http://ignoregon.com/rss/Bend Aggregated Blog Posts From Bend Fri, 10 Sep 2010 21:57:01 +0000 en http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2010/09/10/in_case_you_mis.php http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2010/09/10/in_case_you_mis.php Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:40:00 +0000 Unless you've been in a hole the last 48 hours (I haven't been feeling well, so I didn't post this yesterday), you already know that Google debuted Instant Search (here's Google's announcement). However, what you may not have known is that there are some keyboard shortcuts that will make it even more useful. http://lancehardyphotography.com/blog/2010/09/new-project-underway/ http://lancehardyphotography.com/blog/2010/09/new-project-underway/ Fri, 10 Sep 2010 01:52:00 +0000 So my “Body Light” project has been hanging at Astro Lounge in downtown Bend for the last two months. Since then I’ve been laying out the concept for the next project and I’m ready to shoot. Tonight, Olivia came in and helped me get it started. She was awesome and my first shot for the [...] http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AYearInTheLifeOfKrystal/~3/WRJXG9AaNVg/return-to-school-and-exercise.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AYearInTheLifeOfKrystal/~3/WRJXG9AaNVg/return-to-school-and-exercise.html Fri, 10 Sep 2010 01:19:00 +0000 Thanks to my new schedule and Monday being Labor Day, I am enjoying five days off in a row. The timing is perfect since Erika started 2nd grade on Tuesday and that is a new adjustment to our schedules. This means that I'll have to be awake by 7:30am four days a week and 6:30am on my three work days. I only get to sleep in if Erika gets a no-school day Tue-Fri. Thankfully I've already inputted her school schedule into my calendar and I'll have a few breaks over the next year, lol. Back to school also means that it's back to the exercise routine. I stopped doing pretty much everything after my half-marathon in July. I started working overtime then and never picked it back up. Until I stepped on the scale this week and realized that I've gained back most of the 15 pounds I lost over the winter. When I renewed Jose's monthly membership at the gym, I renewed my fitness pass as well so I'm going to try and get in for at least 3 classes a week, starting next week! It is just under a mile to Erika's school so she rode her bike on Tuesday morning and I pushed Mia in the jogging stroller and we walked/jogged/biked the whole distance. I can see that my skinny little 7 year old is also out of shape. She had to get off and push her bike up the gentle incline! Mia and I returned to pick her up after school and then back again on Wednesday morning. Then the rain kicked in so I picked her and bike up yesterday after school. Then she asked if she could ride the bus to school today. Guess she's already tired of the exercise too. I do need to air up the tires in her bike and the jogging stroller because they were looking a little low and that might be making it harder for her than normal. I've spent this week trying to organize our "store". My sister-in-law Isabel lives in Acuamanala de Miguel Hidalgo, Tlaxcala with her husband and three kids. For the last two decades, her husband has supported the family with his hair salon, Ilse, which is named after their first daughter. In the last year, he has lost 90% of his vision in both eyes due to diabetes. Several operations later has left him with a little vision but the responsibility of supporting the family of five has now fallen on Isabel's shoulders along with Ilse who is now 17 years old. She has been selling Jafra products which are similar to Mary Kay and Avon to supplement their income. I was looking through their catalog and I couldn't believe the prices. Isabel says that lots of her clients pay big money for this stuff because it's from the United States and they just care about the label, etc. It shouldn't be that hard to understand, look at the people here who drop a fortune on name brand labels. When Bath & Body Works had a huge sale, I spent hundreds of dollars and stocked up on all their lotions and creams and paid about a 1/3 of the retail price. I package them up and ship them to Isabel who is able to sell them to her clients for the retail price and use the profits to support the family. She walks door to door and accepts payments and offers great customer service I'm sure. The update this week is that they are selling the salon since her husband will never be able to work again. I don't believe that Mexico has any type of system set up for disability like we have here. She gave us a list of items to look for this week which included Tommy Girl perfume, Hugo Boss cologne, Carolina Herrera cologne, Japanese Cherry Blossom lotion, and Nike tennis shoes size 9 mens. I filled up the large Priority Flat rate box since it costs $33.95 to send it so I might as well get my money's worth. I also send a couple boxes of Celestial Seasons herbal tea because each time I visit, I tease Isabel about her cinnamon tea. She only uses a little bit of the cinnamon stick in a big pot of water and the tea comes out almost clear. I know it's due to cost but it's the little things that make a difference. I also added a couple more lotions and an old DVD of the Terminator II. I hope she can hang in there and do her best until we can get down there to help them out. http://www.thebrewsite.com/2010/09/09/hopworks-urban-brewery.php http://www.thebrewsite.com/2010/09/09/hopworks-urban-brewery.php Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:38:00 +0000 Our Labor Day trip to Portland yielded a first-time visit to the iconic Hopworks Urban Brewery, fast becoming one of Portland’s premier microbreweries thanks to their solid beer, good food and emphasis on green, organic, sustainable lifestyles. No exaggeration—if anything, I’m understating; they have taken a thorough approach to this: HUB is Portland’s first Eco-Brewpub [...] http://www.workingmomgoesgreen.com/2010/09/other-reusable-stuff.html http://www.workingmomgoesgreen.com/2010/09/other-reusable-stuff.html Thu, 9 Sep 2010 19:00:00 +0000 It's always good to not throw away so much and put things into landfills. I take my lunch to work most days to avoid running out and eating fast food. Yes, I will admit, I will eat a fast food item in a pinch, yes, shame on me but over the years, I've done this less and less. Now, if I have to run in a pinch, I spend $5 at the local food cart. My typical lunch bag will contain a banana, peanut http://www.hackbend.com/2010/09/09/ignite-bend-voting-party.php http://www.hackbend.com/2010/09/09/ignite-bend-voting-party.php Thu, 9 Sep 2010 16:18:00 +0000 Sunday, the 12th, at 8pm at Silver Moon Brewing is the Ignite Bend voting party and “Battledecks.” This is where you get to cast your votes for who should be presenters on September 30th’s Ignite event (the choices are here), … Continue reading → http://berlinswhimsy.typepad.com/berlins_whimsy/2010/09/colors-together.html http://berlinswhimsy.typepad.com/berlins_whimsy/2010/09/colors-together.html Thu, 9 Sep 2010 11:54:00 +0000 A first-day-of-school dress for my daughter. She picked out the fabric here----a light-weight corduroy. I used the Built By Wendy/Simplicity pattern #3692. The pattern is designed for knits but because it runs large, it worked out just fine. My daughter loves it (despite the look of, "Okay, I'll pose for a photo but I'm not happy about it"). I'm knocking on wood as I write this--- that I'm so pleased that my daughter still wears the clothes I make for her! Anyhow, I intend to make myself a shirt out of this pattern. I also have some knit fabric to make my daughter another dress... http://www.hackbend.com/2010/09/08/big-lots.php http://www.hackbend.com/2010/09/08/big-lots.php Thu, 9 Sep 2010 00:29:00 +0000 I missed this the first time around (about three weeks ago or so), but Big Lots opened up on the Eastside in the old Linens ‘N Things location (next to Old Navy). They’re one of those closeout/liquidator/wholesale stores that offer … Continue reading → http://www.thebrewsite.com/2010/09/08/the-next-session-frankenstein-beers.php http://www.thebrewsite.com/2010/09/08/the-next-session-frankenstein-beers.php Wed, 8 Sep 2010 23:12:00 +0000 The Beer Babe has the write-up for this month’s Session post, and The Beer Wench has hosting duties for next month’s Session. The topic she’s choosing: “Frankenstein Beers.” Many craft brewers are like Frankenstein. They have become mad scientists obsessed with defying the laws of brewing and creating beers that transcend style guidelines. These “Frankenstein [...] http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2010/09/08/50cent_translat.php http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2010/09/08/50cent_translat.php Wed, 8 Sep 2010 21:15:00 +0000 If you look at 50Cent's twitter feed, you might be hard pressed to actually understand a word of it (I know I am). This translation service might help In related news, it amazing 50cent's only been shot nine times. http://funkiplanet.blogspot.com/2010/09/fall-crafting-idea-easy-window.html http://funkiplanet.blogspot.com/2010/09/fall-crafting-idea-easy-window.html Wed, 8 Sep 2010 20:54:00 +0000 I like window treatments.  I think they make rooms complete.  I like them in pretty fabrics.  When they are done right it doesn't matter if they are modern or traditional.  They just look good.  But I also think that window treatments are one of the hardest things to decide on in a home - (especially DIY treatments.) I think if you can get the paint right everything else comes pretty easily, except the window treatments.  I recently left a window uncovered for almost a year trying to get it right.  Finally, I made a decision and everything turned out quite beautifully. If you think that good looking window treatments have to be expensive or difficult I am here to change your mind.  Here are a couple of easy projects that anyone can do.  One requires no sewing!No-Sew Box Valance:1 sheet of r-tech insulation (from the hardware store - 1 inch thick)Cut 1 front piece to the length and height of your windowCut 2 side pieces and 1 top piece to match - you can determine the depth (10-12 inches is pretty standard)You can glue the pieces together if you want or just duct tape them.  I did both.You should end up with a three sided box.Cover your box with the fabric of your choice.  Secure with straight pins.  Finally, attach to the wall with L-brackets.  I purchased the chocolate curtains you see here and sewed tie-backs in matching fabric (you can buy them too!)This project took about 3 hours to complete.  I would rate it as easy.Simple Valance:This is a simple sewing project that requires only a straight stitch.  Using your favorite fabric, fold over the bottom and side edges about 1/2 inch and iron flat.Sew using a straight stitch. Fold over the top edge 5-6 inches (you can determine the height of the valance by playing with the top edge.)  Sew 2 lines of straight stitches.  One at the bottom of the fold and one a few inches higher (this is where you will put your curtain rod through).  It makes a lovely valance.  If you want a more modern look only use enough fabric to cover the window.  If you want a more traditional look use more fabric and scrunch it on the rod.   (double the length of the window is a good rule of thumb but less works too.)This project is easy for anyone who can sew a straight stitch.Scarf Valance:Use the instructions for the simple valance above.  Using your simple valance as a guide, cut 3-4 triangles of fabric (be sure to leave enough room to fold over the edges, iron down and sew.)  When you line the triangles up the way you want them, use a straight stitch to attach them to the top of the simple valance.  (I made mine a little longer than the valance so the points hang slightly below.)Here I used a complimentary fabric and I love the end result. I would rate this project as intermediate.I hope you try one of these projects for your own home soon.  Be sure to let me know if you have any questions.  Have fun!!!! http://socal2bend.blogspot.com/2010/09/happy-hump-day-and-see-ya-on-flipside.html http://socal2bend.blogspot.com/2010/09/happy-hump-day-and-see-ya-on-flipside.html Wed, 8 Sep 2010 20:32:00 +0000 With a copy of Eric Tollander's Back Roads of Oregon and a detailed Oregon road map in hand,  Mrs Elliott and I will be departing tomorrow on our trip to the coast and up to Astoria.Earlier this year:"We didn't get to have a fun summer last year," said Mrs Elliott, referring to the 2009 Summer of Healing when I was convalescing from my ankle surgery. Housebound we were.So this spring, we blocked out time on the calender for camping and exploring trips.And we're sticking to our plans, by gum, even if the weather is a bit damper and cooler than we hoped for. We'll camp if the opportunity and conditions are good, we'll find drier warmer lodging if they aren't.Either way, it looks to be scenic.Mrs Elliott wants to explore all the towns, all the gift shops, while I hope to have a sufficiently leisurely trip that I have time to look at more than asphalt.And there's a Ducks game on Saturday. Need to get docked before the game starts.We've been reaching out for suggestions for restaurants and places to overnight. I heard from one fellow that a certain winery on the coast doesn't mind if folk overnight in their parking lot in VW Vanagon camper vans. But we're not likely to need that. And Jack got a recommendation today for the Cannery Pier Hotel where one can "[e]xperience the majesty of the mighty Columbia River from the comfort of your hotel room."Which sounds pretty nice.We were told that there is an inviting RV park on a jetty there, but the sea lions will keep one up all night with their bellowing and general hubbub.However it goes, it should be memorable.So see ya all next week! http://www.workingmomgoesgreen.com/2010/09/recycling-resources.html http://www.workingmomgoesgreen.com/2010/09/recycling-resources.html Wed, 8 Sep 2010 19:00:00 +0000 image courtesy of Greenists.com Want to be better at recycling? I found this awesome article via The Greenists regarding online recycling resources available that kick booty. I could spend hours on all of these site so I thought I would share. You'll thank me later. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/txtD/~3/2Df82oS_zbs/99-noon-ride-your-bike-to-downtown-bend.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/txtD/~3/2Df82oS_zbs/99-noon-ride-your-bike-to-downtown-bend.html Wed, 8 Sep 2010 17:02:00 +0000 Tomorrow, Thursday, September 9, noon to 3pm, 25 NW Minnesota (in front of thump coffee). Get on your bikes and ride! http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ForeverFamilyDesigns/~3/tD4Naj_iugM/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ForeverFamilyDesigns/~3/tD4Naj_iugM/ Wed, 8 Sep 2010 14:14:00 +0000 I received emails from two more families since yesterday. I worked with one of the families in the spring and the other this summer. Here is what they had to say: “I just wanted to share the NEWS with you…. we brought home our daughter from the hospital a week ago yesterday!!! Never in our [...] http://virtualteahouse.com/blogs/beth/archive/2010/09/08/what-we-resist-not-only-persists-but-will-eventually-become-our-landlord.aspx http://virtualteahouse.com/blogs/beth/archive/2010/09/08/what-we-resist-not-only-persists-but-will-eventually-become-our-landlord.aspx Wed, 8 Sep 2010 13:06:00 +0000 ‘The parts of us that remain unloved will eventually turn against us.’ --Carl Jung This is a submission for a synchroblog on Christian perspectives on immigration reform. Check out this link (Facebook) for some great thinking about this topic. Cuban refugees...(read more) http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2010/09/07/time_killer_for_96.php http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2010/09/07/time_killer_for_96.php Wed, 8 Sep 2010 00:34:00 +0000 Sieger is similar to a lot of other "Destroy The Castle" type of games, but instead of chucking stuff at a castle, you're just blowing it to bits. Play it after the jump, and see if you can get a gold medal on all the levels (took me a while to get the last couple, but I did -- purely by luck, me thinks). http://www.shesjustsaying.com/shes_just_saying/2010/09/first-day-of-sixth-grade.html http://www.shesjustsaying.com/shes_just_saying/2010/09/first-day-of-sixth-grade.html Tue, 7 Sep 2010 22:34:00 +0000 first day sixth grade, originally uploaded by Meltrier. The traffic jam to get to the school drop off was about the worst I've encountered in fifteen years in Bend, so Henry ditched me in a parking lot and went overland.... http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2010/09/07/why_you_wont_se.php http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2010/09/07/why_you_wont_se.php Tue, 7 Sep 2010 21:18:00 +0000 Crazy stuff like this can happen. Watch the middle pillar as a storm rocks this ship as seen from CCTV footage: And what did these folks get for their suffering? A discount on a future cruise. http://www.workingmomgoesgreen.com/2010/09/goal-4-use-reusable-products.html http://www.workingmomgoesgreen.com/2010/09/goal-4-use-reusable-products.html Tue, 7 Sep 2010 19:00:00 +0000 I took the liberty to modify our family's going green goals. To me, using a reusable grocery bag was already a habit though I really started using them more for groceries lately. I just keep two in my purse and whip them out at any store now (TJ Maxx, the produce stand, a specialty boutique). So I modified goal #4 from using my grocery bags more to use reusable products more. What does that mean http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HighDesertGalleryOfCentralOregon/~3/G-XYVBXJqDs/stream-side-kathy-deggendorfer-this-october-in-bend-oregon.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HighDesertGalleryOfCentralOregon/~3/G-XYVBXJqDs/stream-side-kathy-deggendorfer-this-october-in-bend-oregon.html Tue, 7 Sep 2010 16:46:00 +0000 Come celebrate with us as Oregon artist Kathy Deggendorfer fills our Bend Gallery with memories of summer days along the Metolius River. You won’t get your feet wet �" but you might wish you could! ... http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HighDesertGalleryOfCentralOregon/~3/G-XYVBXJqDs/stream-side-kathy-deggendorfer-this-october-in-bend-oregon.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HighDesertGalleryOfCentralOregon/~3/G-XYVBXJqDs/stream-side-kathy-deggendorfer-this-october-in-bend-oregon.html Tue, 7 Sep 2010 16:46:00 +0000 Come celebrate with us as Oregon artist Kathy Deggendorfer fills our Bend Gallery with memories of summer days along the Metolius River. You won’t get your feet wet �" but you might wish you could! ... http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HighDesertGalleryOfCentralOregon/~3/kUnCmU1LjHs/podcast-patricia-freeman-martin-talks-about-www6xa6com-atelier-6000-and-original-prints.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HighDesertGalleryOfCentralOregon/~3/kUnCmU1LjHs/podcast-patricia-freeman-martin-talks-about-www6xa6com-atelier-6000-and-original-prints.html Tue, 7 Sep 2010 16:20:00 +0000 Patty Freeman Martin speaks out about A6, print making and her recent work. High Desert Gallery's www.6XA6.com podcast ... http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HighDesertGalleryOfCentralOregon/~3/kUnCmU1LjHs/podcast-patricia-freeman-martin-talks-about-www6xa6com-atelier-6000-and-original-prints.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HighDesertGalleryOfCentralOregon/~3/kUnCmU1LjHs/podcast-patricia-freeman-martin-talks-about-www6xa6com-atelier-6000-and-original-prints.html Tue, 7 Sep 2010 16:20:00 +0000 Patty Freeman Martin speaks out about A6, print making and her recent work. High Desert Gallery's www.6XA6.com podcast ... http://www.workingmomgoesgreen.com/2010/09/killer-cart-cuisine.html http://www.workingmomgoesgreen.com/2010/09/killer-cart-cuisine.html Tue, 7 Sep 2010 16:19:00 +0000 Here is my lunch today: sweet potato curry soup and a grilled peach, bacon, peanut butter, avocado sandwich. Sounds like a strange combo but it was amazing. Thanks Soupcon!Published with Blogger-droid v1.5.8 http://www.hackbend.com/2010/09/07/last-day-for-ignite-bend-proposals.php http://www.hackbend.com/2010/09/07/last-day-for-ignite-bend-proposals.php Tue, 7 Sep 2010 15:05:00 +0000 Ignite Bend is coming up at the end of this month (on the 30th), and not only do they have a new website (disclaimer: I helped develop the site for them), but today is the last day they are accepting … Continue reading → http://www.thebrewsite.com/2010/09/06/weekend-beer-notes-3.php http://www.thebrewsite.com/2010/09/06/weekend-beer-notes-3.php Tue, 7 Sep 2010 02:44:00 +0000 No, I didn’t go to The Little Woody, because we were spending our Labor Day weekend in Portland instead. But there’s still some beer stuff to talk about. Lunch at Hopworks Urban Brewery, enjoying a taster tray of all ten of their current offerings plus a delicious burger. It was my first time to HUB, [...] http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ForeverFamilyDesigns/~3/UdU5KJiNpfI/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ForeverFamilyDesigns/~3/UdU5KJiNpfI/ Mon, 6 Sep 2010 22:26:00 +0000 We have had a really busy summer; we have had 13 adoption profile design clients since June, and I am happy to announce that we have heard from 10 of those families that have already been chosen by a birth mom or placed with a child. We are so happy for all of you! Three [...] http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2010/09/06/reading_materia_29.php http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2010/09/06/reading_materia_29.php Mon, 6 Sep 2010 19:03:00 +0000 Missle Command in 1KB of JavaScript.How to automatically upload pictures to the 'net as you take them (great for journalists).I'm building a HTPC and am probably going to cancel my cable, and this wood computer case is going on my (never going to happen with my budget) wish list.Set Bing backgrounds as automatically updating wallpaper.Is Android surging only because Apple is letting it?When you've done everything you can with Ruby On Rails, it's time to meet the MVC web framework to end all MVC web frameworks: DOS on Dope, a modern MVC framework built on the awesome power of Batch scripts.Charles Darwin's ecological experiment on Ascension isle was probably his best-kept secret.For you old-timers out there (like me): A big list of still functioning BBSs, mostly accessible via Telnet (though there are a few dial-in nodes there).For fun weather graphs, pictures and tracking this hurricane/tornado/winter season, StormPulse is a fun little toy.Didn't know this: Google has a bunch of online classes, lectures and tutorials for a bunch of programming languages.Wesley Snipes could have been Geordi, a part that ultimately went to LeVar Burton.AMD has gotten rid of the ATI brand, making Radeon its own.Gmail makes it easier to get through your inbox with priority inbox (somebody needs to make this a Thunderbird extension -- or I just need to funnel all my accounts into Gmail).Handy ways to make your USB sticks and Flash Cards easier to recognize in Windows.Simplicity is highly overrated. http://thegrantplant.blogspot.com/2010/09/one-way-to-remedy-fundraising-jitters.html http://thegrantplant.blogspot.com/2010/09/one-way-to-remedy-fundraising-jitters.html Mon, 6 Sep 2010 18:18:00 +0000 How to construct one's outlook, or point of view, level of confidence, patience, level of calm, or mindset, while fundraising is difficult for anyone who works in fundraising at one time or another.Today's post has provides some sound advice that can lessen how much anyone doing fundraising stresses or labors, and I thought this appropriate for Labor Day. It may seem like, 'Well, it's just a part of the job.  I'll just muscle through.  Or, I'll just keep my chin up.  Or...'  It is stressful and that is a fact.  Whether or not a fundraiser is a seasoned successful fundraiser familiar with how it goes, or if someone brand new to the work it's all the same, at the basic level.  It is a situation where one is hoping for the best and putting themselves and the organization 'out there' to achieve the fundraising success.The fact is, there is a lot that can be done (and is done) to lessen the amount of anxiety one goes through, as a fundraiser. A nonprofit's cash flow comes from income or money that comes into the organization.  Most money coming into a nonprofit is raised and comes from any one of many different forms of fundraising (i.e. grant writing, appeal letter campaigns, bequests, annual board contributions, etc.).  A nonprofit will set its programs and services for the coming (new) year, create an organizational (operating) budget and additionally budgets for each program and service that it is going to provide; and then the fundraising (a fundraising plan also called a development plan) is formulated to bring money in (cash flow) that will cover all expenses (for the programs, services, overhead, allocations to investments or an endowment, and any other cost such as unexpected costs, like maybe a rainy day fund).Once a fundraising or development plan is formulated, a plan of action is created to determine the 'who, what, where, when, why, and how' for all fundraising to be conducted over the course of the new year.  Once the budgets, development, plan, and any other pertinent planning is reviewed and ratified by the board, the real work begins.When a nonprofit has the following attributes and qualities, whether fundraising is successful or not is less of a uncertainty and has more to do with the quality of the fundraising work conducted, how knowledgeable, dedicated, and successful everyone working on the fundraising is and how well planned all of the fundraising is.  When an organization's programs and services are successful (achieving the organization's mission statement goal), the organization operates professionally and transparently, the leadership is focused on and committed to the good of the organization and its beneficiaries (before anyone or anything else), then the fundraiser can focus on their job at hand with a strong sense that there's nothing to 'sell' anyone on who may be approached for support.  Rather, when an organization is operated in excellence (as proven by the nonprofit's: track records, achievements, and ongoing commitment to its beneficiaries' well being (even as the beneficiaries' needs change over time, and they will and do)) then just sharing the quality, capability, potential, and reputation that this organization has to stand on in its current and future work will garner potential donors' (and others, such as new volunteers, board, staff, etc.) confidence.  If the fundraiser's done their homework and approached potential new donors who are interested in the cause or issue that the nonprofit works on, and the type of services or programs being offered: there should be a higher likelihood in fundraising successes.  How well a nonprofit raises any kinds of funds has everything to do with its organizational track record (or successes ala the organization's mission statement), how much about that track record is known in the community (or marketing and public relations), and how well the nonprofit is doing at asking for support (or fundraising).The following posts are recommended on this topic.  They each get more in depth in aspects of operations or best practices that can most definitely help contribute a relative peace of mind and confidence in a nonprofit's fundraiser's potential for success, for any organization.  How to Plan For and Fund Grant Writing for Your Organization and How Grant Writing Helps Get A Nonprofit Into a Position to Increase and Improve All of Its Fundraising and Top 10 Reasons Any Nonprofit Should Begin Applying for GrantsThe fact is, it isn't easy for anyone to sit and wait for a response to a grant request, after it's been submitted and so the anxiety or at least the anticipation never altogether disappears.  For help with dealing with waiting for a response, in the interim, read Waiting For A Response To Your Grant RequestFundraising should be diversified.  Relying on one or two (or even just three) different fundraisers to bring all of any nonprofit's revenue for a given year is risky.  See Bring in Donations From Many Different Kinds of SourcesFundraising is always a team effort requiring the organization's leadership as much as other key staff or volunteers to assist in its success.  Read Leadership's Role in Seeking Grants  and Here are Some Tips to Get Your Board Behind Your Agency's Grant Writing Who or which entities your organization approaches for donations or other forms of support can increase amounts raised, increase the number of new donors, save time, and save resources (as they won't be wasted on approaching people who are the least likely to give to your organization).  Just requesting support from anyone, willy nilly, can be very expensive and not as successful.  For tips on success, read How to Strategize About Which Grant Donors Your Organization Will Approach for Which of Your Organization's Funding NeedsBeing clear about What Are Grant Donors Looking For & Funding Today can definitely lessen fundraising anxiety.Knowing that the case that you make demonstrating why your nonprofit deserves to receive a grant is also very confidence building (especially when it's right on track).  Read How To Make the Case for Your Grant Request, In the Grant Proposal to learn how to do so effectively.Specific to how a nonprofit operates and conducts its business the following posts also explain how a nonprofit can increase its fundraising success by implementing (and how to implement) the following:Transparency... Four Letter Word or Wave of the Future?Evaluation Methods - How A Nonprofit Can Use Them to Raise More Money More OftenHere's A Handy Checklist for Nonprofit Operations and Fundraising Success http://www.shesjustsaying.com/shes_just_saying/2010/09/farm-stand-ratatouille.html http://www.shesjustsaying.com/shes_just_saying/2010/09/farm-stand-ratatouille.html Mon, 6 Sep 2010 18:08:00 +0000 This is the time of year we get the best vegetables in Central Oregon. Stop at Paradise after work, grab all the ingredients and you've got a one-stop, one-pan meal.* The traditional recipe for ratatouille calls for sauteing each vegetable... http://thegrantplant.blogspot.com/2010/09/all-inclusive-capacity-building-program.html http://thegrantplant.blogspot.com/2010/09/all-inclusive-capacity-building-program.html Mon, 6 Sep 2010 17:27:00 +0000 From The Foundation Center...[If you are interested in this opportunity, click "Link to Complete RFP" in orange, at the end of this post.]Deadline: November 19, 2010 Institute for the Study of Human Rights at Columbia University Invites Applications for Advocates ProgramThe Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP), an initiative of the Institute for the Study of Human Rights (formerly the Center for the Study of Human Rights) at Columbia University, is a capacity-building program designed to strengthen the skills, knowledge, and networks of proven human rights defenders at the grassroots level. The program focuses both on strengthening the skills of the individual advocates and providing the tools for them to build sustainable organizations that advocate for disadvantaged peoples.The 2011 HRAP will begin in the latter half of August and run until mid-December 2011. Advocates are expected to participate fully in the offerings provided by HRAP, including skills workshops on advocacy planning and strategies, fundraising, press and media, and building sustainable organizations; Columbia University courses on human rights, public health, the environment, development, and labor rights; and meetings and networking opportunities with non-government organization (NGO) staff, activists, policy makers, representatives of international institutions, and academics.The program is designed for lawyers, journalists, doctors, teachers, social workers, community organizers, and other human rights activists working with NGOs on issues, including sexual and gender-based violence, domestic violence, minority rights, LGBT rights, labor rights, migration, health, social exclusion, environmental justice, and corporate social accountability. Participants are selected on the basis of their previous work experience in human rights, commitment to the human rights field, and demonstrated ability to pursue graduate-level studies. Full-time students or government officials will not be considered.Advocates must work at the grassroots level. Applicants from high-income countries will not be considered except for those representing marginalized communities. Fluency in English is required.Preference is given to those who have not previously had opportunities to travel and study internationally.Advocates must provide proof of institutional endorsement from their organizations for their participation in the program and must commit to returning to that organization upon completion of the program.ISHR makes every effort to provide full fellowships to cover program costs as well as travel and housing. A reasonable stipend is also provided to cover basic costs.Visit the ISHR Web site for complete program information.Contact:Link to Complete RFP http://socal2bend.blogspot.com/2010/09/summer-no-longer-troubles.html http://socal2bend.blogspot.com/2010/09/summer-no-longer-troubles.html Mon, 6 Sep 2010 15:06:00 +0000 Summer in SoCal is that hot period starting somewhere in mid-July and ending in January. Sometime during January it gets cold, but I remember our wedding on December 31 in Escondido, as hot. A sweaty, hot Christmas day is no time to eat massive amounts of traditional holiday food. There is no good time to eat fruitcake.Once summer is over, mid-January, as I say, it gets colder, rain can happen, and overcast is frequent.From Jeremiah Johnson:Would you happen to know what month of the year it is?No, l truly wouldn't. l'm sorry, pilgrim. March. Maybe, April. March maybe. l don't believe April. Winter's a long time going? Stays long this high. March is a green, muddy month down below. Some folks like it. Farmers mostly.March is wet, April's a nice month. Things green up. For a few weeks, the weather is brilliant. By early June the heat has returned, the hills are browning. Then the marine layer moves in along the coast and lays down like a wet dog for a while. Two months, three this year, I hear. Can't see the sun, ever.After that, the heat begins again broken only by the furnace-like Santa Ana winds.I am reminded of how summer felt in SoCal by what I consider to be the best line of the day:Fall is my favorite time of the year if only because it frees me from this oppressive heat which makes me feel like death and smell like old balls.(http://jezebel.com/5631170/what-should-fellas-wear-in-autumn-to-make-us-not-look-idiotic) http://aneskimobakes.blogspot.com/2010/09/blueberries-on-blue-monday.html http://aneskimobakes.blogspot.com/2010/09/blueberries-on-blue-monday.html Mon, 6 Sep 2010 07:59:00 +0000 Nicholas waited long enoughMy fingertips remain scented with clove and cinnamon.  It’s early on a Monday and individual coffeecakes are due at for delivery to a coffeehouse soon.  Blueberry, with brown sugar, softly spiced.  I am making an extra batch for our home today, feeling the need to nurture and comfort, feeling a little lost this morning.  I know food and baking is merely the substitute, but busy hands and giving to others make for a lighter mind, if only temporary.  Baking holds so much emotion for me, it always has, with gratitude for all it's meanings.Blueberry spice coffeecakes1 ¾ c. flour1 ½ tsp. baking powder½ tsp. salt½ tsp. cinnamon¼ tsp. cloves1 c. brown sugar2 T. white sugar8 T. unsalted butter, softened1 tsp. vanilla2 eggs½ c. buttermilk1 - 1 ½ blueberries, frozen is fine.Preheat oven to 350, 375 if you prefer.  I waffle between the two, depending on my time line.Line six 4” cake pans with parchment or simply butter and flour. Mix the dry ingredients, set aside. Cream the butter and sugars.  Add the vanilla. Add the eggs, one at time.  Blend thoroughly before adding the second.  Cream to lightness. Alternate in thirds, the flour and buttermilk, starting with the flour. Fold in berries, frozen is fine. Divide batter into pans, top with steusel, if desired. Bake for 40-60 minutes.  This will depend on your oven temperature and if the berries are frozen.  A touch to the middle to test - if it springs back, they are done.  If using parchment lined pans up the side, remove the cakes to a rack.  If no parchment was used, cool five minutes before inverting to remove cakes.Beautiful gift, beautiful indigo tinted fruit. Individual packages of warm sweetsA nice place to share on a Monday http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2010/09/05/i_suck_at_geogr.php http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2010/09/05/i_suck_at_geogr.php Mon, 6 Sep 2010 03:04:00 +0000 As Globetrotter XL has proven to me, I need to start playing with my daughter's Smart Globe more often. http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2010/09/05/the_best_of_the.php http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2010/09/05/the_best_of_the.php Mon, 6 Sep 2010 01:43:00 +0000 Prior to getting posted on 0Views, these videos had zero views. Usually there's a reason why. http://www.workingmomgoesgreen.com/2010/09/fall-on-brain.html http://www.workingmomgoesgreen.com/2010/09/fall-on-brain.html Sun, 5 Sep 2010 22:52:00 +0000 Here is a little teaser to our whim road trip. I have peach freezer jam, apple crisp and pear salad on the brain. Yum. Published with Blogger-droid v1.5.8 http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2010/09/05/why_didnt_i_thi_1.php http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2010/09/05/why_didnt_i_thi_1.php Sun, 5 Sep 2010 21:25:00 +0000 I love Oreos, and I love soaking Oreos in milk to the point where they're just about to fall apart, I hate, however, getting milk all over my fingers. Why didn't I think about trying this before? Somebody (OK, a lot of people) is much smarter than me. http://socal2bend.blogspot.com/2010/09/weekend-of-it-support.html http://socal2bend.blogspot.com/2010/09/weekend-of-it-support.html Sun, 5 Sep 2010 21:06:00 +0000 While Mrs Elliott is down in SoCal visiting family -- her dad had a post pop out after what should have been a routine colonoscopy -- I've been busy.Yesterday afternoon, the phone system for Mrs Elliott's business went down. So thar I was, minding my own business at Brother Jon's on Galveston, watching the Ducks mash New Mexico and halfway through a savory pint of Boneyard Brewery's Bonafide Pale Ale when she called to say that the phone network company was sending out a field technician to troubleshoot the thing. I met the guy here and he had determined that the problem was not the network, but the hardware -- the PBX box. I called the vendor, who is in Springfield, and was surprised that she answered, it being a three-day weekend and all that. She suggested that the problem might be the power supply. I removed the cover (a wood box which has Mrs Elliott's collection of brooms, mops, Swifters, and every other damn floor-cleaning gadget that county fair pitchmen have sold her over the years hanging on its face with hooks), fetched a voltmeter up from the shop and found that the supply, which is meant to be delivering -55V and +5V, was delivering -55V and +1.5V. Well, there's your problem, as they say. Of course there are no replacement parts for this Samsung PBX system anywhere in Bend. The earliest we could get one through normal channels would be Wednesday, and Mrs Elliott can't have her phone system off the air on Tuesday without a lot of upset clients. So she is paying one of her employees to drive over to Springfield, today, this Sunday, to pick up a replacement power supply and bring it back. He's due around 7pm this evening. With luck, it will fix the problem.Her desktop computer, an aging Dell with numerous glitches, twitches, not a little spasticity, and a malevolent habit of freezing just before she presses "Save," finally tried her patience one time too many so we bought a reasonably powerful quad-core machine from Best Buy to replace it. A few days ago I installed her applications, anti-virus, and networked the thing, but had to wait until she was not using it for several hours to transfer her user files. With her out of town, this weekend was my chance. I transferred the databases, fonts [at least 15,000], Quickbooks company files, check-printing software [which is a nightmare in itself], email and browser profiles, and every other text document, Illustrator document, spreadsheet file which I reasonably thought she uses on a daily basis to the new machine. The old machine is now moved to a back corner on her desk where it will stay online for a few months until we are satisfied that everything she needs has been copied over.I still have to install the automated backup scripts on her new machine. The old machine, like everything else in her office, is a Windows XP box, but this one is running Windows 7 (a very nice operating system, btw) and W7 keeps things in different places than XP does, so I'll need to modify the scripts, which I wrote as DOS-level batch files, using XXCOPY as the engine. It will take some tinkering to get it right. These back up to a 1Tb network-accessible file server that lives in a closet.Not sure what to do with the old computer. It's flaky and underpowered by even minimal standards today.Upstairs, in the living room, I installed Netflix and Hulu on her old Wii game console so we can watch movies and TV shows on the big screen. This required getting a disk for Netflix, and downloading and installing server software from Hulu, but they are running. The picture quality isn't as good as Bend Broadband channels, but these services have large libraries of free programs. We are hopeful that there will be something to watch when we want something to watch. Can't find old episodes of The Three Stooges, Frazier or Leave It To Beaver, but I'm sure we'll find good stuff.AND, I finally moved my old computer out of the living room into a spare bedroom. I pretty much stopped using it when not in the office in favor of this little netbook with Ubuntu/Linux on it. The old machine needs to stay hooked up because the Hulu server software is running on it. I tried to install the software on this machine, but it appears that WINE (which tries run Windows software under Linux) is not skilled enough to run the Hulu server. In fact, it would not even install. Also, I use it for photo work (Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, Qimage, for you photographers). The Linux world lags well behind Macs and Windows in the image-processing department. Having that computer out of the living room is bound to make her happy. Computer geekery. Make no mistake about it. I'm not proud of it, but Mrs Elliott thinks I'm real smart.  http://www.shesjustsaying.com/shes_just_saying/2010/09/high-desert-under-labor-day-freeze-warning.html http://www.shesjustsaying.com/shes_just_saying/2010/09/high-desert-under-labor-day-freeze-warning.html Sun, 5 Sep 2010 19:21:00 +0000 News Story - KTVZ Bend. I know - it sounds like a set-up for a joke, but it's not. Bring in the houseplants, cover the tomatoes. If you ask me we could use a touch more global warming in our... http://www.shesjustsaying.com/shes_just_saying/2010/09/the-loudest-goldfish-in-the-world.html http://www.shesjustsaying.com/shes_just_saying/2010/09/the-loudest-goldfish-in-the-world.html Sat, 4 Sep 2010 13:59:00 +0000 Normally I don't need the alarm clock to wake up: I have pets. They all start bugging me about 6 am: the dog has to go out (only the third time of the night), the cats are bored and the... http://www.hackbend.com/2010/09/04/volcano-vineyards-new-location.php http://www.hackbend.com/2010/09/04/volcano-vineyards-new-location.php Sat, 4 Sep 2010 12:33:00 +0000 Over a year ago I blogged about how Volcano Vineyards was to be closing their downtown tasting room in favor of a new, larger winery facility. It was going to be a long(ish) process, but their latest blog reveals that … Continue reading → http://www.workingmomgoesgreen.com/2010/09/foods-for-glowing-skin.html http://www.workingmomgoesgreen.com/2010/09/foods-for-glowing-skin.html Fri, 3 Sep 2010 19:00:00 +0000 Want amazing skin without all the harsh chemicals? EcoSalon summed it up best: You are what you eat �" or so we’ve heard over and over again until it makes us want to run out and eat a Big Mac. But there’s a reason celebrities like Angelina Jolie or Gwyneth Paltrow seem to obsess over their macrobiotic-vegan-fermenty things. (All in that order, most likely.) If you eat well, you’re going to http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/zVYY/~3/55mhuv5K-4I/stocks-fit-pattern.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/zVYY/~3/55mhuv5K-4I/stocks-fit-pattern.html Fri, 3 Sep 2010 16:31:00 +0000 So September starts with a bang and our inverted head and shoulders pattern remains intact. This is almost exactly what I suggested might happen back in July. We'll see if it continues to play out this way. Stay tuned... Posted via email from jessefelder's posterous http://www.hackbend.com/2010/09/03/weekend-happenings-9-3-10.php http://www.hackbend.com/2010/09/03/weekend-happenings-9-3-10.php Fri, 3 Sep 2010 15:00:00 +0000 Big holiday weekend, this first one of September. In addition to the events highlighted below, check out the calendars at Visit Bend and The Source to round out your weekend. Friday The Farmers Market is at their Friday location at … Continue reading → http://www.thebrewsite.com/2010/09/03/the-session-43-welcoming-the-new-kids.php http://www.thebrewsite.com/2010/09/03/the-session-43-welcoming-the-new-kids.php Fri, 3 Sep 2010 15:00:00 +0000 It’s the first Friday of September, so that means it’s time again for another round of The Session! The Session is a group blogging effort hosted each month by a different blogger (who gets to select the topic for the month) where anyone and everyone who wants to participate only has to do one thing: [...] http://www.mikeputnamphoto.com/first-friday-art-walk-932010-in-bend-oregon http://www.mikeputnamphoto.com/first-friday-art-walk-932010-in-bend-oregon Fri, 3 Sep 2010 11:14:00 +0000 Tonight for Bend, Oregon’s First Friday Art Walk, I’ll be back to my old haunt of Patagonia of Bend.  Bend’s one and only Patagonia store is located at 920 NW Wall St in Downtown.  I’ll have my work displayed and downtown Bend should be bustling with activity.  Get you art groove on and stop in [...] http://socal2bend.blogspot.com/2010/09/wont-be-here-for-great-rotary-duck-race.html http://socal2bend.blogspot.com/2010/09/wont-be-here-for-great-rotary-duck-race.html Fri, 3 Sep 2010 10:38:00 +0000 No, it's not anatidaephobia, the fear that you are being watched by a duck, which will keep us from watching The 21st Annual Great Rotary Duck Race (sponsored by Mid Oregon Credit Union). We bought ducks already, and we'd watch the race for sure if we were going to be in town. But we'll be on a vacation, driving up the coast to Astoria.Why Astoria?Well.Mrs Elliott likes to tell a story. It seems that gypsum, the white stuff used in drywall, is mined out in the Mojave desert, and whenever she and one of her many former husbands (she's buried so many) drove past the area, he'd point out this fact. "Over there is where they mine gypsum," he'd say.He'd say that every time, apparently.Being bored out of her gourd as any sane person would be after a few hours of driving across the damn sunblasted Mojave desert with its stunted, burned-looking plants and stunted, burned-looking settlements, she found pleasure in toying with him.She'd ask, "What's gypsum?"Unaware that he'd had this conversation before, he'd step right into the trap and  launch into a discourse about the mining and use of gypsum.Sitting in the passenger seat, she'd silently giggle. (Women toy with men the way cats toy with mice, amirightmen?)I bring this up because Astoria is Mrs Elliott's gypsum mine.Whenever she mentions Astoria, she likes to say that The Goonies was filmed there. She went there many years ago when her younger son was a kid. And she wants to go again.I don't mind, it's a camping trip and an opportunity to see a part of Oregon I've not seen before. Astoria seems as good a destination as any.And besides -- The Goonies was filmed there. http://www.thebrewsite.com/2010/09/02/antibiotic-beer-brewed-2000-years-ago.php http://www.thebrewsite.com/2010/09/02/antibiotic-beer-brewed-2000-years-ago.php Fri, 3 Sep 2010 01:58:00 +0000 There’s a fascinating science story just out, revealing that ancient Nubians two millennia ago were consuming large amounts of the antibiotic tetracycline most likely in the form of beer. Yet another reason beer is healthy! There are several sites running the story, but Wired has the most beer-centric version: Chemical analysis of the bones of [...] http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2010/09/02/where_americans.php http://utterlyboring.com/archives/2010/09/02/where_americans.php Fri, 3 Sep 2010 01:18:00 +0000 While this is a few months old, this interactive map is a really fun toy to play with. Click on a county in the US, and it will show (based on 2008 IRS data) where people are coming from that are moving to that county, and where they're going if they're leaving, and more stats about the type of people that are moving. Deschutes County has by far the most activity in Oregon east of the Cascades, but it's fun the click on the massive population areas like Los Angeles and New York to see the country light up. It's also interesting to see the large amount of folks leaving areas like Detroit and the huge amounts of folks moving to areas like Portland.