Lifestyle

There are various types of senior living facilities that are specifically designed to offer high-quality living options for retired individuals. These places have to provide overwhelming services each day, depending on the care needs and budget. In this article, I’m going to enlist five common types of retirement housing facilities that mostly work for aged people that are looking for quality senior care solutions.

Independent Living Facility

An independent living community is best suited for seniors who don’t need 24/7 medical assistance. This type of retirement home option works well when seniors are capable enough to take care of their own. They can feasibly live in a community with a full-fledged equipped residential apartment, and get to experience fine dining services. Seniors can also get custom design meal packages. Depending on their needs & budget, they can pay daily for a certain number of meal options.

Independent living facility is also known as senior apartment living, congregate care, retirement home facility, retirement village, and 55+ community facility.

Assisted Living Facility

An assisted living community is designed for seniors who desire a wide range of care services. This type of retirement home option has to offer small apartments under a care community village. The assisted living facility works well for seniors who are somewhat independent but require daily medical support. Care services that are covered under the assisted living option are housekeeping, bathing, cleaning, dressing, transportation, and medical management. Other types of services like recreational activities and group dining meals are also included in an assisted living facility.

Nursing Homes/Skilled Nursing Facility

Skilled nursing homes facility is structured for seniors who need strict 24/7 medical support or high levels of daily nursing assistance. Seniors in nursing homes get to benefit from medical services offered by licensed nurses. Not only this, most nursing homes facility programs have to provide temporary or short-term rehab services to old age people who are currently recovering from illness, injury, or surgery.

Contrarily, under long-run medical support, high levels of medical issues, routine medical support, and complex nursing services are covered. In nursing homes, senior individuals get to share apartments or even rooms and are served with proper dining options. This type of retirement housing option is also known as a nursing center, skilled nursing village, and a long-term care facility.

Residential Care Facility

A residential care facility is more like a private home care option that can serve elderly residents as per their desired grounds and living requirements. Seniors get to live together in a place of live-in caretakers. Residential care houses have to offer assisted care services with a touch of personal privacy and a home-like community. Under this facility, care services like dressing, cleaning, and bathing are provided. However, other amenities and nursing services will vary, depending on the budget. A residential care facility is well-known under different titles like the adult family home, group home, and board & care home.

Alzheimer’s Care Facility

Alzheimer care is an aging home facility that is specifically designed for adults or seniors that require personal care due to their medical condition of Alzheimer’s or dementia. Old people who are facing a medical issue of impaired memory must be admitted into Alzheimer care homes. This way, they can get 24/7 medical help to ensure the needed levels of safety and better life quality. Caretakers will indulge seniors with structured activities and routine life tasks to get good control over their medical problems. This type of retirement home facility is often recommended for seniors with memory issues who don’t have family members at home to offer daily care and needed life support.

 

Choosing accommodation is a big task until you get the right agent. If your goal is to study at an overseas university then it is the right time to plan for accommodation. You should check various websites offering budget-friendly accommodation and compare with other websites to choose the best for yourself. There are various accommodation options available for the students like studio, en-suite, on-campus accommodation, etc Students can choose depending on their needs and wants.

So, here are various tips for the students that they should keep in mind when choosing the best accommodation-

1. Plan early- Do not wait for the right time to come and then start searching for accommodation. The moment you clear your exam and get admission in the college from that time only you should start searching for the best affordable accommodation. You can hire an agent or simply book dual occupancy studio from a renowned website with ease. Be aware of frauds and choose the accommodation for about 2-3 months before starting college. During that time you can avail of great discounts and deals. Therefore, early planning is a must because once the college starts, the student will not get enough time to look foraccommodation.

2. Set your budget- The other tip that students should pay due attention to is the cost of accommodation. If the student has specified their budget, then they should stick to that no matter what because there are different costs that a person should consider. Apart from the cost of living, the student should take care of academics, traveling, and leisure costs. The right balance is needed between every set of things.

3. Location- When deciding on accommodation, the student should prefer near the campus accommodation. It will help to save on the cost of transportation. Moreover, they can access the college\university, library with ease at any time. The other benefit of near the campus accommodation is a student can never be late for attending the classes.

4. Amenities offered- Students should look for amenities too in an accommodation i.e. whether they are being provided with WiFi accessibility, TV lounge, common spaces, outdoor terrace, etc. Apart from these, there are other facilities too but to avail for those prices may vary. Before, finalizing a studio, students should look for all facilities.

5. Security measures- Safety is the ultimate concern for the students especially those residing in another country. Students look for a safe and comfortable place where they can leave their apartment freely without thinking twice. Nowadays, most accommodation provides safety measures like CCTV recording, biometric tool, digital card keys, etc. The student chooses the one with better security measures.

6. Furnishing- Furnishing depends on the budget. If you are ready to spend a high amount on accommodation to feel luxury life at home, then you can choose the apartment with furnished rooms while if you run low on budget and wants to save a penny, then you will not be offered furnished rooms. Therefore, look at your needs before booking accommodation.

7. Quiet environment- Environment plays a vital role in choosing accommodation. After attending the classes you must look for a calm place where you can sit and relax. Therefore, when looking foraccommodation choose the one where no one can disturb you. The pleasing environment, where sun lightning falls directly in your room is what you should look for in shared en-suite.

8. Approachable staff- Around 80% of students believe that the staff at the accommodation needs to be friendly and approachable. The team at the accommodation should help the student in shifting their luggage or in any other work and make them happy. When choosing an accommodation students should have words with the staff in knowing what all is included or excluded in the package. Be aware the staff does not charge you any hidden cost at you arrival.

9. Online reviews- Before making your mind, open the accommodation website and read the comment section for the reviews posted by the students. It will give you a brief idea about the accommodation to invest in or not. The honest reviews can also help in your decision-making and worth spreading to your fellow mates.

10. Design- The design of the accommodation is as important as the location when choosing a perfect accommodation for the students. The design may involve light and space. The accommodation should be located in places where a student can have proper sunshine and greenery around. The design of accommodation should be enthralling that could make the student feel capture the moment and remember for life.

11. Type of rooms- Students are provided with plenty of options. They can choose the one according to their comfort. If they are an introvert type of personality and do not like to share their rooms with someone then they can opt for private halls of residences, whereas the other option is en-suite rooms. The benefit of living together can save on their expenses as a student can make an equal installment for living in accommodation.

12. Know the cancellation policy- It is better to book accommodation for about 2-3 months from joining the university. But sometimes there are certain inevitable circumstances happen on the time that make the people helpless. Therefore, the student should know the cancellation or refund policy of the accommodation. Some accommodation comprises and agrees on a certain payment while some refund the whole. It is vital to look upon their terms and conditions of different accommodation.

13. Look for the trusted organization- Instead of focusing on cheap accommodation that does not involve any furnishing rooms, look for the renowned and trusted accommodation for your stay that guarantees your safety. Nothing is better than the safety and this could get from the trusted organization.

To conclude-

Choosing accommodation in another country can be daunting for some, but now you can even book online as per your convenience. The list of student apartments are many where a student can even read reviews, the comment section can help make a wise decision.

Therefore, the above tips are effective for the students for choosing the best accommodation.

 

There is a new contender on the market as of the moment, and that is the Compagnie des Montres Longines Francillon S.A., or also known as the Longines. This company is a swiss watchmaker that mostly makes luxury watches and is based in Saint-Imier, Switzerland. Founded in 1832 by the legendary Auguste Agassiz, this rocks a winged hourglass logo.

Since the day Longines was established, they have already created some top-line luxury watch models. Some people even say that Longines is a company that always makes a masterpiece. With that being said, there is a specific model set that you may have heard, and that is the Conquest. If you have not heard of this, don’t miss this chance to do so.

LONGINES Conquest Quartz Black Dial Ladies Luxury Watch

Starting with the most inexpensive Longines Conquest on this list and probably in the whole collection, the LONGINES Conquest Quartz Black Dial Ladies Watch is a luxury piece that lasts, with tons of unique features. It’s unbelievable that it has a price range of about $600 up to $700 only. It looks great and will not hurt your budget.

Rocking a Black colored dial that is polished and lacquered gives off that classic and lush vibes to anyone who would wear it. This too has a Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on the underside and a Screw-down case back that makes it the best choice for anyone who loves the classics but is a little bit tight on their budgets.

LONGINES Conquest V.H.P. Men’s Luxury Watch

Topping off the LONGINES Conquest Quartz Black Dial Ladies Watch regarding the price is the LONGINES Conquest V.H.P. Men’s Watch. It has a price range higher than the other one but for just a little bit. With a price range of just about $700 up to $800 only, you would immediately make up your mind and buy this once you see this masterpiece right here.

Everything looks incredibly well with its Anthracite colored dial, luminescence finish, Arabic numeral indexes, and black colored hands. But one of the most incredible things you can see in this piece is the Darkened steel hands, hour and minute hands with luminous fill. If you think about it, this will be a worthy investment due to its quality.

LONGINES Conquest VHP GMT Quartz Black Dial Men’s Luxury Watch

This one right here is a lot more expensive than the other ones on this list. It would hurt a little bit with a price range of about $1,200 up to $1,300. But once you see how beautiful the LONGINES Conquest VHP GMT Quartz Black Dial Men’s Watch is, you would do everything to buy this one. The class, style, and specs will take your breath away.

The LONGINES Conquest VHP GMT Quartz Black Dial Men’s Watch is an analog type wristwatch with black carved color and finish. The applied Arabic numerals and indexes also provide that classy old-school looking watch while having all the modern age technology. Oh, the black P.V.D. The coating on the wristband is also unique!

LONGINES Conquest Chronograph Automatic Black Dial Men’s Luxury Watch

Saving last but not least, the LONGINES Conquest Chronograph Automatic Black Dial Men’s Watch is a clean and attractive piece to look at due to the color combinations. Everything is as white as snow on a winter day, and the dial is as black as a clear sky in the night. Take a peek at this one, and you will fall in love immediately.

The luminous silver-tone hands bring out the best in this masterpiece, but what most people love about this one is the black “barleycorn” dial, the roman numeral hour markers, and the L688 caliber embedded with 27 top of the line jewels. Nothing will ever go wrong with all those crystals in this masterpiece. Take a closer look and enjoy!

Takeaway

Longines has been in the market for a very long time. They have already made and offered some of the most fabulous creations in this world. If you already own one of these bad boys, you need to add more to your collections, but if you are still thinking of buying one for yourself, take a look at these on the list, and you will love all of them.

Once you have checked everything on this list and still did not manage to find something that captures your attention and takes your breath away, no need to worry, you will always find other models and designs on their website. Just visit their site and rest assured, you will find what you are looking for.

 

Living in a neat and organized home can create a wonderful feeling inside everyone’s mind and heart. However, it is of utmost importance to realize that the advantages of organization stretch far beyond those minimalistic linen drapes. An organized house gives you time to focus on your well-being and your family’s. The thoughts we have in our minds, the food we consume, the environment, and the community we live in all play a role in deciding our welfare condition. When such things remain in check, we can focus more on ourselves and start to live the kind of life we always wanted.

These changes start at home. Home is where people spend the majority of their time. When you live in one that looks and feels like a junkyard, your life will become like one too. We are not saying that living inside a perfect home will result in an ideal life. However, living in an organized house will give you free time to work on your life rather than worry about the décor. Here are a few benefits that will encourage you to stop whatever you are doing and give your home the attention it deserves.

• YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO HIDE STUFF WHENEVER GUESTS COME

It is something most of us do. Do you have someone coming over for a late lunch? Quickly hide all the dirty pots and pans inside the microwave or the stove! Stuff small items behind the doors! And pray that your guests don’t ask for a tour of your house. See what we mean. It can sometimes become a rat race to maintain appearances in front of your guests. If you had an organized home, you wouldn’t have to run around like a crazy person hiding everything that looks out of place.

What you can do is, store away items that you no longer use inside a self-storage unit. Open up your internet browser and search for storage near me to find a storage unit near your home. Who knows, one day to you might need to bring them back!

• YOU WILL REDUCE STRESS

It is stressful to go through a pile of junk to find your prized possession. It could be a trophy you won in high school or a medal you won in a karate contest. Losing your belongings in an ocean of unnecessary items can compound more stress in an already stressful life.

Not to mention, when you go about organizing everything, you won’t know where to start. Yet another exhausting feeling. But don’t worry. Come up with a plan which includes arranging items according to categories. Utilize boxes and containers, label them, and place items that you do not need inside your basement or attic. Once you organize them categorically, you will not have to deal with the stress and anxiety of finding your precious belongings when you need them.

• YOU WILL BOOST YOUR PRODUCTIVITY LEVELS

It can be an uphill challenge to direct your entire focus on a task or job when you reside inside a messy house. When you live in chaotic surroundings, you will feel overwhelmed, and productivity levels will decrease. However, organizing the home gives you a sense of achievement, and you start to handle all your tasks more efficiently.

Sometimes household clutter can get in the way of your goals. Once you clear out unnecessary clutter, you will promote a sense of freedom inside yourself and increase productivity.

• GIVES YOU FREE TIME FOR YOUR FAVORITE ACTIVITIES

Who else here spend the weekends decluttering, cleaning, and organizing their homes? Most of us, right? Whenever the weekend comes around, a feeling of dread sets in, rather than the feeling of relaxation. You know you can’t spend time with your family or do other activities such as hiking, fishing, or taking a road trip. You will be stuck cleaning up the mess left by you and your family over the last seven days.

Organize your house by cleaning up your mess regularly instead of weekly. For example, instead of cleaning it once a week, do it at least twice or thrice. Suppose you get rid of the mess before the weekend comes around. In that case, you will have some free time to do other activities instead of sitting in a corner and feeling guilty that you ignore your household chores.

THE FINAL WORDS

Whenever someone talks about the term well-being, various factors add up to it. Living in an organized home is one of them. It is a common experience that messy life or home does more harm than good. We challenge you to analyze your life and ask yourself whether the environment you live in affects the way of living a high-quality life. If yes, then making small changes and bringing organization to your home will go a long way. It will help you enjoy your life to the fullest. That’s a promise!

 

Due to the increased rate, dimension, and level of crime globally, there’s a constant, continual improvement in the design of security solutions to fit in the revolving criminal semantics. As such, renowned organizations have designed state-of-the-art components. The unique elements inbuilt in these components can stand the test of time in combating present and future forensic demands.

Smart hacking malware is frequently being designed to infringe the already protected systems. This means there is an insatiable need to counter these firmware attacks on a routine basis. While security systems may be costly, it’s realistically labor cost that, in the recent past, has kept users at bay regarding uptake of these solutions.

But this is no longer the case, as there are emerging redesigned DIY home security systems that have done away with the outrageous contractual installations witnessed before, as discussed below.

Frontpoint

This tool features an encrypted hub and keypad, keeping information safe and secure. With a simplified user interface, Frontpoint makes it easy for newbies to install and synchronize with smart devices.

Frontpoint may come with a two-door and window sensor, a motion sensor, and a doorbell camera. Most of these gadgets have a magnetic mounting, making it a lot easier to install by merely embedding it into walls.

Simplisafe

Simplisafe is a perfect home security solution at low-cost.US Report and World News has ranked Simplisafe as the best home security overall. They have a real-time standby response team that calls whenever trouble is detected. Their visual verification improves the monitoring plan distinguishing real from false alarms and contacting designated authorities for dispatch.

Simplisafe is equipped with a reliable fail-safe mechanism that ensures memory is kept in place in case of loss of power, Wi-Fi, natural disasters like fire and flooding, or intrusion. It has efficient water and fire-resistant protection.

Its outstanding feature is in the ability to distinguish signals triggered by humans from those by pets. With their slim design, these sensors are almost completely invisible with a one-touch control mechanism.

Blue by ADT

With a plethora of equipment selection, with six different security cameras, Blue by ADT offers cloud video storage that keeps all the recorded footage within the confines of the premises within reach. Earlier, users had to make a three-year contract deal withSafewise, a reputable home security solution expert, to utilize Blue by ADT service, but that has dramatically changed as monthly subscriptions have been preferred over the former.

Ring

This is another non-contractual home safety tool. It has the unique feature of neat add-ons. Again, it presents a crystal straightforward application interface making it easy for new users to undertake professional monitoring. This component is compatible with Ring doorbells and cameras. This tool also links with cellular backup via the Ring Protect Plusplan. It’s easily integrated with Amazon Alexasmart speakers and fits nicely into an Alexa-oriented smart home.

Link Interactive

Link interactive encapsulates custom-designed home safety solutions. This may include components like bones, bells, and whistles. It gives you all the liberty on earth from choosing your equipment to your contract length and video monitoring. These plans come with professional 100% cellular monitoring and protection against intrusion, fire, and smash and crash tampering.

Installing a security system on your own may raise goosebumps, but that’s barely the case with Link Interactive. Here, you’re given the technicians feel when this venture sounds like a mere grabbing of a screwdriver. This solution comes with smart indoor and outdoor cameras. Smart locks may also be provided in premium purchases.

Alder

An even much simpler installation is Alder. It has a simple set-up process. The company designs and programs every sensor and accessory before shipment. Alder has a substantial number of mobile control applications making it easier for users to be in total control of surveillance. Again, it provides a locked-in rate price control mechanism that regulates the fluctuation of its price in online stores.

Security System Key Fob

Working the same as a car clicker, this device allows users to deny or approve access by visitors to premises on a case-to-case basis. It is a central home locking system that comes with a wireless remote for arming and disarming the home’s security system. Its panic button sounds like an alarm causing the monitoring company to receive alerts and notifications. They trigger emergency response dispatch from designated, or user custom picked policing authorities on the Fob’s database.

Despite its sophisticated operational model, this system requires users only to place the wireless remote on nightstand, arming the security system consequently. This ensures that the family and premises are kept safe even when everyone is asleep.

Cove Security

Unlike earlier security systems, Cove features Q&A sections where potential users are prompted to answer questions that help Cove identify and design their homes’ security needs. Cove’s hardware and service offerings are in the developmental stages. Therefore, it qualifies to become a prospect, primarily because of its simple installation touch-on screen feature.

Arlo Future Cameras

With the changing awareness created about crime globally, perpetrators of criminal activities are getting smarter each day. Thus, there’s a need to ensure even the cameras are up to date and able to measure up to future standards.

Regarding the best wireless home security camera companies,Arlo’s Ultra Camera, its current flagship camera, is designed as the first 100% wireless camera to stream over Wi-Fi in ultra HD 4k video.

This cam outputs 4k footage videos with HDR, letting users experience in detail clear vision in areas that would be in shadow compared to other cameras. With 12 times digital zoom, these cams give users access to in-depth information relating to all forms of intrusion.

Wi-Fi 6, the next generation Wi-Fi, is just hitting the market. This is a massive relief in the home security arena as data transfer is easily achievable. Unlike the current five maximum connected devices that Wi-Fi provides, Wi-Fi 6 allows users to link up to nine devices with top speed from 2021.

However, this has come off as a challenge on its own as users ought to be ready to declutter their homes of insipid security systems as they prepare to welcome this new internet WAP protocol, as Wi-Fi 6 may fail to sync with old devices.

 

Many people today want pearly white teeth because it can increase confidence and self-esteem. Fortunately, for those who want to improve their smiles, a lot of kits are available today. Some of them can go to a dental clinic for treatments and other options. Others can get kits such as strips, trays, toothpaste, rinses, and gels that can have a bleaching effect on their teeth.

The teeth whitening process is best for people who have never undergone any fillings and have healthy teeth and gums. If you want to have a brighter teeth, there are a lot of whitening kits on the market. You can do some research on some of the products and get it on Amazon to see if it’s effective for you.

Examples of Whitening Systems

Toothpaste

Toothpaste can remove the stains on the surface of the tooth because they have abrasives as ingredients. They gently polish the enamel with the help of chemical agents that are usually mild.

The toothpaste may only remove the surface stains, but they don’t have any bleaching effect. There are professional whitening products that were mixed with hydrogen peroxide or carbamide to lighten one’s teeth. Regular toothpaste can lighten the hue by a shade. On the other hand, your dentist prescribed products that can give you up to eight shades of lightening effect in just a few weeks.

Strips and Gels

The gels and strips are usually bought over-the-counter in many pharmacies. The gels can consist of a peroxide base, and they are applied directly to the surface of the teeth. The instructions may vary with each ingredient in the product, so it’s better to follow the directions placed on the labels. You can see the results in just a few weeks, and they can be sustained for about three to four months after use.

The strips, on the other hand, are thin and invisible. They are coated with peroxide-based gels that can whiten your teeth in days. You apply the strips according to the instructions on the packaging. The initial results can be compared to that of the gel, and they can last longer.

Mouth Rinses

One of the most popular products out there is whitening rinses. They are available and are used like mouthwashes, and they are used for fresher breath. Aside from this, they are used to prevent gum diseases and dental plaque. The products also include ingredients that whiten the teeth, but they can take about 12 weeks for the results to be seen.

To use them, swish them around your mouth for at least a minute. You can couple them with other whitening products for more effectiveness. Strips can last for 30 minutes, and the mouthwash will have at least 2 minutes of enhancing the effect of the gels. You’ll get plenty of time in getting whiter teeth in the process.

Tray-Based Whiteners

In the tray-based systems, you can purchase the kits from your dentist or a trusted online shop. You essentially fill your mouth with guard-like trays that have gel-whitening solutions on them. This solution may also contain bleaching agents like peroxide. Know more about peroxide on this site here. Usually, you may be advised to wear the trays for four weeks at night or longer, depending on the whitening level you want to achieve.

In-Office Procedures

Bleaching done in a dental clinic can be one of the quickest ways of whitening your teeth. With this process, the product will be applied directly to your mouth by a dental hygienist. There’s the use of lasers and special lights that can speed up the results. If you want to achieve longer-lasting and dramatic results, you need to have several appointments in a month. This can be the most expensive approach, but others feel that it’s worth it.

How Long Should the Effects Last?

It’s important to remember that the process of bleaching the teeth is not permanent. The people who are often exposing or eating food and beverages that can stain can see that the level of whiteness will start to fade in time. The people who avoid the drinks and foods with tannins can get up to a full year without the need for touch-ups and other treatments. The degree of the bleaching effect will depend on the individual’s lifestyle, the overall state of their tooth, the whitening system used, the level of stains, and a lot more.

Dentist Supervised or DIY?

There are a lot of DIY methods and kits available for people who find it inconvenient to go to the dentists. If you opt to go on this route, make sure that you are following the instructions carefully. You need to read the labels and follow only the recommended amount and time of use.

If possible, check the reviews of other people about the product from community forums and social media pages. You’ll know that a kit is legitimate when it has helped many consumers achieve the degree of whitening that they are aiming for.

Get the Right Strength

You need to have the right strength of the bleaching agent regardless if you choose the DIY route or have the dentist-supervised products. The safer concentrations that you may want to consider include 10 to 22% carbamide and about 3% hydrogen peroxide. If you are in the dental office, your dentist may apply about 15% to 44% of the carbamide for faster results.

Mouthpiece Trays

There are trays where the impression of your teeth will be taken at first. The dentist will customize the fit exactly, and you can have the maximum gel concentration that will give you the best results. There are also custom-made trays that are designed to minimize the gel’s contact with your gums, so it’s best to look for these varieties if you do things your own.

The costs can be a consideration for other people. The over-the-counter products are more affordable, and the in-office treatments are the costliest. If you have made appointments with the dentist and they have recommended a product for you to use, then, by all means, go for it. You can also check other people’s feedback about the kits that you are planning to purchase to be on the safe side.

The season’s biggest question isn’t how Santa can deliver presents to 1.6 billion children in a single night. It’s how you’ll finance a renovation at the same time as celebrating the festivities.

A big household project around the winter holidays is a brave undertaking, so you need to make sure your reno budget is an air-tight spending plan. Otherwise, you risk running out of money mid-project, leaving your house in shambles right before Christmas.

Expect the Unexpected

It’s rare for a household project to wrap up on time, on budget, and without any deviations from the plan. There’s always something that disrupts one or all three of these things — whether it’s a shipping delay postponing the arrival of important materials or a DIY disaster.

That’s why renovation experts at HGTV recommend adding a cushion to your budget. This cushion should add an extra 10 percent to your funds as just in case money — that is, just in case something goes pear-shaped and you have more bills to pay than expected.

Borrow with Discretion

If your cushion ends up being less than what you need, should you borrow an installment loan online? The answer is maybe — it depends on how you intend to use it.

Generally speaking, online direct lenders recommend using an installment loan for unexpected emergency expenses — not anticipated costs. So, it may be an option if you wind up at the ER after a DIY project goes wrong, but it isn’t a budget booster to help you afford luxury brands.

If you apply for an installment loan from an online direct lender, you’ll only interact with just one lender. This means they don’t run their underwriting decisions by other companies. As a result, you may be approved within minutes after you verify your information — which can help you move quickly to handle your emergency.

Give Yourself Time

Saving an extra 10 percent is easier when you give yourself time. The earlier you plan for your project, the less pressure this savings goal will have on your cash flow.

A slow and steady approach also helps in other ways. It gives you time to cost out materials, research and book contractors, and order supplies you might need without worrying about holiday shipping constraints.

Don’t Take on Too Much

Curating the perfect Christmas at the same time you’re undertaking a big renovation can be a challenge. It’s all too easy to spread yourself thin, which can take all the joy out of both things.

Try these tips before you ruin the whole season by taking on too much:

1. Pare down your plans to the essentials
2. Talk to your family to manage their expectations about gifts
3. Float the idea of a secret Santa gift exchange
4. Suggest a potluck to cut down on your expenses here

As for your renovation, focus on improving function rather than indulging in frills. While cosmetic upgrades tend to be the most thrilling part of a reno, they also tend to be the most expensive, too. By sticking to work what needs to be done, you can shave off some of your costs.

Taking on the added costs of a big project is a challenge if you celebrate the holidays, but you can pull it off with the right kind of planning. Remember these tips when you dive into holiday renovations this year.

Have you been playing the guitar for some time? Are you simply memorizing patterns without knowing why or how you’re able to produce those kinds of sounds?

You may be doing your guitar lessons a disservice if you’re not familiar with the basic concepts of guitar scales. But don’t worry. In this article, we’ll cover what you need to know about major guitar scale shapes for it to make sense in your guitar journey.

Let’s start.

What are guitar scales?

The simplest way to define a guitar scale is that it is any series of musical notes arranged by frequency or pitch. It’s less confusing to know that, in its basic form, a scale is just an enhanced version of an ascending or descending sequence of notes.

Frequency vs. Pitch

Pitch and frequency represent the same thing but from separate viewpoints. While a pitch is usually referred to as how high or low it sounds when you hear it, frequency is more of a technical term that measures the cycle rate of the physical waveform. The higher the pitch of a particular sound you hear, the higher the frequency of a waveform.

Basic Intervals: Whole and Half Steps

You already know that scales are a series of musical pitches, but how are they understood? In music, a pitch is represented by the first seven letters of the alphabet: A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. One of these letters will associate with each note (pitch) on the scale.

By moving between notes, you’re introducing yourself to the concept of changing pitch, which is measured in half and whole steps.

• Half Steps (Semitones): If you begin to play with your first finger on the 1st fret of the sixth string, then move your finger up to the 2nd fret (still on the same string), you moved a pitch one-half step.
• Whole Steps (Wholetones): If you begin to play with your first finger on the 1st fret of the sixth string, then move your finger up to the 3rd fret (still on the same string), you moved a pitch one whole step.

These two terms give you a way to describe the movement up and down the fretboard easily. Particularly, when discussing the ascending and descending scales.

The 5 Major Guitar Scale Shapes

Think about the major scale as the “mother” of all scales and the reference point for all other scales. Scales are also a great way to shift gears in the middle of practice. This helps refocus your attention on important details and sharpen your hearing.

Scale patterns allow you to play your guitar in any key just by applying the same fingering pattern to another root note. Meaning, you can quickly transpose between musical keys without much of a challenge.

The five major scale shapes are C, A, G, E, and D, which surround the entire fretboard. These scale shapes are applicable to all 12 keys by simply moving the shapes up or down on your fretboard. For instance, if you move five shapes up at two frets (a whole step), then all of the shapes are in the key of A. That means you have five A major scale shapes.

What is the CAGED system?

The five major scale shapes derive from the CAGED system. So what’s the big fuzz about it? Well, if you’re serious about guitar playing and you want to understand how this instrument works in relation to the fretboard, the CAGED system will be your valuable tool.

The CAGED system makes it easier to find your way around the neck of your guitar and understand how chords, chord shapes, and scales are related to each other. Every chord shape can be moved up and down of your fretboard. But for that to happen, you have to take 5 of the open chord shapes then turn them into closed chord shapes. That means there should be no open strings in the chord.

Playing the Scale Shapes

In this article, the G major scale is used as an example. If you take a look at the sheet music and the diagrams below from guitarhabits.com, you will notice that each scale shape is played starting from the lowest root note (red note) then all the way up (ascending order) to the last note on the high E string. Next, it’s played all the way down (descending order) to the first note on the low E string and up again to the first root note.

Position 1: G Major Scale – E Shape

Position 2: G Major Scale – D Shape

Position 3: G Major Scale – C Shape

Position 4: G Major Scale – A Shape

Position 5: G Major Scale – G Shape

Tips for Learning Scales

• Do it slowly but surely.

It will be hard to get it right the first time unless you’re born a musical genius. Play it as many times as you can at a slow speed until you do it perfectly. You will then speed up without making mistakes. It’s important that you correct your mistakes early on so that you don’t develop bad habits, which you have to undo later on.

• Learn patterns one at a time.

Of course, it’s important to learn all five scale shapes. However, do it while learning to make music with them. It makes more sense to learn one scale shape and play a solo, than be able to use all scale shapes without being able to play any music with any of them.

• Use fingertips.

When playing, don’t let your fingers to fold. Make sure to use the tips the entire time and avoid barres.

• Start and end on the lowest root note.

Doing so helps train your ears into hearing scale sounds. So make sure to start on the lowest pitch (root note), then play up as far as you can and go back to the root note.

Practice Until You Master It

Learning the guitar needs patience and persistence. It’ll take some time before you can play all major guitar scale shapes with ease. Regular practice is your key to success, and don’t forget to have fun in the process!

Corona Virus has made public life activity a distant memory. For 8 months, any sense of social involvement has been met with trepidation whether it’s as simply nipping down to the shops for milk or stopping at traffic lights on your bike.

Thankfully the emergence of a vaccination is coming through which is spreading some element of hope towards the conditioning of this pandemic. As such, the UK government is responding with celebratory caution. Thankfully, owing to a pre-emptive lock down during this November month, an allowance of some social leeway is entitled to households in the form of up to 5 other families or co-habitors to mix in the same property for a curation of 5 days.

Pietro Triassi Montreal writes film reviews for The Guardian. As such, he is already planning his Christmas Covid Parties to be centered around his obsession of film. Since he can foresee some of his familiars happy to sink into a sofa and a home cinema, Smith fantasies about his youthful film watching of old Bond movies and Carry-ons as an homage to the boxing day festivities. As such, he has listed his 5 favorite Movie Marathons he anticipates this year.

1.Star Wars
There really is no other film franchise that makes the holy season as special as Star Wars. Since its inception in 1977 with ground-breaking special effects and actin sequences that err on the side of the supernatural, the entire franchise is peppered with loving senses of loyalty and honor, forgiveness and overcoming evil. Regardless of some dubious films made after the main trilogy, the familiarity and fast paced action sequences make for either engaged watching or light hearted entertainment whilst talking.

2.Lord of the Rings
With a deeper sense of British traditionalism, the battle of good versus evil is no more present than in J.R.R Tolkien’s ‘ The Lord Of The Rings’. Putting saccharine sentiment to one side, the children’s book favorite is exuberantly contextualized to adult watching with genuinely terrifying encounters with a plethora of evil characters based off subplots. The entire film cannot cover the universe Tolkien imagined and as such, this marathon inspires conversation and theory to the film. A perfect Christmas watch.

3. Matrix
One of the most pleasing aspects of Sci-Fi films and often overlooked, is the social and political theorizing that takes place inside the film. Often this maligned genre is discredited as being farcical but on analysis you realize that at its centre, is the relationship between technology and humankind, fueled by the fallacy of science progression. The Matrix trilogy has its Christian undertones to the thematic story of a singular savior set to unmask the veil of superficiality across reality. Beyond this, there are genuine philosophical underpinnings countered by exhilarating action sequences and soundtracks that could define a great dance party. As such, The Matrix makes for a great movie marathon well suited for the later hours of your festive social gathering.

The menstrual cycle is a normal occurrence in every woman in their reproductive age. When the period is here, you can be in a dilemma on the best method to use. For long sanitary pads have been the only option. However, new methods of handling your periods have come to the surface. Tampons and menstrual cups are some of them.

In recent days, tampons are becoming a choice for many women. Their size and ease of use are making women fall in love with them. Also, organic tampons are becoming popular in the market. Some companies of this type have come up with tampon subscription programs to help women get this essential accessory at the right time.

But before you subscribe to one of these programs, here are four things you need to know about organic tampons:

They use 100% organic cotton

Most tampons in the market contain synthetic fiber and other chemicals such as chlorine. Some even have plastic components. These elements can make you feel uncomfortable or cause vaginal disease. Also, the chemicals can affect your body’s hormones which can cause other hormonal issues.

Unlike the non-organic tampons, the organic ones are a product of pure cotton. They have no added chemicals and elements. So, no fears of vaginal diseases or other issues associated with tampons.

Organic tampons are fragrance-free

As you know, your vagina is a sensitive organ. It reacts to various things and chemicals. So, it is advisable to be careful about what you use around your vagina. For instance, some substances such as fragrance are flammable.

When you put them on your organ, they can react with the acidic aspect and blow your endometriosis. This incident can lead to a yeast infection. Fortunately, switching to organic tampons can save you from such occurrences. These tampons are fragrance-free. As such, they lower your risk of any tampon-related issues.

Eliminate irritation

Some women experience itchy and irritations when they use conventional tampons. Probably, you are one of them. Your vaginal sick react with the material used to make these tampons. Irritations and itchiness can be a frustrating experience. The case can be disappointing when you have to use pads which limit your participation in your hobbies like swimming.

With organic tampons, you have limited to zero chances of experience itchy or irritations. You can enjoy your hobbies and other activities without any discomforts.

Environmental friendly

Caring about the environment is everyone’s responsibility. You must be mindful of what you are dumping to Mother Nature. As you know, environmental pollution is a major issue. Conventional tampons are one form of pollutants. Their non-degradable nature means that they become a threat to the environment.

Unlike them, organic tampons are environment-friendly. Being products of pure cotton, they release zero toxins or chemicals to the environment. This aspect also makes them biodegradable. Hence, switching to them helps you contribute to environmental conservation.

In a word, organic tampons can be a good idea. So, shifting to them can make your life comfortable and become a contributor to environmental protection.