Some things just fill your heart without even trying. Dogs are family - as simple as that. I know you'll know what I mean if you're lucky enough to have a dog in your life (and I'm guessing you do...unless you just love looking at dog pictures? If so, I can't say I blame you...dogs are pretty awesome, and a page full of gorgeous pups is just one click away!)
I hope you are reading this now while your little bundle of fur is pawing at your leg, wondering what on earth could be more important than giving her your undivided attention. That's my Skye (the dog behind the Dog with a Bow.) I can't even write this "about me" page without her demanding constant belly rubs. Do you know how much slower it is to write while one hand is being pawed at impatientily? Skye does, and she couldn't care less.
I remember a time in my past when I was SO much more productive with my time...and then I adopted a dog! Now my clothes are covered in hair, my favourite chair is no longer my chair, and I'm woken up every morning by Skye jumping on my head.
And I mean a little! Your session is all about your dog. I'm just the guy making weird noises to get that oh-so-awesome head tilt!
Here's the super quick breakdown though - my name is Paul. I got my first dog when I was a baby; a gorgeous (and more than a little energetic!) springer spaniel.
We were inseparable. My mom tells a story of trying to tell me off for something I did at 3 years old (I probably took an ice cream from the freezer without asking), and my loyal, protective puppy, just sat between me and my mom, letting out a soft warning growl whenever she tried to raise her voice. My mom gave up and I probably shared that ice cream with my springer!
Enough about me though. Your dog is the true star, and their session will be all about them. To learn about our sessions simply click the button below!
Warehouse club Costco stores in my area also sell gas. The price is usually a little cheaper than the price at other gas stations. I can tell by the length of the lines how much cheaper it is. If it’s five cents cheaper, the lines are very short or non-existent. If it’s cheaper by 10 cents or more, the lines are long. You have to wait good 10-15 minutes.
My car has a 16-gallon tank. A fill-up is usually a little over 14 gallons. Saving 10 cents a gallon only saves $1.50 or so. I’m pretty sure there are better ways to save $1.50 a week than waiting in line for cheaper gas.
So why do you think people have this irrational sensitivity to gas prices? Dan Ariely, a behavior economics professor at Duke University and author of the book Predictably Irrational says it’s because people stare at the meter for too long.
I think it’s because it’s a sure thing. Waiting in line for 10-15 minutes will save $1.50 for sure. Buying tomatoes from a different store may or may not save money because stores don’t post tomato prices high up there.
Very irrational indeed. Note that the unit of price they are comparing against is basically cents. People give no thought when they spend a few bucks on coffee. Only when it comes to gas will they be penny pinching.
Contrast this to fuel efficiency. Even though the attitude is changing these days, people still pay little attention to fuel efficiency. Consider a 20 mpg car v.s. a 30 mpg car. If you get a 30 mpg car, you spend 40% less on fuel compare to the other car, no matter what the prevalent gas price goes. Strange that few people shop for fuel efficient car (to save money) with the same passion as they shop for cheap gas.
You forgot to mention something – how frequently some people fill their gas tank. $1.50 saved every three weeks (my rate of filling it up) doesn’t work. But my sister – who appraises houses for a living probably fills her car up 2-3 times a week, meaning she’ll save maybe $12 for every $1.50 I do.
So her save $12 after filling the tank 8 times. Assuming the gas price is $3.5, she would have already spent 3.5*14*8 = $392, which amounts to 3% saving. Besides she has to get in line 8 times, spending 80 to 120 minutes so that she can earn $12.
The choice isn’t between two sellers with a difference of 10 cents. The actual choice may be more like 10 sellers with a spread of 30 cents, since you drive by that many gas stations on your way from A to B, and there are many high priced sellers. So savings that last few cents is just icing the cake, and total savings is enough to buy your overpriced coffee.
Where I live, we’re anticipating snow and an icepocalypse (thanks to eager weather forecasters who thrive on the drama of a scary forecast). Because of the amount of ice we may get, it’s likely we’ll lose power, not something that endears this winter to me any more than it already hasn’t.
But I thought you might like some book recommendations, in case you lose power and are cut off from TV and movies and the outside world in general. These three books are my first three library books in ages. Two of them made me wait months while they worked their way through the library hold list, and the other practically leapt off the shelf at me when I walked by. I’ll share them with you in the order that I read them. Continue reading →
Hello! We have an almost 2 year old girl that was diagnosed with FPIES at 5 months old after several reactions to baby food. She also was diagnosed with colic at an early age, which we now know was her reacting to breast milk.
My hope is to connect with a family who is also navigating this. We live in the Denver area. I have so many questions. How do people deal with a child with FPIES and a sibling that doesn't have it? Our FPIES kid wants to eat what others have, especially her older brother.
She also also hasn't slept a full night through since she has been born. Continues to wake up at least once and requires more milk before sleeping again. Continues to take Elecare formula at almost 2.
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. It's hard to talk to even family and friends because most of them don't know what we actually go through.
Hi. Your post brings back vivid memories. Our child is now 8 and his last FPIES reaction was around age 3. I would like to give you hope that you can manage this. Our son has multiple food intolerances as well and patch testing with the allergist was so very helpful. It is a lot of work, but I kept a daily log of food intake. Kenny was allergic to dairy, corn and type 1 anaphylaxis to soy in the very beginning (everything they make even "hypoallergenic" formula from. We met with GI to discuss tube feeding, but they were just going to give him a corn based formula that we tested orally - that made him sick. Therefore, I made the very difficult decision to continue avoiding all allergens and continue pumping (2 yrs. 9 months). Husband was on-board too so we would watch and report any symptoms that were concerning and then look back 24-48 hours re: what he ate. Kenny would also eat a food and state it was "Yummy" but then avoid / decline further offers. This was always suspect. A good dietician is key as well so that you'll understand how to look for hidden allergens in food. Around 8 months he was hinting at "failure to thrive" and that made me get very serious about tracking what foods as there turned out to be many more allergens than initially tested for. The beauty in it was as we pulled away more food, the better he looked. Working full time and pumping was a toll on me. By the end, the milk I was producing wasn't enough to sustain him and we opted to have him eat the 2 safe foods since his growth was back on target. Costco bacon (I know - chemicals....but it was what didn't make him sick) and yams were the only 2 foods that didn't cause a reaction. We got to the point where he looked great and then slowly introduced foods. I documented 72 reactions from different foods. Slowly over time things got better. He is now over 4 feet tall and 82 pounds. Attends a charter school (everyone packs their own food) and it's small - where they can keep a good eye on them. We taught him from very young re: his allergens so that he can advocate for himself. In re: to FPIES, its a tough one to know if he's outgrown. So far we continue to avoid his allergens - and he looks great. As the seasons change, his body rejects foods he has tolerated throughout the spring / summer. I know now that this doesn't mean he's lost them forever, but that it waxes and wanes. I hope this helps. It's easier said then done, but take it day by day or it's easy to feel overwhelmed. And know that what you are living today, most likely will get better (eventually). We have accepted the fact that this is probably a way of life for us - but we have no choice but to make the best of it. I'd be happy to share what else we have done that has eased the way. Just let me know. We are just outside of Anchorage, AK. I have only recently discovered a portable oven that plugs into car outlet with an adapter from a company called HotLogic. We can now heat his food up on the go. Restaurants here won't let us heat up his food when we go out to eat (liability of cross contamination). You can heat food at home and keep it warm in this thing as well. Sorry for this to be so long. I wanted to reach out and let you know you are not alone in this journey.
Thank you So very much for this reply. It wasn't too long of a post at all. I greatly appreciate it. I know there are kids in the Denver metro area that have this but connecting with people who deal with this is difficult, mostly because it's so rare, I think. I have not had many people to talk about this with who really have lived it. The scary throwing up episodes. The fear in your child's eyes when they are sick. The fear in their eyes when they look at new food. My daughter would typically get sick at night before bed. She was terrified to go to bed. We struggle even now and she just turned 2. She hasn't slept all the way through the night but a maybe three her entire life. I don't know if this is typical or just my daughter's fears. She has recently been doing better with food trials and currently has 15 safe foods! This is amazing! We still use Elecare Jr Formula. We have had to use it since she was 4 months old. Doctors said she had colic when she was 6 weeks to 4 months but we quickly realized it was her FPIES and reacting to my milk. I tried adjusting my diet but nothing helped and we had to switch her to the elemental formula.
One major problem we are trying to figure out is our daughter is our youngest of 2. My son does not have FPIES. When we feed him she wants all the food she sees others eating. At times cries and cries. We try our best to explain it to her but she is 2 and reasoning isn't always an option. Have you experienced this with your son and if so, did anything help? we teach her safe vs. not safe but that doesn't always cut it.
Again, thank you for reaching out. It does give me hope that things can get better and easier. I will remain hopeful and appreciate all your help.
I have a question for Jacki- My son also has FPIES reactions to corn and soy with an intolerance to dairy (as well as a lot of other FPIES food allergies too numerous to list.) I have been exclusively breast-feeding/pumping for 18 months. My son had an adverse reaction to Elecare Jr. We were testing Neocate Jr., but unflavored didn't work due to taste preference (no medical reaction - but then again he never drank more than an ounce). Now, we are about to try the flavored ones.
After 2 yrs and 9 months of breastfeeding (which may happen to me), did you ever find a hypoallergenic formula that worked? How did he get similar nutrition to "dairy"?
We have about 15 solid foods at this point- which is a success for us. But, I'm worried about the "milk" issue.
In 9 years we have never found a milk substitute. He drinks water and there is one juice I have found that does not have citric acid in it I make him strawberry shakes (strawberry, water and sugar). "Tea" water and sugar.
My allergist explained to me that milk is for baby cows (not humans) and the calcium is an additive and can be found in other sources. When he was 2 years and 9 months, the nutritional specialist and GI doctor explained that he would be able to get enough calories from bacon, yam and water to sustain himself. It sounds crazy to write this now....but in lieu of a tube feeding with a substance that he would only react to, this was worth a shot. Shortly after age 3 he gained banana. It was / has been a very slow road to progress. Although he is able to do a lot more now, although still restrictive enough we can't risk eating out.
Rice milk would be the closest chance we have but he doesn't tolerate sunflower at this time. Other brands have derivates of corn in them. He's also reactive to coconut and almonds.
As long as you are having progress regarding height / weight and your child is happy - I think you are on the right path I did find a calcium supplement from GNC - Calcium Citrate 1000 mg. He takes a 1/2 tab (500 mg) daily as well as Vit D from NOW, probiotic Floragen4kids, and yummy bears organic complete multivitamin. These products have been tolerated very well by him. I met with a couple of dietician's who reviewed what nutrition he was getting and then helped me know what vitamins / minerals we needed to focus on. One was particularly great with helping me come up with creative ways to cook. For example, once he gained rice and tapioca - I'd buy the tapioca rolls / wraps and fill them with rice and bacon and now whatever else he can tolerate. Advocate for you and your child. Sometimes doctors and etc. may not know your needs and I want to empower you to speak up. Tell them if you feel like you are at a loss with creativity and making food fun. I still have days when I struggle and have a silent pity party. But then, I remember where we came from and I start to feel blessed again. There is no other feeling on earth though when you feel trapped in a situation where only time, having hope / pray for things to get better.
Our child would wake up at 1 am every night. It was the witching hour. It didn't matter if I put him to sleep at 11pm or 7 pm. I don't know how or why, but it happened! It improved when we discovered other unknown allergens (food diary / reactions)
In regards to others eating - my heart sinks when I see Kenny looking at food he can't have. To this day I try not to enjoy what I am eating too much as it is just hard to celebrate when your child can't have any with you. We were lucky in that Kenny seemed to understand that it was the food making him sick. We are at a point now where we all eat what is safe for Kenny. It makes cooking easier too (not having to cook bunch of different meals). When he was younger, we did use the TV / iPad as a distraction (either something fun + / or educational). Good, bad or indifferent, it got us through.
Maybe there is an opportunity for you to be the creator of a support group in your area? The allergist maybe can put up a flyer in the office to direct folks to you re: email and then maybe try for a small gathering. When our son was young, we had such a thing in our area. I found it very helpful. We'd get together at Bouncing Bears or Coffee shop with a play area. That is where a gal shared a birthday cake recipe for me that I still use to this day. I am not much of a baker and was just learning how to substitute egg and different flours. Also, one of the Allergist once a year meets at a local coffee shop for a very informal sit down where people can ask all kinds of questions that we don't think of during our office visits.
Thanks for your reply Jacki. We'll keep up the hard battle. It is good to know your son can thrive without a "milk" and that things get better with age. We also have food randomly fail that has been tolerated for awhile, which makes food testing difficult and confuses me (and the doctors.)
He is a happy little guy though. He does sleep the night as long as I give him a later night snack- his diet isn't very "filling." He only tends to wake up if he's hungry or sick.
We have safe foods that turn on us too. For us, it's the change of seasons. Fruits not as tolerated in the winter. Things get better in the Spring here. I have heard of the philosophy that we should be eating food that is "in season". We never used to have fresh cantaloupe in the winter . Now we have the luxury of having everything at our fingertips thanks to shipping / exchange.
Maybe you were an honors nerd in high school, or the trampy cheerleader, or that strange girl who always sat alone at lunch. Whatever your rep, …
1971 Chevrolet Blazer Custom Feature Accessories manual This Owner protection plan covers the Blazer , Suburban and C/K 10-30 Trucks This manual is in very good condition Please look at the photos
1972 Chevrolet Truck Custom Feature Accessories manual This manual covers Accessories for all models of the C/K 10-30 Blazer and Suburban This manual is in very good condition Please look at the photos
1976 Chevrolet Truck Custom Feature Accessories manual This manual covers Accessories for all models of the C/K 10-30 Blazer and Suburban There is some spotting on the back of this manual. This manual is in very good condition Please look at the photos
After a poor start to the Valspar Championship, Jordan Spieth responded to folks he thought were trolling him on social media. Then Rory McIlroy backed up Spieth. Why do these guys care what the normal people have to say on social media?
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A young man sits at a grand piano. His eyes are closed, his hands, at the center of the keyboard, are in the middle of playing. He is highly focused. His profile, his ear, his hands, physique are all very fine, the skin deathly pale. The androgynous pianist is portrayed before a beige-gray, monochrome ground in profile. The line of his back is optically lengthened by his cape. Severe, ebony contours lift the seated pianist into the image foreground, and lend him dramatic autonomy.
The smooth surface of the piano is noticeable due to the reflections and light reflexes on its top, towards the bottom it becomes a vivid, inky expanse. The realism of the instrument and the pianist is only spelled out in as much detail as necessary. The reduced, abstract expanses are painted in a vivid style. The sitter wears a perfectly fitted black suit with a white shirt and has a type of cape thrown over his shoulders. Black fabric is draped over the piano stool, falling in folds. All of the clothing items are menswear that befit the sitter’s rank. The figure and the actually monstrous instrument are unified by their color. Like a dark frozen wave, its swell beginning with the pianist’s back and breaking out of the right side of the picture.
The musician is shown in a heroic moment of great sincerity and concentration. She is completely introspective, creating and hearing music simultaneously. A female dandy. The figure of the dandy, an extravagant variety of gentleman, is characterized by elegance, perfect manners and ambiguous sexuality. The dandy is also a master of performative role-playing with bourgeois conventions and concepts of class. As a conscious performer of identity (including the knowledge of own limitations), the dandy has represented a modernistic type of person since the 19th century. He is a culturally potent figure, distanced from himself. Renata Borgatti, who was the painter’s lover for a short time on the island Capri, is portrayed in this painting as an impressive author-pianist, embodying depth and intellectualism.
Romaine Brooks called her pictures from 1920 on portraits of modern women, and always gave them titles that identified the figures, who usually had a masculine demeanor, as women, for instance her famous portrait of the painter Hanna Glucksmann Peter (A Young English Girl) from 1923-1924.
A young woman sits in an armchair facing 8 o’clock from the viewer’s perspective. She is in profile, looking out to the left side of the picture. A horizontal black stripe of paint behind her highlights her pale face. To the right edge of the painting, a cut-off “leg” implies that the piece of furniture in the background must be a piano. The veil, lifted back, is in line with her status, and it curves up, blackish-brown, above the edge of the piano, and cascades down her back. Despite the achromatic, reduced colors of the painting, the face of the sitter seems vivid and clear. The white flowers, cultivated nature and iconographic heralds of innocence, are the frontmost and also the lightest part of the picture.
The figure is sitting up very straight on the upholstery, still wearing her voluminous coat. Her stillness highlights the fact that she has just arrived, or is about to leave. Romaine Brooks also painted a situation of heightened attentivity and focus here: listening to music.
The girl’s ear, the organ which the music enters, is the point of the image that our gaze is drawn to and stays. Since the figure is looking out of the image to the left, and parallel image axes are predominant, the focal point is to the left above the center of the picture (instead of to the right, as usual). We can feel the anatomy in detail, sense every bone, and also see her small earring. “Lady at the piano” is a common trope of interior painting around the turn of the century. The piano as a symbol of economic prosperity and an attribute of higher education turned the player herself into a status symbol. The location of the piano, usually a bourgeois salon, represented the interface towards the outside world within a private environment, so it accordingly it served as a space of representation. Unlike James McNeill Whistler, who paints a pianist in a similar composition in 1859, in a detailed, domestic and bourgeois scene, and gives her a child listener, Romaine Brooks almost completely eschews the addition of symbolical attributes.
Although the painting from 1910 fulfills the conventions of interior painting and genre painting, what we see here is a strong individual, occupied with an intellectual activity, as is so often the case with Romaine Brooks. The young listener is completely and fully the subject of her surroundings. In the two pictures, painted 10 years apart, Romaine Brooks illustrates the experience of music wonderfully through her two protagonists.
In 1995, at the age of 20, I attended the course “Training Comparative Seeing for Beginners with Originals” at the Free University of Berlin. Almost exclusively young women viewed and described paintings by men at the public collections on Berlin’s Museum Island, under the guidance of an art history professor who was mellow with age. It was terrible and great at the same time. After the first shock over the ritual of the formalist approach and my new, stuffily academic surroundings, I found my way from seeing to recognizing. Speechlessness and then finding words, the norms of liberal arts language, the corset of form-based visual comparison were an instructive lesson in visual thinking and description. During these collective sessions of viewing art, which were free from biographical, historical or class-related anecdotes (after all, the canonization was to occur via the comparative formation of style), I saw and felt very clearly, for the first time, that something was wrong with the gender ratio of all participants involved, including the protagonists of the paintings. I only recognized the full scope of my academic “primal scene” much later.