Cleaning Up iTunes Library: Organizing Loose Tracks

When it comes to moving your CD library from spindles/cases and into digital format, iTunes has been a great tool to use for importing music. It's great to be able to quickly skip through your library of hundreds of albums as fast as you can scroll a mouse or swipe your finger.This saves us from searching through several spindles of music CD's and not remembering what tracks are on the CD or if the CD still plays without skipping. Migrating favorite memories such as music has been the thing to do for many people wishing to shrink their large libraries for a more mobile and faster option.

With saying all that, I find that one of the things that annoy me about the digital version of an album, is when loose tracks show up outside of an album. This happens when you have a track with a featured artist. All the tracks in the album need to have the same artist name for all the tracks to "move into"  its album title in Grid View.

In iTunes, when you have tracks show up separate from the albums, you could use a program like TuneUp to clean them up. TuneUp "automagically" moves lost tracks into the correct albums, leaving you with an organized music library. Without using a program like this, you would have to manually clean up your iTunes library yourself.

To manually clean up your iTunes library and organize loose tracks, search for an album that has loose tracks in Album View. Any tracks that have the artist's name with a featured artist, needs to be edited to only show the artist's name.

    Open iTunes.
    While in Grid View, search for albums that are loose. They can be easily identified by having guest artist names along with the artist name.
    Click on the names in the Artist Name column in Grid View.
    Once you edit the artist's name, you will notice the library updates and the loose tracks disappear.
    Change the iTunes view from Grid View to Album List.

TuneUp also allows you to acquire the missing album art for albums that imported without the cover art. You can manually run this in iTunes after imported a CD, or you can have TuneUp do it for you... for a cost! We are not affiliated with TuneUp and are not promoting it, however we have tested the software and it did a pretty decent job cleaning up my library. It was very fast and it found many missing artwork (The software has a set limit for trial use).

If you prefer the free way, you can do the following:

    Open iTunes.
    Select the Album you want the cover for.
    Click Advanced, then Get Album Artwork.

iTunes scans your library and tries to match the missing album cover for albums without a cover. iTunes does not always find a match! So good luck and happy cleaning!

Wadadli Technology LLC was starting in 2007. The company's focus is on Information Systems and Internetworking Technologies consulting. WadadliTech has a unique approach to working with clients on projects such as developing a content managed website to a wide-area network environment. Our primary market is the small business clients located in Maryland, however we do have clients in New York as well as over seas. If you are looking for network consultants in Maryland, try WadadliTech.

What Is Cosplay Anyway?

Cosplay is often misunderstood, and often brings up vague images of people dressed up in anime costumes. It can be interpreted in many different ways, but generally it refers to costume play or roleplay with anime or video game costumes. In the United States you can see cosplay in action at video game, comic and anime conventions. In Asia cosplay has a larger impact where it has influenced fashion, pop culture, and TV/street marketing.

Cosplay costumes have a large range that goes well outside of video games and anime. The intention is not to be symbolic of an idea or holiday but to actually replicate the character and play them yourself. Holidays like Halloween and Mardi Gras are generally not thought of as cosplay holidays because people dont actually live the characters and simply dress up. The level of detail in a cosplay outfit is also much higher than a store bought halloween costume.

The range of how detailed a cosplay outfit can get can vary from a upgraded costume kit to a custom made and tailored suit with full armor details, costume jewlry, and weapons. Cosplayers will often finish the look by using a wig, adding extensions to their hair, using hair dye and make-up. Contact lenses are also widely used to recreate anime or video game eye colors. Temporary or even real tatoo's are used to finish the look.

You can see cosplay in action at fan, comic, and video game conventions. Often these conventions have strict rules which the cosplayer must follow. These rules generally apply to cosplay weapons and outfits which are too revealing. The single largest event in the United States is the San Diego Comic-Con which is held every summer. Japan has many large expo's such as Comiket and the Japan Expo. At these conventions there will often be competitions where contestants present their cosplay and are judged for an award. Typically the contests require the cosplay outfit to be self made, the contestant must also have a skit prepared or have some sort of supporting act.

To help better understand what type of costumes are considered cosplay I will list some of the popular cosplay from this years comic-con. Of the video game cosplay, we found lots of Assassin's Creed, World of Warcraft, League of Legends, Metal Gear, Street Fighter, Zelda and the always popular Final Fantasy cosplay. For anime and cartoons there was Bleach anime, Dragonball, Durarara!, Air Gear, FullMetal Alchemist, Kingdom Hearts and of course Pokemon. There were also some good Hollywood movie representations with outfits from Kill Bill, Batman, Superman, Underworld, Resident Evil, Star Trek, X-Men and Lord of the Rings.

Will My Boss Get Mad At Me If I Support Obama?

The other day, I was talking to a fellow entrepreneur about politics and the challenges with class warfare. We also discussed the anti-capitalism crosstalk coming from our current political leadership. It seems as if this attitude has now encompassed all levels of our society. He told me that he was starting a new company, and he interviewed several people, and one gentleman had an incredible resume, but he also had a political sticker on his car. My acquaintance was ready to hire the applicant, but chose not to do so.

Okay so, this brings up a very interesting question, namely, is supporting a failing Obama Administration advantageous to your career path. At one point it seemed as if those that supported the previous administration lacked upward mobility, not that the former president was a bad president mind you, just that the media's perception had changed and along with it, the minds of a good number of Americans.

If someone is a strong supporter of the Obama Administration then they perhaps also support the Affordable Health Care Act. If a small business entrepreneur is forced to participate in that program it could easily cost them $4500 more per employee. In many cases that would be enough to drive them out of business. If an employee supports such policies which can drive an entrepreneur out of business, then why should that entrepreneur support those employees with paychecks which in essence will be used against them if they donate to that particular political campaign? He shouldn't.

Do I fault my acquaintance for his mindset? No, I don't fault him, and although one could also make the case that if someone supports such poor management at the executive branch of our government, then maybe they should not be trusted with making legitimate decisions in a business, as businesses need to make a profit to survive.

Perhaps you might think this is too harsh, and that since we allow free speech in our country, an employer should not make that a qualification in the hiring or firing of a given employee. Whereas in spirit I agree with you, I dismiss that argument because there is no sense in supporting a part of the population which is working to undermine the free-market system putting companies out of business.

Are you beginning to see how the Obama Administration has totally divided our country? The reality is I am speaking from the heart. I truly believe that what's going on isn't right for America. I understand why my entrepreneurial friend is so upset. He is wondering if he will be in business next year. That is when and if he does launch a new business, one which could inevitably provide well over 50 new jobs.

Therefore, I don't blame him one bit for his decision. It makes perfect sense to me. If you are an Obama supporter perhaps you shouldn't tell your boss. I personally wouldn't tell anybody, as it could become a negative issue for your career path and future. Please consider all this and think on it.

Five Tips to Be a Successful Fashion Model

I have had the opportunity to work with a lot of great models over the years. This Spring, I had the pleasure of working with a young model. Rachel Sargeant is a model that has natural beauty and intelligence. She is also a young lady who understands that these attributes are not enough to reach success in the fashion world. Here are five attributes that other aspiring young models can learn from her:

1. Passion: a model must be passionate. When I met Rachel, I was struck by her enthusiasm and thirst for the fashion world. Agencies and photographers want to work with models that enjoy the photographic experience and want to participate in the creative process.

2. Attitude and Commitment: Rachel has a great attitude. She is committed to the journey to be a successful model. At a young age, she understands that it's a long road to success and she has made a commitment to the journey. This includes willingness to travel and leave friends and family behind. A model must have a good attitude and be open to the photographic process. This includes being open to experimentation in order to get the right angle and the right shot. After all, it takes a lot of hard work to capture the right image and it makes a big difference for agencies to work with someone who willing and unafraid to experiment.

3. Self-confidence: as a young model, you need to have self-confidence. Successful models set goals and are not afraid to go after them with a persistent fortitude. Rachel struck me as one who is comfortable in setting goals and not afraid to go after them with a determined purpose In the world of modeling, there are a lot of models and one should consider herself lucky if she is working with someone who is helping her though the creative process.

4. Self-love: There's a lot of pressure in the fashion world from staying thin and fit to alcohol and drugs. Here is an analogy. When you board a plane, the flight attendants are required to demonstrate what to do in case the oxygen masks drop from above. The first instruction is to put your mask on first. This is especially important because if you don't take care of you first, you will not be able to focus on your fashion career. As an aspiring model, you need to put yourself in a position of power. Rachel understands the importance of resisting peer pressure including staying drug and alcohol free.

5. Self-examination and continuous education: great models are not born, they work hard at what they do. As a model, you will make mistakes, your attitude will change and you will grow. If you don't take the time to examine yourself and your attitudes along the way, you will become stagnant. Rachel impressed me by wanting to constantly learn. She politely asked what I was looking for and she delivered. She wanted to be part of the process and constantly asked "what is it that I can do better?" She was very helpful and creative, and made good suggestions I was very pleased with the end results.

How You Can Find a Child Modeling Agency

Long ago, only adult females or males did modeling. Child modeling was unheard of and male modeling was not that common. Nevertheless, as the world became more liberal and with time, children began to appear as models in commercials, magazines and other avenues.

Today, these children models are used in many instances. For instance, companies that make baby products use the models to appeal to clients. Many young models later become supper models gracing countless runways and covers of famous magazines. Children need permission from their parents for them to get into the modeling industry.

Modeling agencies for children

There are countless of children who are struggling to make it big in the entertainment industry as models. Some of these kids go to great lengths to realize their dreams of becoming rich and famous. Some go through a vigorous exercise and strict dieting to maintain perfect bodies. Others even undergo cosmetic surgery to correct a physical attribute they do not like such as small breasts, long nose or eyes.

Due to the huge number of teen models, many modeling agencies for kids have come up to fulfill the need. These agencies play a major part in exposing and marketing the model under their management. It is almost impossible to make it in this industry without an agency.

Nevertheless, people have realized that modeling agencies are often sought after. Therefore, many fraud artists have come up who prey on unsuspecting victims and their families. Many families have been conned out of their fortune by these unscrupulous people.

Make sure that you find a credible modeling agency for kids to avoid this fate. Granted, this is not an easy task and often involves great efforts and patience. Parents or guardians can do a few things to make sure they find a good agency for their children.

Before you begin your search, you will need headshots of your child, a phone, internet and Ross Reports. It is wise to have at least eight prints of your child's headshot with his or her name on them. You will need to buy the Ross Reports where you will find a listing of all child-modeling agencies.

Highlight the ones that you have an interest in and do some research on them using the internet. Once you have settled on a particular agency, write a cover letter in which you explain that you are seeking representation of your child. Include the headshots and resume when sending the cover letter.

Here Are Five Simple Solutions for a Guitar That Won't Stay in Tune

Part of being a great guitar player is knowing what to do if your guitar won't stay in tune. There are a number of causes for intonation problems - and a solution for each.

Old strings. Sometimes all that's needed to fix your tuning problems is a new set of stings. As guitar strings age, the oil from your hands attracts dust and dirt which causes the strings to vibrate unevenly and lose their elasticity (the ability to be stretched). Plus, when the surface of a string collects dirt or becomes thinner than normal in places, it simply doesn't vibrate consistently and accurately as it did when it was new and thus sounds out of tune. Strings can be cleaned with products from your local music store but the ultimate solution is installing new strings every six months or so.

The bridge. This is where most intonation problems occur. Whether you have a fixed bridge (most acoustic guitars) or an adjustable bridge (most electric guitars) by theory, the distance between the guitar's nut (the slotted piece at the first fret) and the 12th fret should be exactly the same as the distance from the 12th fret to the bridge. With a little knowledge and practice, you can learn how to adjust the bridge so the guitar stays in tune. Many guitar bridges allow you to adjust the strings individually while fixed bridges must be adjusted as a whole. Tip: Use a quality electronic guitar tuner when making adjustments (or let your local guitar repair professional adjust the bridge for you).

The nut. The guitar nut (the slotted piece where the strings rest as they make their way to the tuning machines) can cause intonation problems if any or all of the six slots are not the proper depth and width. If the string sits too high for example, the string will not fret in tune, especially at the first two or three frets. If the slot is too big and/or two low, the strings will buzz and make tuning difficult. Some players and guitar techs use graphite powder or grease at the nut to ensure the strings move freely when bent or tuned. This little secret helps keep the guitar in tune and makes tuning the guitar a lot easier.

Using a capo. It's a bit tricky to put a capo on without changing the intonation of your strings. The act of placing the spring loaded or cam-type capo can easily bend one or more of the strings. The solution? Place the capo straight down on the strings and tighten it slowly, watching to make sure you don't bend or distort the strings. Practice this until all strings stay in tune when the capo is used.

Tremolo arm. Unfortunately, very few guitars stay in tune when their tremolo bar is used. Even one push, one "wow" effect, can have an adverse effect on the strings. In other words, when they come back to pitch after the tremolo bar is released, the stretching causes them to detune. There are guitars, although they can be a bit pricey, where the strings maintain their pitch no matter how many times the tremolo is used. Some of them have a locking nut where the strings are clamped down allowing them to return to proper pitch.

With a bit of knowledge and practice, you can eliminate tuning problems with your guitar and focus on making great-sounding guitar music.

Choosing a Good Male Modeling Agency

A few decades back, male modeling was not as popular as today since modeling was more inclined to the female gender. The industry has changed and embraced more men and boys into taking pride in having been part of the lucrative modeling industry.

This does not come easy there are requirements such as the height and weight to watch which at times calls for dieting. Keeping fit is necessary. Being fit does not mean bulging steroid motivated muscles but having a healthy appeal. These few basics and others are essential in a modeling career but so much more is needed either to get one's face on the cover of a magazine or get one of those million dollars' worth endorsements.

Male modeling agencies have nurtured many careers and they are responsible for the affairs of the model in a professional sense. An effective agency should have the capability of getting model bookings, motivating and giving advice about everything entailed in a modeling career; dressing, hair, etiquette, finances and many other things. Signing up with the best agency is hence priceless, here are a few tips that act as a guide when choosing one

Many male modeling agencies to choose from thus do careful research on various agencies and check further the one you decide to settle on before signing the contract. It is advisable to opt for an agency that is popular, one that has been around long enough to have something you can base your judgment upon. For example, the type of clientele attracted so far and the kind of jobs other models signed up with the agency. You can also check with the relevant business bureau to confirm the credibility of the agency.

The world is not an honest place hence it is important to beware of frauds. Be cautious of agencies who ask for the supposedly called registration fees and who give promises that are too good to be true yet with nothing in their record to prove they can deliver.

Make sure that you look out for are fake photographers who charge over the board prices to organize portfolio photography before you are signed up with an agency, it is always wise to leave all the organizing to the agency.

Of all the wisest steps when all is settled on is getting a lawyer to look up your contract before signing. Only after that, can one confidently pen a signature on the contract and pray for a lucrative, busy scheduled and hopefully fun-filled male modeling career.

Multipurpose Personalized Buttons

ersonalized buttons are manufactured in different appealing shapes and sizes. They're also sold in an assortment of quantities, which makes them an extremely affordable and versatile product. You can resell buttons, give them away, use them to raise funds or market a business.

Reselling

Resell buttons for fun, fundraising or pure profit. Use your ingenious ideas to create and resell cute, artistic or photo-realistic designs. Pin buttons are so affordable before you mark them up for profit that they're easy to sell.

Club owners, students, retailers and artists should consider selling buttons. When your button designs appeal to a niche of people who enjoy wearing buttons, you'll end up with a number of potential buyers.

Since pin buttons don't cost a lot to produce, it's not difficult to get high returns on your investment in their production.

Giveaways

Give these affordable mementos away at events such as parties, Quinceaneras, special ceremonies, birthday bashes, family reunions and sporting events. Buttons make great keepsakes that people can enjoy for years after an event. They also help people remember fun and important times in their lives.

Create a thoughtful button design that captures the spirit of the event where they'll be given away. Include bright colors within the designs that will be given away at a festive celebration, or other relevant colors that capture the purpose of an event.

Fundraising

The right button design can bring in big bucks for a good cause. Charitable causes can create beautiful themed buttons that will increase awareness of an organization and raise funds at the same time.

If you're interested in using buttons for fundraising, put some on display in retail settings as part of your fundraising efforts, but get the owner's permission first. Finding people to help you sell the buttons is easy if they support your cause.

Buttons are easy to carry so they're also a great product for door-to-door fundraising efforts.

Marketing

Personalized items are an effective way to build a brand image. Develop a design for a button that people will covet and include your company logo.

Marketing with buttons is one of the most clever ways to get people to market a business for you on their backpacks, bags, and jackets. Make the design awesome to make sure that people keep it around.

There are other ways you can use metal buttons but this list is a great starting point to consider the endless options this affordable product offers.

Tips

Regardless of how you decide to use custom buttons, be sure that quality graphics are a part of your plan. This effort will help you get the most out of your investment.

Hire a graphic designer to help you in the design process if you do not have the skills necessary to create a memorable design. Successful use of buttons ultimately depends on their quality and visual appeal.

You'll increase your odds of success if you develop several different designs and choose to produce the one that most agree looks the best.

Read About the Wonderful Traditions of Halloween

Halloween is celebrated on the 31st of October. This is one night of the year when ghosts and witches are thought to be active. No one knows the origins of Halloween. But what is known is that this date is the eve of the All Saints Catholic festival and the eve of the pagan Celtic festival Samhain. Halloween is a perfect example of superstition struggling with religious belief.

Celebrating Halloween around the world

Dating back to the pagan times, Halloween is one of the oldest festivals celebrated around the world. Recently more people in more countries are celebrating Halloween for the very simple reason that it is good, clean and harmless fun for the young and the old. In rural areas bonfires blaze, children and even adults dress up in costumes and spend the evening tricking or treating in their neighborhood. It is party time for neighbors and friends. Games are played, and the snap-apple game is the most popular game at all Halloween parties. An apple on a string is tied to the door frame or tree and players try to bite the hanging apple. It is great fun to watch players trying to bite the bobbing apples. Treasure hunt is another popular game in which candy and pastries are the treasure.

Several countries celebrate Halloween vaguely different. In Austria people leave bread, water and a lighted lamp on a table. Belgians light candles in memory of the dead. In Canada Jack O'Lanterns are carved and homes are decorated with carved pumpkins, turnips, beets and cornstalks. In several other countries bonfires are lit to light the paths of the spirits that travel the world on Halloween night. Lighted pumpkin lanterns and turnips are placed on gate posts to protect homes from the spirits that roam the world on Halloween night.

Generally Halloween is not celebrated in France, but it has caught on as the French love parties and fun. They dress up in traditionally scary costumes such as mummies, ghost, witches, vampires and goblins and party at friends' homes, and in bars, restaurants and clubs.

Traditional food at Halloween parties

The traditional food served at the Halloween party is Barnbrack, candies and pastries. It is a kind of fruit cake, traditionally made at home, but now sold in stores. A surprise treat is baked inside the cake which foretells the future of the eater. A ring signifies a wedding soon, a bit of straw means a prosperous year ahead etc. Children find it amusing to knock on their neighbors' doors and run away before it is opened. Every trick is taken in good spirit.

Striking the Balance Between Acting And Modeling

Many actors choose to double up as models to gain main recognition and wealth. This is a perfect way to complement your income especially if you are a new actor or model. As a new actor, you might not get many film contracts at first and thus it is easy to manage both acting and modeling obligations.

However, as you grow in these two fields, your schedule becomes tighter and tighter and soon you realize you need to find the balance between the two careers. An alternative to this would be to choose one path and forfeit the other. For many this solution is out of question.

One way you can balance between modeling and acting is hiring one manager for both jobs and a personal assistant. If you have two separate agents for modeling and acting, they will most likely be in conflict with each other most of them time.

Imagine your modeling agent has landed you a job out of town for the weekend and your acting agent is telling you at that time you need to be at a shoot somewhere else. To avoid these problems, hire just one agent who will handle all modeling and acting contracts ensuring that they do not all fall on the same time.

Developing an excellent resume

There are plenty of acting tips available on the internet. Some are useful and workable while some do not make sense at all. One of the most vital things you need to know as an actor is how to develop a good resume.

An actor's resume acts like a calling card where he or she presents him or herself to total stranger who are clueless about his or her talent. It is thus of utmost importance for your resume to be neat and short preferably one page. It should also follow a correct format, edited and proofread before sending it. Make sure you update it regularly.

Most importantly, your resume should contain your contact information. You should prominently display these details at the top of the page. This will enable the casting agents to find your resume easily among a huge pile of others.

Attach your resume to the back of your headshot and make certain it sticks solidly. Keep the typing of your resume simple and avoid using clever colors or fonts. Print the resume in black ink always. Creating a good resume will show the casting director that you are a professional.

Good Ideas For The Use Of Personalized Calendars

Personalized calendars are available from many online sites. These sites allow anyone, even the computer-impaired, to easily create a one-of-a-kind gift for anyone. Most sites that feature these calendars have creation tools to allow users to easily edit their photos for the best appearance on the calendar. You can crop and enlarge your photos and apply unusual effects to the page to make the images more interesting. You can even add text to the page.

Custom Calendars as a Business Opportunity

If you own a business, keeping your company in the minds of clients is crucial. You want your company to be the first called when a client is in need of your services. Companies often buy generic calendars to give away as free gifts around the end of each year. Generally, the only customization is a small business address at the bottom of the calendar.

However, taking the time to create a customized calendar featuring products related to your business can pay off in the long run. Imagine an entire calendar filled with mouth-watering cakes, pies and cookies. When a client needs a wedding cake or desserts for a catered event, they will know exactly which bakery to call. If you own a landscaping company or garden center, creating a calendar featuring flowers and lovely scenery will urge customers to call your company when they have need of your services. If you are a photographer or artist, customized calendars are an easy way to show off your talent and market yourself to potential clients.

Custom Calendars as Gifts

Elderly loved ones are sometimes difficult people to shop for. Although everyone wants to buy a special gift for these people, they often have everything they need or want. Instead of buying Aunt Mary one more sweater and Uncle Fred another necktie, perhaps you may want to consider creating a one-of-a-kind calendar for them for the next big holiday.

Using these calendars as gifts is a wonderful way to remind your loved ones of how important they are to you. You can also share memories with far-off relatives who may not see you and your family very often. You could add a personalized message that coordinates with the month to every turn of the page. These calendars are a great way to share treasured memories with friends and relatives.

Alternately, you can use these calendars to share recipes or craft ideas with those whom you love. You can choose a recipe that is appropriate for that time of year and share step by step photos of how to create that dish. You can also do the same with interesting craft ideas.

Custom Calendars for Organizations

If you are part of an organization that has ongoing appointments or events, you may want to hand out customized calendars to help keep everyone on the team informed of upcoming events. Whether you are part of a sports team with plenty of practices and games or the head of a club or religious organization with year-round responsibilities, custom-made calendars will make sure that all of your members know how to plan for their vacations and other responsibilities.

Personalized calendars are practical on many levels. Creating one can take as little as an hour. Most companies offer several styles, sizes and prices, so there is most likely a custom-made calendar that is perfect for your needs.

Music and Surgery: Does It Really Make a Difference?

Old Oscar was an odd old fellow, whom never quite put together Chick Evens' capriciousness. Had become accustomed to his abrupt visits that he viewed them all as matters of course, never knowing the underlining reasons for them. Should it ever be necessary to be told them, perhaps he would have?

Evens, always asking questions, as the old man quietly looked up at his face. Not once leaving the bench in the garden at the Poor Farm, till the last.

"Best leave and let you get some afternoon rest," said Evens, more often than not, when he felt the old man was tired, or he was tired and wanted to leave. The old man with his warm flannel shirt, and thick wool socks on, and sweater in the scorching heat of a Minnesota summer; he was eighty years of age or more: of which he had sat facing White Bear Avenue, sat in the same iron and wooden bench each day-day after day, after lunch, the old farm house in back of him, rebuilt to accommodate the old, dying, and handicapped of the city. The last home they'd ever see.

Old Oscar had no friends, his family never visited him, what was left of it, but Evens, and as long as Evens visited him, which was on each Saturday throughout the summer of 1986, he had that friend: half past noon he'd arrive. Oscar would take his friend by the hand and ask warmly, "I'd sure like some ice-cream," and Evens would walk down a half mile and fetch him some, bringing it back half melted, but nonetheless, the old man never complained.

The old man got to love him: well, love is a big word, perhaps, care for him is well enough, at least well enough to ask for that treat now and then.

Thus, Saturday after Saturday passed, and they talked to each other, and Evens continued to ask questions, telling himself, 'The sooner I have all this down the better,' he was in a way getting tired of running out to the old farm each Saturday, although he was starting to like the old man.

The old man started to say time and again, "I'm tired to death of living, in this rundown cold, smoky, cracking-once upon a time farmhouse; all night long groaning, dismal. I shall be dead by autumn, I hope."

And so was the notion of the old man, and Evens on his way home would write all this down for his psychology class at the University of Minnesota, where he was studying: it was to him a project.

"What is the purpose you keep coming?" asked Oscar, once again.

He could have told him, but he told him "I can't say," as if threading a needle. And then autumn came, and Evens' project was over and he went to see Oscar, and he was no longer there: the bench was empty.

To bear a noteworthy resemblance to old Oscar, the bench had somehow accumulated the old man's residue, leaving within it, a part of his character, he could sense this-that is, to that of Chick Evens of our story, it was most unexplained.

His reports had been several of a gaunt and grizzled old man: aging, dying, no longer healthy, in a wholesome sense: friendless, alone and lonesome, feeble but somehow, holding onto a smile while in quicksand. On the other hand, some secret impediment had debarred Evens from the enjoyment and riches of his passing "A", in his psychology class. Perhaps for concealing his motive, which is to say, at any rate: Oscar had died without him disclosing the 'reason,' the real reason, for the visits.

Now he felt a lurking distrust within his character, difficult to account for, if even to try and describe. "Yes," cried his soul, "Tomorrow I will set about it." But the deeper he thought about it, the more it became irrevocably lost to some hidden vault within his mind, and only once put onto paper with ink in the form of a poem, cynically cover in a shroud, published in his first book, yet to be published, covered in metaphor/personification, and hence, unrecognizable-and thereafter, buried in the truth-sunken in the sea for twenty-six years, only now to resurface for one last recall, in the form of this vignette, which is in real time, and bona fide truth.

Oscar, and the Poor Farm ((or, the Almshouse) (1980))

Old Oscar was an odd old fellow, whom never quite put together Chick Evens' capriciousness. Had become accustomed to his abrupt visits that he viewed them all as matters of course, never knowing the underlining reasons for them. Should it ever be necessary to be told them, perhaps he would have?

Evens, always asking questions, as the old man quietly looked up at his face. Not once leaving the bench in the garden at the Poor Farm, till the last.

"Best leave and let you get some afternoon rest," said Evens, more often than not, when he felt the old man was tired, or he was tired and wanted to leave. The old man with his warm flannel shirt, and thick wool socks on, and sweater in the scorching heat of a Minnesota summer; he was eighty years of age or more: of which he had sat facing White Bear Avenue, sat in the same iron and wooden bench each day-day after day, after lunch, the old farm house in back of him, rebuilt to accommodate the old, dying, and handicapped of the city. The last home they'd ever see.

Old Oscar had no friends, his family never visited him, what was left of it, but Evens, and as long as Evens visited him, which was on each Saturday throughout the summer of 1986, he had that friend: half past noon he'd arrive. Oscar would take his friend by the hand and ask warmly, "I'd sure like some ice-cream," and Evens would walk down a half mile and fetch him some, bringing it back half melted, but nonetheless, the old man never complained.

The old man got to love him: well, love is a big word, perhaps, care for him is well enough, at least well enough to ask for that treat now and then.

Thus, Saturday after Saturday passed, and they talked to each other, and Evens continued to ask questions, telling himself, 'The sooner I have all this down the better,' he was in a way getting tired of running out to the old farm each Saturday, although he was starting to like the old man.

The old man started to say time and again, "I'm tired to death of living, in this rundown cold, smoky, cracking-once upon a time farmhouse; all night long groaning, dismal. I shall be dead by autumn, I hope."

And so was the notion of the old man, and Evens on his way home would write all this down for his psychology class at the University of Minnesota, where he was studying: it was to him a project.

"What is the purpose you keep coming?" asked Oscar, once again.

He could have told him, but he told him "I can't say," as if threading a needle. And then autumn came, and Evens' project was over and he went to see Oscar, and he was no longer there: the bench was empty.

To bear a noteworthy resemblance to old Oscar, the bench had somehow accumulated the old man's residue, leaving within it, a part of his character, he could sense this-that is, to that of Chick Evens of our story, it was most unexplained.

His reports had been several of a gaunt and grizzled old man: aging, dying, no longer healthy, in a wholesome sense: friendless, alone and lonesome, feeble but somehow, holding onto a smile while in quicksand. On the other hand, some secret impediment had debarred Evens from the enjoyment and riches of his passing "A", in his psychology class. Perhaps for concealing his motive, which is to say, at any rate: Oscar had died without him disclosing the 'reason,' the real reason, for the visits.

Now he felt a lurking distrust within his character, difficult to account for, if even to try and describe. "Yes," cried his soul, "Tomorrow I will set about it." But the deeper he thought about it, the more it became irrevocably lost to some hidden vault within his mind, and only once put onto paper with ink in the form of a poem, cynically cover in a shroud, published in his first book, yet to be published, covered in metaphor/personification, and hence, unrecognizable-and thereafter, buried in the truth-sunken in the sea for twenty-six years, only now to resurface for one last recall, in the form of this vignette, which is in real time, and bona fide truth.

Eating To Lose - When You Really Need Carbs

Do this, do that, do not do this, do not do that, eat this, eat that, these are not the foods you should be eating to lose weight--those lines make it sound like one of our parents is over our shoulder making sure that we do not make some kind of a mistake.

If you are one of those people that has purchased a bunch of dieting books and workouts you might have also heard a lot of those lines before as well, and it is likely that one of those lines has been uttered when it comes to eating carbohydrates.

There are plans on the market today that preach the idea of eliminating this macronutrient from your diet altogether as a means of eating to lose weight, and for the most part that is true, but there is one time from time to time that your body needs this group of foods.

Before divulging that information, one thing to note is that your body does not need carbohydrates to survive.  It only really needs protein, one of the building blocks to all things in your body, and fat the most efficient energy source you can find at the grocery store.  Both of those should be staples of the group foods you need to be eating to lose those unwanted pounds.

Truth be told there is one time when you should absolutely consume carbohydrates, and consume them in a large quantity, and that is in the window of time after an intense workout.

When we go to the gym our muscles need energy to function, and they need an easily accessible and quick burning source so it has enough energy to power through whatever it is that you are doing.

This means that it is going to start pulling that energy from glycogen, or sugar stores within your muscles.  It would pull from your fat stores, but since fat is nine calories per gram it takes more than twice as long for your body to break it down for energy.

Since we are unable to burn fat immediately for energy our glycogen stores within our muscles will have to suffice.  This means that once we deplete those stores with an intense workout we need to replenish them.

The best options for putting these sugars back into your muscles is fruit, and namely berries.

These tasty little nuggets are high in sugar and antioxidants, which is critical for your body post workout because it has endured some oxidative stress as well running down its own immune system ability.

The bottom line, your body does not need carbohydrates to survive, but if you plan on keeping all of that lean muscle that you just spent time trying to build to help you lose weight then your plan for eating to lose weight should include carbohydrates immediately after your workout.

Are Clocks the Only Way to Track Time?

Tracking Time

Time is an elusive thing. For some it drags, for others it flies by and for others (possibly those who naturally manage their time well) it keeps a steady pace never speeding up never slowing down. Now days we track time with our watches and clocks. Some of us go so far as to have cuckoo clocks that announce the time for us on an hourly basis. If for some unknown reason the power goes out or the batteries go dead, we can find the time on the internet or we can call the telephone company and get a recording of current time. How did we get to this point?

In ancient times (even before grandfather clocks) we kept time by the sun, if it was light, it was daytime, if it was dark it was night. Sundials and water clocks marked the hours, minutes and seconds were not considered. Now there may have been some advantages to this system, because the assumption was 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. So in the summertime when the days were longer the "hours" could be as long as 80 minutes in the daytime, but at night the "hours" were only 40 minutes long. Of course in the winter time that was reversed. So in the summer, you could get a whole bunch done in an "hours" time, but of course in the winter not as much could be accomplished in the same amount of time. Unfortunately they didn't know about Daylight savings time then either. Of course there are questions left begging, like if you got paid by the hour, was the pay rate the same for a 80 minute hour as it was for the 40 minute hour? If the day started at sunup who started the clock and what happened if you slept through sunup? This could be a very confusing situation. The astronomers of those times realized there was a regularity in the movement of the heavenly bodies and they tracked the "time" of those using a pendulum which was patiently and meticulously manned by a live astronomer interested in knowing the "time" factor involved in the rotation of the earth, moon, sun and other planets. Then in 1657 a gentleman by the name of Christiaan Huygens figured out that he could make a windup apparatus with pulleys and wheels and could make a pendulum swing and keep a steady time. Thus minutes and seconds came to be a part of our time tracking system.

In time, pendulum clocks, such as grandfather clocks, wall clocks and cuckoo clocks became the way time was tracked. As technology advanced we invented more kinds of timekeeping devices. Until now, day or night doesn't matter as much as the numbers on the clock. In the summer (thanks to daylight savings time) we get off work at nearly "midday" and enjoy a long light leisurely evening. We watch the clock and go to bed during the "daytime" because the clock says it's nighttime. How far we have advanced!!

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