Let's see the 10 best summer signings of the season!!!

Premier League ending soon..Let us look at who is the Top 10 summer signings of the season..We'll start from number 10 and count it down to the best signings of the season..

10.Damien Duff - Newcastle to Fulham, £4m

While this season has been heartbreaking on the international front, and he missed a gilt-edged chance to win the play-off with France, things have gone swimmingly at Craven Cottage. Duff has weighed in with eight goals and added experience and a touch of quality to Roy Hodgson's midfield. With the Europa League run still going strong, he can be delighted with his contribution and reassured that his career is back on an upward curve.

9. Jamie O'Hara - Tottenham to Portsmouth, loan

O'Hara has proved himself to be Premier League class and his determined displays have lifted the Fratton Park faithful. Although he misses out on the big FA Cup semi-final against his parent club, there will be other grand occasions for him later in his career - obviously starting with the final in May if Spurs are beaten. He won't stay on the south coast when Portsmouth go down and it's unlikely he'll remain at White Hart Lane. But he'll have a choice of where to play his football next term, that's for sure.

8. Kevin Doyle - Reading to Wolves, £6.5m

Wolves had been accused of not scoring enough goals until their recent win at West Ham, but there's no blame attached to their record buy. His goal return of seven from 28 matches is almost identical to his international record but his game is not all about putting the ball in the net. Doyle has developed into an ideal lone striker, capable of shielding the ball, keeping possession and putting in a lot of selfless work. Mick McCarthy's system is bringing the best out in him and he's worth far more than what they paid Reading for him now.

7. Antonio Valencia - Wigan to Man United, £16m

Ferguson had the Ecuadorian earmarked as the replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo for some time and he's exceeded expectations in his first season at Old Trafford. An old-fashioned winger who likes to beat his man and deliver the ball into the box, he has supplied Wayne Rooney with plenty of chances this term. His manager has admitted he just needs to come out of his shell because he has a shy personality, and there is the feeling that he doesn't realise how good he can be. That said, he was man of the match in his first major final with United and there could be more medals on the way this season.

6. Joe Hart - Man City to Birmingham, loan

Birmingham have benefitted hugely from having the England hopeful on board. The youngster has developed into a top-class goalie and the only problem is trying to convince City to sell him permanently. Scott Dann and Roger Johnson were also astute acquisitions from Alex McLeish but Hart has been the pick of the bunch.

5. Niko Kranjcar - Portsmouth to Tottenham, £2m

Harry Redknapp likes a bargain and the Croatian was an absolute steal. With Pompey about to endure the worst year in their history, the midfielder was picked up for a song and has adapted well to life at White Hart Lane. With his fellow countrymen Luka Modric and Vedran Corluka at the club, he has been made to feel at home and become an important member of the side. Undoubtedly one of the biggest bargains over the past year or so.

4. Darren Bent - Tottenham to Sunderland, £10m

When Bent got the move he craved, he hasn't stopped hitting the net and managed goals against all of the 'big four'. With his tally standing at 20 in 32 league games, there is no denying he has been one of the shrewdest signings of 2009. His record has always been impressive but it was a gamble from Steve Bruce - one that has struck gold for the Black Cats manager.

3. Richard Dunne - Man City to Aston Villa, £6m

The uncompromising Irishman was a popular figure with the supporters at Eastlands but jettisoned by former boss Mark Hughes to make way for Kolo Toure and Joleon Lescott. Yet he's had better seasons than both of them and been a rock at the back for Villa. Reliable and rugged, he has helped the Midlanders go all the way to the Carling Cup final and book a return to Wembley to face Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals.

2. Thomas Vermaelen - Ajax to Arsenal, £10m

Some scoffed when Arsene Wenger splashed out on the Belgian centre-back, with rumours in Holland suggesting the Gunners had overpaid. Now he looks like a steal after an accomplished first campaign at Premier League level. His partnership with William Gallas was rock-solid before the Frenchman got injured and he's already an Emirates favourite. Composed and cultured in possession, he weighs in with more than his fair share of goals.

1. Carlos Tevez - Unattached to Man City, £25m

After a few games, the knives were out for the South American striker. Sir Alex Ferguson was right not to sign him, his first touch wasn't good enough, his goal return was poor. But he worried his old club in a thrilling derby and, once off the mark in the league against another of his former teams in West Ham, he hasn't looked back. 19 goals in 26 starts is some record and he also weighed in with another six in six in during the Carling Cup run, which included three strikes against the Red Devils. The main man behind City's push for fourth spot and, if he gets them into next season's Champions League, it'll definitely be a case of money well spent.

Levi's revamps flagship store on Regent Street

Levi Strauss & Co announced the opening of its re-crafted Levi’s flagship store on Regent Street in London’s West End. A vibrant source of fashion trends and pioneering youth culture, London is the perfect gateway to a new experience of the Levi’s brand.

“Our new London flagship store is a milestone of Levi Strauss & Co.’s global retail strategy, designed to build the company’s brand-dedicated retail network throughout the world, with special emphasis on key fashion capitals such as London,” said Armin Broger, President of Levi Strauss & Co. Europe, Middle East and North Africa. “On Regent Street, Levi’s has created a place where craftsmanship and authenticity deliver the most genuine experience of the brand anywhere in Europe.”

The Levi’s Regent Street flagship store combines product breadth and depth, personalized denim expertise and a journey through the origins of denim to provide the ultimate jeans wear destination to millions of London shoppers. The store will be curated to feature the latest collections and provides consumers with a highly personalized way to shop by the latest fit or finish in the Inspection Room. It also houses up to 22 different washes of the original button fly jean in the glass-encased 501 Jeans Warehouse.

Product selections will be updated weekly to inspire new perspectives on iconic collections, whilst also showcasing innovative product for those on the hunt for the latest trends. For consumers seeking vintage pieces, the store features the exclusive Levi’s Vintage Clothing collection, offering consumers exact replicas of historic editions of 501 jeans. Key pieces from the brand’s 137-year history will also be on display, including an original pair of Levi’s 201 jeans from the 1920s, on loan from the Levi’s archives in San Francisco. 

Read More............. 

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Before She Was Famous....IMTA Alum Ashley Greene!

Here's the inside scoop about Ashley Greene (IMTA 2004) from Patrick Baca, CSA:

"Casting Director and IMTA Scout Patrick Baca, CSA first auditioned Ashley Greene when the actress was sixteen and a student at an IMTA Member modeling and talent training school in Jacksonville, Florida. Two years later, Ashley moved to Pasadena and at Patrick's encouragement, she began college and acting training. In 2006, Patrick gave Ashley one of her big breaks in the business when he and colleague Jean Scoccimarro cast Ashley in her first recurring role on Television. "Desire" was a night time serial drama which aired daily on MyNetworkTV for thirteen weeks. Ashley played "Renata" and appeared in seven episodes.Patrick also cast former IMTA contestant, Chuti Tiu in a recurring role on the same series. Chuti appeared in 36 episodes in the role of Detective Rachel Lin..."

Another IMTA Exclusive! Check out Ashley Greene's 2004 IMTA Program book photo (black and white shot, above right)!

Andrey Arshavin hates woman drivers!! for a reason...

He's complained about the congestion charge, London parking and women drivers - and now Andrey Arshavin has another reason to hate driving in the capital.

The Arsenal star has revealed he got into a prang on the road while travelling with his wife Yulia, but escaped with just a damaged bumper. A cheerful Arshavin revealed: 'It was a sunny day here in London and even a small traffic accident that has happened to Yulia and me, wasn't able to spoil our spring mood.

'The second car involved got slightly scratched and my car’s bumper got damaged. 'It took us five minutes to solve this problem, we exchanged our data and left.

The 28-year-old did not reveal the identity of the other driver, or who was to blame, but he once memorably told reporterl: 'I would never give driving lessons to women.

'We need to build new roads for them. Why? Because you never know what to expect from a woman on the road. 'If you see a car behaving weirdly, swerving and doing strange things, before you see the driver you know it is a woman. It is always a woman.'

Arshavin has faced a culture shock on the roads since leaving Zenit St Petersburg 13 months ago. Russians are not used to parking rules, while the congestion charge has been even more difficult to get accustomed to.

'I struggle with the parking,' he once said. 'I can’t park where I want, I’m not used to this.

'Then there’s the congestion charge. It’s not the money I object to but all the things you have to do – codes to enter, SMS messages you have to send, etc.'

The King of Highbury: Welcome Back to N5

On Wednesday 31st March, a certain Thierry Henry will return to face his former side Arsenal, in one of the biggest and most intriguing Champions League ties in recent years. Henry, arguable Arsenal’s greatest ever player, an accolade he's competing for against the likes of Charlie George, Tony Adams, Ian Wright, Dennis Bergkamp and many more to achieve that title, will return to face boss Arsene Wenger for the first time since his departure in 2007.



Thierry Henry, a former club captain, was everyone’s favourite player and gained the respect of every football fan in Europe.

In his time at Arsenal, his achievements are as follows:

• FA Premier League 2001/02, 2003/04
• FA Cup 2002, 2003, 2005
• FA Community Shield 2002, 2004
• PFA Player of the Year 2002/03, 2003/04
• FWA Player of the Year 2002/03, 2003/04, 2005/06
• Premier League Top Goal scorer 2001/02, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06
• English Football Hall of Fame 2008
• FIFA World Player of the Year Runner-up 2003, 2004

With all these awards, the French striker biggest accomplishment was breaking Ian Wright’s goal scoring record, finding the net 226 times in 380 games, not to mention 92 assists in his 8 years at the club. Along with the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg, he was the focal point which helped the Gunners go 49 games unbeaten in the 2003/04 season. The Frenchman joined from Juventus in August 1999 for a fee of £10million, and after taken his time to settle at the club became undoubtedly the best player to grace these shores.



Wednesday will be an emotional return for Henry, just as Beckham’s return to Old Trafford was last month, within a big game with a range of subplots. Henry has been in good form lately, and was quoted as saying he never wants to play against Arsenal, but after being rested this weekend against Mallorca, he will probably start. It remains to be seen whether the striker will be the key man and make the same impact on games as he use to, even more so with the likes of Messi and Xavi on show, he will undeniably be apprehensive and emotions could get the best for him, which will please all Arsenal fans.



The spectacle of Arsenal-Barcelona game has somewhat overshadowed the return of Henry, as so many people are looking forward to seeing this “pure football”. Arsenal will be underdogs and Barca will be clear favourites. Henry will return and Cesc will meet his makers. It will be a brilliant match and I cannot wait.

Arsenal vs Barcelona. Wenger vs Guardiola. Messi vs Fabregas. Who do you think will come out on top?

Thierry Henry: Arsenal Legend

Kyle Lowder on The Bold and The Beautiful!

Kyle Lowder IMTA 2000 stars in the very popular television soap The Bold and The Beautiful. Kyle plays a huge supporting role on the show as Rick Forrester. Before playing Rick Forrester on B&B, Kyle portrayed Brady Black on Days of Our Lives for nine years!

Kyle received an Emmy® nomination for his role as Brady Black on Days of Our Lives. Kyle is also a very talented classically trained singer. Be sure to check out his beautiful voice on his official MySpace. Kyle Lowder competed at IMTA in Los Angeles in 2000.

‘Magi-Fit’ new tummy control range for women

Leading home shopping company JD Williams have just launched a new tummy control range for women, with slimming trousers, jeans and skirts for plus size women up to a size 32.

Exclusive to JD Williams, the revolutionary Magi-Fit range is the latest in tummy control garment technology that features a hidden light control panel within clothes to hold in the tummy without being restrictive, discretely creating a sleeker and slimmer silhouette.

JD Williams loves plus size curves, but understands that women sometimes like to conceal those womanly lumps and bumps, which can prove difficult with tight fitting clothing. That's why the Magi-fit range has cleverly designed fashionable clothing with built in control pants to ensure women look and feel great every time.

Career minded women will love the formal Magi-fit trousers and tailored skirts in black, grey and navy blue that make women look fabulous in the office, while Magi-fit have also created more casual denim skirts and fashionable jeans for flattering everyday looks.

Designed with real women in mind, Magi-Fit clothes are available up to a size 32, with trousers and jeans in leg lengths 27in to 32in, looking after women of all shapes and sizes.

Read More..........

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FANTACALCIO DELLE STELLE 2009/2010

XXI GIORNATA

Ad una giornata dalla fine ormai quasi tutti i discorsi sono conclusi,uno su tutti,anche per il 2010 Robertino si conferma "BETTO'S DOG".
Con la sua dipartita dalla Coppona per mano de "ER PUPARO" Bernardino,la sua bacheca dei trofei si conferma territorio incontaminato dove MAI un piedistallo placcato ha lasciato la sua impronta polverosa,ormai e' in balia di ragni e ragnatele e in certi punti ci si puo' sentire l'eco.
Altro discorso concluso e' la corsa al Tapiro d'Oro,se l'e' aggiudicato con un turno di anticipo il mitologico Geriatric's team del Boccino e al contrario del Nano Malefico con questo trofeo ,anche se negativo,e' l'unico ad avere tutte le onorificenze in bacheca...e ce li tiene tutti tto'.
Boccino ,che rimane sempre in corsa per la vittoria finale in Maceroni's Cup,MA in finale se la dovra' vedere con l'insidioso Puparo che dopo l'adozione del nuovo feticcio ha inanellato una serie positiva che lo ha portato anche a sedersi al tavolo dei "Mangioni" con un turno di anticipo.
L'unica partita aperta e' quella tra Nasca e Pallesecche per aggiudicarsi l'ultimo posto a sedere,arbitri delle sorti dei due contendenti saranno Lucchetto che andra' a giocare All'ANSEDONIA'S BOWL e Robertino che ospitera' Nasca al BROKENBEAUTY SOCCER TEMPLE.
Il Campione 2010 Cispone e' ormai storia e dileggia gli avversari scendendo in campo con la Primavera.

RISULTATI

ROBERTINO - GATTO 0 - 1
NASCA - JONTINO 3 - 1
BOCCINO - PALLESECCHE 1 - 2
BERNARDINO - TRONKETTO 3 - 2
LUCCHETTO - GIANNONE 1 - 0
CISPONE - SIRVIO 1 - 2

CLASSIFICA




PROSSIMO TURNO

SIRVIO - BERNARDINO
JONTINO - CISPONE
PALLESECCHE - LUCCHETTO
GIANNONE - BOCCINO
ROBERTINO - NASCA
GATTO - TRONKETTO



MACERONI'S CUP "COPPONA"

SEMIFINALI RITORNO

BOCCINO - LUCCHETTO 1 - 0 BOCCINO
ROBERTINO - BERNARDINO 0 - 3 BERNARDINO


FINALISSIMA AL MARACANA'

BOCCINO - BERNARDINO

BOCCINO : Ho caricato i miei uomini a pallettoni di Gerovital ,"O Coppa o morte" sara' il nostro grido di battaglia...per questo ,per evitare disagi al pubblico pagante, sono stati approntati i mezzi della Protezione Civile per rimuovere le salme degli arzilli Geriatrici a tempo di record.



Un Arrembante Boccino gerovitalizzato mostra la sua proverbiale aggressivita'


BERNARDINO : Dovro' regolare la potenza del feticcio al 50%...capirai con tutta quella "Gioventu'" in campo ,non vorrei essere ricordato come uno stragista.




Il Temibile e camaleontico feticcio der Puparo attorniato dalle altre Macumba's doll da collezione.

18

Kayserispor'un Portekizli golcüsü Aziza Makukula (evet Aziza, durduk yere arıza çıkartmak niyetinde değilim, ancak TFF'de Aziza yazıyor dileyen buradan baksın) Trabzonspor'la oynanan son maçta attığı golle toplam gol sayısını 18'e çıkardı.

Kayserispor'un puan tablosuna baktığımızda 38 golü var. Bunlardan 18'i Makukula'ya ait. Tabii toplam gol sayısı hesaplanırken Ankaraspor'dan gelen golleri de unutmamak lazım.

Öte yandan hali hazırda Süper Lig'in en az gol atan takımı olan Manisaspor'un ise toplam gol sayısı 21. Ankaraspor maçından gelen 3 golü çıkartacak olursak, Manisaspor'un şu ana kadar attığı gol sayısı Makukula'nın ligde tek başına attığı gol sayısına eşit.

Türk spor medyası çok sever böyle kıyaslama haberlerini. Hani şöyle, "tek başına takım gibi" biçiminde sunulan haberler vardır ya, hep özenmişimdir. Bir tane de ben yazayım. Çok mu oldu allasen?

Military khakis become edgy ‘Green’ styles

EM & Co’s Fashion Installation portrayed a ‘Brave New World’ for the new decade, on March 18, 2010, with statuesque models and a custom-mixed music overlay of opera and punk, as it celebrated the re-launch of EM Reconstruct’s mini-collection showing how military khakis can be fashionably ‘green’, and Angela Dean’s ready-to-wear collection which proved that looking stylishly hot is not size-exclusive.

Angela Dean’s futuristic silver jersey dresses and vintage-inspired brocade coats are designed to flatter all body shapes and types. The store-exclusive EM Reconstruct label showed edgy military-inspired looks re-constructed out of recycled army clothing by EM and Krys-N-Jack.

“It’s a brave new world this new decade, fashion-wise,” says Eveline Morel, EM & Co founder. “Designers have to brave the economic situation, think outside the box, and deal with changing consumer trends, growing eco-consciousness, and a growing demand for cutting-edge fashion that fits women of all sizes and body types.”

The EM Reconstruct label represents the latest trend in eco-conscious fashion: up-cycling of garments. Combining edgy trend-setting style with eco-friendly practices, existing garments are re-fashioned and modified, sometimes beyond recognition, into new garments. Each garment is individually created, no two garments are ever identical. EM Reconstruct releases a themed mini-collection each quarter, created by EM and other local designers.

Read More..

IMTA alum Lyndsy Fonseca in Hot Tub Time Machine in Theaters Now

Check out Lyndsy Fonseca IMTA'03 in this hysterical new movie Hot Tub Time Machine! This film is a comedy about time traveling and Lyndsy plays Jennie. Lyndsy has another movie, Kick Ass coming out in theaters nationwide on April 10, 2010.Lyndsy competed at IMTA in 2003 where she won 2nd Runner up for Young Miss Dancer of the Year and Honorable Mention Young Miss Talent of the Year. In an interview with IMTA , Lyndsy said, "IMTA was a lot of fun. It's how I imagine college might be - where you room with a bunch of other girls and then go off to classes together. Only one year after IMTA, I was offered a contract with Y&R!"

Selçuk İşi Bitirdi

Derbide Fenerbahçe maçın nerdeyse tamamında takım olarak iyi mücadele etti, iyi oynadı ve bir derbide, bilhassa deplasmanda oynanan bir derbide yapılması gereken çoğu şeyi yaptı. Maçı da bu sebeple hak ederek kazandı.

Bu maçın ardından şöyle olsaydı, acep yine böyle olur muydu? biçiminde sorular soranlar çıkacaktır ama futbol nihayetinde skor oyunudur ve tabelaya baktığınızda bu gece kazananın adı yazıyor. O da Fenerbahçe!

Orta sahada diri olan, maçı sakin götüren, gol yemeyen ve öyle ya da böyle bir şekilde golünü atan taraf olan Fenerbahçe bu maçı hak etmiştir. Rijkaard'ın Arda hamlesi maçın dönüm noktası oldu denebilir. Ciddi bir risk aldı ama tutmadı. Selçuk'un golünde de Galatasaray'ın orta sahasının piyasada olmayışı gecenin Galatasaray adına özetidir. Muhtemelen çoğunluk Leo Franco'ya kilitlendi, ki haklılar da, çok ciddi bir hatadır ama diğer yandan bunu da görmek lazım.

Fenerbahçe'de iki oyuncu için ekstra şeyler yazmak gerek. Birincisi Selçuk. Yerden yere vurulan bir oyuncu. Çok büyük hatalar yaptığı ve futbolunu beklenen şekilde geliştirmediğine dair yapılan eleştirilere katılmak mümkün ama öte yandan onunla aynı mevkiide oynayan diğerlerinden (Emre hariç) eksiği olmadığını da söylemek mümkün. Ve bilmem ne kadarınız katılıyor bu tespite ama çoğunlukla derbilerde soğukkanlı oynadığını ve skora etki eden güzel şeyler yaptığını da görüyoruz. Belki Selçuk haftaya Kayserispor maçında ilk top kaybında ıslıklanacak, yuhalanacak ama böyle ehemmiyetli maçlarda çok az hata yapıyor, ayakta kalmayı başarıyor. Bu da mühim bir detaydır. Hatta şakayla karışık Selçuk için "Büyük maçların büyük oyuncusu" diyorum (bkz.Lyon, Galatasaray maçları). Zorluk seviyesi yüksek olan maçlarda oynasın, diğer maçlarda kulübede otursun diye bir teklifim var hatta onun için. Katılanlar? Katılmayanlar?

Bahsetmek istediğim diğer oyuncu ise Volkan. Ne güzel bir kurtarış yaptın. Belki de maçı kazandıran diğer olaydı o kurtarış ama sen gidiyorsun, saçma sapan bir şekilde hakemin Baros'a kart göstereceği anda Baros'a dikleniyorsun, ortalığı toz duman ediyorsun. Daha sonra da kartı yiyorsun. Yaptığın hareketin mantığı var mı Volkan? Kendinde misin be birader?

Lig çok garip bir hal aldı. Her hafta zirveye dair yorumlar, tahminler değişiyor. Net bir şey söylemek güç görünse de Bursaspor'un hala bir adım önde olduğunu söylemek abes olmaz. Fenerbahçe'nin iyi kullanabilirse ciddi bir fikstür avantajı hala var. Beşiktaş ise gerilerden iyi koptu da geldi. Şu an en dezavantajlı konumda Galatasaray var.

Fenerbahçe evinde Kayserispor'u yenerse oradan gelen üç puanla ve akabinde Ankaraspor'dan gelen üç puanla birlikte altı puanı alıp, biraz rahatlayacak ve rakiplerinin puan kayıplarını bekleyecek. Kağıt üzerinde böyle hesap kitap işlerine girmek kolaydır denebilir, ama böyle de bir avantajı var Fenerbahçe'nin. Mühim olan bu avantajı skorlara da yansıtmak olacak. O konuda da gol yememeye devam edip, eninde sonunda rakip kaleye bir tane attığınız takdirde başarılı oluyrosunuz bu ligde zaten.

Kazanmak güzeldir. Ezeli rakibi yenmek güzeldir. Tribünde de kazanmak güzeldir. Takımın yaptığı paslaşmalar, deplasmanda "oley" çekmek de işin kremasıdır. Orada, tribünde olanların ayağına, yüreğine sağlık...

Novs update!

Hey peeps. Yup. This is a doubs blogging kind of a day. Perhaps even trips! But that is what happens when I have internet access and no Baby to distract me. And also, when I am caught up in what to write in my novs.

 It is time for a fresh update. 

For all of you curious as to what I've been spending my time writing and how soon my novs will be done 

. . . well, not very soon is the answer. 

I have been working on it every day, but the forward march movement is no longer the way I travel. Rather, I am taking a backseat approach. 

My characters are directing their path now and it is sufficient to say that they have forced me to back track — drastically. 

Originally, I would have never thought I would be able to just completely start over. But, I find that it is far easier than one would realize. 

Because, it isn't completely starting over. 

It is starting from the beginning, with an almost finished product as my traveling companion. We are on a new journey, but this time we remembered to bring our map and next exit book. So, rather than mindlessly zooming through the dark on barren roads, we are going at a safe pace and making sure to check the landmarks along the way. And, rather than my characters appearing as mute mirages on the side of the road, they are passengers in the car and one of them is even driving. They are sometimes loud and obnoxious, but really like to listen to Lady Gaga.

We are pretty much totes besties.

And this doesn't mean that the 70,000 words of the first draft are scrapped. 

Hardly so. 

I find that there are some great scenes that with a bit of tweeking will make it into the second draft. 

And let me just say, that I use the term great in my Vampire Diaries, Mortal Instruments, Twilight loving sense. I am not writing Pride and Prejudice here. Teeny bopper. Fantasy. Crappy but great! That is what I am all about. And let us not for one second forget what direction I am traveling in here. No false pretenses allowed. 

"One Man, One Decision, One Desire"

Pablo Francisco - Previewman parody
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPBvFXf9Q2U

Our limiting fears

Alright. This post comes to you from a very different place in my heart. Rather than that spot that is full of hope and adventure, this is the place where my utmost fears exist. 

I am afraid of many things. Heights, clowns, bad grades, lice, dead animals, bears, tornadoes, etc.

But there is one fear in my life that really debilitates me. And that is my fear of driving. I have been afraid of driving for most of my life. I was not your typical 16 year old who begs their parents to let them drive around the block. Nuhuh. My parents had to force me to get behind the wheel. Thus, I didn't succeed in getting my driver's license until I was 20 years old. And even then, I still hated driving. Eventually, I learned to enjoy a drive in sunny Tulsa, all by myself, in our cute little moon harvest bug. It was exhilarating to turn my music to moderate volume and roll down the windows, to drive myself somewhere. 

But then, I would leave Tulsa and would not drive until I returned again. And once again, that fear had time to fester, and I had enough time to forget that I knew what I was doing. I had enough dreams of crashing and driving in the wrong lane to convince myself that I did not know how to drive. And so, driving no longer contained that thrill, but rather this pestering shake that told me I was not going to make it from point A to point B without doing something wrong. And so what happens, well I run a red light, I forget to stop at a stop sign, I cut in front of someone, I try to turn the wrong way down a one way, or I get lost. Basically, I would fail. Because to me, I can't make a mistake. A mistake means that I don't know what I am doing. It means that I am a hazard to the roads and should not be allowed on them. It means that I am incompetent and my fear is adequate. 

But. I've never gotten near a crash. I have never been pulled over. I don't speed. I follow the traffic laws. I forbid use of my cellular device. I veer on the side of way over cautious. I never remove either hand from the wheel. I pay attention. 

What is fear? It is something that gets in our heads and prevents us from truly living. 

Today I am spending a luxurious day at Roommate Cousin's Aunt's house. They are away on a cruise (and no, they didn't ask me to go with). So we are here enjoying their home and their food. Well, I carelessly forgot my computer cord at Apt. With only about three hours of battery life, that was not going to cut it. So, I had to drive myself back to Apt. And today — I knew — that I had to drive myself. And so I did. Of course the whole time my heart was beating a little too fast, my blood flowing with excess adrenaline, and a subtle nervous shake manifested itself in my hands. But, I made it there. Without making a major mistake. Yes, I probably aggravated 5/6ths of the other road runners, but regardless, I took my time and I did it. 

Today I did not let my fear win. And this is not to say that I love driving. Because, some of us were just not born to feel that way. And driving is scary. But, it is also sometimes necessary. 

I am trying to search for some deep rooted message here. Perhaps to say, don't let your fears limit you. Don't let them hold you captive like a bird in a cage. Let those wings spread. Go ahead and fly.

But after rereading this post, it appears that claiming my fear is of driving is false. My fear is of failing, it is of making mistakes. I hate to make a mistake, because that proves I am not infallible. And making a mistake means that people have something to critique. I really, really hate to be critiqued. 

And there it is. The real fear. Critique. 

And here is the real lesson. We are not living for other people's joy and pleasure. We are living for ourselves and for God. God is not frowning on us when we make a wrong turn or forget to put the eggs in the cookies. He loves us for our successes and our failures.
He loves us for living.
God could have made us perfect people if He wanted to, but obviously, He chose not to.

And I just have to learn to be okay with that. 

Because, I am not a good driver. And I probably will never be a great driver. But, that is okay. Because I can drive. And that is what truly matters.

It is not about being the best, it is about doing your best. 

And not about listening to the people honking behind you, but to that voice that says,
"I am with you, and you are going to be okay."