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“Lions and Sheep” The Brian Bill Foundation

By
Florida Night Train
-

“Lions and Sheep”

The Brian Bill Foundation

By Florida Night Train

12/18/2022

It has become quite evident to me there are two kinds of people out there, sheep and lions.  Sheep are sheep and we all know what happens if they are left on their own, or worse leading others from their “safe space” mentality to being the prey that they are. In the case of lions, I don’t think I need to describe how badass and critically important they are to the survival of their tribe. These beasts are not to be messed with by forces outside of their tribes. They will shred the enemy mercilessly, at any cost, to protect and preserve. The thing is, like sheep, even lions have their weak days and need to be tended to. Our Special Forces, and military service men and women, are very much the lions that protect us all (their tribe). When they come back home to us, the tribe (we) should surround them with care and tend to their wounds.

The Special Operations Forces community of active duty and veterans has and continues to make significant personal sacrifices above and beyond the call of duty to protect our freedom. Our tribe. These warriors are left with invisible wounds of war—post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injuries, chronic pain—and desperately need our assistance in their recovery. Roughly 22 veterans a day commit suicide nationwide, according to the *Department of Veterans Affairs.

Special Operations Forces play a significant role in U.S. military operations and, in recent years, have been given greater responsibility for planning and conducting worldwide counterterrorism operations. U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has about 80,000 Active Duty, National Guard, and reserve personnel from all four services and Department of Defense civilians assigned to its headquarters.

The USSOCOM Care Coalition’s mission is to provide Special Operations Warriors, and their families, a model advocacy program in order to enhance their quality of life and increase special operations readiness. The Brian Bill Foundation (https://www.brianbillfoundation.org) is a therapeutic nonprofit that works closely with the Care Coalition and Naval Special Warfare.

The Brian Bill Foundation’s Warrior Healing Program begins with individual four-day therapeutic retreats for Special Operations Forces active duty, veterans and their spouses (who have been deployed since 911) and as a result have mild traumatic brain injuries, combat post-traumatic stress, and chronic pain. Their Warrior Healing Program includes the opportunity to learn about and try cutting-edge therapeutic modalities such as Equine Assisted Learning, Accelerated Resolution Therapy, yoga, meditation, breathing techniques, iRest, and nutrition. The retreats are for eight warriors or six couples focused on a team-centric approach, made up of those who share common backgrounds and experiences. These factors are key to the Warrior Healing Program’s success, as is the fact that participation is confidential.

The Brian Bill Foundation pays for all of the expenses of the program for each participant, including airfare, room, meals, treatment, and therapies. The foundation provides therapeutic support to Special Operations Forces active duty, veterans and their spouses through 5-day, all-inclusive, and fully funded retreats. The Foundation was established to honor the memory of Navy SEAL Brian R. Bill, a member of Naval Special Warfare Development Group, and all of his fellow Special Operations Warriors who have died in service to their nation since the onset of hostilities after 9/11/2001. With Christmas behind us all now being, I believe, one of the most emotional times of the year for many; I cannot think of a better time to write about an organization truly geared toward providing healing and hope for our lions, our warriors.

In speaking with Brian’s dad (Scott Bill), he spoke as only a proud and loving father would.  Brian loved motorcycling and was an exceptional man – A Navy SEAL, Special Operations Warrior, loving son and brother. He died fighting to protect our freedom. Brian’s helicopter was blown to pieces in Afghanistan, shot by the enemy’s RPG. All aboard lost their lives. Leading to that, Scott noticed Brian having nightmares, pain, fear, and all sorts of emotional indicators revealing PTSD. That’s when he started the foundation.

General Dave Scott, one of the several reputable board members of the foundation and retired from the military, is the owner of Bad Monkey (www.badmonkeyybor.com) in Ybor/Tampa, Florida. The place is very military and motorcycle oriented/themed. There is a life-sized painting of Brian on the wall before you go up the stairs. Bad Monkey Bar is dedicated to those who serve their country and/or community. You will know you are at the right place when you see 6 full sized 105 mm howitzer shells sitting on the bar with craft beer taps sticking out of them, as well as a full-sized “Flying Tigers” P-40 Warhawk crashing through the wall overhead. I highly recommend you pay a visit and most importantly, pay your respect with gratitude for sacrifices made by our lion warriors.

When all is said and done I can’t help but to reflect. Have I been a lion or a sheep lately? Do I want to be a lion or a sheep? Do I want to retreat into a “safe space”, or do I want to be dangerous to the enemy for the sake of my children’s future? How do I do that? Have I honored our military in some way? Have I paid my respect? Have I said thank you in any way shape or form to them? Well, I am doing part of it right here and right now.  

My charge to my one or two readers out there is: What about you? Do you know someone with, or related to someone with, PTSD from special forces? Let them know they can live life fully and that there is help. The thing that got my attention, in part, about the foundation is the possibility for a couples retreat. Although it is only for military special forces, I can definitely see this type of retreat being massively beneficial for civilian couples as well—to help them see their problems are minuscule compared to the problems of others! I would love to observe the interaction between a Special Ops couple and a civilian couple sharing their testimonials with each other. I bet the civilians would leave quite humbled!

On this note I want to wish every single one of you a year 2023 with health; peace; lower gas prices; lower inflation; secured borders; honored, appreciated, and healing veterans; as well as a resolved, renewed sense of national unity and of individual worth. Your reading my words means the world to me. I do hope some of these words help in some small way to inspire a few good lions, and a few good sheep to become lions.

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Photos: Brian Bill Foundation

How Much Does It Cost to Own a Racehorse?

By
Guest Author
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At one point or another, every horse racing fan around the world will one day dream of owning their own racehorse. It is a wild dream for many, but for some, it is well within reach. 

For the most part, racehorse ownership can be extremely expensive, as costs will go out on a monthly basis for training fees and vet bills, while the initial cost of owning a racehorse that can challenge for the top prizes is also expensive. But how much does it actually cost to own a racehorse?

Purchase Price

Before we even get into the price for maintaining the horse and ensuring that the training is at an adequate level, buyers must first settle on a price that they wish to pay for a horse. 

The average sum stands at around $75,000, but this is only a ballpark figure, as the best horses can go for much higher than that. Evidence of that can be seen from the Keeneland Digital Sale in 2021, where one of the highest-priced two-year-olds was sold for $210,000. 

However, the cheapest horse in the same sale was sold for $5,000. When it comes to buying a horse, the first question that a potential purchaser must ask is what they are looking to get out of the sport. If you are looking to land big graded prizes, then you will likely have to spend more, while those looking to buy a horse to add to the race-day experience may be best-suited to a cheaper option. 

Training Fees

After buying a racehorse, the money that buyers will spend going forward will drastically increase. The first cost that you must cater for is the training fees, which will ensure that your horse is taken care of, fed and training them for races on the track. 

The fee that you will pay for training fees will once again depend on the trainer that you go with. However, the cheapest option still stands at around $1,800, while some trainers could demand around $4,000 per month. 

Medical Fees

Just like humans, horses will require regular checkups to ensure that their health is in good stead. This is another big setback on a monthly basis, as medical fees for one horse in training could cost an average of $500 per month. 

This fee could be more expensive if there is something amiss with the horse, which means that it is vitally important that horse owners immediately get insurance on their horse as soon as they have been purchased. 

Travel Fees

Of course, horses won’t be able to walk to the races that they will be competing in, which means that travel fees to and from the races should also be taken into account. 

Farrier expenses can often be very expensive in the United States, especially if runners are being shipped from one side of the country to the other. You can check here the major horse races in the USA: edge.twinspires.com/racing/major-horse-races/

However, on average, horse owners should set aside around $300 per month to ensure those travel fees are covered when needed. 

More Affordable Racehorse Ownership

While owning a racehorse privately is the dream for millions, it may not be the most attainable target given the price. Therefore, there are a number of more affordable options when it comes to ownership. 

One of the most popular is by joining a racehorse ownership club. This will only require a yearly membership fee, which will cover all the expenses. 

However, you will likely need to apply for owner badges, which means that there is no guarantee you’ll see your horse run. Meanwhile, one of the most popular recent methods to get closer to the action is by joining a syndicate. 

Here, you can own a share in the racehorse by paying monthly or annually toward the training costs and other fees. These can be as small or as big as you like, but the less you pay, the more privileges you’re likely to enjoy.

Photo by cottonbro studio

Singer/Songwriter Sheyna Gee Launches New “Y’Allternative” Song

By
Deborah Hayter
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Singer/Songwriter Sheyna Gee launches her “Y’Allternative” song to sold-out venues in Europe and the United Kingdom.

Sheyna Gee, a popular singer/songwriter in the “Capital of Country Music,” Nashville, Tennessee, recently returned to the States after a successful tour and sold-out shows in Europe and the United Kingdom.

Sheyna’s popularity is soaring while she celebrates one million hits on TikTok. Her universally diverse fanbase has grown tremendously since the release of her latest song; “Anymore.”

Sheyna left California six years ago with a guitar, a great voice, and a songbook filled with lyrics of life experiences from early childhood to her teen years and beyond. To date, she’s been racking up impressive reviews and satiating fans’ appetites with her stellar live performances.

Her style is an evolution of something new and a touch of wistful, nostalgic sounds for country music diehards. “My songs are all about real life,” said Sheyna, further elaborating, “you won’t see me release a song that’s just a made-up story of the people whose lives touch me. She credits her experience of performing in smaller clubs in California as the ability to connect with her audiences on a personal level and the influence of other Y’Allternative artists like Tyler Childers and Turnpike Troubadours.

Before returning to her American roots, Sheyna had the opportunity of recording at the iconic Abbey Road Studios. Today she is poised and positioned to embark upon a National US tour the last weekend of February through April, then will head back across the pond in May 2023.

The Evolution of Singer/Songwriter Sheyna Gee:

Sheyna Gee was born and raised in Southern California and is currently based in Nashville. She learned guitar when she was five, fronted her first band at 9, and played the Venice boardwalk as a teen and the LA club scene right out of high school while living in Hollywood and Hermosa Beach. She was honored by the LA Music Awards with “Best Country Single” and “Best Singer/Songwriter” wins before moving to Nashville in 2016.

Sheyna makes over 250 live appearances a year and has shared the stage with legends from across the musical spectrum, including The Beach Boys, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Easton Corbin, and David Nail. She tours the US regularly and has played shows in Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, and the UK.

Sheyna was born to be an entertainer, and she lights up the room adorned in pink and covered in tattoos. Keep an eye out for this Y’Allternative talent because she’s the country’s new rebel.

www.sheynagee.com

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What Are the Main Features to Look for in a Website Builder?

By
NSAEN Magazine
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What Are the Main Features to Look for in a Website Builder?

The COVID-19 pandemic has tremendously impacted almost every industry, as it forced businesses to undergo digital transformation and bring their services to the online space. Plenty of business owners lacked the tech savviness or the budget to create a website, so many turned to a specific product of modern business technology: website builders. These online tools allow users to create websites without coding experience.

Website builders have seen significant growth worldwide in recent years, which is expected to continue in the next decade. Experts forecast a $3.5 billion market size by the end of 2032.

Website builders provide small business owners several advantages that can help them keep up with large entities online. These include beautiful designs at low to no costs, SEO readiness, and e-commerce functions. Considering there are more than 1.8 billion websites today, startups need to stand out and make sure their web presence is optimized.

If you are in the market for a website builder, here are critical features to look for:

Design Options

The best website builders offer various design options that can be easily customized to match your brand’s look and feel. Look for a platform that includes templates and themes that are both modern and mobile-friendly.

Ease of Use

Website builders are intended for users with no coding knowledge. Hence, ease of use is an essential factor to consider. A good website builder features an intuitive user interface, drag-and-drop functionality, and the ability to make edits in real time.

E-commerce Capabilities

Not all website builders offer e-commerce features, but those that do can help you create an online store that is both attractive and easy to use. Look for a website builder with built-in shopping cart capabilities, payment processing options, and inventory management tools.

SEO Features

Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for any website’s success. You want to ensure your website hits all the right notes for search engine algorithms. Look for a website builder with SEO-friendly features, such as page title tags and meta descriptions, custom URLs, and the ability to add keywords and other SEO elements.

Image Library

As you build your website, you will need beautiful, high-quality images to make it look professional. Businesses with a budget typically hire a photographer or subscribe to a stock photo service. However, a website builder with its own image library can give you access to royalty-free images at no additional cost.

Integrations

If you’re planning to use other online tools for your website, you should check if your website builder allows integrations. This feature will save you time from having to connect other services to your site manually.

Most website builders offer integrations with popular third-party services like Google Analytics, MailChimp, and social media platforms. These apps can help you track performance and better engage with visitors.

Security Features

Security should be a top priority when it comes to your website, as data breaches can cause irreparable damage to your brand’s reputation. Look for a website builder with features such as SSL encryption, malware protection, and data backups.

Customer Support

You’ll inevitably run into issues when building your website. That’s why it’s crucial to choose a website builder that offers reliable customer support when you really need it.

Ideally, support should be available 24/7 and offer multiple methods of contact. Another plus is if a website builder provides a comprehensive learning hub and helpful tutorials for common questions.

Conclusion

A website builder is an excellent tool for businesses that want to create their own website without the help of a web developer. However, with so many different website builders on the market, finding the right one for your needs can be a challenging and time-consuming task.

Consider factors such as design capabilities, ease of use, e-commerce solutions, image library, and SEO-ready features to help narrow your choices.

Photo by Igor Miske on Unsplash

SHORT THOUGHTS FROM A “WEAKLY” READER

By
Audrey Biloon
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Some derogatorily think I’m a biblio-dilettante, because I read on a great many subjects every week without cracking a book’s spine. So to prove to the naysayers about my dedication to original knowledge, and that I can really read more than book reviews, book jackets, or titles—from time to time I actually try to read a book. After reading a review or reviews of a book, the result of reading the book is a repetitive experience 

For example, after reading a few book reviews about John Marshall and his brilliant influence on the Supreme Court, I actually read (most of) a book about him and can honestly say that the reviews are much better and give all of the information needed. 

Here are some other examples of books that failed the whole book test:

Salt… about the effects of salt on the history of the world. It changed things for all of us—to read more than a review would be, well, too salty.

Cod… about the effects of cod fishing on the history of the world (suffice it to, again, say that it changed things). One could digest the subject matter by reading a whole book but the book would probably smell after three days so, I say, just read the reviews; 

and 

Oysters… I must confess I only skimmed the reviews, so I know I can’t possibly sound as if I’m swimming in knowledge of the subject matter. But, I feel sure that those reviews impart as many pearls of wisdom as a whole book would. 

In any event, my advice to those of you who like to read a lot, but don’t have the time to match that desire, is to stick with the reviews or even, in some cases, the book jackets or titles, as a tapas kind of experience. 

Just as devouring too much salt or fish requires one to, eventually distill those gastronomic experiences to a concentrated amount anyway, book reviews, book jackets, and titles are the way to go.

You can even sound intelligent if you keep the conversation short enough.

Audrey Biloon

Copyright 2022

Photo by Ugur Akdemir on Unsplash

Meet the Quintessential Artist Osiris Munir

By
NSAEN Magazine
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Some people reluctantly step into shoes they think they aren’t ready to fill, only to discover they were born with the gifts they need. This is the wonderful world of Osiris Munir. She is a former Vietnam-war Veteran, International Model, YouTube Talk Show Sensation, Photojournalist, Published Book Author, Abstract Expressionist Painter, Metaphysician, and Celestial Phenomenon.

In the early 70s, Osiris had a self-awareness epiphany accompanied by a burning deep inner desire to inspire others in a higher cause. With a profound interest in the divine, she discovered she has a unique intuitiveness that allows her to be aware of what others around her are feeling and pick up on things that are not logically explained.

In her pursuit of truth and further understanding, Osiris turned to study some of the oldest sciences on the planet, which included signs and symbols, astrology, spirituality, and ancient principles of the metaphysical universe. Today, Osiris is considered one of the world’s leading astrologers. She travels the country helping clients interpret how astronomical activity impacts their everyday lives, their zodiac placement, their personality, habits, and relationships.

In 2000, Osiris and her business colleague, Grammy-Winning, songwriter, and producer Terrence Shaddick of the UK, founded Ankh Entertainment, a full-service creative artist acquisition company. Together they have worked with some of the most notable names in the entertainment industry.

Under the umbrella of Ankh Entertainment, Osiris launched an entertainment, fashion, and lifestyle talk show titled “15 minutes”, which instantly became a YouTube sensation. She also added author to her credits, publishing “Nita,” a best-selling memoir of the painstaking struggles and experiences that shaped her life. Nita is a powerful testament to her extraordinary determination, resilience, and belief in one-self.

Several years ago, Osiris began creative art therapy sessions offered by the http://Department of Veteran Affairs to treat patients suffering from psychological disorders such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other conditions. Osiris has evolved into a world-renowned Abstract Expressionist Painter whose work is juxtaposed with famous, influential French abstract expressionist painters Francis Picabia, Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, American artists Lee Krasner, Beauford Delaney, and Jackson Pollock, to name a few. Her work has been exhibited at the New York Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden, Barnsdall Art Center, Inspiration Art Group International, and Saatchi Art, where you can go online to these websites and view her amazing pieces.

Osiris deserves a standing ovation for her accomplishments. She has transformed herself into a new-world sensation with her passion, dedication, and drive. Osiris is available for private exhibitions and interviews through her representative, Toxcina King, at The Platinum Group, prfuture@msn.com, (805) 843-4976.

Binding of the Hearts

By
Florida Night Train
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“Binding of the Hearts”

by Florida Night Train©

11/20/2022

“I feel safe with you”. Words seemingly more powerful than “I love you”. An epiphany that recently hit me when I said it to someone for the very first time in my life. I have said, “I love you,” a plethora of times. But, “I feel safe with you” are words that had never come from my lips for fear of its misunderstood return. Words matter, they do, and these ones are fraught with emotional labor’s intensity beyond measure. Safety is a sentiment more powerful, more essential than, or conditional to the sentiment of “I love you”. Above all else, “safety” is what my desperate soul had been screaming for an entire lifetime. It is the bedrock, the foundation for any relationship, friendship, partnership, or any human relation. It is in right, a basic human fundamental need.

I will let ladies in on a secret. In this age of man-bashing and dare I say gender wars, with increasing demands and expectations for men to be more vulnerable, this is the ingredient that men require. That is an offensive declaration to the male ego but truthful regardless. It is an innate need, non-negotiable before a man will open the gates of vulnerability up to you. Safety is the name of the game. That is, emotional, psychological, spiritual, intellectual, physical, and financial. If our partner or potential partner cannot offer the confidence that we are safe in those dimensions of life, we will not ride. Isn’t it the same for you, ladies?

Would you ride passenger with someone to whom you are attracted but who is reckless, egotistical, narcissistic, abuses drugs or alcohol, who does not take all precautions to ensure your safety? Before we ride, we assess if it is safe right? Why then will a multitude of us compromise safety for the illusion of love, or love for the illusion of safety? Thanks to Hollywood, we let our profound thirst for love idealize and romanticize relationships as if relationships in and of themselves were the answer to all our soul needs. Looking at the world out there, and social media’s growing influencers with opinions, relationships continue to be a growing polarizing pool of expectations rarely met. It is understood then why there is much breakdown in the state of relationships.

Some take the requirement of “safety” to unhealthy levels. They will expect perfection and use that as a means to not commit for fear of being hurt. It is all about me me me me and respect me and what do you bring to the table; and if you don’t do this or that then you you you you, and you alone own the demise of what was once love and now becomes hate.

I love CS Lewis’: “There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket—safe, dark, motionless, airless—it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell”

We look for our soulmate, our twin-flame. We all have demons to deal with, some worse than others. When we meet another soul embattled with the same scars and the same wars, the bonds between hearts quickly forms through affinity—for we truly are equally yoked. When your souls share the same views, approach life and communications in the same constructive manner; when you have won the same victories on your individual paths; when your hopes, your views, your fears, your purpose, your insatiable souls seeking communion of hearts are so close that you communicate with ideas and even in silence, you know it’s a 1 in 10,000 connection.

This symbiotic state of duality, unified in the invisible realm, triggers an incredibly powerful faith in the essential ingredient of “emotional, spiritual, and intellectual safety” leading one to finally be willing to let go; give invaluable trust; dare to dream and envision an eternal unconditional bond. That is the only condition essential to men, yes, and also women—to truly be vulnerable. That your weaknesses aren’t going to be weaponized against you is paramount. (Read that again!) In fact, think for a moment if we were to see vulnerability as a strength and not as a weakness. The reality of that is as simple as knowing that your flaws are perfect for the heart that’s meant to love you.

The importance of having a partner who points to the battles you are capable to win rather than reminding you of the falls you took getting there, is something that will fuel purpose within that will cause a man to conquer any dragons, mountain, cities, or inner demons. The opposite, I assure you, will destroy your relationship with this man. That is something preachers and their kids, and self-proclaimed Christians I have known, struggled to practice. Jesus knew He was not safe with us mere mortals yet He fearlessly chose to show us, at a great price, that at the end of the day we must press forward and learn to ride this life with hopes to experience love regardless of the pain. For we know well, “love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance” 1 Corinthians 13:7

At the end, the soul who recently inspired me to say, “I feel safe with you”, closed the door to deeper connection in the face of one of my scars but I still made a friend for life. I opened the door and I gained an ally. Not everyone can handle all our demons. That’s our job. So long as we own our battles and show we consistently, persistently, seek to grow with a relentless appetite to conquer this life, we need no Hollywoodian-romance. Creating our own safety for our well-being is the first step towards a fulfilling life. We must work on ourselves before we can be there for others, for we may not be able to handle another’s demons either.

To love is to have pain and to have pain is to love. “If you are in pain, love and truth is what you want” – Jordan Peterson. Take a step towards love and open your heart to the possibility of being loved the way you need. While there will be moments of pain, you will rise through with the grace and wisdom to know its value to your heart, mind, and soul.  

The intersection between love and pain is humility. Love means to commit oneself without guarantee, to give oneself completely. Love is an act of faith. Underneath it all, it is a journey where the path taken will at some point in life be shared with that safe soul. And you will know that heart because they will never be above you, never below you, but always beside you.

Be honest about who you are, what you want, and how you expect to be treated. The good and the not so good. Truth and standards only help you sift through people that aren’t meant for you. And that’s ok.

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Photo: 323 Photography Studio and Florida Night Train

House Addicted Love

By
Audrey Biloon
-

Kris Frieswick wrote a wonderful piece in the December 10, 2020, issue of The Wall Street Journal about falling in love with a (an? I never could get that right) historic house and not seeing the trap of the work it requires. I wrote her a thank you note for making me laugh at myself—which is the very best kind of laughter—adding that she was/is absolutely right about such houses. I described my experience to her which is rewired, revamped, rehabbed… but I digress and will get to all of those myriad experiences when I explain the house’s grip on me.

The trap that I fell into was a three-story beauty, on the water, in Savannah, Georgia (a coastal and historic city, where there are many such ensnares of beauty if you step into the inner sanctum of “just looking”).

In all coastal cities, the wind, sun, salty air, and all other environmental elements conspire by the mini second, against sanity, to get you to love the beauty of each place. So for the purposes of Ms. Frieswick’s warnings about historic homes, houses on coastal waters are pretty much the same hither come, flirtatious rabbit holes, as their inland cousins.

As for falling in love with a (an? Here we go again, like spending money on the house) historic home or one on the water, a buyer of that kind of beauty has to be insane. But we can take comfort in thinking that we’re in a higher class of the insane who have to buy or die, but not certifiably so. The caring souls who try—or in my case tried—to warn, know better.

The sweet unraveling of this onion I’m about to peel—which brings tears to my eyes (because it wasn’t a Vidalia onion, it only looked like one)—is twofold:

1. I had the experience. Without which I’d have been convinced, to my dying day, would have been a star-studded one that I’d been denied,

and

2. Now we can all (except the new buyers) laugh about the experience.

Due to my husband’s declining health, the house had to be wrestled from my grasp, out from under me. But, the fight wasn’t fair because I’m short and the buyers were taller than I—which anyone over the age of 10 is.

Back to the day I saw it.

I know… everyone tried to warn me. But I put my hands over my ears and screamed back at them,

“STOP!! NOOOO!! YOU’RE JUST FEAR MONGERING!!”

But, alas and alack, as Victorian ladies swooning over their love lives would say, or swooning over the house—I felt in kinship with them. The truth was that I couldn’t hear what any sane person was saying because my love for the house struck me deaf and stooopid. As you can appreciate, unless you’ve never been insane about a must-have purchase, in which case you shouldn’t be reading this but should be going out to buy that experience. I was so insane about the house, I couldn’t even spell stupid back then.

All I knew then was that, I JUST LOVED the house and the view from the windows and decks that, yes, all had to be replaced. But don’t rub it in, because both the house and the view were soooo absolutely amazing (not necessarily the windows and decks—but those were charming too, I argued with myself. Because only by arguing with myself could I win the battles, eventually only to lose the war).

Not to mention, but why not mention it, while we’re on the subject of abducted brains… the house was going to be a “great buy” (the real estate agent said so) with just a little money put into its “great bones”. As I heard her version of that “truth” in my bones, the house’s bones and my bones merged into one boney body—which my husband said was a boner because I was about to be screwed. And yet I rushed to buy it, lest some other insane person get it first.

Sigh!! Back to the dream that was not to be.

Although my love for the house was unrequited (I know, I know… so sad), I kept at it, assured that the house would love me back some day—that it would thank me for saving it from rot and ruin. And although it couldn’t speak—it could only creak—I just knew it in my bones (even as I was getting…well, let’s not go there), the house would let me know, in its own sweet way, that it would no longer need the rest of my retirement fund. Because FINALLY, it would no longer be insatiably hungry and thirsty. But instead, completely satiated and happy as a clam (I didn’t think at the time that clams aren’t ever happy because we eventually eat them).

Yes, I imagined that the house, once happy, would invite me to sit on its expensively redone deck, in a Frontgate; or Neiman Marcus; or Hammacher Schlemmer (only the best for the house) Adirondack chair, with my feet propped up on the attached ottoman, positioned towards the water, with the soft sun in our hair (truth to tell only I have hair and the house didn’t, but the experience of the house was hairy). And then together, the house and I would enjoy a glass of wine, while we sat on the expensively redone deck, and laugh at the fools who tried to pry us apart.

But, such was not to be. Again, sad to say, this was to be a love for the ages—but not for me and the house. Because no matter how hard I tried and even if you, dear reader, can’t appreciate the depths of my finally practically hollowed out bank account, the good Lord knows I tried… but I could never satisfy the house’s thirst and hunger.

Again and again, and yet again. But, enough about how often I replaced whatever the house needed. I wouldn’t have traded the experience of the beauty of that house and the views for the moon… scratch that, maybe for the moon…

but then again, the moon probably needs lots of work too.

Copyright Audrey Biloon 2020/2022

I Am DB Cooper

By
Mitch Swan
-

A Film by: TJ Regan

IN THEATERS &

AVAILABLE ON DEMAND

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9th

Directed & Co-Written By: TJ Regan

Co-Written By: Sharmila Sahni

Starring: Rodney Bonnifield, Mike Rocha, Ryan Cory, Rainee Blake, Chris Grounds,

TJ Regan, and Sharmila Sahni

Two bounty hunter brothers encounter an ailing old man named Rodney Bonnifield while coordinating his bail after a violent encounter on a dairy farm involving a machete.

Close to his sentencing, he reveals to the bondsmen that he is in fact the infamous DB Cooper, the man responsible for the 1971 plane hijacking in the Pacific Northwest, and the ransom cash is still buried along the Columbia River.

Up against the clock with Rodney’s prison sentence looming, the group sets out on a modern-day treasure hunt to recover the money he buried near the river 50 years ago, uncovering bizarre truths about Rodney Bonnifield and his connection to the only unsolved plane hijacking in U.S. history.

RT: 100 min | Not Yet Rated

Genre: Documentary

I AM DB COOPER is directed by TJ Regan, and co-written by Regan and Sharmila Sahni. Produced by Regan, Sahni, Corey Molina, and John Miller. Executive produced by Regan, Isaiah Thomas, Mike Rocha, and Carlos Rocha. Cinematography by Regan and Jakob Owens. Edited by Regan. Production Design by Aaron McBride. Music by Erik Groysman and Rainee Blake. A Slow Grind Media production.

 

6 Tricks to Launch Your Shop on Etsy

By
NSAEN Magazine
-

You may have set up your Etsy shop, but you don’t know what to do next. You know that making money on Etsy takes more than just setting up your shop and listing a few items. With the amount of competition, you have to work hard and use some smart strategies to attract shoppers and keep them coming back. Here are six tricks you can use. 

  1. List at least 20 products

Many Etsy sellers make the mistake of starting out with only a handful of products. If your product line is small, think about varying sizes, colors etc., so you have more product listings. The more product listings you add, the more keywords you can use, which makes it easier for shoppers to find your shop. 

One of the best ways to promote your Etsy shop is to keep listing new products. Using print-on-demand services gives you the option of not having to carry inventory. For example, if you decide to sell prints of your digital art or transfer it to physical merchandise, they will make the items when customers order them, package and ship them to your customers. 

  1. Learn how Etsy SEO and Etsy search work 

Knowing Etsy SEO and how the search algorithm works is probably the most important key to your success. Various factors influence rankings on Etsy, such as how well keywords in your title and tags match the terms shoppers use to search. How well your products sell and customer reviews are also important. 

It’s better to use longer keywords as they are less competitive and give you more opportunities to rank highly. For example, don’t just use the word ring but add descriptive words like “silver,” “engagement,” “wedding,” “for women,” etc. 

  1. Write high-converting product descriptions

When writing your product descriptions, it is important to write about the benefits rather than just the features. Show how the product can improve the life of a customer. Don’t just describe the features of a hair dryer, but explain how it can help them get out of the door quicker in the morning. Addressing concerns about how easy a product is to use can also encourage sales. 

  1. Make sure your photos look professional 

Your photographs can make or break your Etsy shop because they give shoppers the first impression. You don’t have to have an expensive camera – a modern smartphone can take good photos. A white background will help your products to stand out. Natural lighting will usually give you the best results. Avoid direct, harsh sunlight as it can create hard shadows. Try to show as many angles of products as possible and zoom in to show textures and finer details. 

  1. Drive traffic to your Etsy shop from social media

You will get traffic to your shop from shoppers on the Etsy platform itself, but you can also drive traffic from social media platforms. Pinterest, for instance, is a popular visual platform you can use. Consumers will see your pins on Pinterest and click a link to visit your shop to buy. 

Don’t just post listings, think of posts that are interesting and useful for your followers. The more followers you have on these platforms, the more likelihood you have of them going to your Etsy shop to buy your products. 

  1. Have a good pricing strategy

You need to include all your costs for material, labor etc., when calculating your product price. When setting your prices, you should compare them to competitors with similar products. Price your products too high, and they won’t sell. Price them too low, and you may not make enough money to stay in business. 

If you can undercut your competitors but still offer a high-quality product, you have a better chance of success. Shoppers on Etsy place value on handmade products, so they may be willing to pay a little more than shoppers on other platforms. 

Conclusion

Some of the strategies to help you successfully launch your Etsy shop include listing at least 20 products, writing high-converting product descriptions, and using Etsy SEO. It also helps to use professional-looking photos, drive traffic from social media, and price your products correctly. 

Image by Megan Rexazin from Pixabay



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