![]() ![]() Rainbow ombré fairy wings hide under golden locks of silky hair. The sleeves of the dress are Cinderella-like, and when you look at her feet, they have been slipped into slim silver high heels. I spin around and stare in utter horror at the TV screen.Ī young girl around my age is dressed in a poofy, light-pink fairy costume, a sparkly rainbow belt slapped around her waist. “I’ll take you to Candyland, where all of your dreams will come true.” “Don’t worry,” a familiarly dainty voice serenely assures. “Whaahhhh!” A stereotypically bratty toddler, wearing one of those caps with propellers on, shrieks like a hawk. I auditioned for this ad but didn’t get in. The actors’ voices start moaning sorrowfully from the TV. I can suddenly hear the familiar sound of the Candyland theme song. I want to go to the Oscars and win incredible awards, go to the Met Gala and wear a spontaneous-but-stunning outfit, pose and give daring looks to the press as they photograph me, live in a massive. You see, when I grow older I want to become a famous actress. If I look down, I can see the glassy surface of the coffee table covered in a sea of audition papers, a lone clipboard floating at the surface. ![]() The TV is blaring softly behind me, showering me in a spotlight effect and bathing the living room in a cool glow. It’s important that an actress is very prepared because, as they say, the show must go on. It’s Saturday night, and my parents are sitting on our squishy velvet sofa, watching me rehearse for the big advertisement audition coming up in a month-and-a-half’s time. “And that’s exactly why you should try Milky’s chocolate ice cream!” I conclude, bowing as my excited audience showers me in a standing ovation. “Be yourself everyone else is already taken.” This is the first installation of a novella that we will be publishing in three parts in the April, May, and June 2021 issues of Stone Soup. Swifty Appledoe embarks on a new mission: to become just like the most annoyingly perfect girl in school ![]()
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![]() ![]() We believe she might have been wearing a locket that had 'Ouida' on it, and it's possible that 'Ouija' was in her subconscious." She likely read stories from English novelist Ouida. "One of the theories of the locket," Murch says, "is that Helen Peters was a well-read upper class woman. After the name "Ouija" was "sent" to the participants on that April night, Peters revealed she was wearing a locket that she claimed had "Ouija" written on it. It spelled out "Ouija." When they asked what it meant, it spelled "Good luck."ĭid Ouija's name come from the board? A misread locket? Or both?īut there's also a more practical - and market-driven - explanation for the Ouija name. According to the letters and journals of the group, they asked the board what it wanted to be called. She had a reputation as a medium, so on April 25, 1890, she had a session in Baltimore with the entrepreneurs and the board. That name came courtesy of Helen Peters, Elijah Bond's sister-in-law. Their board's name was unique as well, with a surrounding mystical myth. The early origin stories of the board show how "Ouija's" meaning changed Its design - an arc of letters, a planchette, and handy "Yes," "No," and "Goodbye" prompts - was unique. Though we don't know the inventor, we do know that the Ouija board, made and sold by Kennard and his colleague Elijah Bond, represented a step forward for talking boards. As he watched his hand move, he realized he'd found a way to access his subconscious. "According to Kennard," Murch says, "he came up with the idea while sitting in the kitchen of his new house." Kennard said he placed a breadboard on the table and held a teacup over it, the same way you'd hold a planchette over a Ouija board. ![]() The most common belief is that Reiche sold his invention to Kennard, though it's hard to know for sure (Reiche later claimed it was stolen). Reiche, while others say it was Charles Kennard. ![]() The inventor of the 1886 Ouija board remains disputed - some credit a cabinetmaker named E. Often, these early planchettes had a hole so a pencil could write the answer.Ī planchette that uses a pencil, from 1880. Myth says it's named after a French medium, but it's a word for a small board dating back to medieval France). Some devices even used planchettes (that's the name for the thing you hold when you operate a Ouija board. Other fortune tellers relied on knocking sounds on the bottom of a table to convey messages. Some used dial plates, in which you pressed your hand on a device and the pressure directed a needle to different letters. Murch says early versions featured different ways of receiving messages. Some pre-1886 Ouija boards looked like Ouija boards, and some didn't. "Talking boards existed years before Ouija," Murch says. Ouija was just one of many talking boards of its era That fad led to lots of unique business opportunities. In 1868, for example, there were no less than 150 lectures on spiritualism advertised in the Spiritual Telegraph newspaper. Via the lecture circuit, seances, and other activities in which people attempted to talk to the dead, spiritualism became a significant cultural force. It was significant from the 1860s on, David Nartonis writes in his history of the spiritualist movement's growth. ![]() As Americans dealt with a changing country, life in the wake of the Civil War, and other drastic changes, some sought answers in a spiritual - but not traditionally religious - realm. Ouija was an outgrowth of a real spiritualist movementĪ sincere spiritualist movement arose in the second half of the 19th century. It turns out that the real meaning of "Ouija" is as pliable - and mysterious - as the game itself. As the chair of the Talking Board Historical Society, he served as a consultant on the 2014 horror movie Ouija and recently celebrated his passion at the inaugural OuijaCon. But its history is less well-known, so I asked someone to help me understand the layered meanings of Ouija: Robert Murch, who has the unique distinction of being a Ouija expert. The board game, which uses movements of people's hands on a small device to send a "message from beyond," is still a popular toy. If you've ever hovered over a Ouija board, you may have wondered, "What does 'Ouija' mean?" ![]() ![]() We may talk about the low and high points with our friends or our therapists, but in the larger cultural narrative, we’d rather focus on the children, on the jobs, on the events leading up to or away from the married state. There are flowers and there is flatulence. In that way it reflects both marriage itself and the experience of listening to anyone talk about their own, past or present.Īll those self-help books to the contrary, we don’t like to talk about marriage, not really, not in real-time gory/glorious/boring/honest detail because it is frustrating, exhausting and impossible, like trying to describe being alive. So granular that it is difficult at times not to scream while reading it, sometimes in frustration (she openly participates in her own denial) and sometimes in exquisite recognition. In the end, however, he left and Crane was devastated.Īs with the death of a loved one, advance warning does not ease the pain of a divorce one does not want.Īnd so Crane, a novelist and short story writer, attempted to write her way out of grief, examining her marriage in granular detail. He subsequently participated in marital counseling and seemed, at some level, to want to stay in the marriage. He announced he was unhappy, that he had a crush. ![]() He behaved, according to Crane, as openly as a person can behave after he has decided to pursue a workplace attraction to deeper realms while married. (To be fair, they appear to have been very fancy windows that required a lot of design and, well, collaboration.) He left her for another woman, a client for whom he had been installing windows. Categorized as a memoir, it deals almost exclusively with the author’s marriage to artist and woodworker Ben Brandt, which ended in a way that seemed, to her, sudden and baffling. But those stories taught us we can survive anythingĪnd that, Crane’s book, “ This Story Will Change: After the Happily Ever After,” most definitely is. The reality of 2021 was both gentler and messier than the apocalypse fiction we consumed. I also knew that despite the best (and worst) efforts of all the self-help columns, books, call-in shows and podcasts in the “can this marriage be saved” industry, the most revealing accounts often come in the form of an autopsy.Įntertainment & Arts Column: There is no script to get us ‘back to normal.’ ‘Normal-adjacent’ will have to do I knew going in that Crane’s own marriage ended after 15 years. So I came to Elizabeth Crane’s new book hoping, fairly or not, to find some answers. But if I’m honest, I don’t know exactly why our marriage has lasted this long while so many others haven’t it cannot be because I am easy to live with. We still love each other, for pretty much the same reasons we loved each other enough to get married in the first place. Many required us to review the chapter again and retake. Some of these tests we have passed easily, others only on a generous curve. My husband and I have spent more contiguous workday hours together in the last two years than we did in the previous 23, and you know what they say about familiarity (spoiler: it’s not good).īut then there have been so many tests: age and children, time and life, not to mention the fact that the man cannot learn how to mute and unmute his cellphone or remember that I hate olives. ![]() Not that I know what I’d say for either the self- or the spouse evaluation part - maybe I’d just upload Elaine Stritch singing “I’m Still Here.” (It’s dated, but it covers a lot of bases.)Īs with many marriages, the pandemic has been a test. My 25th wedding anniversary is coming up and I keep waiting to get some sort of a performance-review notice in my email. I’ve been thinking about marriage a lot lately. ![]() ![]() If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from, whose fees support independent bookstores. This Story Will Change: After the Happily Ever After ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Create once, share anywhere across all of your devices. Make your embeddable and interactive online flipbook by uploading PDF to this flipbook creator. Batch convert multiple PDFs to flipbooks. FlipHTML5 is an all-in-one digital publishing platform with every tool you want.Book Management lets you easily organize your uploaded flip books. ![]() Upload flipbook to own website using built-in FTP or to 1stFlip cloud storage.Convert PDF to offline flipbook in 4 formats: html, zip, app and exe.Our HTML5 flipbook maker adds new life to your static PDFs by. Page editor allows you to insert line, shape, callout, text, image, GIF, music, video, YouTube video, chart, button and number icon to customize page flip book animation. An HTML5 flipbook is the open-source and fully indexed version of a digital flipbook.PDF to HTML5 flipbook converter, flipbook app for PC.Cree al instante experiencias digitales de marca que convierten cualquier PDF en un impresionante libro animado en línea. With this professional PDF to flipbook converter, you can easily embed local/YouTube/Vimeo video, music, images, button, chart, hyperlinks to any digital page flip book, magazine, brochures, catalogs, eBooks, newsletters. Soluciones de flipbook en línea para sus contenidos. 1stFlip Flipbook Maker Pro for Windows helps you easily convert PDF to HTML5 flipbook with realistic page flip effect to read on any Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad and Android devices. The Flip Book Software- FlipHTML5 is a free flipping magazine maker that allows all level users to convert their content (PDF, Office, Images) into HTML5. ![]() ![]() And once you’ve set your appointments, you can easily set up reminders for yourself and your meeting attendees. Doing so eliminates any double booking - both for professional and personal appointments. And if you use multiple calendars, you can connect them all to Appointlet. The scheduler allows users to create, share, and manage meeting schedules all from a single dashboard. ![]() That’s why you should consider an appointment scheduling tool like Appointlet.Īppointlet is a meeting scheduling tool that was designed to help businesses to streamline their appointment scheduling. Whether you’re a service provider, consultant, or agency, a steady stream of clients is essential to the success of your business. Communication AppointletĪppointment scheduling plays a huge role in growing your business. This app works both via browser and as an iOS and Android app on your phone so you can use it on the go, and when you need something ASAP. Besides using templates, users can craft their own designs from scratch using the tools built in the app. PicMonkey is a software that allows businesses and professionals to design and edit photos using pre-made templates for logos, social posts, ads, and so on. ![]() Even novices can find their way around it, and easily crop, straighten, blur, create, and improve existing designs. The biggest benefit of Canva, in my opinion, is the fact it doesn’t require extensive knowledge of photo editing to be used. Users can even upload their photos and templates and work on them in Canva using its drag and drop menu. It comes both in a free and paid version, that helps individuals and working professionals to create visual content in an easy and seamless way.Ĭanva has a wide variety of templates (both professionally designed, free or ready for purchase) that can help companies build their posters, invitations, social media posts, and more. Image Editing CanvaĬanva is a graphic design platform, and one of the most useful small business tools you can find in the market. Lastly, this software is extremely affordable, which makes it perfect for freelancers and small business owners that are budget-conscious, with the cheapest plan starting from 15$ per month. InvoiceBerry helps in creating quotes that can be turned into invoices once a customer accepts the service, but also sends thank-you messages to clients once they’ve paid which is nice touch clients appreciate. They can even automate the whole invoicing process by setting up reminders to non-paying clients. Small business owners, on the other hand, will appreciate the fact that this software allows them to see which invoices are paid and which are not, and keep their cash flow in check. What I love about it (especially as a freelancer who has to maintain her reputation), and what makes it one of my favourite small business tools, is the fact users can customize their invoices and add personality to them, which allows them to look more professional.Īnother thing worth mentioning is the fact users can automate their recurring invoices, in case they have long-term clients, which saves time and allows them to focus on more important things. ![]() Furthermore, users can also create reports and track the company’s performance. This app allows users to create, send, and track their payments and expenses. InvoiceBerry is an online invoicing and expense management software suitable for both small businesses and freelancers. That said, I decided to help you out on your journey and share 12 must-have small business tools, business owners should consider using this year. Small businesses tools can also help your company scale faster, since they help in streamlining communication, ignite thoughtful dialogue, promote employee engagement, productivity, collaboration spirit, among many other things. Furthermore, small business tools usually minimize mistakes and decrease time spent on correcting them. Why Do You Need Small Business Tools?Īs I said before, having the right tools for your small business is extremely important as it helps you streamline processes, save time, and precious energy. Luckily, today we have a wide array of small business tools to help them along the way, streamline processes, and help them preserve time and energy so they can focus on things that matter the most. They rarely go on vacations and carry the burden of being the ones who’re accountable for everything. ![]() Entrepreneurs and small business owners often lose sleep, lack time with their family and friends, and they’re often anxious about future-proofing their business. ![]() ![]() ![]() The SLA was introduced in April 2006 at £1,500,000 and has changed as follows: Upon drawing benefits the fund value is tested against the Standard Lifetime Allowance, (SLA) if the fund exceeds the SLA a tax charge will arise unless transitional protection applies.
![]() ![]() This isn’t simply less comprehensive than most ad-blockers, it’s based on a completely different model of how ad control should work. If a site persists in serving such ads for more than 30 days according to Google’s Ad Experience Report, Chrome will start blocking them. Users will be shown a message telling them that an ad has been blocked, with the option to “allow ads on this site” should they want to proceed. If it has, it will use Easylist filtering rules to assess the ads on it, blocking any that show the behaviours mentioned above. ![]() When Chrome navigates to a website, it will now check the site hasn’t fallen foul of the coalition’s standards. Google’s Chrome ad filtering, by contrast, is more like a feedback mechanism for website owners that measures ads against a set of standards defined by the Coalition for Better Ads, an organisation of which Google is a member. Sticky ads that hang around even when the reader scrollsĬhrome VP, Rahul Roy-Chowdhury, explains the change:īy focusing on filtering out disruptive ad experiences, we can help keep the entire ecosystem of the web healthy, and give people a significantly better user experience than they have today.Ĭhrome users can already achieve this and more by loading one of a number of ad-blockers so all Google’s new filtering is offering is to do a smaller part of that job by default.ĭespite complaints that the ad-blocking industry has become deceptive (allowing some advertisers to bypass filters in return for money), the principle is that the end user decides what level of filtering should be applied, and to which sites.Postitial ads that delay readers with countdown timers.Auto-playing video ads with sound that catch users off guard.Large prestitial ads that cover the whole screen (a particular problem for mobile users).Flashing animated ads (mainly a problem for mobile users).What it does want to do is stop websites from pushing certain kinds of intrusive and distracting advertising tricks in readers’ faces. Google, of course, can’t enable full-throated blocking of web advertising because this would risk damaging its business model. Optimistic news coverage has described this as the arrival of adblocking in Chrome, which is neither how Google explains the change, nor technically accurate. Since January, Google has already prohibited the creation of new MV2 extensions, but by January 2023, developers will be unable to update extensions on the old API, and they will cease to run entirely on consumer browsers.įrom then on, Google Chrome ad blocking extension users may come across more informational pop-ups on websites asking them to accept cookies before being allowed to continue browsing, and be redirected away from websites without asking more often.Īs a result, it’s uncertain whether there’ll be much of a future for the Chrome versions of ad blockers and privacy tools in the new year.Screen-covering pop-ups, countdown timers, ads that start playing sound when you visit a website – just some of the annoying ads Google Chrome’s new integrated filtering promises to start blocking from this week. They may instead look to VPN services and the best VPN routers to be safe online, or simply another web browser. ![]() The removal of key read and modify data permissions relied on by most Chromium-based privacy and ad blocking tools may seem like a positive step in this direction, but Chrome users may find privacy tools harder to find and to use in the future. ![]() > Emergency Google Chrome update patches exploit abused in attacks > Google to stop Android VPN apps blocking ads We've built a list of the best free VPNs ![]() ![]() ![]() Eventually it was won on 23rd September, when a player from the UK pocketed £171 million and became the country’s third-biggest winner. The £111.7 million Superdraw jackpot was not won on the night. ![]() As a result, the entire prize fund rolled over and continued to do so until it reached its €230 million cap. A UK player ended up winning the lot (£195 million) on 19th July, and made a claim the very next day. This €130 million jackpot was worth £109 million, and a single UK player won the lot. They matched all the numbers to become the country’s tenth-biggest lottery winner ever. Superdraws have been a regular feature since EuroMillions began, with the first one taking place in February 2007. The jackpot in that draw was worth £66 million, almost half what the most recent Superdraw jackpot was valued at in sterling. Increases to the jackpots and changes in the exchange rate between euros and pounds mean that Superdraw jackpots are now worth more than ever to UK players. This Superdraw jackpot rolled over as no players matched all seven winning numbers. The top prize was once again worth €130 million (£111 million). In the following draw, on 7th December, a jackpot of €143 million was won by a player in Spain.Ī jackpot of €130 million (£111 million) was put up for grabs but proved to be elusive until it was won at the cap of €220 million by a single ticket in France.Ī UK player landed the second Superdraw jackpot of 2021, matching all seven numbers on the day of the big event. This ended the chances of it rolling all the way over to the jackpot cap like the previous two Superdraws. The €130 million prize was worth more than £111 million and the lucky ticket holder staked their claim within 48 hours. The jackpot was increased to €130 million (£114 million) for February’s Superdraw. Nine players, including three from the UK, matched five main numbers plus one Lucky Star, but nobody landed the top prize. ![]() The jackpot eventually climbed to €210 million - the maximum it could reach at the time – before a player from Switzerland won on 26th February. November's Superdraw was not won on the night, resulting in the €130 million top prize rolling over to the following draw. The amount continued to rollover until the €200 million cap was hit for the draw on Friday 4th December. The amount was not won until the third draw at the cap on Friday 11th December, when a french player won the full amount on a single ticket. ![]() ![]() ![]() Hair clippers, on the other hand, have the advantage of being intended to cut lengthy hair. It allows you to cut your hair quickly and simply at home. You should visit your barber or hairstylist regularly, but a hair clipper can help you cut down on the number of appointments.Ī hair clipper is similar to a hair trimmer in that it is used to cut hair. It makes grooming a breeze, especially for guys who require frequent haircuts and trims. Ī hair clipper is a gadget that aids in hair cutting and trimming. It’s time to go to work once you’ve gathered all of these items.The greatest part is that all of the items are easily accessible, making this post excellent for individuals who want to sharpen clipper blades at home.Warm Water or a Cleaning Solution of Your Choice.This will be ideal to remove debris or dirt from your blades. Instead of a rag or paper towel, consider using a microfiber cloth.A marker will let you estimate the total surface area removed from your blades.Toothbrush (Cleaning) Brush – In most cases, a toothbrush is stiffer and far superior to a clipper’s cleaning brush.Sharpening Stone - For optimal results, use a 30 grit combination.Screwdriver – This is what you’ll need to remove the clipper’s blades and replace them.Here are some things you’ll need if you’re a first-timer : How to Sharpen Hair Clipper Blades 2023: What You’ll Need: If you don’t clean the blades beforehand to eliminate hair and rust, they won’t sharpen properly. Sharpen your blades whenever you discover difficulties to avoid jagged, uneven cuts and snagged hair. If that’s what you’re seeking, you’ve arrived in the right place.Īlthough most hair clippers have an auto-sharpening feature that maintains the blades sharp, if they are not frequently maintained and cleaned, they can wear out quickly. Which method for sharpening hair clipper blades is the best, easiest, and quickest? This website may earn money from qualifying product recommendations in this well-researched article. ![]() |
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