#melissa young medina

[chrancecriber]

Radio NET Bulgaria (December 09, 2022)

23:56 CAROL ALBERT - Angels Watching over Me 23:52 SERGEY CHIPENKO - All For You 23:47 ZOLBERT - Pacific Coast Highway 23:45 JOYCE COOLING - Snow Is Falling 23:40 OLI SILK - Every Single Way (feat. Holly Petrie) 23:37 THE SAX PACK - The Sax Pack 23:33 NAI SOUNDS - Can't Deal 23:29 JUSTIN YOUNG - The Christmas Song 23:26 TONY SAUNDERS - Push 23:21 BLAIR BRYANT - Spend the Night 23:17 KIM SCOTT - Block Party 23:13 MARION MEADOWS - What Child Is This 23:08 PAUL BROWN - More or Les Paul 23:03 EUGE GROOVE - Push It Forward 23:00 BOBBY WELLS - My Sweet Butterfly 22:56 DJ GROOVE - So Late 22:51 MAX MILLION - Do You Believe (Original Mix) 22:47 ANN GRACE - Moon In Love 22:42 MICHAEL ANGELO, MELISSA LORETTA - Hearts Unspoken (Christopher Breeze Chillout Mix) 22:34 LAB OF MUSIC - Angel Vibes (Original Mix) 22:30 VELVET DREAMER - Your Game My Love (Five Seasons Remix) 22:26 LIULA - Sweet Dreams 22:22 FLORITO - Saigon Morning 22:16 THE THRILLSEEKERS - Synaesthesia (Solarsoul Chilled Remix) 22:09 PROJECT BLUE SUN - Naked 22:04 DEEP MOTIONS - Memories 21:58 DASH BERLIN - Till The Sky Falls Down (Monokini Beach Mix) 21:55 BENYA, PENNY NIXON - Serendipity (After Meridian & Dave Costa Remix) 21:50 CHRISTIAN BURNS, MARCO V - Frozen Heart (Acoustic Version) 21:45 ADELE - Lovesong 21:40 CECILE BREDIE - Dreamland 21:38 INNA - Hot (Chill Out Remix) 21:33 ROGER SANCHEZ - Another Chance (Afterlife Mix) 21:30 JOHN DAHLBACK - Walking With Shadows (Acoustic Version) 21:26 CHAMBRE 7 - Rising To The Top (Original Mix) 21:21 DANITY KANE - Stay With Me (Van Immortal Remix) 21:17 ANDY MOOR, SUE McLAREN - Trespass (Masoud Chill Out Mix) 21:12 JOHN O'CALLAGHAN, AUDREY GALLAGHER - Big Sky (Acoustic Mix) 21:09 DEEJAY HOUSE PROJECT - Komodo (Stefy Martinez Lounge Mix) 21:04 JEROME ISMA-AE - Underwater Love 21:00 ANDY MOOR, HYSTERIA! - Leave Your World Behind (Album Mix) 20:56 KRAAK & SMAAK - Stumble (feat. Parcels) 20:52 DUBDIVER - Desert Land (Eternal Calling Mix) 20:49 FILO, PERI, FISHER - Closer Now (Chillout Mix) 20:43 GUENTER HAAS - Alone But Never Lonely 20:39 ALAN MORRIS, ENZO, JESS MORGAN - Tapestry Of Us (Piano Acoustic Mix) 20:35 IGOR PUMPHONIA - Air (Original Mix) 20:31 BLANK & JONES, ELLES - Mind Of The Wonderful (Acoustic Version) 20:27 ATB - I Was Wrong To Let You Go (Lounge Version) 20:23 LEO ROJAS - Farewell 20:19 JEAN HONEYMOON - Bang Bang (Lazy Hammock Chillout Remix) 20:15 HEAVN - Bright Lights 20:11 WILLIAM FITZSIMMONS - Psychasthenia 20:07 351 LAKE SHORE DRIVE - Rising Stars 20:04 C.CIL - Sunset 19:56 TORNIKE - Night Steps (Original Mix) 19:51 JAMES BRIGHT, HELEN WALFORD - Time 19:47 CARDINAL ZEN - Warmth 19:43 SUE MCLAREN - Haunted (Zetandel Chill Out Remix) 19:37 AK47, TRACY DIAMONDS - It's No Good 19:33 TOUCH & GO - Straight To...Number One (Dreamcatcher Mix) 19:29 YANNI - Can't Wait 19:25 SMOOTH STAB, AELYN - These Words Between Us (Incognet Chill Out Version) 19:21 FRAINBREEZE, ELLIE LAWSON - I Pray (Chill Out Mix) 19:15 BRIAN CULBERTSON - The Look 19:10 MIGUEL LARA - Oblivion 19:05 FUNKAGENDA - Breakwater (Violet Oversoul Mix) 19:02 YIRUMA, RUVIN - River Flows In You 18:57 HEIKO - Miles Away 18:53 SUSANA - A Million Memories (Acoustic Rework) 18:50 MAXIGROOVE - Alone (Wellski) 18:44 FEINT - Clockwork Hearts (Fetch Remix) 18:39 MARTINIQUE LE SOUFFLEUR - El Guapo 18:34 MARC PUIG, MARIA COLLADO - To Forget Me 18:27 KITARO - Matsuri 18:22 REUNITED - Sing It Back Shazz (Man Chill Mix) 18:17 MEDINA - You & I (DJ Petroff Remix) 18:13 OXYGENE - The Ocean (Goldtripp Remix) 18:09 JIMMY ROQSTA, THALYA HILL - Endless Summer Dance (El Gambrero Remix) 18:04 MO'JARDO - Sonador 18:00 EVANESCENCE - My Immortal (Acoustic Version) 17:56 SUNLOUNGER - In & Out (Chill Version) 17:52 IDENLINE - At Sunset (Original Mix) 17:49 MARIUS NEDELCU, RED HEAD - Rain (Acoustic Version) 17:44 BLUE STAHLI - Corner (Ad Astra Remix) 17:39 SHERRIE LEA - No Ordinary Love (Arnold T Chill Mix) 17:34 ABOVE & BEYOND, OCEANLAB - I Am What I Am (Original Mix) 17:27 351 LAKE SHORE DRIVE - Soiree Rouge (feat. Blueberry) 17:22 MARIE THERESE - Gin And Tonic (Pier-o Bossa Chill Mix) 17:19 JOHN DAHLBACK - Shivers (Acoustic Version) 17:14 LUSTRAL - Raven (Album Mix) 17:09 D-PULSE - Velocity Of Love (Original) 17:03 LOREEN - Euphoria (Cool Bill Seaside Mix) 17:00 NURKO, AUTREY - So Far Gone 16:56 KIM SCOTT - SHINE! (feat. Blake Aaron) 16:50 MAURIZIO GRONDONA GROUP - Looking At The Sea 16:46 OLI SILK - Slinky Malinki 16:42 RONNY SMITH - O Come All Ye Faithful 16:37 WAYMAN TISDALE - It's a Good Day (feat. Jeff Lorber and Tom Braxton) 16:33 JIM ADKINS - A Reason to Smile 16:30 JAMES BOWMAN III - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 16:26 GARY MEEK - Midnight Sky 16:22 DANIEL DOMENGE - Back to the Past 16:16 PEET PROJECT - Pink Spirit 16:13 DANIEL D. - This Christmas 16:09 CHAZZY GREEN - At My Place 16:04 BOB BALDWIN - Every Breath Is A Gift 16:00 NILS - Saturday Night 15:55 BLAIR BRYANT - Catamaran 15:51 SAM RUCKER - Redemption 15:47 TONY SAUNDERS - Forever Yours 15:44 SHARMOND SMITH - Joy To the World 15:39 PIECES OF A DREAM - In the Moment 15:35 AL DEGREGORIS - Sunnyside 15:32 SHAKATAK - Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! 15:27 DREAMING IN COLOUR - Back in the Day (feat. Michael Scherer) 15:23 EUGE GROOVE - Vinyl 15:17 LUKAS LEUTHOLD - His Love For You 15:13 PAUL EERHART - Making Room 15:08 GREGG KARUKAS - Silent Promise 15:04 JOHN NOVELLO - Love Affair 15:00 JAREZ - This Time Around (feat. Ragan Whiteside) 14:55 JEFF RYAN - Edge of Tomorrow 14:51 KIM WATERS - On The Streets 14:47 AL GOMEZ - Who's Right, Who's Wrong 14:42 PETER WHITE - Costa Rica 14:39 SYLVIA BENNETT - Winter Wonderland 14:35 MARION MEADOWS - Dreamin 14:32 PETER HEROLD - Praise The Lord 14:28 JODY MAYFIELD - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 14:24 VINCENT INGALA - Wish I Was There 14:20 BK JACKSON - Believe That 14:16 KIM SCOTT - Best Part 14:11 DAVE KOZ - The Christmas 14:07 STEVE OLIVER - She's Got The Way 14:03 PHIL DENNY - Urban Troubadour 14:00 FREDDIE FOX - Just 4 U 13:54 JEFFERY SMITH - Summers Melody 13:50 PATRICK BRADLEY - Shoreline (feat. Eric Marienthal) 13:46 ZOLBERT - Find the Light 13:42 BRIAN BROMBERG - Celebrate Me Home 13:38 POP'N BOSSA - When I Was Your Man 13:34 PEET PROJECT - Anything for You 13:31 CHRISTMAS CAROLS - E' Nate Il Redentore (Piva Piva) 13:25 BOB BALDWIN - Everybody Loves the Sunshine My Life 13:21 PAUL TUVMAN - Something 13:18 PAUL BROWN - French Connection 13:12 SHIN GIWON CHRISTMAS CAROL COLLECTION - The First Noel 13:08 SIMPLY RED - So Not Over You 13:04 PAT BELLIVEAU - Lakeview Drive 13:00 NELSON RANGELL - Send One Your Love 12:56 VINCENT INGALA - Free To Groove 12:51 JAZZ FUNK SOUL - Room W Vu 12:47 BOBBY WELLS - Oooh Baby 12:43 DIRK K - California 12:40 NATHAN WOODWARD - Sleigh Ride 12:35 PIECES OF A DREAM - For Real 12:31 GREGG KARUKAS - Chasing The Wind 12:27 COOL SPRING JAZZ QUARTET - Angels We Have Heard On High 12:24 DANNY LERMAN - No Words 12:20 GARY HONOR - Southern Exposure 12:16 PAUL HARDCASTLE - Coastline Crusader 12:12 BEN TANKARD - O Little Town Of Bethlehem 12:08 RON NING - Grasshopper 12:03 PETER WHITE - Song For Robin 12:00 RICK HABANA - Aqua 11:56 FOSTINA DIXON - Good Vibes 11:52 JONATHAN FRITZEN - Magical (feat. Boney James) 11:47 CHIELI MINUCCI - Big Sky Country 11:44 DREW DAVIDSEN - God Rest Ye 11:40 ROCCO VENTRELLA - Come Morning 11:35 BLAKE AARON - Riviera Nights 11:30 STEVE OLIVER - Deck The Halls 11:26 JACKIEM JOYNER - Share My Tears 11:22 OLI SILK - Ahead of the Weather 11:17 FRANK MCCOMB - Just Ride (For George Duke) 11:13 DAVE KOZ - Winter Wonderland 11:09 JAREZ - Mr. Sexy Saxy 11:04 VINCENT IOIA - All Day Music 11:00 MARK ETHEREDGE - Groove City (feat. Greg Vail) 10:56 CHILLAXING JAZZ KOLLEKTION - Send My Love 10:52 CHRIS GODBER - Without You 10:48 ANDREW NEU - Take It Home 10:45 CHRISTMAS CAROLS - Il Valzer Delle Candele 10:40 NILS - Red Wine & Sunsets 10:36 BRENDAN ROTHWELL - Tell Me 10:32 BRADLEY LEIGHTON - Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! 10:28 RICHARD ELLIOT - Snapshot 10:23 JODY MAYFIELD - Groove Park 10:18 LOUIE FITZGERALD - Watery Eyes 10:13 DR. SAXLOVE - Away In A Manger 10:09 CAROL ALBERT - Fly Away Butterfly (Reprise) 10:04 BRAD ALEXANDER - Morning Serenade 10:00 RICK BRAUN - Missing in Venice 09:55 JOYCE COOLING - Third Wish 09:52 BEN TANKARD - Thicker Than Water (Reality TV Mix) 09:48 JAKOB MAGNUSSON - Caption This 09:44 APPLETON - Christmas Song 09:40 NAJEE - Better 09:36 KEN NAVARRO - My Beautiful Girls 09:32 SHAKATAK - Happy Christmas To Ya! 09:27 PETER WHITE - For The Love Of You 09:23 JAMHUNTERS - Eurabian Fantasy 09:18 EUGE GROOVE - Homie Grown 09:14 SMOOTH SOUL HOLIDAY - Hark the Herald Angels SingSleighride Medley 09:10 ALEXANDER ZONJIC - Hipster 09:07 VINCENT INGALA - Somewhere In Time 09:00 KIRK WHALUM - Afterthought 08:56 PHIL DENNY - Around the Block 08:52 STEVE OLIVER - Barcelo 08:48 KIM SCOTT - Something Better 08:44 PAUL HARDCASTLE - Amber Skies 08:39 BRIAN BROMBERG - Feliz Navidad 08:35 GARY PALMER - Land of the Sun 08:32 EVAN CARYDAKIS - Movin On 08:29 JACK JEZZRO - It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas 08:25 PEET PROJECT - 24 Hours 08:21 NICK COLIONNE - Morning Call 08:17 VINCENT IOIA - First Time (feat. Ricky Peterson & Gerey Johnson) 08:13 DAVE KOZ - Little Drummer Boy 08:08 BOB COATE - Super Smooth 08:04 JUSTIN KLUNK - Make It Real 08:00 ROB TARDIK - Get Up 07:56 DR. DAVE, THE HOUSECALL BAND - Almost Trinidad (Revisited Version) 07:51 JUSTIN KLUNK - Thunder 07:47 ROBERTO RESTUCCIA - 1985 07:44 TONY CRADDOCK JR. - Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! 07:39 RAINFOREST BAND - Just Before Sunrise 07:35 PHIL DENNY - Flutter 07:29 KIM WATERS - Christmas Time Is Here 07:24 NORMAN BROWN - Just Between Us 07:20 JIM ADKINS - Answered Prayers 07:16 JOYCE COOLING - Almost Home 07:12 MARCUS ANDERSON - Oh Christmas Tree 07:08 DANIEL DOMENGE - Latin Flavours 07:04 SPONTANEOUS GROOVIN' COMBUSTION - Soul Stirrer 07:00 NILS - Shine Your Light On Me 06:55 496 WEST - Boo'd Up 06:51 PETER WHITE - Deja Vu 06:47 ED CALLE - Where the Rainbow Ends 06:43 JESSY J - The Rhythm Method (feat. Paul Brown) 06:38 SHAKATAK - Merry Christmas In Summer 06:34 JEFF KASHIWA - Every Now and Then 06:30 BRETTINA - Bop Baiye 06:27 VINCENT INGALA - My Favorite Things 06:23 PAUL BROWN - Blues for Jeff 06:19 ELAN TROTMAN - Millie's Song (feat. Althea Rene & Nathan Mitchell) 06:15 DEE LUCAS - Hot Ice (feat. Gino Rosaria) 06:12 SMOOTH SOUL HOLIDAY - We Three Funky Kings 06:08 JONATHAN FRITZEN - Fingers On Fire 06:02 ROBERT HARRIS - Midnight Rendezvous Live 06:00 STEVE RAYBINE - Maui Blue 05:56 JEFF GOLKIN & FOREVER LOVE - We Have Love Tonight 05:51 MICHAEL ROSS - Hot in Brazil 05:48 DARREN MOTAMEDY - I'll Give You What You Want 05:43 DR. SAXLOVE - White Christmas 05:39 PAUL TAYLOR - Epic Dream 05:36 JACKIEM JOYNER - Stay With Me Tonight 05:30 MARK MAXWELL - Let It Snow 05:25 THE SMOOTH JAZZ ALLEY - EBF 05:20 THE SAX PACK - A Little Bit Closer 05:17 AL DEGREGORIS - South Shore 05:12 DAVE KOZ - Silent Night 05:08 MARCIA MIGET - Praise Him (Instrumental) 05:04 KIRK WHALUM - Big Ol' Shoes 05:00 PHILLIP DOC MARTIN - Her Touch 04:55 KIM SCOTT - Rite of Passage 04:51 RICK HABANA - Excursion 04:47 KIM WATERS - Walking On Air 04:43 ART FOUR SALE - Merry Merry Christmas 04:38 NELSON RANGELL - Mean Business 04:34 PATRICK YANDALL - Whats Cookin 04:29 KAYLA WATERS - O Come, O Come Emmanuel 04:25 NILS - Shake It 04:20 JAREZ - How I Feel 04:16 PHIL DENNY, NATE NARASIM - Push 04:13 SHIN GIWON CHRISTMAS CAROL COLLECTION - Winter Wonderland 04:08 PAUL BROWN - Moment by Moment 04:04 SKINNY HIGHTOWER - Bittersweet 04:00 ADAM HAWLEY - East Lake 03:56 CHRIS STANDRING - No Two Ways About It 03:51 BRETTINA - Low 03:47 RICK BRAUN - Brazz Street 03:42 MICHAEL LINGTON - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas 03:37 J. WHITE - A New Jazz Swagger 03:33 ART RUPRECHT - Glorious Day 03:30 HERB ALPERT - Let It Snow - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer 03:26 BONEY JAMES - On The Path 03:22 RICK HABANA - Paradise 03:18 JOY RIDE - What's Up 03:13 MARION MEADOWS - Little Shepherd Boy 03:09 DAVID BENOIT - Rejoyce 03:04 UNDER THE LAKE - Old Friends, New Grooves 03:00 MARK ETHEREDGE - Untethered (feat. Steve Oliver) 02:56 KENNY PORE - Siempre del Corazon 02:53 DANCING FANTASY - Bon Voyage 02:48 EVERETTE HARP - Old School 02:44 RANDY SCOTT - Mellow Flow 02:40 MARK MAXWELL - O Christmas Tree 02:36 ATTILA ZAVODI - River Waves 02:32 JEANETTE HARRIS - 2nd Nature 02:28 CHRISTMAS CAROLS - Happy Christmas 02:23 JAMES SAXSMO GATES - Together We Can Make It (feat. Freddie Fox) 02:19 LOWELL HOPPER - See the Light 02:15 SHAWN RAIFORD - In the Moment 02:11 DAVE KOZ - Eight Candles 02:07 PIECES OF A DREAM - Watch Your Step 02:04 LEBRON - Spotlight 02:00 OLI SILK - Chill or Be Chilled 01:56 GEREY JOHNSON - Silk Dress 01:51 NAJEE - Bella Vista 01:47 SHELEA - Don't Wanna Wait 'til Christmas 01:43 NILS - So Get on Up 01:39 PETER WHITE - What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) 01:36 GREGG KARUKAS - Passion Dance 01:32 ART MORRIS - Silent Night 01:27 BOB BALDWIN - Stand Tall 01:23 ERIC MARIENTHAL - 21 Ocean Front 01:18 RAY OBIEDO - A Thousand Reasons 01:14 BEN TANKARD - A Guitar for Christmas 01:09 CINDY BRADLEY - Exhale 01:05 PATRICK YANDALL - It's Our Time 01:00 ACOUSTIC ALCHEMY - Same Road, Same Reason 00:56 AL DEGREGORIS - Time Sensitive 00:51 TONY CRADDOCK JR. - O Little Town of Bethlehem 00:47 RICK HABANA - Poolside (feat. Blake Aaron) 00:43 BLAIR BRYANT - Kiss of Life 00:39 BE'NE MUSIC - Im Yours 00:33 BRIAN BROMBERG - The Most Wonderful Time of the Year 00:29 UNDER THE LAKE - Around The Block 00:25 RICHARD ELLIOT - Panamera 00:19 JOHN NOVELLO - Ivory Soul 00:14 MICHAEL LINGTON - Silver Bells 00:09 JOY RIDE - The First Time 00:05 VINCENT INGALA - Could This Be Real 00:00 DANIEL CHIA - In the Moment (feat. Paul Brown)

[read-alert]

Seconding those recommendations (I haven't read To Shape a Dragon's Breath yet, but it's on my tbr and I'm very excited for it), and also recommending

Angeline Boulley

Robin Wall Kimmerer

Tommy Pico

Joshua Whitehead

Healer of the Water Monster by Brian Young

The Legend of the Skelton Man by Joseph Bruchac

Dead White Writer on the Floor by Drew Hayden Taylor (this one's a play)

"Indian" Stereotypes in TV Science Fiction: First Nations' Voices Speak Out by Sierra S Adare

Kapaemahu by Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson, Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, and Daniel Sousa

Moonshot: The Indigenous Comics Collection edited by Hope Nicholson

Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko

This Place: 150 Years Retold by Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm, Chelsea Vowel, Katherena Vermette, et al

Love Beyond Body, Space, and Time: An Indigenous LGBT Sci Fi Anthology edited by Hope Nicholson

Love After the End: An Anthology of Two Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction edited by Joshua Whitehead

And then some others I haven't read yet but am excited for:

All the Dead Things by Bear Lee

The Peacekeeper by BL Blanchard

Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina

Anything by Billy-Ray Belcourt

Pemmican Wars by Katherena Vermette, Scott B Henderson, and Donovan Yaciuk

How I Became a Ghost by Tim Tingle

Walking the Clouds: An Anthology of Indigenous Science Fiction edited by Grace L Dillon

And there's also of course Stephen Graham Jones. Personally, the only book of his I've read that I really liked was The Only Good Indians, but he is a booktube darling, so I'd recommend checking him out, especially if you like horror

New book tumblr

Hello! My name is Cholena, and I'm hoping to start a Tumblr where I recommend diverse books. Being Native myself, I want to focus on indigenous books -- but I haven't been too successful at finding a lot yet.

So I plan to start by recommending books with other kind of diversity -- books centering, for example, queer characters, or books written by Black authors, etc. And eventually, I'll start recommending more and more books with an indigenous focus.

I'll definitely also be reblogging from other book tumblrs! Come say hi if you love to read diverse books.

[udpersonagens]

MELISSA YOUNG MEDINA 

29 ANOS

ESPECIALISTA EM MARKETING DIGITAL

RETRATADA POR MANDY MOORE 

[everythingyaattlls]

September 15-October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month! Check out this list of fantastic Latinx and Hispanic Young Adult Authors! Find our shelf on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/56651068-mvml-ya?shelf=latinx-authors

Full list of authors under the cut. Our Goodreads list is updated monthly so check back soon for more authors!

Elizabeth Acevedo

Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Adam Silvera

Zoraida Córdova

Ibi Zoboi

Gabby Rivera

Tehlor Kay Mejia

Jenny Torres Sanchez

Meg Medina

Maika Moulite

Samantha Mabry

Daniel José Older

Alexandra Villasante

Anna-Marie McLemore

Lucas Rocha

Lilliam Rivera

Matt de la Pena

Kami Garcia

Ann Aguirre

Sandra Cisneros

Esmeralda Santiago

Alex Sanchez

Michelle Ruiz Keil

Erika L. Sánchez

Natalia Sylvester

Patrick Flores-Scott

Laura Pohl

Melissa de la Cruz

Matt Mendez

Francisco X. Stork

Marie Marquardt

Mark Oshiro

Lily Anderson

Francesca Flores

Sofia Quintero

Courtney Alameda

Lygia Day Peñaflor

Adi Alsaid

Fred Aceves

Maya Motayne

Tony Medina

Natasha Diaz

Mia Garcia

Goldy Moldavsky

Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Romina Garber

Jennifer de Leon

[deepperplexity]

Tag Game

Thank you @snapefiction for the tag! ^^ Here we go! 

Name/nickname: Plex (will not reveal my IRL name)

Gender: Female (she/her)

Star Sign: Cancer

Height: 175cm

Time: 11.09 (GMT+1)

Favourite Bands: Uffh, too many -  Stiftelsen, Takida, Simple Plan, Green Day, MCR, AC/DC, GN'R, ZZ Top, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, Queen, Ozzy Osbourne, Europe, KISS, Quiet Riot, Twisted Sister, Van Halen, Warrant, Papa Roach, Sunrise Avenue, Nickleback, The Ark, 2 Blyga Läppar, Iron & wine, Fejd, Savage Garden, Not Literally, Westlife, Rörelsen, Super Junior, Den svenska björnstammen, Lillasyster, Medina, Volbeat, Rammstein, zebrahead, Three Days Grace, t.A.T.u., sum 41, Sonic Syndicate, Hammerfall, Soilwork, Skitarg, Rise Against, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Korn, Five finger Death Punch, Dead by April, Corvus Corax, BFMV, 3 Doors Down, Wardruna, Black Eyed Peas, Gyllene Tider, ABBA, BWO, Depeche Mode... AND SO MANY MORE xD

Favourite Solo Artists: Cher, Shania Twain, Miss Li, Kelly Clarkson, Dorothy, Jason Mraz, Andy Black, [Lil Happy, Lil Sad], James Blunt, Basshunter, Oscar Zia, Victor Leksell, emil Assergård, Nomy, Byz, Josh Daniel, Fronda, Darin, Gmx, Danish, Billy Ray Cyrus, Magnus Uggla, Lana Del Ray, Simon Curtis, Blake Shelton, Adam Lambert, Trace Adkins, Alex Goot, Flo Rida, Akon, Kat Deluna, Pitbull, Melissa Horn, Avril Lavigne, Björn Rosenström, MIKA, Nordman... AND SO MANY MORE xD 

Song Stuck in my Head: 4 Chords - The Axis of Awesome

Last Movie You Watched: LotR - RotK

Last Show: Don’t remember :S 

When Did I Create this Blog: May 2013 (inactive December 2017- December 2019)

What do I post: Fic writing, Snape, Snape, Snape, HP, and some stray posts...

Last Thing I Googled: Correct knots for safe bondage scientifically proven (IT’S FOR THE R&R FIC xD)

Other Blogs: writingplexity 

Do I Get Asks: A few but not many; they pop up from time to time and make me super happy! ^^

Why I Choose my URL: Well, I was young(er) and quite often called complicated, I was a bit confused in life and rather perplexed with myself and my feelings for older men like Snape and it sort of just popped up in my head xD I love my URL though, it’s perfect for me <3 

Following: 146

Followers: 1.596

Average Hours of Sleep: 6-8 (function best at 10 hours but that never happens anymore xD)

Instruments: NONE if you don’t count guitar hero guitars? O.O Have 4 of those xD

What am I wearing: Black/green flannel pyjama pants, fluffy sock, purple tank top and a grey puffy sweater. Sunday Mode ftw. 

Dream Job: Fiction Author

Dream Trip: Japan - again xD

Favourite Food: Sushi, Fried Noodles, Lasagne, Sandwiches, Noodle Pot, Curry with Rice, Grilled Veggies and a few more xD 

Nationality: Swedish ^^

Favourite Song: Don’t have one, I love so many I can’t imagine choosing just one.  

Last Book I Read: A Court of Frost and Starlight - Sarah J. Maas / Ritualist - Dakota Krout (read them at the same time and don’t remember which one I finished last.)

Top Three Fictional Universes I’d like to live in: Harry Potter, My own OW world xD and ACOTAR.  

Tagging: @elizabeth-baelish  @lizlil @blog4snape @darkthought15 @slyther-bi @violet-knox @sxvxrxssnape @capysnapeart @half-blood-slytherpuff @snapelynn @slytherinmagic38 @thatawfulsnapeboy - everyone can do this even if I did not tag you! :D 

[speedsiteshoe]

Uncharted 2 cast

Mary Jane Pajaron, Ronald Gebilaguin, Ferdinand Ladera, Derek Murillo, Allain D.People of color are more visible in games today than ever before.

Marvin Allen Aure, Jefferson Estrabinio, Kerwin Atienza, Anthony David Calderon, Leonardo M. Wilson Pedro Jr., Dino Antonio Morales, Valroman Francisco, Franco Perez Sound Effects & Foley Editor Lead Dialogue Editor Re-Recording Mixer Supervising Sound Editor Technicolor Animation and Interactive ServicesĬinzia Angelini, Lindsey Butterworth, Emanuela Cozzi, Kent Culotta, Daniel Godinez, Bart Goldman, Jose Hernandez, Sung-hyun Kim, Mark Levine, Melissa Thompson, Mark Villagracia, Alex Zemke Guerilla Games, Media Molecule, Sony Santa Monica, Insomniac Games, Ready At Dawn Studios, Sucker Punch Productions, Bungie, Infinity Ward, Havok, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP, John Crompton (Crompton & Associates)Īlex Gaynor, Annie Wildmoser, Elisha Christian, Jesse Crusing, Kyle KlützĪaron Lambert, Alejandro Castro, Ian Lang, James Lipscomb, Josh LaBrot, Julian Palacios, Mahyar Sadri, Randy Wilson, Ryan Torrey Michael Caloz, Wesley Tobler, Sergiy Migdalskiy, Ricardo Ariza, Cory Hamilton, Victoria Fortson, Joshua Frontino, Boris Batkin, Mark Cerny, Andre Petrossian, Greta Anderson Melissa Barker, Esteban Cueto, Richard Dorton, Michael Mukatis, Justin Rasch, Chris Robbins, America Young Theo Balestra, Lola Balestra, Aidan Balestra, Nathan Levitt, Lauren Levitt Prasadananda Das, Toufiq Tulsiram, Tenzing Tsering Berger, Steven Jay Blum, Dimitriy Dyachenko, Robin Atkin Downes, Michael Gough, James Horan, Yuri Lowenthal, Fred TatascioreĪlex Demir, Serder Burhan Kalsin, Oscar Oden, Murat Uludagĭechen Choezom, Pema Dhondup, Yangchen Dolkar, Namgyal Kyulo, Tenzing Tsering Kimble, Tristram Coffin, Joshua Dodge, Brenden Quibin Rob Alonso, Ronald Avila, Anthony Bailey, Eddie Blandon, Byron Brackens, Andrew Cockburn, Adam Grodin, Matthew Hartwell, David Kabelitz, Michael Longley, Travis Madole, Lizz McCue, Alex Medina, Byron Mehlsack, Jeffrey Keith Negus, Rodney Reece, Matthew Rothstein, Trevor Stevens, Nick Murphy, Travis R. Marianne Hayden, Jason Martinsen, Jeremy Collins James Paick, Polina Hristova, Erwin Madrid, Kory Heinzenĭavid Lam, Moragot Bodharamik, Randall Davis (Lee) MikkelsenĬompany Mascot, Morale Builder and Food Patrol Borujeni, Shan-Min Chao, Andrew Cove, Cédric Lallain, Bryan McNett, Adam Johnson, Morten S. Manny Ko, Cort Stratton, Jason Scanlin, Mohammad S. Shaddy Safadi, Hong Ly, Andrew Kim, Brian Yam Omar Gatica, Thomas Wright, Eva Krzeminskiĭarcy Korch, Hanno Hagedorn, Bryan Wynia, Corey Johnson Lee, Simon Craghead, Reiko Satoīenson Russell, Junki Saita, Jonathan Stein, Justin Richmond, Kurt Margenau, Jacob Minkoff, Robert Cogburn, Anthony NewmanĬharlotte Francis, Malcolm Hee, Behrooz Roozbeh, Christian Nakata, Nichol Norman, Adam Marquis, Genesis Prado, Brian Beppu, Khanh D. Chen, David Baldwin, Stephen Ife, Michael Murrill, David Ballard, Edward J. Reuben Shah, Santiago Gutiérrez Cortés, Christophe Desse, John Germann, Henry Cheng, Dustin King, Jonny Q. Shamil Rasizade, Chris Ilvento, Brian Robison Pål-Kristian Engstad, Travis McIntosh, Dan LiebgoldĬhristopher Christensen, Jonathan Lanier, Carlos Gonzalez-Ochoa, Marshall Robin, Fengquan Wang, Charles Tangora, Christian Gyrling, John Bellomy, Jason Gregory, Lucas Pope, Ian Jones, Jeff Shaffer, Jérôme Durand, Sandeep Shekar, Vincent Marxen, John Hable 969 people (918 developers, 51 thanks) Naughty Dog

[journeydb]

March 7 2020 Morocco

My toe was feeling well enough these last two days to do yoga with Katie and Natashia.  In addition to everything else Katie does, she is also a yoga teacher, and a very good one.

Mohammed, the day manager, was a very kind, funny guy so we didn’t mind him making fun of us.  Since I had missed shopping for gifts in the Medina yesterday I went out after breakfast by myself, using the Maps.Me app, which Natashia set up to take me to the souks and back.  Unfortunately, after a few minutes it stopped working so I had to find my way there and back.  On the way back I got very lost and had to engage the services of a couple of young men, whom I paid well, to where Yassin, the night manager, met me just in time, since we were leaving for the desert.

It was kind of sad to say goodbye to the riad’s staff because they had been so kind and helpful and we had gotten to know them pretty well, especially Yassin and Mohammed.  We wished them all the best, said “Shalom” and headed out for the last leg of our adventure.

It took about forty five minutes to reach the White Camel Lodge, where we took photos as we waited to check into our tents and had some yummy snacks.

This was the tent I shared with Monica.  It had two twin beds and a small bathroom but was quite comfortable.

After checking in we all gathered at Jan and Caitlin’s much bigger tent and prepared for our last art session together.  Adele’s husband, Patrick, had joined us and he made a video of us all describing our experiences on this Chase Adventure 2020 tour while we danced and created more artistic expressions.  We had each brought a white outfit on which we “painted” our designs in black with markers.  This is how they looked before we painted them.

Then the fun began as we let the creative juices flow, inspired by laughter, music, dance, and the love that has grown among us.

Melissa had the right idea to create some shade because, after all, we were in the desert and the sun was very hot.

Jan and I have been friends for over thirty five years, since before we were married to our handsome, wonderful husbands and before we were mothers.  We also worked together at a company called Sci-Pro, selling computers to the hospitality industry, for a while, until it was bought by a bigger company, after which Jan decided to finish her degree and went back to the university, while I continue my career in sales in the new company and beyond.

 We have followed each others’ careers, helped each other through challenges in our lives, and passed like ships in the night as we both acquired second homes and second lives, she in Los Angeles, and I in Barcelona.  We are longtime friends and I admire her immensely.  

Our husbands are friends and we know and love each others’ children.  We have NEVER done anything like this together before and I think we have grown even closer during this time.  I’m grateful to have been able to join this retreat and I hope it opens up a whole new world of future creative retreats for me.

Adele informed us that the camel drivers were waiting for us so we hurried up and prepared for our sunset camel ride, arriving a bit late and a bit nervous, since none of us had ever done this before.

We mounted our camels, with the help of the drivers, and off we all went into the sunset in the desert.

[libraryleopard]

2017 reading wrap-up

I don’t normally do this, but I figured that since this year was the first year I kept track of the books I read and also set a specific goal (1/3 books by authors of color), I thought it could be interesting to see what I read in 2017. And yeah, this is a little late but I didn’t have laptop over Christmas break so *shrug*.

I read 186 books total, with 73 being by authors of color. (That’s actually 11 more books than I needed to read, so yay for being an overachiever.) I think having a specific number to aim for helped me to diversify my reading and push me to read things I wouldn’t normally have read and I want to continue doing that. Of those 186 books, 108 had a person of color as a pov character and 61 had a LGBTQIAP+ main character. I think I’ll try to focus on reading more books with good disability representation next year because I only read 23 books with a disabled main character (not counting thrillers that used mental health as an an unreliable narrator plot twist because ugh). 

I read mostly the same number of books (between 9-20) each month during school or summer, which surprised me since I normally think of myself as reading more during vacations. Also, I read 9 books when I should have been doing NaNoWriMo, which might explain why I didn’t finish..

Anyway, here’s the whole list below the cut if anyone wants to see!

*=reread

January

1/ Vicarious by Paula Stokes

2/ Run by Kody Keplinger

3/ Pantomime by Laura Lam

4/ Girl Mans Up by M-E Girard

5/ Don’t Fail Me Now by Una LaMarche

6/ The Force Awakens novelization by Alan Dean Foster

7/ The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury*

8/ Timekeeper by Tara Sim

9/ Tattoo Atlas by Tim Floreen

10/ Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova*

11/ Life in Motion by Misty Copeland

12/ Wonders of the Invisible World by Christopher Barzak

13/ Peas and Carrots by Tanita S. Davis

14/ This Is Our Story by Ashley Elston

15/ The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine*

16/ The Cursed Queen by Sarah Fine

February

17/ See No Color by Shannon Gibney

18/ This Side of Home by Renée Watson

19/ I’m Not Your Manic Pixie Dream Girl by Gretchen McNeil

20/ Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

21/ Rogue One novelization by Alexander Freed

22/ Railhead by Philip Reeve

23/ When the Moon was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore*

24/ Truthwitch by Susan Dennard*

25/ Our Own Private Universe by Robin Talley

26/ The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig*

27/ Here We Are: Feminism For the Real World edited by Kelly Jensen

28/ We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

29/ City of Saints and Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson

30/ Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza

31/ A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab*

32/ The Young Elites by Marie Lu*

March

33/ A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab*

34/ A Study In Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

35/ History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

36/ The Rose Society by Marie Lu*

37/ The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

38/ Windwitch by Susan Dennard

39/ American Street by Ibi Zoboi

40/ The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

41/ The Midnight star by Marie Lu

42/ Heist Society by Ally Carter

43/ Pasadena by Sherri L. Smith

44/ A Good Idea by Cristina Moracho

45/ Camp So-and-So by Mary McCoy

46/ Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson

47/ Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde

48/ Not Otherwise Specified by Hannah Moskowitz*

49/ The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

50/ Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

51/  The Last of August Brittany Cavallaro

April

52/ Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones

53/ Every Breath by Ellie Marney*

54/ Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick

55/ Dramarama by E. Lockhart

56/ Every Word by Ellie Marney*

57/ The Secret of a Heart Note by Stacey Lee

58/ Lucky Few by Kathryn Ormsbee

59/ The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco

60/ Caraval by Stephanie Garber

61/ Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

62/ Yaqui Delgado Wants To Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina

63/ Every Move by Ellie Marney

64/ Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

65/ These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas*

66/ A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab

67/ Fear the Drowning Deep by Sarah Glenn Marsh

68/ The Valiant by Lesley Livingston

69/ 37 Things I Love (In No Particular Order) by Kekla Magoon

70/ The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

71/ The Ship Beyond Time by Heidi Heilig

72/ Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

73/ Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue

74/ Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson

May

75/ The Creeping Shadow by Jonathan Stroud

76/ Hunted by Meagan Spooner

77/ The Mystery of Hollow Places by Rebecca Podos*

78/ A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi

79/ Girl Out of Water by Laura Silverman

80/ How To Make a Wish by Ashley Herring Blake

81/ To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

82/ P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

83/ P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

84/ Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley

85/ You’re Welcome, Universe by Whitney Gardner

86/ The Pearl Thief by Elizabeth Wein

87/ The Weight of Stars by Tessa Gratton*

June

88/ Does My Head Look Big In This? By Randa Abdel-Fattah

89/ Diverse Energies edited by Tobias S. Buckell and Joe Monti

90/ The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie*

91/ The Lines We Cross by Randa Abdel-Fattah

92/ The Edge of the Abyss by Emily Skrutskie

93/ Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

94/ Cat Girl’s Day Off by Kimberly Pauley

95/ Rook by Sharon Cameron*

96/ York by Laura Ruby

97/ Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali

98/ Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

99/ False Hearts by Laura Lam*

100/ Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

101/ The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord

102/ Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee

103 That Thing We Call A Heart by Sheba Karim

104/ In A Perfect World by Trish Doller

July

105/ Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray

106/ Want by Cindy Pon

107/ Behold the Bones by Natalie C. Parker

108/ The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

109/ When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

110/ The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

111/ This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab*

112/ Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older*

113/ Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab

114/ If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

115/ Because You Love To Hate Me edited by Ameriie

116/ Wildlife by Fiona Wood

117/ Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson*

118/ The Diviners by Libba Bray*

119/ Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson

120/ Skunk Girl by Sheba Karim

121/ The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine

122/ Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray*

123/ Flying Lessons and Other Stories edited by Ellen Oh

124/ Amberlough by Lara Elena Donelly

August

125/ The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Gray*

126/ The Next Together by Lauren James

127/ Past Perfect by Leila Sales

128/ The Library of Fates by Aditi Khorana

129/ Once and For All by Sarah Dessen

130/ Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody

131/ Burn For Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

132/ Radio Silence by Alice Oseman*

133/ The Great American Whatever by Time Federle

134/ Miles Morales by Jason Reynolds

135/ Heartstone by Elle Katharine White

136/ Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

137/ Solo by Kwame Alexander

September

138/ The Savage Dawn by Melissa Gray

139/ Boyfriends With Girlfriends by Alex Sanchez

140/ Brooklyn, Burning by Steve Brezenoff

141/ Dove Arising by Karen Bao

142/ Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust

143/ Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

144/ Little and Lion by Brandy Colbert

145/ Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart

146/ Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell

147/ Warcross by Marie Lu

148/ Spinning by Tillie Walden

149/ Release by Patrick Ness

150/ Here Lies Daniel Tate by Cristin Terrill

October

151/ Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

152/ Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

153/ Dress Codes For Small Towns by Courtney Stevens

154/ Shadowhouse Fall by Daniel José Older

155/ Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

156/ Venturess by Betsy Cornwell

157/ Night of Cakes and Puppets by Laini Taylor

158/ An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

159/ When I Am Through With You by Stephanie Kuehn

160/ Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore

161/ Romantic Outlaws by Charlotte Gordon

November

162/ Speak Easy, Speak Love by McKelle George

163/ The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo

164/ You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins

165/ Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

166/ In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan

167/ A Line in the Dark by Malinda Lo

168/ Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi

169/ Echo After Echo by Amy Rose Capetta

170/ Geekerella by Ashley Poston

December

171/ You Don’t Know Me But I Know You by Rebecca Barrow

172/ Like Water by Rebecca Podos

173/ Last Leaves Falling by Fox Benwell

174/ Black Boy, White School by Brian F. Walker

175/ Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser

176/ They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

177/ The Wicker King by K. Ancrum

178/ If I Ever Get Out of Here by Eric Gansworth

179/ Empress of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao

180/ King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table by Anne Berthelot

181/ Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

182/ Life On Mars by Tracy K. Smith

183/ Grendel’s Guide to Love and War by A.E. Kaplan

184/ The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

185/ The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

186/ You Don’t Know Me But I Know You by Lilly Anderson

[tabloidtoc]

Us, August 10

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Queen Elizabeth orders Prince William and Prince Harry to have a face-to-face showdown 

Page 1: First Look -- Kiki Layne at the virtual press tour for The Old Guard 

Page 4: Who Wore It Best? Kat Graham vs. MJ Rodriguez, Kristen Stewart vs. Marisa Tomei 

Page 6: Loose Talk -- Russell Wilson recalling when wife Ciara who’s currently pregnant was in labor with Sienna, Cardi B defending husband Offset for gifting their daughter Kulture a Birkin bag, Katy Perry on the pressure of being a celebrity in the social media age, Kelly Ripa joking about returning to the studio to film Live With Kelly and Ryan, David Schwimmer’s stance on the famous Friends debate between his character Ross and Jennifer Aniston’s Rachel 

Page 8: Contents 

Page 10: Hot Pics -- DJ Khaled on a jet-ski, Matthew McConaughey, Prince George turns 7 

Page 12: John Legend and Chrissy Teigen and their kids Luna and Miles and her mom Vilailuck on vacation in Mexico, Addison Rae, Martha Stewart’s first Instagram thirst trap 

Page 13: Vivienne Westwood protests the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the U.S., Ireland Baldwin surfing, Bindi Irwin’s birthday at the Australia Zoo with husband Chandler Powell and mom Terri Irwin and brother Robert Irwin 

Page 14: Together Again -- stars are reunited and it feels so good -- a socially distanced picnic with the Today family: Hoda Kotb and Al Roker and Craig Melvin and Savannah Guthrie and Carson Daly, Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay, David Spade and Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider, Courteney Cox and Jennifer Aniston, Selma Blair and Sarah Michelle Gellar, Andy Cohen and Bethenny Frankel 

Page 16: Match Makers -- these celebs are tennis aces -- Kylie Jenner, Serena Williams and daughter Alexis Olympia, Gavin Rossdale, Pete Wentz, Maria Sharapova and Hilary Swank 

Page 18: Stars They’re Just Like Us -- Arnold Schwarzenegger bikes, Miranda Lambert feeds her pets, Jerry O’Connell pumps gas, Joan Smalls dines outside 

Page 20: Love Lives -- Demi Lovato and Max Ehrich -- here comes the bride 

Page 21: Colin Hanks and Samantha Bryant partners for life, Blake Shelton has turned Cali girl Gwen Stefani into a country bumpkin, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Justin Mikita best year yet 

Page 22: Hot Hollywood -- RIP Regis Philbin 

Page 23: After multiple Twitter posts by Kanye West including an accusation of infidelity against wife Kim Kardashian she has met with divorce lawyers, weeks after detailed allegations about The Ellen DeGeneres Show’s toxic environment were reported parent company WarnerMedia is conducting an official investigation

Page 24: A Day in the Life -- Lucy Hale 

Page 26: Cover Story -- Royal Feud Heats Up -- Prince Harry’s last chance? -- with a shocking tell-all deepening the rift among the royals Queen Elizabeth demands that Prince Harry return home to make amends 

Page 30: The Tales of Folklore -- with its coded nods to famous ex-lovers and adversarial music execs how to decipher Taylor Swift’s latest 

Page 32: Hollywood Moms  

Page 36: Molly Sims on kids Brooks and Scarlett and Grey 

Page 37: Padma Lakshmi on daughter Krishna, Phaedra Parks’ kids haven’t met her boyfriend Medina Islam yet, DeAnna Pappas’ kids don’t understand their mom’s history on reality TV 

Page 38: Grade-A gear 

Page 42: Us Musts -- Christina Anstead on Christina on the Coast 

Page 43: Jerry O’Connell on The Secret: Dare to Dream 

Page 46: Fashion Police -- cape edition -- Erika Jayne, Regina Spektor, Kat Graham 

Page 47: Coco Richa, Young Thug, Celine Dion 

Page 48: 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me -- Melissa Gilbert 

[otterfluff]

Celebrating Diverse Books!

Reviewed by Anna-Celestrya Carr with help from her twins.

I’m so happy to have the opportunity to review three picture books for the 5th Annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day. A day to learn, share, and talk about the fantastic diverse literature available for young readers. It was a joy to share these stories with my twin three-year-old boys.

Disclosure: I received the following three books from their authors to give an honest review for #MCBD2018.

As an Indigenous woman with two little boys, finding them diverse stories is very important to me.  As biracial children I want them to have books that reflect their Indigenous heritage as well as stories from as many cultural backgrounds as possible. I want my boys to have the opportunity to not only see a representation of themselves in stories but find a connection to diverse characters.

A Tall Tale About a Dachshund and a Pelican How a Friendship Came to Be, written by Kizzie Jones, illustrated by Scott Ward and published by Tall Tales. This is a simple story about making friends regardless of differences and celebrating diversity.

This delightful flip-over bilingual English-Spanish picture book is a sequel to Kizzie Jones award-winning book How Dachshunds Came to Be. The illustrations are beautiful. As someone who grew up with a dachshund, I thought the artist portrayed the exuberance of Goldie the dachshund perfectly. Dog lovers will adore this story.

This tale is about the excitement of a dog wanting to make a new friend. The lesson to take away is unmistakable: you can like and appreciate someone without being similar.

It held the attention of both twins on our first reading. I can see it becoming a recurring book for story time. It is a charming sequel to the Tall Tale Series.

The next two picture books I have the pleasure of reviewing are Sporty Lou Soccer King and Johnny Skip 2 The Amazing Adventures of Johnny Skip 2 in Australia written by Quentin Holmes and published by Holmes Investment & Holdings LLC.

The illustrations in both Sporty Lou and Johnny Skip 2 have a cheerfulness to them. The bright color palette works well for both stories. It’s impressive that both books are drawn using the same style and the two little boys are completely different. The characters and background in each book are diverse.

Sporty Lou Soccer King is a story about Lou a spirited little boy being taught soccer for the first time. In Lou’s fantastic imagination his self-confidence is shown as he pictures a stadium full of people cheering his name. Lou’s disappointment in not being a naturally gifted player shakes that confidence.  Lou’s dad wants to share this great game with him and doesn’t let Lou stay discouraged. He gently teaches and encourages Lou to persevere.

Lou is a little boy with dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, and cappuccino skin color. He is ethnically ambiguous and could be any nationality. It’s possible a child from any race could look at Lou and see themselves or someone familiar. He’s every child.

I like the two sides we see of Lou; he pictures himself as a sports star and he’s a small boy who as he struggles, and misses finds the determination to keep trying.

Many kids who love sports will enjoy this book. But, I think the lesson of perseverance in Sporty Lou is important for any child to hear. I appreciated the thoughtful way the dad taught and corrected Lou. Sporty Lou Soccer King is an enjoyable read out load book.

Johnny Skip 2 The Amazing Adventures of Johnny Skip 2 in Australia is a story about Johnny, a black little boy, and his dog Grounder who use a remarkable device to skip all over the world.  They go to Australia to explore the outback and help a kangaroo.

This story has a lot going on for a picture book and it didn’t hold my three-year-old boys’ attention. I think it would be better enjoyed by kids five to seven.

This interactive adventure is an ambitious series that combines science and magic. The book teaches about the culture, language, animals, and environment of a continent. The story presents a lot of information on Australia quickly, but this causes the rhyme structure and rhythm of the text to feel forced making it difficult to read out loud.

I’m interested to see what is next for both Sporty Lou and Johnny Skip 2 in their series.

Reading diversity in fiction creates empathy and understanding in real life. These three books reflect a piece of our diverse, beautiful and complicated world.  I’d like to thank Kizzie Jones and Quentin Holmes for contributing their stories to Multicultural Children’s Book Day.

 Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2017 (1/27/18) is in its 5th year and was founded by Valarie Budayr from Jump Into A Book and Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom. Our mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in home and school bookshelves while also working diligently to get more of these types of books into the hands of young readers, parents and educators.  

Current Sponsors:  MCBD 2018 is honored to have some amazing Sponsors on board.

2018 MCBD Medallion Sponsors

HONORARY: Children’s Book Council, Junior Library Guild

PLATINUM:Scholastic Book Clubs

GOLD:Audrey Press, Candlewick Press, Loving Lion Books, Second Story Press, Star Bright Books, Worldwide Buddies

SILVER:Capstone Publishing, Author Charlotte Riggle, Child’s Play USA, KidLit TV, Pack-n-Go Girls, Plum Street Press

BRONZE: Barefoot Books, Carole P. Roman, Charlesbridge Publishing, Dr. Crystal Bowe, Gokul! World, Green Kids Club, Gwen Jackson, Jacqueline Woodson, Juan J. Guerra, Language Lizard, Lee & Low Books, RhymeTime Storybooks, Sanya Whittaker Gragg, TimTimTom Books, WaterBrook & Multnomah, Wisdom Tales Press

 2018 Author Sponsors

Honorary Author Sponsors: Author/Illustrator Aram Kim and Author/Illustrator Juana Medina

Author Janet Balletta, Author Susan Bernardo,  Author Carmen Bernier-Grand, Author Tasheba Berry-McLaren and Space2Launch, Bollywood Groove Books, Author Anne Broyles,  Author Kathleen Burkinshaw, Author Eugenia Chu, Author Lesa Cline-Ransome, Author Medeia Cohan and Shade 7 Publishing, Desi Babies, Author Dani Dixon and Tumble Creek Press, Author Judy Dodge Cummings, Author D.G. Driver, Author Nicole Fenner and Sister Girl Publishing, Debbi Michiko Florence, Author Josh Funk, Author Maria Gianferrari, Author Daphnie Glenn, Globe Smart Kids, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, Author Quentin Holmes, Author Esther Iverem, Jennifer Joseph: Alphabet Oddities, Author Kizzie Jones, Author Faith L Justice , Author P.J. LaRue and MysticPrincesses.com, Author Karen Leggett Abouraya, Author Sylvia Liu, Author Sherri Maret, Author Melissa Martin Ph.D., Author Lesli Mitchell, Pinky Mukhi and We Are One, Author Miranda Paul, Author Carlotta Penn, Real Dads Read, Greg Ransom, Author Sandra L. Richards, RealMVPKids Author Andrea Scott, Alva Sachs and Three Wishes Publishing, Shelly Bean the Sports Queen,  Author Sarah Stevenson, Author Gayle H. Swift Author Elsa Takaoka, Author Christine Taylor-Butler, Nicholette Thomas and  MFL Publishing  Author Andrea Y. Wang, Author Jane Whittingham  Author Natasha Yim

We’d like to also give a shout-out to MCBD’s impressive CoHost Team who not only hosts the book review link-up on celebration day, but who also works tirelessly to spread the word of this event. View our CoHosts HERE.

TWITTER PARTY Sponsored by Scholastic Book Clubs: MCBD’s super-popular (and crazy-fun) annual Twitter Party will be held 1/27/18 at 9:00pm.

Join the conversation and win one of 12-5 book bundles and one Grand Prize Book Bundle (12 books) that will be given away at the party! http://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/twitter-party-great-conversations-fun-prizes-chance-readyourworld-1-27-18/

Free Multicultural Books for Teachers: http://bit.ly/1kGZrta

Free Empathy Classroom Kit for Homeschoolers, Organizations, Librarians and Educators: http://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/teacher-classroom-empathy-kit/

Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.

[triangle-dog]

An Unidentified Illness Is Killing Dogs in Michigan, Officials Say

Veterinarians are not sure how contagious the malady is. Most of the dogs affected so far have been under the age of two, an official said.

By Eduardo Medina and Remy Tumin

Aug. 22, 2022 Updated 5:49 p.m. ET

An unidentified illness has been sickening and killing dozens of dogs in Michigan in recent weeks, puzzling veterinarians who are racing to determine whether it’s contagious and if there are treatments, local officials said.

Most of the affected dogs have been under the age of two. The Otsego County Animal Shelter in Gaylord, Mich., reported that the illness had killed more than 20 dogs in the county, some within a few days of showing symptoms. Those symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea and bloody stools, according to a statement from Melissa FitzGerald, the director of the shelter.

Ms. FitzGerald said that while veterinarians were still not sure what the cause of the illness is, “the best guess” is that it is a new strain of parvovirus, a disease that particularly affects puppies and causes bouts of bloody diarrhea and vomiting.

The state has found some evidence of parvovirus — which spreads from dog to dog, strikes in their gastrointestinal tracts and can be lethal. But when the dogs have been tested for that virus at the clinic, the tests have come back negative, Ms. FitzGerald said.

“We have not spoken to this until now because we really don’t know anything,” she said. “The only thing is to make sure your pets are vaccinated and, at the first sign of illness, get to the veterinarian.”

There have been reports of infections in Northern and Central Michigan, according to the Otsego County Animal Shelter. Rudi Hicks, the animal control director in Clare County, Mich., told the Clare County Cleaver last week that there was no treatment for the dogs’ ailments yet.

She advised residents in the area: “Keep your dogs home, don’t take them to dog parks, don’t walk them.”

Dr. Nora Wineland, Michigan’s state veterinarian, said officials were at the beginning stages of investigating the “parvo-like” illness but the state’s laboratory only had four specimens to analyze, some of which did test positive for the parvovirus.

“We’re really in the early states of trying to understand what is going on,” Dr. Wineland said. “It could be that the test was unable to detect the parvovirus, or it was too early in the infection perhaps, or it could be it’s a different strain. These are some of the things we’re thinking about.”

Pet owners and clinicians are not required to report parvovirus to the state, and much of the reporting so far has been anecdotal, Dr. Wineland said. She said it was “definitely not time to panic” but for pet owners to make sure their dogs are up-to-date on their schedule of shots.

“If a dog is vaccinated, they will be in a much better place and less likely to get severe disease and need supportive treatment to keep them alive,” she said.

Parvovirus is “very hardy” and “highly transmissible,” Dr. Wineland said, especially if dogs have a questionable vaccination history or are too young to be vaccinated. Parvovirus is a fecal-oral illness and spreads through dogs’ waste so it is especially important for them to be fully vaccinated, she said.

“Cleaning up after your pet protects the next pet,” she said. “Dogs love to sniff that.”

Dave Eagle, a Gaylord resident, said his 10-month-old silver Labrador retriever named Smokey, who is fully vaccinated, began showing symptoms about three weeks ago. Instead of Smokey being his usual “ball of energy” self, he was lethargic and vomiting. “One day we woke up and he did not want to do a whole lot,” Mr. Eagle said. “Being a 10-month old Lab and being very energetic, he was not with it.”

What followed were multiple visits to Smokey’s veterinarian and the veterinary hospital at Michigan State University, where he spent the day receiving “just about every test known to man,” including an ultrasound, and nothing came up. Doctors put him on a special diet of chicken and rice, and Smokey is now bouncing back, Mr. Eagle said.

“It’s been over $2,500 in vet bills, plus time away from work to travel to vets,” he said. “Not to mention the stress and lack of sleep dealing with it all. It’s been stressful, especially for my kids. He’s their best bud.”

“It’s very weird. We don’t know what it is but it’s got people on edge,” he added.

Mr. Eagle urged pet owners to “get help immediately” if they are worried about their dog. “The faster you take care of it, the better off you are,” he said.

dog plague in mi has me so uneasy rn 

[hub-pub-bub]

Whether you’re headed to the beach or the park or simply enjoying a warm summer evening at home, don’t forget to reach for a good book. I never think of reading as an escape from reality. Rather, I see it as an opportunity to look back at the world we live in through an entirely different point of view. Writers imagine, and then ask us to imagine with them. Who could resist such an invitation?

Below are 10 books by Latino authors that are sure to take you on 10 quite distinct and unforgettable journeys.

1. Elizabeth Acevedo,

"With the Fire on High"

(Harper Teen)

The author of the multiple award-winning book "The Poet X" (2018) is back with a second powerful story set in Philadelphia featuring another strong Dominican woman. Emoni Santiago is a young mother learning to navigate adulthood with her role as a caretaker as she prepares to leave high school. She’s resourceful and responsible, but her daughter and grandmother are dependent on her, which presents challenges to her dreams of attending culinary school. But she still has a talent for cooking — and that’s the magic that’s going to get her through some tough decisions, a few mistakes and unexpected opportunities she didn't know were possible. Teenage motherhood, she learns, doesn’t have to be an obstacle. "With the Fire on High" is yet another incredible portrait of womanhood by a truly gifted writer.

2. Norma Cantú,

"Cabañuelas: A Novel"

(University of New Mexico Press)

Author of the Chicano classic "Canícula: Snapshots of a Girlhood en la Frontera" (1997), Cantú takes a similar “snapshot” narrative approach in this long-awaited sequel. This time, the collision and collaboration of worlds is not on the U.S.-Mexico border but in Spain, as Nena, a young scholar, sets out to research the roots of Laredo, Texas, history in Madrid. There, she is smitten by Paco, a young Spaniard who becomes her anchor as her findings pull her back to her beloved home through the pangs of memory and nostalgia. Not only does Nena enrich her understanding of Laredo’s colonial past, she witnesses the resilience of culture, religion and folklore that survive despite conflict and oppressive governments. Cabañuelas will renew interest in Cantú’s previous work as well as earn her a new generation of fans.

3. Ann Dávila Cardinal,

"Five Midnights"

(Tor Teen)

The Latin American bogeyman, El Cuco, steps out of the urban legend and onto the streets of Puerto Rico. Dávila Cardinal reawakens this mythical monster and sets him loose to inflict death upon the island. But she also introduces an unconventional heroine, Lupe Dávila, a fearless and adventurous “Gringarican,” to contend with this malevolence and bring some peace of mind to her cousin, whom she believes might be El Cuco’s next victim. But as Lupe and her ghost-hunting partner come closer to solving this mystery, a frightening thought seizes them: What if El Cuco comes for them? "Five Midnights" is a page-turning supernatural thriller that offers surprising glimpses into Puerto Rican society’s struggle with drug addiction, making El Cuco a metaphor for a social ill that needs to be confronted at the risk of becoming defeated by it.

4. Kali Fajardo-Anstine, "Sabrina & Corina" (One World)

The 11 stories in this powerhouse debut take place in Colorado, whose natural beauty collides with the hardscrabble lives of Latinas and indigenous women who will or will not survive its urban dangers. The title story is especially poignant, about two cousins whose fates diverge and then intersect again when one is enlisted to do the makeup on the other's dead body. In “Remedies,” a mother finds her maternal instincts pulled between protecting her daughter and rescuing her former husband’s neglected son. In yet a third story, “Tomi,” a woman recently released from prison gets an eye-opening reception from her old stomping grounds, which have since been gentrified. Stylistically superb, with crisp dialogue and unforgettable characters, "Sabrina & Corina" introduces an impressive new talent to American letters.

5. Jaime Manrique, "Like This Afternoon Forever"(Akashic/Kaylie Jones Books)

A seasoned and venerated writer, Manrique sets his newest novel in his native Colombia, to reckon with the “false positive” scandal, in which the military lured unsuspecting civilians to their deaths and then presented the bodies as defeated insurgents in order to inflate their victories. The truth comes to light in the eyes of two seminary students with a secret of their own — they have fallen in love — but this spiritual crisis is not as threatening as the dangers they will confront as they fulfill their duty to help the needy and the poor. Manrique’s elegant prose anchors this explosive storyline to the intimacy of love. Lucas and Ignacio shape a relationship despite the horrors of their broken nation and become the truest testament to the power of faith. Another excellent novel by a master storyteller.

6. Pablo Medina,

"The Cuban Comedy"

(Unnamed Press)

Taking place just after the Cuban Revolution, Medina’s latest novel follows the misadventures of a young poet from the country who calls into question her own literary and political ideals once she relocates to Havana, where she has a front seat to the follies of the Castro regime. Elena of Piedra Negra wants to continue to believe in, and be inspired by, the great causes of her country, but after one rude awakening after another, that fire slowly begins to peter out. Medina, the child of exiles, has written an extensive body of work critical of communist Cuba but not without praising its culture and rich history. "The Cuban Comedy," part satire and part requiem to broken dreams, is yet another literary triumph for Medina, one that measures up to his best novels, "The Return of Félix Nogara" (2000) and "The Cigar Roller" (2005).

7. Matt Méndez,

"Barely Missing Everything"

(Atheneum)

Set in El Paso, Texas, and narrated by three characters, "Barely Missing Everything" takes an honest look at the ways people allow themselves to fantasize, if only to experience temporary joy. Juan and his best friend JD want to make it big in the world, he in sports and his friend in the movies, but these dreams are shaken up by the discovery that an inmate named Mando might well be the father that Juan’s mother, Fabi, claims is dead. As the teens set out to uncover the truth, they are keenly aware that this road trip is an excuse to flee their troubled families and the violence that ravages their barrio. Mendez’s heartbreaking and beautiful story offers stunning insights into the lives of working-class citizens living on the borderlands — a place of difficult choices, but also of persistent possibility.

8. Lilliam Rivera,

"Dealing in Dreams"

(Simon & Schuster)

The future has arrived. The men who destroyed the old world are now the worker bees or the eye candy of Mega City, a place ruled by women. But a new world’s new rules don’t make it necessarily easier for a young fighter like Nalah, who has to battle her way up to the exclusive circles of this dystopian society. Nalah, the tough-minded leader of a girl gang, will eventually come to terms with her blind ambitions and her insights about violence and power in a place that was not supposed to repeat the mistakes of the past. Arrestingly thought-provoking and entirely original, "Dealing in Dreams" surpasses the promise of Rivera’s debut, "The Education of Margot Sanchez" (2017). This second book raises the stakes in addressing the question: What is one willing to sacrifice for the sake of fulfilling one’s dreams?

9. Melissa Rivero,

"The Affairs of the Falcóns"

(Ecco Press)

Rivero’s heart-wrenching novel tells the story of Ana and Lucho Falcón, a couple who fled Perú in the 1990s to escape hardship. But life in New York City as an undocumented family doesn’t guarantee the housing and employment opportunities they once dreamed about. They encounter challenges at every turn, particularly from those closest to them, and Ana, an indigenous woman, becomes vulnerable to the sexual advances of those who hold power over her. Rivero’s exceptional portrayal of this immigration tale takes a hard look at the conditions that leave Latin Americans with little or no choice but to exchange their difficult lives at home for places that can be just as troubling. Rivero offers no lessons in this promising debut, only a bittersweet dose of reality and outstanding characterizations.

10. Aida Salazar,

"The Moon Within"

(Arthur A. Levine Books)

Salazar takes the private subject of menstruation and ushers it into a public discourse with this charming novel in verse. Celie’s body is changing, and so are the people around her, including her best friend, Marco, who is embracing a gender fluid identity, and her crush, Iván, who is finally taking notice of her. And then there’s her mother, who insists Celie participate in a Mexica ceremony initiating her into womanhood. Celie must decide for herself what she’s willing to share, accept or reject as she enters the next stage of her life: adolescence. This heartwarming story will invite comparisons to the Judy Blume classic "Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret," but it will stand on its own as a formidable entry in the literature of young women defining their own special connections to their bodies.

[alisonroseishere]

HEY YOU, READ THESE BOOKS

Apparently, today is National Book Lovers Day, which obviously is every single day in my life. But I am all about making it A Thing to encourage MOAR READING and to get people talking about books and posting about books and books books books.

So how about a list of book recommendations? This is gonna be very random, just some of my all-time faves that I loved reading and think you will love reading, too. (I’m not gonna give summaries or anything because I’m lazy. Putting in the links is enough work, just trust me that they are ALL VERY GOOD SO JUST CLICK THROUGH AND GET ‘EM.) ADULT FICTION:

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood

Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho

Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros

An Untamed State by Roxane Gay

My Brilliant Friend (and sequels) by Elena Ferrante 

Sula by Toni Morrison

The Hummingbird’s Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea

Out by Natsuo Kirino 

The World We Found by Thrity Umrigar

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Night at the Fiestas by Kirstin Valdez Quade

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Bleak House by Charles Dickens

Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones

It’s Not Love, It’s Just Paris by Patricia Engel

The Good Lord Bird by James McBride

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

YOUNG ADULT FICTION:

Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older

All the Rage by Courtney Summers

Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Clockwork Angel (and sequels) by Cassandra Clare

Graceling by Kristen Cashore

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Ash by Malindo Lo

Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero

Daughter of Smoke and Bone (and sequels) by Laini Taylor

The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson

When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore

Bone Gap by Laura Ruby

Pointe by Brandy Colbert

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by emily danforth

Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind by Meg Medina

NON-FICTION:

The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee

The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell

Trampling Out the Vintage by Frank Bardacke

Stuck in the Middle With You by Jennifer Finney Boylan

Sister Citizen by Melissa Harris-Perry

Believe Me by Eddie Izzard

The Fiery Trial by Eric Foner

Unsportsmanlike Conduct by Jessica Luther

Women of Will by Tina Packer

In Order to Live by Yeonmi Park

A Cross of Thorns by Elias Castillo

Irritable Hearts by Mac McLelland

Slavery By Another Name by Douglas Blackmon

Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

Redefining Realness by Janet Mock

The Child Catchers by Kathryn Joyce

My Beloved World by Justice Sonia Sotomayor

India Calling by Anand Giridharadas

Parallel Worlds by Michio Kaku

The Spirit Level by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett

The Girls Who Went Away by Ann Fessler

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks by Jeanne Theoharis

Parting the Waters/Pillar of Fire/At Canaan’s Edge by Taylor Branch

[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1256

Monday April 1, 2019

 Call me an April fool. I thought that the pure joy of comic book collecting was going the way of the Dodo bird but judging from the attendance of yesterday's Capital Comic Book Convention I'm glad to say I am mistaken. No celebrities. No cosplay. No special events. Just a room full of vendors who also love the hobby and collectors looking for unique and fun comics. I want to thank my partner Chris for all his hard work. He made Jee-Riz's booth a standout in the room. "You don't see this sort of stuff very often" was heard more than once.

 Archie #703 - Nick Spencer (writer) Sandy Jarrell (artist) Matt Herms (colours) Jack Morelli (letters). So much going on. We find out who attacks Jughead in the woods and why. I want to be a roadie for Josey and the Pussycats. Betty and Veronica enlists the aid of Cheryl Blossom to ferret out if Archie has a new girlfriend. As long as it's not Betty I'm not jealous of the ginger bonehead.

 Avengers #17/LGY #707 - Jason Aaron (writer) David Marquez (art) Erick Arciniega (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). This issue has some of the cheesiest dialogue I have ever read. I really hope that the Vampire War is over. This Avengers team is a bit too goody two shoes for me.

 Batman #67 - Tom King (writer) Lee Weeks & Jorge Fornes (art) Lovern Kindzierski (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). Knightmares part 5. Batman's in his Batman: Year One costume chasing a masked killer. You'll feel like you're watching a Roadrunner cartoon. The guy in the mask is William Ernest Coyote. You're in for a shock when Batman unmasks him.

 Savage Sword of Conan #3 - Gerry Duggan (writer) Ron Garney (art) Richard Isanove (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). Conan is captured by the evil wizard Koga Thun but manages to escape to continue his search for treasure. It looks like he's got to fight zombies to get to the treasure. I got all excited when I saw the cover showing Conan fighting alongside Belit but nothing like that happens at all inside. I'm not reading any more of these. I don't like being played for a sucker.

 Immortal Hulk #15 - Al Ewing (writer) Joe Bennett (pencils) Ruy Jose (inks) Paul Mounts (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). I love this couch session with Doc Samson and the Hulk, sans couch. The two talk it out after a sniper shoots Betty and the Hulk. Some of the stuff they talk about is quite insightful. You think they're trying to find Betty but they're not. Their final destination is a surprise.

 Thor #11 - Jason Aaron (writer) Lee Garbett (art) Antonio Fabela (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). Thor goes looking for his best friend thinking he's going to need all the help he can get in the coming War of the Realms. The Lady Freyja has to make her son stop his foolish search. I like the little snippets showing characters we haven't seen in a while and I can't wait to see what their roles are in the war. Get ready true believers, Malekith is about to invade Midgard.

 Avengers LGY #714: No Road Home #7 - Jim Zub, Mark Waid & Al Ewing (writers) Paco Medina (art) Jesus Aburtov (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). This issue features Monica Rambeau/Spectrum. Who better to fight the Queen of Darkness than a being of light. The last page made up for the disappointment I felt reading Savage Sword of Conan #3.

 Heroes in Crisis #7 - Tom King (writer) Clay Mann (art pages 1-6, 11, 17,-19, 23-24) Travis Moore (art pages 8-10, 13, 14-16, 20-21) Jorge Fornes (art pages 7, 12, 22) Tomeu Morey (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). You could read this one issue and it wouldn't make a lick of sense unless you've read the previous 6. I even had a hard time understanding what's going on and I've read every issue. I think the only reason I'm going to read the last two issues is to find out if anything makes sense in the end.

 Hulkverines #2 - Greg Pak (writer) Guiu Vilanova (art) Morry Hollowell with Chris Sotomayor (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). We go from Hulkverine, the Hulk and Wolverine fighting each other to the three of them teaming up. Meanwhile the Leader and Doctor Alba, who created Hulkverine, do the super villain equivalent of what the three super heroes did. The result is going to be very interesting. This is the first I've seen of Guiu Vilanova's art and I think it's great.

 Ironheart #4 - Eve L. Ewing (writer) Luciano Vecchio (art) Geoffo (layouts) Matt Milla (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). It's a rematch with Midnight's Fire. This new super villain reminds me of Miles's uncle Aaron AKA the Prowler. I hope there isn't too much overlap between these two young super heroes, otherwise I will get bored with one of them.

 The Avant-Guards #3 - Carly Usdin (writer) Noah Hayes (art) Rebecca Nalty (colours) Ed Dukeshire (letters). The team has their first practice and play their first game. Major points to Noah for showing the players following through on their shots. I used to love playing basketball but never made my high school team. So I ended up managing both junior and senior teams and got to practice with them. I would love to find someone my own age to shoot some hoops with right now.

 Black Widow #3 - Jen & Sylvia Soska (writers) Flaviano (art) Veronica Gandini (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). Natasha's mission to shut down an online pay-per-view torture site goes horribly wrong. I can't wait to see how she gets out of this predicament.

 Sabrina the teenage witch #1 - Kelly Thompson (writer) Veronica Fish & Andy Fish (art) Jack Morelli (letters). This new comic book is more like the TV show than the gritty ghoulish title that was on the racks a while ago. I liked the old show but haven't seen the new one. I had a crush on Melissa Joan Hart. I really like the writing and art in this so it's going on my "must read" list.

 Dial H for Hero #1 - Sam Humphries (writer) Joe Quinones (art) Dave Sharpe (letters). I mainly bought Marvel comics when I got more spending money and could afford new comic books but I did buy this DC title because I liked the concept. Robby Reed was this nerdy kid who finds a rotary telephone dial that changed him into a different super hero whenever he dialled H-E-R-O. he always had different powers and a different costume. This updated version has a kid named Miguel who is an adrenaline junky. An old timey telephone, the whole thing with handset this time, appears before him as he's plummeting towards certain death and he changes into Monster Truck. The Monster Truck pages are quite Kirbyesque. Throw in a page with Damian/ Robin, Lobo, Snapper Carr, Angel and the Ape, Harley Quinn and Alfred and I am hooked. I liked the town troublemaker Summer too. I am looking forward to seeing their further adventures.

 Doctor Strange #12 - Mark Waid (writer) Barry Kitson (pencils) Scott Koblish (inks) Brian Reber (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Herald Supreme part 1. Stephen Strange is bored but he won't be for long. An alien from a warrior race of mystics comes to Earth to ask Doctor Strange how he defeated Galactus. I guess there's no Marvel comics where this guy is from. Seems the world eater is fixing to eat his planet. The super aggressive Zoloz manages to steal all of Doc Strange's mystical power and banishes Galactus in the Mystic Realms. Read this issue to find out why that's a bad idea. Now it's up to Stephen to keep the big purple planet eater from feeding and destroying our universe too.

 Action Comics #1009 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Steve Epting (art) Brad Anderson (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). Leviathan Rising part 3. Lois is pissed at Amanda Waller but she reigns in her anger to come up with a plan to find out what Leviathan is. We get to see what Gold Kryptonite does, which is kind of cool. It's fun when something new gets added to a story. Superman's transformation surprised me.

 Sharkey the bounty hunter #2 - Mark Millar (writer) Simone Bianchi (art & colours) Peter Doherty (letters). This one's a fun space romp. The hunter finds his prey but she's not going to come along quietly.

 The Superior Spider-Man #4 - Christos Gage (writer) Mike Hawthorne (pencils) Wade von Grawbadger (inks) Jordie Bellaire (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). I hope this change is permanent but it's going to take some getting used to calling Otto but his new identity Elliot. I like how Anna Maria is the woman behind the man. She teaches him a lesson in humility in this issue. Now I have a craving for Polish sausage.

 Shazam #4 - Geoff Johns (writer) Dale Eaglesham & Marco Santucci (art) Mike Atiyeh (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). Yay, my wish came true. We meet Tawky Tawny the tiger in the first 6 pages. This version is quite dapper. The kids get separated with two in the Wildlands, two in the Gamelands and Mary and Billy in the Funlands, contrary to what the cover shows. Who's going to rescue the Marvel Family? The last page will enlighten you. I'm not excited about the movie hitting theatres on April 5 but if it's as good as this comic book, I might go see it.

 Fantastic Four #8 - Dan Slott (writer) Aaron Kuder, Stefano Caselli, David Marquez & Reilly Brown (art) Matt Yackey (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). Did someone forget to tell cover artist Esad Ribic that Victorious was female? Doctor Doom has captured both Galactus and the Fantastic Four. He's siphoning off the former's cosmic power and is going to execute the latter. Reed, Sue, Ben and Johnny are sure in a pickle. I can't wait to see how they get out of it.

 The Amazing Spider-Man #18 - Nick Spencer (writer) Humberto Ramos (pencils) Victor Olazaba (inks) Edgar Delgado & Erick Arciniega (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). Hunted part 2. There's a spectre of danger hovering over Mary Jane in the side story. That's always a good plot twist to keep a Spider-Man fan hooked.

 Daredevil #3 - Chip Zdarsky (writer) Marco Checchetto (art) Sunny Gho (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Know Fear part 3. Daredevil's been shot and is about to be arrested for murder. Detective Cole North aims to bring the suspect in no matter what it takes. I wonder if Canadian Chip Zdarsky picked that name as an inside joke? Just when the "tough-as-nails" ex-Chicago cop is about to succeed, Daredevil is rescued. I chuckled when I saw who it was, and it's not Man-Thing.

 Detective Comics #1000 - Is this worth $9.99 US? You bet your sweet bippy it is. I might even buy one for myself, but which cover to pick? Here are the choices.

 Main cover by Jim Lee (pencils) Scott Williams (inks) & Alex Sinclair (colours)

1930s by Steve Rude (art)

1940s by Bruce Timm (art)

1950s by Michael Cho (art)

1960s by Jim Steranko (art)

1970s by Bernie Wrightson (art) & Alex Sinclair (colours)

1980s by Frank Miller (art) & Alex Sinclair (colours)

1990s by Tim Sale (art) & Brennan Wagner (colours)

2000s by Jock (art)

2010s by Greg Capullo (art) & FCO Plascencia (colours)

 We get 3 pin-ups by:

Mikel Janin (art)

Jason Fabok (art) & Brad Anderson (colours)

Amanda Conner (art) & Paul Mounts (colours)

 Then there's all the terrific stories inside that not only shows Batman as a crime fighter but more importantly for this title as a consummate crime solver. You will find all of Batman's family and rogues gallery in here. I loved how this issue was a feast for the eyes too. I'm just going to list the titles of the stories and their creative teams. If you don't buy a copy for your comic book collection then you're missing out on what will be a classic. With a line up like this you can't lose.

 Longest Case by Scott Snyder (writer) Greg Capullo (pencils) Jonathan Glapion (inks) FCO Plascencia (colours) & Tom Napolitano (letters).

Manufacture for Use by Kevin Smith (writer) Jim Lee (pencils) Scott Williams (inks) & Alex Sinclair (colours) & Todd Klein (letters).

The Legend of Knute Brody by Paul Dini (writer) Dustin Nguyen (pencils) Derek Fridolfs (inks) John Kalisz (colours) & Steve Wands (letters).

The Batman's Design by Warren Ellis (writer) Becky Cloonan (art) Jordie Bellaire (colours) & Simon Bowland (letters).

Return to Crime Alley by Denny O'Neil (writer) Steve Epting (art) Elizabeth Breitweiser (colours) & AndWorld Design (letters).

Heretic by Christopher Priest (writer) Neal Adams (art) Dave Stewart (colours) & Willie Schubert (letters).

I Know by Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Alex Maleev (art & colours) & Josh Reed (letters).

The Last Crime in Gotham by Geoff Johns (writer) Kelley Jones (art) Michelle Madsen (colours) Rob Leigh (letters).

The Precedent by James Tynion IV (writer) Alvaro Martinez-Bueno (pencils) Raul Fernandez (inks) Brad Anderson (colours) & Sal Cipriano (letters).

Batman's Greatest Case by Tom King (writer) Tony S. Daniel & Joelle Jones (art) Tomeu Morey (colours) & Clayton Cowles (letters).

And finally Medieval by Peter J. Tomasi (writer) Doug Mahnke (pencils) Jaime Mendoza & Doug Mahnke (inks) David Baron (colours) & Rob Leigh (letters).

 That last story introduces a new (at least to me) Gotham City crime fighter named the Arkham Knight. His story continues in Detective Comics #1001 and I'm going to snag that issue off the racks to find out who he is.

[gayreads]

february 2019 reads

1. Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina - ugh, I love Meg Medina. such a good soul. as someone who lost a grandma to Alzheimer’s, I really appreciated this book for young people that dealt with that particular struggle. Merci is a fantastic character and voice. this is a great book.

2. Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust - it was okay? Mina’s character arc was a lot more interesting that Lynette’s.

3. Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty by Christine Hepperman - Christine is a great poet, and as usual, I enjoy reading her work. the pictures were silly and didn’t really mesh with the writing most of the time. some of the poems didn’t seem to be on theme. still a quick and good read.

4. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo - speaking of good poetry! amazing, amazing writing. I can see why it got all those awards. sadly I wasn’t able to meet Elizabeth as I’d plan, since the event at school got cancelled due to snow. I would’ve loved to see her speak.

5. Harriet the Invincible by Ursula Vernon - hilarious. a really creative twist on Sleeping Beauty.

6. I Was a Rat! by Philip Pullman - I didn’t understand what this book was about until the very end. what’s wrong with me? I don’t know. it was fine.

7. A Wolf at the Door, ed. Ellen Datlow - I read this on accident. I thought I had to read the whole thing for class instead of just one story. a really weird collection of fairytale retellings, some of them pretty good (”Swans,” whatever that Garth Nix thing was), some of them eh.

8. I, Claudia by Mary McCoy - part of the genre that my best friend calls “rich white kids being horrible”. I really liked this one, and I’m glad its Printz Honor brought it to my attention. gets unexpectedly real toward the end.

9. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll - SPOOKY. I liked it.

10. Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue - now here are some good fairytale retellings. I had to read a lot of those this month, for class, and this was the collection I enjoyed most. it’s gay. thank you Emma. also, my cat ate this book’s cover, rip.

11. The Lost Heir (Wings of Fire Graphic Novel) by Tui T. Sutherland, illus. Mike Holmes - idk. I like dragons.

12. The Real Boy by Anne Ursu - unfortunately, I had to speed read this one, so I probably didn’t get as much out of it as I would have. definitely an interesting book. I can’t decide if the representation of autistic children was good or not, not being autistic myself, but you can tell that Ursu was trying very hard to dismantle harmful fantasy stereotypes.

for march

1. Damsel by Elana Arnold (currently reading)

2. The Recovering by Leslie Jamison (currently reading)

3. We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia

4. A People’s Future of the United States, ed. Victor LaValle

5. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (if I have time - this book is enormous)

6. The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson

7. Bone Gap by Laura Ruby (reread)

[goarticletec-blog]

Man sold his company for $1.4B, now he's starting over again

New Post has been published on https://www.articletec.com/man-sold-his-company-for-1-4b-now-hes-starting-over-again/

Man sold his company for $1.4B, now he's starting over again

MIAMI (AP) – If it has happened to Miami, it has happened to Manny Medina.

The resumé of one of the city’s most storied entrepreneurs reads like a history of the city’s last 40 years: boom, bust and reemergence. Immigrant. Accountant. Real estate tycoon. Failure. Billion-dollar success. Tech cheerleader. Startup entrepreneur.

And though he’s in his seventh decade, Medina is no more finished reinventing himself than the city itself.

In May 2017, Medina created Cyxtera, a Coral Gables firm whose mission is to help companies better protect their data, whether it sits in a server or in the cloud. It has already grown to more than 1,300 employees spread across the globe, with more than 100 located in Miami.

“This is bar-none the biggest undertaking we’ve ever had,” he said recently from Cyxtera’s Miracle Mile corner office. “This market is so huge. It’s not going away anytime soon – not going away in our lifetime or grandkids’ lifetime. It’s a really big problem but a big, big opportunity.”

The launch of Cyxtera takes Medina back into the business world at full speed. Six years ago, after he sold his real-estate-turned-data-center and services firm, Terremark, to Verizon for $1.4 billion, Medina was ready for a break. It didn’t last long; he soon was back investing in other tech firms and creating eMerge Americas, now the region’s premier tech conference.

In the increasingly crowded data security field – expected to be worth $52 billion by 2020 according to Allied Market Research – the young Cyxtera is still relatively unknown. Still, Medina bristles at the idea that Cyxtera is a startup, even though it would fit the generally accepted definition of one.

“This is a train going 200 miles per hour,” he said. “It didn’t stop to pick me up – I had to jump on it with my hands, my teeth, everything. It wasn’t like Terremark, building it organically and then went into M&A; mode. We started with a significantly big company and critical size. It’s a startup, but it’s one big startup.”

Already, Medina says he has an IPO in his sights. If realized, it would give Miami-Dade its first high-profile, publicly traded tech company.

In many ways, Cyxtera is a next-generation Terremark. By the time of its 2011 sale, Terremark hosted more than a dozen data centers – large, bunker-type facilities that house thousands of computer servers – in addition to the Network Access Point of the Americas, through which all Internet traffic in the region is routed.

In creating Cyxtera, Medina’s team bought 57 data centers from telecom firm CenturyLink, which was looking to shift its business emphasis. Cyxtera also bought five different cybersecurity and data-management companies, most previously parts of Medina’s Medina Capital investment firm portfolio. The total tab: nearly $3 billion. Ownership is held by Medina Capital and private equity group BC Partners, which owns the majority.

The combination of so much physical infrastructure and cybersecurity software is unique in the marketplace, says Medina.

“You have data center companies – all physical data centers – and you have (cyber)security companies,” he said. “We fundamentally started with…(cyber)security carved into the physical data center.”

Cyxtera is banking on what Medina calls a software-defined perimeter. It’s software that allows a company to control all of its data, regardless of the third-party software they’re using (like Gmail), or the device used for access. Cyxtera reduces the available “surface” a potential attacker can even see. (Think of it like a “Star Wars” cloaking device.) And what hackers can’t see, they can’t attack.

“The basic concept is, users of a resource or an app should only be given access to what they’re entitled to without seeing anything else,” he said. “Everything else is obfuscated.”

Philbert Shigh, head of Structure Research, a data center services analyst group, said that while Cyxtera is still relatively new, the acquisitions it has made give it a solid revenue base and a global data-center footprint.

What makes Cyxtera unique, he said, is the combination of infrastructure – known as co-location – and security. “They offer co-location services, but with a meaningful security wrapper around the surface…”It’s a good way to differentiate.”

Kerry Bailey, CEO of cybersecurity firm eSentire, found Cyxtera’s offering so compelling that he has signed up as a customer. Unlike Equinix, the world’s largest data-center provider, Cyxtera is marketing itself as a security-first firm.

“For us being a security company, it couldn’t just be any old data center out in the wild,” he said.

But other companies have a head start, noted Tim Crawford, founder of AVOA, an advisory group for chief information officers, and Cyxtera will need to prove its value.

“(Name-brand recognition) makes a big difference when thinking about your core infrastructure needs,” he said.

But Medina is moving quickly, thanks in part to his experienced leadership team. Many are Terramark veterans who learned the business of data storage and network services working at Terremark’s NAP of the Americas, located in a downtown Miami building off I-395 topped by giant orbs.

Cyxtera is also recruiting out-of-town experts including Greg Touhill, former president Barack Obama’s Chief Information Security Officer, and Leo Taddeo, former Special Agent in Charge of the Special Operations/Cyber Division of the FBI’s New York Office.

One key hire was Dave Aitel, a former National Security Agency engineer who joined Cyxtera as chief security technical officer when Cyxtera acquired his security company Immunity Inc. The company was a pioneer in “penetration testing, where good hackers try to break into an organization’s network to expose potential holes & vulnerabilities that bad hackers/cybercriminals/nation-states could use to get in,” explained Kelly Jackson Higgins, executive editor of information security magazine Dark Reading.

Aitel said he had received plenty of offers in the past. Medina’s personality and background drew him to Cyxtera.

“The thing about Manny, like many successful executives, he doesn’t have his ‘fight or flight’ instinct tuned correctly,” Aitel said. “He can look at something that seems impossible and continue to find ways around all the problems…We don’t look for people who have always had it good, we look to people who have overcome adversity.”

Despite its spectacular $1.4 billion exit, Terremark didn’t start out as a technology firm. Initially, it was a real estate company.

Like many Cuban-Americans of his generation, Medina came to Miami in the 1960s. He was 13.

Virtually penniless, his family first lived with relatives in a one-bedroom frame house in Liberty City. Medina’s father was a cab driver, his mother a hotel maid. Medina delivered newspapers to help make ends meet. He bounced between schools before graduating from Miami Beach High School. After some convincing from his mother, he enrolled at Miami-Dade College.

At Miami-Dade College, he said, his life changed forever. “I found a nurturing environment that I had never known,” he told Ocean Drive Magazine in 2016. “They give you that opportunity no matter what happened to you before.”

After two years, he left for Florida Atlantic University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He took a job with Price Waterhouse (now PriceWaterhouseCoopers) soon thereafter.

In 1976, he formed his own accounting firm, concentrating on consulting work for Latin American investors. But real estate was hot at the time, and in 1980 he formed Terremark.

Medina spent the next decade developing real estate, creating a footprint that stretched all the way to the Middle East but was mostly concentrated in Coconut Grove.

As the 1980s progressed, the famously bohemian enclave suddenly became home to condos and offices. In 1985, Medina convinced the Miami City Commission to change the neighborhood’s zoning so that his 22-story, 322,000-square-foot Terremark Centre (now a condo tower) could be built.

Along the way, he clashed with residents who believed he was eroding the neighborhood’s character.

The tower “will ultimately destroy our old established neighborhood in the North Grove,” MaryAnn Andrews, one of a number of Grove residents strongly opposed both to Terremark Centre and the Bayshore changes, told the Miami Herald in January 1985. “It’s going to be very glitzy, very fat on office space and parking.”

Medina would typically respond to such concerns by reminding residents their property values would end up rising if he was successful.

By 1989, according to the Miami Herald, some had come to calling the Grove “Mannyland.” That year, Medina turned 36.

Things changed practically overnight for Terremark as the new decade dawned: The collapse of Terremark Centre’s principal tenant, an event that hit right as the 1990 recession bore down, plunged the company into turmoil. By 1991, lenders moved to foreclose on Medina’s Star Island mansion.

In response, Medina moved to the Middle East for several months to rebuild schools and housing after the Persian Gulf War.

Upon his return, he settled a lawsuit related to Terremark Centre. Business picked up. One of his best known projects became the upscale but affordable Fortune House condo on Biscayne Bay in Brickell. It is now a hotel.

By the late 1990s, Medina realized his commercial real estate tenants were demanding more IT infrastructure. Soon, what had been a real-estate play turned into a Terremark’s full-scale conversion into a data center services provider. Medina also drew inspiration from seeing how his two children, Melissa (now president of eMerge Americas and the Technology Foundation of the Americas) and Manny Jr. (now bassist in country star Kip Moore’s band) were using the Internet.

“He saw it through the eyes of his kids that all this technology was becoming available – that’s kind of what triggered his interest, and how he knew it would be a big deal,” said Javier Avino, a partner at Miami law firm Bilzin Sumberg and a longtime family friend.

Terremark began building data centers and connection hubs. That effort culminated in the Network Access Point of the Americas.

And then came the dot-com bust. In January 2002, Terremark’s stock dropped more than 90 percent. Debt and cash flow issues led some to wonder whether the company would survive.

But three years later, the company was back on its feet again, thanks to the growing importance of the NAP. By then, about 90 percent of all Internet traffic into and out of Latin America traveled through the downtown Miami portal. Google and the State Department had come on as clients.

By 2011, Terremark had almost completely shed its traditional real estate portfolio to become one of the leading data centers and IT companies in the world, with 13 network hubs worldwide. That year, Verizon came calling, paying $1.4 billion to absorb the firm Medina had started 31 years earlier.

The acquisition “immediately strengthens (Verizon‘s) role as a strategic supplier to the U.S. federal government and its position in a rapidly growing Latin American market, as well as adding key assets for the white-hot global cloud computing market,” analyst Nancy Wilson wrote at the time. Verizon sold Terremark’s assets in 2017.

Even without Cyxtera, Miami’s tech scene would be less vibrant without Medina. Prior to founding Cyxtera, he created eMerge Americas in 2014. Today, it is the largest tech and startup showcase focused on the Americas. This year, the conference drew a reported 15,000 attendees.

“Emerge has for sure made a big impact on the community,” according to Brian Breslin, founder of Miami tech nonprofit Refresh Miami and now director of University of Miami’s LaunchPad. “All other conferences were temporary. His organization has managed to build something sustainable that lasts.”

The conference has featured speakers from companies as large as Amazon, IBM, and Verizon.

Michael Katz, a former president at Terremark, credits Medina with helping the city become a global hotspot. Katz is now a principal at S&K; Realty in Miami.

“Manny has played a very prominent role in helping to form Miami into a much more mature community,” Katz said. “Manny had foresight and vision to understand that Miami and South Florida should become the capital of internet technology for Americas.”

Still, Miami has a ways to go. Medina acknowledges – and data confirm – that Miami continues to lose top tech talent to other regions and sometimes struggles to compete for talent globally.

“Competing against guys in Virginia, Silicon Valley, Dallas – you’re competing with one hand tied behind your back,” he said.

But while Miami has been talking about becoming a tech hub for decades now, Medina is convinced this time is different. He points to increases in venture capital activity; the Kauffman Foundation’s ranking of Miami as the top city for startup activity in the U.S., and increasing tech-industry growth.

“With this momentum, I am confident that Miami will soon be known by all as a true tech hub,” he said.

___

Information from: The Miami Herald, http://www.herald.com

Copyright © 2018 The Washington Times, LLC.

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