#2019 Finger Lakes 50’s

[krnaturalphoto]

2019 Finger Lakes 50’s

Last year after running my first two 50k ultra marathons I decided to take the next “logical” step and test myself out at the 50 mile distance. Perhaps many people would not see any of this as logical but it made sense to me. I wanted to find a race that suited my preferences. My first two 50k races were very different from each other. One being very flat and one being much more rugged with a lot of climbing. I did not feel like either of those things suited me well for a 50 mile adventure. I really needed something in between, not flat but not too much climbing either, I needed to find something in my Goldilocks zone. I also didn’t really want to travel too far. I didn’t want to have to worry about any extra logistics other than the running of the race. So that obviously limited my options as well. But as it happens just the right race takes place not too far from where I live and even better I had some experience at this race. The Finger Lakes Running Club puts on the Finger Lakes 50’s race each year. This event is comprised of races of 25k, 50k, and 50 miles. I had already run the 25k in 2017 as my first ever 25k, so I was familiar with it. The biggest downside to this event is that it is held on the first weekend of July, and I do not generally do well running in the heat. In my first experience at this event I guess I was fortunate that it rained the whole time so that I did not have to deal with the heat.

Finger Lakes 50’s is a loop course event. Each loop is approximately 25k. So for the 50 miles I would run 3 loops, plus a half mile baby loop to round out the 50 miles. I was a little concerned about the course being loops because of the temptation to drop at the start finish line after the conclusion of each loop especially if I was struggling. I tried to reframe this as loops being a positive aspect of the race. I convinced myself that it would be good to get more familiar with the layout of the course as things went on and know what the course conditions were like out on the course. FYI course conditions can change mid race.

I was able to “convince” one of my best friends to go on this journey with me. And by convince I mean I casually mentioned that I was going to do it and then she was “convinced” to do it as well. We both have run the same two 50ks together and shared many miles of running and training and adventure. We are similar runners, so our plan was to run this thing together and share the miles, the adventure, and the suffering.

We spent the first half of the year trying to pretend that at some point we were going to be running 50 miles. We focused on all the other races we had planned. Once we both completed our 50k in June Finger Lakes 50’s loomed large. In mid April I had developed a some sort of injury to my hip/groin area that had not recovered by Worlds End 50k in June and really hampered me there. I already had tried just cutting back on training some prior to Worlds End. So, post 50k the only realistic option for me was to try and get some type of treatment for my issue and rest as much as I could and hope it would recover or I would never make it through a 50 mile race.

I went and saw a primary care doctor for the first time in about 20 years. I started a prescribed medication other than antibiotics for the first time. I began massage therapy treatment with Soul Ease. I also received chiropractic treatment from Market Street Chiropractic. Orthopedic doctor’s opinion was that it was likely hip bursitis.

The hardest part about trying to recover is that I was really cutting back my running, especially my long runs because that is what aggravated the injury the most. So since the goal was to rest it and not aggravate it I was not testing it either so I had no idea how it was going to respond on longer runs. Just over two weeks prior to the race I decided I needed to try to get a little feedback regarding my injury and test it out. I went for a long run on the Interloken Trail, a side branch of the Finger Lakes Trail and also a location of some of the trails I would have to run during the 50 mile loop race. I ran my planned 13 miles and I was pretty happy with it. I had no major issues. So for the next 2 weeks I did minimal running including zero running for the 5 days leading into the race. I wanted to maximize my chances of being healthy. I figured my best chance at completing this race was to be as healthy as possible. I could grind out the miles on tired sore legs if I at least had my health. After all my very first 50k trail adventure was a solo adventure on the Finger Lakes Trail with very little planning and no training and my longest run prior to that was a 25k, what could go wrong? That is was I kept telling myself at least.

So with less than ideal training and while recovering from an injury I embarked on a 50 mile race. Good idea? Only time would tell.

Race day arrived and it was going to be a hot one. As start time neared the temperature was around 70 degrees. 70 degrees is the temperature around which I start to be unable to sustain my running. Most of the races I have done in this temperature range have not gone great for me. The high temperature for the day would end up being around 88 degrees. Far hotter than I would choose to run in.

The 6:30 AM start time arrive and we were off. Down the gravel road we went and shortly we took a right into the woods and onto the trails. Pretty early on in the first loop before the first aid station there is a long downhill section that is on a gravel road. On a shorter race or at least a race of a distance I was experienced with this is the type of section I would love and run hard down to pick up time. In my one and only other experience on this course I ran down this road hard and was passing people, but that was a 25k race. With close to 50 miles still to go that did not seem prudent on this go around. We talked about how we wanted to handle this section and just decided to run casual, not trying to run hard but not putting on the brakes either. We just let gravity do the work, gaining some speed on some steeper sections and then letting speed dissipate on lesser grades.

As we made our way around the loop the first time the heat and humidity intensified. We played it cautious trying not to burn out before we got to where we needed to really hit cut off times. Especially in open exposed areas and other areas that felt particularly hot we took it easy and even walked. We walked when we otherwise could have run in order to save strength for later on. We were trying to strategize to mitigate the effects of the heat. If we felt like we needed to go easier we did just that without hesitation.

One good thing about the heat the past several days and on race day was that the trails were remarkably dry when the race began. They weren’t totally dry, but much improved from when I had been out in the area on a training run. This made running when we wanted to a much easier thing to do and made walking at a decent pace much easier too. When I was out on the trails two weeks prior there was significant water on the trails during the first loop of the course there was almost no water and not even much of anything that could be called mud except in a few spots.

We complete lap 1 in 3 hours and 35 minutes. That left us around 4 hours to complete a second lap. We took stock, refreshed ourselves, ate and drank, and then headed back out into the heat for lap number 2. At this point I was pretty confident we would get our first two laps done within the cutoff of 7 hours and 45 minutes. As lap two wore on the heat and humidity did not relent. I was having difficulty eating much of anything solid. At aid stations I ate watermelon and drank whatever non water fluids they had for calories, and I was able to eat some of the salt potatoes I had with me, but I wasn’t able to eat any of the other food I had been relying on for fuel that I carried and none of the other food at the aid stations were appealing. As the heat continued to wear me down I exchanged my hat for a buff that I could put ice in. Then at a later aide stations I added another buff so I could carry even more ice. Eventually, shortly before the half way point on loop 2, I gave up everything extra I was carrying just to try and keep from overheating. I gave up my food and I even gave up my camera gear which is saying allot for me considering I am a photographer who documents everything and that was the plan for this race.

Shortly after the half way point of the second loop I really started to feel the effects of the heat. As we ran, my hands started to go numb and I began to feel a little light headed and dizzy. I said I needed to stop running and walk for a bit. We walked and I recovered enough to run after a while. Unfortunately the same symptoms returned and we continued this walk run approach. My friend was not going to just leave me there in the woods even though I encouraged her to do so. We arrived at the first aide station after the half way point and I tried to regroup. I added as much ice as I could. I put ice in both of my buffs and in my shirt and in my shorts to try to cool down. The effect of the cold from the ice on the extreme heat of my body made me a bit dizzy and took me a moment to recover from. I used more ice at this race than I had ever used before at a race and more than I had thought I would. It was a necessity. It was the only thing allowing me to keep going. Unfortunately the ice did not last very long once you started running again. It lasted only mere minutes in the heat. After getting more fluids and fuel I needed more time to recover. I told my friend to go without me. I know she didn’t want to leave me at that aid station, but I knew that she did not have time to spare to wait for me and could not afford to move as slow as I would likely be going once I started off on the trails again. She looked back, frowned, then she went on without me.

I regrouped and then headed back out on the trails myself. I was moving slowly on the trails. The heat and humidity were nearly unbearable for me. Then it happened. First a trickle and then the skies opened up and a deluge of rain burst from the skies. In a matter of minutes everything was soaked. I was getting what I desperately needed. The rain cooled me off significantly. Not only did it help me physically but it lifted me mentally as well. It rained so intensely that the trails quickly flooded. It was like running up a stream. the trail conditions quickly converted from nearly pristine and dry to possibly worse than the conditions in 2017. I ran. I don’t know how fast I ran but I ran as fast as I could. I felt better and stronger than I had since the beginning of the race. I surged forward knowing that I had to beat the clock. I ran at a pace that took my breath away and eventually required me to walk and catch my breath. I repeated this run hard as you can then rest approach trying to surge through the storm. I was running so much better at this point that I actually passed a few people which would have been unthinkable even a few minutes ago. The change in weather and course conditions were so uplifting and provided such a sure of adrenaline with the chance to chase the clock that I completely forgot about the pain in my hip that had begun to bother me again. I kept looking at my watch thinking that I might actually be able to complete the loop in time to move on for a third loop. Could I actually do it?

The whole race my wife had been at each aide station to cheer us on. My friends husband joined our crew stating on the 2nd loop. When I emerged through the woods in the torrential downpour and arrived at the final aid station my wife was there in the pouring rain cheering for me as she had been all day. My friends husband had gone ahead to continue crewing for her up ahead of me as she continued to race the clock as well. As I arrived at this last aid station there was a new face there. Another of my friends had arrived to cheer me on and crew for us in this crazy storm. Seeing another familiar friendly face at the aid station helped to lift me up. They asked me what I needed. I just took a cup of coke. I told my wife I thought I still had time to make the cut off. It was then that she had to do the most difficult thing and break the news to me that I wasn’t going to make it. I had two miles to go, JUST TWO MORE MILES to complete the second loop. But I only had 9 minutes to get there. On my best days on completely fresh legs I couldn’t get that done. There was no way I could make it. My day was going to come to an end without even starting a third loop. As I write this I am fighting back emotions and tears are welling up in my eyes. This was not the outcome I was hoping for.

Despite the news that I could not possibly make the cut off I was determined to push through as hard as I could to what would be not the start of my third loop but my finish line. I somehow summoned the strength to overtake a few other runners on the road with me. I continued to run down the road, towards the end of the loop. I knew that the news of my imminent finish was demoralizing because as I headed down the road the pain in my hip that hope had vanquished returned more painful than I had felt it the entire day. I tried to push through it. I ran as hard as I could for as long as I could, but what was the point. I wasn’t going to make it in time. I walked and relieved the pain. Then when I could I resumed running again. This section of gravel road felt longer than any other stretch on the course even on the first go around, it felt interminable on this final approach before ducking back into the wood rounding the pond and emerging at my finish.

I don’t know if I would have been able to make the final cut off at the 10 and a half hour mark, but I wish more than anything that I had had the chance to find out. If you finish the second loop but do not finish in time to start a third loop they credit you with a 50k finish which is nice, but that is not what I was here for on this day. I was here to push myself to new limits. I was here to run more miles than I had ever run before. I wanted to get out there and try for that third loop more than anything. I would have rather start the third loop and not finish but run more miles than ever before then to finish my 4th 50k. I was here to test my limits and in some ways I did test my limits just not in the way I had hoped for. Apparently when I rolled into the last aid station I was not doing as well as I thought I was. My crew at that aid station told me after the race that I was a bit unsteady and wobbly during my time at the aid station and also appeared to be wobbly after I left the aid station and started running again as well. I did not get the result I had hoped for but I got an experience like nothing I had experienced before. Pushing through pain again, fighting off heat exhaustion, having a resurgence in the rain, and running with fun and joy when previously it had dissipated.

There is nothing better than taking on a new challenge like this race and having my wife and friends there to cheer me on. Running through most of my race with one of my best friends was the only way to take on this new challenge. I am so grateful that she went along on this crazy ride with me. I am even happier that she did make the cut off to start a third loop and then the final cut off to be able to finish that third loop. And I am overjoyed for her that she finish that race and that I got to cheer her on for that third loop and see her finish. That made the day a good day. Seeing my friend overcome the adversities I could not and succeed at this race that stopped me in my tracks was what I needed after not being able to finish. Having our other close friends there at the end was also a blessing. They were there to console me and cheer and celebrate her accomplishments. I am fortunate to be a member of this group.

It is really easy to second guess myself about this race and how we approached it. Should we have run harder on the first loop especially in places we took it easy? Should we have moved through aid stations faster? Should I have started taking on ice sooner? Should I have worn the arm sleeves and filled them with ice as I had planned to? Should I have not carried as much as I did for the first loop plus? What could I have done differently to produce a better outcome for myself? These are all pointless questions because there is no way to know how a change in any one thing would have effected everything else that occurred that day.

Looking on the bright side I learned a lot about myself. I learned that I can maintain enough fitness to run a 50k without a whole lot of training between races. I learned that my hip while not completely healed is actually getting better. I was able to run much farther in this race before experiencing significant pain than in my last race. I learned that if I ever run another long summer race I need to have a real strategy for dealing with the heat. I learned that I can run a 50k without having to change my shoes and have no major issues as a result. I learned that I still have not found socks that my toes will not poke a hole in. I continue to learn that I have a lot more to learn.

One of my goals with this race aside from finishing the 50 miles was to capture as much of it as possible on camera. I carried 4 devices for this purpose: my cell phone, a chest mounted GoPro, a hand carried GoPro, and a small mirror less Nikon camera in my pack. I was not taking many photos in the beginning because I wanted to save it for later when I was tired and needed to take my mind off things especially on the third loop. Then I realized what if there is no third lap. When I evenutally realized I had not been taking many photos and that I would be giving up all my camera gear at the next aid station I just turned on my chest mounted GoPRo to capture as much as I could of the race until the memory card fillled up.

I utilized my chest mounted GoPro the most because it was the easiest to use in the circumstances. I used my hand held go pro a few times. I took a few shots with my cell phone in just one spot. I never even took my Nikon out of my pack. The lack of photo taking was due to the heat and humidity requiring all my energy to just remain focused on the race. There really wasn’t much time where I felt comfortable enough to either stop and take photos or to just make the extra efforts to use cameras. Plus as I ended up losing to the clock there really wasn’t time for it anyway. An even more disappointing factor is that after not finishing the 50 miles I got home and uploaded my photos to the computer and for a variety of reasons, many of which are beyond my control a lot of the photos did not turn out well. So that was extra demoralizing.

The day after the race I needed to do some recovery. I tried to recover with Avital’s Apiaries products I was given to test out. I soaked my sore and tired legs in a hot bath with Avital’s Apiaries Recover Bee bath fizzies. I used their Recover Bee soap. Then once I was done tired soaking my legs I gave them a rub down with Avital’s Apiaries Recover Bee massage oil. After that my legs did feel a little better.

from 2019 Finger Lakes 50’s

[gameofdrarry]

Wizards Hearts Recs: Vacation!Fic

Wizards Hearts was a four-month-long Drarry reading fest. Players were given a playing deck of 52 tropes, and were asked to find 52 different fics to read and comment on to fill their decks. To prevent the same few fics from being read, fics were restricted to only being used for the game three times before being considered ineligible for further points. The tropes and submissions list can be found here.

Check out the masterlist of fics for this trope below the cut!

📜 Our Dreams, Our Pride by ahhhnorealnamesallowed Rated:  Mature Words:  10319 Tags: Hermione Granger is a Good Friend, Healer Draco Malfoy, Healer Harry Potter, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Holidays, a very british coach holiday, Ireland, POV Alternating, Swearing, discussion of sex and sexual acts, Slice of Life, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, (or very little plot), Magic University - Freeform, Post-Secondary, Getting Together, Established Relationship Summary:  For six years, Harry has promised Draco a 'big thing' for their anniversary. This year is the year Harry is going to make it happen, even if he does so in a very Harry Potter way. Including last-minute vacation planning, some very sassy old people, a coach bus, and less anniversary sex than expected. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Staying Afloat by Scarshavestories Rated:  General Words:  3138 Tags: Cruise Ships, Holidays, Established Relationship, Vacation, Banter, Slice of Life Summary:  Harry and Draco are heading off on a Muggle cruise in the sunny Caribbean. Will their relationship survive their first holiday as a couple, or will the week end in disaster and Obliviation? ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Momenti Diversi, Day Five by zarah5 Rated:  Mature Words:  11662 Tags: Happy Ending, Blow Job, Future Fic, Post-Canon Summary:  In which you'll find the Italian sun, freshly resolved sexual tension, a reluctant Harry and a persuasive Draco. (Post-Hogwarts, aftermath of war.) ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 A Holiday in Provence by dracoismytrashson (JGogoboots) Rated:  Explicit Words:  32213 Tags: Harry Potter Epilogue Compliant, Post-Hogwarts, Older Characters, Divorced Harry Potter & Ginny Weasley, Divorced Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter's Birthday, Drunken Flirting, Resolved Sexual Tension, Blow Jobs, Rimming, First Time, Anal Sex, Bisexual Harry Potter, Bisexual Draco Malfoy, Implied Switching, Outdoor Sex, H/D Food Fair 2018, Draco Malfoy Speaks French Summary:  Harry Potter is turning 50 years old and feeling lonelier than ever. Divorced, retired, and learning he’s not quite as straight as he thought he was, Harry reluctantly accepts a birthday gift from his friends for a week’s stay at an idyllic French vineyard. Too bad Hermione and Ron neglected to mention that the owner of the winery happens to be a certain quick-witted blond Slytherin… ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 And She Kissed the Moon by laughingd0g Rated:  Mature Words:  6613 Tags: Camping, Pureblood Traditions, Harry and Draco are betrothed, (they are disgustingly happy together), Friendly Bets, Kissing, Banter, Pansy is gorgeous and she knows it, Ginny is not impressed (yes she is), creative use of the disillusionment charm, Campfires, Star/moongazing, frenemies to lovers Summary:  Who thought it would be a good idea to bring Parkinson camping? (Malfoy.) From the beginning it’s been “my nails” this and “blisters” that. So Ginny makes a bet with her. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Slowly We Unfurl by spookywoods Rated:  Explicit Words:  13705 Tags: Mutual Pining, Not Epilogue Compliant, Rimming, Anal Sex, Vacation Summary:  Draco wanted to go to Greece. He would have loved Greece. But the group vacation to Norway doesn’t go quite as expected when Potter falls into an enchanted lake. Or, the one where a little push (into a lake) is all these two oblivious men need. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 in His name by M0stlyVoid Rated:  Explicit Words:  6691 Tags: Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Religion Kink, Religious Fanaticism, Churches & Cathedrals, Demon Summoning, Demonic Possession, Exorcisms, Other: See Story Notes, Wine, Rituals, Oral Sex, Prostitution Summary:  Something Dark is gathering along the Camino di Francesco, and Draco Malfoy is the only one qualified to deal with it. He insists on Potter coming along. For protection, of course, no other motive—why do you ask? ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Starkissed by Zigster Rated:  Explicit Words:  32631 Tags: Digital Art, Fated Markings, Tattoos, But Not Tattoos, Italy, Venice, Vacation, Beaches, Crashing Waves, Deception, Intrigue, Carnevale di Venezia, Muggle Photography, Slow Burn, Sexual Tension, Body Worship, Voyeurism, Exhibitionism, Rimming, Enthusiastic Giving of Head, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Tattooed Harry Potter, Pining Harry Potter, Harry Potter is Obsessed with Draco Malfoy, Snarky Draco Malfoy, Draco Malfoy With Pink Hair, Original Characters as Draco's Flatmates, They Have Lots of Plants, Minor Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, H/D Sex Fair 2020 Summary:  “Your tattoos!” The intruder says, boldly stepping over Ron’s chaise and crossing in front of Hermione to get to Harry, eyes wide and hungry. Harry immediately sits up, pulling the towel draped across the back of his chair down over his shoulders. “No! Don’t cover them. They’re beautiful.” Harry hopes an indulgent trip abroad will help shake him out of the doldrums of his life. What he finds once he gets to Venice is more than he ever expected. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Reunion by wordsphoenix Rated:  Not Rated Words:  52622 Tags: Unexpected reunion with a tinge of career fair, vacation fic, holiday fic, tragically it's Thanksgiving, NaNoWriMo 2019, Harry and Draco on vacation, Family reunion in the lovely suburbs of Dallas, Established Relationship, road trip at the beginning too because why not Summary:  Harry hasn't seen Dudley in years, but they have been exchanging Christmas Cards. And Dudley wants him to come stay. Which is fine, really, Harry just has to fly over an ocean and bring Draco for moral support and meet the whole extended family because they're doing Thanksgiving and he's always wanted to see America, anyway. Might as well. Introducing the fantastic the spectacular the wonderful ELLA DURSLEY, four-year-old extraordinaire, destroyer of worlds, etc, etc. Almost no magic at all because it would be a little hard to explain to a four-year-old, astonishing intelligence aside. Penny is the Greatest Mom. Blanket TW for general panic and Harry thinking about his childhood. Minor TW for anxiety and eating disorders, both mentioned in chapter 6. Lots of Harry processing emotions. Also some sweariness and mentions of sexytimes. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 100,000 Galleons by bixgirl1 Rated:  Explicit Words:  28289 Tags: Travel, Seduction, Pining, Oblivious Harry, Falling In Love, Draco's bad at Muggle things, He keeps trying though, Humor, wanking, Voyeurism, (sort of), light D/s elements, Dirty Talk, Bottom Harry, Oral Sex, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Rimming Summary:  When a weekend with Harry gets purchased at a Bachelor charity auction by Malfoy, he's sure the trip is going to be filled with disaster. And it is. It really is. Just... maybe not in the ways he thought. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 NEVER VISIT by JET_Playin Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  7994 Tags: Fluff, I'm Sorry, Tumblr Prompt, HP: EWE, Post-Hogwarts, Travel, Underage Drinking, By US standards Summary:  Prompt: On everyone’s 18th birthday they receive a letter from their future selves. Some receive long messages about their future lovers or messages about changes they would have made. Yours contains nothing but a small list of locations and the words, “NEVER VISIT”. Of course, Harry doesn't trust the letter... ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Tournesol by meandminniemcg Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  1567 Tags: Post hogwarts EWE, France (Country), Coffee Shops, Vacation, Mention of Mental Health Issues, But balanced out with fluff, Getting Back Together, Demisexual Harry Potter Summary:  Harry hates vacations, they give too much chance to think of his losses. But sometimes vacations are a time to be lucky in finding the right coffeeshop... ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Cooling Down by prolix (shal) Rated:  Explicit Words:  3026 Tags: Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Smut, Temperature Play, Ice Play, Nipple Play, Oral Sex, Anal Fingering, Praise Kink, Hand Jobs, Kissing, Dirty Talk, Alcohol, Established Relationship, Vacation, Taste, Touch, TasteofSmut 2020, Beach Holidays, Greece, POV Harry Potter Summary:  Harry needs to relax. Draco needs to cool off. Together, with a bit of ice, they manage to do just that. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Kiss Me In Barcelona by artiata Rated:  Explicit Words:  6467 Tags: Drarry, Smut, Gay Sex, Kissing, make out, explicit - Freeform, Vegan Harry, Vegan Harry Potter, Vacation, Aurors, Slow Burn, Anal Sex, Blowjobs, handjobs, barcelona, Kingsley is a matchmaker, he is also sort of a little shit, but we still respect and love him because yeah Summary:  If you want to bicker like children, you'll be treated like children. Of course, that's if you punish your children by magically binding their wrists together for three weeks, then send them off to Barcelona for 'bonding purposes' ❤️ Read on AO3

[whatsseobb]

Something Old, Something New (Crystal x Gigi Fanfic) - Chapter 9

AO3 Link

[A/N: I just love this Gigi look so much I had to include it here. ^_^]

Synopsis: Crystal finds an enchanting jewelry box from the antique shop. Day by day, she discovers different journal entries hidden inside the box. Where is it coming from? What exactly is the music box? Most importantly, who is G?

Chapter Nine - Your Smile

The teenage girl found herself confounded at the information she just read. Gigi. 1959. Gigi. 1959. Those were the thoughts that echoed in her mind as she stared at her laptop screen. How is that even possible? She read the whole article, looking at the pictures of newspaper articles about the art contest. She also saw some pictures during the competition, even a picture of the winner. Her hands scrambled its way through her desk, looking at the letter and the photograph that Gigi sent her.

“Smith Memorial Art Contest had been held every fall for almost a decade in honor of Doctor Charles Smith. It was mostly dominated by men for the first few years of the competition. However, a female student from the small county of St. Clair, Illinois broke the record in 1959.”

Crystal spent the night thinking of the possibility of Gigi living her life back in the 50’s. Questions consumed her mind that she forgot to congratulate the girl or greet her good night.  She woke up feeling tired, dark circles under her eyes.

 School and her school works weren’t able to help distract her from the revelation she just discovered the night before. It hadn’t left her mind since the last evening. She sat by her desk, staring at the picture of Gigi beside the drawing she made of them few weeks prior. Suddenly, the jewelry box started playing music, telling her that the other girl sent her a letter which she decided to read the next morning.

The letter from Gigi suddenly felt surreal. The thoughts of the other girl coming from a different era remained unbelievable for her. It didn’t feel right, but it wasn’t wrong either.

She found herself lost in her thoughts as she stared at the drawing of them on the side of her mirror. Slowly, things started to patch together, as if like slowly completing a puzzle. Gigi’s handwriting, her choice of words or clothes or the way she sent her those old photographs. It never occurred to her why she did not ask her of her phone number or anyway she can contact her online but it all made sense. She couldn’t. It was because she was from a different time than Crystal.

 The next afternoon, Crystal found herself walking towards the thrift shop that her friend Jackie owned. She was greeted with a welcoming smile from the owner.

“Miss Crystal, how are you?” Jackie spoke as she put some trinkets on the shelves. “There is a new batch of sweaters that arrived yesterday. It’s just back there.”

“Do you still have that painting?” The teenager walked over the art section, scanning the place for the art piece that she had her eyes on the last time she went to the store.

“Which one? There are a lot of paintings there.”

“The portrait of a girl. It’s this smiling girl.”

It took her a few minutes before she spotted the painting. A big smile flashed on her face as she recognized the portrait that Gigi painted. Her fingers slightly stroked the edges, running her thumb on the signature on the lower corner of the artwork. It definitely was Gigi’s work.

Crystal left the shop feeling triumphant and excited as she take home the portrait that Gigi made. The memory of that dream when she met the scarlet-haired girl, the one when the other girl showed her a sketch of the two of them together. However, the reality of them being separated by time haunted her as she made her way home.

 Her hands dropped on her side, the teenager walked on a field of green grass, her fingers touching the flowers surrounding her. She continued her stroll until she arrived on a clearing, a small lake at the end of her view. There, she saw a young lady, sitting down while reading a thin booklet. She moved closer towards the picnic area when she saw the same portrait she just bought from Jackie’s thrift shop.

“Finally.” The young lady let out a soft sigh as she put down her book before standing up and wrapping her arms around Crystal. “You made me worry. I am glad you are here now. I missed you.”

Crystal remained quiet as she sat down beside Gigi, looking inside the picnic basket as she tried to distract herself from looking at the other girl.

“Are you all right? Is something wrong, Crys?” Gigi’s soft voice echoed in Crystal’s ears. She looked up at the girl and gave her a small smile.

“No no. I’m fine. Congratulations on winning, by the way. I’m sorry I was just busy with school works so I had no time to send you a letter. I got caught up with everything.” The teenager tried to liven up her voice but she knew what she said was a lie. In fact, she was trying to avoid Gigi after the information she learned.

“Oh, no problem and thank you! I brought it here with me today. I was planning on giving it to you in reality. I just didn’t know how. Maybe you can send me your address and I’ll gift it to you!”

“No need.”

“What do you mean? I want to give it to you as a gift.” A hint of disappointment was heard from Gigi’s voice as her sweet smile turned into a frown.

“I… I actually just bought the painting. Your painting.” Crystal whispered in a low voice, not expecting Gigi to actually hear it.

“Bought it? But it’s not for sale… and how?”

Crystal picked up the frame and a faint smile crept on her face as she stared at Gigi’s artwork. “You did really incredible on this one, Geege. I love it very much.”

As if what she heard earlier was nothing, Gigi’s frown slowly shaped into one of her honey-dipped smiles. She was fascinated and thankful that Crystal loved her work. “Thank you. It’s actually you, in that painting. Your smile is my happiness.”

The corner of Crystal’s lips formed a bigger smile then dropped after hearing Gigi’s words. The young lady must’ve noticed the change in her mood. She put her hand on top of Crystal’s hand which the teenager pulled away in an instant.

“Crys, darling, what’s wrong?”

Silence filled the area as the teenager slowly put down the painting. She turned to look at the lake in front of them, staring at the vast horizon. It was getting a bit dark but they both didn’t mind. They were focused on just the two of them, sitting there by the lake.

“Everything. Everything’s wrong.”

The look of confusion painted on Gigi’s face as she took Crystal’s hand once more. She caressed it softly, trying to comfort the other girl. “W-what do you mean?” Her voice slightly cracked as she gazed at her.

“I think we should stop from here.”

“Stop? Crystal, I am deeply confused with everything you are telling me right now.”

“We can’t go on anymore. We have to stop this delusion. We have to stop writing to each other. We have to… end this.” Crystal’s voice broke off as she shared her sentiments to the scarlet-haired girl in front of her.

“W-what do you mean? Why? How can we stop now?”

“I don’t know. I just know that we should cut ties.”

“No. I can’t not be with you.”

Crystal covered her face in frustration as she faced the other girl. “But you have to. We can’t go on like this.”

“But I like you.”

The sudden confession from Gigi caught the teenager by surprise. She did not know what to feel as the hearing someone liked her that way especially that it was Gigi. For the first time, Crystal wanted to wake up from her dreams. She could not believe what the scarlet-haired girl had uttered and the fact that she didn’t want to tell her the truth face to face made it more difficult for her.

“No. I’m sorry, Geege.” She took a deep breathe before she continued. “We… we can’t be together.”

“What do you mean? I know it’s the 50’s and people would frown upon us. However, we don’t have to listen to them. We can be together. We’ll fight… for us.” The young lady took Crystal’s hand with her both hands but the other removed it from her grip right away.

“Do… do you not like to be with me, Crystal? I thought our date the other time went well. I thought you would have feelings for me too.”

“That’s not the problem.”

“Then what is?”

The teenager picked up the portrait and the corner of her lips showed a small, sad smile. Her eyes darted on Gigi who was wiping her tears.

“Thank you for bringing this here and wanting to give this to me. But I saw it from a thrift shop, the same place I bought your jewelry box from. And I bought it.” She took another deep breath before continuing. “We can’t be together. You said it’s the 50’s but no, it’s not. It’s 2019 already. We are years apart. We can’t be together.”

Crystal saw Gigi’s lips moving as if saying something but everything slowly became blurry. She was hearing no sounds, except the sound of someone weeping. As she touched her own cheeks, she noticed them being wet. When she opened her eyes, she was back in her room, tears flowing down her face. She looked around and saw the portrait that the other girl painted of her. A slight pain was felt on her chest as she felt more sadness inside. It reminded her of last night’s dream.

[melissagt]

Tag! Get to Know Me!

I was tagged by @greencrusader13 - thank you!

1. Dogs or Cats?

Meow...

2. YouTube celebrities or normal celebrities?

I’m not big on celebrities...they wipe their asses the same as everybody else and deserve to be able to do that in private. 

3. If you could live anywhere where would that be?

Realistically, my husband and I want to move to New Hampshire, the White Mountains in particular. I’ve always wanted to live in a place where I can drive down Main St. and see a snow-capped mountain, and that’s pretty much the only place in New England you can do that. We don’t want to leave New England because I really do love it up here...in terms of location. Cost of living not so much (we live in Connecticut right now)...hence the realistic move to New Hampshire. 

4. Disney or DreamWorks?

Eh...I’m not so big on this stuff but I guess the answer would be Disney by default since they own like...everything that Amazon doesn’t. 

5. Favorite childhood TV show?

I mean are we talking like toddler stuff like Under the Umbrella Tree or Lamb Chop’s Play-Along? Or are we talking about kids stuff? I grew up with The Smurfs and Thunder Cats and the original Voltron. I’d have to say my favorite though would be the original Duck Tales. Lots of fond memories with that one. 

6. The movie you’re looking forward to most in 2020?

None? Not really big on movies. Looking forward to Picard, though. Can’t wait for that one. 

7. Favorite book you read in 2019?

In all shame I can say that I haven’t read any books recently. I started re-reading A Song of Ice and Fire, though. 

8. Marvel or DC?

I don’t think I’ll ever understand the current comic book obsession. The only Marvel movies I give a half a patoo about are the Guardians of the Galaxy flicks, so I guess those are Marvel. 

9. If you choose Marvel favorite member of the X-Men? If you choose DC favorite Justice League member?

Um, I used to read my brother’s X-Men comic books when we were kids and I remember really liking Storm. 

10. Night or Day?

It really depends. I’m mostly a night owl. 

11. Favorite Pokemon?

Oh good lord. The only ones I really know are Charmander and Pikachu. I guess I’m not cool. 

12. Top 5 bands/artists:

In This Moment

Within Temptation

Five Finger Death Punch

Tove Lo

Thirty Seconds to Mars

13. Top 10 books.

A Song of Ice and Fire (series)

The Lord of the Rings (series)

The Mists of Avalon

The Dragonriders of Pern

The Wheel of Time (series)

The Dark Elf Trilogy (series)

The Icewind Dale Trilogy (series)

The Dragonlance Chronicles (series)

14. Top 4 movies

Robin Hood: Men in Tights

Dirty Dancing

Top Gun

The Princess Bride

15. America or Europe?

I’m so not even touching this one. It’s never that simple. Not only are we forgetting about like...three-quarters of the rest of the world, but the grass isn’t always greener either. Everybody has good and bad shit, some more or less than others and in different proportions. It’s just different. 

16. Tumblr or Twitter?

I don’t understand Twitter...I don’t think I ever will. I think I’m too old by a few years, lol. 

17. Favorite vacation destination?

My family never really went on vacations. We had a summer cottage on a lake that my grandfather built in the 50′s that we moved to every summer. Swimming. Fishing. Water skiing. Campfires. Grilling. Picnic Tables. Pig Roasts. I spent my childhood being jealous of kids who got to go on cruises or travel to tropical places instead of being ultra grateful for what I had. I didn’t realize til I was an adult just how fortunate I was. I had an amazing childhood. 

18. Favorite YouTuber?

No?

19. Favorite author ?

George R R Martin. If you paid attention to my book list, you can tell I love high fantasy...and I love Martin’s ability to paint in shades of grey rather than black and white. This translates from his plot to his extremely well-developed characters and I love it. I also love that he’s not afraid to write strong women. A good number of my favorite characters from literature belong to him. 

20. Tea or Coffee?

Both. But I’m really picky about what coffee I’ll drink. 

21. OTP?

It’s really an OT3. My main ship is my SWTOR Sith Inquistor who is with both Andronikos Revel and Theron Shan.  If we’re talking in mainstream media, that ship changes based on what I’m watching. I’ve been binging Suits as of late and totally shipping Harvey and Donna. Like seriously I know it’s going to happen but I can’t wait, haha. I’m on Season 8. 

22. Do you play an instrument/sing ?

I’ve never played an instrument, but I sang in a choir in high school. I can sing on my own, but I’ve always been too self-conscious to do anything more than rocking along in the car. I’ve had people ask for me to sing at weddings and I was like NOOOOOO. 

[williamexchange]

Top Web Design Trends for 2020

In 2020, website design trends will be all about micro animations, organic features, minimalism, and thumb-friendly navigation, all while being extremely user-friendly.

Web Design Trends for 2020

There are a few things that are always in style, like quick load speed and responsive (mobile friendly) design. However, the elements below are modern and set to be big trends in 2020.

1. Micro Animation

As you might have guessed from the name, micro animations are small animations. But in this case, small doesn’t mean insignificant. Micro animations are extremely helpful when it comes to guiding users through their interactions with your website. 

2. Organic Shapes

Geometric shapes were a big website design trend in 2019 but in 2020, it’s all about organic shapes. Organic or fluid shapes are anything that doesn’t involve straight lines. Think of the shapes that happen in nature, like hills or the way the edges of a lake or river are asymmetrical and winding.

Fluid shapes are a great way to break up sections of a website without harsh lines or angles.

3. Minimalism (Flat Design)

Minimalism, sometimes called “flat design”, isn’t a new trend in web design, but it has typically been associated with a lot of white space (think Apple.) In 2020, we expect people will be experimenting with colorful minimalism. “It doesn’t have to be all white to be minimalist,” says Maxwell.

A great example of a site that does colorful minimalism well is Shopify. Each page of their site features a bold background color with clean text and minimal design elements to create a page that is both attention-grabbing and easy on the eyes. They’re proof that minimalism doesn’t have to be stark or boring.

4. Bold Color

Colorful minimalism goes hand-in-hand with one of 2020’s biggest web design trends: color! Bold, bright, saturated colors help your brand stand out and goes against the soft neutrals that a lot of companies have chosen over the past few years.

5. Color to Evoke Certain Moods

Along with bold color, we think using color mindfully to evoke certain moods will be big in 2020. Color psychology, the study of color’s impact on human behavior, has been around for centuries and marketers have used it to help sell for nearly as long.

While the way we interpret colors has a lot to do with our own individual perceptions, there are some general feelings associated with colors. For example, green typically denotes nature and natural products while red symbolizes energy and passion.

In 2020, we think web designers will put even more focus on using color mindfully to evoke the mood(s) and feeling(s) a site is meant to elicit.

6. Thumb-Friendly Mobile Navigation

Responsive design isn’t an option anymore. Your site should work well and be easy to use on mobile devices. But in 2020, web design will be focused on creating sites that are thumb-friendly.

What exactly is “thumb-friendly”?

We’re talking about the way we use our phones. If you’re reading this on your phone right now, look at the way you’re holding it. Your fingers are probably wrapped around the back of your phone (or around a phone grip), leaving your thumb to do all the work.

7. Smart Video

Video has long been touted as a must-have for websites. People love videos! Video is engaging! It’s the most effective online marketing tool!

While video is great, it needs to be thought out. That’s what smart video is about: video with a purpose and meaning. Gone are the days of embedding a YouTube video on your site just to have one. One well-thought-out, high quality video is better than a dozen haphazardly assembled ones.

The way CEI uses video in their hero image is eye-catching but not intrusive. It is also a fun visual representation of what they do: provide affordable printers and copies to businesses in Raleigh.

8. Material Design

Material design is actually a design language introduced by Google back in 2014. Where traditional web design looks flat, material design is about using color and shadows to mimic the physical world and its textures.

9. Text-Only Hero Images

Newspapers always put their most eye-catching, important information “above the fold” to increase sales. The website equivalent of this is at the top of a page and is called the “hero section.” A current trend to catch the attention of internet users who are bombarded by different web pages every day is removing the typical background image in the hero section and replacing them with eye-catching typography. A bold, unique font could be just the thing to get a user’s attention quickly.

10. Vintage-Inspired Colors & Typography

It’s true that the older we get, the more we look to the past as a time of life that was simpler and better. Tapping into the audience’s sense of nostalgia, this trend doesn’t simply create a throwback on the webpage; instead, it mixes vintage pieces with modern style. Try mixing vintage-inspired fonts and colors with modern imagery for an ultra trendy look.

11. Bold Fonts

Visiting a lot of websites for leading corporations will show you that bold typography is definitely on trend. Using heavy, bold fonts, the reader is instantly aware of the message, not necessarily the imagery. Combining these heavy fonts with neutral colors further emphasizes the headlines, quickly becoming an “image” of their own.

12. Data Visualization

Communicating data in an engaging way is a struggle. However, using data visualization taps into the fact that humans are visual creatures while still conveying the message you need to get across. Data visualization creates images out of your data that engage your reader and makes them want to learn more about your brand. Infographics and graphs are some of the most popular ways to bring data to life.

13. Dark Mode

Dark mode web designs serve a couple of different functions. On the practical end, they help reduce eye strain, a concern for many as we are spending more and more time looking at screens. On the aesthetic end, dark mode easily creates an ultra modern look for your website while giving you the ability to highlight other design elements just by darkening the elements that surround it.

Ongoing Web Design Trends for 2020

There are a few trends that were popular in 2019 and will continue to be big in 2020:

1. Load Speed

Quick loading times have been important factors in UX and SEO for years. Akamai and Gomez.com have done studies on how people interact with different load speeds and found that 50% of users expect a site to load in two seconds or less when they click on a site. If it takes more than three seconds to load, they’ll leave. (And it’s not likely they’ll be back!)

2. Mobile First Design

We mentioned that responsive/mobile-friendly web design isn’t optional anymore. In fact, your site should be designed with mobile in mind first. Mobile searches overtook desktop searches way back in 2015 and since the beginning of 2017, mobile traffic has accounted for nearly half of all web traffic worldwide. More than good UX, Google has ranked mobile-friendly sites more favorably since 2018. Yep, mobile-first design is another drop in your SEO bucket.

3. Chatbots

Chatbots are another feature that has been popular for a few years and is going to continue to be relevant in 2020. As artificial intelligence and machine learning continue to get more sophisticated, we expect to see chat bots become the norm for simple customer service requests and “personal shopping,” as we discussed a bit ago.

4. SSL Certificates

SSL certificates are less a trend and more of a standard security measure for websites. SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer and the certificate is installed on your web server. It serves two purposes: it authenticates the identity of the website, which guarantees visitors that they’re not on a bogus site, and encrypts the data being transmitted. 

This ensures a private “conversation” between your website and your visitors. If your site doesn’t have an SSL certificate, getting one should be a priority in 2020, especially if you own an ecommerce site!

ADMS is best  Web Development Dillon, CO have all the tools, knowledge, and personnel on staff to get the job done. Let our team of experts handle all your digital marketing needs and watch your business get the website rank it deserves.

[readingontheedge]

Robin & Marian

(Adventurous Romantics #2)

By Stephanie Fowers

Adult Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 352 Pages

August 11th 2019 

 Robin King lives up to the legendary name of Robin Hood more than he should—a bigshot billionaire and successor of King enterprises, a Prince of Mischief and a rogue who steals hearts ... and maybe even a few kisses. He never thought he’d follow the storyline so closely, until the day he gets in trouble with the law and pays the price—all for protecting his younger sister Scarlett.

 Taken in by an Outlaw

 Marian is a hard-hitting reporter … or would be if the New England Chronicle would stop assigning her puff pieces. Now she has the chance to prove herself, but it could prove her undoing—since the story of a lifetime might just be Robin King, a ruthless scoundrel, who she swore would never break her heart again.

 Making New England Olde again

 Together, they must overcome their differences 

to save their hometown from thieves and corruption. And they’d better do it before someone gets killed. As danger lurks closer, legend becomes life, and Robin’s feelings for Marian deepen as he struggles with sharing the secrets that could clear his name and ruin his sister. 

Goodreads | Amazon 

Excerpt

 The door ripped open and she came face to face with Robin. Same laughing eyes, same devilish look under hawk-like brows. His dirty-brown hair had curled up in a stylish mess. He’d come straight from her memories—though older and more dashing, like he’d stepped through the glossy covers of those gossip magazines she despised. He was tall and strong, with broad shoulders and an athletic build—a modern day Robin Hood in black t-shirt and faded jeans. And she hated it!

 His almond-shaped eyes turned appreciative when he saw her. “Are you new?”

 Clearly he hadn’t recognized her. It wasn’t too surprising really—she’d hidden in the back room when the “infamous playboy” had come to visit his sister when they’d been roommates, but before she could explain, he was approaching her. “If it’s all the same to you, Mrs. Koch can’t know what we’re up to.” Marian recognized the name of their housekeeper. Clearly Robin was up to no good if he was hiding his latest mischief from her—never mind that he owned the place now. “I’m so sorry to mix you up in this,” he said, “but we need help cleaning this up.”

 And then his hands were on hers. Was this how he treated his staff? Wait. The thought gave her pause. He thought she was the help? Scarlett had compared her to a little French maid. How galling. She was so caught up in her angry thoughts that she’d allowed him to pull her into the entertainment room where she saw the remains of a poker game. Smashed plates and glasses had tumbled from an immense—and broken—china cabinet.

 “It’s not as bad as it looks…” Robin’s hand dropped from hers as he attempted to clean up the mess. He looked up at her under heavy lashes. “Honestly, if I’d known how pretty you were, I’d have smashed these sooner.”

 She gasped as he winked at her. Robin! Was this really a case of mistaken identity or was he teasing her? “I have half a mind to get Mrs. Koch myself,” she threatened.

 He smirked at that. “If you could find a broom first…”

 So she could crack it over his head? Not knowing what to do, Marian caught sight of Scarlett’s fiancé. The ends of Alan’s auburn hair fell over a soulful eye as he stared down at a record he had saved from the mess. He’d recognize Marian if he saw her, but he was too caught up in reading the record label. It was a vintage Louis Armstrong vinyl. He turned it over in his sensitive hands.

 “Robin, your stepmother is going to kill you,” a deeper voice boomed. “That’s her prized Russian collection.” Turning, Marian saw a giant of a man. She’d know John anywhere, even a decade later. His skin was rich brown, the color of the earth after a storm; his head was buzzed—his facial hair was different from when they were kids, of course—but he’d towered over them back then and now was no different. He was one of those who’d earned his nickname in Robin’s merry band, although no one could get away with calling him “Little John” to his face. 

 “My nephew is trying to teach me how to make a bull’s eye!” a young voice piped up.

 Marian caught sight of a smaller boy of about five years of age. He had a bow in his hand. His small finger pointed to an ugly painting against the wall with several arrows shot through it. They’d been using this room for target practice? How little they thought of the furniture… or of money. 

 “This is my Uncle Midge,” Robin introduced the child. “Also my godchild.” Yes, Marian remembered hearing about him. The young boy clearly looked up to Robin; he was a miniature of him, actually, with freckles, almond-shaped eyes, and a pointed chin. Robin’s grandfather had remarried a much younger woman, and Midge was the result of their union… before she’d run off with an artist. Come to think of it, was this one of the man’s ugly paintings Scarlett had talked about? She peered at it, but the torn flaps obscured the signature.

 Robin ruffled the boy’s hair. “He was not supposed to actually let the arrow go. So there’s that.”

 “And who would be the one who gave him the arrow, pray tell?” The final member of Alan’s bachelor party drew forward with dark, sullen looks. He was clean-shaven with black, heavy brows, and his hair was tied up in a hipster topknot. He wore a suit jacket with matching pants and a casual knit shirt. It took Marian a little longer to name him, but then she felt a wave of recognition run through her at his British accent. “But sure,” he said in his haughty tone, “blame the child.”

 Ah yes, this was Robin’s cousin, Guy. He’d grown up in England with his mother. She had refused to play along with what she dubbed Richard’s “childish obsession,” and in so doing, unknowingly named him after one of Robin Hood’s greatest villains. It was a source of great teasing amongst his cousins. Just like the others, Marian hadn’t seen him for years.

 Yet when he saw her, he hurried to pick up her hand and kiss it. His brown eyes were full of meaning. “What are you doing here with us vile men, Marian? Isn’t Scarlett’s party interesting enough for you?”

 Finally, someone hadn’t seen her as the servant. She felt a smile tug at her lips. Guy’s British charm had always been hard to resist. When they’d been younger, her parents had teased the two that they’d arrange their marriage. She was ashamed to admit that that kind of talk had ended after Guy’s parents had lost their fortunes in poor investments.

 Looking over at Robin, she shrugged. “Robin always did try to get me into trouble.” She cast him what she hoped was a teasing glance. “Just like old times.” Robin’s shoulders stiffened as he turned to actually look at her. His beautiful hazel eyes took her all in. Marian felt too amused to be angry. His astonished expression made everything worth it.

 “Marian?” Robin stretched to his feet to retrieve her hand from Guy. “Why didn’t you say anything?” His gaze swept over her again, including that hateful apron. “My own little Maid Marian?” 

Other Books in the Series 

In the Pursuit of Eden

(Adventurous Romantics #1)

By Stephanie Fowers

Adult Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Paperback & ebook, 390 Pages

April 1st 2019

 Everyone wants to find Eden’s Paradise. Except Ivy.

 Ivy is a city girl through and through. So when she follows her twin brother into the forests of the Uintas to make a documentary about looking for a treasure that’s plagued her family for generations, she’s a little out of her element. It's the same treasure that ended her father's life. Add to that her run-ins with the dashing, but infuriating Aiden Hunter. The Southern hottie has rescued her so many times that it’s getting embarrassing. Of course, she’d be more grateful if she didn’t suspect him of putting her in danger in the first place—a danger that keeps growing the closer they get to the truth.

 Forced to be allies, the two are thrown into each other’s paths, and she realizes that she has more in common with him than she thought. While Ivy searches for clues in the journal of a wayward saloon girl, Eden, to discover a life that mirrors her own, Hunter fights the demons in a past that seems tangled up in hers. His secrets are hers. The only way to get at the truth is to find an uneasy truce… and maybe something more because Hunter may not be the enemy. In fact, he may be the one who needs rescuing. Now, Ivy has to figure out who she wants by her side, and what she’s willing to give up for love.

 After all, Paradise was never meant to be found alone. 

Goodreads | Amazon  

About the Author

Stephanie Fowers loves bringing stories to life, and depending on her latest madcap ideas will do it through written word, song, and/ or film. She absolutely adores Bollywood and bonnet movies; i.e., Jane Austen. Presently, she lives in Salt Lake where she's living the life of the starving artist. 

Website | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram 

Tour Schedule

(Posts go live on the day they're scheduled.)

 December 11th: Launch

December 12th: Julie Coulter Bellon - Truth or Dare

December 13th: Delaney Cameron - The Gift of Love

December 14th: Raneé S. Clark - Her Country Christmas Date

December 15th: Stephanie Fowers - Robin and Marian

December 16th: Aspen Hadley - Blind Dates, Bridesmaids & Other Disasters

December 17th: Maria Hoagland - Santa Cam

December 18th: Rachel John - The Christmas Bachelor Auction

December 19th: Sally Johnson - Dear Mr. Darcy

December 20th: D.E. Malone - Love Like Forever

December 21st: Melissa McClone - Mountain Rescue Romance Series

December 22nd: Brooke St. James - The Suite Life

December 23rd: 

Grand Finale 

1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon eGift Card

Open internationally (as long as winner is eligible to receive prize)

Ends December 28, 2019 

ENTER HERE 

[evoldir]

Fwd: Graduate position: BinghamtonU.EvolutionBiology

Begin forwarded message: > From: evoldir@evol.biology.mcmaster.ca > Subject: Graduate position: BinghamtonU.EvolutionBiology > Date: 22 October 2019 at 08:28:53 CEST > To: rdmpage@gmail.com > > > The Department of Biological Sciences at Binghamton University is seeking > qualified applicants for admission to our PhD program for the Fall of 2020. > Our department of 30 faculty members and >50 PhD students encompasses a > wide range of research programs organized around three overlapping foci of > Global Change Biology, Genetic & Molecular Interactions, and Infectious > Disease.  Our strengths in evolution, ecology, and integrative biology span > across all three of these research clusters. > > Faculty members who are potentially recruiting new students this year > include: > > -Anthony Fiumera - ecological genetics and genomics of complex traits ( > https://ift.tt/2MZMGKF) > > -Carol Miles - neural basis of behavior and communication in insects ( > https://ift.tt/33MSk9u) > > -Heather Fiumera - mtDNA and mitonuclear contributions to adaptation and > speciation, mitochondrial genetics, yeast genetics ( > https://ift.tt/2pBJnBf) > > -Jay Sobel - genomics of speciation and adaptation in Mimulus and other > flowering plants (https://ift.tt/2N4P9mO) > > -Jessica Hua - host-parasite interactions, evo-eco toxicology, and > phenotypic plasticity in aquatic systems (https://ift.tt/35VsNwU) > > -Kirsten Prior - community ecology, invasion biology, altered species > interaction under global change (www.priorecologylab.com) > > -Laura Cook - mechanisms of host/microbe interactions and pathogenicity in > gram negative bacteria (https://ift.tt/2W36yR3) > > -Lindsey Swierk - behavioral ecology, sexual selection, and herpetology ( > https://ift.tt/2MCfLN8) > > -Tom Powell - speciation and evolutionary responses to climate change in > Rhagoletis and other insect systems (www.powellevolab.com) > > -Weixing Zhu - biogeochemistry and urban ecology ( > https://ift.tt/2oT04Z7) > > Our program provides a highly interactive and supportive setting for > graduate training. PhD students are funded through a combination of TA > positions, RAs, and fellowships, including the university's Clifford D. > Clark Diversity Fellowship. Students can take advantage of several > interdisciplinary programs on campus, including the Center for Integrated > Watershed Studies, the Binghamton Biofilms Research Center, the Center for > Collective Dynamics of Complex Systems, Evolutionary Studies Program, and > "Transdisciplinary Areas of Excellence" for Data Science, Sustainable > Communities, and Health Sciences. Resources include molecular core > facilities, an ecological research facility embedded within the > University's extensive on campus Nature Preserve ( > https://ift.tt/2JadUgg), a 4,000+ sq ft > research greenhouse, a living collection of over 1,200 plant species in the > E.W. Heir Teaching Greenhouse, and the new acquired Nuthatch Hollow bird > sanctuary. > > Binghamton University is the top-ranked institution in the SUNY system and > is consistently rated as one of the premier public universities in the > Northeast. Our campus is located in the Southern Tier of New York, between > the Catskills and Finger Lakes, about a 3 hour drive from NYC. The region > features abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation and a very > reasonable cost of living. > > Prospective students should contact potential advisors before applying. > Instructions for official applications can be found on the Binghamton > University Graduate Schoolขs website - > https://ift.tt/2Byqge6. To > ensure full consideration by our departmentขs graduate committee for our > Fall 2020 cohort, all application materials should be submitted by January > 6, 2020. > > Thomas H. Q. Powell > Assistant Professor > Department of Biological Sciences > Binghamton University > PO Box 6000 > Binghamton, NY 13902 > 607-777-4439 > www.powellevolab.com > > Thomas H Powell > via IFTTT

[toyahinterviews]

TOYAH ON RTÉ ARENA WITH SEÁN ROCKS 23.5.2021

SEÁN: Tonight on Arena Toyah Willcox on lockdown lunches, dying her bright blue before it was fashionable and making films with Derek Jarman. To a generation of teenagers and beyond in the 1980’s Toyah Willcox was an inspiration. With brightly dyed hair, dramatic make-up and songs like “ I Want To Be Free” being a call to arms But before success in the music world she’s already made her stage debut at the National Theatre in London and her film debut with director Derek Jarman. For four decades the work continues unabated, she’s just returned to the recording studio,  new solo album “Posh Pop” due for release in July and a remastered edition of "The Blue Meaning", her studio album from 1980 comes out this month and I’m delighted to have Toyah Willcox join me on Arena   TOYAH: Hello! SEÁN: Hi! How are you doing? Good to speak to you. I’m skipping over four decades there very quickly but I want to actually just talk initially about the last year. Tell all those who haven’t been initiated into "Toyah and Robert’s Sunday Lunches". Tell them what’s involved there TOYAH: Well, it’s a massive success. We have traffic of 16.7 million  viewing Toyah Youtube every month and we can not put our finger on why this has just gone viral. It’s basically Robert, my husband, and I in our kitchen – we’ve never changed that setting and the kitchen seems to be as much a star as we are. So it started off with a very simple dance video, a 30 second video exactly a year ago, which within one minute had reached 100 000 people and most of them seem to be in the Philippines     We were absolutely amazed by this so we started to regularly release videos at Sunday lunch at a time when we believed – and we still believe that we as musicians need an audience and an audience needs us   The idea was we just wanted to say to people who were good enough to watch that we are in this with you and it had a profound effect! I do admit to the audiences out there who haven’t seen Toyah & Robert that we push the boundaries and the bar out (Seán chuckles) more and more each week and I’m not sure we can push that boundary out any more   We’ve now reached an international rock audience to the point where we know that the drummer from Radiohead, Alice Cooper and various other iconic people are watching our videos and they are trending them and it’s just been fabulous to a point where we are now deciding that in a about two to three years time this will become our main career. My husband turns 75 any day now and I turn 63 and we’ve decided we’re going to build this as our kind of retirement career

SEÁN: Quite a plan. And we should point out that your husband isn’t any old Robert, he’s Robert Fripp of King Crimson, the guitarist, so we’re talking serious musical pedigree there as well   TOYAH: Yeah. He’s in the Top 50 of world guitarists SEÁN: He can play (both laugh) Let’s put it that way! TOYAH: Yeah! SEÁN: Let’s have a listen – I think this is actually – was it last Sunday, a very recent Sunday at any rate, where you took on – basically what yourself and Robert do in these videos – you take on songs I suppose, we all know and love and lots of them speak directly to your own aesthetic. This is “Firestarter” from  The Prodigy (below) TOYAH: OK. Let me explain. I perform these to two guitarists and I have no microphone and I have no in-ear (monitors). This is me purely responding in the room. It’s no even karaoke! (Seán chuckles)  This is performance art! SEÁN: That’s exactly what it is and I have to say you didn’t mention one of the stars of this particular video which is the copper pot hanging above your Aga. Let’s have a listen to how that all works (Toyah laughs) (Plays the song)   Now, if you haven’t seen the visuals wait until this interview is over and go and search them out (laughs) That is "Toyah and Robert Sunday Lunch", Toyah Willcox speaking with me this evening – and the copper pot in the midsts of these stars in that video as well with Jake, the other guitarist as you mentioned, Toyah   “I'm the trouble starter, punkin' instigator, I'm the fear addicted, a danger illustrated, I'm a firestarter, twisted firestarter” Did the Prodigy write the lyrics about you? TOYAH: No! This is The Prodigy! SEÁN: I know that! (laughs) But it sounds like you, doesn’t it? TOYAH: Not today … (Seán laughs) I mean we did that as a tribute to Keith (Flint, who passed away in March 2019) who was a gorgeous gorgeous human being and we pick songs and we treat them as tributes to the original artists so you’re right that there is a little bit of me in that song but I think there’s a little bit of everyone in that song!

SEÁN: Yeah! (laughs) TOYAH: I mean where The Prodigy were absolutely phenomenal was they created a very special energy that the world followed and we wanted to pay tribute to Keith. I think part of the success of this particular video you’ve picked up on is the huge copper jam making pot that I use as the percussion and we think this is part of the success of "Toyah and Robert at Home" that we use kitchen implements in the videos and it’s slightly absurd SEÁN: Yeah but it’s brilliantly absurd at the same time as well. I’m wondering how difficult it was to get Robert to join in … I went down the "Toyah & Robert Sunday Lunch" rabbit hole last night on Youtube as I was getting ready to speak with you and I had such a great time   Initially I wonder, particularly in the "Swan Lake" video where you’re in the garden in fact – was that the initial dance video you were talking about? He’s in the black tutu, you’re in a black tutu, going across the lawn? TOYAH: The initial dance video was me teaching him to jive to “Rock Around The Clock” when I realised that this very brilliant guitarist, who plays very complicated time signatures, had no control of his body and he can not dance   So the tutu came about  - it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. We live on the river Avon near Stratford and I have always wanted to do "Swan Lake" that way and I said to Robert “would you wear a tutu?” and he wasn’t happy about but he trusts me and that particular video reached the world press I mean we started to make headlines on front pages and newspapers from Italy to the USA with that one. At that point Robert wasn’t too happy to be seen across the world in a tutu like that but very quickly people realised that in a time of extreme danger and fear that one of the things the human race can turn to is humour and that was the turning point of our success SEÁN: Yeah. I have to say though, Toyah, yes, they’re very humorous and   there’s an absurdity to them but there’s also something incredibly creative about some of the ones I was watching last night and I’m thinking in particular of “You Really Got Me” The Kinks (below) The way you shot this! A film maker would be proud of it! Robert – (Toyah interrupts) Yeah, go ahead, explain the shot

TOYAH: By the way I have directed and filmed ten videos for my album “Posh Pop” so I know how to make really good short films. So I set this camera up – we live in a five floor property with a stairwell and I just thought – always thought – as soon as we moved into this property twenty years ago that that is a fabulous shot!   Robert was very very happy to do this shot when I set it up so I had to build a very easy scaffold rig to suspend the camera down the three stairwells we were shooting from. We removed all the furniture so that we could put Robert on his back looking up to the top camera, which was three floors up at this particular part of the house looking down on these beautiful mosaic tiles and Robert was playing The Kinks “You Really Got Me”   The thing about this video is he plays virtually every cord wrong. Robert plays in viola tuning which is five tones higher than guitar tuning so this was the beginning of Robert realising if he was going to have to learn classic rock he was going to have to go back to E tuning but that’s a technicality. I think most of your listeners will understand what I’ve just said   So I was trying to sing dressed as a little red demon running up and down the stairwell three floors to tuning I was not getting back off my master guitarist! (Seán laughs) It is a visual feast, it’s a beautiful looking film SEÁN: Yeah, the tiles on the floor as we look from up above look absolutely amazing with Robert lying on them and it is a great shot TOYAH: And I look amazing too! SEÁN: Yes, you do look amazing in your red PVC suit that you’re wearing (Toyah cackles) Some of the costumes that you wear throughout the videos are to seen rather than to be spoken about, I shall put it that way (laughs) TOYAH: Yeah and I would say this is for viewing for over 18 years of age. And I would like to day that I’m pushing out the boundaries that no matter what age you are we are still connected to rock’n’roll

SEÁN: For sure. And that brings me to that earlier part of your career which is – we’re talking about everything tonight that we want to talk about – but specifically about the remastered edition of "The Blue Meaning", your studio album from 1980. Now ironically it’s not just that album it has to said, it’s a massive big collection of music that you’ve given us

In fact it’s a two disc collection, there are extra songs in there, some that are from a deluxe edition that you released later on but there’s also one of your best hits which isn’t on the album itself, I know that, but it’s the one that a lot of listeners will recognise the minute they hear it. This is from the second disc that you’re re-releasing at the moment (plays the original version of “It’s A Mystery”) Oh that is so beautiful to hear in that original version which is part of the double set I know that the real focus is "The Blue Meaning", the album itself but “It’s A Mystery”, that lyric in there “it’s a mystery to me, still searching for a clue” … It strikes me that part of that is still happening for you, Toyah Willcox, but not in any kind of way that makes you anxious, makes you excited in fact that you’re constantly searching

TOYAH: Yeah! I mean that was the very first demo of “It’s A Mystery” and it was done with a band called Blood Donor, the keyboard player had written that song. So that was a very avant-garde demo and we re-recorded it after the writer and myself turned it into a different arrangement and I wrote the second verse for the single and it became a much more of a commercial entity

But the meaning in the song for me is life is a journey and I was brought up that as soon as you left the school gates at 17 or 18 education stopped. Well, that’s just not true and as soon as you hit 30 you’re in old age, well, that’s just not true!   And I think that this song represents the fact that life is a journey and it’s always a rite of passage. We’re always learning new things, experiencing new things and life is an adventure. That I think is a very special meaning within “It’s A Mystery” SEÁN: And also that period in time, I mentioned it in my introduction – you had already had success, you were on the stage of the National Theatre and you’d been in Derek Jarman’s “Jubilee” at that point in time - TOYAH: I’d made “Quadrophenia” and I’d been in a movie with Katharine Hepburn -

SEÁN: Katharine Hepburn was actually – this brings us to a great story around your dyed hair. Everybody’s (saying) “that was the punk era – of course she had dyed hair!” but you had dyed hair much earlier than many others. I think you were in your very early teens that you first dyed your hair a bright blue or a bright pink TOYAH: When I was 14 I was a hair model for a very famous UK department store so my hair started to be dyed when I was 14 and I got threatened to be chucked out of school. It was such a taboo thing to do that buses wouldn’t stop for me, people used to shout at me adding a lot of swear words to this “what are you?” and “bleep bleep clown!” It was an incredibly aggressive statement for a woman to have made in the mid-70’s Today when I look out and I see women of all ages with pink, blue, green hair I think yes! This is why my generation did it! But back then you were seen as someone standing outside of society and it was taken as an aggressive statement   So I was a hair model, I adored having all these different colours and when I met Katharine Hepburn for the audition for Bessie Watty, a 13 year old (above) in a classic play called “The Corn Is Green” for a movie, I wore a wig, I wore my National Theatre wig, which was a beautiful brown wig   When I got the job I turned up for the play reading with Katharine Hepburn with my bright red hair and she fell in love with it and she said that is exactly who and what she was when she was a teenager in Barking in Hollywood. She adored it. She got it immediately SEÁN: Yeah and in fact George Cukor, who was the director, had seen you in the wig and when he saw you with the bright pink hair the following day was going “huh? Who’s this person?!” TOYAH: Well, you’ve got to remember this is the man that discovered Marilyn Monroe and James Dean. He also directed Judy Garland in “A Star Is Born” and suddenly he’s got this young 19 year old turning up with bright red hair. It was a complete leap of faith for him at that time SEÁN: And I want to bring up Derek Jarman and that relationship. How did that relationship start first of all? Was it Ian Charleson, the actor, who introduced you  to Jarman? TOYAH: Yeah, Ian Charleson and I were at the National Theatre together in very different productions but Ian Charleson knew Derek Jarman and felt that Derek would love to meet me and that lead to us going to tea with Derek Jarman and Derek just literally handed me a script and said “pick the part you want” And Derek and me, we loved each other very very much. The bond was immediate and I went onto to do “The Tempest” (below) with him as well

SEÁN: I have a little clip from the dinner scene in “Jubilee”. Was your character in “Jubilee” simply called Mad? Mad with a capital M?

TOYAH: Yeah, that’s it. Mad the pyromaniac

SEÁN: Mad the pyromaniac. Fire starting seems to be our theme this evening, doesn’t it? Let’s have listen to this little dinner scene of Derek Jarman’s “Jubilee” (plays the clip) Does that bring back memories? It must do, Toyah?

TOYAH:I remember itvividly. I remember it was a part of a ten page scene that I was speaking for the whole of the time so I remember the technicality of it!

SEÁN: I’d say!

TOYAH: That the camera was trying to find me, I was trying find the camera. I do remember it. It was an incredibly happy time because it was my very first feature film and yes … It was such anopportunity and Derek Jarman trusted in me but very very embryonic in my performance and I still feel very embryonic as a film actress because film acting is about experience but I loved every minute of making this but it was extra special because it was my first movie

SEÁN: And Ian Charleson was at that dinner table and Adam Ant was there as well if I remember right -

TOYAH: Yeah, Adam Ant, Little Nell from the “Rocky Horror Picture Show” movie … It was absolutely an iconic cast

SEÁN: Yeah and all of that film experience and Derek Jarman’s aesthetic I think is there even in the Sunday Lunch videos that we were talking about earlier on and I guess it will be all over the new album “Posh Pop” given that you’ve said – you feel that the videos and songs are pretty much an item together rather than separate in the case of the upcoming album, yeah?

TOYAH: Yeah. Because “Posh Pop” was written in lockdown I created a pod with my co-writer Simon Darlow … We feel that this album is about humanity and it’s about humanity at a time where we were joined like no other time in our living history. “Posh Pop” is about joy, the need to dance, it’s about connection, love and loss. So this is why I’ve  made the video album to go with this album. It’s one of the most special things that I have ever ever made. It is for  me a very perfect album but what sounds like a pop album has the deepest messages I’ve ever written about

SEÁN: To finish up then I want to go to "The Blue Meaning", the remastered edition that we’re celebrating with you this evening and that opening track “IEYA”. We get an eight minute thirty one second version of this song on the new album. That’s a short version in comparison to some of the rehearsals you had for it. Rehearsals almost in front of live audiences. Tell us about gigs where you basically tried this song out and the audience were there while you were working out new versions of it TOYAH: Yeah, well, “IEYA” was written at soundchecks and we often so loved playing this, it has a kind of trance effect about it, that we would get through our entire set in an evening, in an hour and a half, we’d do five encores and the audience was still calling out for more so we were put in a situation that we wanted to play something new so we would develop “IEYA” live on stage in front of the audience And you’re right, live this could go on for half an hour or more. So we developed the arrangement and the energy and the connection with the audience, actually in front of the live audience, and then went into the studio six months later to record it and I think that’s why this song is so special. It’s because we know exactly how the audience were going to behave when they heard certain parts of it. And even today it’s out encore number and the audience go absolutely bonkers SEÁN: Toyah. Lovely to speak with you this evening. Thanks for being with us TOYAH: Thank you so much Sean, it’s been a pleasure

[edivupage]

Geneseo (SUNY) Admissions: Everything You Want to and Need to Know

Overview of SUNY College of Geneseo (SUNY)

Situated on the western edge of New York State’s Finger Lakes region, the SUNY College of Geneseo maintains a liberal arts focus. The institution has a large selection of undergraduate and graduate degree programs for students to choose from. A healthy student/faculty ratio backs students, and professors take a personalized approach to the teaching and learning process. Outside of the classroom, students will find plenty of opportunities to engage with the campus community via the university’s many clubs and organizations.

Enrollment

Total Enrollment: 5,541 (5,447 undergraduates)

Gender Breakdown: 39 percent male/61 percent female

97 percent full-time

Cost of Attendance Information

Tuition and Fees: $8,927 (in-state); $18,837 (out-of-state)

Books: $1,000

Room and Board: $14,018

Other Expenses: $2,509

Total Cost: $26,454 (in-state); $36,364 (out-of-state)

Financial Aid Information

Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 81 percent

Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of Aid

Grants: 58 percent

Loans: 60 percent

Average Amount of Aid

Grants: $7,293

Loans: $6,393

Academic Programs Offered

Most Popular Majors: Social Sciences; Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Psychology; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; and Education

Retention and Graduation

First-Year Student Retention (full-time students): 85 percent

Transfer-Out Rate: 17 percent

4-Year Graduation Rate: 72 percent

6-Year Graduation Rate: 81 percent

NCAA Athletic Programs

Men’s Sports: Basketball, Cross Country, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Swimming and Diving, Track and Field

Women’s Sports: Basketball, Cross Country, Equestrian, Field Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball

The Geneseo Knights play in the NCAA, within the Division III SUNY Conference. Popular sports include soccer, basketball, Track and Field, and swimming.

Overview of Geneseo (SUNY) Admissions

SUNY College of Geneseo, which accepts fewer than two-thirds of applicants, has a selective admissions process. Students whose SAT/ACT scores and GPA are within the institution’s requirements have a good chance of being admitted. Applicants must complete an online application, and send test scores from either the SAT or ACT and high school transcripts. Glowing recommendation letters can bolster your application, along with being involved with student organizations and attempting a challenging course load. Interested students should check out the university’s website, which has helpful tips and contact information for the admissions offices.

Admissions Data                       

During the 2018-19 admissions phase, SUNY College at Geneseo had an acceptance rate of 65%.  for every 100 students who submitted applications, 65 students gained admission, making Geneseo’s admissions process competitive.

SAT Requirements and Scores

SUNY College at Geneseo requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions phase, 82% of admitted students provided SAT scores.

This admissions data reveals that most of Geneseo’s admitted students fall within the top 35% on the SAT. For the reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Geneseo scored between 560 and 650,  25% scored below 560, and 25% scored above 650. 50% of students scored between 560 and 650 on the math section,  25% scored below 560, and 25% scored above 650. Applicants with a cumulative SAT score of 1300 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Geneseo.

ACT Requirements and Scores

SUNY College at Geneseo requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions phase, 19% of admitted students provided ACT scores.

This admissions data reveals that most of Geneseo’s admitted students fall within the top 26% on the ACT. The median 50% of students admitted to Geneseo received a cumulative ACT score between 24 and 28, 25% scored above 28, and 25% scored below 24.

GPA

In 2019, the median 50% of SUNY College at Geneseo’s class had a mean high school GPA of 3.61. 25% had a GPA above 95, and 25% had a GPA below 90. The mean GPA for freshmen was 93.  successful applicants to Geneseo have A grades primarily.

Safety Net Schools: Easy to Gain Admission

If past admission data predicts that you would be a competitive candidate for SUNY College at Geneseo, it should be easy for you to gain admission to the schools below. If SUNY College at Geneseo is currently out of your reach, you can be a competitive candidate for the schools below.

Ohio University, University of Alabama, Pace University, University of North Texas, California State University Long Beach, Florida Gulf Coast University, Washington State University

Same Tier: Just As Hard to Gain Admission

If you’re a competitive candidate for SUNY College at Geneseo, you should have an equal chance of gaining admission to these schools.

Temple University, Seton Hall University, Howard University, University of Houston, San Diego State University, University of California, Riverside, University of Arizona

Reach Institutions: Gaining Admissions Will Be More of a Challenge

These schools are more challenging to gain admission into than SUNY College at Geneseo. If you improve your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, you’ll be a competitive candidate.

Stony Brook University, University of Texas at Dallas, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Syracuse University, University of Cincinnati, Penn State University Park

Applying to SUNY College at Geneseo

Application Deadline: January 1

Undergraduate Admissions Website: https://www.geneseo.edu/admissions/apply

Undergraduate Application Link(s): https://www.commonapp.org/

Graduate Admissions Website: https://www.geneseo.edu/graduate_admissions

Graduate Application Link(s): https://www.geneseo.edu/graduate_admissions/apply-now

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[krnaturalphoto]

Running 2019 Pine Creek Challenge 100 Miler

This year has been the most challenging year of running for me yet. Not because I set big goals for myself, I mean yes because I set big goals for myself, but also because of other struggles. Going into this year, after running only two 50k’s I decided it was time to push myself farther and longer. First I decided that I would take on a 50 mil race. Later I decided that this would also be the year I took on a 100 mile race. This all before I even ran my 3rd official 50k. I didn’t even wait to see how a 50 mile race would feel before diving in head first into the 100 mile pool. I put it all on the table early on in the year.

It seemed so….. Simple? I would train like my previous year for my 50k in May. That 50k would be my longest training run for my 50 mile race about a month after. The 50 mile race would be my longest training run leading into my 100 mile race two months later. The 50 mile race would also give me some experience at a new distance so I would have an idea of what to expect through the half-way point of my 100 mile race and that seemed like important knowledge to have.

Then life happened and all the plans and “simplicity” melted away. Like many runners I got injured with what turned out to apparently be hip bursitis. I ended up injured before I even got to the point in my year where I would run my 50k. So I tried to rest and recover as best I could and went into my 50k feeling under trained and nervous if I would even be able to finish. Worlds End 50k was the most painful and grueling race I have suffered through to date. I was in so much pain I walked the last 10 miles and almost every step of those ten miles caused pain in my hip. But I finished. I learned that if I had to I could tough it out and endure the pain as long as needed to cross the finish line. Not what I wanted from that race but a valuable lesson that would pay dividends later.

I had a month to try to get right physically for my 50 mile race. I got as much treatment and rest as I could and maintain my fitness for my 50 mile race. Finger Lakes 50’s 50 miler did not go as well as Worlds End. I was not in as much pain from my hip but it was hampering me, slowing me down and probably causing me to expend unnecessary energy. In the end being out in the heat and humidity of a July summer day did me in. I couldn’t keep up with the time I needed to move on to the third and final loop of the 50 mile race. But I did finish a 50k. The heat punished me. I was dizzy and wobbly on my feet at times. Heat exhaustion was hitting me hard. Then the rains came and I bounced back allowing me to finish in a decent time and feeling ok instead of suffering through to the end. Even though I wasn’t able to finish the 50 miles and gain the experience of feeling what 50 miles felt like I learned that I could bounce back from a physical low and keep moving on.

Training between the 50 mile attempt and my 100 mile race was not ideal but it was better than I had gotten any time since April. I decided that in order to reduce the impact on my hip I would focus on making sure I got in my long runs and decrease all other mileage. I ran regular 3 mile runs during the week and then a long run on the weekends. I was able to get in more long ruins during this time frame than any time since April and it included two 20 mile runs in the same week which I feel like were crucial to my physical preparedness and my mental preparedness. I knew my hip was getting better. I thought it would probably be an issue but not cost me the race. I was actually becoming more concerned about my long standing right ankle pain that tends to flare up with long runs, which seemed to be getting worse.

As the week of the race approached I was getting more and more nervous about it. Would I really be able to do this thing? Anxiety and fear were closing in on me. Was my training good enough? Would I be prepared? Was a physically strong enough? Was I mentally strong enough? I took the whole week leading up to the race off from running. I focused entirely on recovery and being as healthy as I possibly could be going into the race. I included a massage from Soul Ease Massage to help ensure that my hips and legs were in as good shape as possible. I am not sure you can ever feel relaxed when you have a 100 mile race looming.

If there was one secret weapon I knew I had to get me through this race, it was my crew. I was going to have a great crew, of my wife and my friends, out there taking care of me at the race. They would not let me fail.

The night before the Pine Creek Challenge my wife and I met up with two of our friends to camp for the night at the race location. We hung out. We chatted. I tried to relax. One thing we talked about is what to do if things don’t go according to plan. I had planned for this race more than I had ever planned or prepared for any other race or maybe even event in my life. I was organized. I had everything labeled. I had times for when I hoped to be in and out of aid stations. I planned for the best case scenario, even though I knew that the race was unlikely to play out that way. I knew what I wanted to happen and what I had in mid as more reasonable though still quite lofty goal for a first 100 mile race. I wanted to finish in under 24 hours. I thought that I had a good chance at making that happen as long as the first half of the race went reasonably well. I knew that a sub 24 hour goal was very likely not going to happen but it was the goal and it was really hard to think about anything outside of that goal. But we talked about just thinking about what is going ot happen if plan A doesn’t work out and plan B doesn’t work out and so on and so on. What do you do? How do you proceed? I think it was good to go through that mental exercise to just think that there are so many different ways that this event could unfold, none of which could be anticipated maybe. This perhaps is where experience would be valuable. If you have done this before I think it is easier to have contingency plans or at east to know what to do to get you back on track.

I sometimes have trouble sleeping before a race, but not usually too bad. I am also not much of a dreamer while I sleep. Well the night before my first 100 mile race was going to be different. I slept OK until about 4 AM when I was awakened by a nightmare. In this nightmare I had a full blown panic attack and completely shut down and was curled up in the fetal position in the tent and could not even manage to put on my clothes for the race. So, that resulted in me staring at the ceiling of the tent for an hour before my alarm went off at 5 AM and I got up and started to get ready for the race. I was not as anxious getting up and getting ready for the day as I thought I would be. There were the normal pre-race jitters but not anything major. I managed to not forget anything significant before starting. It was surprising to me that for the 6 AM start I still was going to end up needing my headlamp as I set out. I was not expecting that. We got to the start line. I kissed my wife and hugged my friends and then I set off on an adventure.

The start was hard. Not physically hard but mentally hard. My strategy was to go out at a 12 minute per mile pace, running a mile then walking 1 minute, much slower than I would go at any other type of flat run. The first bunch of people pulled away from me. Then another group of people pulled away. Then more people caught up to me and passed me. I kept trying to go slow. Eventually I seemed to essentially be alone on the trail. As I was alone on the trail I struggled a bit to stay out of my head. I began to think about all the things that could go wrong during this journey. I had to tell myself out loud multiple times to get out of your head. As the sun rose I stopped to take some photos along the way and used my GoPro while running some. I saw an eagle fly low along a swampy area and land in a tree, so that was a nice way to start off the race. It was 5.6 miles to the first aid station and I tried to go as slow as I could, but when I arrived my crew reported to me that I was still 5 minutes ahead of my planned pace. It was nice to get that first section over and see my crew though. The course is a multi out and back course to complete the full 100 miles and I was already at the terminus of one end so it was time to turn around and run back the other way for along time.

My crew got me out of the aid station without wasted time and I headed back the way I came. I needed to go slower. I took the time to use my GoPro more and take other photos. Run slower, walk longer to slow my pace. I got back to the swampy area and saw a great blue heron and snapped a few photos. I saw a few people with their dog and a woman with her camera and she said this is one of her favorite places to come for photography, so I made a mental note of that. She wasn’t kidding though because that bald eagle was still up in its perch on the large tree in the swamp. I tried to capture a few more photos of it. I might be the only one able to tell there is an eagle in the photos though because it is so far away. Eventually, I started to see runners from the other races of different distances happening on the same trail coming towards me on the trail. That made things a little more interesting on this return trip. I eventually got back to the start line where the next aid station was. I got some fuel and some hydration. Then waited forever some non-runner who decided to occupy the portapotty at the aid station, despite all the others available for spectator use, so that I could finally pee. That was probably the biggest frustration of that sort for me the entire race though, so I will call that a win.

Next was a 3.4 mile jaunt to the next aid station. I arrived at the aid station felling pretty good. Still going at what felt like the right pace. On plan. My hip wasn’t giving me any serious problems. It felt tight and maybe a little uncomfortable but not painful. My ankle was a little sore but nothing major. My crew made sure I had what I needed and got me going through the aid station without wasting too much time which is the goal. The next section would start the portion of the trail that really went through the valley.

The next aid station was nearly 8 miles away but I wouldn’t see my crew again for 16 miles. This 16 miles between seeing my crew again is one of the places I struggled most mentally. I had done marathon to 50k distances 8 times over the last three years. I thought I knew what to expect from it. I thought that on a flat course going the relatively slow pace for me that I had planned to go and was sustaining that the first 30 miles would feel relatively easy or at least not too hard. Maybe that was just being naive especially considering how my training had went. But during this 16 miles to the next time I would see my crew I really felt like I was struggling mentally. I felt like I was going slower than I wanted to when I was running and that I was walking longer than I wanted to to rest after each mile of running. My legs felt tired and sluggish and sore already. I really began to think that maybe I had gotten in over my head. If I was already feeling like this and it hadn’t even been 30 miles yet, what on earth was the rest of the race going to feel like?

One things that was a cool uplift for me during this 16 miles alone was seeing something I had never seen before. As I ran down the trail eventually I came to this spot where I saw someone had scratched out in large letters in the gravel the world snake with an arrow pointing to the left. I was instantly curious. Was someone just fucking with runners or was there really a snake over there in the rocks along the side o the trail? I had never seen a rattle snake in the wild but I was well aware of all the reports of snakes along this trail and the potential to see one. So I walked over to the side of the trail cautiously and looked at the rocks. Sure enough there was a rather large snake with a baby toy attached to its tail slithering underneath some rocks. I called back to a runner I had recently passed and let him know that there was a snake over here so that he could be aware and take caution. I did not get close to the snake or even try to get a photo of the snake. Those who know me are probably surprised by this. It was cool to be out doing something entirely new to me and see something entirely new to me as well.

After being a bit down physically and mentally it was a great relief to finally see my crew waiting for me a the Blackwell aid station. The aid station is half a mile before the turn around so I ran out to the turn around first as I dropped off my pack for my crew to refill. My first pacer of the day accompanied out to the turn around and we talked about how the race was going. Then I came back to the aid station and ate some food and got some extra hydration. I also took some Tylenol for my hip and ankle and had some bio freeze applied to my ankle. The first 30 miles had been harder than I thought they would be. That much was clear.

My pacer would accompany me the next 26 miles. We headed out to start the next phase of this journey. At least for this trip through the valley I would have someone along for the ride. WE talked quite a bit through the first 8 miles or so. We talked a lot about nature. I think I complained about all my grievances. I am kinda surprised my pacer didn’t just run off ahead of me or at least stay far enough ahead or behind that they couldn’t hear me anymore. This section started off strong. We ran 3+ miles without stopping for a walk break. Which was OK at the time because I was feeling strong. I didn’t actually feel like I needed a break after every mile which is how I had been feeling during the previous 16 miles. This run of 26 miles with my first pacer went OK. Not as well as I had hopped, but not as bad as it could have after how I felt during the end of the first 30 miles. I could feel myself slowing down some eventually. At times running much slower than I would have liked and at times taking much longer walking breaks than I would have liked. I stopped at the aid stations for extra food and hydration along the way. I had more bio freeze applied to the painful areas which seemed to be getting a little worse with more time on my feet.

At one point early on during this 26 miles with my first pacer we saw a group of people gathered up blocking almost the entire trail and many of them were over along the edge of the trail near the rocks. As we approached I knew they were looking at or for a snake. They were so close. I told my friend to get his camera out because there was about to be a Kodak moment. I don’t wish people harm, but these people were being dumb and unsafe. They were way too close they were essentially standing in the rock pile and had their phones out trying to get photos. They very easily could have gotten bitten and who gets blamed for that, the snake. Those kind of things really get me riled up. As we passed by I could see that there was a more light colored rattle snake among the rocks. Then shortly thereafter I saw a large almost completely black rattle snake out in the open along the rocks. It was the first time I was able to see the entire body of a rattle snake. It was quite large. They are amazing creatures and I am thrilled to be able to share a trail with them and pay them the appropriate respect they deserve by keeping my distance. I may be one of the few people happy to see a rattle snake on the trail, but I was secretly hoping to see one during the race.

Eventually my pacer were arriving at the 50 mile turn around aid station. The people running this aid stations had it going right. There were lights along the trail lighting the way. There was a fire. The crowd there was cheering so loudly. It was really making me emotional. I was getting choked up at all the people there cheering and supporting the runners out here like me. It is truly a blessing to be part of a larger community of runners like this.

When we arrived I took more Tylenol at the mile 50 turn around aid station and got more bio freeze. I don’t really remember much about this aid station, because I was too overcome with emotion from all the support from my crew, which kept expanding as more and more of my friends showed up over the course of the day, and the people at running the aid station itself cheering and high fiving. I changed my shoes here because I thought half way through a 100 mile race would be a good time to put on shoes with more cushion. My crew got me in and out of this aid station in good time. At this aid station I was picking up a new pacer, my best friend was going to run the next 9 miles with me.

It was really nice to be able to run part of this race with my best friend. We haven’t been able to run together much since early in the year. She may be my friend but she had no sympathy for my foolishness of getting myself into this race. She was going to make sure I stuck to my plan of running and then walking. She was not going to let me take it easy. She pushed me to run as much as I could and then told me when it was time to rest. I think I almost begged for a little longer time to rest at one point. I think she allowed me 30 more seconds to walk. Talking and sharing miles despite the slave driving was nice. I think the sharing of miles with friends is something you can only understand if you are a runner. During our 5+ miles together my friend informed me that our other friend who had been injured for the last month or more and not running was feeling better and may be running with me from the next aid station.

I arrived at the next aid station and fueled up. Got what I needed and was ready to head out. Sure enough my friend was ready to run with me. We headed out for the next 3+ miles to the next aid station. This might be one of the few ways that deviating from your plan can be a good thing. It was so nice to be able to share miles with my two running friends whom I have shared more miles with than anyone. Picking up a new pacer, an unexpectedly new pacer can only be good when it is your friend who you know would have wanted to be your pacer anyway, but due to injury wasn’t able to plan for it. She had been cleared to run just the other day and wanted to share some miles with me on this journey and it doesn’t get much better than that. She was not quite as much a hard ass on this section. I ran as much as I could but I needed longer rests, or at least I took advantage of my friend to get longer rests.

I arrived at the mile 65 aid station feeling pretty good all things considered. I enjoyed running with my friend that I didn’t expect to be able to share any miles with. I was in good spirits. I was tired but doing OK. The plan was to resupply water and food in my pack, add a warmer layer of clothes as it was now getting dark and pick up my new pacer. Then it happened. It felt like someone just pulled the plug on me and the power went out. I went from feeling fine and ready to go to crashing hard. I started to feel light headed and then nauseous. I thought I might throw up. My crew tried to keep me standing and get me some food. Then I started to experience things I had never experienced. My arms started to go numb and get tingly. My mouth started to get tingly. I was losing control of my body. It was shutting down. I was losing it. My mouth got number and number. I couldn’t feel or move my mouth or tongue. My left hand curled up into a claw. My hand was clenched and I couldn’t move it. My crew mates were literally holding me up. They got me seated and just started to literally pour sugar into me. Cups of Coke went in. My crew literally holding cups to my inoperative mouth and pouring little bits in so I could swallow. It was like being a helpless child being fed by your family. I couldn’t even drink from the cup if they held it to my mouth they had to literally manage to pour it in my mouth so I could swallow. I don’t know if I literally thought about quitting, but if I was going to it would have been here in this moment. There is no way I could have made it through this without them. My chosen family, My wife and my friends. This is why they mean the world to me. They would not let me fail.

My wife told me later that she had to walk away because it was too hard for her to see me like that and she didn’t want me to see her upset. At one point I looked at my inoperative curled up left hand and said “It’s the claw” making a Friends joke that probably only my wife would get, but she said when she heard that she knew I was still in there and that I was going to be OK. I think that is also when I knew I was going to be OK too. I was able to keep my mind right even in this lowest moment of what felt like at the time there would be no coming back from. My crew kept working on me. Getting more calories in me, more Coke to drink. Then I could slowly feel it. My body started to respond. I started to get the feeling back in my arms and my hand. I could actually use my hand. At one point I was able to hold a cup and I thought drink on my own, but apparently my face was still numb and I just poured Coke down my face. But it was OK. I am pretty sure I laughed at that. Eventually as my body recovered my crew got me some warm clothes. I put on a light long sleeve shirt and a light jacket. I put on a pair of wind pants. I put on a dry hat and a buff to keep my ears warm. I eventually regrouped and headed out with a new pacer.

Just reflecting on this moment in time makes me emotional. This was one of the toughest moments I have ever endured and I owe it all to my crew for getting me thorough. Literally propped up on the shoulders of my friends. Fed and clothed by my friends. Taken care of by my family. I owe the next 35 miles to them. If I did not have them there my day would have ended at that aid station and I would never know anything else.

After arriving at the mile 65 aide station in such good shape, leaving that aid station was not the same. I felt like I was barely moving. I could move but just had no energy. The next 16 miles till I saw my crew was going to be a very slow walk in the dark. Thank god for pacers. I don’t know how people ran in the dark, alone and tired. Thankfully my pacers worked to keep me engaged. We talked about Star Wars. There was line dancing. I think the best I felt was when we actually listened to Christmas music, Straight No Chaser, I actually had the energy to sing along with the music. It really helped lift my spirits at a time where I was moving way slower than I had hoped to. I eventually just got exhausted during this 16 mile section. I don’t know if was the normal kind of exhaustion that one would expect or if I was suffering more because of my crash at mile 65. But, I was struggling to not just fall asleep while standing up. My eyes kept closing. I was essentially just staggering down the path. Often not in a straight line. I am pretty sure that if I were alone I would have fallen off the trail, into the ditch or into the water. Thank god for amazing friends willing to walk miles in the dark with you and play ping pong with your body bouncing you from one edge of the path to the other to keep you safe. I felt like I needed to be on a leash. I eventually hallucinated that there was a huge wagon wheel in the middle of the path. Then I saw or at least am pretty sure I actually saw my first every flying squirrel in the wild. I saw something fly across the trail from the trees on the right and land in a tree on the left then climb up the tree. Not a good look due to it being dark, but I could only imagine it was a flying squirrel or another hallucination. Another tough part about this 16 miles was that my feet began to hurt. I could tell I was getting blisters on my feet and that was not going to be good. I thought that the shoes I changed into had caused the problem. I decided that I was going to change back into the shoes that I started with at the mile 81 aid station when I saw my crew again. We also decided while walking that I was going to try and take a brief five to ten minute nap at the aid station because I was just staggering around so much that I was wasting too much time and energy and not making enough forward progress and I thought that if I could just close my eyes for a few minutes I would recover enough energy to make much more substantial progress in the next phase.

I got to the mile 81 aid station and began to do all the normal things. Refresh food and water. Change shoes. Reapply anti chafe. Then it hit me again. My body started to revolt for a second time. As I sat in a chair I got light headed and nauseous. I started to lose feeling again. Me team sprung into action immediately getting me what I needed. They started to load me up with Coke again. They responded to my needs immediately despite what had been a long and strenuous day for them as well. They were right there to take care of me and get me out of this funk. They pulled me out of it faster than last time and with less severe symptoms. Then while wrapped in a space blanket I tried to fall asleep. Somehow the exhaustion that was overcoming me on the trail would not grant me sleep that I felt I needed. I had expected that I would close my eyes and instantly pass out, but it didn’t happen. I don’t know if it was the shock of the crash and then recovery but now my eyes wouldn’t stay closed and I couldn’t slep. Finally, filled with frustration I stood up ready to set out on another 16 mile trek through the valley in the dark. I knew I would have a pacer for this section but I learned to my surprise that my best friend would accompany for this 16 mile section. She knew I was moving slow and had gone fewer miles than anyone else that could pace me at that point so she joined me.

I think it was reassuring, when I was so low, to have someone on the trail with me that I had shared a lot of miles with. Someone who knew me well and could keep me going. We started out on a slow pace. Shortly after we left we saw the only other runner that remained behind me. He needed to push to make the cut off time at the mile 81 aid station and we encouraged him as he went by. Not too long after we saw him this same runner who was struggling caught me from behind and passed me with a huge surge, he had gotten another wind and was moving well. I was now DFL. I could accept being DFL as long as I finished. For a while as we moved down the path I actually almost reveled in the idea of being DFL. Early on during this stretch I was moving slowly but I at least felt more awake than I had previously even though I didn’t sleep. I don’t remember much about those first half dozen miles. I know that we were a little concerned about making the cut off time at the mile 89 aid station so we tried to speed up and when we finally arrived there id din’t even stop. I just essentially walked on through.

At some point during this 16 mile stretch my pacer could tell I was feeling better and she started to encourage me to pick up the pace some. We eventually could see the person who had passed me to leave me in last place. My pacer was like, oooh we can catch him. She encouraged me to move faster. We added some more very slow running into the mix. Honestly I am not sure I even wanted to pass them. Something in my mind wanted to just stay in last. There seemed to be more honor in being DFL than to be second to last. Or maybe I was just afraid that I would over take him only to be passed again. Eventually the mix of running and walking allowed me to pass him. But then we ran out of water and despite being well hydrated I was too afraid to push it with still a while to go until the next aid station. There was at least 3 miles and I was afraid of another crash which I could not afford this late into the race. So we dropped back to a walk and stayed ahead of him although he gained on us. It always seemed like we were farther away from that last aid station than seemed possible. Seeing a sign post for 1.7 miles until the aid station area was almost soul crushing. My pacer was critical to getting me through this tough section She kept me entertained with singing and dancing to music she played from her phone. It was slow going and would have been easy to get demoralized but she kept me uplifted. We decided that at the last aid station I would drop off my pack and pick up a hand held for the last 3.4 miles. Dropping of my heavy pack at the last aid station was something that never occurred to me. This is one of the many reasons yo have pacers. They will think of things you will not.

We FINALLY arrived at the aid station. I dropped my pack and grabbed a hand held and a gel. FYI, I didn’t even have a hand held at the race, it was one of my previous pacers hand helds. Have I mentioned how awesome my crew was for me. As I stopped at the last aid station briefly and ate some food I was once again overtaken by the person we had passed earlier. I was back in last. But I headed out on that last 3.4 miles anyway.

My pacer insisted I was going to run this last 3.4 miles. I was not so sure. But she pushed me anyway. She somehow knew what I had left to give to this race. I don’t know how she knew, but she knew. I sure as hell didn’t know. So, guess what? I ran. It wasn’t fast and it wasn’t pretty but I averaged around a 13 minutes/mile over the last 4 miles. I hadn’t run a 13 minute mile since mile 35. I am not sure how this was possible. I ran and took walk breaks. Somehow feeling pretty good. Walking just enough to give me strength for another push. My pacer took charge. She told me when to run and she told me when I could walk. It was starting to get sunny and hot as the morning sun continued to rise in the sky so we tried to run through the shady areas and walk in the sunny places. I didn’t try to over think it. I just listened to my pacer and tried to do what she was encouraging me to do. She believed that I could do this and somehow I was doing it. My legs carried my better and felt stronger than they ha at any point over the last 30+ miles. I don’t know how it is possible. When I left the last aid station I was last. I quickly passed the guy who had passed me again to put me in last. Then as we ran down the trail we began to see other runners up ahead. My pacer told me we could catch them. I had my doubts. She encouraged me to keep moving. Run to that tree and then we will walk, she told me. Then run to that post and we can walk. This strategy was working. We caught and passed multiple runners. I passed 6 runners in the last 3.4 miles. I can’t even imagine that being possible at the end of a 100 mile journey especially considering how dead I felt just a shot time ago. The only person we saw that I did not catch was the person who turned out to be a pacer. But that guy looked like he was a runner. He kept looking back at us and then speeding up like he was trying to keep me from catching up to him, so my pacer was like lets catch him. So I chased someone down the trail who wasn’t even technically in the race. But I guess whatever keeps you motivated right. I got to the final turn off the trail and up the gravel road to the finish line and could not believe how good I felt. I heard my crew start cheering for me. My family was waiting for me. I started to run faster and a little faster. My wife was there waiting for me. I was so happy to see her. She started running with me. I ran as hard as I could. I basically sprinted through the finish line with my wife by my side. It was amazing to feel that alive and have that much juice left in my legs after such a long journey. The energy that my family was giving me was amazing. Having them there for me right up until the end was amazing. I crossed the finish line and hugged my wife so hard. I cried. I was just completely overcome with emotion. My whole crew came and congratulated me on finishing this journey. Hugs and handshakes all around. I am so thankful for the person who took the picture of me with my finisher awards and my crew by my side. That is a memory I will never forget.

from Running 2019 Pine Creek Challenge 100 Miler

[wineanddinosaur]

A National Look at How American Wineries Are Weathering the Covid-19 Pandemic

The Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic has brought countless American industries to a grinding halt, but life in the vineyard and in the cellar continues along its usual cycle. This is both a blessing and a burden.

With crucial vineyard and bottling work on the horizon, grape growers and winemakers must juggle seasonal winery operations while also navigating “shelter in place” orders, staffing decisions, and sales disruptions throughout the supply chain. The confluence of these events could result in one of the most challenging vintages in recent memory.

VinePair reached out to producers across the country to find out how the pandemic is currently affecting America’s wine business, and to ask what consumers can do to support the wineries they love. The wineries we spoke with urge wine drinkers to keep buying and enjoying wine, both directly from the winery, and at retail, bars, and restaurants (some of which are temporarily allowed to offer off-premise sales).

California

Over the past week, California Governor Gavin Newsom has imposed “shelter in place” orders in counties across this Golden State. Operations in wineries and vineyards can continue under these restrictions, as they’re considered essential business, but tasting rooms across the state are shut for the foreseeable future.

Napa

In Rutherford, at Honig Vineyard & Winery, the closures have forced a reshuffling of staff. “We are moving employees to various tasks to keep people in jobs, and have therefore reassigned tasting room employees to our bottling line,” says Stephanie Honig, director of sales and communications.

“Starting [Thursday], we decided to utilize our tasting room that is currently not in use as our children’s classroom,” Honig says. “The high school students we’ve hired to teach will be giving lessons and interacting with the children via Zoom. We have also opened this ‘class’ up to the children of our employees.”

The Honig tasting room is being transitioned to a temporary classroom. Courtesy of Honig Vineyard & Winery.

At Charles Krug Winery, in St. Helena, half of the hospitality team have also taken temporary roles in the winery, labeling bottles, and helping to package and ship orders. “They’re actually jacked up about learning more about the production side of the business,” says Judd Wallenbrock, CEO of the winery’s parent company C. Mondavi & Family.

While the company’s nationwide team of 30 wholesale staff can no longer meet distributors for in-person meetings and tastings, Wallenbrock says they’re making the most of the down time to reach out to their top trade customers and strengthen those relationships.

With off-premise sales surging across the country, and retail representing up to 80 percent of Charles Krug’s business, the company is fighting to keep bottles on shelves. “Our biggest challenge is having enough trucks to restock grocery stores,” Wallenbrock says.

Sonoma

“Surreal” is how Arista Winery co-owner Mark McWilliams describes life in Sonoma County right now. In nearby Healdsburg, shops are closed, and there’s no cars parked in the normally busy for Sonoma streets.

Almost all of Arista’s annual revenue comes from direct to consumer (DTC) sales, via its tasting room and mailing list. “It’s a huge blow to us right now that we can’t sell retail,” McWilliams says.

The winery remains operational, but is staffed by a skeleton crew. Vineyard workers are busy protecting vines from frost, while the cellar team carries out the small remaining tasks in the winery (late-winter and early-spring bottling is thankfully over).

When it became apparent that the “shelter in place” order would be imposed, McWilliams and his brother Ben (Arista’s co-owner) vowed to keep workers employed for as long as possible. To make that happen, Arista’s hourly staff are working 30 percent fewer hours, and hospitality employees have changed roles to help with other parts of the business.

While telephone outreach is not McWilliams’ usual — or preferred — sales technique, he is adapting. “We have to,” he says. “If I’m not selling a box of wine with the phone right now, I have no revenue. There’s literally no money coming in.”

Nevertheless, McWilliams is confident that, just like other catastrophes that have hit the area in recent times, this too shall pass. “Look at the last three years: We’ve had two fires and a major flood,” he says. “We are a resilient industry; we are not foreign to wild, unpredictable swings.”

Santa Clara County

Ridge Vineyards President David Amadia is navigating shelter in place orders in both Sonoma County, where Ridge’s Lytton Springs winery is located, and Santa Clara County, the home of its Monte Bello facilities.

At the latter, Ridge is currently operating with 50 percent of its normal staff, because of the implications of the shelter in place order on some employees. “We just got through the largest harvest in our history, so our wineries are absolutely full to the brim,” Amadia says. “To deal with all of that now with a skeleton crew is very challenging.”

Amadia anticipates a spike in DTC sales, so many of the tasting room staff are now packing orders in the warehouse. “Everyone is dealing with it with a smile,” he says.

To provide a “positive social outlet,” the winery plans to host weekly virtual tastings, so customers can communicate with the Ridge’s winemakers while tasting through their wines. Communications with distributors, meanwhile, have been “constant and regular,” he says, to make sure retailers remain stocked now that America’s bar and restaurant sector has largely shut down.

While times are tough, Amadia takes inspiration from the vineyard. “We work with a lot of vines that were planted in 1885,” he says. “Those vines have survived world wars, the Spanish flu, and Prohibition. They’re still there.”

New York

Long Island

On Long Island, Wölffer Estate Vineyard has shut its tasting room, in accordance with state orders. Wine is being sold for off-premise consumption only and all nonessential employees, such as administrative staff, are working from home.

For now, Wölffer is prioritizing essential vineyard work. The viticultural team has been advised to maintain safe distances and to work independently from one another.

“If restrictions tighten, we can have each worker stay very clear from one another, working in entirely different blocks of grapes and never cross paths,” says Max Rohn, Wölffer’s general manager. “As long as they can be in the vineyard, we can ensure the quality grapes required for great wines.”

While it’s taken a hit on the tasting room business, Wölffer’s team is hopeful that wholesale orders will stay strong. The winery has also found a creative solution to minimize health concerns retail customers may have in picking up orders.

“We opened the first ‘Handsfree Wine Drive-Thru,’” Rohn writes. “Customers can pull up in their cars, select wines, and swipe their cards as we load trunks, without having to even get out of the car.”

Finger Lakes

Like Wölffer, Hermann J. Wiemer’s tasting room is also closed, but a handful of the winery’s staff is continuing to sell wine to customers via “curbside pickups,” says co-owner Oskar Bynke.

Some of the tasting room staff have also been trained to prune the property’s 130 acres of vines. Others are assisting by babysitting their colleagues’ children, since all of the schools in the tri-state area are now closed.

While the winery continues to sell wine online and at the property, Bynke urges those in the tri-state area to consider buying from bars and restaurants, which are now able to sell alcohol for off-premise consumption. That way, he explains, restaurants, distributors, and producers all get paid. “You may even find some aged gems!” he says.

Virginia

While Virginia’s hospitality industry remains technically open for business, there’s currently a 10-person limit inside restaurants, gyms, and theaters. All of the state’s wineries, which rely heavily on tourism, have ceased in-house tastings, according to Kirk Wiles, chair of the Virginia Wine Board.

But wineries continue to host guests in other, more novel ways. With a 475-acre sprawling property, Tarara Winery has opened its grounds for locals to walk, bike, and hike, while practicing safe social distancing. Others plan to follow suit.

“If [guests] get a bottle of wine and a plastic cup, and head off to the edge of the woods where they’re not in contact with anyone, that can be a happy medium,” Wiles says.

As most local producers employ crews of five or less in the winery, they do not fall foul of the 10-person gathering limit. This is a good thing, Wiles says, because 2019 was one of the “best vintages on record,” and wines still need to be bottled and sent out to distributors and consumers.

The biggest challenges remain in the vineyard. If wineries can’t bring in any significant revenue from tourism, they may not be able to pay vineyard workers. And with pruning to be done, and plants just weeks away from bud-break, these are “stressful times,” Wiles says.

Washington State

In Washington State, the early epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., all wineries and tasting rooms are closed for in-person tastings and events.

With four tasting rooms across the state, Goose Ridge Estate Winery has been hit hard. “Our Richland and Woodinville tasting rooms are currently open for to-go sales and pick-up, including curbside delivery for guests who prefer not to leave their cars,” says Tiffany Stetson, general manager of DTC sales. While the company has temporarily closed its Leavenworth and Walla Walla tasting rooms, Goose Ridge’s winery operations and vineyard management are so far continuing as normal.

To connect with consumers, the winery is ramping up its social media activities, and is further supporting the local community by offering its Woodinville tasting room as a drop off location for an industry food bank. (The food bank provides assistance to wine and restaurant employees around the Woodinville, Bothell, and Maltby area, Stetson explains.)

Goose Ridge continues to sell wine via its online store, and even offers overnight shipping within the state. “This is the perfect time to have a few bottles on hand for a night at home,” Stetson writes.

Oregon

Oregon governor Kate Brown has canceled all events of more than 25 persons, and restricted bars and restaurants to carry-out and delivery only for the next four weeks, minimum. But for Willamette Valley-based Antica Terra, which has temporarily closed its tasting room and canceled events as a result, some of the biggest challenges remain on the horizon.

“We must bottle our wine next month, but we are small, and rely on mobile bottling trucks and temporary staff,” winemaker Maggie Harrison explains. “We aren’t sure what will be available, and if we can get the truck. It will likely cost us four times as much [as normal], as we will have to slow the speed down to a quarter to accomplish with responsible social distancing.”

But the team remains resilient and optimistic. In the coming weeks, Harrison says Antica Terra will hold interactive tastings and virtual panels; produce “wellness kits” that include bone broth and house-made sanitizer; and invest in long term projects such as planting gardens and building chicken coops.

“We are throwing out everything we thought we knew and getting creative,” Harrison says.

Texas

Some 50 miles west of Austin, and less than a 10 minutes’ drive from the LBJ Ranch (otherwise known as the Texas White House), William Chris Vineyards co-founder Chris Brundrett is doing everything he can to maintain his staff of 63 workers.

That task became more difficult on Wednesday after Brundrett voluntarily closed the winery’s tasting room amidst the growing health risk from coronavirus. “Ninety percent of our sales are direct to consumers,” he says. “It was a tough pill to swallow.”

The team is focusing on innovation to keep everyone in a job. Local customers can still purchase directly from the winery in person, but via “drive ups” rather than at the property’s hospitality suite.

Like many other wineries, Brundrett and team are planning to connect with their customers virtually. They plan on streaming wine tastings across social media channels, and hosting “ask me anything” sessions and happy hours, where the winery’s director of education will suggest food and wine pairings.

The winery also plans a cooking show for its on-site chef, who is otherwise busy cooking staff lunches and preparing cheese plates that customers can purchase along with their pick-up wines. “We want to support our local cheesemongers too,” Brundrett says.

William Chris’ executive team has taken a pay cut, and they’re also considering minor pay cuts for those on salary so that all the hourly staff can stay on the payroll. “We’ve worked for over a decade to build the team we have now,” Brundrett says. “Making sure they’re supported, so we can get back on our feet as soon as we open our doors again is important to us.”

Amidst the uncertainty and trying times, Brundrett sees a silver lining in his unusually quiet schedule. “My calendar was absolutely full a month ago; now it’s empty,” he says. “I’ve never sat for dinner with my kids more times than I have in the last two weeks.”

The article A National Look at How American Wineries Are Weathering the Covid-19 Pandemic appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/american-wineries-covid-19-update/

[johnboothus]

A National Look at How American Wineries Are Weathering the Covid-19 Pandemic

The Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic has brought countless American industries to a grinding halt, but life in the vineyard and in the cellar continues along its usual cycle. This is both a blessing and a burden.

With crucial vineyard and bottling work on the horizon, grape growers and winemakers must juggle seasonal winery operations while also navigating “shelter in place” orders, staffing decisions, and sales disruptions throughout the supply chain. The confluence of these events could result in one of the most challenging vintages in recent memory.

VinePair reached out to producers across the country to find out how the pandemic is currently affecting America’s wine business, and to ask what consumers can do to support the wineries they love. The wineries we spoke with urge wine drinkers to keep buying and enjoying wine, both directly from the winery, and at retail, bars, and restaurants (some of which are temporarily allowed to offer off-premise sales).

California

Over the past week, California Governor Gavin Newsom has imposed “shelter in place” orders in counties across this Golden State. Operations in wineries and vineyards can continue under these restrictions, as they’re considered essential business, but tasting rooms across the state are shut for the foreseeable future.

Napa

In Rutherford, at Honig Vineyard & Winery, the closures have forced a reshuffling of staff. “We are moving employees to various tasks to keep people in jobs, and have therefore reassigned tasting room employees to our bottling line,” says Stephanie Honig, director of sales and communications.

“Starting [Thursday], we decided to utilize our tasting room that is currently not in use as our children’s classroom,” Honig says. “The high school students we’ve hired to teach will be giving lessons and interacting with the children via Zoom. We have also opened this ‘class’ up to the children of our employees.”

The Honig tasting room is being transitioned to a temporary classroom. Courtesy of Honig Vineyard & Winery.

At Charles Krug Winery, in St. Helena, half of the hospitality team have also taken temporary roles in the winery, labeling bottles, and helping to package and ship orders. “They’re actually jacked up about learning more about the production side of the business,” says Judd Wallenbrock, CEO of the winery’s parent company C. Mondavi & Family.

While the company’s nationwide team of 30 wholesale staff can no longer meet distributors for in-person meetings and tastings, Wallenbrock says they’re making the most of the down time to reach out to their top trade customers and strengthen those relationships.

With off-premise sales surging across the country, and retail representing up to 80 percent of Charles Krug’s business, the company is fighting to keep bottles on shelves. “Our biggest challenge is having enough trucks to restock grocery stores,” Wallenbrock says.

Sonoma

“Surreal” is how Arista Winery co-owner Mark McWilliams describes life in Sonoma County right now. In nearby Healdsburg, shops are closed, and there’s no cars parked in the normally busy for Sonoma streets.

Almost all of Arista’s annual revenue comes from direct to consumer (DTC) sales, via its tasting room and mailing list. “It’s a huge blow to us right now that we can’t sell retail,” McWilliams says.

The winery remains operational, but is staffed by a skeleton crew. Vineyard workers are busy protecting vines from frost, while the cellar team carries out the small remaining tasks in the winery (late-winter and early-spring bottling is thankfully over).

When it became apparent that the “shelter in place” order would be imposed, McWilliams and his brother Ben (Arista’s co-owner) vowed to keep workers employed for as long as possible. To make that happen, Arista’s hourly staff are working 30 percent fewer hours, and hospitality employees have changed roles to help with other parts of the business.

While telephone outreach is not McWilliams’ usual — or preferred — sales technique, he is adapting. “We have to,” he says. “If I’m not selling a box of wine with the phone right now, I have no revenue. There’s literally no money coming in.”

Nevertheless, McWilliams is confident that, just like other catastrophes that have hit the area in recent times, this too shall pass. “Look at the last three years: We’ve had two fires and a major flood,” he says. “We are a resilient industry; we are not foreign to wild, unpredictable swings.”

Santa Clara County

Ridge Vineyards President David Amadia is navigating shelter in place orders in both Sonoma County, where Ridge’s Lytton Springs winery is located, and Santa Clara County, the home of its Monte Bello facilities.

At the latter, Ridge is currently operating with 50 percent of its normal staff, because of the implications of the shelter in place order on some employees. “We just got through the largest harvest in our history, so our wineries are absolutely full to the brim,” Amadia says. “To deal with all of that now with a skeleton crew is very challenging.”

Amadia anticipates a spike in DTC sales, so many of the tasting room staff are now packing orders in the warehouse. “Everyone is dealing with it with a smile,” he says.

To provide a “positive social outlet,” the winery plans to host weekly virtual tastings, so customers can communicate with the Ridge’s winemakers while tasting through their wines. Communications with distributors, meanwhile, have been “constant and regular,” he says, to make sure retailers remain stocked now that America’s bar and restaurant sector has largely shut down.

While times are tough, Amadia takes inspiration from the vineyard. “We work with a lot of vines that were planted in 1885,” he says. “Those vines have survived world wars, the Spanish flu, and Prohibition. They’re still there.”

New York

Long Island

On Long Island, Wölffer Estate Vineyard has shut its tasting room, in accordance with state orders. Wine is being sold for off-premise consumption only and all nonessential employees, such as administrative staff, are working from home.

For now, Wölffer is prioritizing essential vineyard work. The viticultural team has been advised to maintain safe distances and to work independently from one another.

“If restrictions tighten, we can have each worker stay very clear from one another, working in entirely different blocks of grapes and never cross paths,” says Max Rohn, Wölffer’s general manager. “As long as they can be in the vineyard, we can ensure the quality grapes required for great wines.”

While it’s taken a hit on the tasting room business, Wölffer’s team is hopeful that wholesale orders will stay strong. The winery has also found a creative solution to minimize health concerns retail customers may have in picking up orders.

“We opened the first ‘Handsfree Wine Drive-Thru,’” Rohn writes. “Customers can pull up in their cars, select wines, and swipe their cards as we load trunks, without having to even get out of the car.”

Finger Lakes

Like Wölffer, Hermann J. Wiemer’s tasting room is also closed, but a handful of the winery’s staff is continuing to sell wine to customers via “curbside pickups,” says co-owner Oskar Bynke.

Some of the tasting room staff have also been trained to prune the property’s 100 acres of vines. Others are assisting by babysitting their colleagues’ children, since all of the schools in the tri-state area are now closed. “There’s almost a sense of enjoyment here,” Bynke says.

While the winery continues to sell wine online and at the property, Bynke urges those in the tri-state area to consider buying from bars and restaurants, which are now able to sell alcohol for off-premise consumption. That way, he explains, restaurants, distributors, and producers all get paid. “You may even find some aged gems!” he says.

Virginia

While Virginia’s hospitality industry remains technically open for business, there’s currently a 10-person limit inside restaurants, gyms, and theaters. All of the state’s wineries, which rely heavily on tourism, have ceased in-house tastings, according to Kirk Wiles, chair of the Virginia Wine Board.

But wineries continue to host guests in other, more novel ways. With a 475-acre sprawling property, Tarara Winery has opened its grounds for locals to walk, bike, and hike, while practicing safe social distancing. Others plan to follow suit.

“If [guests] get a bottle of wine and a plastic cup, and head off to the edge of the woods where they’re not in contact with anyone, that can be a happy medium,” Wiles says.

As most local producers employ crews of five or less in the winery, they do not fall foul of the 10-person gathering limit. This is a good thing, Wiles says, because 2019 was one of the “best vintages on record,” and wines still need to be bottled and sent out to distributors and consumers.

The biggest challenges remain in the vineyard. If wineries can’t bring in any significant revenue from tourism, they may not be able to pay vineyard workers. And with pruning to be done, and plants just weeks away from bud-break, these are “stressful times,” Wiles says.

Washington State

In Washington State, the early epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., all wineries and tasting rooms are closed for in-person tastings and events.

With four tasting rooms across the state, Goose Ridge Estate Winery has been hit hard. “Our Richland and Woodinville tasting rooms are currently open for to-go sales and pick-up, including curbside delivery for guests who prefer not to leave their cars,” says Tiffany Stetson, general manager of DTC sales. While the company has temporarily closed its Leavenworth and Walla Walla tasting rooms, Goose Ridge’s winery operations and vineyard management are so far continuing as normal.

To connect with consumers, the winery is ramping up its social media activities, and is further supporting the local community by offering its Woodinville tasting room as a drop off location for an industry food bank. (The food bank provides assistance to wine and restaurant employees around the Woodinville, Bothell, and Maltby area, Stetson explains.)

Goose Ridge continues to sell wine via its online store, and even offers overnight shipping within the state. “This is the perfect time to have a few bottles on hand for a night at home,” Stetson writes.

Oregon

Oregon governor Kate Brown has canceled all events of more than 25 persons, and restricted bars and restaurants to carry-out and delivery only for the next four weeks, minimum. But for Willamette Valley-based Antica Terra, which has temporarily closed its tasting room and canceled events as a result, some of the biggest challenges remain on the horizon.

“We must bottle our wine next month, but we are small, and rely on mobile bottling trucks and temporary staff,” winemaker Maggie Harrison explains. “We aren’t sure what will be available, and if we can get the truck. It will likely cost us four times as much [as normal], as we will have to slow the speed down to a quarter to accomplish with responsible social distancing.”

But the team remains resilient and optimistic. In the coming weeks, Harrison says Antica Terra will hold interactive tastings and virtual panels; produce “wellness kits” that include bone broth and house-made sanitizer; and invest in long term projects such as planting gardens and building chicken coops.

“We are throwing out everything we thought we knew and getting creative,” Harrison says.

Texas

Some 50 miles west of Austin, and less than a 10 minutes’ drive from the LBJ Ranch (otherwise known as the Texas White House), William Chris Vineyards co-founder Chris Brundrett is doing everything he can to maintain his staff of 63 workers.

That task became more difficult on Wednesday after Brundrett voluntarily closed the winery’s tasting room amidst the growing health risk from coronavirus. “Ninety percent of our sales are direct to consumers,” he says. “It was a tough pill to swallow.”

The team is focusing on innovation to keep everyone in a job. Local customers can still purchase directly from the winery in person, but via “drive ups” rather than at the property’s hospitality suite.

Like many other wineries, Brundrett and team are planning to connect with their customers virtually. They plan on streaming wine tastings across social media channels, and hosting “ask me anything” sessions and happy hours, where the winery’s director of education will suggest food and wine pairings.

The winery also plans a cooking show for its on-site chef, who is otherwise busy cooking staff lunches and preparing cheese plates that customers can purchase along with their pick-up wines. “We want to support our local cheesemongers too,” Brundrett says.

William Chris’ executive team has taken a pay cut, and they’re also considering minor pay cuts for those on salary so that all the hourly staff can stay on the payroll. “We’ve worked for over a decade to build the team we have now,” Brundrett says. “Making sure they’re supported, so we can get back on our feet as soon as we open our doors again is important to us.”

Amidst the uncertainty and trying times, Brundrett sees a silver lining in his unusually quiet schedule. “My calendar was absolutely full a month ago; now it’s empty,” he says. “I’ve never sat for dinner with my kids more times than I have in the last two weeks.”

The article A National Look at How American Wineries Are Weathering the Covid-19 Pandemic appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/american-wineries-covid-19-update/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/a-national-look-at-how-american-wineries-are-weathering-the-covid-19-pandemic

[isaiahrippinus]

A National Look at How American Wineries Are Weathering the Covid-19 Pandemic

The Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic has brought countless American industries to a grinding halt, but life in the vineyard and in the cellar continues along its usual cycle. This is both a blessing and a burden.

With crucial vineyard and bottling work on the horizon, grape growers and winemakers must juggle seasonal winery operations while also navigating “shelter in place” orders, staffing decisions, and sales disruptions throughout the supply chain. The confluence of these events could result in one of the most challenging vintages in recent memory.

VinePair reached out to producers across the country to find out how the pandemic is currently affecting America’s wine business, and to ask what consumers can do to support the wineries they love. The wineries we spoke with urge wine drinkers to keep buying and enjoying wine, both directly from the winery, and at retail, bars, and restaurants (some of which are temporarily allowed to offer off-premise sales).

California

Over the past week, California Governor Gavin Newsom has imposed “shelter in place” orders in counties across this Golden State. Operations in wineries and vineyards can continue under these restrictions, as they’re considered essential business, but tasting rooms across the state are shut for the foreseeable future.

Napa

In Rutherford, at Honig Vineyard & Winery, the closures have forced a reshuffling of staff. “We are moving employees to various tasks to keep people in jobs, and have therefore reassigned tasting room employees to our bottling line,” says Stephanie Honig, director of sales and communications.

“Starting [Thursday], we decided to utilize our tasting room that is currently not in use as our children’s classroom,” Honig says. “The high school students we’ve hired to teach will be giving lessons and interacting with the children via Zoom. We have also opened this ‘class’ up to the children of our employees.”

The Honig tasting room is being transitioned to a temporary classroom. Courtesy of Honig Vineyard & Winery.

At Charles Krug Winery, in St. Helena, half of the hospitality team have also taken temporary roles in the winery, labeling bottles, and helping to package and ship orders. “They’re actually jacked up about learning more about the production side of the business,” says Judd Wallenbrock, CEO of the winery’s parent company C. Mondavi & Family.

While the company’s nationwide team of 30 wholesale staff can no longer meet distributors for in-person meetings and tastings, Wallenbrock says they’re making the most of the down time to reach out to their top trade customers and strengthen those relationships.

With off-premise sales surging across the country, and retail representing up to 80 percent of Charles Krug’s business, the company is fighting to keep bottles on shelves. “Our biggest challenge is having enough trucks to restock grocery stores,” Wallenbrock says.

Sonoma

“Surreal” is how Arista Winery co-owner Mark McWilliams describes life in Sonoma County right now. In nearby Healdsburg, shops are closed, and there’s no cars parked in the normally busy for Sonoma streets.

Almost all of Arista’s annual revenue comes from direct to consumer (DTC) sales, via its tasting room and mailing list. “It’s a huge blow to us right now that we can’t sell retail,” McWilliams says.

The winery remains operational, but is staffed by a skeleton crew. Vineyard workers are busy protecting vines from frost, while the cellar team carries out the small remaining tasks in the winery (late-winter and early-spring bottling is thankfully over).

When it became apparent that the “shelter in place” order would be imposed, McWilliams and his brother Ben (Arista’s co-owner) vowed to keep workers employed for as long as possible. To make that happen, Arista’s hourly staff are working 30 percent fewer hours, and hospitality employees have changed roles to help with other parts of the business.

While telephone outreach is not McWilliams’ usual — or preferred — sales technique, he is adapting. “We have to,” he says. “If I’m not selling a box of wine with the phone right now, I have no revenue. There’s literally no money coming in.”

Nevertheless, McWilliams is confident that, just like other catastrophes that have hit the area in recent times, this too shall pass. “Look at the last three years: We’ve had two fires and a major flood,” he says. “We are a resilient industry; we are not foreign to wild, unpredictable swings.”

Santa Clara County

Ridge Vineyards President David Amadia is navigating shelter in place orders in both Sonoma County, where Ridge’s Lytton Springs winery is located, and Santa Clara County, the home of its Monte Bello facilities.

At the latter, Ridge is currently operating with 50 percent of its normal staff, because of the implications of the shelter in place order on some employees. “We just got through the largest harvest in our history, so our wineries are absolutely full to the brim,” Amadia says. “To deal with all of that now with a skeleton crew is very challenging.”

Amadia anticipates a spike in DTC sales, so many of the tasting room staff are now packing orders in the warehouse. “Everyone is dealing with it with a smile,” he says.

To provide a “positive social outlet,” the winery plans to host weekly virtual tastings, so customers can communicate with the Ridge’s winemakers while tasting through their wines. Communications with distributors, meanwhile, have been “constant and regular,” he says, to make sure retailers remain stocked now that America’s bar and restaurant sector has largely shut down.

While times are tough, Amadia takes inspiration from the vineyard. “We work with a lot of vines that were planted in 1885,” he says. “Those vines have survived world wars, the Spanish flu, and Prohibition. They’re still there.”

New York

Long Island

On Long Island, Wölffer Estate Vineyard has shut its tasting room, in accordance with state orders. Wine is being sold for off-premise consumption only and all nonessential employees, such as administrative staff, are working from home.

For now, Wölffer is prioritizing essential vineyard work. The viticultural team has been advised to maintain safe distances and to work independently from one another.

“If restrictions tighten, we can have each worker stay very clear from one another, working in entirely different blocks of grapes and never cross paths,” says Max Rohn, Wölffer’s general manager. “As long as they can be in the vineyard, we can ensure the quality grapes required for great wines.”

While it’s taken a hit on the tasting room business, Wölffer’s team is hopeful that wholesale orders will stay strong. The winery has also found a creative solution to minimize health concerns retail customers may have in picking up orders.

“We opened the first ‘Handsfree Wine Drive-Thru,’” Rohn writes. “Customers can pull up in their cars, select wines, and swipe their cards as we load trunks, without having to even get out of the car.”

Finger Lakes

Like Wölffer, Hermann J. Wiemer’s tasting room is also closed, but a handful of the winery’s staff is continuing to sell wine to customers via “curbside pickups,” says co-owner Oskar Bynke.

Some of the tasting room staff have also been trained to prune the property’s 100 acres of vines. Others are assisting by babysitting their colleagues’ children, since all of the schools in the tri-state area are now closed. “There’s almost a sense of enjoyment here,” Bynke says.

While the winery continues to sell wine online and at the property, Bynke urges those in the tri-state area to consider buying from bars and restaurants, which are now able to sell alcohol for off-premise consumption. That way, he explains, restaurants, distributors, and producers all get paid. “You may even find some aged gems!” he says.

Virginia

While Virginia’s hospitality industry remains technically open for business, there’s currently a 10-person limit inside restaurants, gyms, and theaters. All of the state’s wineries, which rely heavily on tourism, have ceased in-house tastings, according to Kirk Wiles, chair of the Virginia Wine Board.

But wineries continue to host guests in other, more novel ways. With a 475-acre sprawling property, Tarara Winery has opened its grounds for locals to walk, bike, and hike, while practicing safe social distancing. Others plan to follow suit.

“If [guests] get a bottle of wine and a plastic cup, and head off to the edge of the woods where they’re not in contact with anyone, that can be a happy medium,” Wiles says.

As most local producers employ crews of five or less in the winery, they do not fall foul of the 10-person gathering limit. This is a good thing, Wiles says, because 2019 was one of the “best vintages on record,” and wines still need to be bottled and sent out to distributors and consumers.

The biggest challenges remain in the vineyard. If wineries can’t bring in any significant revenue from tourism, they may not be able to pay vineyard workers. And with pruning to be done, and plants just weeks away from bud-break, these are “stressful times,” Wiles says.

Washington State

In Washington State, the early epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., all wineries and tasting rooms are closed for in-person tastings and events.

With four tasting rooms across the state, Goose Ridge Estate Winery has been hit hard. “Our Richland and Woodinville tasting rooms are currently open for to-go sales and pick-up, including curbside delivery for guests who prefer not to leave their cars,” says Tiffany Stetson, general manager of DTC sales. While the company has temporarily closed its Leavenworth and Walla Walla tasting rooms, Goose Ridge’s winery operations and vineyard management are so far continuing as normal.

To connect with consumers, the winery is ramping up its social media activities, and is further supporting the local community by offering its Woodinville tasting room as a drop off location for an industry food bank. (The food bank provides assistance to wine and restaurant employees around the Woodinville, Bothell, and Maltby area, Stetson explains.)

Goose Ridge continues to sell wine via its online store, and even offers overnight shipping within the state. “This is the perfect time to have a few bottles on hand for a night at home,” Stetson writes.

Oregon

Oregon governor Kate Brown has canceled all events of more than 25 persons, and restricted bars and restaurants to carry-out and delivery only for the next four weeks, minimum. But for Willamette Valley-based Antica Terra, which has temporarily closed its tasting room and canceled events as a result, some of the biggest challenges remain on the horizon.

“We must bottle our wine next month, but we are small, and rely on mobile bottling trucks and temporary staff,” winemaker Maggie Harrison explains. “We aren’t sure what will be available, and if we can get the truck. It will likely cost us four times as much [as normal], as we will have to slow the speed down to a quarter to accomplish with responsible social distancing.”

But the team remains resilient and optimistic. In the coming weeks, Harrison says Antica Terra will hold interactive tastings and virtual panels; produce “wellness kits” that include bone broth and house-made sanitizer; and invest in long term projects such as planting gardens and building chicken coops.

“We are throwing out everything we thought we knew and getting creative,” Harrison says.

Texas

Some 50 miles west of Austin, and less than a 10 minutes’ drive from the LBJ Ranch (otherwise known as the Texas White House), William Chris Vineyards co-founder Chris Brundrett is doing everything he can to maintain his staff of 63 workers.

That task became more difficult on Wednesday after Brundrett voluntarily closed the winery’s tasting room amidst the growing health risk from coronavirus. “Ninety percent of our sales are direct to consumers,” he says. “It was a tough pill to swallow.”

The team is focusing on innovation to keep everyone in a job. Local customers can still purchase directly from the winery in person, but via “drive ups” rather than at the property’s hospitality suite.

Like many other wineries, Brundrett and team are planning to connect with their customers virtually. They plan on streaming wine tastings across social media channels, and hosting “ask me anything” sessions and happy hours, where the winery’s director of education will suggest food and wine pairings.

The winery also plans a cooking show for its on-site chef, who is otherwise busy cooking staff lunches and preparing cheese plates that customers can purchase along with their pick-up wines. “We want to support our local cheesemongers too,” Brundrett says.

William Chris’ executive team has taken a pay cut, and they’re also considering minor pay cuts for those on salary so that all the hourly staff can stay on the payroll. “We’ve worked for over a decade to build the team we have now,” Brundrett says. “Making sure they’re supported, so we can get back on our feet as soon as we open our doors again is important to us.”

Amidst the uncertainty and trying times, Brundrett sees a silver lining in his unusually quiet schedule. “My calendar was absolutely full a month ago; now it’s empty,” he says. “I’ve never sat for dinner with my kids more times than I have in the last two weeks.”

The article A National Look at How American Wineries Are Weathering the Covid-19 Pandemic appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/american-wineries-covid-19-update/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/613131631090417664

[cider-biz]

Cider 4

inspired by the classic farm-fresh cider new englanders know and love. unfiltered and unfettered... the way cider should be. Nov 20, 2014 - A version of CIDEr named CIDEr-D is available as a part of MS COCO evaluation server to enable systematic evaluation and benchmarking. Get Excidered! We are cider makers who love to take fresh local apples and ferment them into delicious, refreshing, dynamic, clean & fulfilling hard cider! The Community Hub ​of Historic Willamette (Taproom + Café + Bottleshop + Cidery). ​​A Traditional English Style Public House with Queen Orchard Cidery! CIDER (Classification of Intrinsically Disordered Ensemble Regions) is a webserver developed by the Pappu lab, at Washington University in St. Louis. CIDER ... Jul 20, 2019 - People have been drinking Cider for a long time, no doubt because the apple is one of the oldest fruits known. We are excited to host four cider ... The 45th Annual Cider Days Festival celebrates Lakewood's agricultural heritage with an entertaining mix of live performances, vintage tractors, activities and ... WildCraft Cider Works is more than just a cidery. Driven by a passion for land stewardship and community-building, our spontaneously fermented dry hard ciders ... Locations. Our map of cider spots where you can enjoy cider now and all year long. ... Learn about cider makers from the around New York State. MEET THE ... Craft Ciders on 25+ Taps, 50+ Cans/Bottles, Beer, Wine, Small Plates, Casual Atmosphere, NFL Sunday Ticket! Cider is a primarily player made alcoholic drink which players can make via brewing with level 14 Cooking. A complete batch of cider grants 182 experience ... New England Cider Company in Wallingford, Connecticut, was founded by Miguel Galarraga and Seth Hart in 2013. Sparked by their interest in craft beers and ... We specialize in modern ciders made with all locally sourced Pacific Northwest ingredients, adding an innovative spin on classic cidermaking methods to bring ... Cider Week GR celebrates the local cider scene with seven days of events and activities culminating with a cider festival in downtown Grand Rapids. Cider Hill Farm is a place to come with family members to create and share memories. Walking through the orchards, or jumping on the hayride to picking your ... CIDER is the Clojure(Script) Interactive Development Environment that Rocks! CIDER extends Emacs with support for interactive programming in Clojure. Oct 5, 2019 - Like apple cider donuts (without using the deep fryer), and with decidedly less sugar. The Market featuring Gourmet Foods, Sandwiches, Meals-To-Go, Cooking Classes, Specialty Foods, & Unique Gift Items. Our Cider Mill, pressing fresh cider ... Sociable Cider Werks brews freshly-pressed apples with a variety of fruits, grains, hops, & spices. The result is a lineup of innovative libations that are best when ... Visit the News Page for latest news and deadlines, as well as CIDER wiki page for general CIDER announcements, and materials assembled since 2004, ... Oct 1, 2019 - Home · Calendar · PLAY · Fresh Grown · Cider Mill · How Cider is Made · Caramel Apples, Donuts & More · Shops · Cidery & Winery. Cider Week Virginia, USA | Events, News, Locations, November 13th - 22nd 2020. North Carolina's first Craft Cider Tasting Room and Production. Visit to see why Food & Wine rated Urban Orchard Cider Co. the #1 Best Place to Drink Cider. As a Finnriver Cider Club member, you pledge to purchase and enjoy four seasonal orders of Finnriver bottles. Depending on your club level or pick-up/delivery ... Bring Finger Lakes Cider House into your home! Our cider club is a seasonal journey through new releases, limited-run and holiday appropriate selections. Products 1 - 48 of 52 - If you've ever wondered how to make hard cider or home brew cider, look no further! We have everything you need for brewing hard cider ... Cider Summit · CHICAGO/; SAN FRANCISCO/; PORTLAND/; SEATTLE/; TICKETS/; VOLUNTEER/; Contact/. Chicago · San Francisco. April 11, 2020 - Presidio ... C.I.D.E.R. is an acronym that stands for Champlain Islanders Developing Essential Resources, Inc. C.I.D.E.R.'s mission is to develop and foster resources that ... Wild Hare Cider is a small, local Virginia cidery. We use only Shenandoah Valley apples. Our ciders are authentic and simple; less is more. Come sip a cider in ... Cider Culture is a blog / digital publication for cider lovers that features events, a cidery finder, interviews with cider makers, recipes and articles. Virginia is the sixth-largest apple producing state by acreage and it's cider scene has exploded over that past few years. Local cider makers are crafting ... Wise Bird Cider Co. is family owned and operated business that crafts heritage ciders from Kentucky and regional apples. We strive to create a fun, inclusive ... Explore the wide selection of Apple Cider available online at Dan Murphy's. Order online for delivery or pick up in-store.

[thereviewsarein]

Celebrating 25 Years of Jagged Little Pill

Alanis Morissette‘s 2020 summer just got busy with the announcement of her upcoming world tour!

The Jagged Little Pill superstar announced 31 concert dates on Monday morning, with the potential of more to come. Currently 30 of the listed dates will see Alanis and special guests Garbage as well as Liz Phair play in American cities, with the lone Canadian date coming on July 11 in Toronto at the Budweiser Stage. If we were placing bets, we’d tell you to look out for Alanis Morissette to be added as a headliner at Ottawa Bluesfest, with Sunday, July 12 as the potential target date.

2020 marks the 25th anniversary of Morissette’s landmark album Jagged Little Pill (released June 13, 1995) and makes for the perfect tour catalyst. The album is still regarded as a smash with hits like You Oughta Know, Hand In My Pocket, and Ironic remaining relevant to a generations of music lovers that watched her burst onto the scene or came of age during the mid-90s.

The legacy of that album is one of massive sales, #1 chart positions, hit singles, beloved music videos, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond certifications, and superstardom. Alanis Morissette became Canada’s pop rock queen with the 12 songs on Jagged Little Pill, and it’s a title that she arguably never lost.

Note: Alanis Morissette’s next album, Such Pretty Forks In The Road is scheduled to be released on May 1, 2020 just before the tour kicks off. And you can listen to the lead single, Reasons I Drink now!

Tickets for the 2020 World Tour go on pre-sale Tuesday, December 10 at 11 am local time in all venue cities. If you sign up for Alanis Morissette’s mailing list by Sunday, December 8, a pre-sale code will be sent to you! Full ticket sales then begin on Friday, December 13 at 11 am local time.

Check out the 31 dates announced so far. Cross your fingers for more concerts to come in Canada and other locations, and get your tickets for summer 2020 when they go on sale next week!

Alanis Morissette 2020 World Tour Dates with Special Guests Garbage with Liz Phair

June 2, 2020 – Portland, OR – Sunlight Supply Amphitheater June 3, 2020 – Seattle, WA – White River Amphitheatre June 5, 2020 – Concord, CA – Concord Pavillion June 7, 2020 – Salt Lake City, UT – Usana Amphitheatre June 9, 2020 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl June 10, 2020 – Phoenix, AZ – Ak-Chin Pavilion June 12, 2020 – Austin, TX – Austin360 Amphitheater June 13, 2020 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP June 14, 2020 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavillion June 17, 2020 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre June 18, 2020 –West Palm Beach, FL – Coral Sky Amphitheatre June 20, 2020 –Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre June 21, 2020 –Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion June 23, 2020 –Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek June 26, 2020 –Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater June 27, 2020 –Hartford, CT – XFINITY Theatre June 28, 2020 –Camden, NJ – BB&T Pavilion July 1, 2020 –Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center July 2, 2020 –Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion July 3, 2020 –Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater July 6, 2020 –Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion July 8, 2020 –Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center July 9, 2020 –Mansfield, MA – XFINITY Center July 11, 2020 –Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage July 16, 2020 –Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center July 17, 2020 –Tinley Park, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Chicago July 18, 2020 –Maryland Park, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis July 21, 2020 –Clarkson, MI – DTE Energy Music Theatre July 23, 2020 –Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center July 24, 2020 –Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center July 25, 2020 –Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena

and more to be announced? 

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Alanis Morissette Announces 2020 World Tour! Celebrating 25 Years of Jagged Little Pill Alanis Morissette's 2020 summer just got busy with the announcement of her upcoming world tour!

[componentplanet]

2020 Nissan Versa Review: Safer, Smoother, Still-Affordable Small Sedan

The 2020 Nissan Versa has more safety features, a better ride, and 40 mpg highway fuel efficiency in the just-shipped third generation of this subcompact sedan. The Versa feels more substantial and polished. It’s adequate on the interstate. The car has been lowered, widened, and lengthened, which makes it look sleeker (think baby Altima) at the expense of rear-seat room. The trunk, however, is huge. Nissan is banking on the apparent trend of millennials away from what their parents drove, meaning SUVs, toward sedans.

The changes make the 2020 Versa a reasonable contender. It’s no longer just a car shopped on price against subcompacts from Chevrolet, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, and Toyota. Only the Versa sedan continues for 2020; the hatchback Versa Note goes away. If you want a Versa hatchback / SUV, it’s called the Nissan Kicks and is about $2,500 more, comparably equipped.

On the Road With the Nissan Versa

I spent a week with the Versa recently: a day in crowded Manhattan, a weekend tailgating and foliage-watching in New York State’s Finger Lakes, and several days driving suburban New York-New Jersey. The Versa is easy to park in the big city and would be better still if it had Nissan’s highly regarded Around View system of exterior cameras with a 360-degree birds-eye view. (Maybe in a year, Nissan hints.) The car is most at home on local roads. But once you get it up to highway speed, it’s a fairly quiet ride with great seats that Nissan dubs Zero Gravity. As with any small car, the short wheelbase (103 inches on a 175-inch car) means highway expansion strips are more noticeable. The driver assists (below) make highway driving a bit more effortless.

The 1.6-liter front-drive engine and continuously variable transmission are willing but engineered to return high mpg over tire-smoking performance. I clicked off 0-60 mph times of 9-10 seconds. Stomp the throttle hard and there was a bit of turbo-lag sensation — a second or two of hesitant progress while the engine room spooled up to full power — in a car that has no turbocharger. But 18-wheelers that take 25 to 100 seconds to reach 60 mph get onto highways safely every day.

Nissan rates the “Xtronic” Versa CVT at 32 mpg city, 40 mpg highway, 35 mpg combined. Driving 300 miles of interstate and 50 miles of 55 mph rural highway, I came out very close to that 40 mpg. When I ran 10- to 20-mile legs on more-or-less flat interstate road at 60-65 mph, I got closer to 45 mpg. This is a new 1.6-liter, 16-valve engine with 122 hp (12 percent more than the old Versa) and 114 pound-feet of torque (a 7 percent increase) that doesn’t peak until 4,000 rpm, which may account for the initial slow liftoff.

Those grandly named Zero Gravity seats are comfortable. They’d be a little better with adjustable lumbar support. The driver’s left leg is pushed back a bit by the wheel arch and you notice it on longer runs.

A 7-inch LCD in the instrument panel provides infotainment, phone, trip and safety alerts. Here, it shows the car is on or near the right lane marking. The triangle adjacent lights up when there’s a car in your blind spot and you flick the turn signal.

Nissan Versa Trim Lines

The 2020 Nissan Versa has one engine, one transmission (two on the cheapest model), one body style (sedan; no hatchback), and three trim lines, or model variants. All models are front-drive only, no sunroof. Normally the cheapest trim line accounts for a small fraction of sales. Here, the top seller is the base trim, says Jordan Savage, a senior planner for Nissan. Pay attention to what you do and don’t get on the base trim line, especially if you’re buying for a newer or younger driver who would benefit from the safety assists while they’re building skills and — sadly — convinced they can text and nothing will happen.

Nissan Versa S, $17,295 including $895 shipping. Every Versa including the S gets a 7-inch center console touchscreen LCD, three USB ports, four audio speakers, Bluetooth audio, push-button start, and hill start assist. The S has 15-inch steel wheels and 185/65R15 all-season tires. There is Siri Eyes Free and Google Assistant Voice Recognition.

With the Versa S entry model (only), there’s an even less expensive five-speed manual transmission version available for just $14,730 — “look, a Versa under $15,000″— plus $895 shipping, or $15,625 – $1,670 less than the CVT equivalent model. But fuel economy is less: 27/35/30.

With either transmission, Versa S safety features include pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, rear automatic braking, and auto high beams. Lane departure warning warns but does not pull the car back if you cross a lane marker, nor does it self-center.

The 2020 Nissan Versa SV, the middle grade, with its contrasting seats. All trim lines have fabric seats.

Versa SV, $18,535.The SV adds steering wheel controls, voice recognition, NissanConnect telematics with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite radio, a driver (only) armrest, heated side mirrors, and 16-inch aluminum wheels with 205/55R16 all-season tires.

Additional safety features are blind-spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert (Nissan calls it Safety Shield 360), a drowsy driver alert, and a rear door alert that warns you to check for kids and pets when you get out.

Versa SR 1.6 Xtronic $19,135 / $19,435 with Convenience Package. The SR adds remote engine start, automatic climate control, nicer seat fabric, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, six-speaker audio, and 17-inch alloys with 205/50R17 all-season tires. Also, the parking brake button is now chrome.

Additional SR safety features are LED low and high beam headlamps and LED fog lights. The SR Convenience Package is a must-have at $300: full-range adaptive cruise control and heated front seats. The ACC goes down to 0 mph and back to speed, but after 3-5 seconds at a traffic light, it disengages the brake beeps and creeps forward. ProPilot Assist, Nissan’s Level 2 autonomous system, is not on the Versa.

The 2020 Nissan Versa is more attractive with its lower roofline and less chunky silhouette.

Should You Buy?

The Versa has always been one of the most affordable new cars offered in recent years. Now it has a wide advantage in safety features over the key competition, especially Kia and Hyundai. The interior is much nicer than before and driving dynamics are vastly improved. Rear seat legroom drops 6 inches, from fantastic-for-a-small-car to competitive. Through three quarters of 2019, Versa sales in the US were about 57,000, best among subcompact sedans. (Two subcompact crossover/hatchback semi-competitors, Kia Soul and Honda HR-V, sold better.)

Subcompacts, those under 170 to 175 inches long, are a relatively small market because compact cars (Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Nissan Sentra) start just a couple thousand dollars more. Some subcompacts are hatchback-only or have hatchback and sedan variants, so total US sales for subcompact sedans may be a quarter-million this year. The Toyota Yaris, a rebadged Mazda2 (that is no longer sold in the US) is the best-handling small car. The Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, and Chevrolet Sonic are also good vehicles. So is the Honda Fit, late in its model life; the next-generation Fit launches soon but it may not come to the US, in part because the similar Honda HR-V small SUV outsells the Fit 2-1. Other subcompacts include the Mitsubishi Mirage, Volkswagen Beetle and Golf, Fiat 500 / 500L, and Chevrolet Spark.

If you’re buying for safety and you’re shopping the Versa, bypass the Versa S for the SV, which is $1,670 extra. And if safety is your top concern, then the right choice is the Versa SR with the adaptive cruise control package. Look at Nissan Kicks as well.  It does not look anything like the SUVs the parents drove you around in. Either Versa or Kicks is a good deal.

Now read:

2018 Nissan Kicks Car Review: Affordable Subcompact SUV for 4 Adults

Review: Standout 2020 Toyota Corolla Adds Safety, Performance, Hybrid

2020 Subaru Forester Review: The Safety-First, Can’t-Go-Wrong-Buying-One Compact SUV

from ExtremeTechExtremeTech https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/299648-2020-nissan-versa-review-safer-smoother-still-affordable-small-sedan from Blogger http://componentplanet.blogspot.com/2019/10/2020-nissan-versa-review-safer-smoother.html