Myth: Seeing a Black Cat Brings Bad Luck

You’ve probably heard that it’s unlucky if a black cat crosses your path. Although the origin of this common black cat myth is uncertain, it may have to do with the cat’s slick demeanor. A black cat’s sly movements might suggest to some superstitious spectators that he’s up to no good.

Myth: Black Cats are Witches

Many early American settlers believed in witches who could take the form of black cats. This would allow them to sneak around unnoticed as they performed magic spells. It was also believed that a witch could shapeshift into a black cat up to nine times, which may have something to do with the belief that cats have nine lives. In today’s pop culture, black cats are often featured either as witches or alongside witches.

Myth: You Shouldn’t Adopt a Black Cat

Black cats have some of the lowest adoption rates and highest euthanasia rates in shelters across the United States. It’s also harder to attract adopters—rescues and shelters often feature photos of their adoptable cats online, and black cats are more difficult to photograph than lighter-coated cats. It’s been reported that potential adopters perceive black pets as less friendly than lighter-coated pets solely based on a photograph. Some shelters even stop adopting out black cats in October altogether in fear that they’ll be used as Halloween props.

Show of hands: Who has had a black cat cross their path? How many of you have been doomed to a life of bad luck? Black cats shouldn’t get a bad rap just because they look sneaky. In fact, they’re considered good luck in many cultures. In Scotland, it’s lucky for a strange black cat to arrive at your doorstep. In Japan, black cats are thought to help single women find suitors. There’s a lot of silly superstitions out there, but most of the world acknowledges black cats as cute—not creepy.

There are more than 70 million deaf people worldwide and 300 different sign languages. Only two percent of deaf people have access to sign language education. The United Nations day is to raise awareness of the importance of sign language for deaf people’s human rights. To support the development and preservation of sign language, the International Day of Sign Languages is celebrated annually on September 23. As the name suggests, this day aims to spread awareness regarding the importance of sign language in the realization of the human rights of people who are deaf.

This year will mark the fifth such celebration which seeks to encourage early access to sign language and services such as quality education among the community. My interaction with deaf and/or mute people has been very little. Back in 1999 the sister of a friend used to meet up with a bunch of us and she had lost her voice as a child in an accident. So she could hear very well but her vocal chords were badly damaged and hence she used sign language. Other than here, I have met a couple of guys in Bangalore way back in 1995, who were both deaf & mute.

Other than that I haven’t met anyone from the community. Back in early 2020, I was supposed to take a session for around 25 young folks as part of an outreach program we had at the office, a skills enhancement sessions for some young folks who were speech and hearing impaired and I wasn’t sure how I would be able to contribute to conducting a learning session for them. However on the actual day I found out that it was instead folks with various motor impairments. While I was able to take the session easily, had it been the hearing impaired I would have been provided with an interpreter. It made me think, maybe I should try and learn sign language so I could communicate with them if the opportunity arose.

Flexible working hours are one of the benefits of remote work. It lets employees structure their days according to their convenience. But, this can turn into a disadvantage for some employees. Some may forget to clock out and differentiate between work-life and home-life. This might lead to working longer than one should, thus; resulting in employee burn-out and added stress. Whereas working in an office helps to draw the line between professional and private life.

Getting taken advantage of is also a very real threat to your sanity. As long as their work systems and network connectivity is up, why not make the employees work a few more hours – is probably what most upper management have been thinking since the pandemic hit us. And usually it’s with no extra pay! So no benefits to the employees other than the fact that they can work from the comfort of home and their commute is cut.

The tendency for some employees to stay online and work till they have to sleep, eat their meals at their desk and take breaks only for bathroom breaks is going to kill them in the end. The life style is not sustainable and the health repercussions will not be worth it as what is all these extra hours doing for you or getting for you? Perhaps not even a pat on the back!

Everyone likes appliances and as we can’t even think of life without our appliances. And that’s because our appliances makes our lives so much more easier and effective. And who doesn’t love to have bright, shiny new appliances? Great. What if things stop working? We all understand that we are dependent on these appliances on a regular if not daily basis. Having a non-working or defective appliance can cause trouble in the household, possibly even some stress and pressure. You need a reliable repair service where you can find all the major appliance brands that can be repaired to take care of your needs and the needs of those appliances.

You can look for service that have experience in handling a various brands and not have to look out for more than one if your appliances are from different makers. That makes it a whole lot more convenient since you only have to rely on that one service. And on that has good to great reviews from customers and if you happen to have people in your circle who have had experience in dealing with them, all the better. Nothing better than a testimonial from someone you know.

Oh and if they have flexible hours that is icing on the cake. You don’t need to take a day off just to have the repair guys come to your home and fix the faulty appliance.

Home Appliances plays a vital role in our daily life. Whether it is an AC, Refrigerator, Washing Machine, Microwave Oven, LED TV, etc. they make our life easier and comfortable. In a world where we are dependent on our appliances and devices, it is also ultra critical to find experienced, knowledgeable and skilled appliance repair technicians for when the appliances need some work to be done.

When customers have a negative experience, they often feel obligated to warn potential customers so that they do not have the same horrible customer experience. In today’s modern age, Google reviews are the way that is done. Search the company name in the search bar and check out what other customers are saying. Look for a service that have experience in handling a various brands and not have to look out for more than one if your appliances are from different makers.

That makes it a whole lot more convenient since you only have to rely on that one service. And on that has good to great reviews from customers and if you happen to have people in your circle who have had experience in dealing with them, all the better. Nothing better than a testimonial from someone you know. Before deciding to dispose off old appliances check if they can be repaired without too much of a hassle.

So much of our lives are built around oil and gas. Millions of people everywhere rely on these resources in order to heat their homes, help them get from point A to Point B, and so much more. There are a number of benefits to using fiberglass in oil and gas production and knowing the specialized oil and gas fiberglass components.

Fibreglass or glassfibre is material made from extremely fine fibers of glass. It is used as a reinforcing agent for many polymer products; the resulting composite material, properly known as fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) or glass-reinforced plastic (GRP), is called “fibreglass” in popular usage. Fiberglass is a strong, lightweight material that can be used to make pipes and other equipment that is resistant to corrosion. Additionally, it can be used to help seal off areas around wells and other production infrastructure in order to prevent leaks. Finally, fiberglass can also be burned as fuel in certain applications, making it a versatile material for the oil and gas industry.

Fiberglass is used extensively in the oil and gas industry as a means of preventing corrosion. It can be found in everything from production tubing to flow lines and separators. Glass-reinforced plastics are also used to produce house building components such as roofing laminate, door surrounds, over-door canopies, window canopies and dormers, chimneys, coping systems, and heads with keystones and sills.The use of fiberglass helps to protect metal surfaces from the extreme conditions that are often found in these environments. The glass fibers form a barrier that prevents corrosive fluids from coming into direct contact with the metal, which can cause severe damage over time.

What are some ways you can spend quality time with friends and family this summer?

• Go to the beach, playground or theme park. Go on heart pumping adrenaline rushing rides and enjoy being silly and having fun.
• Bonding sessions – try something you have always wanted with your family. Sign up and go do it together.
• Learn something together for the first time (beading, arts & crafts making, painting lessons, skating, baking courses). Take classes and learn with each other.
• Explore a new place or find new food to try (and, engage everyone in finding the new location you are going).
• Do something that is an all-time favourites in the family (camping, fishing, swimming).
• Go to an Escape Room & solve the puzzle together
• Go for a picnic, pack up some home cooked meals or barbecue some burgers or hot dogs or stead and go kite-flying or playing Frisbee together.
• Take a summer family portrait together. Not ‘selfies’. Proper photos and frame it up.

Prompt from 12 Journalling Prompts to Celebrate Summertime at Paperblanks.com

Nothing feels as comforting as sipping a cup of coffee while consuming hot snacks while it pours. Some hot & meaty samosas or puffs, pakodas or even vadas – great for accompanying your evening tea or coffee. Great a round table for your covered balcony or terrace, invest in some monsoon-friendly furniture to sit and relax on the balcony or terrace. Here are some other tips to liven up the monsoon season.

Keep Dirt Outside

Along with the fun and romance, the monsoon also brings soaking umbrellas, wet raincoats, and muddy shoes. You don’t want to be bringing all this dirt into your clean and beautiful home. Here’s how you keep it away:

Door Mat

Make sure to put a heavy-duty doormat at your doorstep which is made up of jute, rubber, or coir to keep the dirt outside. Everyone in your family along with your lovely guests can wipe their shoes on it before they enter the house. To add a welcoming touch to your entrance, get doormats with colourful prints and welcome texts on them. This way, you protect the floor inside your house and stay away from dirt, germs, and mud.

Umbrella Stand

Umbrellas can leave water trails near the entrance as well as across the house when someone enters with a dripping umbrella. So, make sure to assign a corner for an umbrella stand. Additionally, you can accessorize this corner in such a way that it goes well along with the decor of your living room or your entrance. You could also use bamboo baskets or large vases as umbrella stands. To make it functional, you can add hooks on top of it to hang dripping raincoats too.

Light Up the Corners

Use floor lamps or ceiling lamps with LED lights to brighten up the room. You can also hang a simple fairy light over a windowpane to add an instant perk to your space.

Fragrance

Scented candles can magically boost your mood with their nice and sweet aroma. In dark corridors with less sunshine, create a warm and cosy environment with decorative scented candles. This way, you can also take care of the mouldy rain smell and damp clothes.

Music

Want to feel romantic, happy, and refreshed in the rainy season? Try adding music along with the sound of rain to soothe your mood further. Add decorative wind chimes to boost your mood when the cool breeze graces you with its presence.

Have a spa day. It might not be as glamorous as a real day at the spa, but you can still make your own home feel like a peaceful retreat. Try a face mask with cucumber slices or an Epsom salt bath.

A staycation is the perfect opportunity to dive into a good read—or several! Set up a hammock in your backyard or lay out a blanket under a tree and let yourself unwind with a good book. If you live in an apartment building get a recliner and some tea/coffee.

Take a hike in the great outdoors, canoe the local river, or enjoy a peaceful walk in a nearby park. Pack a lunch for the trip and enjoy a picnic with your family, or even grab your running shoes to hit that runner’s high!

Pitch a tent, light the fire, and make some s’mores. When it’s time to call it a night, crawl into the tent and sleep under the stars. (Or you can bring the gang back inside to sleep in your comfortable beds too—we won’t judge.)

Plan movie nights. You don’t have to leave your house to catch a good flick. Rent a movie—or even better, stream one for free. This is the perfect time to tackle a marathon of trilogies or introduce your kids to iconic classics for the first time. But don’t forget the snacks! Grab some popcorn and candy from a grocery store and you’ll be set.

Stay somewhere new. Let’s be clear: It’s okay to stay at your house during your staycation (and it saves major money not having to pay for a hotel or bed-and-breakfast). But if you do want to switch it up, check in to a local hotel or Airbnb for a night or two. It’s amazing how getting away to a new spot in your hometown can feel so refreshing.

Prompt from 170 Creative Summer Blog Post Ideas for All Bloggers at Nikki Blogs

Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF therapy), also known as low field magnetic stimulation (LFMS) uses electromagnetic fields in an attempt to heal non-union fractures and depression. Pulsed PEMF therapy treats your cells like batteries. It’s common for them to slowly be drained of energy. By the end of a day, your body and mind may feel tired and depleted. That’s where PEMF technology can help. Dr. Williams uses it to generate energy in your cells without an invasive procedure. This amplifies your natural energy and encourages your body to function more effectively. Also known as low field magnetic stimulation, it uses electromagnetic fields to try to help cellular dysfunction. How does PEMF work?

Pulsed PEMF therapy sends magnetic energy into the body. These energy waves work with your body’s natural magnetic field to improve healing. The magnetic fields help you to increase electrolytes and ions. This naturally influences electrical changes on a cellular level and influences cellular metabolism. It works with your body’s own recovery processes to help relieve chronic pain. Best of all, it’s entirely safe.

Ultimately, the human body requires electricity to sign signals throughout the body and to your brain. PEMF therapy effectively can realign the electricity in your cells. When a cell is stimulated, it allows positive charges to enter a cell in an open ION channel. The inside of this cell becomes positively charged, which will trigger other electrical currents, turning into pulses. This can positively influence movement, healing, and sending of signals. Any disruption in electrical currents can lead to dysfunction or illness. Pulsed PEMF therapy helps restore this disruption in electrical current to the normal state, which promotes overall wellness.

There’s absolutely nothing more annoying than those unwanted notifications that disturb your focus during work. In order to eliminate them, just take some time out to temporarily turn off the notifications for all the apps that distract you. As for the computers, you might not be aware of this but turning off email notifications is a great strategy to prevent online distractions.

Screen breaks are undoubtedly a great way to gain your energy back and focus on work. Your eyes demand proper rest for better functioning and it is crucial to give them a timely break for a fresh focus. You can use this time to take a quick walk or a cat nap.But make sure, you don’t stretch that time for too long.

What is the first thing you do when you wake up? Scroll through your mobile phone notifications? Stop doing it! It is not advisable to look at the screen right in the morning.You can replace this with a self-care morning routine where you can work out to improve your health or meditate to calm your mind. Plan your day to maintain your concentration.

While you spend more than half of the day working online, it is crucial to also have some recreational activities that make you feel fresh and help you become more productive. Spend time with your family, play outdoor games, and if you are into art, paint your blues away. The more you decrease your time online, the better you perform. The choice is yours!

Prompt from 121 LIFESTYLE BLOG POSTS IDEAS TO WRITE ABOUT IN 2022 at SheMeansBlogging

Microneedling is a cosmetic procedure. It involves pricking the skin with tiny sterilized needles. The small wounds cause your body to make more collagen and elastin, which heal your skin and help you look younger. You might also hear it called collagen induction therapy. With the evolution of the equipment and techniques, Microneedling treatment process has become more prevalent within skin-care practices.

The steps done by a professional usually are:

• Your doctor will check your skin issues and discuss with you the possible outcomes and the number of sessions that may be required to observe visible results. Your doctor may also prescribe vitamin A and C supplements a month before the procedure. This boosts the cell turnover and collagen production in your skin, which help to get the desired benefits of microneedling.
• A mild anaesthetic cream will be applied on the skin surface, before starting the procedure. This will decrease the pain or discomfort, if any, during the process.
• The doctor will use either a dermaroller or a pen-like instrument with microneedles, and swipe it uniformly across the surface of your skin. This may take anywhere between 20 to 30 minutes depending on the area being treated.
• To finish off, a calming moisturiser or serum will be applied to soothe the treated area.
• Microneedling can be practically done anywhere on your body depending on your treatment goals.

The treatment will take between 10 and 20 minutes, though you’ll need to buffer in more time if you’re receiving topical anesthesia. According to the March 2017 Dermatologic Surgery study, some redness or mild irritation can appear in the first few days — that’s just the skin recovering. The redness should go away within three days. You might also notice that your skin feels tight, swollen, dry, or sensitive to the touch in the days immediately following the treatment, or it might flake away within the week. An in-office treatment will set you back somewhere between $100 and $700, depending on the size of the area being treated.

Microneedling may help with issues like:

• Acne
• Hair loss (also called alopecia)
• Dark spots or patches on your skin (hyperpigmentation)
• Large pores
• Reduced skin elasticity
• Scars
• Stretch marks
• Sun damage
• Fine lines and wrinkles

Is letter-writing dead? Tell us why you think it is or isn’t (or should or shouldn’t be…).

I don’t think it is completely dead but it sure is something that looks less and less necessary as the years pass on by. There are millions and millions of young people who probably have never received or sent a letter in their lives. Infact I bet there are tons and tons of teenagers who don’t even know that the email logo (and Gmail as well) is basically the open envelope and letter inside it peaking out.

My niece for example, who is 16 – most of her generation may never have a use for a letter and writing a letter using a pen and ink. I doubt if she has ever received a letter in her life. The same for my nephews who are 25 & 24 respectively. And all the kids of my cousins. They generation and younger will probably never have to write a letter in their lives unless they are sending it to a grandfather or grandmother who live far away and who don’t have mobiles phones or computers.

And even if they do it is few & far between what people in their 30s & 40s and the ones before us did. Someday soon, if the internet and computers/smartphones reach is increased even more, the letter will become a thing of history and will probably end up being artifacts in a museum.

Prompt from MAY BLOG PROMPTS {12 MONTHS OF WRITING IDEAS} #BLOGPROMPTS at Food Fun Family

f you work from home, you know that having the right equipment is essential to your productivity. Whether you ‘re using a laptop, desktop, or even just your smartphone, making sure your equipment is well-maintained will keep you working at your best. But what happens when that equipment starts to break down?

You could either take it into a repair shop or perhaps try your hand at fixing it yourself. Just remember that fault finding and root cause analysis should be done with caution in mind, you don’t want to injure yourself.

Here are 15 easy steps you can try to fix your equipment yourself.

1. Check the power supply

The first thing you should do if your computer starts acting up is to check the power supply. Oftentimes, loose or frayed wires can be the cause of problems. If the problem is with the power supply, you may need to replace it.

2. Clean the computer case

Dust buildup can cause all sorts of problems, including overheating and short circuits. To clean your computer case, just use a can of compressed air to blow the dust out.

3. Clean the keyboard

A dirty keyboard can also cause problems, so give it a good cleaning with some compressed air or a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment.

4. Clean the screen

If your screen is looking fuzzy, it might just be dusty. Again, you can use compressed air or a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to clean it.

5. Check the cables

Loose or damaged cables can cause all sorts of problems, so make sure they’re all plugged in securely and not damaged in any way. If you’re still having problems, you may need to replace the cable.

6. Update your drivers

If you’re having problems with your printer, scanner, or other devices, make sure you have the latest drivers installed. You can usually find these on the manufacturer’s website.

7. Update your software

Make sure you’re using the latest version of your software, as older versions can often cause compatibility issues. You can usually find updates for your software on the developer’s website.

8. Run a virus scan

If your computer is running slowly or acting strange, it might be infected with a virus. Be sure to run a virus scan with your antivirus software to make sure your computer is clean.

9. Defragment your hard drive

Over time, your hard drive can become fragmented, which can cause performance issues. To defragment your hard drive, just use the built-in tool in Windows. You can also clear your cache files while you’re busy.

10. Restart your computer

If all else fails, restarting your computer can often fix minor problems. If you’re still having issues after restarting, then you may need to take more drastic measures, such as resetting your computer to factory settings or replacing hardware.

11. Check the monitor

Is your computer’s monitor displaying strange colours or lines? It could be a problem with the monitor itself, the video card, or the cables. Try restarting the computer and see if that fixes the problem. If not, you may need to get a new monitor.

12. Check for overheating

If your computer is shutting down randomly, it could be overheating. Make sure all the vents are clear and not blocked by dust. You may also need to get a cooling pad for your laptop or desktop computer.

13. Upgrade your hardware

If your computer is just too old, it might be time for an upgrade. Adding more RAM can often help speed up a slow computer. You might also need to replace your old hard drive with a new SSD.

14. Get a new computer

If your computer is more than five years old, it might be time for a new one. Technology advances quickly, so an older computer might not be able to keep up with the latest software and games.

15. Take it to a repair shop

If you’ve tried all of these things and your computer is still not working, then it’s time to take it to a repair shop. They can diagnose the problem and fix it for you.

In Conclusion

If your computer is having problems, there are a few things you can try to fix yourself. Oftentimes, dust buildup or loose cables can be the cause of issues. Be sure to update your drivers and software to the latest versions and run a virus scan to make sure your computer is clean. If all else fails, you may need to get a new computer.

11 things you will not be able to do without modern technology.

1. Order medicine and groceries. Especially since the pandemic hit us, we have been ordering in our groceries and some of our medicines (dad, mom & I) a lot more than pre-covid.

2. Uber & Ola : As I live in India, I have two options to use as a shared ride service. Since I do not own a car or have a license I usually use one of them to get around town. It is not much these days but yeah, I love the option.

3. Most of my favourite tv shows and movies, plus new ones, I watch on streaming services. Even if I have the dvds for several of my favourites tv shows and movies I still depend on streaming for a lot of shows.

4. Stay in touch with my loved ones

5. Watch porn :D

6. Catch up with sports news and especially watch live football (Arsenal forever).

7. Listen to new music. Streaming is here to stay and also Youtube is my choice for watching live rock band concert clips.

8. Watching vlogs of other people and wishing that my life was half as exciting as theirs.

9.  Social Media – Facebook is a great time waster. Things like Instagram, Twitter etc are all amazing.

10. Learn about new things or things we haven’t been introduced to yet. It’s a vast field of things that we have access to and unfortunately we do not try and learn even a few things a year. But we can and if not for the technology we have now, we wouldn’t be able to do so.

11. Blogging! It is my outlet and my release from the stress of just living.

Prompt from 31 Blog Post Ideas for May at THE FRANGIPANI CREATIVE

If someone is having an asthma attack, always follow the instructions outlined on their medication.  However, if they do not have them to hand, these are the steps to follow. These guidelines are suitable for both children and adults.

Be calm and reassuring as reducing the stress and keeping the casualty calm really helps them to control their symptoms. Panic can increase the severity of an attack. Take one to two puffs of the reliever inhaler (usually blue), immediately – using a spacer device if available.

• Stay as calm as you can and encourage them to stay calm too
• Sit them down, loosen any tight clothing and encourage them to take slow, steady breaths.
• If they do not start to feel better, they should take more puffs of their reliever inhaler
• If they do not start to feel better after taking their inhaler as above, or if you are worried at any time, call 999/112.
• They should keep taking the reliever inhaler whilst waiting for the paramedics to arrive
• If the person has been prescribed an adrenaline auto-injector and you suspect the asthma attack may be due to an allergic reaction and the reliever inhaler is not working administer the AAI. Give this injection into the upper, outer part of their thigh according to the instructions. If worried in any way, check with the emergency services and keep them informed and updated as to the casualty’s condition.

Encouraging someone to sit upright is generally helpful when dealing with breathing problems. Sitting the wrong way round on a chair may be a good position for them.

As the mercury rises in late April, May and going on into June, with the sun at it’s brightest we run the riskof heatstroke and exhaustion if you step outside and are out in the streets for longer than a few minutes. Heat exhaustion is not usually serious if you can cool down within 30 minutes. If it turns into heatstroke, it needs to be treated as an emergency.

The signs of heat exhaustion include:

• a headache
• dizziness and confusion
• loss of appetite and feeling sick
• excessive sweating and pale, clammy skin
• cramps in the arms, legs and stomach
• fast breathing or pulse
• a high temperature of 38C or above
• being very thirsty

The symptoms are often the same in adults and children, although children may become floppy and sleepy. If someone is showing signs of heat exhaustion, they need to be cooled down.

If someone has heat exhaustion, follow these 4 steps:

1. Move them to a cool place.
2. Get them to lie down and raise their feet slightly.
3. Get them to drink plenty of water. Sports or rehydration drinks are OK.
4. Cool their skin – spray or sponge them with cool water and fan them. Cold packs around the armpits or neck are good, too.

Stay with them until they’re better. They should start to cool down and feel better within 30 minutes.