Mugs Mall

Men might be from Mars and women might be from Venus, but Jaclyn Foster is from Westford, and she’s determined to help determined single folks figure all that stuff out.

#13;

Since moving back to town in September of 2011, Foster has operated a “soulmate attraction” coaching service, helping clients discover inner authenticity and traits that facilitate the discovery of stronger and more fulfilling romantic relationships.

#13;

Coming from a background in Yoga and personal wellness, Foster left Westford six years ago to travel abroad, where she found the man that would become her husband. Inspired, today she seeks to combine her personal and professional experiences along with psychoanalytical research to help others find their soulmates as well.

#13;

“It’s not a dating service or a matchmaking service,” she says. “It’s really about coaching the individual to help clarify about what they want in a romantic relationship and helping clear any (mental) clutter that is preventing them from attracting that special person into their life.”

#13;

Currently, the majority of her clients are females, particularly those who she says have lost touch with their feminine traits in the more masculine-based professional world.  However, she welcomes men and women clients and believes that people of both genders possess masculine and feminine traits that need to be understood for finding and maintaining healthy romantic relationships.

#13;

Indeed, Foster says that cultivating masculine and feminine skills for men is just as important for men as it is for women, if in different ways.

#13;

“Men do need to show their powerful energy, that is a key attraction to women, but at the same time they also need to recognize that feminine side of them as well,” she says. “It’s definitely smaller, but it’s good to recognize it, especially when it comes to communication and creating a lasting connection.”

#13;

Foster also believes that anyone can find a fulfilling romantic relationship, whether it be with their “one true soulmate” or finding love after loss, although she often finds the largest obstacles are preconceived notions built by society that become internalized in the psyche.

#13;

“I want to let people know that it’s possible to find true love, and that people shouldn’t just go into autopilot with beliefs like it’s not possible to find someone after turning 40,” she says.

#13;

Currently, Foster does almost all of her coaching remotely, although she says that in-person visits are also possible.

#13;

More information on her business is available on her website.

With Memorial Day fast approaching, can the annual family vacation be far behind? That means that once again, many pet lovers will be faced with the dilemma of what do with their pets while they travel.

A 2009 Travel Industry Association survey indicated that 14 percent, or more than 29 million people, said they have taken a pet on a trip that was more than 50 miles away from home. Traveling animals included cats (15 percent), birds (2 percent), and either a ferret, rabbit or fish (3 percent). But 78 percent of the respondents listed the family dog as the most common traveling pet.

The inconvenient change from normal routine doesnt matter much to a dog as long as it is not separated from its family. Dog owners feel the same way. Forty-three percent of pet owners said they feel guilty about leaving their dogs behind.

Dogtrekker.com, an online site that scopes out pet-friendly places to stay while vacationing, recently released results from a 2011 analysis of American leisure travelers that indicates eight out of 10 people who bring their dogs along when they travel find hotel policies and amenities important when selecting accommodations.

What really stood out was not the numbers of those who travel with dogs, but the reasons why leisure travel dog owners do not travel with their dogs, said David Kendrick, who founded Dogtrekker with his wife, Roxanne.

Over 40 percent said that finding dog-friendly accommodations was difficult; a third said that their dogs safety was a concern and over 30 percent said that finding things to do with (a) dog was difficult, Kendrick said.

Of dog travelers, 43.6 percent said there is a poor selection of truly pet-friendly hotels and 17.2 percent said concerns about finding doggie day care in their vacation location kept them from bringing their dog along on trips.

This survey sends a huge message to the lodging industry. The influence of this significant group of leisure travelers is rising and hoteliers should take note of their concern about expensive hotel pet fees and confusion over pet-friendly policies, he said.

A hotel that promotes itself as pet friendly can really mean pet tolerant, and only just so. Many times the staff is really more interested in getting your business than welcoming your pet.

No pets left unattended in the room is the norm, said Janet Fullwood, senior editor of DogTrekker who was travel editor for the Sacramento Bee for 22 years.

This is because a dog left in an unfamiliar environment can bark, whine, scratch, panic, tear up the furniture or otherwise cause a disturbance, damage property or terrify the housekeeping staff. Some properties exception is the dog is crated, she said.

Planning for a trip that includes your pet is essential, said Fullwood, who shared this personal story about the headaches the unprepared traveler can run into on the road.

The first time my family traveled with our new dog, we patted ourselves on the back for finding a dog-friendly hotel – and ended up eating in shifts at a Chinese restaurant across the street when we found out we couldnt leave him alone, even in a crate.

But the rule doesnt apply just to canines. I once heard of a couple who traveled with pet parrots. The birds put up such a fuss when their humans left them alone, the manager used a public address system to ask them to return to their room.

Pet sitters are an option during dinner, Fullwood said, but their services can easily cost more than a meal itself. She said that many times, traveling with a pet requires compromise.

Fullwood provided these tips to help make your travel plans a vacation for every member of the family.

– Always speak with a live person before booking a hotel or vacation rental that claims to be dog-friendly. Many properties wont accept certain breeds, some have weight restrictions and some allow pets only in their most undesirable rooms. Pet fees can be per day or per stay, so be sure to clarify.

– Dont take off on a camping or hiking trip assuming that your dog can accompany you on trails. At many state and national parks, canines are restricted to campgrounds. Rules in national forests tend to be more relaxed.

– To minimize canine-caused distractions on the road, make sure your dog is safely secured in a crate or with a seat belt leash or harness.

– Familiar food, toys, bedding and other comforts from home will help the animal be more relaxed in new environments. Bring a gallon or so of water from home to minimize stomach upsets, and pack cleanup supplies and old towels for muddy feet. If you allow dogs on furniture at home, bring a sheet to cover beds and couches in hotel rooms.

– Make sure your dog is microchipped and has an ID tag that includes your cell-phone number. Tuck a copy of shot records in your canine travel kit and carry photos, just in case.

– Leave no trace principles are not just for camping. Always, always pick up after your dog.

Finding love online isnt easy. The prospect of meeting Mr. or Ms. Right seems to turn everyone into porn star used car salesmen. Luckily for you, dear dater, Vices Brian Moylan knows exactly what everyones lying about.

Romantic relationships are just a litany of lies. Sure, Id love to see a Katherine Heigl movie. No, its not creepy at all that your dad touched my thigh like that. I swear I never fucked that chick. Were just, like, you know, friends. But before you shack up with a partner and the pants are really on fire, we have to get through that festering sore of omissions, obfuscations, half-truths, and fabrications that is the online dating profile.

Everyones dating profile-whether its on Match.com, OKCupid, Manhunt, Grindr, Craigslist (which is for people who are either looking to date hookers or find new futons for their dingy apartments), JDate, eHarmony, or even the bulletin board at your grandmothers church-is full of fucking shit. Everyone is so scared that if they tell the world about eating peanut butter right out of the jar with chocolate Teddy Grahams while watching Real Sex reruns at 2 AM, no one will meet them for cheap Pad Thai and cheaper conversations about what school they went to and how many siblings they have.

Unfortunately, if you do somehow manage to trick another human into meeting you IRL, your failings will be readily apparent. The cat will be out of the proverbial bag, and no one will be getting any pussy (or dick, as the case may be). To make life easier, Im going to break down the biggest lies that everyone tells on their profiles. Youve been warned.

Pictures

Everyones pictures are absolute bullshit. But, like unhappy families, theyre all bullshit in their own way. There are a lot like this one, which is so vague and washed out that the girls face might as well be a blank Etch-a-Sketch (thats not gonna turn anyones knobs), and then there are the guys whose photos only contain hats and cut off right before the hairline (bald), the ones with woefully out-of-date clothing (old), the girl who only shoots herself from the tits up (fat), and the pictures that look like theyre reproductions of screen grabs from a Geocities site circa 1998 (bald/old/fat/serial killer). Everyone is trying to look their best, so theyre editing pictures that will present some ideal version of themselves that either never existed or is long gone. Only believe the nastiest picture in the profile, and multiply that picture by a factor of two in terms of ugliness. Thats what will show up at your front door.

Music

More people think that their musical preferences are what others will reference when deciding if they are cool, educated, expansive, and generally with it. Therefore, filling out the musical interests section on dating sites is like making a mix-tape for a deaf person, because it is all a pack of lies. The only people really into jazz are old black men, so if someone lists that on their profile theyre just trying to be like that dude in that episode of Sex in the City who fucks Carrie real good and then gets dumped. And if they say, like this guy, that they ‘like everything, then they are the blandest, most milquetoast motherfucker imaginable who wont cop to his complete collection of Eminem singles and Dave Matthews bootlegs (also, hes probably a premature ejaculator). Seriously, when is the last time this guy listened to Mozart when he wasnt riding in an elevator or sitting on hold? And there is no way one person likes every hip band. They dont all go together.

Weight

This one is a bit tricky, because some sites dont require members to list their weight in actual pounds. Instead, they let them play with reality by picking ‘slender, ‘full-figured, ‘must be removed from apartment by crane or some other silly adjective from a pull-down menu. These are all subjective. Just because a guy lists his body as ‘athletic and then shows up with a gut the size of the Japanese GDP doesnt mean he was lying. After all, sumo wrestling is a sport. Look at this girl, she lists herself as ‘slender but doesnt show a picture of herself below the neck. Danger, danger Will Robinson!  She might have been slender when those pictures were taken five years ago. Without anything to verify that she is indeed a size 2, just go ahead and assume shes gonna show up with a FUPA. Thats what youre signing up for.

Museums

If everyone who says they ‘love museums and ‘go to them all the time were telling the truth, every museum in the world would look like Walmart on Black Friday. Saying they love museums is like saying they love Christmas, because both happen only once a year. No one goes to museums unless they have family in town or theyre on some bullshit OKCupid date trying to impress someone with how awesome and cultured they are (or if theres a new Star Wars exhibit). Just say you like to watch TV. Thats actually true and will make you a lot cooler.

Height

Because so many profile pictures are taken without anyone else in the frame, its hard to get a perspective on just how tall a guy is. Take this gentleman, who is selling himself as a slightly-below-average 59, but who has conveniently failed to post any pictures of himself below the shoulder. He says 59 but you best wear flats, because hes gonna show up at 57… while wearing lifts. Just subtract 2 inches from every guys profile. This is also true of women over 58 who want to appear shorter to get a man. Can it, ladies. There has to be someone out there with an Attack of the 50-Foot Woman fetish.

Growing up, we have a intuitive sense of wanting to belong or fit in. The emptiness in our hearts says that something is missing in our life. That dormant desire for acceptance gets cultivated into full blown beliefs, usually inherited and taught to us. We believe in things like Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy and Jesus, all at the same time. Being as impressionable as kids are, we believe all the teachings and myths as part of our nascent efforts to belong. Ironically, Santa punishes bad kids and Jesus punishes bad people; they both reward good behavior. After totally accepting them all as absolute truth, we are told that that the Tooth Fairy and Santa are actually fairy tales and myths, yet the other should be regarded as real. As a not-so-impressionable adult, we spend years seeking the truth of that final myth, which offers us no more concrete evidence than the other two.

The point I wish to make is this: many of us hold on to to beliefs not grounded in absolute truth, as long as it work for us. We blindly accept what promises to ease our burdens or solve our problems. As long as it provides relief and a sense of certainty, no ultimate reality is necessary to reinforce the habitual belief. It is only after people dont find the relief they are after, that they seek the greener pastures of another truth that works for them. The current hoopla around marriage equality is an opportunity to examine our own truth. Many who lament that marriage is being redefined, have themselves created their own definition, one they wish everyone else to accept. Using the term marriage as opposed to loving committed relationship seem to be what drives opponents of equality bonkers.

It is with this habit of manufacturing truth that we created a God to bring comfort to chaos, and bring purpose to life and death. In order to offer instructions for the masses, we developed religion to placate the God we created to explain what we could not understand or control. Then, we wrote the Bible to sanction the religion that placated the God that we created. Next, religious leaders would be sanctioned, to interpret the Bible for those of us annoyed by its complexities and contradictions.

Those of us who have invested our lives seeking to understand what the Bible meant to its original audiences, and what it should mean to us today, have used academics to challenge religious leaders — who interpret the Bible that explains the religion that placates the God that we created.

I am the first to admit that although Ive read quite a bit of the Bible, Im just as clueless as before I read the first word. All the contradictions and two-sided talk disheartens me greatly as Ive strived to make sense of the confusion. From the perspective of the Bible, the existence of the divine is not a question. But the Bible cant help but pose the questions: If God is all-powerful and benevolent, why is there evil in the world? If God is just, why do the wicked seemingly prosper and the innocent get persecuted? Where is God in the presence of suffering by innocent children? What is the difference between accepting the beliefs of others and our own free will? The very fact that the Bible raises these questions invites those who read and accept it to do the same. Not for the benefit of others, but for their own.

Throughout history, the Bible has been used as a weapon to falsely embolden our own beliefs and force them upon others. Consider the impact that other peoples arbitrary interpretations have on your life today: The Old Testament in the Christian Bible is based on the Tanakh, which is the Hebrew Bible. It has been altered throughout to support the teachings of Christianity instead of Judaism. Adding further confusion, there are countless versions of the Christian Bible, each one with different translations and interpretations. Passages are often materially different from one another.

The bottom line is that no matter what our beliefs are, they are often based largely on interpretations handed to us by others. Sometimes those beliefs resonate with our own internal truth, and sometimes they dont. Regrettably, we often hold beliefs that we ourselves dont believe at the core.

Before Copernicus, schools and universities taught that the universe revolved around the earth. Copernicus rebutted that theory and clearly showed it to be false. For more than 200 years, the church placed his writings in the index of prohibited books because it countered the prevailing thought that the earth was the center of the universe. Prevailing opinions can be explicably wrong, no matter how accepted they are by society. The rewriting of textbooks would have been insulting to respected educators (today, preachers) who spent their lives teaching erroneous truths. Even worse, people would have to rethink long held doctrines and beliefs.

One of the most self-defeating habits is the tendency to compare ourselves to others: comparing physical appearance, material possessions, personal life, romantic relationships, career and many other attributes. This habit of blindly accepting passed down, dogmatic beliefs will always stand between us and our authentic selves, distracting us from being fully present and engaged in life in the most meaningful way.

We must seek those quiet spaces in our life that are safe for vulnerable explorations of meaning. These spaces are not found inside physical institutions or places where demagoguery slays reflective, rational and factually grounded discourse. In short, we must take the risk of thinking for yourself.

STORY: CBS 2012-13 Schedule

The Lamb hour landed one of pilot seasons big casting gets, booking Dennis Quaid as the former rodeo star-turned-lawman and filling out its cast with A-listers including Michael Chiklis, Jason OMara and Carrie-Anne Moss.

PHOTOS: CBS New Series for the 2012-2013 Season

As the first-place network presented its lineup to Madison Avenue on Wednesday, the network released a first-look at its new offerings. Check out clips from four of the first six shows, below.

STORY: Upfronts 2012: Complete Network Scorecard

Partners, from Will amp; Graces Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, is described as a personal story of two lifelong friends and their business partners. Architects Charlie (David Krumholtz) and Louis (Michael Urie) friendship has lasted longer than either of their romantic relationships and almost seems like a weird marriage. When Charlie decides to propose to his girlfriend, Louis neurotic attempts to be supportive nearly result in the breakup of his own relationship. Sophia Bush and Brandon Routh co-star in the comedy. James Burrows directed the pilot. Airs Mondays at 8:30 pm after How I Met Your Mother.

Made in Jerseyis a legal drama that centers on a working-class woman (Janet Montgomery) who uses her street smarts to compete with her more polished colleagues at a top New York law firm. Airs Fridays at 9 pm following CSI: NY in its new time slot.

Elementary is a modern take on the cases of Sherlock Holmes, with the famed detective (Jonny Lee Miller) now living in New York City. Lucy Liu co-stars as Watson. Airs Thursdays at 10 pm following Person of Interest.

Vegas is a period drama set in the 1960s and based on the true story of Ralph Lamb (Dennis Quaid) — a rodeo cowboy-turned-longtime Sheriff of Las Vegas. Michael Chiklis, Jason OMara and Carrie-Anne Moss round out the cast of the drama from Nicholas Pileggi (GoodFellas), Greg Walker (Without a Trace) and James Mangold (Walk the Line). Airs Tuesdays at 10 pm after NCIS: Los Angeles.

Which look good to you? Hit the comments with your thoughts.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit

People who can no longer take care of exotic pets can turn them over to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission from 10 am to 2 pm Saturday at Gatorland, 14501 S. Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando. Owners of non-native reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish, mammals and invertebrates can surrender their animals — including those owned illegally — without penalties. Domestic animals such as dogs, cats and ferrets will not be accepted. The surrendered pets will be examined by a veterinarian and given to qualified adopters.

Pet owners near Buckeye Lake were on high alert Wednesday after a number of animals were found dead in the lake.

Suzy Spencer said that her cat, Yo, went missing a few weeks ago. A few days later, a neighbor found Yo dead in the water, 10TVs Glenn McEntyre reported.

I dont think in my lifetime I would ever find another cat like that, Spencer said.

The most troubling discovery came when her cat was fished out of the lake.

Once it was in the bag for a little while, there was a big pool of blood that probably (came) off the fur, neighbor Dave Kunz said. Somebody had hit it, kicked it or whatever. It was obvious. Somebodys being real cruel.

Kunz said that he withheld information about the cats wounds from his neighbor in hopes to spare her feelings until he heard about other animals missing and found drowned.

Another neighbors cat was found missing, and a small dog was found drowned, McEntyre reported.

You dont want to think that somebody would harm an animal like that, pet owner Kellie Green said.

Greens cat, Sassy, was found drowned in the lake, McEntyre reported.

On May 6, a small dog was found trapped in a spillway. Buckeye Lake police helped rescue the dog.

Officer Chad Nunemaker said that too many similar incidents were too close together to be coincidental.

Weve received more than one report of this happening, so odds of that are pretty slim, Nunemaker said.

Spencer said that in her 17 years on the lake, she has not seen or heard of incidents like this.

Occasionally, youll see something dead in the lake, but its an occasional thing, Spencer said. Its once a summer, maybe, but not five animals in a matter of two or three weeks.

Spencer said that she wanted to believe that Yo fell in and drowned.

I dont think thats what happened, Spencer said.

Watch 10TV News and refresh 10TV.com for more information.

Nets-76ersGame Review

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) – Another winnable game, another loss the Philadelphia 76ers cant afford.

Gerald Green scored 23 points, MarShon Brooks had 22 and both hit key three- pointers down the stretch to lead the New Jersey Nets to a 95-89 win over the Sixers on Friday night.

Kris Humphries added 18 points and 13 rebounds and Jordan Williams scored 13 for the Nets, who have won three of four.

The Sixers, in a battle for one of the last spots in the Eastern Conference playoffs, had a two-game winning streak snapped after letting the Nets close the game on a 10-4 run.

Jrue Holiday scored 19 points, Evan Turner had 18 and Thaddeus Young chipped in 13 in the loss.

The back-breaker came with 1:41 remaining when Green buried a three-pointer off a Sixers turnover to give the Nets a 90-85 lead.

Philadelphia was still within five moments later until Brooks pulled up from the left side for his three to make it 95-87 with 43.8 seconds left.

The Sixers, who were coming off a 2-1 road trip, will begin a three-games-in- three-nights stretch at Orlando on Monday. They remained three games behind Boston for first place in the Atlantic Division but also fell into a virtual tie with New York for the eighth and final playoff spot after the Knicks beat Washington on Friday.

Im at a loss, I didnt see that coming, Sixers coach Doug Collins said of the devastating defeat. We had such a good spirit the last two games.

On the other side, it was a big revenge game for the Nets, who were beaten, 107-88, at home by the Sixers on Tuesday.

We were really out of sorts the last time we played them, Nets coach Avery Johnson said. We had a chance to break the film down, and fortunately we made some shots.

Humphries scored 10 points and the Nets forced five Sixers turnovers in the first quarter, taking a 24-18 lead into the second.

The Sixers, behind seven points from Holiday and five each from Spencer Hawes and Young coming off the bench, outscored New Jersey 26-17 in the second quarter for a 44-41 edge at the break. They ended the half on a 12-5 run.

Philadelphia had the biggest lead of the third quarter at six points and was ahead 66-63 going into the fourth.

Georginas 2012 budget will be back at the table Monday, April 16 after an 11-hour session yesterday wasnt enough to finalize the towns $41-million fiancial blueprint.
A bulk of the towns budget will go to staff salaries and benefits and a number of major projects and services in the areas of parks, recreation and public works.
Woodbine Avenue streetscaping, Ravenshoe Road and Morton Avenue sidewalks, a pilot streetlight project for the Windover subdivision, the Glenwoods Avenue culvert project, bridges, road work, repairs to a number of town facilities, including the Ice Palace and Sutton arena and fleet requirements were all given the green light and represent a large portion of overall expense.
The largest percentage increases from last year, however, are reflected in the fire and emergency and public library boards budgets at 7.6 and 7.3 per cent, respectively.
Key adjustments to the proposed budget included scaling back the Georgina fire departments request for four full-time firefighters at a cost of $102,600, plus benefits for the remainder of 2012.
With the towns financial obligations still up in the air regarding the results of arbitration with the firefighter union, council opted for a phased-in approach granting two full-time firefighter positions instead of the requested four.
A $380,000 sidewalk project for Station Road in Pefferlaw was also shelved until the completion of a needs assessment study for the entire municipality.
While Ward 4 Councillor Ken Hackenbrook proposed adding dredging of the Black River to this years budget at a cost of $80,000, the motion was defeated since CAO Winanne Grant is still in the process of compiling a report examining the need, viability, jurisdictional and financial implications.
Asking the clerk for a recorded vote, Councillor Hackenbrooks motion was supported by councillors Danny Wheeler and Brad Smockum. councillors Phil Craig, Naomi Davison, Dave Szollosy and Mayor Grossi voted no on the matter.
Minor adjustments in overtime pay and a number of small-scale projects at various town halls and facilities were also trimmed from the budget.
A final tally of cost saving measures, however, will not be available until after next Mondays special council meeting.
A breakdown of the base budgets for each department identifies $5.7 million and $4.7 million for operations and engineering, split between public works, facilities and parks.
After revenues, $31.1 million is required from property taxes to balance the towns books, which would amount to a 2.84 per cent increase from last year to the town tax levy and add $92.90 to the average property tax bill for homeowners.
The remainder of the towns proposed budget will be reviewed Monday, April 16 prior to its expected adoption April 23.
Go to the towns website at www.georgina.ca for more information and to review the entire document.

Tomorrow night is about the moment and nothing more for the Boston Bruins [team stats].

It is not about the past, which is something that only guarantees you memories. The past may give you comfort but it does not guarantee the future nor even help you write it.

The past has come and gone, and if the Bruins dont want to do the same they must stay supremely in the moment tomorrow, understanding what they are about to do at the Garden in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal struggle with the Washington Capitals has nothing to do with what happened a year ago when they faced similarly perilous circumstances three times.

Those Bruins became the first team to claim the Stanley Cup by winning a seventh game three times along the icy way. Much is being made of that because they are again mired in that familiar territory as their defense of the Cup begins, but while history may provide them reason to believe in themselves, it will be nearly meaningless once the puck is dropped.

Two of those victories were one-goal games and the man who netted the game-winners, Nathan Horton, will not be in uniform and likely wont even be in the building as he continues his struggle with post-concussion syndrome. The third, the actual Cup winner over the Canucks, was a 4-0 laugher in Vancouver, and there have been few moments of levity in this series. There is no reason to expect that to change now.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, this is the first playoff series in NHL history where each of the first six games has been decided by a single goal. Few expect Game 7 to be different but the larger point is if the Bruins intend to win it, they cannot for a moment think what they accomplished a year ago gives them an edge over the Caps, who have a torturous Game 7 history themselves.

Seven has been no lucky number for the Capitals. They seem to bust on it more often than a bad luck gambler, losing Game 7s to the Flyers in 2008, the Penguins in 2009 and the Canadiens in 2010. Obviously they can take no comfort from that but they know the results have no bearing on this game unless of course, they lose again.

For that to happen, the Bruins must remember what it took to win those other seventh games, realizing the mere fact it happened guarantees nothing. All it does is prepare them for the way they will feel tomorrow night as they sit in the locker room waiting.

The churning stomach will seem familiar. So will the high anxiety and jangled nerves. They will have reason to feel confident because they have been through this before, but confidence cannot for even a moment lapse into expectation. The only thing that will guarantee their future success is present performance.

Last year is last year, said Chris Kelly, a man wise enough to be one of the Magi. We quickly realized that in October when we went 3-7. In the same breath, its nice to have played in Game 7s before, to have that to reflect upon and look back on. But this is a whole new year and a whole new challenge.

Kellys viewpoint was spot on. Is there an advantage to having played successfully in Game 7s past? Only if you win the present one.

Were a character group and weve been through this before and we know what it takes, Patrice Bergeron said after Sundays 4-3 overtime win at the Verizon Center. Its not over until you get that fourth win. We need to be ready for Game 7.

Nerves are there. Excitement is there. Obviously confidence is there. A winning attitude is very important. Its going to be a tough game.

Nobody knows that better than the Caps, who have haunting memories of Game 7s past. Yet they believe nothing that went awry in those losses has to be repeated. They will decide if it is; them and these Boston Bruins, not last years.

For all the greatness of Tyler Seguins patient stickhandling and nifty shot that beat Braden Holtby or the perfection of Milan Lucics cross-ice pass to him, it was, after all, Nicklas Backstrom who turned over the puck Sunday to set it all up. That is the stark reality of Game 7s. They can end in a moment, beat you in an instant.