We Are Augustines

We Are Augustines

Jarred

How to Maintain a Positive Outlook

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Having a positive outlook on life is accepting that untoward incidents can occur, but that you are ready to deal with them accordingly. It is maintaining the thought that things happen for a reason and that there are hidden opportunities behind them. You see the upside and attract positive vibes. The pessimist will expect the worst and have a negative view of life situations. That is not an ideal way to live. It isn’t healthy either. Life can be challenging, but it is still beautiful. You can make it beautiful by keeping yourself optimistic in the face of difficult situations.

Here are some easy ways to keep your spirits up, no matter what.

Be thankful

If you take a good look at your whole life, you will discover that you have so much to be grateful for. There is your family, your friends, your home, and a job that deserve your gratitude. Knowing what you have and learning how to appreciate it is your first step towards positivity. You can count your blessings and be surprised that they outweigh your problems. This will make you see that life isn’t so bad, after all.

Do things that make you happy

After your daily routine at work, you will want to look forward to doing something that provides you with enjoyment and relaxation. If you love to read, you can go ahead and indulge with your favorite books. If you are interested in music, you could learn how to play the banjo at jofflowson.com or any other musical instrument of your choice. You can bring out your artistry through drawings and paintings. Do whatever it is you are interested in doing and find personal fulfilment in what you accomplish.

Indulge yourself with a few luxuries

You deserve to enjoy the little luxuries in life after days of work. Find time to go to a spa and allow yourself to slip into your most relaxed state. You are pampered there and come out feeling fresh and recharged. Or you can opt to treat yourself to dinner out, alone or with company. Give yourself a break by not getting up from bed while going on a movie marathon. This is your time, and you will discover how it can make you feel peaceful and happier inside.

Be around happy people

Surround yourself with happy people, the ones who laugh more. Shy away from those who exude negative vibes as they can pull you down gloominess. Instead, have conversations with those who face hardships head-on and are confident of overcoming hurdles. These people can inspire you even more to find the silver lining in adverse situations.

Maintaining a positive attitude will prove to be highly beneficial for you. A relaxed state of mind helps you to focus and be more productive. Your health is improved because you can sleep restfully at night and wake up with a happy disposition. You can also think better and find the perfect solutions to the problems you have. As they say, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

Recent trends for memorial service invitation

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“At last, he slept heavenly.”

“No more cancer battle. No more grievance.”

“This is the moment of a smile. Not the reason to cry.”

We often felt such feelings when we lost our loved ones. But, with shedding tears, you give pain to their soul.

So, let’s try to leave the sadness at the door. Let’s attempt to celebrate the life of your beloved.

Do not forget to invite your guest. This is the time to leave balloons together in the air. Send the invitations and maintain two-minute silence in his remembrance.

That’s how you can celebrate his peace.

Hosting a celebration of life is a touchy moment. This reflects your joy and love for that person. However, preparing a funeral service template often holds an incredible emotion.

“But, how to connect with distant relatives?”

“We want to make them our part of grief.”

Here’s how you can reach them with an emotional touch.

Post the post with starry night

From simple to modern designs, write a wonderfully unique poem. Ink sayings of your beloved. Print this on a starry night memorial card with a peaceful color grid. Use plain fonts with no style. Fold up and slide into the envelope. Mention the address of your guest and relatives. Post the card to invite them with a personalized feeling physically. Such an appealing poem will catch their feelings. They’ll surely lock the door to offer flowers at the cemetery.

Mail the message with lily trumpets

The celebration of life cannot be postponed for out-of-range guests. You can craft a handmade letter with understandable illustrations of lily flowers. Mention the typography with a simple message. Attach the mail and send it to the guest. Let’s pray together like a family by connecting our mail messages. No more delay in inviting the dear ones. We all need them during the moment of mourning. They are the all-weather healers.

Timeless emotion with physical touch

Ask your friends and family to join the moment through a memorial service invitation. With a hand received an invitation, it shows the timeless emotion with physical touch. A cluster of flowers and weeps of feeling will invite them to the event for cherishing of happy moments. This is how neighbors form a part of your life. They hold your hand during tough times. Press your shoulder to give the strength and bring the smile of peace.

Flight the message with portraits

Just as how you share the happy moments, you must stand together during sad moments. Search online to quickly print the funeral card with a touchy message and full-size portrait. Let the picture reminds us of how important he was. This will remind you about your happy days spend. So, let’s speed post the card with flying time and inform others with severe pain.

Remembering the happy times, raising a glass, let’s cheers with his soul. Print memorial service invitation in the name of your beloved. This is how you can collect prayers for him.

 

Roger Wolfson – Understanding What Makes a Great TV Script 

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Demand

There’s some great television programs out. It really is the new golden era for televised entertainment. In fact, it’s become so popular that Hollywood’s A-list celebrities are putting pressure on their agents to get more ‘series’ acting work over the feature length film. This has a huge knock on effect for screenwriters as the demand for televised scripts are extremely high. Luckily there’s some fantastic inspiration in the form of ‘Saving Grace’ and ‘Law and Order’ writer Roger Wolfson. Whilst interrogating his work and like so many of this peers, the following three points can account for what makes for a great TV script.

Collaboration

When it comes to making scripts for television, the idea of the solitary writer having his own work performed is out of the window. The final draft is the product of a team of creatives, as part of a sophisticated integrated work flow of departments. A team of writers form regular scheduled meetings and work so closely together; it’s a group effort. Plot concepts and character development are discussed and tested through vigorous writing and sharing subjects. Indeed, writers cannot get too attached to their characters for they will have to collaborate with opposing ideas and the process is a constant negotiation. Learning how to form solid ideas on the spot and how to compromise without losing the essence of your concept is what makes for a great TV writer and in turn a great script.

Flexible characters to story arcs

Having the bigger picture planned and set, albeit not in stone, is vital to a great TV Script. One of the biggest differences any TV script writer will say over working for a feature length film is that the writing is a ‘living organism’ of a project. Essentially no one in the writing department actually knows where their characters are going to end up, so striking the balance between story arc and a flexibility to its character’s part of the discipline in making unpredictable and engaging scripts for television.

The importance of the everyday

In writing scripts that form part of a greater narrative to the production of the story, there is sophisticated balance between the gritty drama and the everyday ‘real’ that provides an authentic experience to the TV show. A script must compliment the vision of the director and the voice of the cast members in how they portray their characters. But there is a discretion left to the script writer to allow for the everyday banality to punctuate the extreme ends of drama in the story. A good script writer will pay close attention to the ‘non-actions’ and inconsequential exchanges in social interactions to portray a reality. Indeed, it is everyone’s aim to make the concept of watching the program as invisible as possible. A good script will have an authentic voice that mirrors aspects of the everyday between the spectacle of action or drama. It also sets a pace that piques interest like a classical composer would do when conducing an orchestra.

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Roger Wolfson – What Are The Values We Look For in a Comedy TV Show?

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Roger Wolfson is one of the greatest TV writers of our era and whilst the name may not ring a bell, you will have most certainly seen and heard some of his big hits like Saving Grace, Law and Order which he did some work on, and Fairly Legal, quite the resume you’ll agree. Roger was speaking recently on a webinar which I watched about the key to creating a great law-based program, which of course streaming services and TV channels are full of. This webinar got me thinking about my favorite genre which is comedy, and what exactly it is that goes into the making of a great comedic TV show.

Consistent

When I was thinking about the shows that have and haven’t worked I was trying to get to the bottom of what it was that went wrong with some, which really looked to be a great premise. Some shows are just terrible and they then fail, that is fine and it happens in every genre. Those which should work but don’t however, they often lack consistency around the comedy which they are creating. Balancing high brow with slap-stick is incredibly difficult to do and many will just tune out if this happens. If you look art the likes of Brooklyn Nine Nine as an example, this is dumb humor which delivers just what you expect, if they started playing around with intelligent humor that loyal fan base would be lost.

Timing

One of the most important aspects of any piece of acting or directing for that matter is timing, and silence is one of the greatest weapons which an actor has at their disposal. As simple as it sounds, there are just so many comedies out there which don’t get that timing right and that means that jokes just go missing. The reason why Charlie Sheen was better than Ashton Kutcher in Two and Half Men was this, and Ashton is a great comedy actor, Charlie just got it better than Ashton did.

Writing

Something which Rpger was talking about in that webinar which he did was the importance of writing and whilst a great many people may not be aware of it, we are all in tune with the script. What he was saying is that many of us will chalk up a star performance from a certain actor, which may only be half true as in reality we are enamored with the writing, and comedy certainly falls into this category. TV comedy is way beyond the bom-bom-cha joke telling that it once would have been, we expect a bigger set up which keeps us guessing until the punchline and that comes down to writers more so than it comes down to the performers.

The key to great TV comedy is an aligning of the stars, a great writing team, good actors who get slow comedy, and an audience which knows what they can expect.

 

Mark Zamuner – The Changing Face of Marketing Throughout CoVid-19

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Digital marketing and media companies are in a very small collection of companies who will have, in the main, done well throughout the global pandemic. Mark Zamuner, CEO of the growth consultancy company Two Nil has spoken about not only the opportunity that this presented for the world of media marketing, but also about how the global impact of this pandemic has greatly altered the face of the industry.

Marketing and media agencies have not only had to react to the market conditions but also the behaviors of the consumer, which has been changing on a weekly basis. In just a few short months this is how the industry has altered.

Focus

There has been a renewed focus on areas of marketing such as gaming and television, both of which has seen a rapid rise in popularity. Owing to the financial difficulties of many companies we have also seen a shift away from brand growth and increasing the awareness and visibility of a business, and instead a heightened focused on the quick buck, a fast sale that will help the company keep its head above water in an increasingly tough economic climate.

Sensitivity

This year is becoming an absolute minefield for creatives in the industry as we are going through a stage where just about anything you say could be potentially construed as being wrong or missing the point, such is the PC brigade on social media. Any risks which advertisers may have once taken are completely off the table at the moment and it is a time for staying as safe as possible and looking to make hay whilst the digital sun is shining.

Pitches

The challenge which marketeers have on their hands is that there is a wonderful opportunity for businesses to do well, but they are trying to balance the books in a worsening financial climate, leaving little by way of a marketing budget. Unfortunately for many media companies, finding new customers and landing pitches is made trickier because of the restriction around logistics which we have under quarantine conditions. Meetings through video chats and the level of invention which ad agencies in particular have to display to win pitches is higher than ever before and creative teams are having to dig incredibly deep for fresh ideas that will work.

Spending

 

Media and marketing companies have had to significantly cut back on spending and this again is something which has meant that the agencies have had to be much cannier with the way that they spend money. Ad spending is down 9% across Europe, an enormous swing from where we were just 5 months ago, when spending was actually on the rise ahead of the end of the financial year. Whilst it is true that offices are able to save money on running costs, there is still a very clear reduction in spending when it comes to advertising and on the type of ads which are being invested in.

Many of the changes which we are seeing now will be reversed post-pandemic, but there will be a lot that remains the same.

 

Pietro Triassi Montreal – Why Montreal Keeps Bringing Me Back

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For the great writer Pietro Trassi Montreal was a place that he would discuss a lot and having visited multiple times myself, I can completely understand why a creative mind would absolutely love such a place. I first went to Montreal around 7 years ago right in the middle of one of the worst winters that they have ever had, naturally I didn’t get to see much more than the open fire of our hotel lobby, I as determined therefore to get back to Montreal and so the following summer we made a trip to both Toronto and Montreal, and this was when the city really showed off her true colors.

I have since returned multiple times and here is exactly why I keep on going back.

Culture

As anyone who has previously visited a French area of Canada you will know that the culture is this beautiful combination of old and new, a clash of cultures which works in this perfect symbiotic relationship. You can feel this when you speak with the people, when you look at the buildings and also when you see certain scenes, the wine bar and cafe scenes here in Montreal clearly comes from the French inspiration, delivered in a very Canadien way.

Calm

This is by far and away the calmest city that I have ever spent time in and the best way that I can describe it is that it feels like 50% of the population upped and left, except it is always like this, calm and spacious. I love the sense of space here in the city and whilst there may be less people, it operates as though there are more. Trains and buses are regular and of course rarely full, stores are easy to get around and wandering the streets is a delight.

Events

The art scene here in Montreal is a really cool and there are many public events on which you can check out during your visit here. On top of this the summer months are absolutely alive with the number of public events that are on from music festivals to outdoor markets and carnivals, this is very much a city which knows how to let it all hang out and enjoy themselves. Even during the cold winter months this dynamic city is able to react and continues the fun with winter sports and icy events.

Bagels

It may seem rather arbitrary but the bagels in this city are like nowhere that I ave ever eaten before, and I am including New York in that list. There is something about the way in which the bagels are in this city that just blows my mind and I always try to grab at least 10 or 20 to take home with me after I have been here.

Have you been to Montreal before? Let us know what your thoughts were on it in the comments below, did you love it as much as I did?

 

Mack Prioleau – Which Sports are Winning During Lockdown?

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I was chatting to a mate of mine last week who runs a sports website, and we were discussing the winners and losers in the sporting world, following the global lockdown which occurred after the CoVid-19 pandemic. Mack Prioleau has a great site which of course has gone through some challenging months, given that there has been little to no sport to watch. Regardless of this, there have been some winners and losers in the sporting world, who have dealt with what has been thrown at them incredibly well.

Everyone is trying to be on the right side of history at the moment and these are the sports which most certainly will be remembered for doing things right.

UFC

The UFC has been nothing short of exemplary during this pandemic and Dana White and his team have well and truly shown that they are a relentless organization which has the ability to overcome any obstacle in order to keep the show rolling. What is important to recognize here is that the UFC did not just make a decision to keep things going and to hell with the consequences, they have been a shining light for the way in which they have mass tested and kept their fighters and all of the staff safe during this time. The UFC have done things so well that many other sports leagues have been in touch with them to gain some tips.

Football

Whilst it was very slow in shutting down, football has won back some fans thanks to the way in which it has gone about reopening things. It was always known of course that the sport would never open back up with fans, but quite early on it became apparent that leagues could certainly reopen under tight conditions and with heavy testing and regulations on the players. Football has resumed leagues across the world and in order to Meet with the requirements from the next season, they are packing in games wall to wall, which of course comes to the delight of so many fans.

Golf

Of all the sports that you would imagine could resume without any fears for an outbreak of the virus, golf is one which would be at the top of the list. When you consider the fact that golfers have no reason to be near each other, not to mention the fact that they play on a huge open air course, it seems a no brainier that things would continue. In the beginning however there many naysayers who believed that the sport shouldn’t have continued and that the PGA in particular should’ve waited until they got the green light from the authorities. Thankfully the golfing world saw sense and this is a sport which was rightly one of the first to come back to our TV screens.

These are the 3 sports which will have gained numerous extra fans thanks to their response to the CoVid pandemic.

 

Sertant Capital – Preparing Yourself For a Fundraising Meeting

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There are many ways in which you can raise funds for your business and almost all of them will require you to sit in a meeting and to convince someone why they should give you or loan you the funds for your business. A good friend of mine works for the lending company Sertant Capital, who specialize in lending money for equipment, and he has told me some terrible tales about people who are not prepared or worse, and they of course have ended up walking away without any money in their pocket, the last thing that any young business needs.

In reality the requirements are very simple in terms of what you need, and if you have a fundraising meeting then here is what you should be looking to provide.

Spending

The amount of money which you ask for should be based on the amount of money that you need and to figure this out, you must know what you are going to be spending that money on. This may sound very simple but there is a huge number of people who go into meetings like this without being able to give an accurate and detailed description of where the money is going. You cannot just say that you are going to allocate $5,000 to marketing for example, you need to talk about how, where and why. It is not out of the way for someone giving you money to wish to know how it will be spent.

Projections

Another key question here is going to be who will you be able to pay the lender back? Yet again a reasonable question to ask. In order to answer this well you need to understand the projections of your company over the next 5 years and the next 10 years. This is a key part of what you are trying to convince the lender of, because they want to know that their money is safe and that it is going to be coming back to them at some point. The last thing that anyone wants is to give or lend money to a business which won’t make it.

Negotiation

When it comes to negotiating repayment schedules, interest rates and the like, it will be vitally important for you that you have a clear understanding of what is a reasonable offer. This means that you have to get some advice beforehand, because if you are asking for something which is too high or which is laughable, ,then it will make you look unprofessional and that could seriously affect your chances of getting the funds which you are looking for.

Ultimately the key is to come prepared with your facts and your figures, you have to know everything about your business and you should also have a very clear idea of why you need the money and what exactly you will be using it for. Prepare and plan well if you truly want those funds.

AV Veterinary Center – Top Tips on Keeping Your Pooch Fit

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Unfortunately at home I really don’t have a private place outdoors such as garden where the dog can run around, so when lockdown came into force I was pretty worried about where the dog would be able to get out and have a run. Thankfully I only have a small Yorkshire Terrier but they still need to get some exercise in their legs. The first week of lockdown I contacted the AV Veterinary Center to see if they had some tips for me and they were most kind in the info that they gave me. Naturally many dog owners are worried about this, and of course don’t want their animals getting overweight, so here is what I have been doing to keep the dog fit.

Stairs

By now my little Yorkie must absolutely despise the stairs because I’ve had her running up and down them at least 5 times per day. To be honest she will follow us up and down the stairs a couple of times per day, but we have been really putting her to work on those stairs, throwing a dog chew or a treat from top to bottom so that she has to get those little legs going. If you have some stairs in your home or to access your home then these can be used daily to help the dog stay sharp and fit.

Using Your Time

People in most places are able to go out once per day to do some grocery shopping or perhaps even to get some exercise, and it is essential that you do so with your dog. If you are heading to the grocery store then take the dog with you, even if you have to go with a family member to leave it with them once you go inside. You have to ensure that you are maximizing the time that you have outside and using it to keep your dog fit as well.

Time Spent

Under normal circumstances you would never have to invest much time with the dog unless you wanted to but given the circumstances it is going to be very important that you spend at least 30 minutes per day playing with the dog and getting them running around the house. If you are able to do this then at the very least your pooch will be able to burn some calories and they can prevent excessive weight gain during this tough time.

Always remember that your dog knows their body very well, they are very intuitive, and if you see that they are looking to expel a lot of energy then help them do it by playing and running around with them. You’ll see right away when the dog is looking to have a good pelt around the home, so just let them go or give them some inspiration, perhaps even some edible inspiration which will get them going, just make sure the treats aren’t too fatty.

 

David Crawford MD – How to Be Smart When Out In Public

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We’ve had quite the start to 2020 haven’t we? Well thankfully we are seeing the number of CoVid-19 cases coming down and many countries around the world are beginning to relax the restrictions which they put in place, and begin to open up business throughout cities and towns. Now whilst we may not be under quarantine any longer, we still need to make absolutely sure that we are doing all that we can in public to keep ourselves safe. I spoke to the great David Crawford MD to see what we should all be doing when we are out in public, in order to prevent the further spread of this virus.

Face

The general rule of thumb when it comes to protecting yourself is that there is no such thing as doing too much, and although wearing protective gear may be annoying, it is well worth doing so. When it comes to your face the very minimum you should be doing is wearing a face mask, the best quality that you can get your hands on. Additionally wearing a full face visor makes sense and so too does wearing glasses if possible. The visor is a great tool which will not only make sure that you are protected from others, it will also help you to avoid touching your face.

Hand Washing

Regular washing of hands is absolutely critical when you are out and about, even if think you haven’t been touching things. The first thing to say here is that we touch so many things without realizing it, and even if you have not laid your hands on anything, This is why it is absolutely essential that you take every opportunity to wash your hands. Whilst this is a respiratory virus which is passed through water particles in the air, spreading germs and bacteria is done in the majority by touching one thing and then another.

Distancing

The impact which social distancing has on the reduction of spreading the virus is absolutely incredible and it is abundantly clear that this is the single best way to ensure that we don’t continue with large numbers with regards to those who have the virus. Generally speaking you should be lookin to get as far away from people as possible, but at the very least you should be looking to stay a meter away from people in order to avoid coming into contact with the virus should someone have it.

Contact

As nice as it is to give your friends, family or colleagues a hug and a kiss when you see them, or even a handshake, this is something which you have to avoid, at least for the time being. The new trend seems to be an elbow bump, and that is about the best that you can do for now, at least for the foreseeable future.

Take the opportunity to get back out there, but do so in a responsible way.