Latest Happenings
HomeBase Expands, With Gratitude From A Grateful Nation
In honor of Veteran's Day, STP~News celebrates the expansion of HomeBase in Charlestown, Massachusetts. The National Center of Excellence is the first and largest private sector clinic in America dedicated to healing the invisible wounds of war. To date, over 40...
“Twitched Upon A Star: The Bewitched Life and Career of Elizabeth Montgomery”
Reading "Twitch Upon A Star :The Bewitched Life and Career of Elizabeth Montgomery" may satisfy a craving to digest some seasonal mind-candy but this 387 page book is more than that. It's a provocative story of a complicated woman who lived a life of agency before it...
Consider de Cordova, De Place to De-Stress this Season
Consider the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum a four-season mecca of delights. This outdoor cathedral of inspiration rests on 30 acres of land managed by The Trustees, the nations first preservation and conservation organization. Sky-lined, tree-lined and...
Georgia O’Keeffe and Henry Moore Riff on the Great Outdoors Inside Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts
Boston's Museum of Fine Arts exhibit "Georgia O'Keeffe and Henry Moore" is a visual thesaurus of natural talents. This imaginative presentation of more than 150 paintings and sculptures includes recreations of both artist's studios as a predicate for a study in...
The Boston Celtics Host Power Players at the JFK
On a crisp October morning, at Columbia Point, Alan Price, Director of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, introduced, Kash Cannon, Director of Community Engagement for the World Champion Celtics to a group of nearly 100 Boston-area high schoolers. In...
A Postcard From Ogunquit,Maine With Love
This Fall, tourists will find it's easy to explore the many charms of Ogunquit, Maine. Jolly-trolleys deliver visitors all-about the nooks and crannies of the beach community. Sweeping vistas of the Atlantic Ocean frame cafés with Parisian-roasts and pâtisserie...
Neuroscience Adds Focus to Hocus-Pocus at Salem’s Peabody Essex Museum
Salem is a sensational place to hang-out in October. The light of summer shifts from a soft haze into dark shadows, leaves crunch beneath our feet, and the air feels crisp. The City's vibe is steeped in history with exceptional options for entertainment. A safe-harbor...
Calling ALL Graffiti Fans, Are You Ready to Paint and Skate at Lynch Park This Weekend?
The Charles River Conservancy is launching their first "Graffiti-Artist-in Residence Program". This opportunity is a mash-up of other community initiatives that include; Public Art Forums, Social Justice Skate Jams and various programs informed by public art...
Internationally Beloved Sculptor, Nancy Schön, Touches Boston with “The Noble Journey”
The North End Historical Society with St Leonard's Church in Boston will celebrate "The Noble Journey" on Sunday, September 29th, at 1PM. Created by Nancy Schön, recognized internationally for her "Make Way For Ducklings" sculptures, "The Noble Journey" is a simple...
“ASTOR: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune ” by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe
Breaking News! "Astor" a favorite read of STP-News was released this morning in paperback. The book is more than a story about an American family; it's a cautionary tale of arrogance, greed, and lust, in other words~ It's a book club must! If you haven't read...
Hans Zimmer SOARS in Boston
Walking towards TD Boston Garden you sense vibrations of sports legends that rocked the rafters. Hockey great, Bobby Orr's bronze is the street-side gatekeeper of banners won over decades by World Champion Bruins and Celtics. Ascending the staircase into the...
This Fashion Show is 435 Miles Above Earth
Gone are the days women felt obliged to matched their hats to their gloves. There's a new fashion-statement in town, and it's outta this world. In 2017, NASA Space Suit engineer, Su Curley, spoke at the JFK Presidential library in Boston. Air-supply, pressure,...
“Once Upon A Time : The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy”
"Once Upon A Time:The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy " shoulddaa, woulddaa, coulddaa, been an easy pick for the 'Beach Bag Book Club'. Regrettably, the prose quickly becomes as sickeningly sweet as rainbow-colored taffy. To be clear, the author,...
Playing a Different Kinda 9 at Fenway Park
Fenway Park is, technically speaking, not a link in Boston's historic Emerald Necklace,,,, but this weekend we gotta use a mulligan on that call. Upper Deck Golf has converted Boston's beloved diamond into a 9-hole gem. With elevated driving ranges set around the...
Not All Sluggers At Fenway Park Play Baseball
If you live in the Boston area, plan to spend a little time vacationing near the city or will be dropping a kid off in The-College-Capitol treat yourself to a night of big-league entertainment at Fenway Park. The beloved National Landmark hosts more than professional...
Slim Aarons’ Newport Days: A Social Light For All to See at the Redwood Library
Slim Aarons is best known as a photojournalist. For nearly 40 years he featured socialites in their pursuit of happiness. His spotlight served magazine readers as a vicarious passport to sunny spots and mountain tops. The atmospherics were cordially clubby and catered...
“North of Boston” Is The Latest Addition to our Beach Bag Book Club
Splashed with aromatics and atmospherics, North of Boston is an uncommon suspense novel. Elizabeth Elo's imaginative adventure is driven by Pirio Kasparov, a 'good daughter' who's dear heart equals her badass tenacity. 389 pages move quickly through 32 chapters of...
Even Great Elephants Summer in Newport!
Newport's reputation as a posh watering-hole is so enormous even the Great Elephant Migration has arrived to check-it-out at the height of the summer season. Now through September 6th, visitors of all ages are welcome to pay the pachyderms a call along the Cliff Walk,...
Marcia DeSanctis Suggests “100 Places In France Every Woman Should Go”
Should your journey to France this season be to indulge a passion, sense of fashion or to watch the Summer Olympics in-person, Marcia DeSanctis' book is a must read. "100 Places In France Every Woman Should Go" is a revelation of elations. This writer's organic...
Cape Ann Museum and SmokeSygnals Spark Native American Storytelling With A Twist
Steven Peters is an internationally recognized story-teller. In novel ways the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal member's narratives literally and figuratively weave contemporary commentary into Native history. Each of his blood-line tales celebrates the nexus of millennium...
The Peabody Essex Museum Invites You To Cool-Off With Them… In Ethiopia
The atmosphere at the Peabody Essex Museum is as cool as the exhibit "Ethiopia at the Crossroads." This presentation of multi-national thought is vibrant and confidently bold! Celebrating an ongoing fusion of cultures rooted in African, Asian and European traditions,...
Spirits Live in Marblehead’s Jeremiah Lee Mansion
In Marblehead, Massachusetts it's common for Townies and tourists from far away places to wander 'Old-Towne' and take-in the heady mix of Colonial life in freshly salted air. The seaside community boasts of playing a role in the China Trade, the American Revolution...
Who’s HAUNTING Marblehead’s Historic Jeremiah Lee Mansion?
Marblehead's historic Jeremiah Lee Mansion recently hosted and ghosted two sunset-chats with curious neighbors, members of Boston Paranormal Investigators, and a swirl of spirits from long ago. The stately manse and period gardens are beacons of American history....
Friday June 14th : RED SOX Change Game Time Against YANKEES 4 CELTS, NBA Finals!
Boston Sports Fans Gotta "Love That Dirty Water" June 14th: Fenway Park is moving Friday night's start-time for the Sox against the Yankees match-up to 6:30pm from 7:10.pm The change was made as a courtesy to fans interested in watching the Boston Celtics take on the...
On This Day In History, We Honor Our 1st Salem “Witch”
Bridgette Bishop was the first person to be hanged as a witch in Salem Village. She was 60 years old when she was accused of sending her spirit into unsuspecting neighbors. Although she denied all charges against her, she was found guilty of practicing Witchcraft....
Charles Spencer Announces another Royal Divorce
Last week STP~News reviewed "A Very Private School" written by Charles Spenser, The 9th Earl Spencer, more commonly known as Princess Di's little brother. Days after the review the Earl announced he was seeking his third divorce. Headlines cover the sordid details of...
Adding Curb Appeal to Your House Makes a Great First Impression
She the People~News welcomes guest contributor, and soon to be real estate mogul, Spencer Feuerbach to share a few tips on how simple and stylish accents add curb appeal to your home. Spencer is a Global Real Estate Advisor at Gibson Sotheby's International Reality....
“Charles Spencer: A Very Private School” Tells the All Too Familiar Story of Condoned Institutionalized Abuse
60 year old, Charles Spencer; 9th Earl of Spencer, the younger brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, the Uncle of Prince William and Royal-Renegade Harry tells the all too familiar story of condoned, institutionalized abuse in his memoir " A Very Private School." The...
Richard Dreyfuss Had A lot to Say. So Why Do We Listen to Actors Any Way ?
It's common practice for popular actors to consider themselves influencers of our popular-culture. We often welcome them to be arbiters of our zeitgeist. Many actors believe themselves to be credit-worthy shapers and reshapers of societal norms. Some performers may be...
Honoring Memorial Day in a Special Way, With a Flag Garden
Since 2010, hundreds of volunteers from the Massachusetts Military Heros Fund have created a Garden of Flags on Boston Common for Memorial Day weekend. The flags create a vista that is both touching and inspirational. It can also be emotionally overwhelming. The...
Igniting A Patriotic Movement, One Card At A Time
Dr Laura Landerman-Garber introduces herself as a grandmother, mom, wife and psychotherapist. She neglects to mention she's also a four-star mensch. Loosely translated, the Yiddish word is used to describe a soul who navigates the world with exceptional compassion,...
Ready to Dig Your Toes into a Summer Playlist?
Summa lovin is finally here! A Summer Song: Chad and Jeramy All Summer Long:Beach Boys All Summer Long : Kid Rock Boys of Summer :Don Henley Cool for Summer: Demi Lovato Come Monday: Jimmy Buffett Cruel Summer: Banannarama Cruel Summer : Taylor Swift Dancin in the...
The President of The United States Honors Vets With the PACT Act in New Hampshire
On Tuesday, May 21st Joe Biden visited the Westwood Park YMCA in Nashua, New Hampshire. Senator Maggie Hassan, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, honored Veterans and nearly 100 special guests welcomed the President to the Granite State. Elizabeth Witmer, Early Education...
Maria Watt’s ‘Sky Dances Light’ Installation Jingles All the Way to the Peabody Essex Museum
Maria Watt is a Native American artist who draws inspiration from Indigenous traditions. Her multi-media creations echo the past yet resonate with the present. Such ingenious dexterity seeds communal activism, allowing the storyteller to weave new respect for Native...
For Some with ALS, The Boston Marathon Finish Line is Just the Beginning of the Race
STP-News sends a 26.2 mile shout-out to Peppi Bolognese, an unsung hero of the Boston Marathon. Peppi (center) is the owner of Accugraphics, a customizing graphic design and signage installation company. For twenty-five years, without fanfare Peppi and his team of...
This Sunday Night, Billy Joel’s 100th Sold Out Concert at Madison Square Garden Is Must See TV
On Sunday night, April 14th CBS is celebrating the legendary "Piano Man"(1973). Billy Joel's black leather jacket, tight pair of chinos and diddy-bop shades may be lyrics from the past but they also strike a chord in the soundtrack of our lives. His unique ability to...
The Boston Red Sox Pre-Game Their Home Opener With Family Fun for All
When it comes to family fun, the Boston Red Sox know how to party! Saturday morning, April 6th at 8:30 A.M. Fenway's gates opened to hundreds of Little Leaguers. Balloons, face painting, and games filled the Kid's Concourse. Music echoed through the familiar canyons...
30 Songs To Keep You Dancin’ in the Moonlight ~ Eclipse Playlist !
Ain't No Sunshine When Your Gone: Kill Withers Bad Moon Rising: Creedence Clearwater Revival Blue Moon : The Marcels Between the Moon and New York City " Christopher Cross Dancin in the Dark: Bruce Springsteen Dancin in the Moonlight: King Harvest Dancin in the...
Get Your Gilded Age On at the “Newport Flower Show” ~ June 21-23
Get your Gilded Age On at the Newport Flower Show June 21-23. The Newport Flower Show is one of the most anticipated events of the summer season. This year, after a fabulous $7.5 million dollar facelift, the traditional rite of spring returns to Rosecliff. Guest will...
‘Our Time On Earth’ is a Trip Worth Taking!
Visiting The Peabody Essex Museum's most recent installation, Our Time On Earth, is a trip worth taking. Like Spring, this exhibit is a fusion of energies. Organized in London, the large-scale, interactive exhibits enable guests to transcend time and space. The...
“A True Account” by Katherine Howe
Katherine Howe is a writer of historical fiction and biographies. With Anderson Cooper, she's also co-authored Vanderbilt, and Astor, two NYT best sellers. Educated at Columbia and Boston Universities, her chops as a historian have street-cred. But, the forty-seven...
Remembering Iris Apfel
Iris Apfel died in Palm Beach, Florida on March 1st, 2024. STP~News flys down memory lane to honor the style icon, affectionally known to her fans as The Rare Bird. This review revisits a documentary released in 2015 ( shown at the Peabody Essex Museum, and other...
First Lady,Dr. Jill Biden, Delivers Hope and $100Million to Boston’s Entrepreneurs in Woman’s Health Research
First Lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden, stopped by "The Engine", one of MIT's incubation zones, to drop off $100 Million dollars as part of the White House Initiative on Women's Health. The money, earmarked for research on woman's care, will fast-track...
The White House Announces the Annual Easter Egg Roll Lottery
Today, the President and First Lady announced the 2024 Easter Egg Roll will take place on the South Lawn on Easter-Monday April 1, 2024. This annual event is one of the oldest traditions celebrated at the White House. Last year, thirty thousand people, including...
Anderson Cooper revisits “Vanderbilt :The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty” with Katherine Howe
Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe is an amalgam of ambitions and entrepreneurship. The authors thread individual intentions with industrial expansion into a fascinating tapestry of a historic family's timeline....
“The Grit In The Pearl, The Scandalous Life of Margaret, Duchess of Argyll”
Like polishing one of your granny's silver frames, Lyndsy Spence's biography, "The Grit In The Pearl," buffs the tarnish off an old frame-of-reference. This meticulously researched book snapshots the life and times of Ethel Margaret Whigham, eventually known, through...
Who Knew Mary Cassatt was a Throughly Modern Suffragette?
On Sunday, February 4th, Boston's Museum of Fine Arts tells the story of throughly modern Mary Cassatt. A 90 minute feature film " Mary Cassatt: Painting the Modern Woman" features the life and times of the impressionist of whom we have made many wrong impressions....
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston Celebrates MLK Day with Free Admission!
Celebrating what would have been Dr. Martin Luther King's 95th Birthday the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston invites you to visit their galleries on Monday, January 15th ~ for free! General admission is open for all resident's of Massachusetts. Special exhibition tickets...
Newport’s Mansions Honor MLK Day With Free Admission.
Newport is so much more than a posh summertime watering hole. Even in January, it's longitude and latitude landmark a transformative site in American history. On January 15th, on what would have been Martin Luther King's 95th birthday, The Preservation Society of...
SMU & BC Football Programs Define the Greater Value of Higher Education at the Wasabi-Bowl
It's easy to eye-roll through conversations on 'what's wrong with college kids these days'. "Those kids" seem to dismiss tradition, deliver self-absorbed diatribes and parade through institutions with a lack of respect for those who have contributed stewardship to...
Take Your Inner Carrie Bradshaw Out For the Holidays
For the next few weeks the definition of 'well-dressed' stretches like an elastic-waist band on velour pants. Dressing to dazzle isn't a fashion mistake, it's a mitzvah! These's simply no better time than now to take your inner Carrie Bradshaw out for a holiday spin....
Boston Welcomes President Joe Biden
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healy, leader of the Democratic Party's Woman Governors Fund, (that seeks to put more women in statewide executive office,) chats with Boston Mayor Wu and Ed Freni, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Director of Aviation at...
HOME BASE is a Safe Place for Vets, Their Families and Families of the Fallen
November 30th, Fenway Park was the place to celebrate the successful conclusion of another No-Shave November campaign! Adopted by more than 80 police departments, No-Shave November is dedicated to raising awareness and funds for HOME BASE, a collaborative service-...
Boston Ballet Presents a Sensory Friendly Performance of the Nutcracker
On Wednesday, December 6th at 1:30 PM, Boston Ballet will present a Sensory Friendly performance of 'The Nutcracker!" This in-theater presentation welcomes guests who are neurodiverse, have sensory sensitivities, and need additional accessibility accommodations to...
“Camera Girl :The Coming of Age of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV7aToxUniI&t=1s Tuesday November 28th, 2023 from 6:00-7:30 PM (ET) The John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum will discuss " Camera Girl : The Coming of Age of Jackie Bouvier Kennedy" with historian and author Carl...
‘Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers’ Celebrate at the JFK Library
047830F8-525E-41B6-A3F5-DBD2547A0ECD Friday morning, Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers dressed in their finest regalia welcomed kids of all ages to Smith Hall, inside the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. For years, it's been the tradition of...
‘Boston Common Golf’ Links the Traditional Sport to the Future of Letting it Rip!
Just when local link-warriors are putting their clubs away for the season, an all-star team of professional golfers tees up another way to enjoy the game. TGL is a new-age concept linking the traditional sport with cutting-edge tech and wicked team rivalries. The...
Halloween ‘Hocus Pocus’ at Fenway Park : Friday Night 10/27!
Fenway Park is hosting a night of family Halloween fun Friday, October 27th from 4-6:30 PM. Kids are encouraged to bring their families to the Gate B concourse for free Halloween activities with 'Wally the Green Monster,' balloon artists, face painters, a stilt walker...
Batty for Bats~ Fly Right This Way!
Now through Friday October 27th the Peabody Essex Museum invites you to meet some neighbors who have, for a very longtime, been given a pretty bad reputation. It's time to re-write their bad press reviews and celebrate all they do during Bat Appreciation Week. Fly by...
“The Salem Witch Trials:Restoring Justice”~Kicks Kitsch to the Cobblestone at the Peabody Essex Museum
The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts kicks kitsch to the cobblestone with it's exhibition "The Salem Witch Trials: Restoring Justice". This presentation of artifacts is a serious and timely review of relevance. Not only are the displays authentic but of...
‘Trick-or-Treat’ in Gilded Age Style at the Breakers
The Preservation Society of Newport County invites you and your little Boo's to Trick-or-Treat at the Breakers. Friday night October, 27th the 'Summer-Cottage' synonymous with Gilded Age glam, will host a family event for witches, vampires,super-hero's and skeletons...
Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts Invites You to Hang Out With Strong Woman of Renaissance Italy
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston has added a lecture series to compliment the exhibit "Strong Women in Renaissance Italy". Six unique themes mine for "Hidden Gold" with a multi-media opportunity that explores the lives of Italian women from the 14th to early17th...
A Passion for Fashion? Run to Fenway
Friday, Fenway takes on a whole new look when Linda Henry presents a fashion show to benefit the Red Sox Foundation. The 521 OVERLOOK venue, is To Di For ! This new space is a perfect place for the models to strut their stuff while you and your team have a ball!...
” ASTOR : The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune” by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe
Breaking News! "Astor" a favorite read of STP-News was released this morning in paperback. The book is more than a story about an American family; it's a cautionary tale of arrogance, greed and lust. In other words it's a book-club must! If you haven't read it yet...
Cape Ann Museum Opens A Window on Edward Hopper, His Wife and Their Life With a Brilliant Exhibition
Edward Hopper & Cape Ann: Illuminating an American Landscape opened in July at the Cape Ann Museum in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Since then devotees of the artistic icon, eager to see the exhibit, have flocked to the seaport like gulls exploring a fishing vessel....
Rosecliff and her Fabulous 7.5 Million Dollar Facelift !
Let's face it..." No one holds the hands of time" Advances in the cosmeceutical industry promise to repair our collectively sagging foundations from top-to-bottom. Plumped, sucked, tucked; so far, the faux-plateau of youthful appearances fools no one. Thankfully...
Free “T” Ride Home From Fenway’s ‘Guns N’Roses’ Concert Tonight!
Headed into Fenway tonight to catch Guns N' Roses? Well, welcome to another perk of 'Summa in tha City'! This morning, the Boston Red Sox and The MBTA announced free rides to concert-goers after tonight's Gun's N' Roses concert. Turnstiles at the Kenmore station will...
The White House Invites YOU to Celebrate Christmas in DC!
The White House announced it is welcoming volunteers to create some magical memories at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave during the holidays. Continuing the tradition of sharing the fun of the Christmas season, the White House is accepting applications from all U.S. states and...
Gio Swaby, Run Don’t Walk to Catch Her “Fresh Up” Threads
Making no excuses and taking no prisoners Gio Swaby's kick-ass threads tie Bahamian history to HER-story! Speaking to a group of well-wishers at the Peabody Essex Museum, the elegant young artist compared her thread-savvy riff to the cultural contributions of...
PickleBall Fashion Finds a Fun Lane at Fenway Park
Fenway Park recently welcomed amateur and professional pickleball players to experience the love of their sport inside Boston's legendary field of dreams. The launch of Pickle4 America's Ball Park Tour in Boston coupled the excitement of opening-day with a sense of...
Freaking out between, Paddle, Pickle, and Tennis Matches? A Pro in the Know Has Good News For You.
Please welcome contributing columnist Stu Lehr to "She the People ~News". Stu is a certified USPTA Professional who's been involved in teaching racquet sports from the Main-land to Maui for more than 25 years. Presently, he's the manger of a Beach Club, north of...
MLB Update: Playing Pickleball With Pals In The Park, Is More Than A Tongue Twister~ It’s a Passion
When the red-hot, World Champion Red Sox left Boston for the All-Star break, Fenway Park was transformed into a different sort of dream-scape. For devotees of the fastest growing sport in America the conversion is the latest iteration of "A Field of Dreams." With the...
“A Most Intriguing Lady”, by Sarah Ferguson,Duchess of York, Is Indeed Intriguing!
" A Most Intriguing Lady" is a transportive novel. Laced with intricate details of Sarah Ferguson's personal ancestral history and artistic license, the story imagined by the Duchess of York unfolds like a Victorian Lady's undulating fan. The text is sensually...
“As We Rise” Inspires a Closer Look at the Black Experience
At face value, " As We Rise" is a thought-provoking exhibit of photography. However, the photos are so complex they inspire visitors of the Peabody Essex Museum to tighten their aperture and take a closer look. By design, there's a sychopated flow to the images framed...
What Do the Super Bowl Champ N.E. Patriots Have In Common With a Diaper Bank? Let Bobbi Dynice and The Myra Kraft Community MVP Foundation Explain …
The Myra Kraft Community MVP Awards are dedicated to recognizing volunteers who serve their communities "above and beyond". The mission statement of this philanthropy is vague, yet by co-opting Myra's life-long commitment to doing good-deeds, it works as a...
Bob Kraft and Family Applaud The ‘Trophy Lives’ of New England Volunteers
Inside Gillette Stadium, the Kraft family, known for celebrating MVP's, hosted 26 MVV's, their families and friends, at a very special luncheon. On Thursday, June 8th, Bob Kraft and his son Josh recognized 26 Most Valuable Volunteers who's devotion to their...
Pickle Ball Fever Rallies At Fenway !
Fenway Park will host pickleball matches from July 13th~16th. Both professional and amateurs players are welcome to take the courts. Collaborating with the Red Sox Foundation, Pickleball4America ( Pickle4) is a newly formed group that is partnering with the U.S.Open...
“Being Mary Tyler Moore” on HBO Max is Worth Watching
For those who grew-up watching Laura Petrie grow-up to be Mary Richards the transition from ' happily married lady in New Rochelle, to happily single lady in Minneapolis' appeared to be easy. Watching the documentary Being Mary Tyler Moore on HBO Max reveals however,...
“Falling” is Beach Bag Book Club Worthy, Says Carol Ritter Conley
Guest contributor and voracious reader Carol Ritter Conley is back with a book review she considers worthy of our Beach Bag Book Club. Here's her take on "Falling" by T.J. Newman, a novel she read from cover to cover ~ in one gripping and terrifying sitting....