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what do i do when im loving you
what do i do when baby comes throw
what do i do when im feeling blue
what do i do when im feeling you
what do i do when everyone yells who are you
what do i do when that day comes
what do i do when you say i do
what do i do when i say yes
what do i do when its all perfect and done
i guess we do it all again 

In Merchant of Venice and Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare creates strong female characters in the forms of Portia and Beatrice. Both women are strong, independent, speak their minds, and are instrumental to their respective plot lines. For example, in Merchant of Venice, Portia acts covertly to manipulate her father's will, resulting in the desired suitor picking the right chest. She also is a driving force in the court scene. Similarly, Beatrice is a dominating force in Much Ado About Nothing. However, there are differences between these two women as well. An example of this would be external influence. Portia is guided by her father, even after his death, while Beatrice is guided by Don Pedro and a host of conspirators.

Portia is forced to fulfill her father's wishes through his will, which mandates that her suitors must choose among caskets in order to 'win' her. The Prince of Morocco selects the golden casket, thinking that “an angel in a golden bed lies all within” (2.7.58-59). Upon opening the casket, however, he does not find Portia's portrait (what the 'winner' finds). The inscription inside the casket taunts him, saying that not all that glitters is gold, and that many men have sold their lives just to behold the golden exterior. This could suggest that whoever chooses the golden casket is a kind of gold digger. Earlier in the same act, the Prince tells Portia that the valiant have feared his aspect, and the “best regarded virgins of our clime have loved it too” (2.1.8-11). Ungerer says that it is no wonder he ends up the loser - his reputation as a 'deflowerer' fits the view Elizabethans had of Moroccans (pg.112). Ungerer's research shows that many people reported that Moroccan sultans Ahmad al-Mansur and Muhummad ash-Shaykh, among others, raped several women, including virgins. Given this fact, the Prince of Morocco can be viewed as a gold digger of a different sort. Portia's father may have used this particular casket, with the exterior riddle, “who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire”, as a way to weed out those who would objectify his daughter (more specifically, view her just as a piece of treasure).

Similarly, the second casket is designed to weed out those that Portia's father deemed unworthy. After reading the inscription, “who so chooseth me shall get what he deserves”, Arragon discovers a picture of a blinking idiot offering a note (2.9.49). The note says that there are fools who are “silvered o'er”, kissing shadows and possessing a shadow's bliss (2.9.65-68). This could be referencing a mirror (mirrors are “silvered o'er”, and reflect shadows of what's in front of them). The reference of a mirror, coupled with the inscription, indicates that the fools who are silvered o'er are chasing reflections of reality. Portia's father designed this riddle to deter those that are too much of a dreamer.

The leaden casket also serves to select suitors on behalf of Portia's father. Inside the casket, chosen by Bassanio, is a scroll which says, “you that choose not by the view, chance as fair and choose as true” (3.2.131-132). “You that choose not by the view” suggests that Portia's father was looking for someone who doesn't 'judge a book by the cover'. Bassanio's selection of the leaden casket is problematic. His decision was discreetly guided by Portia, in her effort to have some say in which suitor she should marry. Portia's song that she sings as Bassanio examines the caskets is laden with words that rhyme with lead: bred, head, nourished, engend'red, and fed. Although they admit some critics say the previous stage direction (”A song the whilst Bassanio comments on the caskets to himself”) suggests he didn't hear the song, Rasmussen says there is evidence Bassanio did hear (1). There are traces of Portia's song in Bassanio's following comments. Mainly, the key words 'head' and 'bred' are repeated: “To be the dowry of a second head, the skull that bred them in the sepulchre” (2.2.95-96). Portia made a point to repeat words rhyming with 'lead' to lead Bassanio to pick the lead casket, and he has evidently picked up on the clue.

In addition to having some limited power over selecting her future husband, Portia seems to exert some control over Bassanio. He can't be sufficed by the 'words of patriarchy' set by the scroll in the casket (Marzola 299). Instead, he needs endorsement from Portia. He tells Portia he will remain “doubtful until ratified” by her (2.2.146-148). This could be an effort to show respect to Portia for some sort of “brownie points”, or, a true show of respect due to Portia's power. It is actually both; Bassanio is a bit of a gold digger, so he is probably trying to be extra cautious to stay on Portia's good side. Conversely, he does view Portia as a powerful figure. When he has access to her power and money, he doesn't quite know what to do with it (Marzola 299). As Marzola says, it is like someone receiving a promotion quite abruptly - the recipient is taken aback at first.

Just as Portia is under another's control when it comes to her love life, Beatrice is under the influence of Don Pedro and his conspirators when it comes to her own love life. In the second act of Much Ado, Beatrice storms out to Benedick and says “Against my will I am sent to bid you come in to dinner” (2.3.248). (Researcher Richards says “one feels that The Ride of the Valkyries would be a suitable musical accompaniment” (135)). Benedick is sure there is a “double meaning in that.” According to Richards, there is a double meaning.

Beatrice's line is taken from Homer's Odyssey (Richards 135). Zeus sent Hermes to Calypso with orders for her to release Odysseus from her control. In the Murray translation, Hermes' line reads “It was Zeus who bade me come here against my will” (5.99). These strikingly similar lines show that their speakers are obviously forced to send a message, and are at least a little less than thrilled about being sent.

The double meaning of Beatrice's line also explains Beatrice's response to Benedick thanking her for her pains (Richards 135). She tells him that had it been painful she wouldn't have done it. In the Odyssey, Hermes details his voyage to Calypso, saying “Who of his own will would speed over so great a space of salt water…. But it is in no way possible for any other god to evade or make void the will of Zeus”. Given the background of Beatrice's line, she means had she not been made to come, she wouldn't have. Despite how much it pains her to bid Benedick to come to dinner, she does, showing she is already under the control of Don Pedro and his conspirators.

Similarly, Hero exerts some control over Beatrice. The motive is, partly, to recover dominance, and success is determined by Beatrice's unselfconscious vulnerability (Straznicky 9). Hero's “eagerness to see Beatrice 'greedily devour the treacherous bait' (3.1.28)” can be read as an attempt to overturn Beatrice's dominance elsewhere.

Beatrice responds “what fire is in mine ears…. And Benedick, love on, I will requite thee, taming my wild heart to thy loving hand” (3.1.107-112). Her anticipation of being tamed and in love is significant (Straznicky 10). She will eventually accept traditional patriarchal norms by coupling herself with Benedick. However, this gives her a voice that allows her to critique the norm, and take over the comical values abandoned by the play's conventional patriarchal relationship (Straznicky 10).

Beatrice also exerts some control over Benedick. In the ball scene, they have one of many exchanges of wit. Immediately after Beatrice calls Benedick a 'prince's jester', he makes it clear he wants nothing more than to be as far away from her as possible. He asks the Prince to command him “any service to the world's end” (2.1.260). As Hale points out, in Benedick's reply, he expresses his view of Beatrice, which gives hints to how he views himself, which is in turn involved in what he thinks she thinks of him (246). In short, he is actually concerned with how and what she thinks of him, and this serves to 'prime' him in a way to be susceptible to Don Pedro's ploys later.

Portia plays an instrumental role in the court scene of Venice. She proactively and directly affects the outcome of the scene, while some of Shakespeare's female characters are only able to affect outcomes indirectly (being the center of action without creating any action). As Weisberg points out, Portia may be “fascinated by Shylock's excessive yet somehow solid insistence on his bond” (3). Weisberg also says that she is committed to undoing his extreme application of the written law. She will later deduce that Antonio's vindictive influence on Bassanio moves him to give her the ring.

She also directly affects the outcome of the scene by following Shylock's bond so closely it is no longer enforceable on its own terms (Weisberg 3). While reveling in the “mastery of a complex situation irresolvable by men”, she brings out her statutes (Weisberg 3). Her statutes entitle the state to half of Shylock's property and his life, and the Duke quickly offers forgiveness. Portia quickly pipes up and says “What Mercy can you render him, Antonio?” This undoes the persecution of the statute by reducing the effect on his enemy (Weisberg3).

Portia's 'ring-play' leads most characters to fix their respective flaws (Hamill 232). When using her 'ring fiction', Portia exorcises her jealousy, which then allows Antonio to transform his attempt to possess Bassanio into a gesture expressing 'love's ideal generosity' (Hamill 232). The 'ideal of love's inclusiveness' behind her ring-play enables Antonio to save himself from his notion of love's possessiveness.

Portia plays a kind of puppet-master here, carefully guiding those around her to see the result she is looking for. Portia's role is a 'calculated posture' of jealousy and hardheartedness. It reflects man's inevitable tendency to define love in terms of possession and exclusion (Hamill 242).

Just as Portia plays an instrumental role in Venice, Beatrice, along with Benedick, maintains a dominating force in Much Ado. The difference is that Portia intentionally tries to dominate action, while Beatrice unknowingly dominates the action because she is duped into falling in love.

Beatrice and Benedick occupy an oppositional space. Their persistence of domination in the play, despite Claudio and Hero being a better example of patriarchy, is due to the play's representation of power relations (Straznicky 8). In other words, they are more approved by the play as a whole.

Unlike other women in Shakespeare, Beatrice is very outspoken (witty remarks), which contributes to her being a dominating force in Much Ado. Hero's voice is rarely heard in mixed company throughout the play, and she is kept 'infantilized' by the “social and linguistic segregation of the sexes in the play” (Moisan 2). Conversely, Beatrice makes herself conspicuous by transgressing that boundary. Living life outside of social constraints has made her independent, and she is happy enough being independent, making her a prime target for the love scheme.

Beatrice's outspokenness is stopped just once in the play. Upon disavowing her love for Benedick, someone speaks “Peace! I will stop your mouth” (5.4.97). Editors such as New Penguin and New Cambridge attribute the line to Benedick (House 1). House asserts that this attribution is false, and that both the Quarto and Folio attribute the line to Leonato. If the line is spoken by Benedick, it then means that Benedick is 'shutting her up' with a kiss. This would conflict with her independent nature, perhaps stifling it a bit. Editors attributing the line to Benedick say it fits nicely with a line spoken during Hero's betrothal: “stop his mouth with a kiss (2.1.292)” (House 1). House says that having Leonato as the speaker makes more sense: he shuts Beatrice up by handing her to Benedick (1). House points out that this parallels the betrothal of Hero quite closely - “Count, take of me my daughter…” (2.1.284) - and parallels Leonato shutting Beatrice by getting rid of her earlier in the play: “Niece, will you look to those things I told you of?” (2.1.318)

In Merchant of Venice and Much Ado About Nothing, strong characters have emerged in the forms of Portia and Beatrice. Both women

Are instrumental to their respective plot lines, each is independent, and each enjoys the freedom of speaking freely. Their main difference would be what external forces guide the outcomes of their love lives, and how the forces guide them.

Annotated Bibliography:

Shakespeare's women in Merchant of Venice and Much Ado About Nothing.

Hale, John K. “'We'll strive to please you every day': pleasure and meaning in Shakespeare's mature comedies.” Studies in English Literature vol. 21 issue 2 (1981): pg. 241-256. Discusses the response to comedy in the form of pleasure, as well as misconceptions concerning the sense of pleasure. Gives examples of literature that considers pleasure.

Hamill, Monica J. “Poetry, law, and the pursuit of perfection: Portia's role in the Merchant of Venice.” Studies in English Literature vol. 18 issue 2 (1978): pg. 229-244. Analyzes the role Portia plays in The Merchant of Venice. Explores the connection between poetry and law, and the significance of Portia's submission to her father via the lottery.

House, Ian. “'Much Ado About Nothing': a line restored to its speaker.” Notes and Queries vol. 41 no. 4 (1994): pg. 487. Refutes the attribution of the line “Peace! I will stop your mouth! (V.iv.102)” to Benedick. Citing both the Quarto and the Folio as sources, the author claims the line is spoken by Leonato. Attribution of this line affects how the scene is read.

Marzda, Alessandra. “Which is the woman here, and which the man? Economy and gender in The Merchant of Venice.” European Journal of English Studies vol. 1 no. 3 (1997): pg. 291-309. Discusses gender identity in the play. Analyzes the purpose of Portia's marriage, as well as Portia's involvement in the betrayal plot.

Moisan, Thomas. “Deforming sources: literary antecedents and their traces in Much Ado About Nothing.” Shakespeare Studies vol. 31 (2003): pg. 165-185. Examines how power, politics, and character are represented in the play. Also discusses representation itself, and the relationship between sources of the play and the play itself.

Rasmussen, Eric. “Shakespeare's the Merchant of Venice III.ii.63-68.” Explicator vol. 44 issue 2 (1986): pg. 12-13. Analyzes the word choice of Portia's song (”where is fancy bred…”) and whether it is meant to guide her suitor's choice of casket.

Richards, Dave. “Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing.” Explicator vol. 57 issue 3 (1999): pg. 135-137. Analyzes the scenes at the end of act two, especially scene 3. Interprets the dialogue and characters.

Straznicky, Marta. “Shakespeare and the government of comedy: Much Ado About Nothing.” Shakespeare Studies vol. 22 (1994): pg. 141-171. Analyzes mythology of honor and the demonization of bastardy. Focuses on moral values opposed to legal criteria, and on the characters of Benedick and Beatrice.

Ungerer, Gustav. “Portia and the Prince of Morocco.” Shakespeare Studies vol. 31 (2003): pg. 89-127. Discusses the political, commercial and cultural aspects of the play. Analyzes the theme underlying the golden casket.

Weisberg, Richard H. “Antonio's legalistic cruelty: Interdisciplinarity and The Merchant of Venice.” College Literature vol. 25 issue 1 (1998): pg. 12-21. Interprets the play through the perspectives of law and literature. Examines Portia's role in the court scene.

But I wasn't. As a civilian employee of the Army, I was entitled to subsidy tickets when I took public transportation to and from work. Since the nearest ticket office was out of the denominations I needed, I had planned to whisk over to the Pentagon the morning of September 11, 2001. The counter there always had a full selection. From experience, I knew the hordes of people on their way to work cleared by 9:00 a.m. and planned to leave my office then.

The early morning of September 11 was absolutely gorgeous. The sky was a clear blue punctuated by billowy white clouds slowly drifting overhead. I was actually at the Pentagon around 6:45 AM, when my commuter bus stopped to drop off and pick up passengers. I looked out the window at the familiar stone walls inside which I had worked since 1995 until taking a one-year detail in Crystal City, just a few blocks away, during the summer. Many of us on the bus were well acquainted. We teased each other amiably each day, at least until 6:10 AM, when etiquette demanded silence to allow some to catch 45 minutes of sleep. Going home, we all looked tired and were often stressed, certainly not very talkative. Civilians were interspersed with personnel in Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine uniforms.

After the bus dropped me off at the corner near my office only five minutes later, I walked silently toward my building, reviewing the agenda of what I had to accomplish. I slid my card through the reader at the front door of the building, took the elevator to my cubicle, and noted the lights were out in my supervisor's office. By 7:30 AM, workers began to trickle into the office, flip on their computers, and exchange a few jokes before getting down to the business of the day.

I learned from our admin assistant that my boss and the other managers would be spending the day at the contractor site. This meant I would have to finish a project by noon without her input. A bad day to take time to go to the Pentagon, I concluded.

Many workers for Defense agencies have somewhere in their careers been assigned to buildings where it was not permissible to bring in portable radios or recording devices. This was the case in my work area. However, I noticed another employee listening to the radio on his computer as I walked past his cubicle on the way to put some papers on my supervisor's desk.

I placed the files on top of some other papers in a basket, then straightened and turned to leave, glancing out the large picture window to my left. At that moment, I was probably the first person in the building to see smoke pouring out of the Pentagon. I reached instinctively for the phone. It was hard to stop staring at that smoky inferno, the building where dozens of my friends and former co-works were still assigned.

When I heard a commotion in the aisle, I left the office and closed the door. Five or six co-workers were crowded around a computer, listening to the radio. A few minutes later, the overhead speaker system announced we should evacuate the building immediately.

Everybody was calm. Nobody was smiling. We followed our rehearsed exit. Then we waited. The safety monitors for each group were idle. Clearly, there was nothing they could do except tell us to wait. About 10 minutes later, the ground shook. I figured—correctly, as it turned out—this was part of the Pentagon imploding. By now, everyone knew about the first plane hitting the World Trade Center in New York and that another one had struck the Pentagon. Beyond this, we had no information. Almost immediately overwhelmed, cellular providers simply could not provide. Our cell phones were useless.

Within half an hour, we were ordered back into the building. Nobody wanted to go. We all wondered since we worked for a military organization, would our building be next? It was tall enough to be an obvious target. Some employees—both civilian and military—who had driven to work dived for the parking lot to leave before the traffic clogged the area for blocks.

The rest of us went back to our desks. While we could not call on our cell phones, the office phones thankfully worked fine. I took a head count and, attempting to recall others I had seen outside who had apparently left work, called my boss at the contractor site to give her the tally in case anything else happened.

As it turned out, my daughter's boyfriend, working far from the affected area, called my office several times to find out if I was all right. I was also able to get a message to my husband through his employer.

Around 2:00 PM, I noticed the crew of remaining workers had dwindled. Every time we looked out a window, all we saw was a traffic jam. A Volkswagen Beetle we had seen at a traffic light hours before rested at the same spot, no driver in sight. I suggested food might be a problem if we were there overnight. Two of us decided to keep the lunches we had brought from home in the refrigerator and go to the “underground”, a maze of shops below the street level, to buy something from the deli.

Shortly after we returned, the guards at the building entrances stopped letting anybody into the building, whether they worked there or not. I later found out a friend from the bus had walked from her damaged wing at the Pentagon to my office, only to be turned away even though she had an appropriate badge.

I had two overwhelming instincts throughout all of this. The first was to find the safest place to be in case our building, too, was hit. The second was a persistent urge to leave and go to the Pentagon to help. However, I rationally knew I would be in the way over there.

While we waited, we had little information about what was going on except a couple of announcements over the public address system, and we did not linger at the computers for information. We were too busy planning how to get out of the building. We found out all public transportation around the Pentagon - which is technically in Arlington, VA - and for much of the Washington, DC area had shut down. We had no idea how to get home, since the roads were not passable.

Eventually, around 4:00 PM, a contractor working in a cubicle near mine looked out and noted a break in the traffic. Her plan was simple enough: the two of us would get into her car in the garage and pick up her husband in Rosslyn, VA. The three of us would then drive to the large metro station in Vienna, VA near their home, where she would drop me off. I was able to notify my husband from the office phone that this was the plan. I had to guesstimate when I would arrive to tell him when to come and get me. While it would have normally taken about 15 minutes by car to reach her husband, it took us well over an hour as we zigzagged past one-way streets and roadblocks with flashing lights.

By the time my husband reached me around 7:00 PM, I was exhausted and sobbing. I still did not know the extent of what had occurred or why. And I developed this feeling of overwhelming guilt as I listened to the radio in the car as we drove home. Judging from where the plane had hit, many of my former colleagues had to have been in the area.

When we reached home, I paced the floors of our small townhouse for hours. Internal Pentagon communications left a lot to be desired. The security manager from the agency where I had been employed in the Pentagon called around 8:30 PM to find out if I was all right. He still had me on his roster of current employees.

The next day was liberal leave. All Federal workers in the affected areas were free to take vacation or sick leave. I chose to drive to work—the bus did not operate the rest of the week—because I felt I had a better chance to find out the fate of the folks I knew.

I will never forget passing through heavy, heavy smoke near my office building. At that point, fires were still burning. Nor will I forget the sight, out the passenger window in my car, of the hole, that horrific gaping hole in the side of the Pentagon on the route home.

The aftermath of September 11 made an impact I could never have foreseen on my life and the lives of my former colleagues. Eleven of them, including a former intern with whom I had joked easily for months, were killed. She was one of the last to be identified. The ranks of the Army budget folks, with whom I had interacted on a daily basis for years, were decimated.

Several of my acquaintances were married to military officers and elected to resign. Other workers returned to the Pentagon to work as their sections were re-opened, only to leave the same day and never go back. I noticed the absence of a few faces on the bus. Others returned to work and are still there.

As for me, I kept the promise I made my husband on September 11: I never returned to the Pentagon for any reason. A few months later, I transferred to a civilian agency nearby, so I commuted using the same bus since 1995, which continued to stop at the Pentagon to pick up and discharge passengers on its way to Crystal City. I took an early retirement at the end of 2004.

I learned how fragile life is as I read the obituaries of my former co-workers in the WASHINGTON POST and waited for others to be identified, a year later. I began to do what I loved to do and was trained to do; I wrote, and wrote, and wrote. Fortunately, I got paid for it. I also completed my M.A. in writing in 2002.

I did not get religion as the result of 9/11. I already had it. The most difficult part of my religion to deal with in light of that awful day was the belief that God knows when each of us will die.

My life is much slower now. While I am still in contact with several of the folks from the Pentagon, one of whom is a friend, it's usually via email or phone. None of us ever felt vulnerable from the airways above the building. Most of us believed if anything dangerous ever happened, it would be the work of a disgruntled employee after a bad performance appraisal.

As the months wore on and certain wedges of the Pentagon were rebuilt, the attention of all of us who had recently worked there gradually shifted to the tragedy of the Twin Towers in New York.

Likewise, our own identities shifted. My family received dozens of calls that first week from relatives, acquaintances, and friend of friends all over the country who had thought I still worked at the Pentagon on September 11 and wondered if I had survived. When I graduated with my M.A., the commencement speaker briefly described the obstacles each graduate had overcome in writing his or her novel. He pegged mine as my experiences on September 11, 2001. By the first anniversary of this tragedy, however, I no longer thought of myself as a “9/11 person”. My concession to the experience, beyond my fond memories of those who had died, was to take a day of vacation each year on 9/11 in their memory.

Above all, I am grateful and I was not in that building. So very grateful.

I went over to a neighbor's house the other day to return a powersaw and found him to be pretty excited - in a way that only a gy who enjoys home repairs can be.

“Man, I can't remember the last time I had so much fun!” he replied as he greeted me at the door.

Well, my curiousity was piqued. “What's up?” I casually asked.

“I'm re-caulking my windows!” he replied. And with those simple words I learned all about cutting my energy bill by nearly a third.

According to a February 2006 survey by Brown/Yardley Research, only about 37% of households in the United States buy, cut and install sufficient caulk? I know you are as shocked as I am to hear those statistics but it's true. What the heck are people thinking? Apparently the 63% of homeowners who don't “caulk” just don't know how. I can tell you - as a lifelong “fixer-upper” that's pretty embarrassing.

A lot of homeowners just don't realize that for a simple $20.00 investment (about the price of 4 or 5 tubes of caulk or sealant) they can save themselves hundreds of dollars in energy cost savings.

Consider the following:

- Check aound the windows and door frames in your house and look forgaps, cracks or leaks. All of which allow hot or cold air to escape (depending on the season). Actually, anywhere where building materials join or the walls are penetrated by something such as plumbing or electrical fixtures.

- Clean these air-leaking areas with a mild abrasive or rubbing alcohol in order to prepare the surface to be caulked.

- Remove any old caulk or sealant with a utility knife. Next, cut the tapered nozzle of the caulking tube at a 45-degree angle.

- Carefully glide the tube evening across the gap, applying pressure as needed. Smooth the sealant and allow it to set.

Let me interupt for one second and interject that caulking a window or door frame is one thing. If the crack or hole is large - you'll probably want to stucco it first.

I have done a fair share of caulking in my lifetime, but I never really thoght of the energy-saving benefits it brought. I always did for aestetic purposes. While we're at it, allow me to toss out a few more energy-saving tips - that just happen to be appropriate for the fall and winter months:

- Clear roof gutters and downspouts to prevent water leaks.

- Clean debris out of window sills and patio door areas as they too hamper energy efficiency.

- Change your furnace filters regularly.

- Cover the outdoor air-conditioning unit and/or close it's vents.

- check your insulation in the basement and attic. generally, the problem is that the insulation that is there is insufficient.

Getting back to my neighbor - who was caulking up a storm - he later told me that his caulking adventure had an immediate effect on his house. I'd say the more immediate effect was on his wallet. I did a little research and discovered that a typical “energy audit” - where someone visits your home to check for leaks and whatnot that cause energy loss - can cost upwards to $300.00! Hey - for THAT kind of money doesn't it pay to buy a few tubes of caulk and do it yourself? Even if you don't do the most professional job you'll still be getting the job done AND saving yourself some money.

The ability to play in perfect timing is something that many musicians practice for the duration of their entire musical careers. Drummers and carriers of the rhythmic portion must have a good understanding of the importance of timing. I see bands all the time that play songs from their records. It happens very frequently that, in the heat of the live performance, these drummers will 4 count into the song at a pace that is way too fast. The excitement of performing and being on stage gets the best of them and before they know it, they are rushing through the song at ungodly paces. This creates a big problem for the other instrumentalists. By playing far too quickly, the other musicians are forced to keep up and for intricate parts or pedal engagement, this can become too difficult to execute properly. On top of this, a set that you rehearsed at 40 minutes can immediately be shortened to just 25 if not careful. It is no fun going to see bands that have heavy, hard hitting jams that last 5 minutes and because they rush through them, the song turns into a two and a half minute metal medley. By practicing to a metronome, you are likely to develop a natural instinct for proper timing. Your playing will be more consistent, your band will appreciate it, and your songs will sound much stronger.

The Boss DB 60 Dr. Beat is an immensely helpful tool for developing a strong, systematic approach to the rhythmic tempo keeping of your music. This thing is small and easy to operate. It has a nice back light display so you can have maximum visibility at all times. I know a drummer that liked this thing so much that he actually uses Velcro to attach it to his kick drum when his band performs live. This way, he can always be on time with the visual click simulator. These things have tons of patters to practice with. With the ability to keep up with 17 beats per measure, you are not likely to have any time signatures the DB 60 can't follow up with.

Stay in perfect timing with this awesome Boss device.

This weekend I had my annual voyeuristic trip into Greek culture.

It was the Greek festival in Huntington. It was there I had the opportunity to watch the young people dance their traditional dances to ancient songs.

The dancers held white handkerchiefs that they used to keep time with the music. But they also used them to connect to their dance partners or to wipe their brow. These dances were an expression of joy. I can easily imagine these dances taking place at weddings, anniversaries or at the birth of a child.

But after watching the youth of this community dancing joyfully to the songs of their birthright, I couldn't help but come to feel a tinge of jealousy. Because theirs is a community intent upon maintaining a culture. They shared their traditional foods, wore their traditional cloths, and taught their children the dances of their fathers. They promoted within themselves a sense of family, tradition, and that of community. All these things bound together by their religion and culture.

During a course in Appalachian Studies, I learned that mountain people would often meet on a Friday night and move the furniture either to the porch or against the walls. They then would dance to fiddle music until morning. But if this ever was a part of my culture it had been abandoned long before my time.

There coexists among our people pockets of other cultures, but for the most part, we share a common past. A past that at best shared only a fragmented culture. Our abandoned culture cannot be so easily retrieved. What traditions we may have had have been decimated by the effects of a barrage of influences such as intermarriage among different peoples, divorce, puritanical religious practices, technology and even roller rinks.

The lucky ones among us are those families who are blessed with musicians bent towards our traditional music. Through this music we can still hear the vestiges of our ancestry. I hear this music and I think of the squirrel hunts of my youth. I think of possums, persimmons, and pumpkins. I think of the cool autumn breeze cutting through a flannel shirt and my grandmother's smile and I can feel the warm trembling crooked hands of my grandfather cradling my own while keeping time with that music.

What we are left with are boring weddings relegated to fellowship halls and church basements, complete with lukewarm sherbet punch and bad music. The only dancing that we might do may be to the Electric Slide or some other tired old pop song played once nationally but now only lives in our hollers or in the tape decks of 1970's jacked up Novas with loud exhausts.

Somewhere along the way we were made to feel bad about where we came from and we did the worst thing we could do, we abandoned our music, our culture and our dances. We then began to embrace tired trends that made their way from California and would adopt them as our own. Instead of our youth trying to emulate the character of our forefathers, they now mimic the black urban culture of which they are completely ignorant.

Where are the dances of my fathers? How can I express my joy?

The only way I know to tie myself to my culture is to eat me a plate of squirrel gravy and biscuits along with a glass of buttermilk. Oh… and pass the apple butter. After I get done, I might get up and dance me a jig if I only knew how.

A few weeks ago I was asked an unusual question: what is the most important thing in the church? I gave a quick answer and moved on. As I thought later, the question continued to follow me. The more I thought about it, more things came to mind. I could have answered that question in many different ways. Even my answer of Jesus seemed incomplete.

I thought that maybe the area of outreach is most important because we are meant to reach people for Jesus. Perhaps the area of worship is most important because that is where we gather to experience Jesus. Maybe the area of ministry is most important because we meet the needs of others in Jesus' name. All of these things are important but what is the most important?

Last week as I came into the sanctuary for prayer time, it hit me. The most important thing in our church needs to be the cross. The cross is the center of everything it means to be a Christian. The cross stands at the center of our theology. The cross is the center of biblical prophecy. The cross is the center of our purpose. The cross is the center of our message. The cross is the center of our methods.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

In our world, trust seems to be a thing of the past. There was a day when a person's word was their bond. A handshake actually meant something. A commitment was exactly that a commitment. Our world has gone to a fierce relativism. Where nothing can be trusted and nothing can be counted on at any time.

Jesus can be trusted. This is the basis of faith. The fact that we can count on Jesus to be who He said He was and to do what He said He will do is the basis for faith. Faith is nothing more than simply placing your trust in Jesus. We express our faith by placing that same trust in Jesus each and every day.

Trust and Obey
Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.

The life that we live here is gauged by a hope that there is a better life waiting just on the other side. A hope that the pain of this world will be erased and that there will be an eternal reward waiting. A hope that Jesus has indeed prepared a place for us. A hope that heaven is where we are destined to go. A hope that we will spend all of eternity with Jesus. How can we have this kind of hope?

Hope like this can only come through faith. It almost seems like a paradox. We must have faith to gain hope and our hope then increases our faith. Faith works like the muscles of our bodies. The more you use them, the stronger they become. When was the last time you exercised your muscle of faith?

We are to live by faith, not by sight. Having a life that is centered on the cross means that we walk each day by a simple faith. It means that we place our complete trust in Jesus. It means that we live with an eternal hope beating in our hearts.

Tired of lugging heavy buckets of water around when changing the water in your fish tank? Tired of all the spills, the back breaking labor, and the excessive amount of time it takes to do regular fish tank maintenance? Whether you've got one fish tank or twenty, freshwater or saltwater, the Python No Spill Clean 'N Fill eliminates the need for buckets, extra towels, and hours upon hours worth of painstaking work.

The Python No Spill Clean 'N Fill has been title more than appropriately. Once a user grasps the concept of how to use it, which takes only a few minutes, virtually no spills can be made. Water is siphoned directly from the fish tank, through the tubing and down a sink drain.

Save time; don't remove and wash gravel.

The gravel tube functions to eliminate crud and debris, uneaten food and fish waste that has embedded itself into the substrate. The litter is siphoned straight up the tube and, again, down the drain making clean up a snap. Forget about removing and washing gravel; with the Python No Spill Clean 'N Fill, the gravel remains in the tank keeping your fish tank water parameters stabilized. Only the debris and water are sucked up the siphon.

Refill a tank with ease.

With the turn of a switch, the flow switches from sucking water out of the tank to filling the tank back up with clean water eliminated the need for carrying heavy buckets of water and spills from lifting and dumping.

Prevent spills with the On/Off Valve.

One nice feature of the Python No Spill Clean 'N Fill is the On/Off Valve located near the gravel tube within easy reach. Switching the suction off is made easy for situations when more outgoing fish might try to swim up the tube, plants float up with the suction or simply when you are finished removing water and debris. It's also handy for turning off the water to prevent over filling the fish tank without having to run back to the sink to turn off the water supply.

Don't use a hand pump; let the water pressure do the work!

The system suction works by use of the water pressure of the sink faucet. A siphon is created automatically with no hand siphoning needed. When it's time to refill, simply turn the switch and the siphon is eliminated, forcing water back through the tubing and straight into the tank.

Most sink faucets are adaptable to the Python. If you are unsure if your sink will work with the system, you can purchase a brass adaptor separately for a minimal cost. If it fits on your faucet, the Python will work!

Several sizes are available for purchase in pet stores and online ranging from 25 feet to 100 feet in length.

Replacement accessories are available as well should the need ever arise. The Python No Spill Clean 'N Fill Porter exists for purchase to make for easier transport of the system.

The Python No Spill Clean 'N Fill may very well be the best invention to the fish hobby. Not only does it save time and eliminate the need for carrying heavy buckets of water, it's also safe to use and makes clean up a snap! The system is available in pet stores everywhere and online. It's definitely worth the cost to allow more time to enjoy your fish instead of spending all your time cleaning them. It's a definite must have for every fish keeper.

Oklahoma offers real estate brokers many opportunities and options; with the combination of both rural and urban areas, Oklahoma real estate associates have a variety of areas for potential profits. Licensing requirements in Oklahoma are fairly straightforward and simple, making it easy for anyone to join the real estate business.

Oklahoma law requires anyone selling or renting property to have a license. The Oklahoma Real Estate Commission issues the following three license types:

· Provisional Sales Associate (PSA) - An entry-level associate whom is directly under the supervision of a real estate broker. PSA’s may not enter into any contractual agreements under their own name. Applicants must be of good moral standard, 18 or older, and successfully complete Part I of a 45-hr real estate course. Once the state exam is passed and a PSA license is obtained, there is a Part II post-licensing requirement within a year. Once this is completed, the licensee will be issued a Sales Associate license. Cost for this license is $75, in addition to the education courses.
· Sales Associate (SA) – Sales Associate licenses are virtually the same as a PSA license; SA applicants must also be 18, of good moral character, and have completed the entire 45-hr real estate instruction. Sales Associates also have to be under the direct supervision of a broker, and may not enter into any contractual agreements on their own. In addition, SA’s must complete a 21-hr continuing education. The license, however, is good for three years rather than one. A Sales Associate license is $165.
· Broker- Brokers are allowed to operate their own firm (or work within an established office), and to sponsor PSA’s and SA’s. Broker applicants must be of good moral character, have two years of active real estate experience within the past five years, and have completed a 75-hr. advanced real estate education course. The Oklahoma Real Estate Commission may waive the experience requirement, but will not do the same for the education requirements. Once the state exam is passed, a broker can then apply to be a broker associate, proprietor broker, managing broker, or as a broker partner.

The education requirements can be completed at any private school, vo-tech, or college/university. Only after successful completion of the course(s) may the real estate applicant take the state examination in order to become certified. All Oklahoma private schools and vo-techs that offer the courses will provide the test for their students. The Oklahoma Real Estate Commission should be contacted for others (contact info below).

Of course, all education that is considered a post-licensing requirement need not be completed before undertaking the state examination. These hours must be completed only after the license has been granted. All applicants should ensure their coursework is approved by the Commission, especially any specialty courses (property management, appraisal, etc.). 

Once Oklahoma real estate licensee’s advance beyond PSA, continuing education courses are required in order keep a license active. All SA’s and brokers must complete 21-hrs. every three years. Commission rules regulate what classes must be taken. Currently they consist of four core areas: Fair Housing, Broker Relationship Act, Professional Conduct, and a Hot Topic (variety of issues dependent upon relevancy). 

Anyone wishing to obtain an Oklahoma real estate license should contact the Oklahoma Real Estate Commission. Their Website, http://www.orec.state.ok.us, includes downloadable forms, additional information on the types of brokerage licenses available, testing sites and dates, and more.

In April, 2008, Cizma was approved for treatment against moderate to severe Crohn's Disease in patients who had tried other methods, but found no relief. It has also been preliminarily approved for use in the treatment to moderate to severe Rheumatoid Arthritis or RA.

RA effects more than 2 million Americans. Seventy-five percent of those ill with RA are women, and for years, doctors and chemists have been devising medications that can, not only stop the progression of the disease, but also treat the symptoms so that life for RA survivors can be more productive. The American public has now grown accustomed to seeing television advertisements for drugs like, Humira - which is in the same class as Cizmia. The difference between Cizmia and the other drugs in its family, is that Cizmia claims what the others cannot: That their drug can treat the symptoms of RA without causing any of the usual injection site reactions. (Cizmia, like many other RA drugs, is an injectable).

In a six month study, 400 mg of Cizmia was given to RA patients every four weeks, and their symptoms and pain were significantly reduced by the drug. Many with RA are demanding its immediate and full release to the US public. However, Cizmia cannot claim complete safety. As with all drugs of this class, there are risks, and Cizmia's, one could easily argue, far out shadow its treatments benefits.

Some people who have taken Cizmia have become ill with a certain form of cancer called Lymphoma - or cancer of the lymphnodes. This is one of the deadliest forms of cancer on earth today. If caught too late, it is incurable and often the signs are unnoticeable for sometime while the cancer grows. Because Cizmia works as an immune suppressant to squash the overactive nature of autoimmune activity inside the joints, Cizmia can also leave its patient at high risk for an infection. Labels on the drug warn users to speak with their doctors even if they have a simple cut on the hand, a common cold, or especially something much more serious like Tuberculosis. Cizmia can also increase or cause new heart failure, nervous system disorders - like those seen in multiple sclerosis, and it can cause serious allergic reactions. It is not made of a substance the body is used to receiving sudden, large doses of.

While Cizmia appears to offer much hope to those victims of Rheumatoid Arthritis, it must also be noted that its risks may outweigh its benefits. Every patient should seek their doctor's advice when requesting a script for a new medication or when beginning a new medicinal regimen.