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grailfinders · 4 years

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Fate and Phantasms #73: Santa Alter

This has been one of the longest weeks I’ve ever seen. I need a little Christmas, now. Fortunately, there’s one servant who can help with that, Santa Alter! Deliver presents to good kids, and excaliburings to bad ones, all from the back of your very own flying reindeer! (Reindeer sold separately)

Check out the breakdown below the cut, or her character sheet over here!

Race and Background

Despite everything, Artoria is still a Human, giving her +1 to all stats. She may have the holy grail and the spirit of Christmas knocking around inside her, but that doesn’t change her physically. She’s a Knight of the Order, giving her proficiency with Persuasion and Arcana.

Stats

Make sure your Strength is high, you’ll need it to lug around that giant sword. To be Santa, you have to be good at telling if someone’s naughty- Wisdom is a must. Your personality has mellowed out a little bit, but the prestige of being Santa means you still have some Charisma. Your Dexterity is lower than I’d like it- it might be a good idea to stay in your old spirit origin’s armor, maybe just wear a festive hat instead. Your Constitution is also pretty low, but we’re dumping Intelligence. You didn’t have much formal education, and what you did have came from Merlin.

Class Levels

1. Cleric 1: Santa is a shining light in the darkest part of the year so if you want to be him, a Twilight cleric is a good place to start. This gives you proficiency with Heavy Armor and Martial Weapons, Wisdom and Charisma saves, and Insight and Religion checks. You’ve got to be able to suss out someone’s true intentions, no matter how much charm magic they throw your way.

First level clerics can prepare Spells using their Wisdom Modifier. Twilight Clerics also get Eyes of Night, giving them 300′ of darkvision to pick out houses on your flight. You can also use your bonus action to give any number of creatures up to your wisdom modifier this darkvision for 1 hour. You can give your vision away once per long rest, or by burning spell slots. You can also bestow a Vigilant Blessing, giving one creature at a time advantage on their next initiative check as an action.

For your cantrips, Thaumaturgy is a great utility spell, and Guidance is a little gift you can give party members to help with checks. Not all your gifts are nice though, so grab Toll the Dead too.

You can prepare any spell you can cast on long rests, but you also get your domain spells, Faerie Fire and Sleep. The latter will definitely help keep any wandering children from noticing you at work. For other spells, Sanctuary and Cure Wounds are more gifts for the party, and Bane and Wrathful Smite are more “gifts” for your enemies.

2. Cleric 2: Second level clerics can Channel Divinity, giving you one of two options once per short rest. You can choose to Turn Undead like most clerics, or create a Silent Night with your Twilight Sanctuary. This uses your action to create a sphere of twilight around you for up to a minute. If a creature ends their turn in the sphere, they can gain one of two effects (or neither, if they’ve been naughty): they gain 1d6 Temporary HP, or you end one charm or frightening effect on them.

3. Cleric 3: Third level clerics get second level spells, including your domain spells Darkness and Invisibility, for Santa-level stealth. For more spells, Aid can increase your very small health pool, as well as the health of your party, and Continual Flame will create a light to help those members without darkvision. If you want to power game later, call Hold Person a freezing spell to hold a person in place and get guaranteed criticals on them.

4. Cleric 4: Use your first Ability Score Improvement to become a War Caster, letting you cast spells as attacks of opportunity, gain advantage on concentration saves, and cast somatic spells while holding weapons. There are other ways to cast spells while holding a sword, but his is faster. Plus, the advantage is really useful, given your low constitution.

Also, pick up Mending to help repair any toys before you give them out. You don’t want to be giving people broken presents, do you? Wait, maybe you do...

5. Cleric 5: At fifth level, your Turn Undead can now Destroy Undead of CR rating 1/2 or less. You can also cast third level spells, like Leomund’s Tiny Hut if you want to build an igloo or Aura of Vitality for some cheap healthcare. For non domain spells, Tongues will help you become the international figure you are, and Bestow Curse is the next big advancement in naughty gifting technology. Why give coal when you can give curses?

6. Cleric 6: You can now use your Channel Divinity twice per rest, and your footprints are now the Steps of Night. If you’re standing in dim light or darkness, you can use your bonus action to gain a flying speed for one minute. You can use this a number of times per long rest equal to your proficiency bonus. (It’s been a while since last Christmas, but I’m pretty sure the reindeer is supposed to fly, right? Anyway.)

7. Warlock 1: Warlocks are kind of like clerics but edgier, and you’re all about that edge. If Santa was going to be any patron, my money would be on him being a Celestial; all about light and joy, that one. Taking the fat man up on his pact gives you Pact Magic, a separate set of spell slots, and Spells that are cast with Charisma. You also get a Healing Light, a couple d6 you can throw around to heal your allies as a bonus action. You regain your maximum of 1+ your warlock level dice after long rests, and can use up to your charisma modifier dice at once.

For cantrips, you get Light and Sacred Flame for free, but you also get Eldritch Blast to start up your Excalibur, and Prestidigitation to actually make some toys for once.

For spells, Expeditious Retreat will help you run like Rudolph, and Armor of Agathys will put a winter chill on any attackers.

8. Warlock 2: You get two Invocation at this level, but save one for level 3, it’s worth it. Right now though, you can grab Agonizing Blast to power up your Eldritch blast just a bit more. (If you want to be more true to character, replace this with Armor of Shadows so you can fight in a Santa suit.) You also get a Hellish Rebuke, in case they didn’t get the message with the ice last level.

9. Warlock 3: When you take the Pact of the Blade, you can summon a magical version of Excalibur as an action. You should also pick up Improved Pact Weapon using that invocation from last level to make it even stronger and count as a spell focus for you. Grab Mind Spike to deal a bit of psychic damage, and always know the target’s location for up to an hour. It doesn’t say if you know if they are sleeping or awake, but it’s probably safe to assume you do.

10. Warlock 4: Use this ASI to bump up your Strength for a better sword experience. For your spells, Minor Illusion will help you make some larger presents as long as the kids are gullible, and Crown of Madness is simply fun for all ages.

11. Cleric 7: Pick up your 4th level domain spells at this level. Aura of Life will keep those crybabies in your party alive, and Greater Invisibility will let you stab and sneak at the same time. For more spells, Freedom of Movement might let you go up a chimney.

12. Cleric 8: Use this ASI to round up your Constitution and Wisdom scores for stronger spells and stronger not dying. Destroy Undead now hits CR 1 creatures, and you gain a Divine Strike. Once per turn, you can add 1d8 Psychic damage to your weapon attacks. Maybe give them a doll while attacking them, that’ll throw them off their game.

13. Cleric 9: Ninth level clerics get 5th level spells. Your domain spells are Circle of Power, giving the give of evasion, and Dream will help you find the perfect gift for a target. To terrify them, if you want, dealing some psychic damage and disrupting their long rest. For even more spells, Scrying helps you actually tell if someone is sleeping or awake.

14. Cleric 10: At this level, you can call down the power of Santa himself in the form of Divine Intervention. One tenth of the time, he’ll help you out in a way the DM approves. You can use this once per day, but if it succeeds you’ll have to wait a week. You also get Word of Radiance. Sing a carol, blast some enemies, it’s a fun time.

15. Warlock 5: Fifth level warlocks get access to third level spells like Fly. Now you can slap this on a reindeer for authenticity, or keep your flight ability during the day. You also get a new invocation: Eldritch Smite turns your Excalibur into an EXcalibur, eating a spell slot to add force damage to your attacks.

16. Warlock 6: Sixth level Celocks are Radiant Souls, letting you add your charisma modifier to one creature’s damage when you use a spell that deals radiant or fire damage. You also get another spell; Fear lets you create the greatest, most disturbing gift a person could receive (in their minds), forcing creatures in the area of effect to become afraid and drop what they’re holding. They also have to move as far away from you as they can each turn.

17. Warlock 7: Seventh level warlocks get 4th level spells, and the Shadow of Moil gives you another magical counterattack, while also darkening the area around you. This means instead of casting a third level spell to fly, you can cast a fourth level spell and use your bonus actions instead! Wait...

Anyway, you also get your last Invocation, and Thirsting Blade will finally give you an Extra Attack to bring you on par with your non Christmas counterpart.

18. Cleric 11: Destroy Undead now hits CR 2 creatures, and you can cast sixth level spells! Harm is your biggest gift yet, and Planar Ally will let you summon an... elf... to help out with the gift giving. Yes, elves have horns, why do you ask?

19. Cleric 12: Use your last ASI to beef up your Constitution for more health and better concentration. You really don’t want to drop that while flying.

20. Cleric 13: Your capstone level gives you access to 7th level spells, and more importantly, a seventh level spell slot. If you really want to use it for magic, Regenerate would be a nice way to tell your party you’re thinking about them. Or you can use it to eviscerate your enemies with smites. Either or.

Pros:

Being able to fly is awesome, especially when you don’t have to concentrate half the time. Keep yourself safe while supporting the party!

Being able to smite makes you great at burst damage, especially with your cleric levels giving you access to hold person for guaranteed crits. 10d8 Force is nothing to sneeze at.

You’re great at fighting dirty. Fly out of the enemy’s reach, frighten them, turn invisible, lock them in place, or ruin their sleep beforehand. It’s fine; you’re Santa, so everything you do is for the greater good.

Cons:

It’s a good thing you don’t have to fight fair, because with your AC and HP you won’t be very good at it. (Especially if you want to be authentic and not wear plate.)

Being a warlock and a cleric nets you a lot of magic power, but that split casting skill means you’re not that great at it, especially the warlock spells.

You don’t get a second attack until level 17, and that’s just sad.

Next up: I am thou, and thou art me...

#D&D 5e #Santa Alter #FGO #fate grand order #fate and phantasms

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myloyalpet · 3 years

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English Bulldogs: The Best And Healthiest Foods For English Bulldog ..!

English bulldogs are an ancient breed originally created by breeding fierce animals with smaller ones. When used during bear or bull baiting events (essentially dogfighting), humans could protect themselves while betting on which animal would win out and thus make money off the spectacle. The result is an adorable medium-sized puppy who wants nothing but love. Today, despite their aggressive origins, these dogs have been bred to be sweet, gentle, and timid; they no longer look like what you'd expect from a traditional English Bulldog anymore!

For this reason alone, if you've been thinking about getting an English bulldog, then you must know how to feed them because they might suffer from different health issues such as food allergies, kidney disease, hypothyroidism, Cushing's Disease, and more. Unfortunately, there is not enough information available on the internet related to the best foods they can eat to maintain optimal health. So, we created a helpful guide for you that will provide you ample guidance.

Types of Bulldog

The Bulldog is not a single breed but rather many different types of breeds. Name the word "bulldog," and an image of a muscular, hefty dog with a wrinkled face comes to mind for most people; but there's more than one type! Here are some following types of bulldogs.

1) Olde English Bulldogge

The Olde English Bulldogge is also known as a pure-breed American pit bull terrier. These can get up to 100 pounds and are not recommended for apartment living because of their size; they need room to run around. In addition, the United Kennel Club bred them to avoid interbreeding with other dogs like the American Staffordshire Terrier, making it lose its "true" pedigree. The Olde English Bulldogge was originally developed to preserve the breed's original look before showing restrictions had been applied in the UK. It has a larger build than the modern-day Bulldog but still looks relatively similar otherwise.

2) The French Bulldog

Frenchies are the perfect dog for anyone who desires a faithful, intelligent pet. They have bat-like ears and come in many colors, with their most popular is black and white and cream or brown combinations of these two colors. These dogs can be great companions to individuals living alone due to their loving nature, which is entertaining because they require constant attention from owners! French Bulldog's intelligence has been proven by how quickly it responds when given commands such that some people call them "the Einsteins of Dogs."

3) American Bulldog

The American Bulldog derived from bloodlines present in colonial America before the Civil War between two countries (the US and England). English Bulldogs were brought here due to their popularity in England and their appearance in Roman culture. The American Bulldog is a big, sturdy family dog who loves children and has an innate need for human companionship. They make great fire dogs because they have strong noses that help save their humans from fires or other serious accidents (there's plenty of evidence online about how this breed saved its owner).

4) Pit Bull

Englishmen originally bred the pit bull terrier for entertainment in fighting matches. This type of bulldogs was used in blood sports like bear-baiting or as amusement in building anger in dogs by holding restrained bulls or bears while two dogs fought to the death over them and other similar forms of barbaric entertainment. Both sides claim their own history, whether they have been around for thousands of years or hundreds.

5) English Bulldog

Bred in the United Kingdom and can be traced back through standard bloodlines to ancient times. The English Bulldog is a popular pet for families due to its affectionate nature and calm temperament. The breed has broad chests, wide-set shoulders, drooping jowls that give them their signature look of being "bulldognish" (droopy). Their skin can be loose as well as short coats in colors like brindle or white. A male average about 54 pounds while females average 50 pounds with ears rosed instead of double flopped over on the head and piebald striping patterns on the body with black noses.

Benefits Of Having An English Bulldog As Pet

The English bulldog has many benefits to its owner. First, it makes a great companion because it loves attention and will always be there when needed. Second, bulldogs are also known for their ability to calm down young children and even older adults suffering from depression (as long as they get plenty of affection in return). English Bulldogs are especially skilled at this because of their kind nature. Third, Owning an English Bulldog is relatively cheap compared to other dogs who need more extensive care. In general, the English bulldog makes a great pet. Finally, They are very friendly and give their owners plenty of affection in return for being treated well. If you want to get a dog that can provide comfort when needed, help relieve stress and depression, and provide companionship for yourself or your family, an English Bulldog may be right for you!

1) It Helps With Depression

Because the majority of these dogs love human company so much, they make excellent companions for those who like affection but do not have anyone to hug during their daily routine. Also, since these dogs are so easygoing and calm, having one around can help ease the stress from the tension caused by depression.

2) Very Kind With Children

These dogs have been proven to be especially good with children because of their gentle nature. This is also beneficial to adults who have insomnia or other sleeping disorders. In addition, having a bulldog in the home can provide comfort and security for parents who may have trouble sleeping at night due to worries about their job or family life.

3) Save Owner Money

Owning an English bulldog is relatively cheap compared to other dogs who need more extensive care (such as those that require grooming services). English Bulldogs do not need much exercise either; they are content with taking a walk around the neighborhood or simply exploring the house. These dogs also eat less food than other breeds, which can save money on pet food purchases.

4) Easy To Train

English Bulldogs are one of the world's most popular dogs for their friendliness, and they're also really easy to train. They learn fast, so if you can teach them a few tricks, it won't be long before your pup opens doors or turns off lights without being told! Of course, these pups aren't known as "the brightest," which means that don't expect too much from them when it comes to solving puzzles, but with some training, these doggies will come up big in life by learning tasks such as getting dressed on their own instead of relying solely on human help.

English Bulldogs Prone To Food Allergies

The English Bulldog is one of the most recognizable and iconic dog breeds. Unfortunately, the breed's popularity has actually sparked a few woes, including health issues related to their distinct looks. If you're thinking about getting an English Bulldog, you should know that they are likely to suffer from allergies.

While all dogs can develop food sensitivities, Bulldogs seem more susceptible than other dogs. There's no way to tell for sure if your puppy will become allergic after eating certain foods (or treats). Some owners even start feeding their pups a new diet with little or no problems. Your dog could just get a little itchy or have mild gastrointestinal issues for a while and then eventually adjust fine to their new diet. For other dogs, a new diet causes major skin problems that require immediate attention and care. The worst cases can even result in chronic itching and constant scratching, hot spots on the nose and face, or even hair loss.

Commonly allergenic foods for English Bulldogs are wheat (even small amounts), dairy products, soybean(s)/soy(ed) products (including soy-based treats), corn/corn products (including corn-based treats), flour/wheat flour, or any ingredients containing these items from any source listed above.

If you are worried about what you should feed your beloved pet, you do not need to worry further; you can check our great options here: "best food for English bulldogs in 2021".

What Should You Consider Before Buying the Best Food for English Bulldogs?

English bulldogs are one of the most recognizable breeds in terms of their short muzzle, flat face, and small jaw. Unfortunately, this gives them many health problems, including difficulty chewing food properly or eating without difficulties breathing. They also often have dental issues that can lead to other complications; they may get an immune system disorder or digestive troubles, and obesity because they can't exercise enough due to physical limitations from those ailments. Furthermore, when it comes down to lifespan English Bulldogs don't have much going for them, with 8-10 years being the average age before illness takes over - some living longer than others but not by too long either way!

Consider these important things before buying food for English bulldogs:

1) Choose Healthy Food

English Bulldogs are not as hearty and healthy as other dogs. This is because they have a sensitive stomach that is easily upset by certain ingredients in dog food, such as because they can't digest them well. The efficient way to avoid this problem is with high-quality meat sources like beef or chicken, which will provide the protein your bulldog needs without upsetting his delicate system too much. Besides grains like bulgogi ingredients which may be difficult on their digestive system, there is plenty of other safe options, including fruits and vegetables that can be good nutrition for your lovely dog.

2) Age

The best food for your English Bulldog depends on its age. Puppies require more DHA and protein to support healthy growth, while adults need higher fat content with lower protein levels. Seniors who are growing old should also be given a diet containing joint health ingredients such as glucosamine or chondroitin sulfate in order not to experience weight gain problems caused by arthritis-related inflammation!

3) Budget

Your English bulldog is worth so much to you that the best food out there for it should be your top priority. But, make sure you get one at a good price with great quality! Dry foods are generally cheaper than wet brands However, if you can't find these high quality dry or wet foods locally, in that case, it's worth ordering them online as shipping costs will often be cheaper than purchasing from pet shops or interacting with veterinary clinics for each new purchase trial-and-error (which may end up being harmful to your dog).

If you are having problems finding the best food for your lovely English bulldog, then don't worry; we have great options for you; check out our best food for English bulldog 2021.

Conclusion

English Bulldogs are known for their loving natures, but they often suffer from health problems such as obesity and breathing difficulties. A balanced and healthy diet will provide all nutrients to your lovely pet without disrupting digestion or causing weight gain. Wellness CORE RawRev Grain-Free Dog Food contains everything your Bulldog needs in one bowl of food while keeping his digestive system clear. Not only does it come with vitamins A, C & E, which help strengthen bones and teeth along with omega 3 fatty acids crucial for heart function; this formula has been slowly cooked, so there's no risk of choking on chunks! Furthermore, it will provide them with energy throughout their day so they can be more active! To find out more about the best food for your bulldog…Click Here..!

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purplesurveys · 3 years

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1029

[found at: zelthie]

What were you doing before you got on the computer? I took a long-ass shower after the humid nightmare that was today.

Is there anything you really want right now? I wish I had some pastry to go with my iced coffee. I miss my studying sessions at coffee shops :( and it’s not like I’ll get to have them again once Covid is over, because I’m not even in school anymore. Sigh. Also, a longer weekend. I can hardly believe it’s Sunday again tomorrow, and that after that will be Monday again. I love my work, but I also want to reeeeeeeeest.

What's the best gift you've ever gotten? Probably the front-row concert tickets my dad got me for Paramore. Outside of my parents, I really appreciated the scrapbook Gabie made for me three years ago. It turned out to be the first and only handmade gift she’d ever make for me, so I think of it fondly.

What's a song you think the world needs to listen to? Idk, people have different tastes and so it may not be possible to name a song that would successfully appeal to everybody.

Has there ever been a person you regret ever being friends with? As much as I like to firmly believe that regretting friendships should be avoided as much as possible because those people made me happy at one point, I’ve got nothing nice to say about Marielle.

Do you think you have a good understanding on love? I don’t know anything anymore.

You just discovered a new color! What would you name it? No thanks, please don’t ask me to be creative any time of the day.

What's your favorite ice cream flavor? Cookies and cream, and recently, chocolate chip cookie dough.

What do you want to do on your honeymoon? I have not had one but should I do, I’d love to go somewhere non-beachy for a change.

What's one thing you remember learning in school? Spelling difficult words. English (the language, not literature) was my favorite subject in middle school and I always liked the pop spelling quizzes we had. There are some words I could still remember getting wrong, like ‘rendezvous’ and ‘coup d’etat’ but I was always excited about learning their correct spellings so that I could start using them on my own time as well.

Are you more of a cat or dog person? Dog for sure.

How do you want to be remembered by people? [trigger warning] Idk. Whenever I think about...leaving, I always also think about leaving some kind of note instructing whoever’s in charge of stuff to keep things hushed, because I don’t want the whole thing to be a big deal and for it to spread. I don’t really want to be remembered for anything.

Do you like road trips? Yaaaaaaaaas. As long as I’ve got the right playlist that’s also long enough as well as several seasons of Friends, I’d be good to go.

Do you think Medical Marijuana should be legalized? I haven’t read much about it and that topic in general is still widely taboo over here, but I personally have nothing against it.

If you were forced to dye your hair another color, what color would you get? Brown.

Excited for anything? My first paycheck :D :D

What do you think of your parent(s)? They’re doing their best.

Are your grandparents dead? Just one.

What celebrity do you think should have never become famous? Amber Heard and the Paul brothers.

What's your favorite thing to do online? Watch stuff on YouTube. These days I’ve been revisiting wrestling again so I’ve been watching loads of matches and promos I enjoyed throughout my teenage years. I’m scared to dip my toes into today’s content though, because I barely know anyone anymore and there would be a lot of storylines I’d have to get acquainted with; but idk, I might get there someday.

Are you glad George W. Bush is out of office? I didn’t know his presidency all that well because I was way too young when he was still in office. Apparently he’s not very popular.

If you could appear on any TV show, what show would you choose? I’ve always wanted to try out The Amazing Race. I was definitely hooked to that show as a kid.

What does your full name look like without the letters t,a,i,o,e,l,n or s? Rby.

Your mood summed up into one word? Emotionless. I’m literally not feeling anything at the moment, but this is still a lot better than being miserable so I’ll take it.

How often do you talk to other people about the weather? Only when we’re experience extremes, like if it’s painfully, annoyingly hot out or if there’s a bad typhoon. Otherwise I try to find something else to talk about.

Are you doing anything else besides taking this survey right now? Nope, my full attention is on here.

What's a name you wouldn't mind having? At this point, I’ve learned to be okay with my name and don’t feel the need to whine about it anymore.

What's your favorite thing to wear that you own? My mom jeans or denim jacket.

What do you think of Barbie dolls? Boring, mostly. I grew up with boys, so we had more toys marketed for boys and those are what I ended up liking more.

When you were little, did you ever want to go to Disneyland? Not really.

Do you currently have a job? What kind of job do you *want* to have? I do. I’m already in the job/career I had wanted and aimed to be in.

What do you like to do on your free time? Being on YouTube, playing with my dogs, surveys, eating.

What's your relationship with your parents like? With my mom, it’s permanently strained after years of verbal and emotional abuse, but at some point I just learned to live with the trauma – it’s like, we get along these days and we barely get into screaming matches anymore, but at the back of my head I’m still constantly reeling from the hurt she had put me through when I was younger.

My dad and I act like each other’s buddies, but we silently look out for one another. For example he’ll sometimes make a plate of corndogs just for me while I’m at work, and that’s his way of saying “Are you ok? Here, have this. I’m worried about you” without ever having to say it to my face.

Do you own any pets? Yes, I’ve got two dogs.

How many places have you traveled to? Six countries and all over my own country, except Mindanao.

Do you own a cell phone? If so, what kind? iPhone 8.

What are your goals for the future? For things to fall into place, whatever that would bring me.

What's your favorite kind of drink? Just plain old cold water, or coffee.

Did you ever get into the Twilight saga craze? What about the Harry Potter craze? I was (and am, heheh) into Twilight; I wasn’t into Harry Potter.

Where is your mind at: The Past, the Present, the Future, or all around? My mind tends to make space for all three of these.

What's a really good movie you've seen recently? I haven’t seen any films recently but I am planning to watch Ammonite, which I have high hopes and expectations for.

Are you happy where you are right now? Career-wise, yes. As for everything else...could be a little better.

What's the first thing you thought in your head when you woke up today? AHHHHHHH SATURDAY.

If your best friend confessed that they can see the future, you would...? Ask how they were able to get such an ability.

Write a random quote that comes to your head: I’ve been watching Friends all day so the first set of quotes I thought of upon reading this question was, “I just don’t want to face three failed marriages.” “At what point did you think this was a successful marriage?” hahahahaha.

What's your opinion on milk chocolate? Like it, but sometimes can be too sweet.

What about Dark Chocolate? I don’t like dark chocolate bars themselves – too bitter; but I don’t mind it being incorporated in other sweets, like cookies that have dark chocolate bits.

You do know that white chocolate isn't even really chocolate, right? Yes. But it’s my favorite kind.

Do you get annoyed when surveys mention a band you've never heard of? If they mention it excessively or if they name too many unfamiliar bands, then I’m likely to get annoyed, yeah. But I skim through potential surveys anyway, so if I observe that a survey has too many music references I can’t relate to then I just don’t take it.

What's your opinion about Katy Perry's song "I kissed a girl"? Cool song and ahead of its time tbh, but she has so many other better singles.

What's your least favorite pizza topping? Pepperoni, beef, and pineapples.

What would you do if you discovered the US was now drafting for the war? Don’t care.

Are you even living in America, or are you from another country? Bingo for the latter.

What's your favorite social website? Twitter.

Do you believe in heaven? If so, what's it like? If not, why? No. I associate heaven with gods or higher beings, so believing in it would just kill the point of being atheist. I do like to find comfort in some sort of afterlife where I’m not in pain and am reunited with all my loved ones, though. I don’t necessarily believe in it, but it’s just comforting to think about and makes death a lot less scary.

What's your favorite video game? Super Smash Bros. Brawl would probably be my all time favorite. I do plan to get Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the Switch, so that might get dethroned soon.

In your opinion, is Bzoink the best place to find fun surveys? Yes.

What's your opinion of high school? It only got fun once I found the right friends. Without them, I’m sure my experience would have been miserable.

Do you prefer the country or city? City.

Texting: Is it fun, evil, boring, or none of the above? It can be all of these things depending on the context of the conversation.

What email service do you use for your main (or only) email account? I’m mainly on Gmail. I have an Outlook account that’s still active, but I’ve been listing it less and less for social media sites.

What's your favorite dumb pick-up line? I don’t do pick-up lines, really. I find the entire concept pretty lame.

What are your plans for the next 48 hours? I got hooked to Friends again, so I’ll probably continue watching for the whole of tomorrow. For Monday, I’ll be at work again.

Did you ever read "Captain Underpants" when you were little? Yes. I lovedddd those books, but I always had to read them in secret (my cousin owned the books and I just asked to borrow) because my mom disapproved of them. My favorites were the Flip-O-Rama sections.

What's better: The old Cartoon Network, or the new one? Or do you not care? I’m not aware of the new version, so that leaves me with one choice. Generally, though, Cartoon Network was my least favorite channel out of the big 3 of kids’ channels.

Disney Channel shows are all pretty cheesy, aren't they? The ones they air today are, but maybe I’m just saying that because I’m already outside of their target demographic.

What's your opinion on the Jonas Brothers? I can’t think of a reason to dislike them. They’ve always been likeable, whether as individuals or as a band.

What are some of your favorite singers/bands? Beyoncé, Paramore, Hozier, alt-J, Coldplay, Against Me!, The Japanese House are the main favorites I like mentioning.

Why do the lead singers in bands always get the most recognition?! Probably because they’re the ones mainly heard. I always recognize all the members in my favorite bands, though.

Did you ever believe in the Tooth Fairy? I did, but when I didn’t receive any money after placing my tooth under my pillow, my hopes and belief got shattered pretty quickly.

What's your favorite type of weather? Cold, cloudy, and rainy.

What's your opinion on reading books? I think it’s great when people are able to find the time to read books, and lots of them. I wish I didn’t grow out of it.

You're given a chance to act in a Hollywood Blockbuster! Would you accept? Nope.

What it if it was a movie directed by Tim Burton?(He directed Sweeney Todd) He ranks pretty low for me. He’s a great director and I respect his craft, but his filmography is not a personal favorite of mine.

How do you feel about Taco Bell? I wish I can have it more often, but we only have two branches in the Philippines and they are both far away.

Are you hungry right now? I can honestly go for a snack right now :/ Like chicken tenders or pad thai. I’m super tempted to order from Grab since I have more than enough cash on me, but I don’t want to be irresponsible with my money so very early on lol

How often do you go on to Youtube? Everyday, and most of everyday.

It's possible to be addicted to anything... What are you addicted to? Curry.

What's your opinion of Wallgreens? Unfamiliar.

Back when Spongebob Squarepants was famous, were you interested in it? Yes, it was my favorite cartoon.

What's your dream pet? Dogs.

You see a mermaid while relaxing on the beach with friends. What now? Think that it’s probably a social experiment and let them be.

Who's been your favorite teacher growing up, and why? My music teacher always gave amazing life advice alongside her lessons, and she was so graceful and so classy and she simply invited respect everywhere she went. I’ve always wanted to be like her.

When you were little, did you ever like Pokemon? Yes. I watched the anime and collected Pokemon pogs and cards. My cousin had a lot of the video games and I’d watch him play those, while my sister had a couple of Pokemon books that explained each Pokemon.

How often do you get headaches? These days, everyday. Hahaha work is super hectic.

Do you have any songs stuck in your head right now? If so, what? Saw You In A Dream by The Japanese House.

#survey #surveys

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thebestintoronto · 4 years

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A Budget Traveler's Guide to Toronto

In Toronto on a tight budget plan? Although the city may not contrast to other North American urban facilities such as New york city when it involves set you back of living, Toronto is most certainly among one of the most expensive cities in Canada-- the other competitor being Vancouver. Right here's a peek at what you can do around the city when you wish to prevent costing a fortune.

What to do and see

Visit a gallery or art gallery

You'll locate that a number of Toronto's globally popular galleries provide free admission throughout certain hrs. Starting with the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), which features a diverse collection of Canadian as well as worldwide modern as well as historic masterpieces, you can check out the long-term collection at no charge every Wednesday from 6 to 8:30 p.m. You can additionally attempt the smaller yet just as vibrant Gallery of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada. Similarly, both the Bata Footwear Gallery and Textile Museum of Canada both provide pay-what-you-can hrs: Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. for the former, and also Wednesdays from 5 to 8 p.m for the latter. If you're more of a background aficionado, you can go to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) on Fridays at a lowered admission cost of $12.

Most likely to a market

To really immerse on your own in Toronto's diversity, head over to St. Lawrence Market or Kensington Market. St. Lawrence is in a historic structure that houses loads of special vendors-- from butchers and also bakers to fishmongers, fruit stands, and also extra. On the other hand, Kensington Market is a community that borders Chinatown and also the reduced Annex around the University of Toronto. Filled with welcoming cafés and also food joints, vintage stores, as well as restaurants, Kensington is enjoyable simply to walk in as well as do some excellent people-watching-- even if you're not intending to purchase anything.

Markets in Toronto, ON, Canada

Discover environment-friendly areas

Regardless of being the largest city in Canada, Toronto contains amazing chances to connect with nature. In the west end, near to Bloor West Village, you'll find High Park, the city's largest public space, with a large pond, a small zoo, gardens, and wonderful walking courses. Appreciate a barbecue on the eco-friendly inclines ignoring Grenadier Pond. If you choose to be closer to downtown, Trinity Bellwoods Park along Queen West is a prominent location for hipsters and family members alike. You can likewise discover Toronto's extensive ravine system, which runs as a network of parks and eco-friendly spaces marked by various trails for hiking, biking, and also strolling during summertime, as well as cross-country snowboarding and snowshoeing during the winter season.

Environment-friendly Spaces in Toronto, ON, Canada

Check Out Evergreen Block Works

Another must-see is the Evergreen Block Works, which is among the city's "flexible reuse" urban planning success stories. Previously an overlooked industrial website, the Block Works have been repurposed as an area as well as ecological facility that showcases lasting design. The Brick Functions hosts a range of regional occasions and also workshops and hosts a regular farmers' market. This area is cost-free to explore, and the historical site additionally includes an exploration location for children, art exhibits, entertainment courses, and skating tracks throughout the winter months.

Evergreen Brick Functions, 550 Bayview Ave # 300, Toronto, ON, Canada, +1 416 596 1495.

Go to the beach.

The level of Toronto's beach areas may come as a surprise, but there are over three kilometers (1.9 miles) of sandy coasts as well as leisure areas along Lake Ontario. The Beaches in the city's east end supplies a nearly sectarian ambience throughout the summer months, where you can lounge, sunbathe, play beach volleyball, amble along the boardwalk with a gelato cone, and also even swim if you risk. The location is additionally house to numerous cafés, dining establishments, as well as lovely boutiques. You'll also find coastlines at the Toronto Islands, a short and also affordable ferry ride simply minutes from the midtown core. Along the lakeshore, you'll also locate Toronto's Harbourfront Centre, which has actually long been a hub for enjoyable as well as cost-free social celebrations for years. Throughout the summer, Harbourfront hosts popular events themed around food, music, dance, cinema, literary works, and more from diverse globe societies.

Beaches in Toronto, ON, Canada.

Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W, Toronto, ON, Canada, +1 416 973 4000.

What to drink and eat.

Ghazale.

The good idea concerning scoping out Toronto's inexpensive eats is that they additionally show the diversity for which the city is celebrated. You can try Ghazale Center Eastern as well as Vegetarian Foods, which has actually been around since 1995, has numerous locations throughout the city, and is open late. You can order most sandwiches, plates, and also shawarma for $12 or less.

Ghazale, 504 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON, Canada, +1 877 967 4429.

Jumbo Empanadas.

A Kensington fave for the past 15 years, Jumbo Empanadas provides thick and also scrumptious empanadas loaded with beef or poultry, hard-boiled eggs, olives and also raisins for $4.50 each-- or $1.50 if you go with the mini alternatives. If the lines are too long, you can jump next door to Shop Latino, a Latin grocery store that also serves pupusas, tamales, empanadas, and other Latin American consumes newly cooked for under $5.

Jumbo Empanadas, 245 Augusta Ave, Toronto, ON, Canada, +1 416 977 0056.

Messini Genuine Gyros.

On the other side of community, you can head over to Messini on the Danforth, which has actually gone to the heart of Toronto's Greektown neighborhood since 2002. It's surprisingly inexpensive, provided the stylish decoration. You can get either hen or pork on a thick pita with tzatziki, vegetables, and also some french fries for simply under $5, and the meatless version is just $3.50.

Messini, 445 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON, Canada, +1 416 778 4861.

Nguyen Huong.

Located in Chinatown, Nguyen Huong is a banh mi hot spot that dishes out extremely economical Vietnamese-style sandwiches. Fillings consist of lemongrass sausage, shredded poultry, meatballs, or a vegetarian variation. You can obtain a scrumptious grab-and-go dish for under $5 here-- if you have the patience to suffer the hectic lunch-hour group.

Nguyen Huong, 322 Spadina Ave, Toronto, ON, Canada, +1 416 599 4625.

Where to remain.

The Earth Vacationer.

The World Traveler is an environment-friendly hostel located in a refurbished century-old building on College Street and also is spacious and includes a comfy lounge and a rooftop bar. The hostel was likewise Toronto's initial joint geothermal task, and roof photovoltaic panels heat the building's water. They likewise integrate photovoltaic or pv power. You can remain in a dormitory there for about $38 per evening.

The Earth Tourist, 357 College St, Toronto, ON, Canada, +1 647 352 8747.

University Hostel.

Remaining at the College Hostel in Kensington Market indicates that you can be appropriate in the thick of one of Toronto's the majority of diverse areas while additionally having easy access to the rest of the downtown core. The hostel has 140 beds in total amount, that makes it among the bigger hostels in the city. Dormitories set you back $25 throughout the winter season and also $40 in the summertime.

College Hostel, 280 Augusta Ave, Toronto, ON, Canada, +1 416 929 4777.

The Only Backpacker's Inn.

While not as centrally located as the above two choices, The Only Backpacker's Inn, in the city's east end at the Danforth and Donlands, rests above one of Toronto's finest beer halls: The Only Cafe. Dorms set you back around $30 per night, which includes a strong morning meal.

The post “ A Budget Traveler's Guide to Toronto “ was seen first on Culture Trip

Naturopath Toronto - Dr. Amauri Caversan, ND

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uni-life-tips · 7 years

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10 Things to Pack for University

1) A memento of home. E.g. stuffed animal, favorite blanket, picture of family, a piece of tile identical to the ones in your home kitchen, etc. You will miss home eventually and it's nice to have something to remind you of home when you're far away. When night falls and you're trying to empty your mind enough to sleep you may fall into a vat of homesickness and it's nice to have something to remind you of it rather than be up all night filled with sadness 'cuz its not an appropriate hour to call home.

2) Your favorite snack/non-perishable food item. The place you go to may not sell your favorite food item. Also, you might not be able to get to a place that sells them. If your university doesn't have a grocer nearby and you don't have access to a car, you might not get to eat your favorite snacks until you visit home. If you like ethnic food or something then this is a must. There are not many Asian restaurants where I go to university--and growing up in an Asian family means I miss Chinese Beef Stew and Lobster-flavor chips. Heck, if you're picky about what brand of instant noodles you eat, then bring a case to university because all that's likely to be in the vending machines is Mr. Noodle. If your university is awesome you might get Ichiban in the machine, but they go fast and paying $1.40+ for a single packet is just plain gouging. Also, if other students find out you've got the good stuff you can use the premium-brand instant noodles as currency--3 packs of noodles for 2 days with their XBox or something.

3) At least 4 weeks worth of undergarments. Seriously--go out and buy 30+ pairs of underwear. This is more of an issue for 3rd years and above, but here's the reasoning. Laundry services where you live may be expensive, or non-existent, or so dirty that your 4-day-old-undies are cleaner--you won't be able to go home every week but if you live close enough you may be able to make a trip once a month on a long weekend to do your laundry at home. As a 3rd year student and above, come Hell Week (middle of the semester when you have to write midterm exams AND start working on/handing in assignments) you aren't going to have time to do your laundry every week, or even every month. Literally, the only reason I consciously stopped working on my research papers was either because I literally had 3 pairs of clean underwear left or because I couldn't even see straight anymore and needed a break. Letting your living area become cluttered is only going to make you feel worse during Hell Week. It's sort of like a glass-half-empty/full thing--I'm up to my eyeballs in papers, but at least I don't have to worry about laundry for another 2 weeks.

4) Thermos. Buying coffee every single day really adds up. Yeah, yeah, its only $2.40 for a medium--but if you saved $2.40 even 4 times a week it's $9.60 you hust saved. Round up to $10 a week and you could buy a small meal at Subway with that money--with change! In 3rd year I started to brew my own coffee in the morning and bring it in a thermos. If I was drinking it to stay awake/become awake then I'd drink the stuff I made at home--if I wanted to treat myself to the taste of "fancy" coffee, I'd allow myself to go to the campus coffee shop or something. Heck, even if you choose to buy your coffee anyway, bring a thermos. Most places offer a $0.10 cent discount if you bring your own mug/thermos. Also, the thermos will keep the coffee hot/warm longer than it would in the paper cup--meaning you're not forced to choose between chugging or cold coffee (an abomination). The $0.10 saved will take a bit longer to add up--but if you do it 10 times you just saved $1 for laundry...and if you do it 17-20 times you just saved the equivalent of a small cup of coffee.

5) Dishes/kitchen items. Seriously, you don't need 5+ pots. Rule of thumb: 2 of everything--tops. You don't need a full set of 48 utensils. You do not need 5 pots and 16 frying pans. The more dishes you have, the less likely you are to do dishes. When you do not do dishes, they mould, they stink, they take up space, and anyone you're sharing a sink/kitchen with will hate you and probably plot to stab you with one of your dirty knives. I met people in my 1st year who had the idea that they could simply just go out and buy another 3 pots instead of washing the 3 they already had clogging up the sink. I know students live off of KD, but if you take 3 minutes to wash the pot afterwards then you won't be spending 3 hours washing ALL the pots. Even worse--you won't spend a night at the hospital because your roommate decided to hit you upside the head with one of the many dirty frying pans you left all over the place. If you're not going to wash them within 1 day--keep it in your own space or throw it out--I don't want to see your half-eaten KD soaking in the sink when I go to fill up my waterbottle.

6) Toilet Paper. Make sure you always have a small stash just for yourself. If you have roommates you'll probably take turns buying the toilet paper because it isn't fair for one person to foot the bill all the time. Toilet paper wars can get pretty intense. If one person uses more than their fair share or starts handing out TP they didn't buy to other needy students then people will start to hoard it. Not only that, but you may run into a roommate who won't hold up their end of the TP-pact to buy more. It will happen and most people feel like they should learn that not buying means they don't get any. Keep your own supply and ensure your roommates do not know about it. This is your emergency stash if/when a TP feud comes along--you do not want to be caught with your pants down or have to use your hand. Keep your own stash and bring 1 roll in and out of the bath/washroom with you rather than leave it in there. In a feud--your roommates may try to steal anything you leave in there.

7) Medicine. Keep a small stock of your cold medicine of choice, pain killers, bandaids, and whatever other medication you use in a year. You're not sick now, but when you are sick you don't want to have to drag yourself out of bed to walk 15 minutes to the drugstore just for some Benadryl. Keep a small stash 'cuz if you're sharing a living space one of you is eventually going to get sick and close-quarters means it'll spread.

8) Canned/non-perishables + "sick-people" food. Like medicine, when you do get sick you still need to eat. If you're not hoofing it for medicine, you're not going to hoof it for a can of chicken noodle and some sports drink. Keep a small stash (e.g. a box of chicken noodle, 2-6 bottles of Gatorade) on hand for if you get hit by the flu.

9) Vacuum. Even if you're only likely to use it once a month, have a small one on hand. You might spill cocoa powder or coffee grounds at some point and you'll need to clean it up in a hurry. Even if it only gets used once a month it's a good investment 'cuz you can be the cool kid that loans it to friends. Also, it'll suck having to send out a message on facebook or whatever, asking to borrow somebody's vacuum--especially if room inspectors are coming around.

10) Leisure items. Don't go bringing your whole library; bring something small and portable. If you're in a place where you can go home once a month or so then you only need 2-3 books for leisure. Heck, your institution probably has a library where you can check out some stuff on a whim. Bring your handicrafts if you're into that sort of thing--you can decorate your room, make useful items, or even make some cute items to sell for some club event. University doesn't mean you'll never get any time for yourself. There may come a time when you've gone as far as you can on your assignments/readings and you truly have "nothing" to do. There's no club meeting that night, you don't like the whole bar-hopping scene, and you're literally just in your room, showered and too awake to go to bed. It's the perfect time to watch one of your favorite movies, read a book, knit a hand warmer, practice juggling, or whatever else you're into. Living away from home means you have more time to spend with your friends--especially if your friends live closeby--but it doesn't mean they're there whenever you get bored. Also, alone-time is good.

#unilife #University life #dorm rooms #list #tips

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itsybitsylemonsqueezy · 7 years

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The Defenders: A Review

Here There Be Spoilers (and a LOT of complaining)

Well. That... that sure happened.

General impressions... I liked the interactions of all the heroes, I thought that was staged really well, but I found the overplot of the Hand really underwhelming. That might be because I lack background in what the Hand really is, but I still felt that as villains they were victims of both over-explaining and not enough. I dunno, that’s a general first impression, when I watch this again I might be more taken in by their quest for immortality, but on first take, I just... didn’t have enough. Madame Gao is flawless, I always loved her, but I didn’t know ANYTHING about the other 4 fingers of the hand (didn’t watch Iron Fist, full disclosure) and they’re literally are all dead now. And some of them existed for less than a HANDFUL of episodes. We didn’t spend enough time with any of them to care.

At the end of the day, they were old, tired, and scared, just trying to squeeze out a bit more life. And, again, with someone you KNOW that’s interesting, like, I was interested in Gao because I knew her. But when you’ve given me a bunch of hype about what a Big Deal these assholes are and then the upshot is they’re as afraid of death as any of us and all they can do is send armies in front of them as they LITERALLY HARVEST THE BONES OF DRAGONS (WHAT. what.) and then they LOSE. SPECTACULARLY. And they had a critical weakness in Danny??? That didn’t get fixed until WAY late game? And they pinned all their hopes on Elektra (Alexandra’s fault, true)???

AND LET’S FUCKING TALK ABOUT ELEKTRA NATCHIOS FOR A MOMENT SHALL WE. You resurrected... Elektra... the least interesting of any Daredevil creation, the most lacking in personality of all their cast... and you brought her back without her memories. Without ANY personality WHATSOEVER. You took her already blank, if deadly, slate, and you made it LESS INTERESTING. And we had to suffer through, what, 4, 5 episodes of her amnesia state for her to RETURN to her old self HAVING LEARNED NOTHING. HAVING CHANGED NOT AT ALL. Like... what in FUCK’S NAME was the point of KILLING HER??? WHEN SHE CAME BACK SHE WASN’T DIFFERENT. She wasn’t more powerful, she wasn’t more unyielding, and, ultimately, they DIDN’T commit to making her a soulless vessel, they gave her back her memories, because of course they did, thus restoring her to her original COMPLETE LACK of personality.

WHAT. WAS. THE FUCKING. POINT. OF KILLING HER. IT ACHIEVES NOTHING. In terms of her character, in terms of Matt’s character, in terms of the FUCKING HAND, it did FUCK ALL. You could have had the fucking Black Sky without killing her, I just... holy fuck this plot ran in circles oh my god. And at this rate, SHE’S PROBABLY STILL NOT DEAD EITHER.

I’m just... our big bads were So. Boring. It was difficult to keep interest. Which feels terrible because blowing up a city to gain a few extra years IS terrible and yet??? No one??? Talked about that??? Like... the Hand keeps telling Elektra “oh don’t worry, it’s just a city, you’ll get used to seeing them fall” and she’s literally never had a moral qualm about that ever? That’s not her beef here? You’re arguing that to the WRONG person. And yet, the four heroes standing around, at least 3 of which are QUITE moralistic, we never have the ethical high ground argument with ANY of them. I just... didn’t care what was happening. At all. To anyone. At any time.

We’re MEANT to be Very Invested in Matt trying to redeem Elektra. And, for what it’s worth, I did come pretty far into Matt willing to die trying, like... okay, I believe he’d do that. But just... Elektra is very hard for me to care about, she has no discernible motive except... I dunno, malice, and even when repeatedly confronted with destiny and people telling her what to do, she never really seeks revenge or TRIES to define herself; she never has a plan. She just kills people and runs away until we have to upset Matt again with her existence. And that’s... boring. And we literally just did it in season 2 of Daredevil. We just did... all of that. Again. Going into episode 8, I looked at that set up and went “holy fuck, is this going to be the same blocking as the season 2 finale?” and IT ALMOST WAS IDENTICAL. All the Good People waiting safe on the street while shit goes down and Matt holds Elektra in his arms. It was Exactly The Same.

We��re also supposed to care a lot about Danny Rand. A lot of this plot is centered on him and his part of this universe and... ehhhh... I’m also not sure how much I care about that. I think throwing Danny in with other heroes who’ve been through different shit and know a lot more than he does, I think that was pretty critical to his character and will help him develop. But I just... don’t care about the Iron Fist being perverted for uses of evil. Now, to be fair, I pin that as a failure on the part of the villains, not on Danny. Danny is doing the best hot-headed, arrogant brat he can and he’s doing a swell job. Like, I want to be clear about that, it’s fair that he’s got a lot to learn and that we SEE him learning, I liked that a lot. I wasn’t so thrilled about how after we tie up Danny to protect him, because he was being a shit, when he got captured, it was somehow our fault for tying him up in the first place? Like we had made the wrong call and needed to apologize to him. When, you know, Danny opens the door to the LITERAL DRAGON SKELETON by fucking accident trying to punch Elektra because Elektra isn’t a dumbass and Danny, unfortunately, is. Just... he was So Mad that they all thought he was going to be used and LOOK AT THAT, HE WAS USED. Amaze. And then there was no realization of ‘oh shit, they were right, I WAS a key for the Hand.’ There was just... we’re sorry for tying you up, Danny. And I thought that was kinda lame.

Writing was just kinda weird all over the place. Pieces of it were really great, but... especially how the plot unraveled in episodes 7 and 8 I was kinda left going... What The Fuck Is Happening. And here’s a critical problem with bringing people back from the dead: you start to think NO ONE’S really dead. Now, Elektra was legit resurrected and it was a Time. But Matt, supposed to be dead, he isn’t. And that ain’t a fancy resurrection machine, that’s just good old fashioned Because We Say So. So, Stick? Could come back. The Hand? Could come back. Which takes literally ALL of the stakes out of everything that just happened. If I can’t trust that ANY of these fuckers are dead, why then should I care?

Now I talk like I hated all of it. I know this is a barrage of negativity and I’m sorry about that. I didn’t, I didn’t hate it, I liked seeing how everyone worked together, but the over plot just wasn’t working for me. I didn’t see concerted, organized effort, I saw chaos and discord. Cross motives. And part of that was intentional, the Hand turns on Alexandra after she made a LOT of bad, selfish moves without trusting in anyone. But by choosing to start with a destabilized villain, this plot could only go so well. And, again, they didn’t build enough into Elektra for me to give a fuck about what happens to her. Even Matt, who HAS genuine investment in Elektra, she doesn’t do much to upset him. Matt was already back in the game before she turned up. Matt decides who he is to KAREN, not Elektra. I just... I think they haven’t weighted this properly. The most we show Matt unbalanced is Matt keeping secrets from everyone else, but that put the team more in danger than Matt was in danger.

I’m just... 2 seasons of build up from Daredevil, plus a season of Iron Fist, and the Hand is defeated in 8 fucking episodes due to IN FIGHTING. That’s... not a credible villain. That’s a joke. And sure, they’re probably not EVEN dead, but that hardly makes this better.

Uggghhhh... I really want to talk about the good things I liked, but brain doesn’t want to do it. I'm sorry guys. I'll make a much more positive post later ^^; This is trash and probably not even coherent, I'm sorry :/

#This is trash #And a LOT of complaining #Seriously don't read it unless you want to hear a LOT of bitching #The Defenders spoilers

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randyk1m-blog · 5 years

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There are so many fun things to do in Chicago with kids it can be hard to decide what to do! Here is our list of things that will be fun for the kids and parents on your visit to Chicago along with where to eat and where to stay.

From the museums on the Chicago Lakefront to a food tour and the Ledge there are a ton of family friendly things to do when you visit the city.

Attractions

The Escape Game Chicago

If you are looking for a unique and fun indoor activity to do with your family be sure to check out The Escape Game! We weren’t sure if it would be kid friendly but it totally was. You are put in a room and have 60 minutes to figure out how to get out. Don’t worry the game master is there to help you. Book Your Escape Game Tickets Now!

We really enjoyed doing this together as a family and loved how the kids were able to help us out with the clues and were part of solving them. We ended up making it out of the room in time! Check out our post on: The Escape Game for more information and to book your escape game!

Skydeck

We went up to the 103rd floor over 1353 feet high and into a room that was surrounded with windows looking out over Chicago. It was so beautiful!! I loved that you could walk around the whole building so you saw Chicago from all angles (city and lakefront).

Then there is The Ledge. . . An all-glass room that extends outside of the building! Crazy!! But also crazy cool!

Cannon walked right out and started jumping and both Craig and I yelled for him to stop. But the Skydeck worker assured us it was totally secure! Gradually all of us made our way out there and it was a really cool experience.

It was a bit cloudy when we were there and I am hoping we can go back another time when the sun is out and the sky is clearer.

They are also doing a remodel of the Willis Tower building and soon their will be shops and restaurants on the bottom 3 floors. So once you are done taking in the views you can do some shopping and eating!

Tip: Get there early. There is actually an outside waiting line – at this time you can’t wait inside the building so be prepared for that. Plus if you get there early there is a better chance that the weather will be good and clouds/fog won’t block your view. To that point keep an eye on the weather and pick a day that looks as clear as possible. Book Your Tickets Now!

Best In Chow Food Tour – Chicago Food Planet

I have always wanted to do a food tour, but wasn’t sure how it would go over with the kids. It ended up being great! We choose the right tour that was all about classic Chicago food (deep dish pizza, Chicago style hot dogs, hot beef sandwiches) which is also a lot of kids favorites. The Best In Chow Food Tour by Chicago Food Planet.

The tour was 3 hours long and we walked about 1 1/2 miles around Chicago stopping at a variety of restaurants to sample the food and also some Chicago landmarks where our guide gave us a great history lesson on Chicago and on the foods we were trying.

It was cool how we included not only history on Chicago, but also a lot of history and interesting facts about how these foods ended up being Chicago classics.

Eating 5 different kinds of foods can sound like a lot, but with the walking and the breaks in between to learn more about Chicago, the food it was perfect. Plus it kept the kids occupied and full so they were great and really enjoyed it.

At the end of our trip Carson said it was his favorite thing we did in Chicago! Book your tickets for the Best In Chow Food Tour now.

Centennial Ferris Wheel on Navy Pier

Head over to Navy Pier to go up on the Centennial Ferris Wheel! A fun way to get an amazing view of Chicago and the lakefront.

You can get tickets through the Go Chicago Card or Chicago Explorer or check with the Loew’s hotel – they sometimes have specials going where you can get tickets with your stay.

Chicago Magic Lounge

On Sunday the Chicago Magic Lounge puts on a show just for kids. We had no idea what to expect and when you get there you walk into a small laundromat room . . . we weren’t sure what to do so we started pushing some buttons. Then one of the machines opens up and lets you into a room where a lady is waiting to check you in.

She checked us in and the proceeded to pull a book on the wall that opened another wall that led us into the Magic Lounge. Such a fun way to get into the theatre!

From there we took our seat and ordered food and drinks and waited for the show to start.

The Magician did an amazing job and it was very interactive with the kids – calling up a lot of volunteers to help. Our kids happily kept their hands down, but definitely enjoyed watching the show.

At the end you are able to meet the Magician and pet his magic bird!

Andersonville

Our next stop brought us out to the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago just north of downtown. Chicago has 70+ neighborhoods and it was fun to explore one of them! It was still a bustling area with people walking around yet had more of a small-town feel then the skyscrapers of downtown.

We checked out the toy store that was filled with a collection of fun and unique toys. Some of them were even invented by people from Chicago. Then headed to the Women and Children First bookstore that had an amazing collection of books with a focus on women authors and topics. Then the candy store that had a unique and delicious collection of candy. All these stores were PERFECT for kids!

We also spent time at the Swedish American Museum learning about the people that came over from Sweden to Chicago then moved into the Andersonville neighborhood. The Museum was interesting but what the kids really liked was the children’s museum area upstairs! It was all about the journey people made from Sweden to Chicago with all sorts of hands on activities for the kids – milking a cow, picking vegetables from the garden, cooking in their house, boarding the boat, it was really cool!

Andersonville had such a fun and inviting vibe to it. You could also tell the people that lived there and owned the shops had such pride in their neighborhood and Chicago. There is something to the craziness that is downtown Chicago and the energy you feel there. But it was cool to get a little bit outside of that (about a 15 minute drive) and into a neighborhood where you still felt that same energy just in a less chaotic way.

Emerald City Theatre

Catch a play at the Emerald City Theatre. They have an amazing lineup of kid and family friendly plays and they do an amazing job. When we were there we saw the Fantastic Mr. Fox and their energy on stage was so engaging. Plus the theatre was smaller and more intimate so there was not a bad seat in the place!

If this is your first time brining your kids to the theatre or you are a seasoned veteran you will not be disappointed.

Skating Ribbon

In the winter check out the Skating Ribbon at Maggie Daley Park. It is an awesome ice skating ribbon – not a rink as it is a curvy trail that goes around in a circle. You have amazing views of downtown Chicago while you are skating. It is a bit pricey at $15 per skate rental (same for kids)., but if you have your own skates it is free!

They have a concession stand area with picnic tables off of the ribbon. But be aware they have a Zamboni that comes through and fixes the ice for 1 hour multiple times throughout the day. So the ribbon is shut down during that time. . . which is frustrating when you get there right when that hour is starting!

Museums

Museum of Science and Industry

We could have spent all day here and wish we would have gotten here earlier since they had to kick us out when they closed at 5pm.The Museum of Science and Industry is one of our favorite things to do in Chicago with kids.

There are a lot of hands on activities and yes some of the things are pretty complex but kids have a way of finding how to make it fun for their age. Even if that means they aren’t doing it right but instead are just hitting a bunch of buttons.

They also have a kids area that is perfect for toddlers up to 10 year olds. And right next to the kids area is a farm area where you can drive a combine and sit in a tractor.

The highlight of our visit was the kids watching a baby chick hatch and come out of its shell. They stood there with their noses glued to the glass for a good 20 minutes waiting for the chick to come out. It was a really cool experience for them to see up close and personal.

We recommend giving yourself a whole day to explore the museum and either bringing a lunch or buying lunch at their cafeteria.

We parked on the street across from the museum and it was a perfect spot since we could walk to get pizza from the same spot. This is definitely one of the best Chicago museums for kids, we definitely recommend a visit!

You can get tickets in a discounted package like the Go Chicago Card or the Chicago Explorer Card. Or check out a reciprocal museum membership!

Chicago Children’s Museum

The Children’s Museum is located at Navy Pier. It is a multiple story museum and most of the things there are geared towards younger age kids 6 and under. Our 8 (almost 9) year-old found a lot of things to do and we spent a good amount of time in the building section.

We’d recommend this Chicago museum for kids 10 and under – and just know for older kids you will want to check out the exhibits and find the ones that are geared more towards older kids.

The house/restaurant/car areas always seem to be a big hit with our kids and they love playing house or setting up their own situations. In this case they really enjoyed being mailmen and setting up their “house” in the tree house area. It is fun to watch their creativity come to life when they are in Children’s Museums and can just explore at their leisure.

And of course the water room is always a hit and keeps the kids occupied for a while.

Cannon and Craig ended up spending an hour building a house while the other kids came and went exploring other areas of the museum. I don’t know who had more fun Craig or Cannon!

We ended up in the same boat where we could have spent more time but they were closing. What is up with all these museums closing at 5pm! We don’t really get moving until after lunch . . .

We recommend giving yourself a good 4 hours here or if you want to come earlier play for a while, then head out to Navy Pier to eat, then come back if your kids aren’t done playing!

Check out discounted tickets through the Go Chicago Card or the Chicago Explorer Card. Or a Reciprocal Museum Membership can get you 50% off of tickets.

Adler Planetarium

Have space lovers in your family? Check out the Adler Planetarium! The Planetarium location is awesome – right along the lake front and they have fascinating information along with great planetarium shows. Our kids really enjoyed The Universe: A Walk Through Space and Time exhibit along with the very hands on Planet Explorers exhibit.

They have a variety of shows available including one that is specifically for little kids – with Sesame Street characters in it! Check out the schedule here.

Shedd Aquarium

A huge aquarium with tons of great information and fish. LOTS of fish! We haven’t gone to the Shedd Aquarium very often since it seems like it is always busy . . . We have heard it is best to go first thing in the morning so you aren’t stuck waiting in line.

If aquariums are you thing it is worth making a visit. They have over 32,000 animals and over 5 million gallons of water. With exhibits on Beluga Whales, the Caribbean Reef, jellyfish, penguins, sharks and so much more.

Field Museum Of Natural History

We walked to the Field Museum from the RV park we were staying at and had a couple of hours to explore. We love how the museum pass gives us the opportunity to do this! Since we get in for free. There were a lot of really cool things to look at, but out of all the museums it was our least favorite.

It seemed like the kids felt the same way. We kind of quickly walked through all of the displays which did take a while since there are so many and it is a big museum.

If you want to check it out the Go Chicago Card is the recommended way to go for the best price.

Art Institute of Chicago

If you have a budding artist in the family or you are really into art then you won’t want to miss the Art Institute of Chicago. They also have an Artist Studio that they recommend you stop in to see what is going on the day you visit. I know for us hands on activities are the only thing that really makes an Art Museum work for our family. Or else their hands want to go to touching the art work . . . If you are unsure about visiting an Art Museum with your kids check out our post: Tips For A Successful Trip To An Art Museum With Kids.

Check out the Go Chicago Card for best ticket prices.

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Where To Stay

Loews Hotel

WOW. That is what we all said when we walked into our room on the 14th floor overlooking Navy Pier with a play campfire and tent setup for us. If a room could be perfect in Chicago this would be it!

I love how the Loews hotel caters to kids and families. On our way in we were greeted with a package of toys for each of our 4 kids. Yes they each got their own! We had booked for the Snowed-Inn package so as I mentioned above when we walked in the room the tent was set up along with hot chocolate and cookies for the kids and an in-room movie of our choice.

After settling in we took a walk around the hotel and they have a beautiful lap pool for swimming, a spa and workout room. Along with an outside patio area that looked like it would be beautiful in the warmer months.

The location is also perfect since you are close to all the downtown activities, the Magnificent Mile and we were able to walk everywhere we wanted to go. It was definitely hard to leave!

The Guesthouse Hotel

I don’t even know if it is fair to call this a hotel! We walked into the room and we couldn’t believe the high ceilings, the space and the gorgeous decorations! The owners had started down the path of building condos and then decided to change to a hotel. And we are the lucky recipients of these unbelievable hotel rooms!

We stayed in a 3 bedroom suite with 2 bathrooms (the master bath had an amazing shower that doubled as a sauna!) a living room, dining area and a full kitchen. It was hard to leave to go out to explore when the place was so great!

You can also let them know ahead of time if you want any baby gear (cribs, highchair, toys, etc) or games and coloring supplies for the older kids and they will have them there waiting for you.

The lobby area was also beautiful and they hold small weddings and conferences there. Or when events aren’t going on you can just go down to hangout by the fireplace or in the library – where they also have kids books and games.

Our visit felt more like we were visiting friends than staying in a hotel. Both Craig and I said we could live there!

Best Western River North

Another nice hotel option is the Best Western River North. This is a great hotel if you are looking for a more affordable option, but also want a nice big room. Plus it is located in a great location to be able to walk to a lot of the downtown attractions.

Our room was huge and had 2 double beds and a pullout bed. They also have a large pool that was perfect for our family and allowed the kids to burn off some energy.

Another plus was their onsite restaurant that had pizza for dinner, a bar and a great breakfast selection. It was snowing when we were there so it was nice that we didn’t have to leave the hotel, but could stay right on site to get a tasty and convenient dinner and breakfast.

Our kids favorite thing about the hotel was the free ice cream sandwiches and Push-Ups that they had behind the front desk. Plus they were unlimited so you could get as many as you wanted!

RV Option: McCormick Center Truck Marshaling lot

Check out our post on our stay for all the details. But basically it is a truck parking lot where you can park your RV and then walk or ride your bike to the museums and Navy Pier! It is nothing glamorous and there are no hookups but the location was pretty great.

Where To Eat

SafeHouse

I wasn’t really sure if I should put this under Attractions or Where To Eat since it is basically both! In order to get into the restaurant you have to give them the password and if you don’t know it they make you do a dance and flap your arms around like a chicken and then they let you in.

Little do you know everyone in the restaurant was watching your dance moves! So upon entering everyone claps and cheers for you. Good times!

You then sit down to order and are given all of the instructions on dinner and drinks as well as a set of clues for an in-restaurant scavenger hunt. There is also a magician in the house that does some pretty cool card tricks.

The food is done in packages that include an appetizer, meal and a drink (non alcoholic – but never fear there is a great selection of alcoholic drinks to pick from). You will not leave hungry assuming you can force yourself to sit down and eat!

We were having so much fun walking around taking everything in and trying to find the clues that our server had to come find us to tell us to come sit down and eat or it would get cold!

If you are there to celebrate or just for the heck of it – order the flaming dessert. It is a huge ice cream with ha flaming candle on top. The kids LOVED to end the night with this!

A totally awesome experience that everyone in the family will enjoy and remember.

Urban Belly

This place was delicious!! Our kids weren’t sure about trying the Asian inspired cuisine. They aren’t the most adventurous eaters. But by the time we were done they all LOVED it and wanted to come back the next day.

They had great kids menu options (a very simple fried chicken with white rice that even picky eaters would be OK with) plus some good sharing food like the dumplings and the huge bowl of soup. They even have sharing bowls out that you can use!

Craig and I loved ours as well and definitely recommend checking them out!

Bar Roma

Looking for upscale Italian dining? Then this is the place for you! It is located in the Andersonville neighborhood and had an awesome vibe and ambiance. The menu is somewhat limited as there isn’t a kids menu, but they were super accommodating and were able to make a simple pasta for our picky eaters. Plus they have a meatball option – 3 giant meatballs – that the kids loved!

Craig and I enjoyed the drink selection and our meals were fantastic! If you are looking for delicious pasta this is the place for you.

Giordano’s Pizza

After we were done at the MSI (Museum of Science and Industry) or I should say once they kicked us out when they closed . . . we took about a mile walk to Giordano’s pizza for a real deep dish Chicago style pizza. Be aware that these pizzas can take up to 45 minutes to cook so you may want to call ahead or just be prepared to wait. We ordered an appetizer to hold the kids over while we waited.

Gino’s East Pizza

I am from Wisconsin, but I don’t think I had ever had true Chicago deep dish pizza growing up. Yes, I have had Uno chain pizza, but it doesn’t even come close to comparing to true deep dish pizza in Chicago!

We visited Gino’s East (South Loop location) and sat in a booth where we could see out to the streets of Chicago. They also have a brewery so we had amazing pizza and microbrew!

It would be hard to say which one was better since I liked the crust better at Gino’s, but liked the sauce better at Giordano’s. But in either case both were good and I definitely want to eat at both places again. Trying all the deep dish pizza joints is definitely one of the great things to in Chicago with kids!

Doughnut Vault

If you follow us you know we always seek out the best donuts. Well, Doughnut Vault did not disappoint. They were yummy! It was an interesting place since you walk into a room about the size of a walk in closet and there is a lady behind the counter and she has all the donuts next to her (where you can’t even see them). And the flavors are listed on a board so basically you come in and tell them what you want and get out of the way for the next person. It is a popular place! We weren’t ready for that and normally let the kids see the donuts and pick what they want, so Craig took them outside and quickly made decisions off of what I thought the kids would want.

The donuts weren’t anything fancy but they were super yummy and all of us enjoyed them. They are definitely in the running for best donuts in Chicago.

Free Things To Do

The Bean/Millennium Park

I wasn’t sure what all the hype was about. I mean it is a bean looking thing in the middle of a park . . . then we went and saw it. It is actually really cool! Given the shape of it and the reflection you can look at it 20 different ways and see a different reflection. We had fun looking at all the different angles and going underneath it. Fun fact: Did you know it is actually named Cloud Gate not the Bean.

If you are in Chicago it is worth making a stop to check it out. It is located in Millennium Park and had we been in the city longer we would have scheduled a day to just hang out at Millennium Park. It looked like they had an amazing park for the kids and there was lots of room where we could have ran around and played tag and had a picnic. I also want to check out the crown fountain next time we are here.

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Lincoln Park Zoo

A FREE zoo! Yes you read that right everyone gets into this zoo free all the time! They have penguins and polar bears. Plus farm animals and apes. If your kids are into animals add this to your list of places to visit while in Chicago. Also be sure to check their site for different events going on at the zoo.

Lakeshore Trail

We used the Lakeshore trail that runs right along Lake Michigan to walk and bike to most of the places we went and it worked out great. We stayed at the McCormick Center Truck marshaling lot so everything was close and most things were in walking/biking distance. You can learn more about where we stayed here.

Navy Pier

Looking to do some sightseeing and walking head over to Navy Pier and walk out on the Pier and through the restaurants and shops. It is only free if you don’t buy anything :). And they do have some cool activities and attractions so maybe worth spending some money here.

Looking for ideas on how to get around the city with kids? Check out this great post on using Lyft and Uber with kids!

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**Thank you to Choose Chicago and their partners for hosting parts of our stay. All opinions are our own. This post contains affiliate links.**

The post 24 Fun And Exciting Things To Do In Chicago With Kids [Video Included] appeared first on Crazy Family Adventure.

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reverseskydives · 7 years

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18 SEO Tactics That Take Only 30 Minutes Each

I feel SEO has a reputation for being meticulous and painstaking.

And perhaps that’s true to a certain extent.

The initial phases of an SEO campaign can, in fact, be grueling.

There’s on-site SEO, off-site SEO, and—everyone’s favorite—technical SEO.

So, yeah, it can be kind of a pain.

But here’s the thing.

There is a multitude of “quick fix” SEO tactics that take hardly any time.

Many can be completed within 30 minutes.

Now, I’m not going to tell you that any specific technique will bring about massive results on its own.

But when done in conjunction with one another, they can have a significant impact and give your overall SEO campaign a nice boost.

So let’s get right down to it.

Here are 18 SEO tactics that will take you no longer than 30 minutes each.

1. Get set up on Google My Business

Local SEO is important, especially if you’re a brick-and-mortar business.

If you’ve been skimping on this aspect of SEO, you’ll want to spend a few minutes setting up an account on Google My Business.

This allows you to edit the info on your business, verify contact info, add images, monitor reviews, and more.

This can give you a huge advantage over competitors who fail to capitalize on this powerful resource.

2. Optimize your profile

Already have a profile on Google My Business?

Why not spend some time sprucing it up and making sure that everything is “just right?”

Here are a few specific things you can do:

Make sure all your business info is up-to-date

Add additional info such as hours, parking location, menu details, etc.

Choose specific categories (e.g., “fresh organic grocery store” instead of just “grocery store”)

Replace any amateurish looking images with newer, more professional ones

Encourage loyal customers to leave reviews

3. Get set up on Google Search Console

I love Google Search Console!

If you’re not using it, you’re leaving money on the table and not getting the most from your SEO campaign.

Here’s a screenshot explaining exactly what Google Search Console is:

Although there is a wide array of features, here are some specific things you can do to improve your SEO:

Check who’s linking to your site

Check index status

Monitor crawl errors

Manually submit new content to be crawled

I recommend reading this post from Quick Sprout to learn how to use Google Search Console like a boss.

4. Check your site’s speed

I’m sure you know just how critical site speed is.

Even a one-second delay can have an adverse impact.

If you’re not sure what your website’s speed is, you can check it with Pingdom’s Website Speed Test.

It only takes a few seconds, and it will provide you with details on what you can do to speed it up.

Here’s the info I got when I did a speed test for Quick Sprout:

5. Check your site’s mobile-friendliness

I think it’s safe to say that smartphones aren’t just a fad.

In fact, many experts labeled 2016 as “the tipping point” for mobile search, when it finally eclipsed desktop search.

Research found that the average American spent 87 hours browsing on their smartphone in August 2016.

If you haven’t done so already, take the time to run a mobile-friendly test.

This will let you know what shape your site is in and what steps you need to take (if any) to resolve any issues.

6. Improve URL structure

Here’s the scenario.

You’ve been blogging for awhile, maybe several years.

Back in the day, you didn’t pay all that much attention to the URL structure of your blog posts.

As a result, they look something like this:

http://ift.tt/2nLdHU1

It’s fair to say this isn’t going to do your SEO any favors, and it’s going to make it unnecessarily difficult for search engine robots to decipher the meaning of your content.

To make your site more SEO-friendly, go back and improve these URLs so they look more like this:

http://ift.tt/2oDX7ZX

7. Improve mediocre titles

I’ll be honest.

Coming up with epic titles for blog posts can be a little tricky at times.

Maybe in the past, you ended up settling for less than stellar titles.

A good way to make use of 30 minutes is to look over your posts to identify any titles that could use improvement.

One helpful resource for streamlining this process is Title-Generator.com.

Simply enter your main keywords, and it will generate 700 potential titles with one click.

Here’s what happened when I entered “content marketing:”

8. Study AdWords ads to optimize titles and tags

Here’s a little hack I learned from Brian Dean of Backlinko.

It’s simple but genius.

Enter a keyword in Google, and check out the ads that pop up.

Then look for awesome copy that you could potentially use for titles or tags.

Here’s the example Brian uses.

He searches for “glass water bottles” and comes up with these ads:

From there, he comes up with these phrases:

BPA-free

Keep you hydrated

Durable

Reusable

So, why is this so smart? Just think about it.

The phrases used in ads like these are the result of extensive A/B testing, so you know they get clicks and conversions.

You can save yourself an immense amount of time and energy by incorporating the phrases you find in ads.

9. Find dead links

Dead or broken links can be a real buzzkill.

Not only can they be disruptive to your website’s visitors, but they also won’t do your SEO any favors.

But you can quickly identify any of these links with the Online Broken Link Checker:

Just type in your site’s URL, and it’ll do the work for you in seconds.

Then go back, and make any necessary repairs.

10. Do some internal linking

In an article on NeilPatel.com, I mention that I wrote a blog post every day for five years and amassed hundreds of posts.

But I made one major mistake. I never linked to any of my relevant articles!

Fortunately, I eventually figured out that I could greatly improve my SEO by simply linking new articles to relevant older ones.

If you made the same mistake with your older content that I did with mine, I highly recommend taking a bit of time to set up some internal links.

Even a 30-minute session should leave your SEO in much better shape than before.

You can learn more about this process by reading this article.

11. Find link opportunities on Alltop

If you’re unfamiliar with Alltop, it’s basically a blog directory where you can find some of the world’s best content in one convenient location.

Here’s what pops up when I enter “content marketing:”

Not bad, huh?

What you want to do is spend some time looking for potential link prospects.

Search for relevant blogs in your industry to see if there are any bloggers with whom you could build relationships.

12. Find link opportunities on BuzzSumo

You can use the same process with BuzzSumo.

Just enter your search phrase, and you’ll get a list of results.

Here’s what I get with “content marketing:”

From there, click on “View Sharers” on any articles that interest you.

You’ll then see a list of people who shared that article.

These can all be potential people with whom you may want to form relationships, which could eventually translate into link-building/guest-blogging opportunities.

13. Give your lower-ranking pages a boost

I’m sure you know that having content ranking below the first page of SERPs is essentially worthless.

Here’s what I mean:

If a post is ranked say #42, it might as well be ranked #20,000,000.

Here is how to improve that.

Identify a few of your posts ranked on the second or third pages of Google.

These have obviously gained some level of traction but need a little boost to get onto page one.

To get that boost, set up some internal links pointing to them.

Sometimes, that’s all it takes to get them “over the hump” and onto prime search engine real estate.

14. Target two leading industry blogs

This might be an old school tactic, but it can still prove to be quite fruitful.

It involves finding two A+ industry blogs you were previously unaware of.

Once you find them, leave a couple of awesome comments with a link pointing back to your site.

On top of this, I recommend subscribing and following some of their best writers on Twitter with the hopes of eventually building relationships.

15. Claim your Bing listing

I feel a lot of marketers totally discount Bing.

And I get it.

It’s like comparing David to Goliath in terms of search engine market share.

But pump the brakes.

Bing still receives a decent percent of overall searches.

In fact, a 2016 article from Search Engine Journal reported:

Bing’s share of the search market grew more than Google’s this past April. To be exact, Bing’s market share rose by 0.2 percent while Google’s dropped by 0.2 percent.

Google’s total share of the US desktop search market has dipped below its previous 64 percent to 63.8 percent. Microsoft’s share of desktop search is now sitting at 21.6 percent.

Will Bing be overthrowing Google any time soon? Probably not.

But there’s still SEO juice to be had by claiming your Bing listing.

This can be especially helpful if you’re a local brick-and-mortar business.

16. Write comprehensive descriptions for videos

Do you post any videos on your website?

If so, you may be missing out on a golden opportunity.

What I mean is that you’re probably failing to extract all the SEO potential from your videos.

And this all boils down to descriptions.

Rather than writing a brief description like this:

Brian Dean recommends leaving a 200+ word description like this:

Not only will this help you improve your ranking in YouTube, but it can also improve your ranking in SERPs.

And it really doesn’t take that long.

17. Turn a standard post into a long-form post

I’m not going to insult your intelligence by stating the obvious fact that long-form content ranks better than, say, a typical 500-word post.

You already know that.

But here’s a nice little trick you can do with thin content.

Look for a shorter post, under 1,000 words, that’s pretty good but never lived up to its full potential.

Then spend 30 minutes “beefing it up” by adding more content, charts, graphs, visuals, etc. until it’s bona fide long-form content.

For more on this, check out this post from NeilPatel.com.

18. Spy on competitors

Finally, it’s time to tap into your inner James Bond.

By this, I mean “spying” on a few of your key competitors.

Just go to SEMrush and type in their URL.

Within seconds, you can find info on their:

Top organic keywords

Organic position distribution

Backlinks

Top anchors

Indexed pages

This will provide you with valuable intel that can guide your SEO campaign and enable you to be more effective.

Conclusion

SEO doesn’t have to be back-breaking, mind-numbing work.

In fact, there is a plethora of smaller SEO tasks you can easily complete in 30 minutes.

The ones I’ve outlined in this article will help you step up your SEO without an insane amount of effort.

And when you do several (five or more), it can potentially lead to a major breakthrough.

Do you have any other quick and easy SEO tactics up your sleeve?

from Social Media Marketing http://ift.tt/2nYOFls via Social Media Marketing

#Social Media Marketing

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yourmoansareasymphony · 7 years

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1. Do you bite or lick ice cream? I like to eat ice cream with a spoon. If I can choose between a cup and a cone I always pick a cup.

2. What is home to you? Might sound like a cliché but is true. Pixie.

3. What was the last lie you told? I lie to my cat often. Tell him I’m going to take him out or give him shrimps later but forget. He probably doesn’t trust me at all.

4. Does everyone deserve the truth? Of course not.

5. What is the creepiest toy ever made? Baby dolls.

6. Describe a moment in which you did something unacceptable in a bad situation. I borderline odeed on xans like a weasel.

7. List two things that are more easily done than said. (No, I didn’t mix them up.) Loving and hating.

8. When was the last time you worked really hard to achieve something? PhD.

9. How organized are you? Very. Organised and prepared.

10. If humans didn’t evolve to laugh or smile, how would we express our happiness instead? I don’t know.

11. How many romantic “things” or “flings” have you had? Just this one.

12. What is your favourite background noise? (Ex. Water dripping, people talking.) Heavy rain.

13. How many hearts do you think you have broken? A few, I’m afraid, but not intentionally. Some people just take sex as a promise of something more and perhaps those have been the moments when people have been disappointed.

14. What is the most annoying thing someone can do to you? Interrupt me when I speak.

15. Do you overexaggerate? The word “over” is unnecessary here? Yes, I do, sometimes when I’m angry. Or sometimes for comedy value.

16. Have you played any instruments before? Which instruments? I can play the piano. I’ve taken cello and guitar lessons. I have an ukulele but I’m not allowed to play because it’s annoying, apparently.

17. Do you like taking selfies? Why or why not? No. Because of my face.

18. Do you have what it takes to raise a child? Why or why not? I think I’d have everything concrete that it takes: time, money, maybe intellect. But what I don’t have is unconditional love. I can’t love a person just because they’re family. I might easily hate my child if he or she was an idiot or grew up to be a UKIP voter. I want to choose the people in my life.

19. How do you cheer yourself up after a bad day? I play with my cat.

20. When was the last time you felt awkward? Gary slept with us in our bed last night. I was in the middle and they were both more or less leaning on me and they both smelled like old booze.

21. Are you introverted or extroverted? Or a mixture of both? Introvert.

22. What constitutes a good friend? I was just asked what I love about my best friend.

23. Would you rather have a lot of friends to hang out with or just one best friend? I like having a best friend. Quality over quantity.

24. In a regular day, what do you not want to hear? “Bark bark bark the liberal elite moo moo moo unelected bureaucrats.”

25. What is your dream job? Prime Minister.

26. What is a truth about yourself that others find hard to believe? My followers don’t seem to believe that I don’t masturbate. I think the last time I did was in 2012 or 2013. It is true, you wankers!

27. What have you always wondered about the other gender? Why they don’t murder more.

28. Which fantasy world would you like to visit the most? The post-apocalyptic world of the film The Road, to see how long I’d survive.

29. Imagine that you have switched bodies with someone you don’t know. You can’t switch back. What do you do? Go on with my life. Celebrate. I’d probably look a lot better.

30. If you found the recipe for immortality, would you sell it or would you burn it? I most definitely wouldn’t sell it. I would keep it and hide it and give myself at least a decade to think about what to do with it.

31. What is the most important, applicable class you have ever taken? Maths.

32. Name the last book you read. I’m reading All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.

33. When was the last time you made the first move? 9,5 years ago.

34. What is your opinion on electronic music such as dubstep or trap? I don’t listen to it. No opinion.

35. What was the last movie you watched? Star Wars: The Force Awakens

36. Do you like and appreciate your life? Yes.

37. Do you like and appreciate yourself? Appreciate, yes. Like, not always.

38. When was the last time you cried? Christmas.

39. What are you scared of? Babies. Well, not scared of but they creep me out.

40. What is the most embarrassing, cringe-worthy thing you have ever done? I’m still mortified about the wedding.

41. What is a superficial yet annoying mistake you constantly make? Our London house is a “smart” house, this is a very stupid one. I close the bathroom door and stand in the dark for a few seconds until I remember that there’s no motion sensor and that I have to switch the lights on myself. Sometimes I forget to switch them off.

42. Are you a good friend? What makes you a good friend? If not, what makes you a bad friend? Loyal but clingy.

43. Do you honestly learn from your mistakes? Honestly, I’m not sure.

44. What have you learned the hard way? Pixie doesn’t want her nipples touched.

45. What is the most important thing to have in order to attain happiness? Statistically, money. And I agree with the statistics.

46. Which medium do you use for expressing your artistic emotions? (Singing, writing, etc.) Dance.

47. Are you a creative or a logical thinker? Both, I’d like to think. Why do people always assume that these are mutually exclusive? I think these are often found in the same person.

48. What is the smartest thing you have ever done? Left home the way I did.

49. What is the worst thing someone could do on a date? Pay the bill without asking? Murder?

50. Do you like animals? Which kind is your favourite? Kitty.

51. If you could turn one legal thing illegal, what would it be? Voting, if you’re stupid. There should be two pages on the ballot. First page: 1 x 1, which party/parties form the government at the moment, what is the EU? All 3 answers must be correct and if they’re not they will discard your ballot without counting it.

52. Do you have any guilty pleasures? Pimple popping videos.

53. What is the best thing that the internet has ever created? Human connections for introverts.

54. Are you a morning person? When do you usually wake up? Not a morning person at all. I’m physically unable to smile before noon.

55. Do you have a favourite Disney movie? Character? Dumbo. Got stuff done without talking.

56. Would you rather live in the city or in the countryside? City.

57. Would you rather live near the ocean or in the mountains? Mountains.

58. What are the best things about winter? Heh, I just talked about this with someone. I like it when my nose hair freeze when I inhale. It’s satisfying.

59. What scares you most about the future? Nothing really scares me. Stupidity depresses me.

60. What makes you feel old? My Tumblr followers.

61. How many hours do you spend on the computer or phone on average? 2-3 hours?

62. What bad habits do you do? I clean my ears with cotton buds.

63. Most prominent childhood memory? Oh boy, maybe not.

64. Imagine if you had an older brother. If you already have one, what is it like? If you don’t, how would this change your life? I have two older brothers. One’s a twin, the other one I haven’t seen since I was 18 and do not care to. Having a brother is nice, because he’s nice.

65. Do you believe in horoscopes? Of course not.

66. What is the worst advice you’ve ever been given? I rarely take advice but all these “everything happens for a reason” blaa-di-blaas are really irritating. (I don’t think they mean determinism.)

67. List the 3 most important people in your life right now. Pixie, Gary, Aaron.

68. Do you have a role model? Why or why not? No, because nobody’s perfect.

69. What is your opinion on social media? I’m not on Facebook or Twitter. It’s aggravating how everyone has the chance and the right to post whatever they wish, true or not, and there’s a constant terrifying false balance in these conversations. On the other hand, it’s a great tool to detect which one of your friends or acquaintances is actually a moron and therefore you can avoid them in future.

70. Are you a pessimist or an optimist? Still, realist.

71. List some things that you think are overpriced? Pink hygiene products.

72. What is your worst memory or creepiest experience? Amba’s death and what lead to it.

73. What are some things you did as a child that you no longer do? I don’t put so much sugar in my tea.

74. What languages can you speak? BSL, English, Finnish.

75. Favourite food? Raw beef.

76. What is the most terrifying dream you’ve ever had? I had raped Pixie, didn’t remember doing it and couldn’t understand why. I was trying to find a building high enough but every time I got on the roof the building had shrunk.

77. When was the last time you got seriously angry? Christmas.

78. What was the last friendship you broke? I haven’t broken any. Some of them just dry out.

79. Do you have any pet peeves? Yeah, don’t interrupt me when I’m talking.

80. Who was the last person you gave a hug to? Gary, when he left earlier today.

81. When was the last time you got seriously stressed? Last September.

82. What did you want to be when you were little? Dancer.

83. What are some things that you are good at? I’m getting good at knitting socks.

84. What is one thing you want to be good at? I’d like to be a better driver. I’m not bad but the reality is that I’ve driven all my adult life in central London and it doesn’t take much skill. Just don’t kill cyclists or pedestrians. I look up to Pixie (and she looks down on me). We were in her home town one Christmas and she was driving. We were looking for a parking space and saw one on the other side of the street. I thought we’d go around the block and then parallel park like normal people but no, what followed was a handbrake U-turn on ice and a neat drift right into the spot. Her spatial orientation is excellent in general. She knows instantly whether a piece of clothing will fit, whether a large object will fit in the car. We haven’t competed but I think she’d beat me in Tetris and I’m really good. And I know I’m a good driver as well but her mad skills just make me feel inadequate. She gets frustrated if I need to adjust when I’m parking.

85. What distracts you the most, especially when you’re trying to work? My own thoughts. My mind wanders so easily.

86. How important is privacy to you? Essential.

87. If you could create one social norm, what would it be? I’d like to end the greeting fascism. We all have to say hi to people we haven’t really been in contact with in years. People from school, your previous neighbours, current neighbours, your best friend’s aunt, the cousin of your childhood geography teacher, fucking everyone. One of the greatest things about moving here is that I don’t know many people. In London walking to work was always hi, hi, hello, hello, morning, yes, it’s you again, hello.

88. What’s the craziest lie you’ve ever told? I’ve lied to children. I told the Greek kid that my iPad doesn’t show cartoons because it’s an adult iPad and made her watch Brian Cox and she believed me. I told a kid once that I can forge bank notes by drawing them. That my wife is a witch. That there are pirates buried under our house. All sorts of crazy things. Children are idiots!

89. What story do you like to tell about yourself at parties? I don’t tell stories about myself.

90. What is the stupidest thing you’ve done to impress someone? Acrobatics. It starts with me and Pixie, me saying “hey, watch this!” and then I break a bone.

91. What is your morning routine? Pee, brush teeth, feed the cat.

92. If karma was coming back to you, would it help or hurt you? Help.

93. What is your opinion on playing “hard to get?” If you think it’s attractive, fine. But it might not get you the result you want.

94. What are the pros and cons of straightforward? Getting things said and done efficiently. People getting upset.

95. Are you the friend-zoner or the friend-zoned? Such thing does not exist. There are just dicks who think that being nice should be awarded with sex.

96. What is your opinion on “going with the flow?” Don’t.

97. Do you enjoy talking or listening? When the topic is interesting I enjoy both.

98. When was the last time you had a deep conversation with someone? Yesterday, with Gary.

99. Do you have any self-restraint? Lots.

100. What advice would you give to yourself 5 years ago? I would advise myself to take care of myself because by not doing so I’ve caused a lot of sorrow.

I’m going to try and drop this bomb on @my-wanton-self, @theklicker, @nirhauma, @cherrytintedmusings, @agythi, @nakedbutterfly and @cherrypies.

#for my2ndego #i had to use the garden scissors #words #answers

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webmarket01 · 4 years

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Jillian Michaels says these 11 weight loss tips will help you lose weight and keep it off

New Post has been published on https://weightlosshtiw.com/jillian-michaels-says-these-11-weight-loss-tips-will-help-you-lose-weight-and-keep-it-off/

Jillian Michaels says these 11 weight loss tips will help you lose weight and keep it off

Healthista has called upon the ultimate weight loss guru. Jillian Michaels shares 11 ways we can lose weight and keep it off for good

If there’s one woman who knows a thing of two about diet, fitness and weight loss, it’s Jillian Michaels.

The 46-year-old fitness guru is well known in the fitness world after her ten year gig as a trainer on NBC’s hit weight loss show The Biggest Loser – and for her abs of course.

Not only that, but Jillian has trained well known celebrities such as Pink, Julia Roberts, Amanda Peet and Sarah Paulson to name just a few. Jillian has also created many successful workout programmes, such as Bodyshred, Body Revolution, Jillian Michaels Killer Abs and most recently the Jillian Michaels App.

Jillian has trained well known celebrities such as Pink, Julia Roberts, Amanda Peet and Sarah Paulson

As a renowned fitness and nutrition expert with a keen interest in healthy living since the age of 18, Jillian has amassed an Instagram following of 1.3 million, where she shares her expertise, fitness tips and workout videos, as well as inspirational life quotes.

The TV star has built a fitness empire around empowering people who want to lose weight do so in a healthy and sustainable way.

So who else could we have reached out to other than Jillian for some advice on how we can drop the pounds and keep them off for good? Here are 11 diet and fitness tips from the one and only Jillian Micheals…

#1 HIIT and resistance training burns the most calories

HIIT training is extremely effective for getting lean and losing weight quickly, especially when done in conjunction with resistance training. Both these training types burn the most calories, during and after the workout.

That’s why I design my programs so that the individual trains each muscle group twice a week with two days of rest before training that muscle group again.

So a training schedule for my clients would look something like this:

If someone is a fan of traditional cardio, I advise that they do this up to two more times a week, but they must take at least one day off, preferably two. So that means they have Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday open for cardio.

#2 Don’t consume more calories than you burn

The reason most people don’t see results when they think they are doing everything right is because they aren’t creating a calorie deficit, even if they think they are.

Either someone will think they are eating healthily, but still eating too much, or they will be eating less, but not doing enough exercise meaning there isn’t enough of a calorie deficit to lead to steady weight loss.

That’s why counting calories is important. Even if you don’t like to do it, if you want to lose weight it’s a tool you need to get used to.

weight gain, weight loss, weight maintenance are all an energy equation

Look at it this way, weight gain, weight loss, weight maintenance are all an energy equation. Yes, there are certain foods that can affect your metabolism, but not in a hugely significant way. This is not an opinion of mine. It’s scientific fact. It’s called the law of thermodynamics.

This means that energy isn’t created or destroyed in a vacuum. Food has calories and calories are units of energy. Consume more energy than you burn in a day and it will be stored as fat. No matter how healthy the food you are eating is.

And remember that eating for health and weight loss are not the same thing. There have been numerous studies whereby doctors and scientists have simply reduced someone’s calories but let them eat the same garbage and they still lost weight.

Is it healthy to eat crap – no. But eating less crap will help you lose weight. Ideally you want to be eating healthy foods and you should not be overeating.

A post shared by Jillian Michaels (@jillianmichaels) on Aug 3, 2020 at 11:00am PDT

#3 Choose exercise that you enjoy

Exercise and the ‘right’ type of exercise depends on the individual. Ultimately, the most effective form of fitness is the one someone will show up for.

So if you love dance class, spinning, walking or jogging, then do it. Whatever you choose, do it consistently.

That’s why I design programs to blend multiple types of fitness, from HIIT training, weight lifting, yoga, metabolic circuits and so on. By trying a variety of different exercise, you are training for every modality of fitness – strength, speed, power and flexibility.

It’s wise to change up your workouts too so you don’t hit a plateau or cause injury from doing the same movements repetitively. I advise that you add a couple of different types of workouts to your training every two weeks.

A post shared by Jillian Michaels (@jillianmichaels) on Feb 13, 2020 at 12:45pm PST

#4 Fitness apps are designed to help you reach your goals – use them!

The great thing about fitness apps is that you can access them on any device, any place, any time, anywhere – your phone, tablet, apple watch and your TV.

Plus, nowadays the technology allows for a completely custom experience whereby you can personalise a program for the client.

When someone downloads the Jillian Michaels App they can tell me their fitness level, workout of choice, time frame, available equipment and I am then able to customise a workout for them as an individual.

The great thing about fitness apps is that you can access them on any device

Or they can use any of the programs I’ve already created as they are all available on the app. Whether it’s my entire DVD library or any other programs they would want to use (HIIT, weight lifting, yoga, kickboxing, kettlebells), it’s all in there.

Even the meal plans are totally customised, from food preferences, calorie allowance, servings you want to make and more.

Fitness apps really are helpful, and they are often way cheaper than a gym, so make use of them.

#5 Balance and common sense are the key to success

I believe in balance and common sense, and keeping it simple.

By balance I mean, don’t over eat and move your body up to four times a week for around 20 to 30 minutes.

And by common sense I mean look at your food choices. Don’t eat garbage more often than you eat healthy foods.

#6 The 80/20 rule works

I live by the 80/20 rule, and that’s because it works.

That means I make sure 80 per cent of my food comes from healthier choices such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, ocean caught fish, legumes and grass fed beef.

don’t go over the amount of calories you burn in a day

Then the 20 per cent of my food choices consists of a glass of wine, a piece of pizza or some ice cream. This way I am making sure I never over eat. I eat as many calories as I burn in a day so around 1800 to 2000 depending on whether or not I trained that day.

As long as you don’t go over the amount of calories you burn in a day you won’t gain weight – this is an extremely effective way of losing and maintaining weight. It’s how I’ve kept myself fit while being a mom of two and running a business.

A post shared by Jillian Michaels (@jillianmichaels) on Apr 7, 2018 at 1:44pm PDT

#7 Eat more whole foods and try fasting overnight (for at least 12 hours)

I always aim to eat foods in their most whole form and try to avoid eating fake garbage, and it’s what I advise my clients to do also.

By garbage I mean fake fats, processed grains, refined sugars, preservatives, food colouring, pesticides, hormones and meat raised with antibiotics and hormones. Of course we can’t avoid this all the time, but try to limit the amount you do eat.

Personally I do the following: I eat every three to four hours (breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner) over a 12 hour period and I do an overnight fast of 12 hours. That means if I eat my last meal around 8pm, I won’t eat again until 8am.

I always aim to eat foods in their most whole form and try to avoid eating fake garbage

Not everyone follows the same diet though, and there are different diets for different people such as, vegan, gluten free, vegetarian, omnivore, and even Keto. That’s why the Jillian Micaels App includes registered dietitians who optomise nutrition no matter what meal preference the client chooses.

As much as I would love to tell a vegan to have some grass fed beef once every two weeks it’s the equivalent of telling someone to believe in a different God. It’ll never work. So instead my team looks for any potential nutrient deficiencies and works hard to combat it.

#8 Think about your WHY

My job is to help people find their ‘why’. People can tolerate the how (the work and sacrifice associated with the goal) if they have the why.

I have many ‘whys’ – from being a role model to my kids, to feeling strong and confident in my own skin, leading by example for people who follow my programs, living to be 100, meeting my great grandchildren and the list goes on and on.

So tell me, what is your why?

A post shared by Jillian Michaels (@jillianmichaels) on Sep 12, 2018 at 9:48am PDT

#9 Don’t drink your calories

Remember the common sense I mentioned above? That includes the simple things like don’t drink your calories.

Water, tea, coffee and milk is allowed but avoid fruit juice, soda and kombucha as they are often full to the brim with sugar and additives.

Don’t get trapped into believing those fad juice diets will work. They are complete crap and hold potential threats for your health in the long term. Remember, common sense eating.

Alcohol in moderation is fine and even has health benefits, but if you are looking to lose weight, try not to consume more than four glasses a week.

A post shared by Jillian Michaels (@jillianmichaels) on Jun 27, 2020 at 12:31pm PDT

#10 Supplements are a great addition to a healthy diet

Supplements – this is where I can get a little nuts. I believe that even though it’s ideal to get your nutrition from your food, our diets often aren’t varied enough and in some cases the soil our food is grown in can be depleted of nutrients.

So, I supplement to make sure I’ve covered all bases and to make sure my body is getting all the nutrients it needs to be as healthy as it can be.

Supplements – this is where I can get a little nuts

I take a greens powder with adaptogens and antioxidants, krill oil, a symbiotic (pre and pro biotic combo), multi collagen with MSM glucosamine chondroitin and if I get sick I take an immunity blend with everything from garlic and acerola to ashwaganda and elderberry.

I love the Alaya Naturals brand because they are privately owned. All their formulas are heavily researched and their ingredients are organic and ethically sourced from top quality.

#11 Stop comparing yourself to others

I will never be five foot nine and I have a small butt and no boobs – sigh. I will never look like someone else but who cares about looking like someone else anyway?

You can be the best version of yourself though and that’s what matters. Be you – that’s what makes you unique and special.

Image by Don Flood

Jillian Michaels, health and wellness expert and creator of the Fitness by Jillian Michaels App.

This content was originally published here.

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jessicakehoe · 4 years

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16 Ways To Minimize Your Carbon Footprint This Holiday Season

Christmas—despite its biblical origins and self-professed giving spirit—is an orgy of consumption. The holidays see more food, more drinks, more shopping, more gifts, more travel and more human-gatherings than any other time of the year. It also sees more garbage, waste and senseless squandering of the earth’s depleting resources. Tis the season, am I right?

This year, take a moment to turn down the Michael Bublé and think about the impact your festivities are having on the environment. From eco-friendly gift wrapping to sustainably sourced trees, there are plenty of ways to eat, drink, be merry and be a friend to the planet.

Photography via iStock

The Tree

Real and plastic Christmas trees are both evergreen, but they’re also both never green. Get it? That was a fancy way of saying that whether your tree was cut down at a farm or created in a factory, you’re increasing your personal carbon footprint. Which of the two is less bad is an age-old question, with studies showing that the difference it so small, it really doesn’t matter which you choose. Here’s what science has to say: the American Christmas Tree Association (this is a real thing) did a comparative life cycle assessment in 2010 (it’s 210 pages), and found that “the impact of the tree life cycle, for all scenarios, is less than 0.1% of a person’s annual carbon footprint and therefore is negligible within the context of the average American’s lifestyle.”

1. If you opt for a real tree, look out for FSC Certification. This will confirm that your tree has been sourced sustainably.

2. When the holidays are over and it’s time to kick your festive decor to the curb, seek out local council recycling schemes that repurpose or replant trees.

3. If a fake tree is more your style, try picking up a secondhand one from an Internet marketplace like Kijiji or Facebook.

4. Or, since Christmas is sort of an annual thing, you could consider investing in a high-quality artificial Christmas tree that will last a lifetime, rather than a cheap one you’ll have to soon replace.

Photography via iStock

The Lights

Your best bet: skip them all together and light a bunch of soy candles instead. But if you aren’t interested in being the single light-less Scrooge on your street, you can make these small changes to your yearly light set-up.

5. Use LED lights on your home and your Christmas tree. LED lights use about 80-90% less energy than traditional light bulbs, which means you’re doing your electricity bill and Mother Nature a favour.

6. Put your lights on a timer so that they aren’t wasting electricity when you drink too many rum and eggnogs and forget to turn them off before bed.

Photography via iStock

The Cards

A thoughtful Christmas card is the perfect way to show a distant friend or relative a little love over the holidays. But instead of sending a physical card in the mail—Think of the paper! Think of the delivery emissions!—

7. Design an e-card, write an email (add festive emoji!) or simply give someone a “Merry Christmas” FaceTime call. I promise they’ll appreciate the message just as much.

8. Save the cards you receive and cut them into holiday gift wrapping tags for next Christmas.

Photography via iStock

The Wrapping Paper

The easy answer would be to stop giving physical gifts all together. Instead of buying plastic toys and brand new pieces of technology, you could gift everyone on your shopping list a tree! It’s a charming idea—and at $4.00 a piece, you should consider it—but it’s not an entirely realistic goal for everyone. So if you’re going to to be wrapping gifts this season, here are some of the ways to reduce your waste.

9. Skip the wrapping paper. If you’re a parent, consider letting Santa leave small, organized piles of gifts for your children. They’ll start playing right away, and you can go back to sleep.

10. Buy something reusable — like this fabric gift wrap from Montreal-based brand La Petite Boite Co. — or consider wrapping your gifts in something reused, like newspaper.

11. Foil and glitter wrapping paper is pretty, but it can’t be recycled. If you’re going to buy wrapper paper, skip these options altogether. And also, it’s important to remember to remove all tape before tossing paper in the recycling bin.

Photography via iStock

The Food

Extravagant food displays are a hallmark of the holidays. Ensure that not a bite is destined for the trash by diligently planning and preparing the right amount—and the right type—of food.

12. Opt for turkey over roast beef. According to University of Michigan’s Centre for Sustainable Systems, for each serving of beef there are approximately seven pounds of carbon dioxide equivalents (beef production releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas). One serving of poultry, however, has just over one pound of carbon dioxide equivalents. Or, skip the meat altogether and try Lauren Toyota’s roasted cauliflower skillet, which comes basted with a savoury gravy and looks just as impressive as the real thing.

13. Let your guests serve themselves to ensure people only fill their plates with what they’ll actually eat. Bonus: you’ll end up with all the leftovers, instead of their plate scraps ending up in your garbage.

14. There are hundreds of things you can do with your leftover holiday food—and they aren’t all hot gravy sandwiches. Here are just 40 out-of-the-box ideas from Food Network Canada.

Photography via iStock

The Travel

Whether you’re escaping the Canadian cold or heading out of town to visit family, there’s a good chance you’re leaving home over the holidays. Here’s how you can avoid letting your travel plans spoil all the hard work you did to keep your carbon footprint down.

15. Carpool to family events and social gatherings. It cuts your carbon output, and makes the parking situation a whole lot easier.

16. According to The New York Times, “one round-trip flight between New York and California [generates] about 20 per cent of the greenhouse gases that your car emits over an entire year.” If you’re getting on an airplane, purchase a carbon offset to help balance it all out. Read more here.

The post 16 Ways To Minimize Your Carbon Footprint This Holiday Season appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

16 Ways To Minimize Your Carbon Footprint This Holiday Season published first on https://borboletabags.tumblr.com/

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purplesurveys · 4 years

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816

What have you been up to today? Anything interesting? I decided to be a 14 year old again and watched video clips of my OG, ride or die, absolute favorite OTP this morning and I fangirled like it was 2012 lol. I haven’t revisited that ship in around six or seven years so it was surreal to see their scenes all over again and I was beaming all morning hahaha. Other than that, I do have a meeting in an hour but I find that more blah than interesting... WHYYYYY I volunteered for a shitload of extracurricular positions before this quarantine started, I’ll never know. What was the last thing you ate? My sister had found this bread recipe on YouTube last night and I loooooved what she made, so I asked her to make it again this morning. Do you know how to knit? Who taught you? We were taught in Grade 6 by our home economics teacher, but 1) I wasn’t interested and 2) kinesthetic learning has never been my forte, so I wasn’t able to follow from as early as step 1. What state or territory were you born in? Continued the day after, lol oops. I was born in Manila. Are you the type of person to dwell on the past? Only in such a way that I prefer to hold grudges, so on that front I’m technically perpetually dwelling on the past. I can get over other stuff relatively easily.

Are there many traffic incidents in your area? There’s a usual bottleneck spot three minutes away that gets really bad in the evening when everyone is trying to get home, but the traffic becomes a lot more loose when you get to the part of the highway leading to my village. What's your favourite genre of music? I vibe with R&B and some indie rock the best. Have you ever been for a ride in the back of a truck? No, I think that’s mostly illegal here lol. People usually ride the back of pickup trucks when they’re inside gated areas, but it’s a different story once they get to the highway. Are you currently downloading anything? Nope. I haven’t (illegally) downloaded a book since March-ish, and a movie since...2016, maybe. Have you seen any good movies lately? Tell me about them. Nah I prefer shows these days. The last good one I watched was Descendants of the Sun; it really lives up to the hype and is genuinely one of the better Korean dramas out there. It centers on a special forces captain and doctor and how their lives and respective careers intertwine in a war-stricken country. Does your father have any facial hair? He grows it but he shaves it off regularly. What's your favourite thing to eat for breakfast? Ideally it would be Eggs Benedict, but realistically I really like scrambled eggs, bacon, and fried rice. Did your grandparents teach you anything? My maternal grandpa was one of the smartest people I knew and from the second I was born he loved giving me little facts about every topic that could possibly exist, but especially about history and how things work or are made. My maternal grandma is super traditional and taught me more maternal and old-school stuff like how to be more ladylike, the different benefits of vegetables (like how carrot and squash are good for your eyes haha), and random facts about Christianity – basically stuff you’d expect from an Asian grandma lol. Because I didn’t really grow up with my paternal grandparents and since they’re a lot more reserved to begin with, I haven’t gotten the chance to learn a lot from them.

Do you want/have a Bachelor's degree? I want one and I’m on my way to getting it, but because of Covid the road to graduating has been slower than normal. The college has already decided and we’re only going to have an online graduation which really bums me out, and that’s gonna happen by late July. Have you ever written a song for or about somebody? I’ve never written a song, period. What are the longest and shortest romantic relationships you've been in? I’ve only had two stints and they’ve been with the same person. The shorter one lasted eight months, while the longer and ongoing one has been going on for four years. Would you go on one of those galactic space flights if you had the chance? If it was free, for sure. Do you like your license photo? Yes hahaha. The license people had a laugh once my card got printed out because I had a wide-ass smile on my face (the photographer said it was fine to smile, and he didn’t tell me off when I smiled with my teeth), and apparently that’s not normal at all because people would always choose to look stoic in their licenses. The amusement on their faces was funny to me and we ended up laughing together sksksksk. Are you into superheroes? Who's your favourite? I am not. I watched the Wonder Woman movie two years ago and that was really nice, but I’m generally not into superheroes. Spotify, Pandora or something else entirely? Spotify. The only Pandora we have here is the jewelry shop. What colours do you wear the most? I’d say black or mustard yellow. What was the last alcoholic beverage you had? I had a bottle of peach soju last Friday. How many televisions do you have in your house? How big is the biggest? Four. I dunno the dimensions of the biggest one we have but it’s pretty...big lol Have you ever been to Arizona? Did you like it? I have not. I like Arizona tea though :))) Do you have any exercise equipment in your home? Yeah we have a couple of dumbbells and my mom has a rowing machine thing. Are you a gossip-loving sort of person? Yes. Not the best trait of mine I gotta say, but it is a guilty pleasure. What brand of laptop or computer do you own or use most often? Apple. What did you have for dinner last night? We had some sort of Korean beef with vegetables. How old were you when you learned to tie your own shoelaces? The thing is, this was one of our exams in kindergarten, so I had to learn it to ace that test even though I’ve always been bad when it comes to hands-on learning. My grandma painstakingly taught me when I was five and she had to start teaching me weeeeeeks before the exam to accommodate how slow I am when it comes to lessons like that haha. Have you ever felt like you were making a mistake when dating someone? Certainly felt that way in the latter part of my first relationship. ^ Did you continue the relationship or end it when you realised? I continued it only because I’ve just never been the dumper type when it comes to relationships. I waited several months for her to realize so that she can do the breaking-up, but yeah those were several wasted months for me. When was the last time it rained where you live? Yesterday it rained hard all afternoon. Have you ever bought one of those 'As Seen on TV' products? Nope, but I like watching the commercials heheh. What brand are the shoes you last wore? Onitsuka Tiger. Do you think you look similar to your siblings? I do. You know how Snapchat has a filter that’ll show how you’d hypothetically look if you were the opposite sex? I’ve tried that out and my face just turns into my brother’s lmao, we look that similar I guess. My sister and I also look alike but much less - there are only certain angles where we do. Have you started watching any new TV shows recently? Mmm not yet. I have so many Korean dramas up on my queue – Crash Landing On You, Fight For My Way, Who Are You: School 2015, Legend of the Blue Sea, Itaewon Class, and Fated to Love You – but I take forever to start on any new series so idrk when I’m gonna start on one of these. When was the last time you sat in the back seat of a car? Around two weeks ago when my parents brought me to a nearby hospital to have me checked for my week-long fever. Are you good at answering random general knowledge trivia questions? I’m better than the average person, I’ll give myself that. Have you ever been obsessive over calories, exercise etc? No. What is your favourite shape of pasta? Fettuccine. Do you live to eat, or eat to live? Liiiiiive to eat. Have you ever played Cards Against Humanity? Did you like it? Yes, but just briefly and sneakily in my old school because Catholic school wouldn’t have tolerated a game like that haha. I found it funny, but I wouldn’t play it all the time. Are you going to work or school tomorrow? Not these days, chief. When did you wake up today? I was awake by 8:30. What is the time right now? 11:58 AM.

#survey #surveys

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glennmalcolm · 5 years

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Oculus Quest - Room-Scale VR For Schools - A Full Review

Since the original Oculus Rift was launched several years ago, I was converted to the use of VR. There was so much potential out there for VR for the forward thinking technology departments to drop into. As I learned more about the modification (or home brew) scene in VR I was hooked on the Oculus Rift Developer kit - even when there was only 4 degrees of movement and the tethering of the HDMI cables meant you were attached to a laptop or desktop and usually seated because there wasn’t and Z axis tracking.

Then came the addition of things like VorpX. This allowed you to take a first person type environment and then transpose it into a VR game. Driving, roaming, exploring and being part of a game became a truly immersive experience. I loved it - even on the mediocre screen back then.

Then came all sorts of varieties and news in the tech media of what was technically possible - Leap Motion was one of the main ideas of this time - the mapping of hands and limbs within VR. There was a very positive outlook for VR back then. Then came the HTC Vive. Wow. A standing, ‘outside-in’ trackable environment that ran on a beefed up PC hardware pushing the realms of a not-too-distant future of VR for the masses. Along with this came the Leap Motion clip-on module, the additional ‘pucks’ for tracking and backpack PCs for untethered outside in tracking.

A little back story: the phrase ‘VR for the masses’ has been around since the mid-nineties when I remember seeing an advert for Sega and Nintendo VR. The snag is that VR has been around a while and the mantle for which VR type, style and format is best. The real bone of contention is, if it’s for the masses, then it really needs to be pared down because not everyone has a PC with a (now aging) GTX 1080 to provide room-scale grunt for their VR realms and the floor space to create the ‘Guardian’ that is required for room-scale VR.

The pared down version comes at a cost to the user, I feel. Namely the appliance-like nature of the device so that the mass-produced all-in-one case can provide a three-click platform: turn on, choose game, hit go. The appliance also pares down what the ‘user’ should be able to do. I find that this channels the user into what the appliance’s designers want you to use and how you should use it. Think of it like an IKEA type VR. You shop at IKEA and all you can do is trundle through the alleyways following the arrows pointing you to checkout and exiting with items you never came in for. The format and style of current titles is also of a low poly nature, that to be frank, surely cannot keep going where every title has the same blocky nature.

That is where I feel we are at with the Oculus Quest. This takes the room-scale usership to a simplified level - albeit a well crafted one. Unlike the IKEA analogy, the Quest is very well built, offers a robust material set and has very ergonomic controllers that offer a some hand tracking that seems (at the moment at least) to halt at finger pointing to turn switches on and off in-game. Here the Quest’s controllers are AA style removable batteries. Knowing how fast the Vive’s paddles are depleted I think you’ll be looking for something like Sony Eneloops to get all-day longevity out of these. The same goes for making a hack for the headset’s USB-C battery bank connection as I had gone through half the battery in about an hour of intermittent use. In school though, I think most tech departments are looking for internal rechargeable batteries where a power bank can be USB connected and recharged.

The well-built nature of the headset means that the phone-like innards (Qualcomm 835 (3years old equivalent to a Samsung Galaxy 8), Adreno 540 GPU and 4Gb RAM run the device pretty well. The heavy coating of the Quest, combined with the screen means this thing is pretty heavy on the face after about an hour. Other people have said they get tiredness around two hours however I have a gigantic Roman nose that felt like it was supporting the entire thing after a while.

When you put the headset on, I like the way it recognises the headset is on your head and uses similar sensors to that of the eye-piece of a digital camera to turn the LCD off and turn on the viewfinder. This presents you with a lovely screen and decent adjustable lenses to view content. The controllers are simple to find (they light up on screen when the headset is on which is a nice touch) and the pass-through camera lenses on the front of the device also highlight the controllers which is similar to the more high-end Vive where searching for the controllers/ searching the room is needed.

The interface is simple and has a store that seems to be filled with large number of apps and games (50at present). Now, I was expecting a lot more from this section for both apps and games. I was kind of expecting something similar to the Oculus, Vive and Steam stores. Lots of people have said that this has plenty of games starting with 50 for this specific Quest store. This is where people get a bit miffed in terms of ‘content’. If you are a Steam user then you know that there may be 5,000 games and apps in the store, yet there will only be around 10% of those games that have good reviews or good enough for you to start there. Then there will be only about 30% of these top rated games that are to your taste and of those about 10% are affordable. I think you get what I mean here, there are only about 5 of those games that I would like to play yet this is not what I’m after in this instance. What I'm after is creative or story telling experiences that wow the user...

You see, the apps needed in a school are creative, world—builder type apps that put the controllers front and center and the device set to its limits. I want it to allow me and my students to create and build something then export it somewhere to be used elsewhere, say, in TinkerCAD and 3D print it. There is only Tilt Brush by Google that I can see in the Oculus store and this was $30 (around 1000thb here in Thailand -that's way too much). TiltBrush on Steam for the full version on the Vive is much cheaper. Also, I say ‘full’ because there is no way that this phone could cope with building the scale of the models you will end up creating and exporting from a whole class - especially if you are making a walkthrough gallery of models.

The next part is looking for experiences for my students because the creative angle is blocked within a single mainstream application. I looked for video and 360 degree environments either from YouTubeVR or from sites that offer the experience from the site itself. In this regard, I tried out FirefoxVR - this has potential however as of yet there’s not much difference to a phone VR experience. What I wanted in this realm were the types of environments such as Allumette that guide you in room-scale via sound or trinkets and want to immerse you within the story itself. No such luck. Maybe there’ll be some ported over.

I also searched for apps similar to Google Expeditions, Google Stories and places to build or explore such as Museums. Sadly there isn’t really anything that stood out as something I would use a Quest for in my classroom other than what I have used previously with Android phones and Google Cardboard (or Cardboard-like headsets). These offer the same experiences as on the Quest for students that teachers always ask for, and, more importantly class teachers need to be able to search for content to splice into class projects. Having Android phones as your class set of VR devices also allow you to log into a single Admin user on the Play store and wirelessly push out the apps to each of the phones.

The other snag I felt that limited the use in the primary classroom especially is, should you work in a large school such as mine (8 form entry and a total of 2600 students from 3-18), having just one Quest in class, where usually two lessons of specialist provision or eight classes are running simultaneously, how can you reasonably use something like Tilt Brush, Blocks or should it ever arrive: Co Spaces, and include all children. In my school I only see the children in the 16 Junior classes once a fortnight for an hour at a time. It would require 8 devices per class set minimum with a teacher’s unit to get close to coverage.

The next item to think about here is the overall cost of a class set of Quests versus a class set of Android phone based class sets. Even if it was a set of 6 Quests, these 6 a need an additional phone for ownership for each seat in the app store (or users in the Oculus store per app per device) after the initial $500(+pp +duties) each. (The ones we have are 128Gb models the 64Gb models are $400 each) - that makes a class set cost of a minimum USD$3000 (for the models we have) before shipping and import duties.

Compare this to my previous set up of:

13 Xiao Mi Red Note 6’s with jelly-like cases =13 x S$230 (2017 models) = S$2990

2019 Mi RedNote 7 (3Gb, Qualcomm 632, 6” , 4000mah, ) similar pricing here

14 iamcardboard headsets (spare included): 14 x S$ 322 + S$50 shipping

6 Anker 10000MiA battery packs = 5 x S$55 = S$330

14 Sennheiser HD202 headphones (spare set) 14 x S$54.99 = S$769

Grand total for 1:2 class set of VR headsets: S$4488 = USD $3243.48

We can easily skin this total down by not purchasing battery packs or the Sennheiser and only buying Apple style earbuds ( I prefer these hard shell earphones for their durability). Cheap copies are available on the likes of TaoBao, Ali express or Lazada for a lot less. However, for this comparison, I’m going with the Oppo/ Huawei standard 3.5mm type that come in at S$19.

13 Xiao Mi Red Note 6’s with jelly-like cases =13 x S$230 (2017 models) = S$2990

2019 Mi RedNote 7 (3Gb, Qualcomm 632, 6” , 4000mah, ) similar pricing here

14 iamcardboard headsets (spare included): 14 x S$ 322 + S$50 shipping

14 Oppo/ Huawei earbud type earphones: S$19 x S$266

Grand total for 1:2 class set of VR headsets: S$3628 = USD $2619.42

With import duties and shipping, the Quest set works out roughly the same for a 1:2 class set (our classes are capped at 24 children ) of devices that, in my experience are simple to manage and above all else, provide a bookable resource of mobile devices that are not locked down in the same way as the Oculus Quest and provide all the functionality of a phone: video, stills, editing, QR and other apps too. The locked-down nature of the Quest where there needs to be another phone attached with a person’s Oculus account to release the developer mode really is a bind that you don’t really experience on Android devices, nor do you want to experience this as a class teacher with your students. Unless, of course, you have a teacher cohort at your school that frequently flash custom Android ROMs on their devices. However, I doubt this very much.

The thing I’m going to lead onto here is that the need for another phone’s Oculus app to pair the device for the Quest to enter Developer mode really is a step too far by comparison to a standard mobile phone for general class use. This enhanced mode allows you to you sideload apps from your Windows computer which, as a stand alone R&D device is perfect. The real stickler here is twofold and this is part and parcel of it being a great R&D device for honing staff member’s understanding of what technology is just around the corner. What I’ve learned from this type of R&D is that when single units like this are dropped into classrooms they spark so many ideas and lead-in for new wild projects or add-ons for already outstanding projects. What they don’t do is shape the current use and ready-planned resources within a school, the working, easy-to-use devices do this. The Quest is a fabulous device for future planning and aligning budget cycles especially if you run a 10% R&D already or are about to.

The two fold nature of this device is that, yes, you can mirror your computer with Riftcat and run Steam VR from here. However, I found it sketchy at best and, in school environment this has a ‘faff-to-success’ ratio of about 2:10 which, is how I found the HTC Vive originally but the ideation that came from that HTC and all the teachers who used it was astounding. The other issue, and this is a big one in terms of school use, is the tethering of the Quest to another mobile phone with the app on it. This makes it instantly a 1:1 device or in an environment such as a school is a put on/ pull off situation where there is limited time to actually make anything, say an .OBJ, for something such as Co-spaces a very tricky thing to achieve with a large proportion of kids younger than 13 or 14. Time constraints and, subsequently the exclusive nature of the device is difficult to bring into a specialist lesson. An all day round-robin cycle of activities that had this as a 20 minute building set would also hone the ideas for what we can do with the class set of Android phones for VR. The bigger social issue with this is that a single VR device, while that one kid is using it everyone is looking at that one kid wondering what the hell they are seeing. It is possible to cast the screen to another computer however, again I found the picture quality contained a lot of artefacts that may have just been the setup of our school network. This was certainly the case for streaming Steam content and to remote desktop. The ‘faff’ scale was hockey stick shaped with this endeavour.

Back to the tethering. This is mandatory for developer mode (why this isn’t a toggle on the device to begin with I don’t know as it’s an eight tap sequence in Android settings) which in turn is needed for the creation of the business account at Oculus.com. Once this is done, you can install the ADB drivers, Powershell script and then you can add other free VR apps from the Sideloader platform. As a serial tinkerer, this had me very much tempted into the ‘what if...? idea stream in my mind’. I was thinking along the lines of ‘what if we can build something and export it. Can we make a simple video compilation or edit game streaming as stories” for example. As it turns out, not really, maybe we will have this soon. Remember, the original Rift was like this and the Quest is a similar informant.

Now then, the Sideloader games and apps... as with any communities such as this, you need to be sympathetic to the wants and desires of devs and tinkerers, and the unstoppable desire for nostalgia. I’m talking really about the porting of games such as Quake into a VR headset such as the Quest. Sadly these don’t really work, but the desire is there to produce these kinds of channels for once champions of the gaming world. In fact, I’m still searching for a port of a game where the parabolic head movement combined a similarly moving horizon doesn’t induce instant nausea. On the other hand, these kinds of apps and games are for niche elements of school life and are a far cry from being useful for the layman - such as the painting polygon app in Sideloader. It’s an early start, yet these are not built school use in mind.

The final note here is to do with the trajectory of VR for schools versus the path VR is taking. The types of kits and the resources that are available for schools is fantastic. Something so simple as the Tuscan villa or Google Earth VR is an exceptional example of how children can be inspired to write or experience a scene that inspires other aspects of our curricula. Google Earth VR has a real Gulliver’s Travels feel about it. The snag is, harking back to the phrase ‘VR for the masses’ earlier, means that the likes of Facebook need to earn back their investment and to gain a profit by securing users to a platform. And to do this, they need to make the devices locked down and appliance-like. The games need need to be just that, games where eyeballs are on the screen as much as possible and to serialise these mini franchises. Google Earth et al is not going to do that job. Ever.

In essence, schools need to think and research very carefully how they are going to incorporate these types of devices into classes, to include as many children as possible because the learning experiences to be had from VR, as much as I’ve experienced with my classes, provide a primary source knowledge base for nearly all students, that has an outstanding knock-on effect, especially in areas such as creative writing and as I mentioned above, ideation.

#VR #Virtual Reality #educational technolgy #virtual environments

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beverlyfdole · 5 years

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30 Ways to Come Alive, and Not Just Exist

“Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Howard Thurman

“The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.” Jack London

It’s so easy to get stuck in a rut. Maybe for a day or two. Or as weeks bleed into months and nothing much happens.

You just trudge along. You go through the motions, life is on autopilot.

It feels OK. But at the same time you have a small voice whispering at the back of your mind.

It says “It’s time to make a change”. Or “When will I start to truly live my life?”.

In this article you’ll find 30 suggestions and reminders that can help you to stop going through the motions. To disconnect the autopilot and to come alive again.

In both bigger and smaller ways.

I hope you’ll find something here that truly resonates with you.

1. Appreciate what you have.

When you are stuck in autopilot then it is very easy to forget to be grateful for what you actually have. The basic fundamentals that so many people lack, the people who like or even love you and the amazing wonders of the world.

2. Find the optimism.

Become more aware of the negative thoughts you have and don’t let them drag you down.

Instead, find one thing that is positive or helpful in the long run in the situation you are in. Then build on that.

The more you do it, the more this kind of thinking will become a habit and soon your mind will start reacting in a more positive and constructively imaginative way no matter what situation you find yourself in.

3. Have a day of smiling.

Instead of just going along in your usual way take a day off from that. And smile towards everyone you meet. The lady in the checkout line at the supermarket, your co-workers and the people closest to you.

How does that affect how you feel about yourself and your life? And how does it change your interactions and day?

4. Eat something else.

If you usually have the beef for lunch then go for the fish. Or the vegetarian dish. Or try something you have never eaten before.

5. Listen to something else.

One of the simplest ways to burst of out the same old rut is to find something new to listen to. Like with the food, take one or more steps outside of your comfort zone.

Your taste in music may not be as narrow as you believe – that has certainly been the case for me – and this simple thing can really expand your world.

6. Slow down.

When you slow down you naturally connect better with what is happening inside of you and outside you in this moment. What happens right now becomes more vibrant and not hidden behind thoughts racing in your mind about the past or a possible future.

Slow down to enjoy the moment and to not miss life while you are planning for the future or reliving the past.

7. Be your own best friend.

When you stumble, when you fall and when you have a dream then cheer yourself on. Instead of beating yourself up or talking yourself out what YOU deep down want.

It makes life so much lighter and happier. Check out the Self-Esteem Course for more on this.

8. Enjoy the small things.

This becomes easier when you slow down. There are so many small things happening all around that you may miss out on if you rush quickly to the next thing.

So take the time and use your attention to enjoy the small things. A long hug, a walk in the woods, a sunset or the full moon rising among so many stars in the night sky.

9. Be you.

What do you want out of life? What do you want more of in your life?

Take some time to think about it and just for a little while forget what your parents, partner or boss might want.

Sure, you might have to compromise on some things. But don’t let anyone else run your life and run over your dreams. This is in the end your life to live.

10. Forgive.

When you don’t forgive someone then you are stuck in negativity and suffering even if the person who wronged you may have moved on. So you don’t have to forgive to be a good person to someone else.

Do it for yourself. To be your own best friend. For your own happiness.

And for the rest of your years and decades on this earth.

11. Disconnect.

When we are online and sitting in front of a computer or a smart phone during so much of our day then it is easy to miss what else we can do with our time and attention.

So disconnect more to connect in real life more fully. Disconnect to find other activities you may want to try. Disconnect to just get a break and to come back on Monday or a few weeks later with renewed enthusiasm and energy.

12. Feel the pain.

Not all days will be great or fun. Suffering is a natural part of life too.

We lose people in our lives for different reasons. We lose our pets. We lose our jobs or get sick. And sometimes we just have a terrible day.

Don’t try to escape it but feel it. It is a part of living fully and the deeper the pain carves for a time the more joy and appreciation of life and what you have you’ll be able to hold later on.

13. Breathe.

Take a couple of minutes out of your day and sit down in a quiet spot. Then breathe a little deeper than usual and focus only on the air going and out out. Nothing else.

By doing so you calm your mind and body down and you reconnect sharply and fully with the present moment you're in.

14. Exercise.

You are not just a mind. You are a body too. So take care of it. Do some pushups. Go out walking or running for just a bit at first. Play a sport.

You’ll come alive more and your mind will become more centered and focused.

15. Find your passion.

Painting. Making and performing music. Writing. Playing soccer. Helping people out. Traveling. Being the best parent you can be.

Or something entirely else. Explore what you are passionate about and make sure you regularly free up time and space for it in your life.

16. Let go of filler-activities.

So how do you find more time for your passions and for finding new ones? By letting go of some filler-activities in your life.

Disconnect more often. And watch a few less hours of TV each week. Stop playing that videogame that you aren’t honestly that enthusiastic about.

If a book is not good you do not have to finish it. Don’t just go through the motions here either; rethink how you spend your free time and energy.

17. Travel.

I love traveling and seeing something new and I highly recommend it.

No matter if you go to a country half a across the world. Or discover a town or beautiful small spot in nature much, much closer to home.

There are, in my experience, usually more wonderful places nearby than you might think.

18. Take a chance.

Ask someone out for a date instead of hesitating or waiting around any longer. Start your own side-business based on your passion.

Start writing that book you have in your head and when you are done and if no publisher is interested at the moment then self-publish it on Kindle and other platforms.

19. Let go when you have no other way forward.

Sometimes things do not work out in a relationship, at a job or in your side-project or business. You try to fix it, to mend things, perhaps to grow it in a new direction.

Sometimes it helps. But not always. It just gets worse and worse. Then you may try one last time.

Or you move on because it is time to start over and to create something better.

20. Build and cultivate an environment that will support and lift you up.

The people you have close by and a bit further away from you and the information you let into your life will have a huge effect on your outlook and what you focus on and take action on. So choose wisely.

And spend more of your time and energy with the people and information that lift you up and makes you come alive.

21. Make someone you love come alive with an unexpected gift.

It could be a bouquet of flowers you went out picking in the spring grass. A note with a kind and loving message hidden in your partner’s or child’s lunchbox or book. Or a dinner that is ready as she or he arrives tired from work or school.

See him or her come alive with big smile and feel how you come alive too.

22. Take a different route home.

If you always take the same route home from school or work then do something different today. Walk, drive or ride your bike on a route where you have never been before.

See new things instead of spending that journey home on going over the day or your plans.

23. Declutter.

Simplify and change your environment to nudge your thoughts in a new and clearer direction too. Pick one small part of your home for example.

Then go through each item there and ask yourself: Have I used this item in the past year?

If not, give the it away to charity or a friend. Or you can simply throw it out.

24. Have a day of kindness.

Take a break from the criticism, sarcasm and irony. Just for a day.

And instead be kind, friendly and understanding as best you can to everyone you meet that day, including yourself. And see what happens.

25. Start with a morning ritual for clarity.

Wake up slowly. Perhaps reflect on a few things you are grateful for. Sit in silence and calmness for just a minute or two before you start your day.

Setting the tone for the rest of your day like this makes it easier to stop, reflect and to enjoy and appreciate what happens as you move through it.

26. Face a fear.

You don’t have to leap right into it at full speed. Instead, if that feels too scary, take one small step forward. Then another one.

It might be both scary and exciting but not so uncomfortable that you back down.

27. Spend your weekend in a way you usually don’t.

If you usually stay at home and don’t do much besides reading and watching a movie or two then fill your next weekend with a few activities you rarely or never do.

Like going on a trip. Hiking. Going down to the pub or a restaurant and drinking the finest beers or wines in company of a good friend.

If you usually fill your weekends with activities away from home consider just taking it easy with a book on the couch.

28. Run in the rain.

Do something that might not feel like something you would do. When everyone else are happy to be inside and watching TV under a blanket as the rain hits the windows lace up your shoes.

And go out running for a few minutes while feeling every drop hitting you.

29. Free up some time for lazying around or having fun.

It is easy to get lost in just serious thoughts or in being productive. To not make room in your schedule for much more than that.

But you may need something else from time to time and so make room for that too. It could be a tickle-fight. Or simply lying in the grass for a while doing nothing and watching the clouds drift by.

30. Just do something new.

I have already mentioned eating, listening etc. as areas where you can do something new. Don’t just stop there though. Think outside the frame I set in this article.

Do something new, no matter what you are interested in.

The important thing is that you take a look at where you are or what you are curious about and then explore or expand upon one thing and see how it makes you feel.

How it makes you come alive with a smile again.

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13 Urban Survival Tips From The Homeless

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13 Urban Survival Tips From The Homeless

It’s hard not to look down on homeless people. Even if you’re a compassionate person who gives to charity, you probably feel uncomfortable when a homeless person approaches you and asks for change. In the back of your mind, you can’t help but wonder, what is wrong with this person that made him or her end up without a place to live?

Of course, that’s very unfair. Yes, some homeless people are just plain lazy, but there are many who simply had a long string of bad luck and no one to help them out. And ironically, in a major disaster such as an economic collapse, they would actually fare better than the average person.

If you find yourself in an urban survival scenario that forces you onto the streets, you might find yourself turning to other homeless people for advice. After all, they’ve been doing it for years. They must have learned a thing or two about how to survive.

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But instead of waiting until you’re on the streets to learn from the homeless, why not start learning now? Here are some urban survival tips we can learn from them.

1. Dress In Layers

Homeless people know a thing or two about staying warm, as many of them have to sleep outside when it’s incredibly cold and snowing outside. A common strategy they use, which is very applicable to survival situations, is to dress in layers.

The first layer is the layer in direct contact with your skin, the second layer is the insulation layer (or the layer designed to keep you warm), and the third layer is the shell layer, or the layer designed to protect you from the wind and the rain and snow.Here are 23 survival uses for honey that you didn’t knowabout.

If you don’t have enough clothes for three layers, use plastic, cardboard, and especially newspapers, which brings me to the next tip…

2. Use Newspapers

In addition to insulation, newspapers have a wide variety of important survival uses. For example, you can use newspapers as shelter, as a sheet, as a pillow, as toilet paper, and most importantly, as fuel for a fire.

Unfortunately, there aren’t as many newspapers out there as there used to be, but you could also use junk mail, circulars, and old phone books for these purposes.

3. Use Water Bottles

Another tactic that the homeless may use to stay warm is to place hot water bottles into their clothes as they walk, or to surround themselves with hot water before they go to sleep.

Now obviously, as a homeless person, you won’t have access to tap water and a water heater. However, you could still heat water in a tin pot over a small fire or trash can fire, then pour that water into your bottles. As a last resort, you could urinate in a bottle and keep it in your pocket until it’s not warm anymore.

4. Sleep Near Other Homeless People

It might seem dangerous to encroach on the territory of other homeless people, and there is some risk involved, but it could be even more dangerous to sleep completely alone. Bad guys are less likely to rob or attack you when there are witnesses around. But if you’re by yourself, who knows what might happen?

That’s why you’re better off sleeping in an area where other homeless people sleep. If a lot of them sleep in a particular park, alley, or abandoned lot or building, it’s probably because it’s a fairly safe area that the police ignore.

But don’t wait until the last minute to go to this area and sleep. Instead, go there during the daytime and chat up a few homeless people. Share your story, and listen to theirs. If you can make a friend or two, you’re more likely to be left alone.

5. Be Ready To Leave

Homeless people are also constantly on the go and rarely stay in one place for long. They may be forced to leave if a homeless group or law enforcement kicks them out of the area where they are staying.

In an urban survival situation, chances are very good that you’ll be constantly on the move as well, and you may not get to stay in one location for more than a few days. Besides being forced to leave by the cops, you may also be forced to leave by an angry mob if a major crisis is unfolding.

So don’t leave your things all spread out. Unless you’re using something, it should be in your bag, and your bag should always be on your back, even when you’re sleeping. This will ensure that you can stand up and leave right away. That’s why you also need to…

6. Pack Wisely

In order to keep everything you have in your pockets and your bag, you’ll have to pack light. Don’t carry anything you don’t actually use on a regular basis. That’s why I recommend carrying multipurpose items such as bandanas, plastic bags, paperclips, and so forth. All of these can be used for many different things, which means you won’t have to carry as many items.

7. Don’t Fight Anyone

Are self-defense skills something that you should be learning? Absolutely. But the most valuable self-defense tip is really to learn how to avoid a conflict to begin with.

Take note that even the smallest of injuries will need to be treated with the strictest of attention in a survival situation. A simple cut or scrape may seem like something minor, but if an infection sets in, it could result in serious complications.

Another problem with getting in a fight in a densely urbanized area is it’s almost certain to attract unwanted attention. Specifically, you could attract attention that is not on your side, in which case you are likely to end up with more than just a few cuts and bruises.

: Once a nuke is heading your way, you might think that there isn’t much left to do, but you would be wrong!

Because we will that are also EMP proof. When the sirens start wailing, all you need to do is pick the closest one to your home,

8. Consider A Dog

It’s not an uncommon sight to see homeless people with canine friends. But the truth is that dogs have many legitimate uses not only for homeless people but also in an urban survival disaster.

Besides offering you badly needed companionship, dogs are also good for protecting you against those who would seek to harm you. Also, they can help keep you warm when you’re sleeping.

9. Carry First Aid Supplies

As I said, a cut or scrape could lead to an infection. So in case you do get hurt, carry some Bandaids antibiotic ointment with you. It doesn’t cost much, and it could literally save your life.

Another tip is to wear sunscreen if you know you’re going to be in the sun all day. A sunburn could also lead to open wounds that get infected. Make sure that doesn’t happen.

10. Blend In With The Crowd

It’s not exactly a well-known fact, but homeless people tend to be very skilled at blending in with their surroundings. There’s a reason why they are often referred to as the Invisible Population here in the United States.

In the survival world, this is what is referred to as being gray man (or woman). A gray man is someone who can blend into a crowd or the surrounding area and not be noticed.

They dress just like most people in the crowd, they move in the direction of the crowd and never against it, and they avoid making eye contact with people. Being a gray man is not exactly easy, but it can go a long way to help you avoid detection by criminals and law enforcement.

One of the best ways to blend in is to keep a clean look. Use public bathrooms to shave and clean yourself up as much as possible. People are also likely to treat you better if you look more presentable. One way to keep clean is to…

11. Use Baking Soda

Personal hygiene and sanitation is perhaps one of the most overlooked subjects when it comes to survival. Sanitation standards are not going to be good out on the streets, to say the least, and you’re going to need to take action to keep yourself clean so you don’t get sick.

One of the most important personal hygiene items of all time is baking soda. When mixed with water, it can be used for anything from soap to deodorant to shampoo to toothpaste and so on. What’s more, it’s incredibly cheap, and can be bought for less than one dollar at most stores.

12. Don’t Eat Just Anything

If you’re hungry enough, it might be tempting to eat food out of the trash, but you risk getting food poisoning if you do that. If you’re forced to either eat discarded food or starve, choose things that don’t go bad as easily. That means foods that don’t have meat or dairy in them and are mostly made up of sugar and carbs. For example, leftover candy or chips will probably safe to eat.

But on that note, you don’t want to just live on candy and chips. They are empty calories that will leave you feeling hungry, and they don’t have the nutrients your body needs to function properly. Living on junk food like that will cause your health to decline rapidly, making it even harder to survive.

If you can gather some change, buy foods like beef jerky, trail mix, granola bars, and other foods that have plenty of fat and protein in addition to carbohydrates.

13. Control Your Emotions

Last but not least, another hugely overlooked aspect of survival is controlling your emotions. You’re going to be desperate, and hope is going to be in short supply.

Homeless people are confronted with the exact same thing every day. They don’t know where they’re going to eat, where they are going to sleep, or even where they’re going to go the very next day. And yet they don’t let their emotions get the better of them. If they did, they wouldn’t stay alive for as long as they have.

Instead, what you need to do is to control your emotions and use your head. Replace anger, depression, hopelessness, and desperation with logic, reasoning, and hope. Positive thinking never hurts either, no matter how bad the situation may seem to you.

Every time a negative thought enters your mind, stop it in its tracks and replace it with an optimistic thought or focus on the task at hand.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many important tips for urban survival that you can learn from those who are homeless. In any grid down urbanized disaster that strikes your city, these tips will be to your benefit.

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13 Urban Survival Tips From The Homeless

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