This past Saturday, a friend and I had the distinct pleasure of coming across the Atlanta Grill Company Fire Show 2022! Outside the store located in Roswell (GA), there were pop up tents with companies of all kinds, both big and small, giving free samples in order to promote their products!
Fire Show 2022
Walking over from the TESLA dealership, we walked up the hill towards the store…and towards the yummy smells!
Past a stationed cop car were over a dozen different vendors, some with their own tents and some underneath a giant tent that was erected in front of the store! Here’s a couple of the vendors that we met:
Inspired by “well over 100 years” of family tradition, Zeke has spent his whole life trying to master his family’s sauce recipe.
After trying for YEARS and hosting family BBQ’s, he finally not only got the knack for his family legacy, but added a few tweaks of his own, also!
He officially launched in 2013 after competing professionally at the Kansas City Barbecue Society circuit, also in 2013!
Now, he caters to family’s in the Metro Atlanta area and, let me tell you, his special recipe tastes amazing!
Zeke’s B-B-Que business card!
He had some dry rub chicken wings and drums with a bottle of his sauce for people who wanted to try that as well! It is zingy, full bodied, and absolutely delicious!
His catchphrase is “Creating ZADDICTS Everywhere, One Happy Belly At A Time!”
Myron Mixon
Myron Mixon and his sauce!
Across from Zeke, with a giant banner up and a custom apron, was Myron Mixon and a team of cooking fanatics! He was selling his sauce and giving samples of delicious BBQ to eat it with!
As it says on his website, he is the acclaimed, “Winningest Man In BBQ!”
He has been on cooking shows as both a competitor and judge, hosts classes, sells products, and has his delicious line of BBQ sauces ready to go for whatever your cooking needs may be!
Unicoi Preserves
Clark Neal of Unicoi Preserves!
A husband and wife team, Suzy and Clark Neal are the minds behind the machine at Unicoi Preserves,LLC! Surrounded by the Chattahoochee National Forest, they fell in love with nature and wanted to can the feeling they got from being surrounded by it…so they did!
They make original recipe gourmet fruit spreads, inspired by their love of food and wine! I personally tried some of their cherry jalapeno jam with some cream cheese, smoked by Clark himself, and with some of Lane’s Sweet Heat rub sprinkled on top! It was a fantastic burst of flavor! This fantastic partnership truly succeeded in their mission to create a tasty, organic product sourced from local farmers!
Lane’s BBQ
Ryan Lane of Lane’s BBQ!
Lane’s BBQ began in 2013 when Ryan Lane, the owner and creator of the business, started to sell his BBQ off the pit at a roadside produce stand!
Lane’s BBQ catered for a few years before jumping into the creation game and cooking up some of their very own seasonings and sauces! Now, they are worldwide and are included in the USA, Canada, Australia, and the UK!
Their mission is to encourage fun and socialization around the table, bringing people together with delicious food and experiences!
Bear and Burton’s W Sauce
Bear and Burton’s W Sauce!
Bear and Burton’s W Sauce is a whole new take on Worcestershire sauce! Not only is it easier to pronounce, but it adds a whole new dimension of flavor to an age-old recipe!
Another family legacy turned small business, Burton’s mother got the original recipe from “Nana”, her mom! Burton’s childhood was filled with occasional trips to the supermarket to buy pounds and pounds of onions, vinegars, spices, and other ingredients in order to make huge batches of the sauce at one time!
This lovely sauce would permeate the air and anything around it, so the windows always had to be wide open to help reduce the impact! But, boy, did it smell good! So good, in fact, that Burton’s close friend, Bear, tried it and loved it so much he brought it home to his wife, Jenn! They loved it so much that Bear insisted they bottle it…and so Bear and Burton’s W Sauce was born!
The product officially launched in late 2021 and is already making tracks!
PK Grills
PK Grill team
This team’s story is quite interesting! Originating in Tyler (TX), the PK grill was a huge hit but then quickly went out of fashion. That was until 45 years later when it was discovered again in Little Rock (AR) at a garage sale by Paul James, a local attorney. He fell in such love with it that he began to mass produce the grill again!
Fire and Smoke BBQ rubs
Now, this team partners with the Fire and Smoke Society to promote their products while using the PK grills at BBQ cooking competitions across the country!
Their products and cooking method create absolutely delicious steaks, burgers, chicken, and anything else you can throw on a grill! So the next time you’re wanting to try a new grill…keep an eye out for the PK Grill!
All’s Well That Grills Well!
In conclusion, the event was an amazing success for the Atlanta Grill Company and was a ton of fun to attend! The food was delicious, the vendors were extraordinarily wonderful, their stories were interesting and inspiring, and the event was an absolute joy to stumble upon! Next year, I will definitely be keeping an eye out for the Fire Show at the Atlanta Grill Company in Roswell (GA)!
When should I think about hiring a tutor for my student?
Throughout school, students struggle with several areas. Sometimes their struggle points remain consistent throughout their school years, sometimes it changes every year or two. As a parent, you’re naturally going to be concerned for your child and their learning, but when is the right time to find some extra help via a private tutor? There are several reasons! Let’s take a look at five of them below:
1) Their grades are dropping in a certain subject area.
Sad student showing a failed exam to camera at home
The most common and surefire way to confirm that your student is struggling in a particular academic subject is by their grades in school. That’s the whole point of the grading system, is to point out where your student is struggling SO THAT they can go get extra help and know to focus more on those struggle areas.
The specifics of this reason is looking for a trend. One bad test does not mean your student doesn’t understand the subject as a whole and is struggling, but trending downward grades would be something to raise an eyebrow at.
2) They have expressed worry about their knowledge in a particular subject.
A student talking to her mother.
Even without grades as a reflection, if your student is constantly worrying about their knowledge level in a certain class then it might be time to look at a tutor!
Confidence is key and other than learning basic knowledge that it takes to become a functioning member of society, our school years are there to help us learn HOW to learn so that we can continue learning and growing the rest of our lives.
If your student is expressing concern about their knowledge in a subject area, getting them extra support would not only prevent their grades from falling but would also help bolster their confidence and, therefore, prepare them even more for the world after school!
3) What should take them one hour takes three.
A frustrated student with his head in his hands while trying to complete homework.
When it comes to homework, students will work at their own pace. Sometimes it takes a bit longer than the teacher intended, but when it takes HOURS longer, that’s a sure sign that your student is struggling in a particular area.
Whether that area is ability to focus, ability to work on their own, or the subject itself…if your student is spending their evenings at the kitchen table with their head in their hands, it’s time for some extra support!
4) They are ahead of the curve.
A student confidently completing a math problem on the whiteboard.
Sometimes, school just isn’t teaching students fast enough! While some students take longer to process and learn, others zoom ahead! The downfall of this is a feeling of apathy or anxiety when they have nothing to do or are underchallenged.
While it’s wonderful to be labeled a “gifted” child, time and time again this label, and the fast paced learning that causes it, teaches your children that they should already know everything and leads to issues later in adult life.
Overall, it’s better to continue to challenge them! Hiring a tutor to teach them things beyond their grade level will not only help them stay focused and engaged in their learning, but will allow them a better chance at tougher subjects in the future and will NOT allow them to get comfortable knowing “everything”!
5) Their aspirations exceed what is currently on the table.
Little boy thinking an aspiration and looking up
Some students grow up to work on construction, others grow up to be financial advisors, and others grow up to be astronauts! If their current level of schooling isn’t putting them on track for where they dream to be one day, getting a tutor to help give them extra knowledge and credentials might be a good way to go!
There is no such thing as unskilled labor. Every job requires skills and experience. Some of these skills and experience are expected to be attained BEFORE they go into an entry level position at their dream job…especially in today’s world. Getting extra help to push them further and allow them to gain those credentials won’t only help them in the short run with their grades at school but will be giving them skills they will rely on YEARS in the future!
Conclusion
Teacher with students smiling.
There are several reasons why you might consider hiring a tutor to get extra support outside of the classroom. Schooling is meant to provide the very basics of education and classrooms are getting more crowded and teachers are more overwhelmed every year! No matter your reason for wanting to hire a tutor, we are here to help!!
E.L.A. Tutoring flyer.
If you find that your student is struggling in writing, specifically, please feel free to reach out to me at E.L.A. Tutoring! I have a knack for meeting your student where they currently are and helping them to grow to be the best writer they can be! VISIT THE E.L.A. TUTORING PAGE to find out more or MESSAGE ME TODAY!
Last week Sunday (15 May 2022) I had the outstanding privilege to be invited to Ivy and Oak’s first ever open house! I got to enjoy a spot on their beautiful patio behind the wedding barn and introduce future brides, grooms, and their families to my vow writing services and poems!
As with the other open houses I have had the joy of attending, I will be talking about the venue, the event itself, and end with a list of the other vendors who attended!
The Venue
Found in the hills of Jasper (GA), this lovely little wedding venue is directly off Antioch Church Rd and nestled between HWY 515 and Route 136! The venue itself is very compact but very beautiful! The barn and bride’s house is immediately within view and once your foot hits their grass, you’re in paradise!
Wedding Barn
Family and guest seating areaWedding barn at Ivy and Oak Wedding Venue!
The wedding barn is an intimate and spectacular area with a patio directly off the back and a separate room for a bar/drink area. The barn is painted white and has very high ceilings and a beautiful interior. The light coming into the barn from the large windows and open doors make for magical photography moments.
There is a seating area directly outside the barn for couples to get married outside with the barn as a shady and timeless backdrop for the photo memories of your first kiss as a married couple!
Bridal House
Another amazing feature of this lovely little venue was the bridal house! Inside were areas specifically designated for the bride and her wedding party to get ready before the wedding. The atmosphere was so calm and lovely and would be sure to steady a nervous bride’s nerves before the biggest moment of her life!
The Open House
The open house itself was an absolutely wonderful time. The vendors who attended were so friendly and excited about their respective businesses and uplifted one another throughout the whole event!
I had such a wonderful time interacting with the other vendors and sharing what we do and why we love it so much. Not to mention, the event runners are absolutely fantastic people and made sure everything ran smoothly and that everyone had a good time!
The event attendees were also super sweet, and I could tell they were having a great time hanging out. The venue feels so CALM, I cannot express how relaxed this place makes you feel. It is perfect!
E. Lexi Abbott – Vendor Set Up
My area consisted of a table on the patio. I was given 4 chairs and was instructed to set up my booth facing outwards so that event attendees could walk around the circle and meet all the vendors one by one!
SERVICES:
As far as weddings are concerned, I offer vow writing services as well as custom poems to capture your big day! If you’re interested, please message me and I will be happy to work with you!
Wedding Service Professionals
At this event there were professionals to fill every single need you might have for your perfect wedding day! Bakers, flowers, saving those flowers, finding the dress, vows (E. Lexi Abbott!), hair, candles, and even fireworks and signage! So many professionals brought their personal flare to this event! Find out more about them and what they do below!
Flowers
Southern Sage Jewelry
This lovely lady takes the flowers from your special day and saves them forever! Her products include shadowboxes and resin coasters, earrings, candleholders, and SO MUCH more! Check her out on Facebook and Instagram
Brenda’s House of Flowers
A florist with an eye for detail and a mind for style, this lovely lady will be sure that you have the perfect flowers for your wedding day! Check them out at their website!
Baking/Food
Dainty Dozens
Dalaziah AKA Dee is an absolutely fantastic and bubbly personality! Her mini cupcakes will have you coming back for more and her wedding cakes are out of this world! This woman knows what she’s doing when it comes to taste! Check her out on Facebook and Instagram and find her website here!
Sisterly Sweets
Sisterly Sweets is a family business run by 3 sisters! Tabetha is the baker behind the delicacies, and she has an eye for creativity and flavors! Check them out on Facebook and Instagram!
Larev Baking Co.
Larev Baking Co. is a home-based custom cake company located in Canton, Georgia. They specialize in wedding and special occasion cakes! They are a super sweet family, and their baking is divine! Check them out at their website!
AV Gourmet Fine Catering
Alexis Valentine is the chef of AV Gourmet Fine Catering and he is a fantastic cook! One look at their page will have you drooling! This catering company knows how to make your event taste as good as it looks! Check out the official website here!
Bridal
Anna Christine Bridal
Every bride has to say Yes to the dress before her big day, but many find that process daunting and more than a little emotional! Ease the emotional burden by checking out Anna Christine Bridal! She is a lovely and supportive woman who has beautiful dresses in inclusive sizes! Unlock your inner goddess and say YES to Anna Christine Bridal! Find her on Facebook and Instagram!
Photography
Lei B. Photography and Boudoir
This lovely woman not only takes beautiful photos for your big day or special occasion, she makes you feel good while doing it!! A wonderful photographer with a passion for boudior, a session with her will boost your confidence and leave you with lovely pictures to enjoy for years to come! Check her out on Facebook, Instagram, and her official website!
Kanella Photography
This soon to be mother knows the importance of capturing special moments! Her photos capture the brightness that life has to offer and her easygoing personality will calm your nerves when prepping for your big day! Check her out on Facebook, Instagram, and at her official website!
Extras
The Plaid Picnic Company
Sometimes the best memories are made with the simplest of ideas! Plan a picnic event for your bridal shower, wedding photoshoot, or other special occasion! Ella, the sweet woman who runs this company, is a creative and lighthearted soul who loves helping her client’s make memories that will last forever! Check her out on Facebook and Instagram!
Chandler Candles LLC
Candles light up the room, the world, and your life if you pick the right ones! Chandler Candles LLC look to make your fairy tale dreams a reality with their stylish and wonderful smelling candles! You can even customize your candle holders and cases to fit your business or event! Check them out on Facebook and Instagram!
Bride Lights
What’s life without fireworks? Bride Lights offers fireworks and signage services! Light up your event and end it with a BOOM! You can find out more information by checking them out on Facebook and Instagram!
Hair By Anna Claire
This lovely lady helps tame your hair, and therefore your stress as well, on your big day! Book her for beautiful bridal and brides maids looks as well as for other special occasions! Find her on Facebook and Instagram!
Magic is a highly celebrated thing. We have it in movies, books, games (I’m looking at you DND and Magic The Gathering!) and decorations throughout our homes! Magic is a wonderful thing and we all strive to leave the real world behind. But what about everyday magic?
Believe it or not, writing is the closest you can get to casting a spell in real life. Knowing what to say and how to say it is KEY to getting your point across and convincing your audience to agree with you – talk about a Nat 20!
Leveling Up Your Stats
“I’m no good at writing, why bother?” is a thing I hear again and again. But think of it this way, if you are 20 years old then you are a level 20 human. If you have only spent a year writing, you’re only a level 1 writer. Can your character cast high level spells right off the bat? NO! You have to gain experience points, defeat bosses, and collect loot from the dungeons you explore AKA every time you put a pencil to paper or your fingers to a keyboard, you are writing and gaining experience!
How Can I Level Up?
Thank you for asking! The best and easiest way to level up is to understand how your audience thinks. For example, if you want an A on your paper then you need to write in a correct format with correct spelling and you need to make a good argument. Done. Easy. But how does that translate to real life? The answer is rhetoric!
The first of the rhetorical strategies is ethos! Ethos means “custom” or “character” in Greek. Ethos has everything to do with your credibility as an expert in your chosen writing topic and while it might not seem like it, it really isn’t very different than the alignment chart:
Not only is ethos establishing your ability to talk about a certain topic, but it is establishing your moral character in the minds of your readers. Can they trust what you are saying? Are you someone they want to learn from?
The easiest way to do this is not only backing up your statements with data points from credible sources, but also in the way you write your points.
WHAT YOU SAY: My opinion on X topic is Y.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO INSTEAD: Y is true of X because Z!
What does this look like in practice? Roll for Charisma!
Charisma because sometimes you need to seduce that dragon! [Image source.]
WHAT YOU SAY: In my opinion, mimics would make fantastic pets if you fed them correctly!
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO INSTEAD: If fed correctly and often enough, mimics would make fantastic pets because they are just scared and hungry!
See how much more believable statement 2 is than statement 1? Not only are you STATING your point rather than trying to make sure everyone knows it’s “just your opinion”, you are giving a reason/data point behind what you are saying to help support your point!
Ethos is using wording and data to increase your credibility and stance as an expert in the eyes of others! It’s one of the four rhetorical strategies to help you roll a 20 every time!
[Which, by the way, this article here is a fantastic explanation of how to befriend a mimic and add it to your DND party!]
Using empathy in writing to help with Pathos! [Image source]
Cast Pathos
The second of the rhetorical strategies is pathos, which is all about emotions! I’m looking at you barbarians! Anger is an emotion!
Pathos is all about appealing to your audience via emotional imagery and scenarios. Think speeches just before war or a battle sequence. It can also be likened to when the Bard makes the dragon cry in order to get the party out of sticky situations!
WHAT YOU SAY: It is sad how many mimics are orphaned each year!
HOW YOU CAN SAY IT BETTER: 50 mimics are orphaned each week, struggling to survive and find the right camouflage to find food! They are starving, scared, and alone! We can help!
Notice the difference? Saying things to tug at the heart strings by painting a picture makes all the difference! This also works with other emotions, but I wanted to continue with the “adopt a mimic” theme!
Logic in DND – Using Logos in writing [Image source]
Cast Logos
The last of the 3 most widely known rhetorical strategies is Logos! Logos is when you appeal to an audience’s sense of reason or logic. This can usually be seen when children are begging their parents for pets. This same theme could also easily be seen in a situation where a member of the DND party was trying to convince the rest of the members to adopt a mimic!
WHAT YOU SAY: We should adopt a mimic because it’d be so cute!
WHAT YOU SHOULD SAY: We should adopt a mimic because they will help the party out in times of crisis, they will be a good companion, and they can keep the party safe!
One is appealing to Pathos, emotions, by saying how cute the pet mimic is. The other is appealing to Logos by giving sound reasons and logic for why keeping a pet mimic would be a good idea!
It’s party time! DND funny vinyl available for purchase HERE.
Cast Kairos
The fourth rhetorical strategy of writing, that is not as widely talked about, is Kairos. Kairos refers to the timing of things. Specifically, saying things at the right time. The way this could manifest is waiting until after the barbarian has eaten breakfast to broach the subject of adopting a pet mimic!
WHAT NOT TO DO: Hey there, ThunderBeard! I know you just woke up but we should get a pet mimic!
[said right when the barbarian is waking up — WILL get something thrown at you]
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD: Hey there, ThunderBeard! I see you’ve eaten breakfast and are awake and chipper for the day! I wanted to bring up the idea of adopting a mimic into our party! What do you think?
[Less likely to get items thrown at you – more likely to get a favorable response since the barbarian has eaten and is wide awake!]
Adventurers around the campfire telling stories about their day! [Image source]
Future Adventures
Alright, Travelers, now that you know the difference between Ethos, Pathos, Logos, and Kairos AND know how to implement them — go out into the world and use these spells to your advantage! Adopt that mimic! Befriend that dragon! Take over that town! Nothing is impossible when you use rhetorical strategies of persuasion!
Until next time! Good luck with your new pet mimic!
A few days ago I met a very lovely family at the 3 Oaks Farm Mother’s Day Festival.
I talked with their children about writing and gave them a pep talk of confidence and their son was VERY engaged for quite a while.
But something was said, in complete earnest and good intention, that is still scratching at the back of my brain.
“Look, kids! She’s an aspiring writer!”
All of a sudden the world kind of shrank and I felt a little put off, and still do. I kept thinking:
“What about the table of my work that you see in front of you makes you call me an “aspiring” writer? What about the children’s book series of four books and coloring pages and business cards, of four poetry chapbooks, of folders with services I offer, of the stand with the wedding services I offer, of the banner behind my head stating I am a writer, tutor, artist, tells you I am ASPIRING to do anything? I AM a writer!”
Of course, I smiled and kept talking with the kids and didn’t say any of this. She meant well. She was trying to be uplifting and encouraging. She was trying to show her kids you can be anything you want to be if you put your mind to it…and in that instance she is right!!
But I am not ASPIRING to be anything. I AM. And if you find yourself in this position, you are too!
Something about society tells us that someone who is part of the arts, the foundation and very threads of our society, we are somehow less than. We are somehow reaching for a goal that we never can grasp. Unless we get our work into stores, museums, or on the “big screen”, somehow we are not “there”…wherever THERE is.
I am a professional. This is my career. I am a writer. I am a tutor. I am a graphic designer. I am a poet. I am an author. I am an editor. I am all of these things and I am professional at all of these things. I am not aspiring. I am a writer.
Let’s stop this narrative that someone needs to be a big name to be successful or to be professional. If you create art and give them as gifts, you are NO LESS of an artist. If you write books and self-publish them but they never get on the shelves of big bookstores, you are NO LESS of a writer. If you tutor but do not have a teaching certificate, you are NO LESS of a teacher.
Stop putting capitalism at the forefront of how we judge people. Stop trying to shove everything you see into a clean box of “professionalism” and if it doesn’t fit, then someone is not.
Are they doing the thing? Then they are. I am not aspiring. I AM.
Hello everyone and happy Tuesday! I hope today has found you well and that the warm weather has you excited for the Summer to come!
I wanted to make it known that I do offer tutoring and I am going to be offering a homeschool curriculum designed to help your student prepare for college level reading and writing!
This course will go over each step in the essay writing process and will allow your student to learn at their own personal pace. With back-up help from E. Lexi Abbott herself (me), your student will be on the road to being the best writer they can be in no time!
Below, you can see a few examples of reviews from students and their parents that I’ve received over the years:
I am so excited for homeschooled students to unlock the skills that writing gives them and to see the true benefit of working with me! CONTACT ME TODAY for more information!
Until next time, stay learning and have a fantastic day!
E. Lexi Abbott 