering a spectrum of 15 richly pigmented shades. From the sultry sunset oranges to the spirited festival greens, each hue in the Lagos Fiesta Eyeshadow Palette invites you to explore a world of bold, energetic colors.
With a mix of matte, shimmer, and glitter finishes, this palette is your ticket to creating endless mesmerizing eye looks. The velvety smooth formula glides effortlessly across the lids, providing a blendable and buildable canvas to express every facet of your creativity. Whether you’re channeling the laid-back allure of a beach party or the high-energy vibe of a city fest, this palette is your passport to capturing the essence of Lagos’ celebratory culture.
Infused with long-lasting formula, these shadows stay vibrant from the early evening revelries until the break of dawn. The Lagos Fiesta Eyeshadow Palette is encased in a chic, travel-friendly compact, making it a perfect companion for those who are always ready to embrace the party wherever it finds them.


Small Saraswati terracotta is a handmade decorative item that depicts the Hindu goddess Saraswati, the deity of knowledge, music, and art. It is made of terracotta clay, which gives it a natural and earthy feel. The figurine is small in size and is intricately crafted by skilled artisans with traditional techniques. The statue depicts Saraswati seated on a lotus flower, holding a veena, and a book. The Small Saraswati terracotta is a popular item used in Hindu homes, temples, and educational institutions to invoke the blessings of the goddess and to inspire creativity, learning, and artistic expression. It is a symbol of traditional craftsmanship and cultural heritage, and its use is believed to bring good fortune and positive energy.
100% Hand Made.
|Country of Origin


Are you a die-hard film enthusiast always on the hunt for hidden gems and insightful analysis? Look no further! Welcome to the captivating world of SFlix Movies & Advice series – a treasure trove of cinematic masterpieces, accompanied by expert advice that will leave you inspired and craving for more. Join us as we embark on an exciting journey into this must-watch series, where every episode is bound to ignite your love for movies like never before. Get ready to dive into a realm where entertainment meets enlightenment – it’s time to explore the enchanting universe of SFlix Movies & Advice.
Introduction to the SFlix Movies & Advice Series
If you’re a film enthusiast, the SFlix Movies & Advice series is a must-watch. This series consists of short films that offer advice on everything from filmmaking tips to acting techniques. The series is produced by Sean Flynn, who is also the creator of the popular web series
The films in the series are all shot in a documentary style, which gives them an intimate and personal feel. Each film features interviews with experts in the field, as well as footage of Flynn himself putting the advice into practice.
Whether you’re looking for inspiration or practical advice, the SFlix Movies & Advice series is sure to have something for you. So check it out today and start your journey toward becoming a better filmmaker!
Overview of Each Film in the Series
There are a total of six films in the SFlix movies & advice series. They are as follows:
The first film is “The Shawshank Redemption”. It is a story about hope, friendship, and redemption set in a maximum-security prison.
The second film is ” Forrest Gump “. It is a story about a simple man who has an extraordinary life.
The third film is ” The Dark Knight “. It is a story about Batman’s battle against the Joker.
The fourth film is ” The Godfather “. It is a story about the Corleone family and their rise to power in the Mafia.
The fifth film is ” The Silence of the Lambs “. It is a story about an FBI agent who must track down a serial killer.
The sixth and final film in the series is “Schindler’s List”. It is a story about Oskar Schindler, a man who saved the lives of over 1,000 Jews during the Holocaust.
Overview of Themes and Storylines
The SFlix Movies & Advice series is a must-watch for film enthusiasts. In each episode, experts discuss a different theme or topic related to movies and offer advice on how to improve your film-watching experience.
Whether you’re looking to learn more about the art of filmmaking or simply want to find out which movies are worth your time, this series has something for everyone. Here’s an overview of the themes and storylines covered in the first season:
Episode 1: Introduction to the Series
In the first episode, hosts Andrew and Darryl introduce the series and give an overview of what viewers can expect in future episodes. They also share their own personal love for movies and explain why they decided to start a series about films.
Episode 2: How to Watch a Movie
In the second episode, hosts Andrew and Darryl discuss how to get the most out of your film-watching experience. They offer tips on everything from choosing the right movie to watching it with friends or family. By the end of this episode, you’ll be ready to tackle any movie with confidence!
Episode 3: What Makes a Great Movie?
In episode three, hosts Andrew and Darryl explore what makes a great movie. They discuss various elements that go into making a successful film, from the script to the acting to the direction. This episode is packed with helpful information for anyone who wants to make better choices when selecting a movie to watch.
Benefits of Watching the Series
The SFlix movies & advice series is a must-watch for film enthusiasts for several reasons. First, the series explores a variety of films and genres, providing viewers with an opportunity to learn about new titles and directors. Secondly, the hosts offer insightful commentary and analysis, giving viewers a deeper understanding of the films they watch. The series is highly entertaining and engaging, making it a perfect way to unwind after a long day.
Behind the Scenes Look at Crew and Cast
SFlix is a new streaming service that is quickly becoming a favorite among film enthusiasts. The Movies & Advice series is one of the most popular features on the site, and it gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the crew and cast of some of their favorite films.
In each episode, the host interviews a different member of the cast or crew, and they discuss everything from their favorite scenes to what it was like working on the film. The series has featured some of Hollywood’s biggest names, and it’s a must-watch for any film fan.
Behind the Scenes Look at Crew and Cast will air its final episode on SFlix this Saturday, and we sat down with the host, Mark Wahlberg, to talk about the series.
Mark: This has been a fantastic experience. I’ve loved getting to sit down with all of these talented people and hear their stories.
SFlix: What has been your favorite episode?
Mark: It’s hard to choose just one, but I really enjoyed my conversation with Leonardo DiCaprio. We talked about his work on Titanic and how he prepares for his roles. It was fascinating to hear his process.
SFlix: What can fans expect from the final episode?
Mark: We’re going out with a bang! We have an incredible lineup of guests, and we’re going to be talking about some of the biggest movies of all time. I
Online Reviews and Ratings
In the world of online movies and streaming content, it’s important to be able to discern between what’s worth watching and what’s not. This is where online reviews and ratings come in handy. By taking the time to read through reviews and ratings for a given movie or series, you can get a better sense of whether or not it’s something that you’ll enjoy.
The SFlix Movies & Advice series is a great resource for film enthusiasts who want to make sure they’re watching the best of the best. The series takes a look at some of the most popular movies and TV shows available on streaming platforms and provides an in-depth analysis of each one. Whether you’re looking for something new to watch, or just want to get someone else’s opinion on a film or show you’ve already seen, the SFlix Movies & Advice series is definitely worth checking out.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of the Series
If you’re looking to get the most out of the SFlix Movies & Advice Series, there are a few things you can do to make sure you don’t miss a beat. First, be sure to subscribe to the series so you never miss an episode. Additionally, follow on social media for updates on new episodes and exclusive behind-the-scenes content. Take some time to explore the series website, which includes episode guides, cast information, and more. By following these tips, you’ll be able to make the most out of the Movies & Advice Series and get the most out of your viewing experience.
The SFlix Movies & Advice series is one of the best films and advice shows on the web. It covers a wide range of topics, from film production to film history, and gives viewers an in-depth look into the world of filmmaking. Whether you’re a diehard movie fan or just looking for something interesting to watch, this show should be at the top of your list. Watching it will not only help you understand more about movies but also inspire you to make better films yourself!


March is such a wonderful Month with Spring in the air. I have thrown open the shutters , windows, spring cleaned and put my decorations out. How lovely. I hope you all are enjoying the beautiful weather now that the snow is gone. At least for most of us....
"For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things
that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness
and praise to spring forth before all the nations."
I have realized that March has so many things to celebrate. Here is a partial list that we are celebrating in our home:
For National Craft Month I am making a antique lace looking rose pillow, silk dyed material and some new graphics note cards.
National Nutrition Month I am trying some new recipes and adding more to my book. Bulk buying has really helped our budget and our health . I try to cook everything from scratch with no preseravatives, and healthy options. I have had some requests for my recipes and will post those this week.
For youth art month the kids and I are making homemade papers, silk dyeing and creating. We use to go to an art park every summer near our old home and will be trying to do those crafts here.
For Woman's History month I have read some great biographies.
Celebrate my friends. Enjoy the day, Spring and Life.
Angel Mama ():)
Thursday, March 22, 2007


Couples who are looking for something different from their current surroundings are nowadays considering the option of a popular destination wedding package. Part of this wedding package includes the hired services of a professional photographer. In the west, for example, these wedding photographs are usually taken on the day of the wedding ceremony. Sometimes the photographs are taken in the 13th-century Gothic church or other cases in a shimmering white sandy beach in Australia.
In Asia, the destination wedding photography is known to have a slight twist. Instead of the photographs being taken on the eve of the wedding day, they are usually taken some weeks or months in advance of the wedding day. This fashion of shooting the pre-wedding photographs in the exotic areas is more popular in the Asian countries like Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and Malaysia than in any other place in the world. Many Asian couples are often looking for exciting and romantic fairytale European towns and the cities to have their pre-wedding destination photos taken. Central and Eastern of Europe offer a good choice of romantic and exciting fairytale settings. View the best wedding here!
With centuries of history about the continent behind them, cities like the Budapest in Hungary, Vienna in Austria, Prague in the Czech Republic and Krakow in Poland provide magnificent castles and also cathedrals which give the perfect backdrop for pre-wedding photos. Budapest is particularly a fantastic city which is at the heart of Eastern Europe. Budapest city is also known as the Paris of the east. It has an amazing series of architectural styles including the Gothic, art nouveau and baroque. To get some facts about weddings at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/24/vegas-wedding_n_1699335.html.
Apart from famous photographer and assistant, the most overseas pre-wedding photography packages are also the services of a professional makeup artist. The makeup artist will play an essential role in making sure that the couples have their very best look at their pre-wedding photos. In most cases, the bride and the groom bring with them their wedding clothes that they choose for the shoot. However, some photography packages include the option of the hiring of wedding dresses and also suits from a local wedding specialist at budapestwedding.com. It is, however, the professional photographer who is the dream maker in creating memories that the couple will look back on and live to remember. Budapest in particular often offers couples many opportunities to shoot their dream-like photographs in numerous fairytale settings around the city. These settings in Budapest include the Buda Castle, the Parliament, the Fishermen's Bastion, the Chain Bridge and the Freedom Monument.


I began creature sculptures in 2008. I have sold most of my personal sculptures over the years, and have taken others to shows. The sculptures in this gallery came from my own inspiration at the time, so they hold a close place in my heart. Please enjoy this gallery, and be sure to scroll down for the commissions gallery!
I have created sculptures for clients across the globe. I am a very flexible person and enjoy creating sculptures for others. I take critique well, and have worked for several clients who wanted some very specific, and who required several rounds of editing on their piece. I always keep in contact with clients while I am working, and send "in progress" photos along the way. I know that some artists like to take a vague idea, and proceed right to sending photos of the completed piece, but personally I like to involve the client in the process and make sure everything is perfect. I have, however, done commissions for clients who were very flexible and wanted me to design their idea, and that is fine too! I have worked with many different people to bring different ideas to life, and I find it to be a fascinating process. I enjoy commission work because the ideas customers come up with are often things I would never create on my own. Not to mention, all of the great people I end up becoming friends with along the way. I hope you enjoy this gallery!


We Like It Like That - Official Trailer
AVAILABLE NOW on iTunes, Amazon Video, Vudu and Reelhouse at http://latinboogaloo.com/ We Like It Like That is a feature-length documentary film about Latin boogaloo, a colorful expression of 1960s Latino soul, straight from the streets of New York City. Starring Latin boogaloo legends like Joe Bataan, Johnny Colon and Pete Rodriguez, We Like It Like That explores this lesser-known, but pivotal moment in Latin music history through original interviews, music recordings, live performances, dancing and rare archival footage and images From its origins to its recent resurgence, it is the story of a sound that redefined a generation and was too funky to keep down. The film had its world premiere at SXSW 2015, was the best documentary winner at UrbanWorld 2015, was nominated for a 2016 Cinema Tropical Award for Best U.S. Latino Film, and broadcast on the PBS program America ReFramed in Fall, 2016. Developed and produced by Muddy Science Productions and released in association with Codigo Films and Saboteur Media. Available on iTunes, Amazon, Vudu and Reel House. For more information go to latinboogaloo.com.
The Note Episode 2 | Eddie Palmieri: A Revolution On Harlem River Drive
The Note is a new documentary series from Red Bull Music Academy. Watch all episodes here: http://www.redbull.tv/thenote Inspired by the early ’70s activism of the Black Panthers and the Young Lords, Latin music pioneer Eddie Palmieri produced one of the most daring albums of his already storied career: Harlem River Drive, a politically charged Latin-funk masterpiece so ahead of its time that its influence continues to resonate decades later. The Red Bull Music Academy is a global music institution committed to fostering creativity in music. We celebrate music, its culture, and the transformative minds behind it. Begun in 1998, the Academy has taken the core principles that underlie its annual workshop for selected participants and applied this curatorial approach to events, lectures, and city-wide festivals throughout the year. ► Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: http://bit.ly/10OyDHc ► Visit Red Bull TV: http://win.gs/1uy4YFF ► Visit our official website: http://win.gs/avjLrK ► Our latest videos on YouTube: http://bit.ly/12nkX7h ► Follow us on Twitter: http://bit.ly/Lx4wQy ► Like us on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/12N5Ch0
Armada Fania (November 2016) Recap
On Thursday, Nov 10th, we were truly honored to have over 600 fans join us for the Armada FANIA Club & Pop-Store. All night Kenny Dope, Uproot Andy, Nina Sky and Jose Marquez gave us unforgettable performances, while fans had exclusive access and actively engaged our classic FANIA vinyl and merchandise in the Pop-Up Store. Fans were also treated to innovative Puerto Rican cuisine from leading edge pop-up restaurant, MofonGO. In addition, fans were also able to see the public premiere of FANIA's MANANA Cuba documentary - a one of a kind film detailing the journey of FANIA DJs traveling to Cuba's first ever Electronic music festival. For those of you who were not able to join us, this video is a taste of what went down!
Fania Presents: Armada Fania DJ Profiles - Kenny Dope
On Thursday, Nov 10th 2016, we were truly honored to have over 700 fans join us for the Armada FANIA Club & Pop-Store. All night Kenny Dope, Uproot Andy, Nina Sky and Jose Marquez gave us unforgettable performances, while fans had exclusive access and actively engaged our classic FANIA vinyl and merchandise in the Pop-Up Store. Fans were also treated to innovative Puerto Rican cuisine from leading edge pop-up restaurant, MofonGO. For Uproot Nina Sky's full DJ set visit https://youtu.be/PpmB60xWLnM About Kenny Dope In an age of quick gratification and the instant attention switch, Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez is a name respected for both quality and consistency. Over the last 25 years, the four time Grammy-nominated DJ and producer has been astounding audiences across the world with his fusions of house, hip-hop, Latin, jazz, funk & soul, reggae, alternative pop and broken beats. By releasing literally thousands of original tracks and hundreds of remixes, Kenny has earned a reputation as a living encyclopedia of beats as both a solo artist, and as one-half of the legendary house duo, Masters At Work. For more on Kenny dope visit https://www.facebook.com/Kennydopemusic/ Siguenos/Follow us: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FaniaRecords Twitter: https://twitter.com/Faniamusic Instagram: http://instagram.com/faniarecords No te olvides de suscribirte/Don’t forget to subscribe at https://www.youtube.com/faniarecords


Wu Assassins is an American supernatural action streaming television series, created by John Wirth and Tony Krantz that premiered on Netflix on August 8, 2019. The series stars Iko Uwais, Byron Mann, Lewis Tan, Lawrence Kao, Celia Au, Li Jun Li, Tommy Flanagan, and Katheryn Winnick. The first season received positive reviews, with critics praising the fight choreography, although there was criticism of the plot.
In February 2021, a standalone film titled Fistful of Vengeance was announced. The film continues the story from the ending of the first season. It was released on February 17, 2022.


Wilfrid Sheed’s second novel follows the career of Bert Flax, a self-described “spiritual hack” who supports a fruitful and multiplying family (wife, five kids) on inspirational stories and uplifting poems for the Tiny Messenger and Catholic Women, from the first stirrings of religious doubt to either a spiritual breakthrough or a nervous breakdown. Better known as a leading book critic of his day—he published collections of his reviews in 1971 and 1978—Sheed wrote better novels, including perhaps the best novel ever written about a critic. Max Jamison (1970) is about a Broadway theater critic who no longer believes in what he does for a living.
But The Hack (1963) introduces the theme of doubt, leading to despair and exhaustion, to which Sheed would return again and again in his own literary career. It was, perhaps, the story of his life; and not only his. Son of the independent Catholic publishers Frank Sheed and Maisie Ward—Sheed & Ward was founded in 1926 and acquired by Rowman & Littlefield seven years ago—Wilfrid Sheed was born in London in 1930 and came to America upon the outbreak of the Second World War, when his parents emigrated from England. “The sheer differentness of America imbued everything,” he wrote in a 1985 memoir of his parents: “the swollen frames and tires of the bicycles, the station wagons with kids hanging from the sides, the kids themselves gangly or strangely fat, slopping around in striped T-shirts and knickers, alien from head to toe. . . .” Sheed carefully cultivated his sense of differentness. Although he never repatriated himself to England, becoming a huge baseball fan as an expression of his deepest feeling for America, he consistently adopted the attitude of an Englishman, an outsider, alien from head to toe. The attitude perfectly reflected his own incapacity for believing wholeheartedly in anything except baseball and books.
The crisis of belief in The Hack commences when Bert finds himself despairing at the thought of composing his annual Christmas poem. Being asked about it “was like having a tray of ice emptied into your socks. The coldness came up from there, then the desolation and finally the slow melting squish.”
Modeled upon Sheed’s father, whose main source of income was the lecture platform (“Americans might not like to read but they certainly liked to listen,” Sheed comments drolly), Bert roves from parish to parish in suburban New Jersey, delivering lectures on “the Catholic literary revival, the Catholic intellectual revival, Catholics and TV, Catholics and decent literature, Catholics and better communications,” even the Communist-dominated media and its hostility to good Catholics. Feeling like a “complete fraud,” Bert “can’t seem to get the Christmas spirit.” His wife sympathizes: “Even inspiration becomes a grind,” she says.
Looking for something to shake him out of his increasing squishiness, Bert tries to sleep late one Sunday and skip mass. He can’t bring himself to, but afterwards he hops a bus to Manhattan to look up old friends from Bishop Mahoney High School. He tries to provoke a fight, taunting one friend who no longer attends mass regularly for his cowardly refusal to become “an honest-to-God atheist.” He taunts a mass-attending friend with criticisms of the Church: “It’s a cruel joke,” he complains, “they keep you a child until it’s too late.”
What Bert keeps being told instead is that he has been working too hard and does not look very well. Behind his back they whisper, “Have you read his things? They’re lovely, aren’t they?” Even his Playboy-reading friend, too sophisticated a Manhattanite to be a practicing Catholic but too lukewarm to become an atheist, agrees that he is “a very fine writer.” The compliments send him over the edge. He denies that he is the writer of the “religious stuff” they are praising. “I am not Bert Flax, I am not Bert Flax, I am not Bert Flax, I am not Bert Flax,” he repeats until he passes out and wakes in a hospital.
The attention shifts to his non-Catholic wife Betty, who keeps the household running while Bert recovers. The Hack then becomes an exception to the rule that English-language writing is largely a literature without children. Sheed’s portrait of a suburban wife and mother, with life moiling and churning at knee level (in his phrase), is precise and loving, despite the satirical edge. Betty is keenly aware of the minginess of her lower middle-class surroundings. Like Bert, she has her doubts: “There were no big scenes, no climaxes, only people being patient with each other and practical with each other—so bored they didn’t know they were bored anymore.” But unlike him she takes solace and delight in ordinary successes like a dinner well-prepared, Christmas drawing near, a black mood rolling away, and a husband getting back to work.
Except that Bert’s return to work is not a return “to Bert’s high standards”—or so says the Catholic Passenger, rejecting his Christmas poem. Bert announces to Betty that he has just about had it. He blames the Church for his years of “peddling crap” and becoming a “dedicated hack.” He collapses in tears. And so a relapse.
Betty blames the Catholic magazines, which depend upon “false sentiment” and pursue the goal of “keeping the uneducated uneducated.” Father Chubb, editor of the Catholic Passenger, tries to explain: “The Church in America is changing . . . er . . . on the campuses and so forth. All this gush he writes is out of place in the 1960’s.” The Catholic journals are changing. And then, Bert never “had the faintest idea what the Church was really about.” The subjects that got him worked up, Father Chubb says,
The Church arrested his spiritual and literary development by employing him in the pseudo-religious office of inspirational writing. As Betty explains, Bert “wanted to reexamine the whole thing”—the truth about a life of faith—“but he couldn’t afford to because his livelihood depended on his maintaining a certain point of view.” To acquire a sense of the sacramental or to be initiated into mystery, you cannot be a hack, who is dedicated to the concerns of mere functionaries:


White CYC Studio Rental Los Angeles
When deciding on a white cyc rental Los Angeles, there are several factors to take into consideration. You’ll need a space that’s the right size and price for your project, whether you’re a professional photographer, the director of a music video, a producer from a major studio, or the production manager of a commercial shoot. BLT Studios and Soundstages is proud to have white cyclorama studio space available for rent at affordable prices to help make your creative vision a reality!
What is a white CYC studio?
The most popular ads to use a white cyc studio are for Apple. The iconic photos of Apple products alone in front of a white cyc managed to achieve a sharp, modern look that quickly became the go-to for advertisers and brand managers!
Why choose a white CYC?
White cycs are perfect for experimenting with lighting. The right studio rental will offer a professional package to let you create to your heart’s content, making your lighting options limitless. Whether you’re eliminating shadows or exaggerating them, adding a colorful filter or going for a more natural look, using a white cyc will give you your desired finished product.
Many white cyc studios will have a lighting grid pre-set to best capture the light bounce on the infinity wall. If you’re not interested in playing with lighting ideas, you can simply set up and shoot right away!
Crisp Audio Recording
The best white cyc studios are also soundproof, so you won’t need to worry about noise pollution if you’re filming with sound! This will also reduce any post-production audio recording headaches.
Shooting in a studio rather than on-location can save you money that can instead be put towards your passion project. Additionally, your finished products will need far less editing in post.
The white cyclorama offers a polished, modern background for your project. There’s a reason why shooting advertisements, commercials, and professional portraits in front of a cyc has become so popular. Stay ahead of the curve!
Comfort and Accessibility
Shooting in a studio with a white cyc rather than on location gives you the advantage of controlling the temperature and shooting day or night. Costume changes will also be much easier as models and actors will have easy access to a green room, dressing room, and makeup room.
Why Choose BLT Studios and Soundstages?
BLT Studios and Soundstages has established itself as one of the best studios in Los Angeles. Our white cyc walls are maintained by our professional crew with regular painting using a high-quality matte white finish to ensure that there is no damage, scratches, or smudging when you arrive for your shoot. Our professional lighting has been tried and tested to best capture what you’ve envisioned.
Don’t worry if you need more than a white cyc for your shoot. Our stages can be painted any color you may need or you can simply jump over to one of our green screen sound stages, or one of our photo studios. Our spacious campus is designed to accommodate everything from large crews, to short films, YouTube and influencer productions, commercials, independent producers, and brand photography.
Renting studio space at BLT Studios and Soundstages will allow you to achieve whatever shot you need, all at an affordable price.
BLT Studios and Soundstages White Cyc Studio Rentals
5,500 sq. ft.
Cyclorama: 3 Wall 50’x50’x50
Power: 1800 amps, 3 phase


Within the medieval walls of a town, near by the church of St. Andrija, at the biggest square in an old part of the town, “Plačici” is situated, one of the most known and for the visitors by all means the most attractive houses in Bakar-the Turkish house. It is unknown who made it and when it was made, but it is assumed that it was built within the 14th and 15th century. What is certain is that such a peculiar and exotic structure cannot be found anywhere near, so it seizes attention of many photographers and painters who often include it in their work, so that’s why it is often called “the house of painters.”
The uniqueness of the Turkish house comes from its oriental structure and its stylish features which are rare to find in this part of the world. Nevertheless, the Turkish house has gracefully fit into the town’s coastal atmosphere. Its shape reminds us of an old wooden house that has already grown as a part of the town’s surrounding, as well as two legends, the most beautiful national and literate treasure, about the beginnings of this unusual house without a “corner.”
According to one legend, the Turkish house was built by a coastal sailor who when arrived to Istanbul fell in love with a beautiful Turkish woman. He brought her home to Bakar, and each time he would go on his trip, she felt lonely. Thinking of how to lessen her homesickness, he built a house similar to the houses from her homeland, so that is how the Turkish house originated.
Another legend tells the story about a sailor from Bakar who had a spiteful, vicious wife who used to tell him that three out of four corners in the house belonged to her and only one to him. With that, she wanted to show that she was in charged, a captain on land, actually at home. After numerous years, the sailor from Bakar got fed up with her talking, so he invited some friends, and they levelled the house down. In that same place they built a new house without any corners.


When I was growing up in Houston, my mother owned a showroom at the Decorative Center. I would spend hours after school and long summer days there poring over art, accessories, and picture frames, interacting with the designers and the architects who would visit, and taking breaks to pop into other showrooms and soak up their beauty. Two cities, three children, four houses (and multiple remodels) later, I found myself returning to the very thing I was passionate about at an early age.
Call it it extreme, but when I help someone pull together a look, a feel, a style for a room that truly reflects them, creating a place they can lovingly and confidently call home, it makes me feel alive.
A masters in counseling and time spent working with families, together with raising three children of my own, has taught me a sense of patience, collaboration, and listening. This is invaluable when helping someone create a space they love and of which they feel proud. My desire is not for someone to say, “decorate my whole house for me.” It is for us to sit down and go deep into discussing what a house means to them. I look at design as a very collaborative process. In my eyes, this is a crucial component, as ultimately this will be the place in which you live and love for years.


RememBar was created by Jennifer Graziano, a 4th generation funeral director from the NY area. Jennifer has had a lifelong passion to help, guide and support those who grieve. She implemented aftercare bereavement support programs within communities as well as created a publication, “Coming of Age”, that helps families have important and sensitive discussions. She has overseen operations of her family’s funeral homes in both NY & CT for over 25 years. In addition, she is an admitted attorney and has also completed courses of study at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Having recognized a void for timeless, elegantly crafted memorial jewelry items, Jennifer sought the expertise of Ward Kelvin, a renowned designer in the field.
RememBar is not simply a collection of fine jewelry, but rather wearable memories that provide comfort as we move forward. Love lives on as life goes on.
Why we created Remembar
Our Founder's Inspiration
"I drew my inspiration for RememBar from many sources, most especially my faith. I believe that life does not end here, and we will be reunited with those we have lost in Heaven.
My inspiration also derives from the families I have worked with at our funeral homes. I know the pain of loss is real and people who grieve are in search of comfort. I wanted to create something that is meaningful, beautiful and helpful on the journey of healing.
Above all, my inspiration derives from my daughter. Youth reminds us that anything is possible, as a child’s imagination knows no limits. My daughter is confident in her belief that those we love never leave us and bonds of love can never die. Though we can’t see them, hold them, hear them or touch them…the ones we’ve lost are always with us.
I designed RememBar as an elegant and finely crafted piece of jewelry that provides a sense of comfort. The birthstone on the bar commemorates your loved one and the word “remember” is delicately engraved on the side. The pieces remind us that those we love remain with us and we are able to carry them wherever we go.
Love lives on as life goes on. I hope the piece you select will provide a sense of warmth and comfort as well as the inspiration to keep moving forward.—Jennifer Graziano
Why we are unique
Unlike other memorial items you will find on internet sites, RememBar, is a well-engineered, beautifully crafted piece of jewelry designed to ensure the utmost security of your loved one’s remains. The hollowed-out bar with a screw backing will give you peace of mind and ensure permanent enclosure.
Each piece has a genuine birthstone to commemorate your loved one as well as the sentiment “remember” delicately inscribed. The jewelry is designed to hold cremated remains, a favorite perfume scent and for some pieces, locks of hair. Only a small portion can be placed inside.
Questions for Jennifer? Please email her at Jennifer@RememBarcollection.com


WHO WE ARE
Reign Films is a Canadian production company that was founded in 2013 by Producer Magali Gillon-Krizaj. Based in Vancouver, B.C., the ‘Hollywood North’ of Canada, the company focuses on innovative concepts with a fresh approach; creating engaging and entertaining projects that tell unique stories and captivate audiences locally and internationally in both, French and English.
Reign Films aspires to shift Vancouver’s disposition from servicing out of town projects to producing high quality creative content from Canadian filmmakers. The company wishes to engage with local and international communities to create content and develop mutually beneficial, social relationships.
DEDICATED TEAM MEMBERS
Magali Gillon-Krizaj, is an up and coming producer in Vancouver. Since 2011, she’s produced short films, a web series called The Drive which won “Best web series” at the Leo Awards in 2016, a French mini-series of 1h-documentaries called Terres d’Exploration, which was nominated in the category: “Best documentary series in Nature, Science and Environment” at Les Prix Gémeaux 2017 and at the Leo Awards 2018. This year as well, she produced her first feature film, The Cannon with the support of Telefilm Canada (Micro-budget production program.) The film had it’s International Premiere at the Whistler Film Festival in 2017 and a Toronto Premiere at the Canadian Film Festival in 2018.
Sara is an emerging Vancouver based producer with a passion for films that tell peculiar stories bolstered by unique visuals. With a background in domestic and international distribution, Sara plans to foster relationships with innovative filmmakers wishing to share their stories worldwide. Sara’s production background developed during her time as business affairs coordinator at production and distribution company IndustryWorks Studios, where she managed all development, production and worldwide distribution aspects of the company.
In the next 5 years, Reign Films wants to lead Canada in producing high quality content in Fr and Eng for local and International broadcasters, distributors and markets. The company is looking to develop Co-Production projects that will reach audiences around the world. Reign Films will continue developing Virtual Reality as it’s an upcoming technology that we believe will change story-telling.
OUR CORE VALUES
Reflective of our community but also of our society to build and maintain strong working relationships for years to come
We share our passion for film-making and support emerging creative talents as well as established ones.
We thrive to always deliver the best experiences. We keep track of trends and always push for new ideas and ways of doing things better or more interestingly
We are open to new challenges and opportunities, taking a chance when believing in something.


You are the source of my joy, the center of my world and the whole of my heart.
When I tell you I love you, I am not saying it out of habit, I am reminding you that you are my life.
I don’t need paradise because I found you. I don’t need dreams because I already have you.
You are the last thought in my mind before I drift off to sleep and the first thought when I wake up each morning.
Everywhere I look I am reminded of your love. You are my world.
Love is not about how many days, weeks or months you’ve been together, it’s all about how much you love each other every day.
If I know what love is, it is because of you. -Hermann Hesse
You are my paradise and I would happily get stranded on you for a lifetime. (A very cute love quote for him.)
I can’t stop thinking about you, today… tomorrow… always.
When I look into your eyes I see the mirror of my soul. (Now, that’s a love quote for him from the heart!)
This is all I want to do with you forever.
Thank you for always being my rainbow after the storm.
God is keeping me alive but you are keeping me in love.
My angel, my life, my entire world, you’re the one that I want, the one that I need, let me be with you always, my love, my everything.
This morning I awoke and was reminded of the preciousness of life. I realized I should express my gratitude to those who are so very important to me. Thank you for all you have done and have a great day!
I love you every step of the way.
Walk with me through life…and I’ll have everything I’ll need for the journey.
I may not be your first date, kiss or love…but I want to be your last everything.
The best feeling is when you look at him…and he is already staring.
And then my soul saw you and it kind of went, “Oh, there you are. I’ve been looking all over for you.” (One of the most romantic love quotes for him)
Together with you is my favorite place to be.
Good morning my love, our two souls aflame, with my man I feel two hearts beat the same.
I am very indecisive and always have trouble picking my favorite anything. But, without a doubt, you are my favorite everything.
I still fall in love with you every day! (One of the best short love quotes for him)


thank you for your empathetic accompaniment and the amazing images of our wedding day!
You have a special eye for big and small moments of happiness and capture them unbelievably beautiful and appreciating with your breathtaking style.
No we can forever delight in the most amazing images of our wedding we could have wished for, starting at the Getting Ready and going into the evening.
And since photography also plays a role in our life we were a little bit more fastidious… 😉
Even though we have already looked at the images multiple times we still get goosebumps.
With your love for details you captured so many moments, emotions and accessoires which gives us the opportunity to relive our special day over and over.
Also we felt very well cared for before and after the wedding and knew that we could count on you 100%.
Dear Chrissy, we will absolutely recommend you!
With love from the North,
Christina & Thomas


The Bismarck Sapphire Necklace is Just about the most famous gemstone jewellery parts of our time. Countess Mona von Bismarck (1897-1983) was its former operator before she generously donated the priceless necklace to your Smithsonian Institution's Nationwide Museum of Pure History in 1967. In honor of her priceless donation, the Smithsonian Institute named the stunning sapphire and platinum necklace right after her, Consequently it is known as "the Bismarck Sapphire Necklace".
Mona von Bismarck was a wealthy American vogue icon; a real socialite internationally famed for her attractiveness, Mona was featured dozens of moments in both of those Vanity Reasonable and Vogue journal. She was the star of quite a few hit films as well as inspiration for numerous paintings by a number of the most celebrated artists of her time. Mona was married to various exemplary men during her amazing life, which includes Henry J. Schlesinger; James Irving Bush (voted the handsomest male in the usa); Harrison Williams (supposedly the wealthiest man in America); Rely Eddy von Bismarck (grandson of German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck); and nobleman, Umberto de Martini.
Mona von Bismarck
Mona that has a portrait of herself by Sorin - From Vogue Journal
The Bismarck Sapphire Necklace encompasses a spectacular ninety eight.six carat cornflower-blue Sri Lankan (Ceylon) sapphire. The magnificent cushion-Slash sapphire is set within a platinum pendant surrounded by white baguette diamonds and more compact sq.-Slice blue sapphires. The necklace was built in 1935 by environment-renowned jewelry and view-producing agency, Cartier Inc. The sapphire and diamond pendant hangs from one chain made up of platinum inbound links divided by a number of spherical, brilliant and baguette-cut diamonds. In total, the necklace options a formidable 312 natural white diamonds and nine blue sapphires of exceptional cut, clarity and color.
The famed centerpiece sapphire is called the 'Bismarck Sapphire' and was believed to happen to be acquired in Sri Lanka by American millionaire, Harrison Williams, a utilities tycoon. In 1926, Harrison Williams presented the sapphire to Countess Mona von Bismarck throughout their honeymoon cruise (in addition to a number of other lavish presents). Sri Lanka at time was beneath British rule and had been actively mining fantastic top quality gems from your Ratnapura district.
The Ratnapura district of Sri Lanka has an historical historical past; it has been a source for wonderful ruby and sapphire since the reign of King Solomon, relationship again to your tenth century BC. To at the present time, this river basin and region of Sri Lanka is still producing a lot of the great sapphires we see that you can buy now. Making an allowance for the indigenous slicing form of Sri ανδρικα δαχτυλιδια χρυσα Lankan gem cutters in 1926, it really is believed that the first stone was much bigger than 98.6 carats, and was recut by Cartier after its original acquisition. This is due to Sri Lankan cutters constantly Minimize stones to maximize the preservation of carat bodyweight. The κοσμήματα για τον άντρα recut Bismarck Sapphire is described as remaining beautifully proportioned and exhibiting Extraordinary colour and craftsmanship.
The Bismarck Sapphire Necklace is credited as becoming one δώρο για άντρα of the most influential samples of Art Deco jewelry. It certainly aided outline the sleeker and much more streamlined style of Artwork Deco, which peaked from 1920 to 1935. Ahead of this time, jewelry was extra flowery and outdated-fashioned as noticed in the variety of Art Nouveau. Because 2010, the Bismarck Sapphire Necklace has long been on δώρο για άντρα Exhibit inside the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems ανδρικα δαχτυλιδια χρυσα and Minerals between the famed "Hall Sapphire and Diamond Necklace" and the "Logan Sapphire". The Bismarck Sapphire Necklace is in fact The most notable gemstone jewellery pieces exhibited inside the magnificent gems gallery of the Smithsonian.


The cultural show in Kandy gives you the opportunity to witness a spectacular display of Kandyan dancing, Sri Lanka’s iconic art form, which includes elaborate costumes, boisterous mass drumming, and flamboyant dancing. It gives you an introduction to the various dance forms of the Kandyan hill country as well as the low country and ends with the most impressive and exciting fire walking. The performance normally lasts for an hour until 6pm, just in time to get to the evening puja ceremony, which takes place within The Temple of The Tooth at around 6.30pm. The Temple of the Tooth, known locally as Dalada Malingawa, sits on the lakeshore in Kandy and houses the legendary Buddha’s tooth. During the puja (offering of prayers) the normally heavily guarded room, housing the tooth, is open to visitors. You don’t actually get to see the tooth, only the gold casket in which it is kept, but the experience is enthralling.


Copyright 2020 © The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL
'The Imitation Custom House' proposes a building in the River Thames adjacent to the existing 19th-century Custom House and speculates on an architectural methodology in which the Thames is the medium of construction. The project proposes an architecture whose construction is rooted in the ‘poetic’, whereby histories of the site are reinterpreted in the construction process. In the distant past, the Pool of London was animated by the tides which brought ships bearing exotic commodities; for the Imitation Custom House, the tides facilitate its production. Concrete is employed as a material for its dependence upon water.
The project asks how concrete might be used to deal with time in three ways: casting with and against an existing building, using temporary formwork as permanent architecture, and casting with concrete using the tides of the River Thames.
The notion of the ‘copy’ is challenged, and it is argued that more value might be afforded to a ‘copy’ that to its ‘original’ due to the process of its own production. The Imitation Custom House proposes that architecture might be concerned with the process of construction rather than with the resultant building.
The architecture employs the rise and fall of the tides as an agent for casting concrete. As the water drops, the concrete cures, and permanently casts the water's surface.
In the gallery, the space is rich with both architecture and art. Carpets of old timber formwork are trimmed with brass, affording them the same value as the paintings in their frames.
The construction of the Imitation Custom House leaves stains on its Neoclassical older sister, just as historic commodities once stained the water of the Thames.
“Time past and time present
Are both perhaps present in time future,
And time future contained in time past”
Extract from T.S. Eliot's Four Quartets (1941)


George Daniels (1926-2011) stands as an iconic figure in the realm of horology, leaving an indelible mark on the world of watchmaking. Born in London, Daniels embarked on his journey into the world of timekeeping at the age of 15, commencing an apprenticeship that would shape the course of his illustrious career.
Despite lacking formal education in watchmaking, Daniels exhibited an innate talent and an insatiable curiosity for mechanical devices. His early twenties saw him gain recognition as a skilled and inventive craftsman.
One of his most groundbreaking contributions was the invention of the Co-Axial escapement, a transformative breakthrough that significantly enhanced the accuracy and efficiency of mechanical watches. Initially met with scepticism, Daniels’ invention ultimately revolutionized modern watchmaking, showcasing his prowess in pushing the boundaries of what was achievable in timekeeping mechanisms.
Daniels was not merely a technical innovator but also a passionate advocate for preserving traditional craftsmanship in an era dominated by mass production. Faced with the encroachment of quartz watches, he staunchly defended the art of handmade watchmaking. As documented in the excellent film “The Watchmaker’s Apprentice”, Daniels’ acted as a mentor to Roger Smith who has continued with George Daniels’ work on the Isle of Man. Roger Smith has further developed and refining the co-axial escapement in his own fantastic range of handmade watches.
One of the masterpieces that exemplified Daniels’ technical and artistic brilliance was the Space Traveller watch. This double-dial timepiece featured both mean solar time and sidereal time, along with various astronomical indications, showcasing Daniels’ ability to blend functionality with intricate design.
Daniels’ commitment to craftsmanship extended beyond his own creations; he penned the authoritative book “Watchmaking,” a seminal guide in the field that shared his knowledge and insights with aspiring watchmakers. His teachings became essential resources, ensuring that his legacy would continue to shape the next generation of horologists.
Unsurprisingly George Daniels has received numerous accolades throughout the years. These include the prestigious Gold Medal from the British Horological Institute, Gold Medal from the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, Gold Medal from the City and Guilds of London Institute, a CBE in 1981 and even a Gold Blue Peter Badge.
In essence, George Daniels’ story is one of innovation, craftsmanship, and an unwavering dedication to the art of watchmaking. His technical brilliance and commitment to preserving tradition have left an enduring legacy that continues to inspire and guide watchmakers worldwide. Daniels’ contributions have ensured that the timeless beauty and appreciation of mechanical timepieces will persist for generations to come.
David Clark FGA DGA MJVA PJDip. PJGemDip.
Managing Director, JVA Registered Valuer®
W.E. Clark & Son Limited


His belief in Hinduism allowed him to recognise the color orange as the Hindu color of survival, on things such as the life jackets and lifeboat. It also makes him remember the Hindu story about a sage named Markandeya and Vishnu, stating that “I felt like the sage Markandeya, who fell out of Vishnu’s mouth while Vishnu was sleeping and so beheld the entire universe, everything that there is”. This brought him perspective and he realized how meaningless his suffering was.
So we see through the use of religious symbolism and allusion how Pi’s faith helps him maintain hope and his will to live, connects him and allows him to relate to various religious figures and brings him perspective to see the bigger picture.
However, the most important and notable use of symbolism is the raft, which represents his faith. It is something that he has to construct by himself, in order to be effective. We see how this relates to the differences of Whites and Blacks and their actions in “To Kill a Mockingbird”, how religion which was drummed into Whites since birth resulted in hypocrisy as opposed to the strong moral values of the Black community who truly understood their faith. Throughout the tale, his raft never forsakes him, it is the invisible force that finally brings him to safety and the force that transforms him into the individual he finally becomes. the author sends a message that it is our faith that helps us across the unforgiving ad endless sea, to never give up your faith– in yourself, in a better world.


Scott Carson x BeatBox Studios - Launch Night
Congratulations to client Scott Carson on the launch of BeatBox Studios.
Scott and the BeatBox team will be celebrating with VIP’s, guests, family and friends tonight at the Exclusive Launch party in Lichfield.
BeatBox is a truly unique setting where people can enjoy their passions for music, boxing and fitness whilst socialising with their friends and those with common interests.
Scott and friends are behind this exciting new concept, that aims to change the perception of boxing gyms and encourage new participation into the discipline.
Initially based in Lichfield, Staffordshire with more venues to follow, BeatBox is a space where you can get lost in your music and fitness, a place with no mirrors, nightclub lighting and a bouncing vibe.
Find out more here – https://www.beatboxstudios.co.uk
And don’t forget to follow BeatBox on social…


A revival of traditional Irish harp music in the early 19th century led instrument makers to design new harps suitable for amateur players. John Egan, a harp maker active in Dublin, invented his “royal portable Irish harp” circa 1819. Though resembling a traditional Irish harp in size, this instrument incorporated “ivory stops,” used to raise and lower pitches, allowing changes of key. The illustration above appears in Charles Egan’s A New Series of Instructions Arranged Expressly for the Royal Portable Irish Harp (Dublin: for the author by John Egan), prefaced by a dedication to Princess Augusta dated 1822.
Both John and Charles Egan were associated with the royal family: John was “harp maker by authority of the royal warrant” to George IV, and Charles served as “professor of harp” to Princess Augusta. Also present in the Archive are a manuscript “Selection of Preludes & Airs for the Royal Portable Irish Harp” by Charles Egan, accompanied by a letter of dedication to Princess Augusta and an essay on Irish music, all presumably in Egan’s autograph. The “Preludes & Airs” incorporate Irish tunes, as well as a version of “God Save the King”:
Princess Augusta’s interest in the harp extended beyond the revival of Irish traditions. A volume of harp music with Augusta’s personalized binding includes popular opera excerpts arranged for pedal harp by Charles Egan and other composers. Many song collections in the Archive employ the harp as an accompanying instrument. One example is this collection of English ballads dedicated to Princess Augusta’s younger sister Mary by Sir William Parsons (1746-1817), “master of His Majesty’s band of musicians”:
The Archive also contains works of two French harp virtuosos. Nicholas Charles Bochsa (1789-1856), served as harpist to Napoleon and Louis XVIII, 1813-1816. Fleeing charges of forgery, he arrived in London in 1817, was appointed professor of harp at the Royal Academy of Music and served as music director of the King’s Theatre, 1826-1830. Bochsa composed opera, orchestra, and chamber music, as well as music for solo harp. His pedagogical works included A New and Improved Method of Instruction for the Harp:
Jean-Baptiste Cardon (1760-1803), a harp virtuoso and teacher in Paris, visited London in 1785 and dedicated his harp sonatas, op. 22, to George IV, then Prince of Wales. After the French Revolution, Cardon settled in Russia and was appointed harpist to the Russian royal family. The Archive’s copy of Cardon’s variations on the French folksong “Ah, vous dirai-je, maman” is annotated with manuscript fingerings, probably by Princess Augusta:
The presence of several works by Joseph Tudor Hughes indicate the royal family’s interest in this child prodigy harpist.
Joseph Tudor Hughes (born circa 1827) was one of several siblings, all musical prodigies who sang and played the harp, violin, and concertina. Originally from Wales, the children performed in England during the 1830s and emigrated with their parents to the United States in 1838.
The collection of compositions by Joseph Tudor Hughes shown above includes “Llewellyn’s Lament,” based on a legend of Prince Llewellyn the Great of Wales:
One manuscript by Hughes is present in the Archive. Titled “The Infant’s Farewell,” the manuscript is annotated “this melody was composed by Master Hughes on the occation of leaveing his mother to come to Brighton as farewell”:
Sadly, Joseph Tudor Hughes’s life was cut short by a drowning accident in 1841. His brother David Edward Hughes (1831-1900) became a professor of music and natural philosophy at St. Joseph’s College in Bardstown, Kentucky. He returned to London in the 1870s, where he had a distinguished career as a scientist and inventor of telegraph and telephone technology.


“The collaboration between a director and his scriptwriter can take a wide variety of forms. One might almost say that there are as many different methods of work as there are films. Yet the one that seems most frequent in the traditional commercial cinema involves a more or less radical separation of scenario and image, story and style, in short, “content” and “form”.
“For instance: the author describes a conversation between two characters, providing the words they speak and a few details about the setting; if he is more precise, he specifies their gestures or facial expressions; but it is always the director who subsequently decides how the episode will be photographed, if the characters will be seen from a distance or if their faces will fill the whole screen, what movements the camera will make, how the scene will be cut, etc. Yet the scene as the audience sees it will acquire quite different, sometimes even contradictory meanings, depending on whether the characters are looking towards the camera or away from it, or whether the shots cut back and forth between their faces in rapid succession. The camera may also concentrate on something entirely different during their conversation, perhaps merely the setting around them: the walls of the room they are in, the streets where they are walking, the waves that break in front of them. At is extreme this method produced a scene whose words and gestures were quite ordinary and unmemorable, compared to the forms and movement of the image, which alone has any importance, which alone appears to have a meaning.
“This is just what makes the cinema an art: it creates a reality with forms. It is in its form that we must look for its true content. The same is true of any work of art, of a novel, for instance: the choice of a narrative style, of a grammatical tense, of a rhythm of phrasing, of a vocabulary, carries more weight than the actual story. What novelist worthy of the name would be satisfied to hand his story over to a metteur-en-phrases who would write out the final version of the text for the reader. The intention governing the conception of a novel involves both the story and its style; often, it is actually the latter which comes first in the author's mind, as a painter may conceive of a canvas entirely in terms of a vertical lines before deciding to represent a skyscraper group.
“And no doubt the same is true for a film: conceiving of a screen story, it seems to me, would mean already conceiving of it in images, with all the detail this involves, not only with regard to gestures and settings, but to the camera's position and movement, as well as to the sequence of shots in editing. Alain Resnais and I were able to collaborate only because we had seen the film in the same way from the start; and not ust in the same general outlines, but exactly, in the construction of the least detail as in its total architecture. What I wrote might have been what was already in my mind; what he added during the shooting was what I might have written.”
Alain Robbe-Grillet, introduction to Last Year at Marienbad: a cine novel (1961) p5-6.