Neutral Ocean

My New Etsy Shop!

2011-05-11T09:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally did it. Yesterday, I finished up my banner design, and today I took pictures of the products I have so far. I’m pretty excited about it, but nervous at the same time. I always get nervous when I show my work to the public.

I’ve been wanting to sell my craft items for years. I figured it would be a nice little side job. For now, though, since I’m still not all that fast at sewing, the products I sell aren’t going to make me much money. For now, I’m doing it because I really enjoy it. I love sewing and creating products just as much as designing, if not more. I guess it’s just another way for me to artistically express myself!

>>Please visit my shop: Neutral Ocean Design :)

The Van Imhoff & Portrait for my Opa and Oma

2011-04-14T10:28:00.000-07:00

Additional information has been found, including the names and short biography of those who died:

http://www.tsingtau.org/tsingtaukaempfer-und-der-untergang-der-van-imhoff-am-1921941/

Former Tsingtaukämpfer in the Dutch East Indies (1920 - 1942) and the

Sinking of the "Van Imhoff on 19 1. 1942

Of the so-called Tsingtaukämpfern who had participated in the defense of Tsingtao in 1914 and had therefore spent the period from November 1914 to December 1919 in the Japanese war captivity, around 345 men are not immediately returned home, but found in 1920 in what was then Dutch East Indies for a position. The personnel there by the Germans in Batavia journal published "German guard" returned in the output of 1922, Issue 5 (May), p. 30-32 lists the names of these "immigrant" Tsingtao fighters, with an indication of their current place of residence and ( in most cases) the institution in which they were employed. Many of them have remained there permanently, got married, live in the wild but only until 10 May 1940, since when the German army invaded on that day in the Netherlands, the Germans in the Dutch East India immediately detained, the men (16 years) separated from the women and children. The latter were confined to some extent. Several hundred German women and children could leave the country but in July 1941. The Japanese ship took part in China, the other to Japan, for a return to Germany by rail through Russia - as originally planned - was no longer possible. The war between Germany and the Soviet Union began on 6/22/1941.

When Japan on 12/08/1941 including the U.S., Britain and the Netherlands declared war, there was a rapid occupation of the Dutch East Indies by the Japanese. The Dutch authorities there would obviously not allow them the interned German men, about 2,500 people, would be freed by the Japanese.They invited those on several ships and brought them to India. The last ship left the port of Sibolga on 01/18/1942 on the southern coast of Sumatra en route to Colombo. It was the SS Van Imhoff, a 2980 gross tons large ship, the Amsterdam Koninklijke Maatschappij package Vaart. On the ship there were 48 crew members, 62 soldiers of the Dutch Colonial army and 483 German civilians. 372 of them huddled in groups of some 30 men in the intermediate-deck in less than a meter high barbed wire cages, which were locked. For another 111 internees on the aft deck a barbed wire crate was cobbled together. attacked by Japanese bombers - A day later, on 19.01.1942, the ship - 110 miles away from Sumatra. The Red Cross in Batavia was not notified that it was an intern transport. The Japanese plane was thus the special status of this transport does not know or recognize. It threw five bombs, which made no direct, but the 5th Bomb exploded in the water close to the port side of the foredeck and tore a large hole in the fuselage. 6 hours later the ship sank. It had been overcrowded. For the 593 people it was only 6 large boats with a capacity of a maximum of 50 people, a work boat for more than 14 men, 6 life rafts of bamboo and 650 west swimming. The Dutch left the sinking ship in 5 large boats which they had launched. One was a boat that pulled the other 4 boats. The 5 boats could accommodate 250 people, but were only occupied by 111 people. Thus, all the Dutch arrived the next day unharmed, the island Pulu simulation. The Germans were left to their fate. The Officer who had left the last of the Dutch ship, had at least presented are the key, so could that the encircled Germans open their cages. Whether that was all? Six hours after the bombing sank the ship away suddenly and sank with 281 Germans. On the water, 201 had initially can save. From this it was still managed a group, before the sixth boat to float, which the Dutch had been unable to bring water because it had jammed somewhere. On the boat were 53, 14 and in the work boat to six bamboo rafts 134th But in a painful journey of 3 days (without food and water!) Reached only the large boat and work boat with its occupants, the island of Nias. Of the rafts had only one person escape into the big boat, can the other 133 men were lost. Of the 483 Germans are so drowned 415, only 68 managed to escape on land. Of the survivors died soon after arriving for another 2 or 3, apparently from exhaustion and overwork.

Of the 483 Germans of the "Van Imhoff" transport were at least 37 people Tsingtaukämpfer former. Maybe it was a total of 42, but at 5 with the assignment is not unique, since no first name or just the first letter of your first name specified.

Among the 68 rescued were 5 Tsingtaukämpfer, maybe sixth Of the 415 dead were 32 Tsingtaukämpfer, possibly 36th The following are the names and brief biographical information.

The following alphabetical list is constructed:

a) name, first name, place of origin and position in July 1914 from the printed list of Tsingtao-Germans who were from November 1914 to December 1919 in a Japanese prisoner of war.

b) the name list (with initial of first name) of the former Dutch East Indies in Tsingtaukämpfer published in May 1922 in the journal "German guard" Batavia 1922, Heft 5, p. 30-32

c) List of Germans in the Dutch East Indies in: German Yearbook of Dutch East Indies in 1935, S. 353 - 408th This list contains some further biographical information on each person, possibly name of spouse, children, etc. On the other hand, this list does not all Germans, who then stayed in the Netherland East Indies.

d) transport list of the interned Germans on the SS "Van Imhoff" from 01.18.1942

(Maschinenschriftlich. The first name is given only with the first letter, the profession as to the state on May 10, 1940th)

Not specified, were housed in what the Japanese POW camps Tsingtaukämpfer 1914-20. This can be looked up in detail in the website of Hans-Joachim Schmidt: www.tsingtau.info in which one section of the brief biographies of "clicks".

The place names are rendered almost entirely in the then Dutch orthography, ie oe than u and ij as egg, speaking generally as a yes.

The first rescued, former Tsingtaukämpfer

Banthien, F. Christian from Rheydt. 1914: Matrosenartillerist. 1922: Telephone Exchange in Weltevreden (Padang). 1935: in Lebong Tandai, Benkoelen. Married to Amelia Preck. 1940: Steiger machines in Sumatra.

Gleichmann, F. Hermann. * Coburg 1885th - 1914: Matrosenartillerist. 1922: Employee at the Netherland-Ind. Steam Navigation Company. 1935 and 1940, planters in Bodja / Semarang. He still dies on the arrival in Nias on 22/01/1942.

Kempf, E. Conrad from Berlin. 1914: on the Hapag steamer Frisia "deals. - 1914: Matrosenartillerist as a volunteer. - Before 1922: at the sugar factory in Bodjong. 1940: Officials in the Rubberrestrictie in Pontianak on Borneo. Is 1942 to Beijing, there is also his daughter Maud (* 10.6.1925), who marries in 1944 in Qingdao Ottokar Peterhaensel

(* 28.09.1917), co-owner of a clothing business. Conrad Kempf married his second wife in Qingdao Erik Seidel (* 25.4.1922), which is thus only 3 years older than her step-daughter Maud. The widow Erika Kempf later lived in Wiesbaden.

Ressing, J. Heinrich from Bocholt. 1914 marines. 1922: main policeman from the police box in Poerwodadi. Married to Emilie NN Children: Anita (* 09.05.1930) and Karl (* 20.08.1933). 1940: Police Officer in Oerangan / Semarang. - Ressing woman and the children left with the transportation group in July 1941 Netherland-India and selected as the venue Qingdao from 1941 to 1946 because Heinrich Ressing 1914 there have been as marines. Unfortunately died there in March 1946, the daughter of Anita from a brain tumor. Ressing woman and son Charles were repatriated in June 1946 on the "Marine Robin" to Germany, where they again met with Henry Ressing and the Ruhr lived. Ressing woman died in 1977, shortly before Henry was Ressing died. The son of Charles, school teacher died, 1983.

Sack, Hans from Hamburg. 1914: marines in OMD 1922: nurse in a psychiatric hospital, Batavia. 1940: Nurse in Sabang. Died.

Zacher, George A. 1922: Employed in the sugar factory in Bodjong. 1935 Soerabaia.

1940: mechanic in Malang / Java. Zacher was apparently not in 1914-1919 Japanese captivity, but maybe in British (Hong Kong or Australia)?

The former Tsingtaukämpfer, the Van Imhoff "are set with the.

19. until 22.01.1942

Bergau, Albert from Nakel / networks, Prov. Poses. - 1914: Corporal. 1922: Municipal Public Works, Bandjermasin. - 1940: Employee MEB, Makassar / Celebes

Böhmer, Alwin from Harburg adElbe. - 1914: worked for the Rickmers Line. - 1914: Chief Engineer candidates dR - 1922: Sugar Factory Ranoepakis, Klakah. - 1940: engineer in the sugar factory Trangkil, Koedoes / Java

Clausing, Adolf. * In Berlin. - 1914: Guest of the upper signal province. 1922: Kaufmann Weltevreden, post. - 1935: Kaufmann, Wiechert lives Laan 14, Batavia-C. Married to Elizabeth Arnstein. - 1940: Agents, Batavia

Dalles, George from Sulzbach / Oberpfalz. 1914: Obermatrosenartillerist.1922: Bataviasche Petroleum Company in Balik Papan. - 1935: Laan Trivelli lives 9, Batavia-C. - 1940: Engineer, Batavia

Donat, Walter of Weimar. 1914: marines in OMD 1922: Holl. Concrete Society, Weltevreden. - 1935 in Lembang, Bandoeng. - 1940: Holl. Concrete Society in Batavia

Engel, Reinhold, * Borstel near Hanover 1894th - 1914 marines. 1922: Tjikopo tea plantation, south of Buitenzorg. - 1935: planters, ibid. Married, 3-4 children. - 1940: planters, Straits Soenda Syndicate (Full biography in H.-J. Schmidt)

Grossmann, Johannes from across mountain / Württ. 1914 marines. 1922: Vibem Simaloer, Sina Bang (Aceh). - 1940: Auto-entrepreneur, Langsat / Aceh

Hansen, Wilhelm of Schleswig. 1914: sailor in the navy Company. - 1922: Semarang-Cherobon Steam Navigation Company, Tegal. - 1940: Java (children are placed in Cheribon)

Heckenbücker, Jacob from Krefeld. 1914 marines. - 1922: main police officer in Indramajoe. - 1940: Police officer in Bandoeng

Always Heiser, Frederick of Bingen. 1914: corporal in the militia. - 1922: Bekassiweg 4, Meester Cornelis (= suburb of Batavia). - 1935: t / o. Station Kramat, Batavia-C. - 1940: pens. Warehouse managers, Batavia

Jahn, Josef. * In Brno. - 1914: Control of Guest SMS "Empress Elisabeth. -1922: Overseer of the military police in KEDO. - 1935: Main police guards, Post: Bandoeng, Gg.Langasarie 24, f. 98 - 1940: Police Officer-in Tebing Tinggi

Janssen, Johannes from Eschershausen, district of Holzminden. - 1914: Sergeant. - 1922: Overseer of the military police in Randoeblatoeng (Rembang). - 1940: Police officer in Soerabaia

Kale, Richard of Hamburg. 1914: wireless telegraphy-mate on SMS "Jaguar". - 1922: Nied.-Ind. Gas Company, Meester Cornelis. - 1935: p / a my gas. Lahat, South Soematra. - 1940: Nied.-Ind. Gas Company, in Batavia

Kessler, Henry, * in Aden 1884th - Appears in the list of 1922 only: H. Kessler, nothing more. - 1935: Planters, Post: planting Poeloekan, Negara, Bali. Banjoewangi. - 1940: Growers in Kintamani / Bali

Klein, Franz of St. Wendel. 1914: commissioned officer in the Far East.Marinedetachement. - 1922: Overseer of the military police in Kepandjen Pasoeroean. - 1940: Police officer in Celebes

Klesper, J. 1914: Upper heater to torpedo boat S 90 - 1922: Semarang-Cherobon steam ship company in Tegal. - 1935: planting Soengei Langka, Td. Karang. - 1940: Employee of the Straits Soenda Syndicate

King, Paul Hermann * 1887 in Klein Dittmannsdorf Pulsnitz. - 1914 marines.- 1922: Heiman & Co. in Soerabaia. - 1935: watchmaking and factory manager at NVWolf, Toendjoengan 32, PO Soerabaia. Married to Kate Jobson. - 1940: Clocks and watches there

Lepp, John from Bruchsal. - 1914: Chief Petty Officer dR at the sailors artillery. - 1922: Technical office in Unicum Soekaboemi .- 1935: Logeweg 16, Bandoeng. - 1940: mechanic in Bandoeng

Löffler, Hermann from Erfurt. - 1914: mechanical engineer in the engineering department of Qingdao shipyard since 1908. Is married. Living Small Hafenweg. 1914: participated in the defense of the militia. Was only on 16.9.1915 brought to Japan. - 1922: Carl Schlieper tool in Batavia. - 1935: Magelang. - 1940: only the name of HEJ Löffler

Magener, Louis from Hamburg. 1914: Matrosenartillerist. - 1922: Megalithic monuments in RL Benkoelen / Soematra. - 1935: Kaufmann, Semarang. - 1940: Small traders in Batavia

Meckel, Heinrich from Aull / Hesse-Nassau. - 1914: marines. - 1922: Wichers & Co. in Sepandjang at Soerabaia. - 1935: Dinojo 59, Soerabaia. - 1940: Building Materials Factory in Soerabaia. (Biography in H. j.schmidt)

Oestreicher, Matthias from Level castle. 1914: marines dR - 1922: Tandjoeng Moeara Enim, Palembang .- 1940: engineer on a tin mine in Muntok, Banka Island

Paproth, Fritz, * Forest iL 1892nd - 1914: Artilleristenmaat. - 1922: Overseer of the military police in Djati Rogo (Rembang). - 1935: Police guard firstClass Post: Poerworedjo-KEDO, Java. Married to Frieda Lina Roessler.Children: Margaret, Frieda, Marie. - 1940: Police officer in Siantar / Soematra

Quest, Henry, * Food 1890th - 1914: Corporal. - 1922: Police guard at Wates Djokja. - 1935: Police guard first Class Post: Soerabaia. He was married to Hendrika Lenzen, has become widowed. Children: Jan and Johanna Margaretha. - 1940: Police officials in Ambon

Rasch, Charles of Frankenstein, Silesia. - 1914: Office assistant, lived in the Thetis Street - 1914: Higher Administrative writer guest of Seewehr. - 1922: Faktorei the Netherl trading company in Batavia. - 1935: Accountant in this company. Post: Weltevreden, Djaga Monjet 52nd - 1940: accountant in the same society Soerabaia

Saefkow, Emil, * Mechow / Mecklenburg 1891st - 1914: Corporal. - 1922: Carl Schlieper tool in Batavia. - 1935: Kaufmann, post Soerabaia, Kroes Park 10 - 1940: Employed in the company Vraag & Aabod, Soerabaia.(Photo and biography in H.-J. Schmidt)

Scharlemann, Gerhard from Shanghai. - 1914: Artilleristenmaat the Seewehr. - 1922: in Padang. - 1935: owner of export and transport company Scharlemann. - 1940: Boat Dealers in Soematra

Snow Wolf, Walther from Berlin. - 1914: marines. - 1922: Police guard at Buitenzorg. - 1940: in the Carl Schlieper tool in Batavia

Scholz sen., Rudolf, * London 25.1.1876. - 1914: Architect in the Technical Bureau of the Shantung Railway Company in Qingdao, where he was 1912/13. He was already married to Adele Genenger (* Viersen 05.05.1878) and had 3 children: Rudolf (* 1908), Karla (* 02.11.1910) and George (* Tsingtao 11/03/1914). - 1914: participated in the defense of the militia. Was first brought to Japan on 9/16/1915. Adele Scholz and three children remained until 1920 in Qingdao. - 1922: in Djokjakarta. - 1935: Engineering, a specialist in reinforced concrete, at the moment Beheerder the drinking water supply Tangerang. -1940: Retired employee of the city public works in Lembang / Java.

The son of Georg Scholz (1940: buying at the firm Lindeteves in Batavia) is down along with his father on the "Van Imhoff. - Adele Scholz and her daughter Karla Nied.-left India in July 1941 and chose August 1941 to June 1946 as Tsingtao residence, where they had lived 1912-20. Repatriation to Germany at the "Marine Adventures".

Schwitzki, William, Altglienicke in Berlin. - 1914: marines. - 1922: Police guard at the police academy, Buitenzorg. - 1935. Batavia-C, Oude Tamarindelaan 91st - 1940: Employee at Niemij. in Semarang. (Photo and biography in H.-J. Schmidt)

Steinemann, Friedrich from Möllendorf in Prov. Saxony. - 1914: Pioneer. -1922: Dutch Concrete Society, Soerabaia. - 1935: Malang, Tjilaket Gg. No. II.25. - 1940: Dutch. Concrete Society in Semarang

Steinlein, Jacob, * Saarbrücken 1892nd - 1914: marines. - 1922: main police officer in the field Koedoes. - 1935: Police inspector in Semarang, Gemelaan 16th - 1940: Police Officer in Madoein / Java. (Biography in H. j.schmidt)

Sticks, Rudolf from Kiel. - 1914: Sergeant. - 1922: Overseer of the military police in Solo. - 1935: Police Inspector Bojolali / Java. - 1940: Police Officer in Soerabaia

Vind, Emil from the west field in Westphalia. - 1914 marines. - 1922: main police officer in the field Pakekasan / Madoera. - 1940: Police Officer

Weber, Friedrich from Linx, district of Offenburg. - 1914: Matrosenartillerist. -1922: Dutch. Concrete Society, Makassar. - 1935: 61 in Semarang, Pieter Sijthoflaan - 1940: Dutch. Concrete company in Semarang

Zeidler, Karl from Leipzig. - 1914: marines. - 1922: under G. Hoppenstedt, Batavia. - 1940: Agent Aniem, djembe / Java

Two weekends ago was my Opa & Oma's 55th anniversary. The family threw them a really nice surprise party. It's always fun to have the whole (well, most of them) family together, and it seems like that doesn't happen often anymore. When all of us "kids" were young it seems like we were all together all the time.

For their anniversary present I painted a portrait of my Opa's father, Jacob Steinlein:

I think this was the hardest project I've ever worked on, because I really wanted it to be right. I researched about uniforms and this is what I came up with, since I was working with a black and white photo. What was also difficult for me were the emotions that staring at the old photo brought up, because there's always a story. Jacob Steinlein was German, but a Dutch citizen. Well, during WWII the Dutch imprisoned all of the Germans and shipped them from the location. Jacob was on the Van Imhoff. I've researched this a lot, because it was kind of a big cover up, since the Van Imhoff was bombed and sunk, and somehow everyone on the ship survived except for the majority of German prisoners, including my great grandfather. When I was painting this portrait I couldn't help but think about his horrible death.

Some information I found. Most of it was translated into English, so it may be hard to read:

http://sites.google.com/a/mercantilemarine.org/mercantile-marine/War-time-Stories/kom-ships

MV van Imhoff

Van Imhoff (2,980 tons) - Passenger Ship

Date of loss - January 19th, 1942

Reason for loss - Sunk by Japanese aircraft in the Indian Ocean west of Sumatra.

The infamous, unsavoury incident which was to give rise to a strange International aftermath, that dragged on for ten years and involved the 2980 ton "van Imhoff"

After the invasion of Norway, Holland, Belgium and France the most hair raising stories of Fifth Column activities in those countries circulated world wide.

There were a surprising number of Germans in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) augmented by the crews of 20 German ships seized by the Dutch in NEI ports, totalling about 3'000.

When Japan entered the war bringing hostilities to our area of conflict, fears were this group would break out and operate as a Fifth Column for their Allies the Japanese. India was prepared to accept them, so they were shipped out in 3 groups.

The first 2 in the KPM ships "Plancius" and "Ophir"about 2,500, the last in "van Imhoff

Orders from the British and Dutch Authorities were becoming scary and in retrospect, not as rational and explicit as might have been.

On 15th January 1942. Captain Hoeksema received orders in Padang to proceed to Sibolga to embark evacuees. On arrival the next day, he discovered they were almost 500 German and NSB internees. He also had to embark a 62 military guard detachment and 100 tons of barbed wire to secure them.

"van Imhoff" an old ship and fitted with limited life saving equipment and unarmed all of which Hoeksema radioed C-in-C.

The reply short and to the point "Embark them anyway." So he scrounged a few bamboo rafts ashore and took off.

The internees were locked, securely in a couple of holds.

Many of this group were middle aged business men who had lived in the Indies for years, running camera shops or import export business and a few aggressive German seamen off the impounded ships.

The next morning out into the Indian Ocean they were bombed by Japanese planes and the ship began to sink.

Hoeksema panicked. He immediately ordered the lifeboats launched and the crew and military guards into them. One lifeboat which could not be launched was left hanging in the davits.The sergeant of the guard released the prisoners and requested as many as possible be picked up by the lifeboats. Hoeksema refused .

in his opinion the prisoners were the "enemy' there were ample lifejackets and bamboo rafts and they would have to take their chances and ordered the lifeboats to row away from the ship. They made it to shore, but many of the Germans drowned.

Many months later, news of it trickled through to Germany, the authorities in occupied Holland arrested KPM staff and transported them to German Labour

Camps. They also forced KPM to pay 4 millon guilders compensation to relatives of the drowned men.

For another ten years a group of relatives and survivors of the tragedy attempted criminal proceedings.

http://www.umass.edu/wsp/sinology/persons/zach.html

In the momentous year 1933, when German scholarship was Nazified, when Asia Major was shut down in the middle of a volume, and when Deutsche Wacht, halfway around the world, also ceased to exist, von Zach's only remaining outlet was his own Sinologische Beiträge. Three more volumes of Beiträge appeared, the last of them in 1939. In May 1940, Germany invaded and occupied the Netherlands, but the Netherlands East Indies continued on the Allied side of the war, against Germany. Accordingly, that government interned all German or former Austrian residents as dangerous aliens (the argument that many of them were Jews, or otherwise refugees from Naziism, was rejected by the government), and imprisoned them at Padang, on West Sumatra. A year and a half passed.

In January 1942, with the Japanese invasion of Sumatra imminent, the 477 German internees were put aboard the Dutch merchant ship van Imhoff for transfer to British custody in Ceylon. On 19 January 1942, the ship was attacked by a Japanese torpedo plane west of the island of Nias, about 100 km west of Sumatra. The Dutch crew escaped in lifeboats, leaving the Germans to their fate. 53 Germans, in a lifeboat left behind by the crew, managed to make their way to the coast of Nias. The rest drowned as the ship quickly sank.

25 years after the van Imhoff disaster, Brother Aloysius, the only missionary among the 53 internee survivors, put on record his memories of the occasion, in the Steyler Mission's Taschenkalender 1968. We transcribe them here, from a copy for which we express our gratitude to Geff Green.

They had taken us all of our belongings. We no longer possessed as a towel, a bar of soap, and the clothes we wore. The ship offered little space for 200 people, therefore, 111 internees were sent back to shore. We remaining 366 were in the bottom of the storage vessel, such as herring in a barrel. All entrances and hatches were secured with heavy barbed wire, behind which stood the sentry. We could see nothing, because we were deep under the water line, and had the feeling of sitting in a rat trap. An unbearable heat and a terrible stench filled the room. We did not know where we were going. We hoped to Australia, where we expected the most humanity. By late afternoon, the ship stuck at sea. Some of us were accommodated on the deck in a kind of kennel. They called us after the night journey in the early morning that we were once again reversed, and deliver the harbor. From the guard post, we heard that the captain had received a radio message that he had taken away all the internees. Thus, even the remaining 111 inmates were on land tucked into the boat, without that another room was available. Now, we could not even stretch your legs out and almost touch us no more. Towards evening the ship sailed again. We got almost nothing to eat, and what was worse, drink only inadequately. So we rocked the boat to an unknown destination for us two days by the ocean. On the third day, the 19th January 1942, woke us at around noon, an explosion that shook the ship. We did not know what it was. Before we could inquire the reason, followed by a second explosion even worse, according to our calling to their comrades out of their kennels for the after that a Japanese aircraft attacked us with bombs. For a moment we heard his Motorengedrohn and felt, without being able to see it, as befitted the low level and on us. Then again dropped a bombshell, and she had taken the ship so that it reared like a waidwundes animal. After dis machines stopped, and among the internees came a wild cry of fear. We were tossed and heard hissing steam and felt like the ship tilted to one side. About the Dutchmen came into visible nervousness and anxiety. Since they may have feared that we could make an escape attempt, they doubled the guards, who hinabschreien to us: prejudice, "Who the Stacheldreht is erchossen without warning!" At the same time, however, we realized that the deck was great confusion. A couple of sailors with rifles fired again at the approaching aircraft. When the plane was gone, Holland guard commander came to the door and tried to reassure us. He praised us that we should have kept quiet and told us the ship had done nothing serious, it would be reviewed only the machines, then the journey could be continued. We should not worry: would care for us as well as for the guards and the crew. If a disaster actually happens, the captain would be the last to leave the ship. His words were lies, but only to ensure that we began to mutiny. In Wifklichkeit they had already abandoned the ship.

http://wissen.spiegel.de/wissen/dokument/dokument.html?id=46265597&top=SPIEGEL

WAR CRIMES

For Holland, the case seemed closed. The Parliament had never dealt with him, the prosecutor had closed the file, the people did not want to be reminded.

But as Der Spiegel late last year about the fate of German civilians in the sinking of the Dutch steamer Far East, "van Imhoff (told SPIEGEL 52/1965), has been alive for the Dutchmen a dark chapter of history: They learned that fellow in January 1942 with intention and without compelling reason, more than 400 German civilians in the Indian Ocean had spoiled.

"Der Spiegel accused Dutch Navy," reported the Catholic journal "De Volkskrant in Amsterdam. "Der Spiegel swirls case 'van Imhoff on'," said de Rotterdam. "Dozens of other newspapers seized on a report from the SPIEGEL. And denied by the authorities.

Best riding was not that - but as the Germans had perished. There were planters, missionaries, traders or seamen, should - be placed interned during the war in the former Dutch East Indies - on the "van Imhoff" from Sumatra to Ceylon. When the ship was wrackgeschlagen by Japanese bombs and killed himself with his Holland team captain Hoeksema in safety, leaving the Germans - backed by a higher command staff - on board the sinking liner.

Under cover of the same order, denied the next day, another holländischer captain over 100 German "van Imhoff" castaways any help: Berveling captain of the "Boelongan, summoned by a Catalina flying boat of the Dutch Navy, steaming off with his cargo, after the castaways, who were in two boats and rafts to be able to save as German had been identified.

While immediately after the publication of the "van Imhoff" report in SPIEGEL reported survivor of the disaster with additional messages (see box page 62) and Holland newspaper headlines and the public with quotations from the SPIEGEL mobilized report, found himself the Marine Department the Dutch Ministry of Defense the first time an official statement about the events of 19 and 20 January 1942 prompted. Before this year, she had informed the correspondent of the Netherlands-MIRROR, the Ministry does not wish to respond "to your questions. She came in a statement reprinted by several newspapers to the conclusion that they had tried to save the German survivors of the "van Imhoff," although, but they can not save ".

For the proof offered the Navy authority at two main allegations:

- The rescue of "van Imhoff" castaways sent out "Catalina" flying boat Y-63 (it did on the morning of January 20, 1942, the German survivors of the two boats and on rafts made) have because of "high swells," not on able to land the sea and therefore provide no help.

- The captain of the Boelongan "which are the castaways had been approached on megaphone shouting distance, had not the Germans be able to save because his ship was "suddenly attacked by a Japanese plane had been.

Both claims are untrue, but for "van Imhoff" survivors. Vehring naval architect Albert, now a merchant in Bielefeld, to Holland flying boat version: "The sea was smooth as glass, when the plane landed ... High waves, we have never had." And today the insured lives in Stuttgart missionary Gottlob Weiler: "On the day the water was very calm ... The flying boat has twice beckoned one and are then flown away"

Vehring to Holland "Boelongan" version: "This is a very tough lie." Only when the "Boelongan" had long since disappeared from their field of vision, hearing, the castaways left behind explosions, which could suggest a bomb attack.

And also: The "Boelongan had" on the morning of 20 January 1942 twice - first stopped at the first of the two shipwrecked boats, then in the second, which drifted along with the bamboo rafts about a kilometer farther away. At least the time of the encounter with the first boat was therefore the danger of air attack still not have been so great that "would have been obliged Boelongan" Captain Berveling - as reported by the Hague Ministry - "Increase the speed again, and continue to zigzag ' .

Equally valid as the argument of Defense is the opinion of the Director of the Dutch Kingdom Institute for War Documentation, Dr. Lou de Jong.

In an interview with the renowned liberal Algemeen Handelsblad "Listen, he doubted the message, the masters of the" van Imhoff, "and" Boelongan "had Dutch-Indian Naval Staff, according to Order German castaways do not need to save. De Jong: "This seems to me highly unlikely ... If Der Spiegel would have such a document, the paper would publish it."

But this is neither likely nor anyone else Listen, and de Jong said in his interview yourself why, "has been lost Virtually the entire Navy documentation from Surabaya (naval base in the Dutch East Indies)." That the Navy orders to the captains, but actually existed, the SPIEGEL has been confirmed by several pages:

- A board member of the association of retired people from the tax "package Vaart Koninklijke Maatschappij (KPM), under whose flag the office," van Imhoff and Boelongan "went and explained to the MIRROR, masters of the evacuation ships had received in 1942 by the Navy in the Dutch East India, a statement she did not need to save shipwrecked Germans.

- Cornelis Tjebbe, third mate the "Boelongan," reported the SPIEGEL about a conversation he had led after the encounter with the "van Imhoff-survivors with his captain:" Berveling told me later that it had a command of the naval commander in Sibolga (in Sumatra ) submitted to salvage any Germans. "

- The "van Imhoff" survivor Gottlob Weiler informed the SPIEGEL:

"The fact that an order existed, save only Dutchman and German does not make the rescue, confirmed my 1946 during his return from Indonesia on the passenger ship Oranje 'a master of the Dutch-Indian Army Kuehne ... He said that Admiral Conrad Helfrich (then Navy chief in the Dutch East India) itself had given the order. "

- De Jong's department manager for the Dutch East Indies, captain, retired Abraham Vromans, motivated Listen to the last year, the adoption of the statement with the "hatred" of the colonial Dutchmen to the motherland against the invading Germans.

- Another denial Listen to report on the "van Imhoff" affair is from the socialist radio and television station in Hilversum Vara. Vara-Chief Rengelink January, it had told Der Spiegel, had to be dropped last year after the intervention of the Dutch Ministry of Defense an already finished television documentary about the sinking of the van Imhoff, "again by the program. Vara now: "We have fully decided on its own initiative to cancel the mission."

So lonely was not the decision. Salzl Vromans the Reich Institute for War Documentation already last year to the SPIEGEL: "I had to do with this decision itself so much that I can tell you anything about it, unfortunately."

A week after breaking the denials about the case in Holland, "van Imhoff" again - as in the Flemish Antwerp published satirical political weekly newspaper 't Pallieterke "wrote -" the big silence out. " The files were closed, and for Holland's judiciary, was what had been established in 1956 in an investigation: "No reason for a criminal complaint."

Holländischer freighter "van Imhoff": Was there a command ...

... German let drown?: Headlines for "van Imhoff" report in SPIEGEL

I think Opa really appreciated it, and he said it was just how he remembered his dad, and the rest of the night I found him staring at the painting.

Jojo Passed Away, September 2, 2010

2010-09-05T10:06:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess I can finally write about it. It's true he was very old and in bad shape but it's still sad when you come to the realization that you'll never see your dog again. I keep thinking of his healthier days, and I miss him. There is a growing part of me that is glad he is finally at rest, though. It was painful to accept at first.

Unfortunately the way I found out really sucks. Billy was going to wait until he came home from work to tell me; he even bought a bottle of wine for me. But one of his aunts texted me around 3pm saying how she was sorry about Jojo, and helped bury him. WOW. I bawled my eyes out, and texted back,

I didn't know that he had passed away, now I got to find out through a text message.

But some people don't know how to apologize for anything. They always have to bite first. So of course what does she do. Not a simple, "Sorry, I thought you knew." Nope, she has to go and try to make me feel guilty about her husband who has cancer. Really? Why would you even bring that up? My dog just died. So basically you're saying that my sadness for my dog dying doesn't compare to what you're going through.

She of course had to make the situation about her. Sorry that I haven't dealt with what she's going through. My dog dying is a big deal for me. I don't understand why some people have to be that way. Sure I feel horrible about what she's going through, but why would she even bring that up?

I cried the rest of the day, and I'm sure it will bring tears to my eyes on some random future day, when I sit in the backyard and remember Jojo walking around or playing catch (slowly, of course lol. He was still around 10 when Billy & I got married). I will definitely miss him.

Blog Dump 7/22/2010-8/20/2010

2010-09-03T06:37:00.000-07:00

I've been writing in my MacJournal and forgetting to upload onto here. I guess I'll add a few highlights:

My Mind is All over the place
July 22, 2010
I feel like I don't have time for anything. I feel like I have a million things to do! I need to make a list but right now I don't have time!

July 23, 2010
Yesterday I took Beasley to the vet and I wish I hadn't! A waste of $20. He has a lump on his side, so the doc looked at it, they weighed him, and he told me to just watch the lump and make sure it doesn't get bigger. :P WASTE.

Last night Billy surprised me and bought the Serah Farron wig! I'm so happy. It was completely unexpected! We were at the cookout last night after the Hurricanes game (which they lost to Cals) and he was on his phone as usual. He asked me what the paypal id/password was so I gave it to him, not even thinking anything about the wig. I thought he was buying something golf-related haha. Well, he puts his phone in his pocket and tells me he bought the wig! Crazy! :) I'm really excited about it.

Today I really need to work on Dana's present! Time is going by so fast. Their anniversary is on August 1.

Jeffrey's graduation is on Saturday. I have no idea what to get him. I guess some $$ haha. That's all a graduate wants anyways!

July 24, 2010
Jeffrey's graduation was today. At Munden Point Park out in the middle of nowhere. The place was beautiful, right on the water, but the heat was absolutely unbearable. My face was covered in a layer of shiny sweat. My hair looked horrible, and my crappy skin really added to the wonderful look I had going. Every time I went to the bathroom I looked a thousand times worse.

This whole skin problem+bad hair+weight gain is really getting me down. I've never had so many (shallow) physical issues at once. I hate it. I look like crap. I'm only 23 and I already have smile line wrinkles. They are sooo ugly.

So, things I'm doing to help my appearance improve:

● Using Neutrogena On-the-Spot acne cream.
● Using Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-wrinkle Anti-blemish face wash.
● Doing Pilates.
● Doing a Self Magazine Butt Busting workout. It's 45 min long and I'm still sore from it!

I really like doing pilates, and I hope I keep it up. I feel so relaxed after I'm done. The session I did today actually made me sweat, though. I was really focusing on trying to do the moves in the most effective way possible.

Well, tomorrow I really need to work since I didn't do any work at all today. That sucks. I'm super behind schedule now.

I'm still excited that my Serah wig is coming in :) I just can't believe it! I've wanted it for so long. Today I borrowed some glue and metallic amethyst paint for the leg attachment. The middle part is pearl color and it's encased in gold. Well, I have metallic silver and purple paint, so I guess I'll mix the silver with yellow and the purple with ehh white?? What color IS pearl exactly?? It's like, white+pink+purple, right?

July 29, 2010
Today is Thursday and we're leaving for Buffalo in a few hours. We're all meeting at our house. Billy and I are riding up with my parents. We're going up for Grandma & Grandpa's anniversary/family reunion. Yeah what sucks is all I have are some old contacts and a bunch of zits on my face haha Not to mention I've gained weight :P Ohh well. Right now I don't really give a crap because I have my period. Which also kind of sucks because I'm not even supposed to have my period yet. I guess my body hasn't gotten used to the change yet.

The past couple of days Jojo was with us. It was really depressing. He can barely walk, I have to help/carry him up and down the stairs, we have to hand feed him, including when he drinks. He's completely incontinent and has to wear a diaper. He can't hear or see very well. I feel so bad. When Norma came to pick him up this morning she was so angry at her mother. She feels it's inhumane to keep Jojo alive in this condition. His health has declined so much since I've seen him last. It made me want to cry every time I watched him.

Monday morning I met with Sister Franklin at the library to discuss her website. What's funny is she completely forgot about our meeting and had met for service and just happened to come to the library with Carmen to do letter writing! She was so embarrassed. I finished her logo this week and I think it looks awesome. I'm really excited about this.

For the trip I'm going to be working on the face of the hannari tofu pillow I'm making for Dana & Zach's present. I also brought a little mamegoma plushie to work on. I'm glad we're leaving in the daytime so I will actually be able to do something.

Well, it's 11:04AM now. The house is cleaned, our bags are packed, and the dogs are wrestling lol. Billy is supposed to meet Kevin here at 11:30 so I'm sure he'll be home soon.

I'm wearing my glasses right now and I hate it...my eyes look so tiny :( But I just can't stand to wear those contacts for long hours, and there's no way I'm going to wear those horrible things on the trip up there. They are just too old. It feels like little pieces of sandpaper in my eyes when I wear them. When we get back I really need to go to the eye doctor. I'm so embarrassed though that I never went and picked up my contacts from them...I don't even know what to say.

August 1, 2010
We just got home from Buffalo. It's about 8:30pm. I had a really good time; some low moments when Billy and my parents left me to play golf. Actually, everyone left and I was left at Aunt Helga's. Uncle Rick was outside mowing the grass and I was all alone. That was on Friday. Saturday morning the guys went out to play golf again and mom stayed home for me. We ended up sitting on the front porch together; their yard was beautiful and the air was the perfect temperature. We went wine tasting to three different wineries. It was such a pretty day. The dinner party was at 4. I had fun talking with Rachael and Nicole since we're all cosplayers. Need I say more.. They invited me to LA and to Comicon and Anime Expo. That would be really awesome. They both kept saying I should live in CA lol. I was like, yes..i know. Grandma and Grandpa gave us all such a generous present. It really helps a lot. Traveling is really expensive!

Well, my wig was shipped on Friday the 30th and it is now Sunday. It says on the site that shipping can take from 7-30 days. I'm so excited! August 6th will be the seventh day but I won't get my hopes up. I definitely will keep my eye out, because I don't want the wig sitting out in the heat or rain. The 6th is on Friday. Coming all the way from Hong Kong. But wow it was processed by NY this evening at 6pm! That's really fast shipping.

August 16, 2010
Oh wow, a lot has happened in 15 days. We went to Grandma & Grandpa's anniversary up in Buffalo. It was fun.

My skin has gotten so much better. It was actually completely clear a couple days ago, but then I broke out again. But nothing on the scale that it was. Mostly on my chin. I really think the Neutrogena products helped to relieve me of that horrible breakout so fast.

And now I am trying something new. Apple cider vinegar, supposedly helps with many things. Today is day one. I mixed two tablespoons with a cup of Good Earth Sweet & Spicy Black Tea and two tablespoons of honey. It's definitely got a tang to it, but it's not bad at all. I can taste the apple flavoring and it seems very full of spice. I am only going to be drinking this once a day, since apple cider vinegar is, of course, very acidic. But it's supposed to help with stomach problems/digestion, colds, allergies, and other things. I have all of those right now. I have a cold I can't shake, but I'm not sure if it's allergies or not. My stomach has been messed up again for the past couple days. I'll see if it does any good.

I've also really been trying to work out more. I went back to the "Your Best Butt Fast" video by Self magazine. That workout is fun and challenging for me. I am also doing a pilates workout that I like, but isn't that challenging. I still have very little flexibility, though, so that's where it's hard for me.

The wig came in a while ago. It's really nice, took me forever to style it! The only problem is they styled it the opposite way of Serah's hair :( And it's a little thin, but other than that it's pretty and the perfect color. I also have been working on the necklace and have the spiral and orb finished. There is still so much to be done :/ But it's only August so I'm not really going to worry about that. At least the costume itself is done :P Cheater! Though I am reallly happy with the quality. Milanoo.com is definitely on my Fav list.

I'm almost finished with Loretta's website. I just have to write up/edit her mission statement. Mike came over today and brought us dirt/info for his website. I told him two weeks, so the deadline is August 30th, the end of this month. I'm excited to work on websites. It's really fun. I also ordered my business cards; can't wait for those to come in. I hope they turn out ok.

Oh and I have a business checkcard with Wachovia now! I'm excited about that :) It's nice to see "Neutral Ocean Design" on there.

I drove to the eye doctor today to pick up my trial lenses. They feel really good; different brand than I'm used to. They're also HUGE. They look kind of weird because they're so big and visible, I guess because they're really thick.

Ok, so some effects I notice already from the apple cider vinegar is the feeling in my mouth and throat. This stuff is extremely acidic. I might just try two tablespoons in a huge glass of water instead. I actually got myself a glass of water too cuz it's so intense.

August 17, 2010
It's amazing how much those old contacts were messing with my eyes. I didn't realize how swollen and puffy my eyelids were until now that they're not. I can't even feel these lenses on my eyes and I keep expecting to.

It's also amazing how long it takes me to eat my breakfast. It's 9:00 right now. I got up at 7. And the oatmeal and herb apple cider vinegar tea is still sitting on the table.

It's all due to that stupid super hero game on Facebook. But I need to focus. I need to work on my website. Seriously. Actually, on my business in general. I set up my email account through fatcow so I'm so happy the jaclyn@neutralocean.com email works! Who knows how much I missed out because stupid gmail wasn't letting me receive emails!!!

Yesterday I edited all of the pictures Mike gave me. I picked out the coolest theme ever. Seriously. It's amazing. Possibly too amazing. It's not cheap either, well compared to others on ThemeForest, but the features are off the hook. I sent Mike a long email so hopefully he sends some info back to me this time. I want to have his site up by this weekend.

I also need to workout today. It annoys me so much that for some reason I never work out on Mondays. I want to be working out five times a week and I haven't yet done it. Oh well.

I need to create proposals for design work and web work. Also, the web content worksheet and a general questionnaire. I also need to write up my prices and descriptions. But stop talking about it and just DO IT!!

August 18, 2010
Shoveling porridge down my throat, drinking the acv+herb tea and a cup of water. Unfortunately I've fallen back into constipation for the last week or so. It made me gain two pounds and I'm all crampy and bloaty. Soo annoying.

Beasley has surgery tomorrow to remove his cyst. I took him in yesterday and Dr. Pope said we should have it removed. It looks really gross and has doubled in size in one month. Beasley keeps picking at it and the doc gave him antibiotics because the thing looks infected. Hopefully all goes well.

Man my guts are really annoying me. If I had healthy guts I bet I could easily get back to 100 lbs. I got down to 105 but now because of this I'm back at 107. 23, 107 lbs. I guess it's not that bad. I hate it, though. Actually, it's not the weight. I want to be in better shape. More toned and have a stronger core, which will help with my sciatica and back pain. Unfortunately it's painful for me to workout because my knees are so messed up. Stupid hockey. I'm glad I quit.

August 20, 2010
I picked up poor baby Beas from the vet yesterday. He had surgery to remove a tumor on his right side. He was really out of it yesterday but is doing much better today. I can tell the area is giving him a lot of pain, though. I mean, there are 13 stitches in that thing. It's a big cut.

Well, I think I really need to focus on positives instead of negatives all the time. It's so unhealthy for me! Like, it got me really down yesterday when I went to minor emergency and stood on the scale and it read 108.8 lb. But I shouldn't focus on that. I should focus on the fact that the apple cider vinegar has already started to curb my appetite. That the Neutrogena products have really cleared up my skin so much.

eye infection?

But this eye thing really does suck. Every time I put my contacts in bright red veins start spreading out from the inner corner of my right eye. It's painful. They gave me two prescription eye drops. One is so thick and gooey; it's disgusting and all over my eyelid. Keeps getting on my glasses. I think I'm going to get an eye patch today so that I can at least wear a contact in my good eye. Plus, I don't want people to get grossed out by my eye haha.

I think tonight we're going to the movies with Keith. The Steins got in town yesterday, so I'm sure we will see them this weekend. It just sucks we can't bring Beasley. I don't really want to leave him for that long.

I really need to start working out five days a week. I missed Monday and Thursday. It's 9:55 right now, and I'm about to force myself to do a challenging kickboxing boot-camp workout lol. I do need to get in shape, though. All of my body has gotten really soft and mushy, especially my "pooch" area. It hangs over all my pants ew! And not to mention all of my pants and shorts are really tight on me now, what the heck.... Such a dramatic change so fast. In one year I've gained about 10 lbs! And I absolutely hate it. I don't know if I could ever be pregnant just because of how much I loathe any weight on me. And just for me to say that I obviously haven't reached the self-sacrificing motherly role yet. I don't know if I ever will.

Home-made Curtains & Some Design Work

2010-04-12T14:48:00.000-07:00

Last night I made the window curtain; it took me 3.5 hours hehe I don't think it's that bad considering I've never made curtains before! Well, I am very proud with how they turned out. Today I bought a curtain rod and installed the window treatment at the house. It took me a half hour to finish everything, including hanging up his matching shower curtain. I wish I would have taken a picture straight on instead of at an angle, but oh well!

Tubbs Pro Wallpapering Design Work
Over the weekend I did a lot of organic SEO and gave her some options for PPC campaigns. She hasn't answered me back yet. Today I designed a comment card for her to give to her customers to fill out. I recommended she have them printed by Overnight Prints. They are my favorite printing company; they're affordable and deliver quality work. I think the comment card would be a nice touch for her company blog, because all she'll have to do is scan them into her computer and upload them.

On a different note, I have a game tonight and am not really looking forward to it. Last weeks game was AWEFUL.. We had an awesome sub goalie but none of our good offensive players were there and we were playing the best team in the league. We were in our zone the ENTIRE game. Fortunately, we were able to have two lines of D or I would have died lol. We were already dying by the end of the first period haha. The forwards kept complaining because they only had one sub but I was like, "You do realize, this entire game has been in Our zone."... Anyways, now I'm done venting about that haha. That's not even the reason I don't feel like going tonight :D I'm just being lazy. In all actuality, I don't really care about winning or losing, but when your team sucks THAT bad it's not even fun anymore :(

Kai Cosplay & Chibi-Con Update

2010-04-10T12:26:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been pretty busy working on my Kai costume, since there's going to be a small, one day con in Virginia Beach at the end of this month. It's called Chibi Con and will be held at the Virginia Beach Public Library. Here is the location info taken from the website, http://www.chibi-con.com/ :

Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Venue: Virginia Beach Central Library (Conference rooms area)
4100 Virginia Beach Blvd.
Virginia Beach, VA 23452
When: April 30, 2010
9:00 AM - 4:50 pm

The one day con, which is free, features panels, guest voice actors, and a music artist. I just can't believe it's free! I feel they should have asked for, like, 5 bucks or something! Unfortunately, it is on a Friday, And ends at 5, so that kinda sucks. Maybe we can plan dinner in Town Center. And yes, I will be in a Kai costume. In Town Center. LOL...

Here are some pictures; the hat is 95% complete; make-up practice:

My First Seamstress Job

2010-04-10T11:41:00.000-07:00

My mom was working for a friend yesterday, hanging wallpaper in two bathrooms and helping out with the decor; she bought two, beautiful cloth shower curtains for the first bathroom and came up with the idea to use the second as a curtain for the window. She informed him that I was "into sewing" and that I could make a valance for the window. Well, I got the "job", went to the house to take measurements, and have the shower curtain sitting next to me now.

The fabric is very pretty; 100% polyester gold fabric with a subtle pattern of squares. I plan on completing the valance this weekend.

Jillian Michaels Cardio & Strength Training All-in-One

2010-04-01T07:03:00.000-07:00

So I noticed that I've started developing a "pooch". I absolutely loathe this thing. On my Cable network, there's an entire FreeZone and part of that is a Health & Fitness section. I was pleased to find some Jillian Michaels workout videos and decided to try one out. The one I tried was a fast-paced, no resting circuit that's about 20 minutes long. And it absolutely kicked my butt. I used 5 lb weights and ended up straining my left bicep muscle. I couldn't straighten my arm for the next 3 days!

Now, to give you some background on myself, I'm 22 years old, 5'3", 102 lbs, and have an athletic build (my way of saying I have small boobs lol). I play ice hockey in a local men's league. It's not like I'm that out of shape, but for some reason I strained my muscle with only 5 lbs! Sad really...

Well, that was a couple weeks ago, and I feel like everything's healed up. I did the workout again yesterday but instead of weights used Wii remote controls LOL. I've decided to take it slower this time, and build up my muscle a little more before just jumping into it. There are push-ups included in the workout so my biceps are still getting worked. It's just really weird how weak my upper body is! 5 POUNDS?! Really??

But besides that, her workouts are really awesome, and the one I did still kicked my butt, even without weights. I definitely know that if I'm going to do this, though, I'm going to have to increase my calorie intake. I don't need to lose weight, but I need to gain muscle. I guess this is why I've been craving eggs and potatoes like crazy :P

Focusing On Web Design, In a Nutshell :P

2010-03-30T13:03:00.000-07:00

Well, I decided before reading the entire InDesign book, I've decided to go with this one. Everything seems to be going to web, and I need to learn more. I've had this book for a while now (it was a requirement for one of my classes, though we never even opened it) and I decided that it was time to read the thing.

I finished Chapter 1 last night. I'm planning on reading a chapter a day, but I haven't even started on Chapter 2 yet and it's already 4 pm! (Typical me.)

I really like the way this book is set up; it's separated into the layers of web design: structural, presentation, and behavioral. Chapter 1 starts off with basically everything I need to know and ever want to know about the history of web standards, the browser wars, and the different organizations that are trying to push things forward. It also offers a lot of references for further reading. One in particular that I would like to check out is the ietf.org website. IETF is the Internet Engineering Task Force, and on their site you can find out new technologies that are currently in development. I haven't checked it out yet, and you probably will before I do XD

More Ideas :P

2010-03-13T15:30:00.000-08:00

Well, I created an account on Etsy and put my shop together. I even wrote my shop policy and everything :-) Of course, I'm not selling anything yet. I have to make everything first!

I've researched shipping and stuff and decided to go with USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate Shipping. My first set of small boxes came in the other day. I also ordered medium, though, for scoodies and other larger items. I also need to design some cute tags with my logo and info on it, and info unique to each item. I think that would be a nice touch. I want each item to be sealed in a plastic bag, but also make a nice looking fabric gift bag to put it in. Fortunately, I'm going to be making items that can't really break (unless your dog gets ahold of it) so I don't have to worry about packing peanuts, bubble mailers, etc.

Ok, so maybe I think too much. And when did I become such a planner?? Wait. I forgot that I was never the spontaneous one who just jumps into things. That was my parents lol. I have always put way too much thought into things! What's funny is, the one thing I'm not thinking about or worried about is if people buy my items. If I don't sell anything, then I'll just end up having a lot of cute stuff! XD Or I would probably be giving a lot of cute gifts to my friends..

So I think for my first set of items (on etsy it's pay per item post, like some change, less than a dollar) I'm going to make another panda scoodie (because I love mine), a white fox scoodie (can you tell i only have b&w fleece left lol), a panda hat (I really love pandas..o well), and some cute cell phone cozies.

I'm actually kind of nervous when I actually think about putting my items up there, because I'm really a perfectionist when it comes to making something for someone else. To the point where it could discourage me from even making anything. Lol yeah, I'm weird. I just have to not worry about that and have fun with this. What's nice is on etsy I think you get to post four or five pictures of your item, so they'll see every angle and know what they're buying. If it's not perfect enough for them they just won't buy it!

It's Been Awhile...

2010-02-23T07:09:00.000-08:00

I've finished a few little projects here and there, but I've actually been busy working for my friend's design company. Unfortunately, my mom is still on the I.R. due to her recent knee surgery, so I'm not sure when we'll be working together again.

(Side note: I'm not sure if I've talked about this at all. My mom tore her ACL, (it's in the knee, google it lol), and had to have surgery to repair it. Pretty major surgery, too. She's still in a lot of pain, and I think the surgery took place either the beginning of this month or end of last month. She's in physical therapy now, also. So, as you can imagine, she won't be working for a while since we hang wallpaper and paint, Tubbs Pro.com . I don't think she would have a nice time walking up and down a ladder all day..)

Little Sewing Projects

This was kind of a while ago, and I can't even remember if I posted a picture of the little guy! It's a rice ball wrapped with a piece of seaweed (onigiri). It's pretty small, about the size of your hand, but I also am making a big one out of fleece that I need to finish. I gave this little guy to my friend.

I made this cell phone pouch for my new phone -the HTC Hero! (Can you tell that I love it? haha)

It's pretty much the cutest thing ever, and I received many compliments on FB. Hmm maybe I will set up an Etsy shop.... The tarepanda head is my wallet lol.

Finally Hit the Slopes

Last week we joined my parents at their timeshare in Massanutten. The conditions were pretty good, not too much ice and nice weather. I'm sure Snowshoe has some sweet powder, though. They've been getting hammered. This is my ride, which is actually a Ride board. It's fairly new, a lot longer than my old board, and I felt some drag in the front. I'm sure I'll get used to it, though.

The design is pretty cool, but I'm disappointed in the placement. That cool cat just ripped of the head of a mouse and has the body in its mouth. But the head is placed right beneath the binding! And I had to get a clear stomp pad just so you can see the cat... Ugh like I said, really poor placement guys!

M'Liss is Awesome

2010-02-14T15:34:00.001-08:00

Kimono Art Quilt, originally uploaded by M'Liss Rae Hawley.

Check out this quilt she made. It's so intricate and beautiful. I can't imagine how much time it took to make this work of art.

I really love her fabric line at Hancock Fabrics, too. You should definitely check it out if you like cute patterns :D

Fostering a Puppy & Being a Nurse

2010-02-02T06:15:00.000-08:00

So, here's the story:

My cousin was driving home at about 11PM and suddenly saw two little white paws in the middle of the road. He hit the brakes, and got out to find a shivering, starving little puppy sitting in the middle of the road. His ribs and spine were very visible beneath his dirty fur, his stomach was horribly distended, and the puppy's nails were extremely long. He was so malnourished that his entire body was cramped to one side; he could barely walk. My cousin took the puppy to my parents' house, where my cousin is currently residing, and gave the puppy a bath and trimmed his nails. This took place about a week ago, on Friday night.

I'm fostering him now, and he's doing so much better. He's actually acting like a puppy now! I even made him a little fleece jacket since it's been so cold outside.

I took him to the vet on January 28th, and he has a high amount of intestinal parasites, so we'll get that taken care of this week. He was also put on Amforol tablets for loose stools, and it has definitely helped. Hopefully, I can find this sweet little guy a home.

Aiding my Mom in Her Recovery

Yesterday, my mom had surgery on her knee. She had a torn ACL and a tear in the meniscus. She's doing well, and today I have to go pick her up from the hospital and be her nurse for the next couple of days. I know she's going to be in a lot of pain, but I have to make sure she does her exercises every hour. Well, I better go get ready for the day!

The Journey Has Only Just Begun...

2010-01-21T15:44:00.000-08:00

I decided that I really need to focus on expanding my knowledge and skills of design, so I'm starting with one of the programs that I learned in school - InDesign. I have Sandee Cohen's book, Visual Quickstart Guide: InDesign CS3, and I really want to just go through the whole thing and learn everything about InDesign. I feel like my classes just skimmed the surface.

Actually, I feel like every single class I took just skimmed the surface, that's why I'm determined to start studying on my own now (which I should have been doing all along but I'm a slacker). I feel like I don't know all my programs like the back of my hand like I should. I've been using them since high school so to not know everything about them by now is just...sad.

So anyways, my InDesign book has 21 chapters. If I do a chapter a day that's only 21 days to go through the whole thing! Now, the problem right now is time and energy. By the time I get home from work (hanging/stripping wallpaper and/or painting all day) I am just physically and mentally drained. I mean, it's not like I'm just sitting in an office all day or something. We do hard work and we don't take breaks! Soon, though, we're going to be off since my mom is having surgery on her knee. And depending on how long it takes her to recover, we could be out of work for a good while. So this is my goal that I'm setting right now: Go through the entire InDesign book in 21 days, starting the day of my mom's surgery.

Projects In the Making

Ok, so I've come up with a couple different design ideas for the experience and to add to my portfolio:

Design a sushi restaurant menu, I was thinking of naming it "Crane Style Sushi" lol.
Design an entire magazine (including "ads" for different businesses, just for the experience). I've been wanting to do this for a long time, I just wasn't sure what to do it on. So I decided to choose something that I'm passionate about, because this is a HUGE undertaking so I figured why not make it fun and something I would be motivated to do. So I chose music, each article featuring a band of my choice in an art style that reflects the music (I'm going to design the article while listening to the band for inspiration).

The first one won't take that long, but that second one is pretty huge. Ugh I also really need to design my business cards...I keep forgetting about that.

Today's Shout-outs:

Dr. Prillaman, the surgeon who yanked out my wisdom teeth, for doing an awesome job. I highly recommend him: Paul E. Prillaman DDS: Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Michelle Phan, professional make-up artist & designer, for posting all those amazing how-to's & DIYs! Check it out: Her Old Blog, New Website, & YouTube Channel.

Dry Socket & Disgusting Cloves

2010-01-18T16:06:00.000-08:00

Well, I had my follow-up with the surgeon today. I had one dry socket in the lower left extraction site. It's kind of funny, everywhere I've read on the internet everyone's like "Ahh, dry socket is the worst pain ever!" "You'll KNOW when you have a dry socket because the pain's unbearable!" Blah blah. I didn't even know I had one. It didn't really hurt at all, I mean the pain was so minor. ...are people that whimpy...

I mean, overall, this whole experience wasn't the worst pain I've ever had. I've definitely had worse pain from hockey injuries. And braces. And having like all of my baby teeth pulled out by the dentist as I grew up. So maybe that's why I don't think it was as bad as some of these people are saying.

Now, I'm not saying it was a walk in the park. It really sucked. My face is still swollen (It's Monday. I had the surgery LAST Monday.) But right now is the worst ever, I swear. This clove oil mixture stuff is going to kill me. It's SO disgusting. The taste just WON'T go away. It's making me feel sick, and I just don't feel like eating.

Illness, Sleepless Night, and an Unfinished Moogle

2010-01-12T14:21:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, I can't really stomach the vicodin very well. Yesterday I got really ill (twice, won't go into detail, but I'm sure you know what I'm talking about). So today I decided to halve the dose and this seems to be better for me. My mouth really hurts.. My jaw is extremely stiff, but I'm kind of glad to just have the pain and the stiffness and not the nausea. I could definitely use that extra bit of pain medicine, but I really don't want to get sick again. That hurt more than anything.

Since my body relieved itself of all of the pain medicine yesterday, I couldn't sleep the entire night because I was in so much pain. I finally fell asleep around eight, but woke up at nine because of the pain. When Billy left this morning, he went to kiss me and then started laughing because my face is all swollen! He said it was cute lol I said he was being mean :P

So now I've been really tired all day, but couldn't fall asleep :( I distracted myself by watching Nausicaa Valley of the Wind, which made me feel better ^^. I really love his movies. What an amazing imagination! (If you're not sure who I'm talking about, it's Hayao Miyazaki, who is so great!!) Yesterday, I watched My Neighbor Totoro, which also made me smile, except I can't physically smile right now...lol.

My mom is so sweet, too. She just came over with a card and a bouquet of daisies and my favorite: potato soup! (Unfortunately I couldn't eat the potato soup, because of, well, the potatoes lol.) She also did the dishes for me :)

Dungeon Hero X Moogle Doll! (work in progress...)

A couple days ago I started making another moogle doll, but with a twist ^_^ I'm making this one in Mog's Dungeon Hero X costume! As you can see, I have a long way to go. I've only completed the head, ears, body, and red scarf lol. The legs, arms, and wings are already completed, I just need to attach them. I haven't decided how to construct the belt and mask yet. I'm thinking of painting the face with black acrylic paint instead of embroidering this time. I've never painted on a face before, so I'm a little nervous about that part. I'm definitely going to practice on a scrap piece first.

I'm making this for our friend Chris, since I think I promised him one lol but also he bought Billy and I some awesome presents. He bought me Dax the Skelanimal dog and a Kodocha hat ^_^ Sorry if I look a little mean in the picture. Like I said, I can't really smile lol. I did my best! XD

Isn't Dax soo cute?? He glows in the dark, so when we go to bed there's a little skeleton dog sitting on my dresser lol. I love that hat, too. It has little purple wings on the back. The ears are wayy bigger than they look in the picture, though haha.

Wisdom Teeth Are OUT!

2010-01-11T13:10:00.000-08:00

Well, this morning I had the oral surgery and had all four of them removed. The experience wasn't terrifying, except for the gas part. It wasn't necessarily "Terrifying!", but very strange. I was feeling absolutely fine, a little light-headed, until I suddenly realized I couldn't feel my feet or hands, or my whole body in fact. Billy was in the room as they put me to sleep, and he said it seemed like I kind of panicked, because my heart rate spiked. The nurse asked me if I was ok, and that it was fine to breath through my mouth to ease off of the gas a little. So I did and the feeling returned a little, enough for me to feel a slight pinch in my arm as the doctor put in the i.v. I didn't even feel the medicine go in, and actually, I don't remember much after that. The nurse and Billy helping to the car is something I vaguely remember. He stopped at Hardees or something to get me a milkshake. He said when he looked at me while we were in the car I had drool/blood running down my chin haha!

Drinking that milkshake was the most awkward experience ever, since my lips and chin were completely numb. Billy had a good laugh, since every time he looked at me I had milkshake pouring down my face XD

Unfortunately, the numbness is really starting to fade now, and all I can taste is blood. The pain is slowly creeping in, and, to be honest, the only reason I'm on here relaying my experience is to distract me from it! I took a vicodin with the milkshake, so Billy expected me to still be asleep. But I think the pain woke me up. Wow, all four teeth at once! I mean, I'm glad to have it all over with, but this is going to suck!

Hey, where's my applesauce?! I'm starvin' here! :D

Curse You 3rd Molars!

2010-01-06T15:00:00.000-08:00

You are in imminent danger of being extracted from my face!

So, yesterday I went to the dentist, then was sent to the oral surgeon, and today I scheduled an appointment for surgery on Monday... And I'm really nervous! Not about having them taken out; during my childhood, almost every baby tooth had to be manually pulled out by the dentist. I'm actually afraid of being gassed and drugged! Ha I guess that's kind of funny, but I've never had it done before!

I've been told exactly how it's going to go by both the doc and my husband, yet there's still a lingering fear of the unknown. The unknown that is about to be known pretty soon! I only have four days left... I'm mostly worried about being allergic to the sedatives or something like that. ...

Ugh I worry about every little thing as usual... I should look on the bright side: All four of my stupid wisdom teeth will be gone. That'll be great!

Well anyways, besides that, I had some fun today in photoshop:

My First Finished Project!

2010-01-02T17:14:00.000-08:00

Can you tell I'm excited about this?! Well, I've been wanting a panda hat for a long time, ever since I started sewing. I decided to take it a step further and make a panda scoodie! It's made out of good quality fleece so it's super soft and warm. I love the stitching around the edges, though I had some trouble with it. I think it's because the fabric was just too thick in some places. In a way, though, I kind of like the imperfections. It adds to it's unique, hand-made appearance. As you can tell, I'm not saying the hat looks like it's poorly done. I'm actually extremely anal, a big perfectionist, when it comes to the things I create. I've always been that way, since I was little. To the point of being a weird little kid.

Case in point: If I colored outside the lines in my coloring books, I would make my mom cut off those parts!! Who does that??!! I guess I just had a shaky hand, because I ended up hating coloring books and giving them up all together! Haha! I'm so strange...

Well, if I do start selling products then my customers will like that strangeness, because I'm all about working hard and producing quality work! At the same time, like I said earlier, I kind of like the messy look of the stitches, even though it was an accident. So I guess I'll have limited clientele XD. I also wanted to have each piece be unique in some way, so little imperfections add to that.

Possibly Going to Set Up Shop

2009-12-31T18:16:00.000-08:00

Ok, So I've really been thinking seriously about selling on Etsy. Once I develop and perfect my products that is. I have lots of craft ideas to execute. I keep adding things to my 'little black book'. I think I'm going to focus on hats and dolls, but I may do some accessories as well, such as scarves and jewelry, and maybe artwork. I'm not sure about that, though.

Today I read all of Etsy's rules and regulations, looked up info about having a small craft business, and also looked at different postal services' pricing. I think I'm going to go with USPS.

I've had this idea for a while now, ever since I realized how much I like creating things, but I wasn't sure about it since I didn't have a sewing machine. Now I do! I really nice one, thanks to Billy. He is truly amazing :)

He doesn't like my idea though, since this isn't what I went to school for :/ We'll see how things go.

We Have Crappy Hearts

2009-12-07T18:39:00.000-08:00

So I guess it's the Steinlein AND Kuyper side, which sucks. So many in my extended family have died young because of heart attacks. A few just dropped dead. What the heck...

I just got back home from being at a hospital in N.C. for my Uncle Andy, the youngest of the five siblings. He's been having chest pains, extreme fatigue and discomfort, so bad he had to go to the emergency room on Friday night. On the scan they saw an abnormality in the same exact spot they saw in my Uncle Paul's heart. Well, during the cath they discovered that one of his arteries is abnormally small.
Only 20% of the population have this condition. Oma has it also. Also, one artery had only 30% blockage, another only 20% blockage, so that's not that bad.

What's scary is that when the doc went to scope the abnormal artery his heart didn't like that very much and stopped beating. They had to shock him several times, and he has burn marks on his chest... Uncle Andy said he remembers not feeling any pain, and then, all of a sudden, the worst pain he's ever experienced. He said it felt like someone grabbed his heart and squeezed, and then suddenly all these people ran into the room and everyone was screaming. The doctor said that they were having a conversation and then Uncle Andy stopped talking. They shocked him several times and he came to and he continued talking, like nothing had happened. It's weird hearing the different perspectives.

The doctor said it might just be an infection of some sort, but they're not really sure why he's been experiencing the pain and fatigue. Too bad Dr. House is a fictional character...

Old Dogs & New Cosplay Plans

2009-11-20T06:17:00.000-08:00

Jojo hasn't been looking so good lately :( Poor boy had to have surgery recently because his bowels twisted. They sewed his intestines onto his stomach to prevent it from happening again. It seems like that surgery aged him even more. I feel so bad for him and make sure I help him out in any way I can. He's such a stubborn dog, though. For instance, on one side of our deck there aren't stairs going down to the grass because we have a lower deck with a hot tub on it. Well, what side does the old dog always try to go up?! I even blocked it and he tried to shove the blockade over lol. So now I have to watch him when I let him out, because he's a bit beyond the age where he can go up that side, especially after that surgery. I don't want him straining to hard so that something tears.

Plans

Well, since we can probably only afford to go to one a year, I have a whole year to make this costume haha! I'm such a nerd. It hasn't even been a month since Nekocon, and I'm already planning another costume.. But anyways, her name is Kai and she's from the video game Heavenly Sword. She's a very petite character and very strange (to the point of being mentally..well, behind where she should be), so I thought this would be a good character for me to try lol. I've collected a TON of reference pictures, and I've only found one superb cosplay of here. The rest, I haven't been very impressed. I think I'm going to use a moleskin suede, leather cord, and metal buttons for her hat. I'm really not sure what kind of fabric to use for her clothing. Is it cotton or something else? I'm going to have to view more videos to see how it moves. What I also love about her costume is that everything looks like she made it, therefore nothing has to be perfect. I think I'm going to have fun with this one...

Making Hats & Plushies

2009-11-13T06:10:00.000-08:00

Just started another moogle plush. This one is really tiny, and the little parts are so cute! I mean, look how small they are in relation to that sharpie marker XD I'll show you what it looks like when I'm done.

I think it would be really cool to have a booth at Nekocon next year. Some of my (former) classmates said they wanted to, but I'm not sure if they're serious or not. I'm not sure I would be able to make enough to have a booth on my own, but I guess I can try. If I don't end up doing it then I could open shop on etsy and sell my stuff. It just really sucks that I don't have a sewing machine, so I'm making everything by hand T.T If only I could afford one... But I made this hat by hand
and it turned out pretty good. It was my first time doing a hat+mask, so there are some kinks to work out.

November Nor'easter

I live in Hampton Roads, VA, therefore this weather has been crazy! Our house has just been shaking like crazy from the wind. Kind of eerie. We only lost power once, though, which was fortunate and seemingly rare from what I've heard. My cousins are all at my parents house, because it was so bad at their house. My husband's work has been cancelled two days in a row because the city's so flooded. Sadly, there have been at least three fatal accidents in the area as of last night.

Caffeine for the Creative Mind | How'd That Get There?

2009-11-11T14:40:00.000-08:00

Exercise: Photograph 10 items that don't belong where they are.

Welcome to My Blog!

2009-11-10T19:24:00.000-08:00

Thanks for visiting.

Some life updates:

Attended NekoCon over the weekend. It was my first con, and I have to say it was everything I expected- a big, fun, nerdy time! I dressed up as Shizune and then Dungeon Hero X. I wish I could have gone to more panels, though. Aand I also would have liked to go to the dances, but I who I went with kind of determined that.

Renovating the bathroom. Finished sanding and started priming today. We bought a new medicine cabinet, faucet, bowl, and cabinet. It's going to look really nice. The paint I'm using is called "Heavenly Waters" XD I guess that's perfect for the bathroom!

Back to reading my "design basics index" book again. Trying to work on my portfolio and stuff like that.. I also want to add some more to my deviant page. It's kind of lacking...