While on my way through Oklahoma I encountered the first of what would be many “adventures” on this trip. My car broke down in Stroud, Oklahoma and I ended up spending several unplanned nights at the Skyliner Motel. This, being  a spring trip, coincided with Oklahoma’s tornado season and several powerful thunderstorms developed. One night I felt trapped by the rain but  decided to make the best of the situation and get out my camera.  A few weeks later, after returning home, I found this image on the last frame of the last roll from that night:

Skyliner Motel

Further on, my car broke down again. This time in the Gila Wilderness of southwest New Mexico, at dusk and after everyone had seemingly gone home. I was alone with no way to get help, but fortunately I was prepared.  I set up camp and once again began feeling “trapped”. So, I got out my camera. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the camera I was using had a  (now well known) design defect that made it malfunction in dry, arid environments. This caused the viewfinder mirror to stick halfway through its movement while trying to get out of the way of the exposure. All I knew at the time is that my camera had done something strange. After returning home I was surprised to find this image:

Arid Lake

Which brings us to May, 2010 and my annual trip to the Traverse City area. I usually time this trip to coincide with the emergence of cherry tree blossoms but mother nature had a different plan. The weather was very hard on the trees and farmers this year. Several freezing episodes caused damage to the trees.  Aside from the eventual detriment to the cherries, it caused visible rotting on the blossoms, seen here:

Damaged Buds

The bright spot, however, was the mild weather. Pleasant temperatures and plenty of sun with a slight haze overhead resulted in great conditions for photography. My intended subject wasn’t cooperating so I looked around to see what else I could find. I ended up with a set of images that I could have easily overlooked otherwise.  A few from this years trip:

Lady, faithful companion

Golden Silo - Mission Point Peninsula

Rolling fortunes

Unexpected

Dandelion

Waves

Bay at peace

Enjoy and be adventurous!

Ed.

Give already? The obvious one is they’re both white, but what about the other two?

Polar Bears and Trilliums are also both vulnerable and just trying to survive. I know, kind of the same thing, but really different if you think about it.

Trilliums are a protected flower in the state of Michigan, it is illegal to pick the flower from the plant because if you do, the plant dies and it will NOT just grow back the next year. There is a park here in Grand Rapids, Aman Park, where the Trilliums are thriving. But even here, their survival is threatened by an invasive weed called Garlic Mustard. If you want to learn more about this unique park, visit the Grand Rapids City Parks website. If you’d like to do something useful with your time (now, now, don’t be so sensitive) you can join in fighting The Dreaded Garlic Mustard Weed by visiting the Garlic Mustard Challenge 2010 website.

Enjoy!
Ed.

I wanted to “ring in the new year” by sharing a special collection of images with everyone. However, I sorely underestimated my own procrastination and now, January has nearly passed us with February hot on its trail.

So, rather than allowing myself to push the project off into next month (and the next and so on), I decided I would apply myself and finish the darn project. As a result, I’m pleased to say, it is complete. The 2010 Screensaver Collection is ready and available for download!

Choosing the Images

In selecting the images for this project, I wanted them to be colorful, peaceful, and not too busy. In short, good for display on a computer desktop or screensaver.

Most of the selected images stand on their own apart from the collection. The few that are a little more abstract may serve as good starting points for further collections. We’ll see. Time will tell.

Downloading the Collection

Since widescreen monitors are becoming more common, the collection is available in two sizes, normal and Widescreen.  Choose the size that matches your monitor the closest.

Both downloads are high resolution images for use on your personal computer’s desktop and screensaver. Please respect the copyrights on these images and do not copy them for other uses.

INSTRUCTIONS: Click one of the links below. Your browser will prompt you to save an executable file to your hard drive. The best place to save the file is in your pictures folder. When the download finishes, click on the downloaded file to unpack the images – you will be prompted for where to unpack the images. Click on “Extract” and the images will automatically be placed in a subfolder called “2010 Screensaver Collection”.  Once the images are unpacked on your hard drive, tell your computer where to find them for your desktop background and screensaver.

2010 Screensaver Collection (1280 x 1024)

2010 Screensaver Collection Widescreen (1920 x 1200)

(Update: 2/3/2010) The self-extracting files above will only work on the Windows platform. For those running other platforms or those who want to unzip the files manually, you can download the naked zip files here:

screensaver-collection-2010.zip
screensaver-collection-2010-widescreen.zip

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the images, especially after you’ve had a chance to view them all through a few times. Just throw me an elbow in the comments.

Enjoy! Ed.

US arms Mali to battle al-Qaeda

Some 37 Land Cruisers were handed over to the Malians

The US is preparing to give Mali’s army millions of dollars worth of military hardware to help them fight al-Qaeda’s North African branch.

Trucks, powerful communication devices and clothing are among $5m (£3m) of equipment being handed over.

Mali is already being helped to fight the Islamists by Algeria and Libya.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb emerged in 2007 from an Algerian Islamist group and has since claimed responsibility for dozens of attacks in the region.

The US ambassador to Mali told the BBC’s Focus on Africa programme there was growing concern over the actions of the group.

“We applaud the fact that the government of Mali has taken a firm stance and wants to be as effective as possible in combating that problem,” Gillian Milovanovic said.

The military equipment is intended to ensure that the country can protect its own borders, she said.

Read more via BBC NEWS | Africa | US arms Mali to battle al-Qaeda.

Ed.

click to view ndomo gallery

One of the first things we did upon arriving in Segou is visit a place called “ndomo” where various natural techniques are used to dye and stylize cotton cloth.  Traditional and innovative natural techniques use mud, leaves, vegetables and minerals to provide color and pattern on cotton cloth.  Although ndomo seeks to document and preserve these techniques, their primary mission is to use these activities to provide direction and socialization to disadvantaged young men.  In their own words,

The ndomo is a social enterprise created to address the unemployment problem of young people who have not had the chance to study or to attend school. We aim to give these young people training based on local knowledge: the application of natural dyes on cotton (making bogolans and galas). In addition to technical training, the young men are socialized by instilling them with values that will facilitate their lives as men: responsibility, personal commitment, work, solidarity, in strict compliance with the values of the Malian society.

Walking into the classroom area we were greeted by our gracious guide. Even though I could not understand one word he uttered, I could sense a firm, kind patience in him that still impresses my memory of him today. I’m sure this patience serves him well in his mentoring of the young men there.

Our guide showed us a tree in the courtyard whose leaves turn orange when crushed. Also there were young men marking out designs using water soluble glue. Eventually we were led to the museum area where various colors and patterns were explained and where we could buy any of the fabrics.

This place had a sense of peace about it like what you might find at a monestary – a kind of peaceful purpose. I’m hopeful that this “social enterprise” will be successful in its mission of socializing and educating the young men of Mali. To learn more, view my ndomo gallery and visit the ndomo website (translated by Google).

Two women symbolize humanity, each looking to a different future.

One future is characterized by recent choices.

The other holds out the promise of something brighter.

Mural in progress on one wall of G.R. Community Foundation building

Promise of a brighter future

Daan hopes to be in Top Ten

Daan has been working for several weeks, away from family and friends, his days dominated by this work.

Talking with Daan, he speaks of a win-win situation for him when the Top Ten finalists are announced on October 1st. If his name is not on the list, he gets to go home early and be with his family and friends in Sonora, Mexico.

But if he is a finalist, he stands to take home a substantial number of pesos!

Daan takes a break to plan the next move

The Prize

• 1st place: $250,000
• 2nd: $100,000
• 3rd: $50,000
• 4th: $7,000
• 5th: $7,000
• 6th: $7,000
• 7th: $7,000
• 8th: $7,000
• 9th: $7,000
• 10th: $7,000

(source: ArtPrize.org)

Easy does it

Daan is an accomplished muralist and talks freely about the process.  His attention to detail choosing and applying his materials will ensure the mural’s beauty for years to come. Learn more about Daan and his art by visiting his website.

You can see the mural for yourself on the westward wall at 185 Oakes Street SW, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503, kind of kitty-corner and behind Van Andel Arena.

Voting begins soon

ArtPrize begins next week Wednesday, Sept. 23rd, running for 2½ weeks and ends on Saturday, Oct. 10th.  The winners are chosen by you and other registered voters. The Top Ten finalists will each take home a cash reward and will be announced on Thursday, October 1st. Don’t miss out on this debut event. Start planning your visit to downtown Grand Rapids now!

For all the details, visit the ArtPrize.org website.

Be inspired!

Ed.

Emmanuel Kamate and his son Abel

Kidding around

Abel keeps watch

Emmanuel closes up shop at 6:30 every evening and makes his way home on his bike to spend some time with the family.  However, before settling in for the evening, Emmanuel rides his bike back to the store to keep watch for the night, sometimes sleeping inside, in order to make sure the  goods are still there in the morning! But hey, it beats trucking, right?

Business as not-so-usual
Emmanuel sells cold soda from an electric fridge.  But the shop is located between the road and a property owner’s fence (see picture below) so access to electricity comes only through the willingness of his neighbor.

When asked how much business the shop does, Emmanuel says he doesn’t know. Everything is spent on re-stocking the store and meeting the families needs. No numbers or books are kept.

Emmanuel hangs with friends and family between customers

Friends and Family
Emmanuel is married to Sassiba Samake and they have a son, Abel, and a daughter, Rachelle.

Left to right: Abel, Rachelle, Emmanuel, Sassiba

Emmanuel’s traditional language is Mande and Sassiba’s is Bambara. The Bambara language is the trade language of Mali and most speak it to do business. Because it is so common, the family chooses to speak Bambara at home. The son, Abel, is going to a French school and will learn the official national language there.

Occasionally during the week, the family will make the walk from home to the store and spend time with Dad.

One house rule
The only thing Emmanuel asks of you when you visit is that you be polite and courteous and not smoke.  It’s his pet peeve.

No smoking allowed

However, tea is highly encouraged and is considered good behavior anytime, especially after a gruelling interview/portrait session!

Tea time

Success as a small business operator in Bamako, Mali requires dedication and risk. For Emmanuel, the rewards are good and means more time with his family and friends.

Stay committed!

Ed.

So, here’s a shout out to our host and everyone else – invite us back next year! And as a thank you, here’s a gallery of the fireworks for everyone to enjoy.

Well, I’m still not done with Week 3!  Actually, far from it.  I have one more post from Segou, which was only our first stop that week. After Segou comes our tour of  Dogon, a wedding in Sangha, our adventurous return navigating across the desert by GPS and an evening by the river in Mopti.  Before we get to all that however, I want to illustrate everyday working life in Mali.  This is the first of two seperate interviews with two men living and working in the capital city of Bamako, Mali.

Emmanuel Kamate

Emmanuel Kamate prepares for portrait

Emmanuel Kamate  is a business man.  He runs a small store in the capital city of Bamako. Our equivalent would be called a convenience store, the French equivalent might be called a boutique. If you look closely, you can see that neither description probably fits.  The way most Malians purchase certain supplies is quite different than what we are accustomed to. But that is only part of this story – the part that outlines our differences.  The rest of the story is about Emmanuel, his family, and his friends. The story of a man providing for his family and for his children. That story has been told many times.  But because the story is so common, I think it brings the power of perspective into our own lives. I think it speaks to why sometimes we do things we don’t want to do – because others are counting on us.  For most of us, we wouldn’t have it any other way either.  So stay tuned for more about Emmanuel and his family and his friends in the next post…

Stay Committed!

Ed.

Thank you Dad.

Still, the kindest, gentlest man I’ve ever known.

Thanks Pa, for everything.

I won an award in a contest over at the website SoFoBoMo.org. Of course, since the only competition was myself, I had some say in the matter.

SoFoBoMo is short for Solo Photo Book Month. The contest is to shoot, edit and publish a book of 35 photos in 31 days. Since I was able to do this, I am recognized as a “Finisher ’09″.

The book tells the story, in photographs, about spending 24 magical hours touring the countryside when the cherry trees blossom near Traverse City, Michigan.

You can download the book, titled “Cherryside” and all 35 images from this link: SoFoBoMo.org

Enjoy!

Lastly, An inspiring and unfortunately true story

Through personal connections I’ve had the privilege of following a story about a family, David and Amy Wenzel, who recently learned their life will never be the same – David has a brain tumor. Even typing those words strikes fear into my heart. So actually going through such a trial is a stretch of comprehension for me.

David and Amy both have begun writing about the experience online. Both are very talented people and possess the ability to communicate at high levels. Both are leaning on their faith in a loving God to guide them in this experience. Nobody knows where all this will lead, and even though they are not superheroes with supernatural strength, their reaction to events so far has been inspiring.

Take the time to read through their posts, I doubt you’ll regret it.

David Wenzel’s Blog
Amy Wenzel’s Blog

Be Inspired!

I was able to talk with DF Michael beforehand to plan a few shots that would work for the back credit area. During our conversation, I learned how important it was for Michael to prominently feature his guitar, a treasured gift hand crafted by his brother in Italy. The problem would be getting the guitar close to Michael’s face while still looking natural.

So first we worked on getting these planned shots:

Then I asked Michael if we could try an idea I’d been thinking about. 

I knew that if I could get above Michael, I could get the guitar placed in the frame close to his face and he wouldn’t need to do anything unnatural like shrug his shoulders or angle the guitar like in the first image. So, I got the ladder.

The one thing I worried about was the perspective looking unnatural. I ended up almost directly above Michael with my head touching the ceiling to get the shot. As it turned out, the perspective looks natural and  provides a flattering portrait of Michael with natural placement of the guitar. After seeing the results, Michael decided to incorporate the image into his cover design.

Get photo for cover? Check!

Click on the cover image to hear music samples from this talented artist’s CD that begins shipping June 1st.

Ed.

(Click image to see Blossoms 2009 gallery)

Ed.

Coaching is better

A friend of mine, Alan Adyniec, introduced me to the idea of using the coaching model to organize people and their efforts instead of other more traditional styles of management.  I have to admit, it sounds like more fun than your garden variety “beatings will continue until morale improves” type of management – maybe more like going for a walk with a friend?

If you’re in a position or know someone in a position where this type of model could help produce better business results, Alan is holding a half-day seminar where he’s teaching the essentials for Coaching Employee Performance.  The seminar is on Wednesday, June 4th. Click the link to register.

If you take the plunge, be sure to mention that you found him here. Alan is offering a free one-on-one follow up session to readers of this post to help you develop a coaching process within your work area. Oh, and be sure to register soon. The early-bird special expires this Friday.

How is this related to photography you might ask? The photos are a result of my portrait session with Alan!

Alan Adyniec, Coach2Engage.com

Enjoy! Ed.

I just returned from Traverse City where the fruit trees are blossoming and the dandelions are showing off. I’ve started sorting through the images and I will share them soon. Until then, here is  an antique found along the way…

In the post Road to Segou, I concluded with us retiring to the river for some pizza and quiet night life.  Before shoveling down our pizza, my travel buddy and I went down to the shore and passed some time just relaxing.  While he put-a-shout-out to friends via facebook,  I wandered around capturing images of Niger River nightlife.  The sun set early because of a meterological phenomenon called “Harmattan” that had created a dirt red haze on the horizon.

Although I’m holding back a few images from that night for future posts, I’ve thrown together these images into what I’m calling “image pizza” – just for you!

Enjoy! Ed.

It is delightful to see such a delicate flower thriving in such expansive numbers.  So get to Aman Park (google map) soon or wait until next year!  Be sure to bring and wear bug spray if you plan on loitering a bit.  The mosquitos come out early in this valley.

Enjoy! Ed.

]]> http://www.threadster.com/2009/05/trilliums-now/feed/ 2 http://www.threadster.com/2009/05/trilliums-now/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/threadster/~3/i3KZPM62F6I/ http://www.threadster.com/2009/04/road-to-segou/#comments Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:00:43 +0000 Edward Bussa http://www.threadster.com/?p=245

Douane Stop

Segou is a historically important city.  It served as the capitol city for the Bambara Empire and the French Colonial era.  Since Mali’s success on the international music stage, the city has become popular for its annual music festival where musicians perform just off shore on a special barge.  To get there, we left the capitol city of Bamako and headed northeast and arrived in Segou about 3 hrs. later.  The road to Segou is peppered with douane stops where a small toll is collected for the privilege of continuing on.  These stops are opportunities for travelers to buy food and drink from the local women who offer prepared snacks for sale.

Tree lined road entering Segou

Entering Segou, we encountered the tree lined streets the French are famous for creating.  This was a welcomed change from the dry sandy landscape that accompanied us on the journey so far.  After making our way into the city, we secured our reservation and set out again to do some site seeing.

Donkeys

We stopped to walk along a strip of road that served double duty as a market.  We found many donkeys taking on various burdens, all strapped to their carts with make-shift materials in remarkably similar fashion – strips of rubber wrapped over shoulder padding to provide tension all held together with rope and leather strapping.

Waiting patiently for next assignment

Pretty in pink

Straining to move 1100 lbs.

Mass Transportation

Mopeds

Those who can afford a moped live life at a faster pace.  Buzzing through and around the donkeys, the mopeds hurry passengers to their evening destinations. They carry couples, girlfriends and sometimes whole families.

Going out

Family of three

Girlfriends and baby

Family errands

Sunset by the river

Slowing down after a day of travel and site seeing, we headed back to our hotel by the river to enjoy some quiet night life and pizza.

Niger nights

More on that in the next post…

Enjoy! Ed.

Welcome to Mali

To get you started, Chicago Public Radio’s Sound Opinions recently reviewed the March 24th release by Amadou & Mariam, Welcome to Mali.  You can listen to the show’s entire podcast, or simply fast forward to the review of Welcome to Mali starting at the 45:58 mark. The show’s music review segment features a Siskel & Ebert format where two reviewers compare notes.  They give this release a double thumbs up – way up.  To explore further, this release is currently featured as an online exclusive at the Rhapsody.com music service where you can play up to 25 free tracks per month.  Also, they’ll be touring the U.S. on their own this spring and then with Coldplay this summer.

Enjoy! Ed.

"Democracy Now" (on left) and "To dare to fight is to dare to conquer" (on right)

The spirit of a people

Tribute to the Martyrs - "B" side

So why does Mali matter, anyway?  I think a stable country on a volatile continent is something significant and worth paying attention to.  On a personal level though, I am inspired by the events that took place on Mali’s road to independence.  It is a testimony in our time of a people fighting for their voice to be heard and their eventual triumph over years of injustice.  Yet none of this was brought on by any external influence or power.  Rather, it is the spirit of the Malian people and their desire to govern themselves that sparked the events of that fateful Friday in 1991 … 

Events of a tragedy, a democracy born

Massacre - hundreds killed over months of fighting, dozens killed on March 22nd alone

The month of March has special meaning for the people of Mali.  March 26th, 1991 is the day when the clash between military soldiers and demonstrating students climaxed in the massacre of dozens under the orders of then President Moussa Traoré.  He and 3 associates were later tried and convicted and received the death sentence for their part in the decisions made that day.  Now the day is set aside as a national holiday so those tragic events may never be forgotten and hopefully never repeated.

A striking monument

Mother wails over fallen child

Learn more …

Much of what is written about Mali’s long history tends to be in French, but to learn a little more check out this English language site – Encyclopedia of Nations: Mali

Martyrs Monument - "A" side

]]> http://www.threadster.com/2009/03/mali-march-to-democracy/feed/ 7 http://www.threadster.com/2009/03/mali-march-to-democracy/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/threadster/~3/QPB7nCFche0/ http://www.threadster.com/2009/03/mali-molly-maui-malawi/#comments Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:00:31 +0000 Edward Bussa http://www.threadster.com/?p=58

GIANT MAP OF MALI (yes, that's me)

Oh the confusion!

The location of the West African country of Mali is little known.  When I try to explain where Mali is, most people have never heard of it.  Sometimes it helps to make it clear where Mali is not.  The name that comes to the mind of many is the tropical island of Maui, one of the Hawaiian Islands.  Mali is not Maui.  It ain’t Malawi either. Incredibly enough, even some post offices around the world haven’t heard of Mali.  The people I know who live there tell stories of mail being lost for weeks because it was first routed to the country of Malawi — a different African country more than 3500 miles away!

The Malian economy

The people of Mali live on very little money.  The average income is $380 per year.  A few other quick facts about Mali from the CIA’s World Fact Book:

• Land Size: almost twice the size of Texas
• Percentage of land suitable for farming: less than 4%
• Life Expectancy for males at birth: 48 yrs.
• Religions: Christian 1%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Muslim 90%

World Fact Book Economic Overview:

• Mali is among the poorest countries in the world.
• Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities.
• Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export, along with gold.
• (The good news) Mali’s adherence to economic reform and the 50% devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994 have pushed up economic growth to a 5% average in 1996-2008.

The Malian people

Multicultural Coexistence (click to enlarge)

Yes, it’s true, the Malian economy ain’t so great. But the people! The people and the culture are amazing.  As is their tradition, when you visit from another country, you are considered a guest. And for them, guests are to be honored. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or even what they have to give, they do what they can to help you feel welcomed.  The people of Mali are truly generous and welcoming. So when you add the warm climate on top of their community oriented cultures, it makes for a rich cultural experience day and night.

Befitting of their generosity, the Malian people have managed to create a stable government that has become a model of democracy on the African continent.  The government is operated on the principals and regulations of a constitution and the people have publicly elected their leaders for 17 years now. Truly remarkable, on a continent where governments struggle for stability, one of the poorest countries in the world has been able to maintain a stable government!  Since the military coup in 1991  and the acceptance of a new constitution in 1992 brought dictatorial rule to an end, the strength of the Malian democracy has grown with each election. One of the drivers of this stability is a history of multicultural coexistence that has led to a heart of peace that is at the center of Malian society today.

The theme of multicultural coexistence is sure to come up again as there are many different cultures that call Mali home.  Also, in the capital city of Bamako, there is a prominent monument that is a striking tribute to the martyrs of the 1991 revolution/coup that started Mali on the road to democracy.  More about that in another post…

Enjoy! Ed.

3.30.2009 Editor’s Note
It seems there is now another country to add to the list of confusion.  My wife sent some magazines to a friend in Mali last week but when she looked at her receipt the clerk apparently punched up Malta instead!  After talking with the manager they assured her that it should be caught at some point (it says Mali on the package).  We’ll see!

Actually, not really.  The old Threadster wasn’t so great.  In fact, it was so not great there wasn’t even a front page for our visitors to land on.

So, join me in welcoming the new Threadster!  Threadster.com, adventures in photography, is a place for stories, told through images and text, about the people and places I am most passionate about.  If you haven’t seen any of my photography before, you can find a compilation of my work at www.edwardbussa.com.  However, this is the only place to find the stories behind the photos, and many can be seen here first.

The new format

For a few years now I’ve been sharing my adventures in photography with friends and family simply by posting web galleries to threadster.com. This has been a quick and easy way for me to share the beauty of the people and places I’m passionate about. The web gallery format allowed me to share the images, but not the stories.

Earlier this year I traveled  to Mali, West Africa to visit a friend from the U.S who is living and working there. For the first two weeks, I create web galleries to shar our various travels around the country. When I sat down to share images from the third week, I realized I needed a different format so I could begin telling the story behind some of the photos.  Also, although I was geeked by the comments sent in response, I didn’t have a good way to share them with everyone else!  The new site allows you to easily make comments.

How will I know if there’s something new?

I used to send out an “e-mail blast” from my personal contacts list whenever I had something to share.  This method has some obvious problems.  For starters, I could never figure out who should be included.  I felt fairly comfortable with including my family – they’ve already forgiven me for worse.  But does “family” mean aunts and uncles, cousins, third cousins?  Now, the really difficult decisions begin with those relationships that are defined by indicators more subtle than common genetic material.  What are the rules for deciding which colleague, professional acquaintance or friend of a friend, to include in an e-mail like that?  There are none.  The only real solution is to let each person decide for themselves.

So, a really cool part of this new format for me (and I know for you too) is a mailing list system that allows you to choose the announcements and postings you receive.  I want you to be in complete control of your inbox.  If you want to receive news of future postings by e-mail, look on the right side of the site for where it says “Enter your email address:” and hit the subscribe button.

Alternatively, if you use an RSS reader, you can sign up for the RSS fee available here and new items will show up for you inside your reader. If you have no idea what an RSS reader is, just use the Subscribe link on the side.

How often will new content be posted?

Currently, I have a backlog of things to share from my Africa trip and these will be coming as fast as I can crank them out. Probably not more than one post per week though.  After that, I am not sure how often I might post – it could be as little as once a month.

Lastly, this format is brand new for me, so if you experience any glitches, feel free to let me know.  Otherwise…

Enjoy! Ed.