Caramel Dream sundae from Alps Tasters.
Month: January 2019
Simple Home Renovations You Can Do On A Budget
Most people at some point will want to make some changes in their house, and although these can often be bigger changes that require a bit more planning, not all renovations will be requiring you to start knocking down walls and living without plumbing for a week – there are actually many simple things you can do in your house if you’re looking for a bit of a change, but either don’t require a big renovation project or simply don’t have it in the budget at the moment.
So, in this post, we’re going to share with you what those things are so you can start implementing them for yourself and get the changes you want.
Fix up your garden:
Although not inside your house, the garden is still part of your house, and it should be maintained and looked after as much as the rest of it. It can be easy to let the garden be somewhat neglected – especially if you’re not living in a country where you have a great climate that allows you to use your garden like you wanted. However, if you have a garden and add the right kinds of things to it, then you can actually get the benefit of it all year round.
For example, if you get snow in the winter, then building a snowman with the kids is a great way to have fun and get some fresh air, and even things like a hot tub can be enjoyed all year round – in fact they’re actually more enjoyable when the air is cold since the water offers a very enjoyable contrast.
Of course, you don’t need to go overboard when it comes to using your garden, but simple things like keeping the grass cut so that it’s neat and tidy, and even adding some simple furniture that can be enjoyed during the warmer months and not using your garden as an outside junk storage area are all simple things that can make a big positive difference.
Repurpose furniture:
If your furniture is starting to look a bit worn, then you don’t have to be so hasty and just get rid of it – if you’re in any way creative, then you could repurpose the furniture and use it in different ways – not only is this better for your wallet, but also allows you to create a new piece of furniture and it’s better for the environment since this furniture won’t just end up in a landfill somewhere. If you’ve never looked into repurposing furniture before, then it’s really not that scary or difficult, and with plenty of ideas and tutorials available on places like YouTube and Pinterest, then you’re really going to find it pretty easy to create something great.
Give your basement a purpose:
If you have a basement in your house that’s basically just sitting there doing nothing and maybe being used to store junk, then maybe it’s time to come up with a creative way to use that space. Nowadays, basement conversions and renovations are really gaining in popularity, and you can actually do this for surprisingly little money. Although you can find lots of ideas online for creative ways to use your basement, some simple ideas you could get started with include a game room, a cinema room, a study, or even a bar where you could entertain guests. You can pick up affordable things like Reclaimed Wood Tables if you wanted to go for a stylish bar theme, or even leather recliner chairs for a cinema, so have a look around and see what ideas you can come up with.
Add some colour:
If you want to brighten your place up and you’re on a budget, then one of the very best ways to go about it is by painting. Paint is something that’s very cheap and easily accessible pretty much everywhere, so even if you’ve never picked up a paint brush in your life, it’s pretty hard to mess this up. You can totally transform any room with a few coats of paint, which really is why it’s probably one of the best choices for doing some home renovations on a budget. If you’re not sure which colour scheme to go with, then you can have a look online or even in home and living magazines to get some great inspiration and ideas.
Replace the bathroom and kitchen doors:
If you really want to renovate some of the main rooms in your house like the bathroom and kitchen, but don’t have a big renovation in the budget, then you can still create a beautiful and highly professional renovation simply by replacing things like cupboard doors without actually having to rip out the main units. Even things like countertops can easily and affordably be replaced to give your room a brand new look.
Change your accessories:
Accessories are so simple to get a hold of these days, and since they’re mostly affordable, then you can easily pick up some great things that will give your room a completely new look without having to carry out massive renovations or anything complicated. You could change the colour scheme of your couch throw cushions, lamps and candles and feel like you’ve walked into a whole new room – especially if you combine your new accessories with some paint.
Declutter:
Although decluttering isn’t technically a renovation, it’s still worth mentioning because it’s really something that can make a huge positive difference in your home – plus if you clear out all the old junk that you’re keeping lying around for no good reason, then you’re going to have more space available to actually make the simple changes listed above stand out more.
Add some storage:
Once you’ve decluttered everything you don’t need, then the best way to keep yourself organized and on top of things is to give everything its own place, and you can do this by adding simple storage solutions. Things like drawers, units and shelves are all things you can pick up easily and for little money.
Buying Gifts
I am not good at buying presents. I always fret too much and cannot buy anything that I like and think will be a good gift for someone. Luckily for me, we don’t really give presents here on birthdays or another occasion like a holiday / festival (unless you count getting clothes on Onam or Vishu) like Christmas and most Western countries. I would be terrible at it!
The last few times I have bought gifts were for Christmas / New Year and Secret Santa type of gifts. I bought a wallet and a specific coffee mug for a guy I barely knew at work in 2017. This season it was a colleague I know well but not enough to know what she likes and dislikes. Someone else suggested a clutch or books as she is a reader but I don’t know what books she likes and I don’t know anything about women’s handbags. So I went on my usual type of gift when it comes to girls. I got her a teddy bear kinda thing (it was a dog) and she loved it a lot.
Someone who is very close to me is getting married on Feb 1st and I wanted to get her a gift. I won’t be able to go for the wedding as I will be working. But I kept searching online for gifts that I could buy for her. Although I looked at vases and floor lamps, I finally settled on this watch that you see here. I hope she likes it!
Three Older DVDs That I Already Had
Cupcakes. Yay Or Nay?
Cupcakes! At one point of time, atleast in India, was the last thing that I would ask for as far as desserts were concerned. Or at a coffee shop! They were usually dry, flat on top and nothing much in terms of taste and all came in one flavour. You needed a cup of coffee or tea just to create enough moistness to push the stuff down your throat and into your stomach.
Nowadays it seems like cupcakes look so much more enticing and delicious and quite fancy. I guess the recent food renaissance in places like Cochin and the rest of India is the hero in this story. With so many channels that have international food, cooking & baking shows and with the internet having literally 1000s of cooking channels, it was inevitable that even the dry cupcake that we were used to would get a make over.
So like in many other countries, we have some places like Bloomsbury, Baker’s Walk & Bake Lady that will make for you a host of deliciously frosted & decorated cupcakes. I am not the biggest fan of cupcakes but I will try out the odd one here or there.
Prompt from 16 WRITING PROMPTS FOR FOOD BLOGGERS at The Food Bloggers of Canada
Arsenal 2 Chelsea 0
Arsenal earned an important win in a pulsating London derby against Chelsea to keep themselves in the race for the Premier League top four. The victory moves the Gunners to within three points of fourth-placed Chelsea and back above Manchester United, who had gone fifth by beating Brighton. Alexandre Lacazette put Arsenal ahead in the 14th minute when he made the most of a poor Hector Bellerin cross with a fine first touch before turning and beating Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga at his near post with a fierce strike.
Arsenal’s intense pressing hampered Chelsea’s ability to play the ball from the back, particularly in the first half, and the Gunners deservedly added a second through captain Laurent Koscielny in the 39th minute. Chelsea failed to mark well enough at another set-piece and Koscielny missed a free header but the ball fortuitously looped in off his shoulder. Maurizio Sarri’s Chelsea struggled to create in the first half but did hit the post on the stroke of half-time through Marcos Alonso’s header at a corner. They posed greater threat in the second half but failed to have a shot on target until the 82nd minute as Arsenal’s defence, led by the excellent Koscielny, held firm.
Arsenal and Chelsea both appointed new managers in the summer and both came into the game at the Emirates with questions marks over their progress after difficult recent results. Arsenal had lost four of their last eight games, having been unbeaten in their previous 22, while Chelsea had only won four of their last seven games. Defeat to the Blues would have seen a seven-point gap open between the Gunners and the top four but their intensity and work-rate in the early stages put their opponents on the back foot from the outset.
I Shoulda Learned To Play The Guitar
Searching
Searching is a 2018 American thriller film directed by Aneesh Chaganty in his feature debut and written by Chaganty and Sev Ohanian. Set almost entirely on smartphones and computer screens, the film follows a father (John Cho) trying to find his missing 16-year-old daughter (Michelle La) with the help of a police detective (Debra Messing). It is the first mainstream Hollywood thriller headlined by an Asian-American actor.
A San Jose, California family – dad David Kim, mom Pamela & young daughter Margot – are seen in the opening credits in montages of taking photos, creating profiles on their home pc, then on Apple devices, take family photos, videos and sending mails. Pam dies of cancer leaving David to raise their teenaged daughter on his own. 2 years pass by the time the montage ends. One night, Margot goes to a friend’s house for her study-group and speaks to David who reminds her to do her chore of taking out the garbage. While David sleeps, Margot attempts to call him three times. The next morning, David is unable to reach Margot but assumes she has risen early to go to school. Later, he calls Margot’s piano instructor, but is informed that Margot had cancelled her lessons six months ago.
David discovers that Margot had been depositing the money for the lessons into her bank account, before suddenly transferring $2,500 to a deleted Venmo account. Realizing that Margot is missing, David calls the police, and the case is assigned to Detective Rosemary Vick, who asks for information about Margot’s personality and friendships. Alarms start to ring and David calls her friends on Facebook and finds out that the Margot actually has no friends from school. Vick calls to report that Margot made a fake ID for herself, and shows traffic-camera footage of Margot’s car at a highway-juncture outside of the city, suggesting Margot may have deliberately run away. When David expresses disbelief at his daughter’s action, Vick tells him an anecdote about her son, who she caught soliciting money from neighbors for a police charity in her name. She reveals that she ended up covering up for her son, telling the neighbors that she created the charity, and assures David that sometimes parents have no way of understanding their children.
David then finds Margot’s YouCast (a live streaming website) account and sees that she has been frequently chatting with a girl who goes by fish_n_chips. He tells this to Vick who says she enquired and spoke to the girl who is innocent and has an alibi of being in Pittsburgh. David finds that Margot frequently visited Barbosa Lake, which is near the highway-juncture where she was last seen. At the lake David finds Margot’s Pokémon key chain on the ground. The police arrive and discover Margot’s car underwater and an envelope containing $2,500. A sweep of the surrounding area is conducted by the police and volunteers, but a thunderstorm slows the progress. Margot’s body, however, is not found. David tracks a classmat of Margot who claims that she was with him and fights the boy.
his results in Vick telling David he can no longer take part in the investigation. Discouraged, David reviews the crime-scene photographs and notices his brother Peter’s jacket in the car. He then discovers text messages between Peter and Margot, suggesting that they had a sexual relationship. When David goes to Peter’s house to confront him, the latter explains that they actually were smoking weed together, and accuses David of being an incompetent father who did not notice that his daughter was suffering from depression. Just then Vick calls David and says that a a former convict named Randy Cartoff has confessed in an online video to sexually assaulting and killing Margot, and seemingly killing himself afterwards. An empty-casket funeral is arranged for Margot.
As David is uploading photographs to a funeral streaming service, he notices that the website’s stock photograph features the same woman as fish_n_chips’ profile picture, implying that fish_n_chips is a false identity. He calls the woman supposedly behind the fish_n_chips account, and discovers that Vick had never actually contacted her. David attempts to call Vick, but instead reaches a dispatcher who inadvertently reveals that Vick volunteered to take the case, rather than being assigned to it. David googles Vick and finds that she knew Cartoff through a volunteer program for ex-convicts. He proceeds to report this to the sheriff, and at the funeral, Vick is arrested. We then get the confession from Vick that she was covering for her son, Robert.
Robert was using the e fish_n_chips account to get close to Margot because he was attracted to her. Margot sent him $2500 because she thought that he was a working-class girl whose mother was in the hospital suffering from cancer. Robert felt guilty and decided to confront Margot at the lake. He surprised Margot by getting into her car, prompting her to run. While trying to explain himself, Robert accidentally pushed Margot off a 50-foot ravine. He called Vick decided to cover up the incident, pushing the car into the lake and falsifying the story of the fake ID to make it appear that Margot had run away. When David discovered that Margot had gone to the lake the night she disappeared, disproving the story that Margot ran away, Vick was forced to turn Cartoff into a scapegoat to save her son.
When David asks her where where Margot’s body is, and Vick tells him that Margot’s in the ravine and that even if she had survived the fall, she couldn’t have lived without water for five days. David tells the police to turn the car around, pointing out that a storm occurred on the third day of the search which would have provided Margot with water. At the ravine, the rescue crew discovers Margot severely injured but alive. Two years later, Margot is shown to have applied for college to major in piano, with her acceptance status as pending. Photographs and textual conversations show that the relationship between David and Margot has considerably improved.
Really unique perspective and a wonderfully well woven storyline along with an original execution. Good acting from Cho & Messing as well as Michelle La, giving us a great, empathetic character in Margot. 8.5 outta 10!
Care At Your Fingertips: How Phones Have Become A Positive Part Of Life
Busy lives within the home and the career space mean there’s a growing need for technology, specifically within our smartphones and tablets; to make them run smoother. Being able to access help, information, services, and products at the end of their fingertips make for a less stressful, and straightforward life, which is ideal for a busy woman. Ensuring that you strike a healthy balance can mean that you’re able to get the most from your phone, and they can become a positive aspect to many people’s lives, even though they can get a lot of bad press. The following are some of the countless areas of life, that the technology in your hand, can provide the care that you need.
A Place For Calm
With new apps coming into the market at an ever-increasing rate; it can prove difficult for the consumer to know which one to download and use. However, when it comes to mental health apps, there are a few that have made an impact on the market, and they’re helping people on a daily basis. Apps like Headspace, Calm, and Buddhify are just some of the latest in app technology aimed at helping people with their everyday stresses and mental health. By having the techniques and information at hand, wherever they are, people can overcome difficult situations, relax after a bad day, and manage their thoughts, without having to spend time and money on a therapist.
A Place For Help
Time is money, and people want to save both. Technology that helps the consumer in completing tasks with ease is another contributor to the relief of stress and aggravation. When it comes to supplying a business with payment details, or identity verification, it can feel like a laborious task to many, so services like Netverify, Squareup, and Venmo have been developed to make the process run as quickly and smoothly as possible. Whether you need a mesothelioma defense attorneys, a wedding planner, oryou’re in search of a reputable cosmetic dentist; your phone can also provide the contact details and reviews of countless businesses and services. Help really is at your fingertips.
A Place For Entertainment
Whether a person unwinds and switches off through reading, watching a movie, or by playing a game; there’s an app for everything, and they’re readily available in the palm of your hand. Doing something fun and enjoyable is a successful way to relieve stress and decompress after a long day in the office; luckily tablet and smartphone technology provide a quick escape when you’re on the way home, or have already got there. Reading and playing certain games are also thought to keep your brain happy and healthy; therefore, it can’t be a bad thing to have access to fun stuff most of the time.
A Place For All
Smartphones and tablets ensure that people can access exactly what they want and need at any point in their day. Whether it’s searching the web for an answer to a particular question or shopping for something at 3 am in the morning after shift work, the world is at the consumer’s fingertips. Now, online customer care is improving with the use of pop-up technology; so a person can access an assistant at the touch of their screen. Improved customer care for online shoppers will always feel like people are getting a helping hand with their questions and worries.
Finding Your Dream Home
Are you happy where you live, or have you got grand plans to up sticks and find your dream home in the next few years? If your current home doesn’t quite tick all the boxes, and you’re looking to move, here are some tips to help you find the perfect property.
Focus on your finances
We all know that buying real estate, no matter where you are in the world, represents a major investment. Perhaps the most important thing to do when you’re first setting out on a property search is to set a budget. To do this, you’ll need to work out how much you can borrow based on how much you earn and how much you have available to put down as a deposit. You can get a rough idea using mortgage calculators online, but it’s really useful to sit down with a financial adviser, go through your figures, and get some more accurate quotes.
Not everyone will be able to afford the house of their dreams, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to find a home you love. If you’re finding it difficult to get onto the ladder or you’re looking for more affordable ways to rent, look at schemes that are designed to make property acquisition or renting more affordable like built-to-order flats, shared ownership, and initiatives that add interest to your deposit value. It’s worth doing some research in your local area and exploring all the options on the table.
If you have decided that you want to try and buy, use the information you have gathered to determine a viable budget and start your search, looking only at properties that fall within that range.
Creating a wish list
Most people go into a property search with a rough idea of what they’re looking for. In many cases, the perfect home just doesn’t exist, or it isn’t affordable. In this scenario, you have to learn to compromise if you don’t want to increase your budget. Figure out what is essential to you and prioritize these aspects when you’re looking at potential candidates for your short list. Is the garden more important than the house? Can you cope with 2 bedrooms rather than 3? Is your location set, or could you tolerate moving a mile or so in a different direction?
Choosing a location
When you start looking for properties, you’ll be asked to provide a location. Some people know exactly where they want to live down to a cluster of streets. Others have a much more expansive area. If you have a preference, enter that location, but be prepared to search around that spot too. It’s particularly beneficial to be open-minded if you don’t know the local area very well, as you might find that you actually prefer suburbs or parts of the city you’ve not explored in detail before. The location of a property can have a major bearing on its price, and sometimes, moving even a couple of blocks away can make properties much more affordable. You might find that you get a lot more for your money by being flexible. If you’re moving to a city or a town that’s new to you, take a bit of time to have a look around, talk to agents, and get some recommendations.
If you know where you want to live, but you can’t afford the kind of property you want, keep an eye out for up and coming locations nearby. If you’re buying in the city, for example, and you can’t afford established property hot spots, search for areas that are on the up. Look for signs of investment and regeneration like new housing developments, offices, restaurants, and shopping malls. Prices may be lower, which will enable you to buy a bigger, better property, and there’s also a good chance of making money on your investment when you come to sell.
Finding the right property
Unless you’ve got your heart set on a certain aesthetic or style of property, it’s a good idea to look at a range of options. Browse online, call local real estate agents to see what’s available, and book some viewings. You might rule some properties out before you’ve even stepped through the door, but you may be surprised how you feel when you view properties you didn’t necessarily think would interest you. You might think that you’re desperate for a new house, but if your stomach flips when you step into a characterful cottage, it may be worth considering a change of tack. Go with your instincts and use both your heart and your head. You want a home that works for you on a practical level, but it’s also important to get that positive vibe when you walk through the door.
If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, and you’re keen to add value to a property, don’t be afraid to look at homes that need TLC. Taking on a project is hard work, but it can be incredibly lucrative, and it also gives you the chance to put your stamp on your new home. If you are thinking of renovating a house or updating a flat, work out how much you would need to spend before you make an offer. You’ll need to ensure that the remodel costs combined with the purchase price don’t exceed your budget.
Are you thinking of moving? If so, you might be on the verge of starting a new property search. If you’re hunting for your dream home, it’s essential to try and use your head and your heart. Work out how much you can afford to spend first, and do some research into the local market. Create a wish list, contact agents, and have a look online to see what kinds of properties are available within your budget. Arrange some viewings, go back and see potential contenders, and look for potential if you can’t afford your dream home or your first-choice location. Before you make any final decisions, view the property again and make sure you’re 100% sure that it’s the right one for you.
Food Review #267
Mislintat Could Leave Arsenal
Arsenal are refusing to comment on reports their head of recruitment Sven Mislintat is set to leave the club. The Gunners are looking to appoint a technical director, for which Mislintat was expected to be a contender. But it is likely the German, 46, will be overlooked for the role and that is among the factors which could result in his departure. A number of potential scenarios are being discussed and no timescale has been placed on the process. However, sources believe that Mislintat will be the latest high-profile departure in a period of major upheaval for the club.
He joined the Gunners from Borussia Dortmund in November 2017, forming a key part of the of-field restructure overseen by then chief executive Ivan Gazidis. Mislintat was followed into Emirates Stadium by former Barcelona executive Raul Sanllehi, who was named head of football relations.Mislintat was involved in all eight of the signings Arsenal have made since then, most notably the club-record acquisition of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for £56m in January 2018. He also played a key part in the appointment of Unai Emery as head coach to succeed manager Arsene Wenger last summer.
Sanllehi stepped up to become head of football and Vinai Venkatesham switched from chief commercial officer to managing director. With Sanllehi and Venkatesham now in joint leadership – and no change of position for Mislintat – some felt the German could be on his way out. It is thought Sanllehi has been seeking a candidate who is either well known by Emery or has a connection to Arsenal, with ex-Gunners midfielder Edu among those linked. Although there has not been a major breakdown in relations with Mislintat, Arsenal’s lack of money to spend in the January transfer window has also caused issues.
Petr Cech To Retire By Season End
Arsenal keeper Petr Cech is to retire at the end of the season. The 36-year-old joined Arsenal in June 2015 from the club’s London rivals Chelsea, where he spent 11 years. “Having played 15 years in the Premier League and won every single trophy possible, I feel like I have achieved everything I set out to achieve,” said the ex-Czech Republic international. “I will continue to work hard at Arsenal to hopefully win one more trophy this season.” Cech’s career was in doubt in October 2006 when he required surgery for a skull fracture after a collision with Reading’s Stephen Hunt.
The keeper was out for three months and has since worn a protective headguard during games. He added: “This is my 20th season as a professional player and it has been 20 years since I signed my first professional contract, so it feels like the right time to announce that I will retire. “I am looking forward to seeing what life holds for me off the pitch.” Cech arrived in England when he was signed by Chelsea from French club Rennes in July 2004.
He went on to win 13 trophies with the Stamford Bridge club, including one Champions League and four Premier League titles. He also set a club record of 228 clean sheets in all competitions, beating the previous mark of 208 set by former England international Peter Bonetti between 1960 and 1979. Cech eventually lost his place to Belgian Thibaut Courtois before joining Arsenal and helping the Gunners win the FA Cup in 2017.
The Best Active Hobbies for Your Kids
As a parent, you’re probably very keen to get your kids as active as they possibly can be. We all know the dangers of inactivity and modern lifestyles. So in order to keep your kids healthy, you need them to be out there, moving and being as active as possible. The best way to encourage that kind of behavior in your kids is to find hobbies that they can throw themselves into and enjoy, while getting active via them at the same time.
Rock Climbing
Going rock climbing with your kids might be a little scary for you as a parent, but it’s not nearly as risky as it sounds. At indoor centres that are properly licensed and trainers are fully qualified, it’s all very safe. And your kids will love it. CLimbing vertical walls is very fun, but it’s also a great form of exercise and can actually tire out your kids pretty quickly if they really throw themselves into it.
Martial Arts
Martial arts are also a lot safer than you might imagine as a protective parent. It’s as much about activity and discipline as it is about competition. They’ll learn how to tie a karate belt and respect their opponent, so they’ll actually get a lot more out of it than you might think. It’ll also act as a helpful form of exercise that’ll keep them in shape if they stick at it consistently.
Cycling
Cycling is a habit you should get your kids into. Rather than having them relying on your car or public transport, you can get them into the habit of using the cycling lanes instead. Teach them how to ride safely and make it something that you integrate into your daily lives if you can. You can then encourage them to pursue other kinds of competitive cycling if they’re interested in that.
Dancing
Dancing is one of those things that many children enjoy, but they won’t necessarily see it as a form of exercise. However, just because they don’t think about it as exercise, that doesn’t mean it isn’t. It’s actually one of the best forms of exercise out there. You can really get into it and enjoy the music, while also getting fit. It’s something you should definitely consider for your kids.
Swimming
Swimming is another thing that is both useful as exercise while also being a very important skill to have. When your kids feel secure and adept in the water, they’ll be much safer in case they ever need to use those skills in real life. But it’s something that they can do regularly and have fun with if you have a local swimming pool you can take them to. It’s very good exercise for young people.
Getting your kids active and encouraging them to develop hobbies that they can carry with them beyond childhood are both massively important things, so why not combine them? Hopefully, the ideas above have given your some inspiration as you try to encourage active hobbies for your kids.
Choosing The Best Instructional Games For Your Children
It is important for you as a parent to have some influence on the video games your children choose to play. Of course, you need to make sure that the games your children are playing are age appropriate and that they do not contain too much violence either. Nevertheless, your control should run deeper than this. There are lots of instructional free kids’ games available on the internet today. It is important to try and integrate a variation of these into your child’s video gaming habits. After all, the combination of fun and education is a brilliant one that reaps benefits for the parents and children alike. So, how do you find the best instructional video games for your children to play?
Computer interaction
Whilst assessing the different kids’ games available you need to pay particular attention to the level of computer interaction on offer. Computers and the Internet play a monumental role in society today. All children need to get to grips with information technology at some point. After all, everything from doing your shopping to paying your bills is moving to an online platform. Furthermore, technology lies at the centre of most jobs these days. The sooner your children can become familiar with a computer the better. Therefore, you need to source video games with a lot of computer interaction potential. This means you should seek games that require your child to do a lot more than simply use a click on the mouse. This is where driving games come in very handy and beneficial. Get your children to grips with using the keyboard, adjusting the volume, and alike. In addition to this, it is also worth looking for games that have a number of different levels, as your child will learn the value of having to work hard to get the things they want in life. They will also feel a sense of pride whenever they complete a level, which can help with their development and confidence.
Emphasis on teamwork
There are many video games online that boast a two player option and sometimes they even have the potential for more than two players to join in. You should encourage your children to play these games. Working with other people is an essential part of life, both with regards to academically and socially. Children need to develop their social skills from a young age and multiplayer games allow them to do so. In addition to this, multiplayer games are great because children encourage one and other and they learn together. This creates a more fun and relaxing environment. It is also worth bearing in mind the fact that when you learn together, your level of learning often increases because different children bring different qualities to the plate and therefore they help each other in various areas of learning.
Focus on motor skills and hand-eye coordination
And lastly, you need to pay particular attention to motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Motor skills relate to completing a task through the ability to learn a sequence of movements to produce a smooth and efficient action. These two elements are key developmental areas and you will find that they are present in most of the free kids’ games available on the internet. However, some contain more potential for progress than others. You need to look for games whereby emphasis on looking at the screen and using your hands at the same time is evident. And with regards to motor skills look for games, such as action games, that use sequences.
If you take note of the three points mentioned in this article then you give yourself the basis to find the best instructional games for your children. Remember; computer interaction, multi-player potential, and focus on motor skills and hand-eye coordination. If you follow these pieces of advice, you should be able to find instructional games that not only bring your child enjoyment but also aid with their development too. Nevertheless, you still need to be mindful regarding the amount of time your child spends on such games. You also need to monitor your child’s activity to make sure they are not visiting sites or downloading things they should not be.
Three More Religious Jokes
Maria, a devout Catholic, got married and had 15 children. After her first husband died, she remarried and had 15 more children. A few weeks after her second husband died, Maria also passed away. At Maria’s funeral, the priest looked skyward and said, “At last, they’re finally together.” Her sister sitting in the front row said, “Excuse me, Father, but do you mean she and her first husband, or she and her second husband?” The priest replied, “I mean her legs.”
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Three nuns are talking. The first nun says, “I was cleaning in Father’s room the other day and do you know what I found? A bunch of pornographic magazines.” “What did you do?” the other nun asks. “Well, of course I threw them in the trash.” The second nun says, “Well, I can top that. I was in Father’s room putting away the laundry and I found a bunch of condoms!” “Oh my!” gasp the other nuns. “What did you do?” they ask. “I poked holes in all of them!” she replies. The third nun faints.
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A Jewish businessman in America decided to send his son to Israel to absorb some of the culture of the homeland. When the son returned, the father asked him to tell him about his trip. The son said, “Pop, I had a great time in Israel. By the way, I converted to Christianity.” “Oy vey,” said the father. “What have I done?”
He decided to go ask his friend Jacob what to do. Jacob said, “Funny you should ask. I too sent my son to Israel, and he also came back a Christian. Perhaps we should go see the rabbi and ask him what we should do.”
So they went to see the Rabbi. The Rabbi said, “Funny you should ask.I too sent my son to Israel. He also came back a Christian. What is happening to our young people? Perhaps we should go talk to God and ask him what to do.”
The three of them prayed and explained what had happened to their sons and asked God what to do. Suddenly a voice came loud and clear from Heaven. The Voice said, “funny you should ask, I too sent my son to Israel…”
Hired Gun
Hired Gun is a documentary film about the hired guns in the music industry; sidemen musicians who play on records and live concerts for bigger name artists and singers. Directed by Fran Strine’s Hired Gun, introduces the instrumentalists who’ve played everything from heavy metal to Disney kid-pop, and rarely doing much to capture its subjects’ individual quirks.
Interviews with ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, former Billy Joel drummer Liberty DeVitto, Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy, Dio, Quiet Riot) and Five Finger Death Punch guitarist Jason Hook, who was not only a sideman for Alice Cooper and Hillary Duff but is also an investor in the film as well. The movie’s interviewees played with acts like Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica and Alice Cooper and Billy Joel. Some went from nobodies to headliners abruptly: When Metallica’s bassist Cliff Burton died in 1986, Jason Newsted scraped money together from friends to fly out to audition, was hired for $500 per week and eventually got to join the band. Ted Nugent’s old sideman and vocalist Derek St. Holmes recalls how fans wrongly assumed the star sang lead on hits like “Stranglehold”; others were never even credited on records, trading glory for a paycheck.
The sidemen were usually among the best musicians, masters of their instruments of choice. Of studio perfectionists Steely Dan, one interviewee says, “whether you like that band or not, you know that if [a session musician was] ever on a Steely Dan record, they’re one of the baddest motherf—ers walkin’.” Drummers Kenny Aronoff, Glen Sobel and long time Billy Joel’s band member Liberty Devitto are also part of the documentary. What really got me was the story of Billy Joel’s band members, who were once a very tight family unit and post a major problem when Joel’s manager was discovered to have swindled millions from the singer, he changed and stopped trusting anyone. He would eventually fire most of his band, which led to the guitarist committing suicide.
The documentary features over two dozen musicians, who have worked with some of the biggest artists and bands to have graced the international music scene.
– Liberty Devitto: Drummer (Billy Joel)
– Russell Javors: Guitarist (Billy Joel)
– Jason Hook: Guitarist (Mandy Moore, Alice Cooper, Five Finger Death Punch)
– Kenny Aronoff: Drummer (Elton John, Bob Seger, John Mellencamp)
– Chris Johnson: Drummer (Rihanna, Stevie Wonder, Seal)
– John 5: Guitarist (Rob Zombie, Rod Stewart, Marilyn Manson)
– David Foster: Record Producer / Session Musician (Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire, Whitney Houston)
– John JR Robinson: Drummer (Michael Jackson, Daft Punk, Madonna)
– Steve Vai: Guitarist (Frank Zappa, Whitesnake, David Lee Roth)
– Rob McNelley: Guitarist (Lady Antebellum, Bob Seger, Dolly Parton)
– Ray Parker JR.: Guitarist (Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Boz Scaggs)
– Jason Newsted: Bassist (Metallica, Gov’t Mule, Ozzy Osbourne)
– Justin Derrico: Guitarist (P!NK, Tina Turner, Beyonce, The Voice TV show)
– Eva Gardner: Bassist (Cher, P!NK, The Mars Volta)
– Mark Schulman: Drummer (Foreigner, Cher, P!NK)
– Glen Sobel: Drummer (Alice Cooper)
– Michael “Fish” Herring: Guitarist (Christina Aguilera, Tupac Shakur, Prince)
– Steve Lukather: Guitarist (Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Toto)
– Derek St. Holmes: Singer and Guitarist (Ted Nugent)
– Rudy Sarzo: Bassist (Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot, Whitesnake)
– Richard Patrick: Singer and Guitarist (Nine Inch Nails, Filter)
– Phil Buckman: Bassist (Filter, Fuel)
– Brad Gillis: Guitarist (Ozzy Osbourne, Night Ranger)
– Phil X: Guitarist (Bon Jovi, Chris Daughtry, Kelly Clarkson)
– Paul Bushnell: Bassist (Katy Perry, Phil Collins, Elton John)
– Greg Upchurch: Drummer (Chris Cornell, 3 Doors Down, Puddle of Mudd)
– Nita Strauss: Guitarist (Alice Cooper)
– Eric Singer: Drummer (Alice Cooper, KISS, Black Sabbath)
– Jay Graydon: Record Producer/Session Musician (Steely Dan, Earth, Wind & Fire, George Benson)
Artists Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie and P!NK are also among the interviewees, providing the perspective of the superstars who use the services of Hired Guns, as well as Bob Ezrin (Record Producer for Cooper, Pink Floyd, and KISS), also giving his take.
Watch it, it’s good. I give it an 8 outta 10!
How to Make the Most of Your Time in a Recording Studio
When you finally get the chance to record some of your stuff, it’s a great opportunity to nail down your sound and start handing out demos. Whether you are looking to make it big or you just want to know what your mates think, there is no better way to share music than to share a recording.
But whether you are going old school and burning disks or you are planning to upload music on indiesound, there are a few rules of the recording room you should know. This could be your chance to really put yourself out there, so making the most of this short time is crucial to your success.
Practice Beforehand
If you are in the recording studio, you need to be able to play your music without tripping up or working it out as you go along. For all that some of the best songs have come from improvisation, the time for that has passed and you need to focus your sights on recording, not rehearsing.
Make sure that you know exactly what you are going to do before you even set foot in the studio. Give yourself plenty of time to perfect the music so that you almost don’t have to think for it to come out just as you like. A bit like rehearsing for an exam, the closer to second nature it gets, the better the quality of the sound will be on the recording.
When you are practicing though, don’t just play through. Do pick bits apart and rehearse tiny segments of the music by themselves. This will help to aid the cohesion of the piece so that the hard bits sound just as easy as the basics. In fact, recording yourself on your phone before you get to the recording studio will give you an idea of what you can and can’t get away with!
Figure Out Your Musical Priorities
Because recording studios are expensive to rent, you need to have a game plan in order to make the most of the time you have. Even if you can afford multiple goes to get it right, recording fatigue is a real problem for musicians and what might have started out as a raw expression can quickly fade into an average, over-produced flop.
It can take much longer than you might think to record a single song with some methods even taking hours to achieve – especially if you are dubbing over each instrument and you have a big sound! But even if you aren’t putting a professional album together, you need to leave plenty of time to have a few goes at each song you want to record.
You should also leave some time for warming up. This is really important for everyone because warming up isn’t just about heating your instrument or loosening your vocal cords, it’s also a chance to get used to the room you are playing in. Having a particular warm up song or piece that gets you in the mood is a brilliant hack if scales and intervals aren’t your jam.
Have a Goal in Mind
People use recording studios for all kinds of things from creating a memento to building a first single as a way to promote yourself as a musician. Knowing what you are here for is essential for the process to work.
Kids bands and musical companies often use studios to record an album that can be treasured for years to come. These albums are usually a bit rough and ready because the songs tend to be done in one take, but they are also hugely valuable as they bring a real sense of achievement. When the goal is to have fun in the studio, you need to make sure that this is the top priority and allow the sound to go just a little bit.
However, if you are recording a single to present to a producer, you will definitely have a different attitude altogether. In this case, you need to make sure that you are completely focused on the sound and willing to go again and again until you have what you are looking for. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun (you should!) just that your schedule will be a bit tighter and a lot more intense.
Recording for any reason is always a great experience to have as a musician as the microphone captures exactly what it hears. If you ever want a true glimpse of your musical talent, the studio can be an unforgiving space, but it can also bring the magic to your ears.