Sunday, November 27, 2011

The day the lock turned with no resistance

Today I left the house and the lock turned and didn't stick at all when I locked it.  That has NEVER happened to me; not once anytime I've ever locked the door these 3 months.  And earlier this week I locked the door without thinking and was halfway down the street before I realized I had done it.  I actually walked back to make sure I really had locked the door.  Why is she babbling about locking doors you might ask? Well if you remember one of my first blogs when I got here you'll remember the picture from my very first night in Belfast when I couldn't lock the door.

Its the small things that have stuck out to me the most while here.  Often some of the smallest things have been the most difficult, like locking a door.  Many of these small things I can now do without resistance and without thinking.  Its also in the small things that I tend to find the most joy.  The small joys that make me able to get through the really hard stuff.  Things like hearing that the kids from youth club asked about me by name when I wasn't there (granted they use the name Crystal which has been made up for me, but a name I have begun responding to nonetheless.  It shows they really know me and have some surprise when I'm not around), knowing that we have truly become a community when someone lends a hand to pick me up out of the mud and laughs at the end of the game and says the mud is because I rocked out some touch football and not because I fell on my butt, knowing I'm doing a good job because I am assigned a new responsibility which that person had no intention of giving to me but decided to because she trusts me to do it, or merely seeing someone randomly around town in a place I never expected to see them.  The small things are what really show me that I'm doing something right, that I fit in, that I am in the place I am meant to be.  The key is really starting to turn without thought or resistance; I'm finding my routine, my place.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Fail Blog


So my site supervisor Doug informed me I am the worst YAV at updating my blog. No surprise there.  I also fail at using and updating my twitter account.  At least I’m consistently not updating things in my life and at least when I update I REALLY update.  I suggest breaking this one up for reading. Since I’m so terrible at updating you might as well break it up and make it last right? I’ll make it easier for you and divide it into sections.  If I go this long again I truly deserve to be beaten with a club or flogged in the streets.

Macrory and Youth Club
Some individuals recently broke into Macrory hall where we have youth club and stole the piping from the bathrooms.  As a result the hall flooded and since the floors are old and wooden, they swelled and broke.  So the hall has been out of commission for a few weeks.  Youth club already had a lot of challenges facing it before the vandalism, one might think it would bring down morale and slow us down, but it didn’t, not at all.  Immediately after the incident, the minister of Fortwilliam wrote an article which I will paste below.  It explains things better then I could. After we received some donations to help and have been continuing club each Saturday night at a community centre in the neighborhood and things have been going really well.  The Macrory facility is currently being renovated and we should be back in either just before Christmas or right after.  I’ve been learning a lot about the area of Tiger’s Bay (where youth club takes place) and find myself fascinated by the various dynamics which exist in the area.  I am currently in the process of exploring them deeper and will likely write an entire blog on it soon once I learn more.  Buuuuut, the article, which I’m happy to say has brought in some donations to help out.
Things Ainʼt What They Used To Be! A story of hope in the face of burglary and destruction?

I minister in a congregation in North Belfast which has premises on Duncairn Gardens which straddle the so-called ʻpeace-lineʼ between New Lodge and Tigers Bay. Times have been tough - there is no doubt about that. I buried a member of my congregation just a few weeks ago who grew up in Hillmann Street out ʻthe backʼ of the church. That street used to be full of members of what then was Macrory Memorial Congregation but no more. Our Troubles saw to that. But there were fond memories of those days and of course her story and the story of those who ʻhadʼ to move can be mirrored across the board. Itʼs just to say - times have been tough and things ainʼt what they used to be.
!            In fact, things have changed so much for Presbyterians in North Belfast that the congregation of Macrory Memorial amalgamated with Fortwilliam Park on the Antrim Road in 2005. Fortwilliam Park hadnʼt been without its trials. I have ministered there for fourteen years and have seen the congregation struggle against break-ins, disinterest, fear, wet and dry rot, alienation, the lot. But now we are together we are a warm and vibrant fellowship of people who have tried to put ourselves into community life in a way which respects those around us and invites them to respect us. We donʼt have much in the way of resources but we try to share what we have and what we have is two sets of buildings - one at Fortwilliam Park and one at Duncairn Gardens that we call Macrory. We sold the church and kept the halls on the Gardens and there we have been developing a Bricks to Bridges Project which has been full of hope. We had to sell the church because we couldnʼt afford to keep it and now it is being let for prices that we canʼt afford. !            The Bricks to Bridges Project focuses on restorative practice and we have been training our leaders to lead out of that ethos, to commit the practice, to apprentice young people in that practice and to use restorative conferencing as an effective tool when things go wrong, as they often do. It is necessarily slow work and we have been greatly encouraged by the response from young people, parents, leaders and other agencies. It has always been our intention to develop the premises at Macrory into a centre for reconciliation. It couldnʼt be in a better location. We have been looking to reorientate the entrance of the building so that it is equally accessible to people from New Lodge and Tigers Bay. We already share those premises with New Lodge Arts and have been lookingto bring on line a bike workshop for at risk young people. It would have been the beginning of our contribution to a wider forum of provision for young people identified through youth justice systems and effective detached youth work. And we would use that time with the young people to begin the restorative training. Part of the commitment was to equal numbers of young people from Tigers Bay and New Lodge. Things have been progressing so well that we had begun to lay down plans for a cross-community football club for primary school children. We had planned a programme up until Christmas which would give the young people separately time to get to know the leaders and the restorative practice and then in the New Year we could bring the young people together into a safe and mutually understood environment. We had planned all of this.
!            I say we ʻhadʼ planned because this week thieves broke into the premises. They stole the copper piping probably worth £20-£30 and they left us with damage somewhere in the region of 60K. Both halls are damaged by the water running from the laid bare pipes and there is other damage too. We have just finished fixing up one hall, our smaller hall, after water damage from a burst pipe during last years freezing temperatures. The floor for that hall cost £10 000 and will have to be done again and we add to that now the floor of the large hall. Yes we will have the assessors out and yes the insurance will pay their part but what are we to do in the meantime? Let the young people roam? Send disenchanted leaders home? Put everything on hold? Wait another year, because thatʼs how long these things take when you have to wait for insurance and builders? We dare not! !            We dare not because the social need only gets worse, the sense of alienation and disenfranchisement continues to increase, economic hardship hardens other views too and there is only danger ahead if we do not persistent in addressing the harm that has been done to communities where there is little hope, little self-respect and little respect for others. We must keep on. But of course it isnʼt that easy. Where else can young people meet so easily across that interface? There are some opportunities but trust has to be won for the place as well as the people and we had reached that stage, to some degree at least. !            So things ainʼt what they used to be. I wouldnʼt want anyone reading this to think that because we are a church I expect us to be treated well. I firmly believe churches have to earn respect these days and itʼs hard work that must be done. But it is so much more difficult when we have to deal with thieves who break in, destroy and tare down. The truth is that they shouldnʼt be blamed. There is no point in that. But they have caused damage. A sorry would help or an explanation. But then we know why, at least in part. We know that there is a sense of not enough to go around and so communities sink to taking what they
can get, never mind the cost to others. What we intended was to address that sinking feeling which leads to despair, hopelessness and ultimate damage to self and others. !            We need to move this on. We need our premises sorted out quickly. We need help and we need to not just put things back the way they are but to get this centre for reconciliation going. If you or anyone you know can help us - give me a call. Our resources wonʼt match this problem.
Rev. Dr. Lesley Carroll Minister of Fortwilliam & Macrory Presbyterian Church.

WAVE
The men’s group has been working on painting.  Some of the men have really gotten into it and shown a talent for it whereas others are not as interested and mostly watch everyone else paint.  Very good conversations and craic always surrounds the painting and I find myself getting to know the men in the group a lot better. This means I get teased more often but I think the group is pleasantly surprised that I can not only accept the teasing but also dish it back myself.   I’ve also learned a lot about the men’s personalities and the group dynamic.  There are a lot of very strong personalities and I’ve learned the places where these personalities compliment each other and get along and the places where they clash. I’ve also learned about the men’s’ individual stories and the reasons why they are drawn to WAVE.  These stories have shown me a glimpse of Northern Ireland I never would have seen otherwise.  The group dynamic is even more impressive knowing these stories because the men are from both sides of the conflict of the Troubles.  There are examples of both sides being equally impacted showing that blame can’t really be focused to one group.  I find myself in awe of the group and shocked by how few moments of tension I feel at WAVE especially knowing the trauma these men have experienced.  They seem to rise above the tendency to blame the other group and rise above the Northern Irish way of saying a larger vaguer group often referred to as “they” are the problem, meaning anyone not a member of my group is the problem. I truly am appreciating the need for cross community work and seeing the benefits of that in much of my work, especially at WAVE.
            Similar dynamics exist in the women’s group, but it takes more observation and the same conclusions are manifested through different interactions.  The women’s group is currently working on bog oak projects.  They are being guided to carve their own sculptures out of the bog oak.  Bog oak consists of various kinds of wood that are anywhere from 5,000 to over 10,000 years old but perfectly preserved from time in the bog.  Oddly enough most of the women are carving their wood into the shapes of women, myself included.  I am getting a lot more involved in the planning for future activities for the women’s group.  Currently we are looking into programming for a residential (term for a retreat).  Its been really encouraging to be trusted enough and relied on to contribute to group programming.  We’ll see how I do.

Newington
Working with the Elderly at the Newington Day Centre is becoming one of my favorite parts of my week.  I don’t know how much I actually help in a manner of speaking.  I pass out tea and toast in the morning, pass out lunches, and clean up after lunch.  However, I would say I spend more time stopping to chat with the elderly ladies than doing tasks described to me in the beginning.  Yet, it doesn’t seem to be a problem in the least.  In fact, I asked once if it was bad or a problem that I spent more time sitting down and talking to the people then helping serve or do other tasks and was told that was all Newington Centre used to do and that it was great I enjoyed doing that.  The women there have so much personality, and they seem to really enjoy me.  They keep encouraging me to “find a nice wee young lad” so I can stay here in Ireland with them.  We often have the same conversations, but rather then find it frustrating or difficult I am finding the conversations endearing and love getting to know their various personalities and quirks.  One women jokes every week that she files formal complaints against me in order to get me sacked, then laughs and hugs me.  Its an adorable tradition and I look forward to seeing her and joking with her each week. 

Other Parts of Life
We went on our first YAV retreat to a centre in Ballycastle called Corrymeela.  It was very relaxing and BEAUTIFUL.  The north coast is breathtaking.  We went to the Giants Causeway which is a natural rock formation going into the sea.  The legend is a giant built the pathway in order to go fight this other guy.  The entire trip was a nice break and allowed a lot of time for reflection.  We got to check in with each other and had time to think about how to put more into our time here and where we want to focus ourselves.  It was a lot of hiking. I spent some time trying to friend some sheep, but they really aren’t friendly and run away.  Shame, they’re missing out on a great friend. ;)  Coming up this week we are all getting together again for our own Thanksgiving on Saturday.  I think we might even play a little touch football and everything.  It should be class.  I think that’s a good update for now. But really someone harass me to update sooner if I wait this long. I think I might be the worst YAV of all the sites at updating my blog. Epic fail, at least I’m not failing at work though right?

Monday, October 3, 2011

A wee update (and by wee, I mean its MASSIVE)

So I am deeply sorry about the ridiculously long gap between posts.  I will make a promise to update weekly from here on out.  If you bear with me to the end I'll do my best to not only post every week but to never be this long winded again.

My life in Belfast is really starting to get going.  It started of quite slow but now its all beginning at once, and so far, I love it.  I have begun working one morning a week at an elderly day centre called Newington.  I go in and serve coffee/tea and biscuits/toast to the elderly who come in each day and I spend time talking to them then serve lunch.  The ladies have decided they love listening to me speak because of my accent and constantly ask me questions to keep me talking.  Many of the people at Newington are suffering from dementia of some sort, which is something close to home for me from when my Grandfather lost the fight to Alzheimers a few years ago.  It was hard the first day having the same kind of conversations with the men and women there I used to have with my Grandfather, but in the end I think it is beneficial that I am already accustomed to the condition and now I find myself being reminded of his memory and smiling and using things I learned with him while I work at Newington.

Since I have been working with WAVE the most since being here I've gotten very comfortable with the people in my two groups.   I have gotten the names down of nearly all the 30-40 people I work with in my groups.    I have helped WAVE with some fundraising by standing on the street with a collection bucket in the City Centre.  Luckily it wasn't actually a rainy day.  They also did a talent show where the people who go to and work at WAVE are the acts.  It was wonderful.  Three young brothers did some traditional Irish music I absolutely loved.  At the end of the night they showed a video of the last talent show which was a lot bigger.  It brought a giant smile to my face and is a defining instance where I can say I know for sure God was absolutely present and working within the group.

I have also gone on day trips with both the men and women's group.  The men went to a small museum in town which is about the history of the IRA.  It was quite interesting.  We got to watch videos from the 70's when there was an enforced curfew and I got to see propaganda advertisements from the IRA that were present during the height of the troubles.   The women did a lighter topic, and chose to go shopping in nearby Lisburn and then went on a tour of the Coca Cola Factory of Belfast.  It was cool because they talked a lot about the original Coke factory in Atlanta.

 Both groups just finished up a program series called "Whatever you say, say something"  The title is playing off a traditional saying from the troubles which was "Whatever you say, say nothing".  The program was to encourage the members of the group to talk about their past and how to deal with it and move forward.  The men and women did different things.  The men did small activities and talked and the women did more craft like things and informal discussions.  The best day of the women's group was when they used "female" building blocks to discuss how they deal with stress and hard times.  One group of women used the blocks to make WAVE and said they know they can come to WAVE and it helps.

The block built version of WAVE

One of the ladies of the women's group offered to take me in as I get slightly more homesick.  She offered me an outstanding invitation to dinner at her house anytime and has insisted if I don't have plans at Christmas, I spend it with her and her family so I won't be alone.  Its nice to know that even though I won't be home with my family during the holidays I am welcome in another, as well as the family of YAVs I am apart of here.  She also tells me about cool things going on in the community.  She told me about a band parade that occurred on my street.  Bands are a big thing here, like marching bands with flutes and drums. People of all ages are in the bands.  Its often seen as a good way to get teens off the streets and doing something constructive.   Groups from both sides of the conflict were in the parade.  It was a very interesting experience, especially to see this part of culture and the neighborhood I live in. 


Two of the MANY bands 

Fortwilliam has been starting up little by little.  I have been doing a lot of planning and training and its nice to finally have the opportunity to put a lot of that into action.  We had our first Youth Club this past Saturday night.  The youth club is different from youth group because its not actually at the church or the youth from the church.  Its at the old Macrory church, the church that merged into Fortwilliam.  The young people who go to the club do not go to the church, but the leaders and volunteers for the club are mostly people from the church.  The youth club is going to be quite a challenge for me, but a challenge I think I will greatly enjoy.  The young people are different from any I've ever worked with.  Saying they are quite difficult is an understatement.  Yet it is something I really look forward to doing.  I can't wait to see how it ends up at the end of my year and how it grows and changes through out my year.

The first night I attempted to teach them to make a kind of lantern for a parade that will occur through their neighborhood at the end of October.  It was virtually impossible to get them to make lanterns.  It would have been easier to get 3 year olds to make them then these 10-14 year olds.  But somehow 3 lanterns got made however and more will hopefully be made next week.  With 2 people or more working on each lantern I feel fairly satisfied with myself that I got at least 6 people of the group to make lanterns.  Since the group was about 12 this Saturday, I'll take that as a victory.  Next week has some other plans and hopefully more of the kids will get involved.

Also at Fortwilliam I led my first adult bible study at the church which happened to be my first time leading any sort of adult bible study. I was really nervous, but I had a good turn out.  During the bible study it seemed as though people were enjoying it and getting into it, but after it was really great because I had numerous people talk to me about how much they enjoyed it.  The assurance felt really great, especially after a few weeks of struggling and often not doing things correctly.  I am really looking forward to seeing how this group develops and progresses throughout the year as well.  My final project of the moment is working with another man in the church to help start a young adult group at Fortwilliam.  There are many challenges to the project and it is still mostly in the planning stage, but I love having something thats my own and that I have so much freedom in.  I can't wait until we can actually starts, hopefully soon if everything goes as planned.

In my free time I spend time getting to know the people of the church and explore the city.  I have been trying to go to the bowls that occur every Tuesday night.  Playing the game at bowls is really interesting.  You take a weighted ball and roll it down a long green mat toward a yellow ball.  The point is to be the closest to the yellow ball called a jack.  But you have to use the weight of the ball just right so it curves the right way and misses the wooden stick located in the middle of the mat.  At times I'm good, but mostly I'm terrible.  However the people are very nice and are patient in teaching me.
Playing bowls

Lastly, we took a visiting group on an informational tour of Belfast.  It was really interesting for me because we crossed a peace wall I haven't really cross yet into a large national/catholic neighborhood.  It was surprising how many actually noticeable differences there were and it wasn't just in the flags that were being flown. The stores were different and the memorials and murals were all very different.  I look forward to going back and exploring the area more.  The picture I'll leave you with is a picture of the largest of the peace walls in Belfast which we crossed to go into this neighborhood.


Until next time... Which should be sooner rather then later =)

Friday, September 2, 2011

So here's the craic


I hope you enjoy the Irish slang I learned.  They say the craic as a “What’s the craic?” like what’s going on.  Anyway, our first day here was beautiful weather and Doug (site supervisor) kept us super busy.  His theory is, yes, jetlag is a downer, especially coming from the U.S. since you lose a nights sleep but if you keep through the day you’ll get on schedule.  So he kept us busy.  He carted us around and made us walk around a lot to keep us awake.  He showed us some of the city and Stormont which is like the parliament building in Belfast.  
The group completely jet lagged at Stormont
He was right however.  While we all lost the battle to sleep a couple time throughout the day, I ended up cuddled in the most awkward position ever under my rain jacket in the middle of Doug's living room.  The next day however we went to both my sites and I got to meet both my site supervisors and here about the places I am working.   They both seem really cool.  I'll be working with a few projects at Fort William and a lot with their youth.  I also learned some background of the church which is really cool.  The church is an advocate for building bridges which isn't always received well in their neighborhood. I look forward to seeing how that works into my year.   At the WAVE Trauma Center I'll be working with Men and Woman's groups and maybe an injured group every now and then as they talk about their experience from the troubles.  

Since Wednesday we've been touring around all of our sites and learning about the city, the situation, and what we will be doing. Since the cease fire things have calmed down, but they are no where near perfect.  A lot of tension still remains and a lot of damage remains in the community.

On a lighter note I will end with an amusing anecdote of my culture shock since being here.  I was surprised by how many things are different.  I am having to relearn to do common things like using appliances and in a way speak because they say things very different here.  A completely different slang.  One of the best stories thus far is the one of Zoe (my roommate) and I trying to lock our door.  We have to lift the handle up before locking it then twist the key around twice, even on the inside.  We COULD NOT get it to twist around twice and our door would not stay locked.  So after over an hour of trying and a lot of door slamming, we gave up trying to lock our door.  We couldn't call anyone because at this point we didn't have working mobiles or a house phone hooked up.  So we put our efforts into barricading the door.  We took a masher from the kitchen and string and tied our door knob up so it wouldn't open.  We then put a dresser and a mattress in front of the door and placed glasses on so if it moved they would fall and break and wake us up.  Needless to say it was a nasty surprise for the handyman when he came in the morning.  It still takes us a while to lock our door but we're getting it slowly.  
Our barricade
The intricacies of our rigged door knob
Well if you are still reading this, thanks and I hope you found it interesting and enjoyable. I'll try not to make them so long in the future but a lot has been going on.  I will leave you with a picture of the group and the view from the top of this fort area in Belfast we hiked to which was BEAUTIFUL.  

From top right, Doug, Karl, Liz, Erin, Kendra, Me
From bottom right, Zoe, Patrick, Ellison
View of the city

The many obstacles to FINALLY GETTING HERE!



Getting here was a giant ordeal of an adventure.  Monday morning I woke up and called the consulate about me visa.  For those of you who don’t know I have had a lot of issues getting it none of which have been my fault.  They told me they still had and I just cracked since in the previous call on Friday they told me it would be here in time for me to leave.  I have held it together throughout all of my visa problems but when they told me it wouldn’t be here in time, it was just too much to handle.  But after a lot of pulling myself together and losing it again with my fellow YAV’s hugs I finally took action on the 4th suggestion of “Maybe someone can just go get it since its in NYC nearby?”  I ended up  being the one to go.

I hitched a ride to Newark airport in Jersey and I was going to take a train to NYC to retrieve my visa.  However halfway to the airport I called MTA and was told the trains to and from the airport were shut down from Irene.  This put me on the bussing system.  When I went to try to figure it out, it was the most confusing system I’ve ever seen.  So clearly I asked a guy standing next to me who seemed to know what was going on to help me.  He ended up being the nicest guy ever.  His name was Fernando and he worked in the airport.  He told me another train system in Jersey was working that would take me into the city. He accompanied me to the train station and onto the first train with me.  He also mapped out my way to get home again after leaving New York.
 Fernando on the final train before we parted ways
So after a bus, 2 trains, the subway, and am 8 block walk I finally got my passport back with my Visa in it.  Then I got lost trying to get back to the train.  And after like 12 blocks of walking, the subway, and 2 trains I was back at the bus station without Fernando trying to find the right bus.  I ended up finding it only to find a 2 hour line to get back to the airport since the trains were down.  I didn’t have 2 hours because my flight was approaching.  Luckily I ended up behind a pilot who I heard asking people if they were going to the airport and moving forward when they said no because and express bus was coming in 5 mins.  So luckily I made it to the airport with my visa on time. Flight left on time and even arrived in Belfast earlier then it was scheduled to land. 

Sunday, August 28, 2011

The world is about to turn


Tomorrow is it.  The day I’ve been waiting for what seems like forever. Am I ready? Is it going to go smoothly? Am I even going to be able to leave with the rest of my group?  I couldn’t even begin to answer any one of these questions.  But what I can say is that I am beyond excited.  I’ve been at orientation since Monday and I have been meaning to write an update.  I’m sorry it has taken me so long; it has been information overload this week.  Everything is designed in a way that demands you think, struggle, and process.  That is exactly what I have been doing this week.  I do not have an update on my site or my upcoming year, but I DO have an update on my faith.  

Orientation has demanded I address issues I have with myself, others, and especially issues I have with my faith.  I have been forced to realize that this year WILL BE HARD.  I will likely fail at times and struggle in ways I never have before, but I can now believe I am meant too.  I don’t know what is to come.  I don’t even know if UPS will make it before 5 o’clock with my passport and visa so I can leave to make my nighttime flight to Belfast with the rest of my group.  I am terrified.  But I have comfort, comfort in the fact that its beginning.  Not even my overly delayed visa will hold me back.  I finally feel ready to move.  Ready to go out and do the calling I’ve been feeling for a long time.  I’m ready to be a YAV

As I may not get a chance right away here is my schedule (far as I know) for the next week.  My site supervisor will be picking the 8 of us of (hopefully I’m with them) at the airport Tuesday morning and we will be going on a weeklong retreat where we will learn more about Belfast, the conflict, and our lives for the next year.  I will likely write a new post at the end of that time.  I appreciate all the support you’ve offered and all the support I know you will offer.  I can’t wait to start my adventure as a YAV and to share it with all of those I love.  

Friday, July 8, 2011

Giving by check

Just thought some of you would like to know how to give by check. So if you would like to give by check.  You can send a check made out to PCUSA with Christina Tammen E210112 in the memo line to: Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) P.O. Box 643700 Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700.   You can continue to give online with the link at the top of the page.  


Thanks so much for all your help! As far as updates go, the visa process and I are not getting along.  Its quite complicated. I think I'm almost through it so wish me luck!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Before the Journey

This blog is so you can follow me on my journey of being a Young Adult Volunteer (YAV).  The YAV program is a program with the Presbyterian Church that allows young adults to complete a year of service in a variety of locations doing a large variety of mission work.  They have sites all over the world and the United States.  I have been selected along with 7 others to serve in the Belfast Northern Ireland site.  Belfast is an area with a violent history and present which has effected the lives of the entire community.  I will be working with the youth of Fortwilliam and Macrory Presbyterian Church trying to help them move forward in a shared, peaceful future.  I will be leading youth fellowship and aiding in the nearby youth club.  It should be a life changing experience that I look forward to sharing with all of you! 

In the mean time, I will be working on fundraising and preparing to leave.  I need to raise $8,000 over the course of my YAV year, which is about a fourth of my cost.  I would appreciate any and all donations. You can donate online at http://gamc.pcusa.org/give/E210112/  which is the link at the top of the page (I am listed as position 12 ).   If you are interested in donating with a check or cash please contact me at christina.m.tammen@gmail.com.  Feel free to contact me at that e-mail for anything else as well.  Thanks so much for the support!