I had nothing else to title this, just July 13th. I have been looking at lots of things latly. I finished my power point presentation for the gem and minderal society. I also have my husband looking for the Herkimers we dug up while there and a couple that we bought. That way people can look and touch the real thing.

Last night I also started a very interesting process. I am taking parts of my DP work, the rituals done for the Welsh solitaries, and everything Welsh that I do and putting it all together. That will be done probly soon (hopefully before going to Summerland) and then will upload it to cafe press to sell. A Welsh solitary guide.

I just wish I had some one to edit and layout. I thought about submitting it to ADF publishing for them to do, but I just don't know. True every part of it will follow ADF teachings, but I don't know if it will follow under their ideas of things to publish. I will advertise with them though when done.

Well, don't know what else to write, just jaunting a few things down.

Wow – today at lunch time I sketched and inked three drawings. :::boggle::: I don't know where those ideas came from! Now all I have to do is colour them, which I will do tonight.

I have a couple of projects I need to get out the door tonight, but I am feeling rather drained so I am not going to stress about them too much. I think I am just going to colour the ones I inked in watercolour and Copic Markers.

I am getting a lot of critiques in the Art Trader magazine forum and they are positive. In a while I plan to submit for membership – as soon as my body of work increases. They want a certain number of pieces and then they critique them and decide on membership. If you don't make it, you can try again in 6 months with additional pieces. I don't feel I am quite ready, but it is a major goal.

I am also going to submit my work to a couple of magazines. One I plan to submit this week and we'll see what happens.

Other things are brewing including the website and store. It's an exciting time but I don't plan to rush anything and stress myself. I want this to be a fun and positive experience.

I am feeling very inspired, which is good.

I have put together a True Blood group and a lot of us are going as Merlottes waitress'!! I am so excited. I want to say that we have at least 10 in our group and are planning to get together for a photo op. Let me know if you are interested and if you are planning a True Blood costume! Come check out my blog dedicated to True Blood at DCon! Merlottes_girl is the name.

Quick question. Last year was my first D*C, and I remember touring the dungeons of the Hyatt late and night and finding LOADS of awesome films running. I also remember a full hour of previews one day. Thought it was awesome. Is there a place I can learn more about the flims that will be at D*C this year?

Here's a question for discussion:

One of the great things at Dragoncon is spotting great t-shirts... you know, funny/clever sayings/slogans...

What are some of the greatest t-shirts you've ever seen at DC (and pix are great, if possible!)


Discuss.

Mr Jackson, who managed the Jackson Five when Michael was a child, is said to have approached Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and seven-year old Prince Michael II - known as Blanket - to appear on stage next year. News of the tour comes after Mr Jackson told reporters that Paris had shown talent as a performer and that Blanket was a very good dancer.

However, the move has angered other members of the Jackson clan, who fear touring could expose the children to exploitation.

Ian Halperin, Jackson's biographer, told the Sun: "Joe wants the children to go on a world tour in 2010. He has also already offered recording contracts to two of Michael's kids.

"Now he is talking about getting them the world's best backing band and taking them on tour as The Jackson Three."

Mr Halperin said his source was extremely close to the family and may soon speak publicly out of concern for the future of the children.

"One of the family members is livid. He is saying Joe seems intent to do this no matter what."

Michael Jackson had claimed that his father beat him as a child and that the fear of him made him "regurgitate".

The singer's sister La Toya Jackson also told of the "constant threat of violence" that their father imposed on his children.

The bold text is mine, all mine.

The whole article:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/michael-jackson/5814043/Joe-Jackson-wants-Michaels-children-to-tour-as-The-Jackson-Three.html

We're not out of the woods – G8 leaders fear double dip slump    The Guardian

http://gaiatribe.geekuniversalis.com/2009/07/13/get-a-green-job/

http://gaiatribe.geekuniversalis.com/?p=660

Lots of people are talking about “green jobs” or “green-collar jobs” these days.  What does that really mean?  How can you get a green job?  Here are some resources to get you started.

What Is a “Green Job” Anyway?

“Green” or “green-collar” jobs are those in fields associated with alternative energy and sustainable development: erecting windmills, repairing electric cars, designing environmentally friendly buildings, selling energy-efficient appliances, teaching sustainable skills, etc.

White Collar, Blue Collar, Green Collar?
Green collar jobs involve products and services that are environment-friendly. Any organization that seeks to improve upon the environment is considered “green”; and if it employs individuals to that affect, then it has created green collar jobs. Green collar jobs include any that involve the design, manufacture, installation, operation, and/or maintenance of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. And the green collar sector is booming; it is currently the fifth largest market sector in the US.

Green Jobs Are Growing!

Yes, America is in a recession (or depression, depending on how you count it), but not all fields are equally affected.  According to a new study, the green sector of the economy is growing more than twice as fast as the conventional job sector.  Anyone seeking employment should investigate areas where their skills overlap this growth.

Report: “Green” Jobs Outpacing Traditional Ones
“Green jobs” are growing nearly two and a half times as fast as traditional jobs, finds a new study by Pew Charitable Trusts. The study, released Wednesday by Pew as the first ever count of such jobs in all 50 states, concludes that the clean energy economy, while still in its infancy, “is a vital component of America’s new economic landscape.”

The “green” energy and transportation sector is emerging as a vital part of the US economy, though still small compared with oil and gas, says a new study.

Search for Green Jobs

Now that you know what to look for, where should you look?  The following websites list jobs in the fast-growing “green” sector of the economy.

“How to Find Green Jobs” offers tips on job hunting in the green-collar economy.

Read Planet Green’s advice for successful green-collar interviews.

Green Job Interview is a site that hosts virtual interviews, reducing the carbon footprint of your job search and broadening your visibility.

Jobs for Change is a subset of the activist networking site Change.org and offers many resources.  You can search for jobs by keyword or location; read the job listings section and filter results by job category, work experience, and job type; read articles by career advisors; and use the Questions & Answers service.

GreenBiz lets you search for what job you want and where you want it.

Sustainable Business has a job database searchable by city, state, country, skill level, job category, and keyword.

Environmental Career keeps a database of jobs that you can search by keyword, job category, employment type (full-time, part-time, etc.), metro area, city, and salary range.  Many of their jobs deal with plants, animals, and/or natural sciences.

EcoEmploy offers environmental jobs and careers spanning government jobs, environmental agencies, and special opportunities.  Their site also includes some resources on resume tips.

Yahoo HotJobs has a page listing green jobs.

Business for Social Responsibility has a page listing job openings, some of them green.

CleanTech has a jobs page mainly focused on technology and science.

EnergyCentral Jobs has both a database and job listing page, mainly regarding alternative energy sources.

CleanEdge offers information sortable by recent jobs, featured jobs, or categories.

Sustainable Industries lists available jobs in various fields including clean energy, green building, green marketing, and recycled markets.

We had Hollow Hills folks over last night and they got to see my little vixen and Venus got to see the little kit fox later in the evening. :-) I think people were amazed at how she runs up to me when I tossed food at her. She was a bit skittish as she could see other people watching her.

Oh, Venus, as I was leaving your place last night we saw a fox on your street that was a kit about the same age as ours! :-)

Anyway, these are some of the best photos I have taken of the vixen so far. They were taken on Saturday, in the pouring rain. She was 10 feet away from me, and I was zooming in on her face. I've already drawn a sketch of her from the photos.

Poor thing was pretty drenched! LOL! Her fur is looking really awful because she is shedding the whole winter coat so her fur is falling out. She is healthy and no signs of mange, thankfully. She's just that grey/brown and dingy white colour they get in the summer. Hopefully I can get some close photos of her when it *isn't* raining to post. The mist in the air and heavy rain made this difficult.

(  Here they are – the best photos I have taken of my little fox friend so far: )

Let's just say that yesterday evening was surreal and had to deal with cancelled trains, me suddenly getting violently ill and throwing up by the side of the road, getting home after 11PM, having strange symptoms in my throat (feeling like something was stuck in my throat) and chest and then not sleeping all evening.

Yes, I am calling the doctor to set up an appointment.

I feel much much better now but I am absolutely drained.

Prior to 7PM the day was superb. I will write about that later.

How freaking odd!

I have some chicken breasts in the fridge and I've just noticed they expired on the 10th. Should I cook today? Thanks!

These are the current activities of flora in my yard.


Near end of bloom: red clover, coriander, feverfew

Full bloom: petunias, marigolds, blue lobelia, pansies, torenia, moss rose, snapdragons, zinnias, white clover, million bells, tomatoes, pink echinacea, white echinacea, milkweed, Queen Anne's lace

Beginning bloom: black-eyed susan, Mexican hat, tickseed coreopsis

Green fruit: Criterion apple, birdgift apple, tomatoes

Fruit starting to ripen: blackberries, tomatoes

Ripe fruit: mulberry, rugosa roses, blackberries

I have picked the first few blackberries. The little ones, the darrow blackberries, ripen first. The bigger ones are still dark pink.



I also picked the first of the Black Prince tomatoes, which had a nice dark scent.

The rose hips are ripe, but the Japanese beetles are munching on them and the rest of the rose bushes. *sigh* At least it keeps most of them off the fruit I intend to eat.



Dear Insectivores: Those things there? Are food. I understand they are strange to you, but I affirm that they are indeed insects and, to you, edible. Eat, drink, and be merry. Please.

My parents are driving up to visit me in a few days. I'm considering asking them to bring up some of the Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough that they have because I miss it lots and I can't find it anywhere where I am. The drive is 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Would the dough be okay without refrigeration for that long?

Been looking for the silly (r)ocular goodness that is this song for quite some time, and someone finally posted it!

Enjoy! (If you wish...)

If there are days when your brain refuses to boot up ... if your "Personality" file contains multiple programs and subfiles ... if acting normal puts a drain on your resources that you can't always sustain ... this icon is for you. Special thanks to ideealisme for the program name.

Hey guys, I have a tarot set that I no longer want and would like to swap it, but is swap_witch the only community around for that in terms of Paganism/Witchcraft? It hasn't been updated since February!

silme reminded me of this exhibit at the Royal Academy.

I have long loved the Pre-Raphaelites, particularly Waterhouse.

Would anybody out there, who has a reasonable chance of getting to London or who already lives here, like to go with me? :)

PS: The exhibit will be running for awhile (check the website), so, you know. I could be persuaded to go more than once, I'm sure. ;)

at least they do it right. LESLIE FISH! W00T!