tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54776630163368639682024-03-18T11:25:28.443-04:00Stephanie Stebbins, AuthorStephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.comBlogger210125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-77262394601793151402024-03-17T13:12:00.000-04:002024-03-17T13:12:18.770-04:00One Down, Eight To Go<p> A little over a year ago, I experienced a devastating loss in my life and really did not think I would be able to overcome it. I thought about it day and night, night and day, and it sometimes overwhelmed me so much I didn't think I would be able to breathe. I worked very hard on not completely losing it, although I don't think I did as well as I could but I <i>tried</i>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b4/c3/76/b4c376b17810d9299c82b53d7586dc85.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b4/c3/76/b4c376b17810d9299c82b53d7586dc85.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One night as I was wailing to The Void as per usual, it sent me a creature of the night right to my window. He was scruffy, had a goopy eye, and was sneezing long snot ropes all over the place but he was starving for love more than I was at the moment and I completely and totally melted.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmoZmo1uXSrUlZjjBp8WVWMLvzZtkq7iv3HRrP7-7d4IKH6wJPShoYv6FRy3bM1mVMclcaCpAr71S0c-UH7_kAQYbiXmF0KKKgGkuce1aSC5P8viQaIjo_ASinj2PJqS5DbDBeG_AYiTObQIucnEoLPGfAjs3MV0WRxPc3sYl1qdELkv-mLdYyGpFT3D8/s2932/20240126_095312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2037" data-original-width="2932" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmoZmo1uXSrUlZjjBp8WVWMLvzZtkq7iv3HRrP7-7d4IKH6wJPShoYv6FRy3bM1mVMclcaCpAr71S0c-UH7_kAQYbiXmF0KKKgGkuce1aSC5P8viQaIjo_ASinj2PJqS5DbDBeG_AYiTObQIucnEoLPGfAjs3MV0WRxPc3sYl1qdELkv-mLdYyGpFT3D8/w400-h278/20240126_095312.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Hello, Laaadieeesss...</i></span></div><div><br /></div>I had a little bit of eye ointment left over from my other cat, Pete, so I was able to get the goopiness out of his eye a bit but by morning he was doing so poorly that we had to rush him to the emergency vet. He had crawled underneath a bed in the guest room and it looked like he had picked his final place to sleep forever. He was drooling and feverish and I was terrified that this cat I hadn't even given a name to yet was absolutely going to pass away in my house. <div><br /></div><div>We got him to the vet and they stabilized him. He needed a lot of fluids and had infection in his <i>entire</i> head and lungs. We were given a lot of medicines to give him and made an appointment with our regular vet to find out just what exactly was wrong with him because it was definitely more than just a cat cold with infection. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is hard enough to try to get medicine in a cat that knows you, ask me how hard it is to get medicine into a cat that doesn't know you. THAT was fun (no, it was not). </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6OBoN2L9UsWNtH9ZSPSlWza8hcSrJb1WUZrjNaJv4_VMVUQqgx-VTtqbEGnDWr7vLrPWfE3QRIpNmDO3kMs-jPmdspjcTrfVwfYWUnnRp8nGR4tb_cYHB3x19xOOwBri2_CcJR31l1BmrV6bjJ3MWwDHd_T20djGRYxORPvKlytkE5EAzOvGqgvtAzpk/s3789/20240205_093535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2598" data-original-width="3789" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6OBoN2L9UsWNtH9ZSPSlWza8hcSrJb1WUZrjNaJv4_VMVUQqgx-VTtqbEGnDWr7vLrPWfE3QRIpNmDO3kMs-jPmdspjcTrfVwfYWUnnRp8nGR4tb_cYHB3x19xOOwBri2_CcJR31l1BmrV6bjJ3MWwDHd_T20djGRYxORPvKlytkE5EAzOvGqgvtAzpk/w400-h274/20240205_093535.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>This is the face of <b>rage</b>.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>We eventually found out that the cause of the infection was he had an <a href="https://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/mouth/c_ct_oronasal_fistula" target="_blank">oronasal fistula</a> that needed to be repaired and had to have almost all of his teeth removed. It was going to be (and was) a very expensive surgery but I will thank Banfield at Petsmart until the end of my days because with their Wellness Program, we were able to cut the cost of his surgery down from $2,800 to $1,300! No, this is not a sponsored post for Banfield, like I said, I am just thankful that they were able to work with us and get the cost down so I could actually give him all the help he desperately needed. He had to take some pretty heavy duty antibiotics for a month and gain quite a bit of weight to prepare for that surgery, but after about a week he got used to the routine (and I discovered Pill Pockets!) and took the medicine and gained all of the weight and then some and had his surgery. He actually does have all of 4 teeth left after the surgery and has not had any trouble in the health area since.<div><br /></div><div>That first week was probably the scariest for me because I just wasn't sure if he would pull through. I kept him in my bedroom away from my other cat (who was weirdly overjoyed to have another cat in the house which I did not expect at all) and dog and just spent all of the time I could with him. He was grumpy and hissy and bitey but thankfully realized that I was trying to help him. Once he got to the point that he was up and alert, I slowly introduced him to the rest of the house and everyone in it. He settled in and to my surprise, did not even try to go back outside at all. I did not realize at the time that it was only the beginning of an entire year and then some of saving both of our lives. I was so focused on trying to save this cat that I didn't have time to wallow in that dark depression hole I like to crawl into and hide when terrible things happen. I had a goal, a mission if you will, and I was determined to save a life after losing another.<br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLll1QtqVyg2wHZvK_ZgAMMQioRyMWM-YHOrMnTvo4z1Y4wA6DYb66MlJwap-EtU15XmemFZvcOhCAfD4UAs3WSRzEwDH3k_8p4xzy7qdp_lIx7BeHqrAayU96j4eCtg02cxQQ7x1FplScPVllWQEDVzhqBE5-qRmJS-ru5INK_c3mVgSENEipj2PjnWs/s2682/20240207_113043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2682" data-original-width="1916" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLll1QtqVyg2wHZvK_ZgAMMQioRyMWM-YHOrMnTvo4z1Y4wA6DYb66MlJwap-EtU15XmemFZvcOhCAfD4UAs3WSRzEwDH3k_8p4xzy7qdp_lIx7BeHqrAayU96j4eCtg02cxQQ7x1FplScPVllWQEDVzhqBE5-qRmJS-ru5INK_c3mVgSENEipj2PjnWs/w286-h400/20240207_113043.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Mission Accomplished</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">However, it seemed that getting him physically healthy was just the beginning. The vet was able to determine his age as only 8 months old at the time and in just those short eight months, he had been through incredible trauma. I had seen him around the neighborhood around August and had assumed it was someone's outside cat. I did not realize until he showed up at my window in February that he actually was either abandoned or feral. I live in a college town and people come and go in my neighborhood constantly so while I don't like to guess, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out where he came from. He was fixed already so clearly he had been someone's cat at one point so what happened? If I tried to tell you all of the theories that I ran through in my brain about his origin, we would be here all year. Shortly after he was physically well, though, I started to realize that my work was only halfway done. He got overstimulated very easily and would lash out. One minute he would be loving and want your attention and the next he would be growling and trying to bite me or my husband with his whole 4 teeth. When I say bite, I mean, viciously bite and scratch us and leave scars. We made a little place on a cat tower that we called the "spicy spot" that we would put him when we had trouble calming him down and got him some toys to bite on and would let him expend that energy in a better way than trying to murder us. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUBVwLyNYkJlhDoqEghxq136jibmjUMr0OHVoAd1leDHk0HyoF0-r7vM6ECm7QVEgIhR15eTd7DF5F5YrHIoBuJ-v5nvdx0R3ECoI-YjX1k6ewkUjAs84llK9bCUE1ddoU2ml1v5xbc2ueuVSE9psYIgDvyDd0Tgm1u-JCUeuTwsoEMq4IgOhUGsUEHU/s3660/20240122_144607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2181" data-original-width="3660" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUBVwLyNYkJlhDoqEghxq136jibmjUMr0OHVoAd1leDHk0HyoF0-r7vM6ECm7QVEgIhR15eTd7DF5F5YrHIoBuJ-v5nvdx0R3ECoI-YjX1k6ewkUjAs84llK9bCUE1ddoU2ml1v5xbc2ueuVSE9psYIgDvyDd0Tgm1u-JCUeuTwsoEMq4IgOhUGsUEHU/w400-h239/20240122_144607.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>This fish has been murdered one million times</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was at a loss as I knew very little about helping a cat like Huxley, but again, I was determined to help him, anyway. I read every book, scoured the internet, and talked with the vet on what I could do. I was able to find a lot of helpful information and start putting it to work. I found that so far I had been dealing with it pretty well by removing him from the overstimulation and being patient. I also learned all about what trauma can do to a cat and it opened my mind to new ways of dealing with my own trauma that I had encountered in my past. Slowly but surely, I think we both got better. He still has his moments, so do I when it comes to trauma, but learning all of the different ways to help really put into perspective how important it is to recognize trauma so you can heal trauma. Also, <i>patience</i>...so much patience.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I thought I had worked through a lot of things in my life, but helping him made me realize that while you can get better after trauma, it never really goes away. You will carry those wounds and they show up in surprising ways, sometimes when you least expect it. What it made me realize the most, though, is that if you can stay committed to healing, you will be rewarded with the calm life you always wanted and needed...with quite a few treats here and there!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dXsqLv9u-v8raNhOVOUvOipOFZNUkIGbCpDtCE8f2P5AVYFcRcPmInG9_6_uA-VZJzCensDpAdt63NVVP6ommwKuLWg6V9zqy-All7DUsH14YN7l0BjqYwmXEb5iFqtYycRhsWbB8ANHZ62bOWZx8wMOvoW2Q0-io2kOeFaqSYMds4EUtRUEh3z5hIo/s2615/20240128_110328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1868" data-original-width="2615" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dXsqLv9u-v8raNhOVOUvOipOFZNUkIGbCpDtCE8f2P5AVYFcRcPmInG9_6_uA-VZJzCensDpAdt63NVVP6ommwKuLWg6V9zqy-All7DUsH14YN7l0BjqYwmXEb5iFqtYycRhsWbB8ANHZ62bOWZx8wMOvoW2Q0-io2kOeFaqSYMds4EUtRUEh3z5hIo/s320/20240128_110328.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Huxley The Void</i></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I like to tell people that he won the cat lottery by showing up at our retired, empty nester house window but most days, I think we all won in our own way. </div><div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwCfUqBZBP5iD8w6oGVOJddlNJ3f2CqySyYrEzbdmDOVXF39hSLEg2xP__mwDDPpnC95BEwc_BNhmoBvuUemZRZtjra0frWyUXWHHcF6y1x5sjtxZe2HZlE5PUIpAry27JWxG-tHBh7wh3guWYVCTQCq53GDzXOP_WI45GdXA10FhRKEZg5-r1RqVY6Y/s2677/20240128_110338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2677" data-original-width="2328" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwCfUqBZBP5iD8w6oGVOJddlNJ3f2CqySyYrEzbdmDOVXF39hSLEg2xP__mwDDPpnC95BEwc_BNhmoBvuUemZRZtjra0frWyUXWHHcF6y1x5sjtxZe2HZlE5PUIpAry27JWxG-tHBh7wh3guWYVCTQCq53GDzXOP_WI45GdXA10FhRKEZg5-r1RqVY6Y/s320/20240128_110338.jpg" width="278" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Bonus photo of my other cat Sweet Pete just because</i></span></div></div></div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-25881895089640555352023-12-20T17:49:00.002-05:002023-12-20T17:49:37.042-05:00Life Update: It Got WorseI don't know about you but I am done with the year 2023. <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL0oLR8DNMnI84eEyo8JZslFl-ytMHLKz-rcKNCj8-zVHrbhfAg6kBGhLXJY2LkzwUZ7G8qCrIhGjcq075jWQPsxO4eg0CKD0HAhznvlh_OFBctKLoJvwuPaJDLDfHSZ4mZTrikzJTZtXdZ8jZNGqSKUnbWUC0aoPfnYPzZD4gDxmsedOKsiraAAjxbF4/s225/download.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="225" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL0oLR8DNMnI84eEyo8JZslFl-ytMHLKz-rcKNCj8-zVHrbhfAg6kBGhLXJY2LkzwUZ7G8qCrIhGjcq075jWQPsxO4eg0CKD0HAhznvlh_OFBctKLoJvwuPaJDLDfHSZ4mZTrikzJTZtXdZ8jZNGqSKUnbWUC0aoPfnYPzZD4gDxmsedOKsiraAAjxbF4/w400-h398/download.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Thank you to all of you who have stuck around during this monster of a year! There has been a lot of unexpected tragedy in my personal life that has affected my posting here but I took a bit of a break and hope to go back to posting regularly in the new year. I had to take a breather and reprioritize a lot of different things and it was a good reminder that it is ok to slow down and appreciate the truly good things in life. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Suburban-Feral-Stephanie-Stebbins-ebook/dp/B00FAV8OD4?ref_=ast_author_dp&fbclid=IwAR2gHke6Ic1kmtVIvtyVBWta78QvrCSglx6ib0PD018r72jZ7-eQ7zCiaVc" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="217" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv67uqHMSCJuURQql3B_miop6ZZ2HT8IGoUDVflN75heOKjxigVeg6zLq7nM08L58GyNrFXNuMAD_Af3WJ49RJmb3eYWVi0lUj3jH_8pGAp9e6W9OMmN94gohF00lNUc54jJyEIFgMuINUOe-vEW4u060S5TIWokJvKZFJPHeYgYbXiVaa7QokpV7VFoc/w496-h640/mWTreAfa.png" width="496" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Suburban-Feral-Stephanie-Stebbins-ebook/dp/B00FAV8OD4?ref_=ast_author_dp&fbclid=IwAR2gHke6Ic1kmtVIvtyVBWta78QvrCSglx6ib0PD018r72jZ7-eQ7zCiaVc" target="_blank">Available Here</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Speaking of good things, I couldn't let the ten year anniversary of my first book go by without saying anything! I still can't believe I actually did it, but I am so glad I did. I hope to have another collection of poems available in the new year as well and will keep you updated on that! If you have someone in your life who likes poetry, you can <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Suburban-Feral-Stephanie-Stebbins-ebook/dp/B00FAV8OD4?ref_=ast_author_dp&fbclid=IwAR2gHke6Ic1kmtVIvtyVBWta78QvrCSglx6ib0PD018r72jZ7-eQ7zCiaVc" target="_blank">purchase it right here</a>.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMdb3V_kO-rL7QfxlLDIBPG4yhUCuux-KOWamQZIfiQu1iW5H0y6zxDHPAtXk4xfcByctWdDWYm0Rt7qPqUljazVYHdHTyoDfs0OUsaDwgv6u07_azWSS4OonvSsKQ7bw3yI5VgQR6LQAO5WHE5uXrwzkyF1_7N_SWMfzpxmzDrJSf8yYrIQtsahInP9Q/s1080/Happy%20Holidays.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMdb3V_kO-rL7QfxlLDIBPG4yhUCuux-KOWamQZIfiQu1iW5H0y6zxDHPAtXk4xfcByctWdDWYm0Rt7qPqUljazVYHdHTyoDfs0OUsaDwgv6u07_azWSS4OonvSsKQ7bw3yI5VgQR6LQAO5WHE5uXrwzkyF1_7N_SWMfzpxmzDrJSf8yYrIQtsahInP9Q/w640-h640/Happy%20Holidays.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>As terrible as this year has been, I am still looking forward to the next and what it will bring. I hope you are surrounded by love this holiday season!</div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-49671144435020677182023-07-01T03:55:00.000-04:002023-07-01T03:55:15.264-04:00The First Roles You Should Fill In Your Company<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">When you are starting out with <a href="https://www.stephaniestebbins.com/2021/09/is-your-marketing-strategy-mess.html" target="_blank">a new business</a>, there are a few absolutely essential steps that you first need to take in order to ensure that you can get going in as strong a way as possible. One is to ensure you are hiring the right people. And an important concern there is figuring out which roles you should actually fill first, if you are to get the right people on board and start your team off strong. Let’s take a look at which specific roles you should fill first in any new company.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpw6RyGQEVvBCZn7_RnPo9Pj1kgYtM5U4CRAiL07-QXo2KO7j7Bk7kMP0got5m4CX3IDKt-vid06DXXRx3Sdk-UDbDpJJ44BkfxaysW7gESeS_y_kq5GNk9FKDTiFbrqWCtIN2rKKVNnkus_eF9AnT7CPreRFr8nfIs-Z7bRY3WnAzbFHAjkzxHZ3HAJc/s512/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="512" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpw6RyGQEVvBCZn7_RnPo9Pj1kgYtM5U4CRAiL07-QXo2KO7j7Bk7kMP0got5m4CX3IDKt-vid06DXXRx3Sdk-UDbDpJJ44BkfxaysW7gESeS_y_kq5GNk9FKDTiFbrqWCtIN2rKKVNnkus_eF9AnT7CPreRFr8nfIs-Z7bRY3WnAzbFHAjkzxHZ3HAJc/w640-h426/unnamed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-wearing-black-polo-shirt-and-gray-pants-sitting-on-white-chair-935977/" target="_blank">Image Source</a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Manager</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">You can’t expect your teams to be successful if you don’t have the appropriate managerial roles in place, so this is one of the first things that you should make sure you are looking into here. Filling managerial roles is really important, and you will need to choose carefully if you want to make it work as well as possible. It could be someone that you know or are even partnered with in other ventures, or you might just like to headhunt. In any case, finding a good manager is a really worthwhile thing to do as early on as possible.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Marketer</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Having a good means of <a href="https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/starting-new-job/business-roles" target="_blank">marketing your business</a> is likewise always going to be important, and it’s something that you will need to make sure that you are doing as well as you can. In order to ensure that, you need to have an individual within your team who knows all there is to know about effective marketing. Hiring a good marketer early on is definitely one of the best things you can ever do for your business, so it is something that you might want to think about for sure as soon as possible.</span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Developer</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are very few businesses these days which will not have a use for a developer. Even if you just have a website or a platform, you will need a developer - or a team of them - to do it for you. And of course, if you want to have an app or anything like that, again you are going to need developers in place to do the legwork. When you <a href="https://www.uptech.team/blog/hire-developers-for-startup" target="_blank">hire developers for startup</a> enterprises, you need to make sure you are hiring experience and passion above all. That is going to serve your business very well.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Project Leader</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Slightly different to a manager, but just as essential, is the <a href="https://www.wikijob.co.uk/jobs-and-careers/employment/essential-business-roles" target="_blank">project leader</a>. This is the person who is actually going to be in charge of the specific projects, and they need to have their head screwed on and be a really trustworthy individual. If you can make sure of that, it’s going to mean that you have a much stronger team and a stronger start to your business. All in all, that is really going to make a difference. And it’s something that you are going to be glad you thought about later on in the business’ life.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg476pOpu8WTtqM-FwBNMcRzpSzMY3LmlFVB2fMzF_PDav8az-gOnQ7HZb7z4AeBclI-qhbAz-q0TCUfYXOyXMb_OHZcLBI7scXZWwOLwGVgw2Sd9Y134yL1W8NwqujpTs9y5gpJO93shnHH842QUdeB0OIzG_vayQakfhUXwmcXKqXTGDSVWDBjxN3IU4/s512/unnamed%20(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="512" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg476pOpu8WTtqM-FwBNMcRzpSzMY3LmlFVB2fMzF_PDav8az-gOnQ7HZb7z4AeBclI-qhbAz-q0TCUfYXOyXMb_OHZcLBI7scXZWwOLwGVgw2Sd9Y134yL1W8NwqujpTs9y5gpJO93shnHH842QUdeB0OIzG_vayQakfhUXwmcXKqXTGDSVWDBjxN3IU4/w640-h426/unnamed%20(3).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-a-job-interview-4344878/" target="_blank">Image Source</a></span></div></div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-18914164566616194552023-06-29T01:27:00.001-04:002023-06-29T01:28:22.337-04:00Get Up And Dance!: Encourage Your Children to Love Music With These Tips<div style="text-align: left;"> One of the hardest things to do as a parent is to encourage your child to get involved in a hobby, especially if you know your child isn’t particularly interested. However, as parents it is our job to ensure that the kids have a well-rounded education and that means doing what you can to foster a love of music and potentially turn it into a hobby.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXdZGJbCA2nNGXeszuMjfbffsm1Mr57UKFs_uL2GChfD77bblwtCNucnQ9l_DVkUppD9U7JMskhzKkgc3YHyrEjWqFU7vA7A7aLbKFjp1mfohMXj33CcKJaCBEulq0ec6O3IqRypPxO3Wze2R4LFWBZKdsib4OlA3qFRZ9hN2WXNE2CIf3Mu15mjtwfzk/s512/unnamed%20(2).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="512" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXdZGJbCA2nNGXeszuMjfbffsm1Mr57UKFs_uL2GChfD77bblwtCNucnQ9l_DVkUppD9U7JMskhzKkgc3YHyrEjWqFU7vA7A7aLbKFjp1mfohMXj33CcKJaCBEulq0ec6O3IqRypPxO3Wze2R4LFWBZKdsib4OlA3qFRZ9hN2WXNE2CIf3Mu15mjtwfzk/w640-h426/unnamed%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/father-and-daughter-playing-in-a-meadow-2701585/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image source: Pexels</span></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Music is something we are all familiar with. It’s like a language that we can all speak, even through dance and movement. Getting the kids interested in music is easier if you are a lover of music yourself, and you can learn <a href="https://clearvpn.com/blog/spotify-premium-discount/" target="_blank">how to get Spotify cheaper</a> so that you can play it through your home and access music at any time. Children who love to move will often love to dance, and music is going to help to encourage that. With that in mind, here are some of the ways you can ensure that your kids fall in love with music:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b><a href="https://www.stephaniestebbins.com/2023/05/how-to-harness-your-childs-musical.html" target="_blank">Encourage them to listen</a></b>. If you think about it, children respond to everything around them and that includes music. Getting children to fall in love with types of music is much easier when you are the one in control of the speakers. Having Spotify attached to an Alexa in your home allows you to play music and get it piped around the house, so children are always exposed to different music types. Pick a piece to play and create conversation around it.</li><li><b>Play along</b>. Not every parent is happy with the idea of buying loud instruments into their home but it’s a good way to get children recognizing rhythm and beat. If you are able to get some instruments, you can encourage the kids to play along to music in the home and create their own music.</li><li><b>Explore different music styles</b>. Not all styles are suited to everyone, and children need to learn to explore different music types so that they can figure out what they like the most. Try different activities and games and if they enjoy a specific instrument, you could even set up lessons.</li><li><b>Take them to see it live</b>. Concerts, shows, opera and more are all <a href="https://aussiechildcarenetwork.com.au/articles/teaching-children/benefits-of-music-and-movement" target="_blank">music and movement</a> centered. Taking your children to see shows can help them to find a love in the music they’re listening to, and they can expand their creative and artistic horizons at the same time.</li><li><b>Get up and dance!</b> Lastly, make it fun and move to the music - you won’t regret the fun you’ll have with the kids when you have a dance party in the middle of the afternoon! Tempo, rhythm, beats and more are all more exciting when you’re dancing and moving in different ways, and inviting your children to move while they listen to the music is a good way to see how they respond to it. </li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://thumbs.gfycat.com/QuickGeneralElephantbeetle.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="362" height="382" src="https://thumbs.gfycat.com/QuickGeneralElephantbeetle.webp" width="362" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Music is a language we can all speak, we just need to be taught how to do it.</b></div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-53263783938155364322023-05-22T15:23:00.001-04:002023-05-22T23:19:51.590-04:00How To Harness Your Child's Musical Interests<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Music is beautiful, simply put. Music has a way of getting people to express their emotions in a beautiful way; it’s ideal for conveying and getting others to feel that exact feeling. Without any words whatsoever, you can still convey the exact feeling you want. Whether it’s love, sorrow, melancholy, or beyond, music has a way of bringing out this feeling. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzyc4PyWDw2UyMXPibFdaFGQXdgwzKadw6zbU3jLOY6vauoPlOi_RfOZEzCf8RCY2UnD1NHFV1Yg28dwfa1PNFDjvUsig6fcOWdYAERKchZ3231AP_Zn5WlhaHLq8O5sY8QSDmEVsVlIEkth-fn1i49JaARYB0w5v69QOm1i-ac-AcLA0jn7bmqOLN/s512/1picforchildmusicblg.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="512" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzyc4PyWDw2UyMXPibFdaFGQXdgwzKadw6zbU3jLOY6vauoPlOi_RfOZEzCf8RCY2UnD1NHFV1Yg28dwfa1PNFDjvUsig6fcOWdYAERKchZ3231AP_Zn5WlhaHLq8O5sY8QSDmEVsVlIEkth-fn1i49JaARYB0w5v69QOm1i-ac-AcLA0jn7bmqOLN/w640-h360/1picforchildmusicblg.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/heWnaIsN4so" target="_blank">Image Source</a></i></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">But music goes further than this; it’s a beautiful form of art. It gets the body moving, it sets the atmosphere in the space, and it’s a great hobby that brings so much fulfillment. As you can see, the <a href="https://www.stephaniestebbins.com/2023/05/the-influence-of-music-on-mood-and.html" target="_blank">influence of music</a> plays a massive role in everyone. So how can you get your little one to fall in love with this interest? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Start With Exposing Them To Music</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">One of the best ways to foster a love for music in your child is to expose them to music of all kinds. This can be as simple as playing the radio in your car or playing music from other cultures at home. When kids are exposed to different rhythms, meters, and tonalities from around the world, it expands their musical vocabulary. Even infants recognize the melody of songs long before they understand the words. Singing to them or playing quiet background music at nap and bedtime can connect your little ones to their musical heritage.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">As children get older, they will learn from the music they listen to and their parents' tastes. Exposing them to a variety of music can help them shape their opinions on what music should sound like and where their interests will lie. Then, they can find a way to incorporate music into their lives throughout adulthood. This can include anything from watching a concert to dancing to singing along to their favorite song.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Make Music With Them</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">From fond memories to having fun, why not make some noise with them? These can even include playing some <a href="https://samsite.com/blogs/news/ukulele-songs-for-kids" target="_blank">ukulele songs</a> for them or getting them to learn together. Playing simple songs, like "Wheels on the Bus" or "Twinkle, Twinkle," with your child is a great way to introduce children to music. The repetition of lyrics and melody helps children learn and memorize words, and simple tunes have a happy feeling that can easily complement any theme. When they get older, just play some music for them, or let them just explore. Overall, exposure and these positive nudges will help a lot.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Take Them To Music Events</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Whether they play the drums, guitar, piano, or violin, kids who are exposed to live music have an easier time sustaining their interest. It's a big part of what makes them feel like they're not alone in their passion and that someone else believes in them, too. Taking them to see their favorite musicians in concert is a powerful way of showing that you support their musical pursuits. Often, they'll be even more motivated to play at home after having experienced the live performance firsthand. There are plenty of music events from orchestras, rock music, or even <a href="https://bluegrasscountry.org/festivals/" target="_blank">small-scale music festivals</a> for the community. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc20JImNTSVHRdpuRd7FN_fWGdeFKItz9OtO1MNuXU3aKcEzQPpkUAKF98FFlJGiSd0rP9HbUtySeMFnMIRq5QPwJA1f5UlEZduuzKni9fN4iMWpcQzK8wr5ns_lwWGOZ7qiWH6WmMmhCfP_9Y24K7gzimumzITTF85rIE_4m_kVGMpzSS_YxLhMcm/s1500/1howharnesschildmusicblg.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc20JImNTSVHRdpuRd7FN_fWGdeFKItz9OtO1MNuXU3aKcEzQPpkUAKF98FFlJGiSd0rP9HbUtySeMFnMIRq5QPwJA1f5UlEZduuzKni9fN4iMWpcQzK8wr5ns_lwWGOZ7qiWH6WmMmhCfP_9Y24K7gzimumzITTF85rIE_4m_kVGMpzSS_YxLhMcm/w266-h400/1howharnesschildmusicblg.png" width="266" /></a></div></div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-17687297333572679882023-05-14T18:13:00.000-04:002023-05-14T18:13:55.598-04:00The Influence Of Music On Mood And Mental Health<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">Have you ever wondered why music is so universal among human cultures? You can go to uncontacted tribes in the Amazon, Africa, and the Arctic, and they will still have music traditions of their own. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMYZtJLU_0wpDSx9Y3Jcd3fH6xIlfMTpNJVO-HESe_mp5xEH0m9JPXsLsFJuNUb5OE4ZWSjclJEzaIhiVYQ6CtP_mpLQtqfGiAypvgM4RVNB5UOw7YV8RW3T-Cw1iNQFKBKHclIcxqAYmUMtCgduMu_7ALj3tGLVKji8wxXbNSO4D6Ig5yPBrccG3/s512/1photeforMUSICblog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="512" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMYZtJLU_0wpDSx9Y3Jcd3fH6xIlfMTpNJVO-HESe_mp5xEH0m9JPXsLsFJuNUb5OE4ZWSjclJEzaIhiVYQ6CtP_mpLQtqfGiAypvgM4RVNB5UOw7YV8RW3T-Cw1iNQFKBKHclIcxqAYmUMtCgduMu_7ALj3tGLVKji8wxXbNSO4D6Ig5yPBrccG3/w640-h426/1photeforMUSICblog.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/5Wj_tk8_Ens" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">IMAGE SOURCE</span></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The answer is how it affects our mood. The moment someone discovered that tapping a stick and bobbing their head felt good, everyone started doing it, perhaps fifty thousand years ago. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">In this post, we explore the unique role of music on mood and mental health. We talk about how it can energize, help you cope with stress, and improve your mood over time. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Music Can Improve Cognitive Performance</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.tes.com/magazine/teaching-learning/general/does-silence-help-pupils-learn" target="_blank">Children have to sit in exams in silence</a>. But there is evidence that music can enhance cognitive performance substantially. The reasons for this are complex, but researchers believe it might have something to do with how musical sounds silence some parts of the brain and activate others. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">For instance, science reveals that listening to background music while doing another task can improve your processing speed and memory, especially if you are an older adult. That might be one of the reasons so many office workers use headphones. It helps them concentrate on documents and spreadsheets. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">It could also be why some people listen to music while meditating. Again, it may assist with concentration and focus. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">With that said, not all music is equally beneficial. If it’s too loud or fast, it can actually hamper concentration. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Music Can Reduce Stress</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Another way music influences health is in its ability to reduce stress. Stress is a common problem that many people face in their daily lives and it can wind up becoming quite negative, leading to anxiety and depression. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.stephaniestebbins.com/2021/01/why-you-should-learn-piano-as-adult.html" target="_blank">Things like playing the piano</a> help to combat this by providing an outlet to let the mind relax. Research shows that playing or listening to soothing music can lower your blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol levels, a powerful stress-related hormone that can age you faster if you have too much of it. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The best music to listen to calm down is certain types of classical music, meditative music, and ambient sounds. While they might not have an immediate effect, you should notice a change in your psychology after 30 minutes or so. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMePd-BAxSAfHNzzUvgyXxHBe_RKoRT3K5LVXl0OnHUVn89ZhlpTL0QINGon02Yh_3hrzQHV3VGCubTaebV1zFgiibjPY4EDbwPKdzklBoVxCXckc1OQU97EhRIyMZ_nOQgmzDZGchtWnzIvCfcG9zYVHY2wX0xVRyCi0NT9D2qYto08A7mxDzh6Ra/s512/1photomusicblog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="512" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMePd-BAxSAfHNzzUvgyXxHBe_RKoRT3K5LVXl0OnHUVn89ZhlpTL0QINGon02Yh_3hrzQHV3VGCubTaebV1zFgiibjPY4EDbwPKdzklBoVxCXckc1OQU97EhRIyMZ_nOQgmzDZGchtWnzIvCfcG9zYVHY2wX0xVRyCi0NT9D2qYto08A7mxDzh6Ra/w640-h426/1photomusicblog.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/o5X24Q99zFE" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">IMAGE SOURCE</span></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Music Can Lift Your Mood</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Related to this last point is music’s ability to elevate your mood. If you’re feeling down, putting on the Stone Roses or <a href="https://www.tiana.com" target="_blank">Tiana Green music</a> can help you feel better. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">But why is this? It comes down to music’s ability to help people deal with negative emotions, such as sadness or anger. Music appears to switch off these parts of the brain while also offering support, catharsis, and validation for your feelings.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Music Can Improve Sleep Quality</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lastly, there’s some evidence that music may enhance sleep quality, improving your immune system and ability to function during the day. Some people listen to ambient sounds before they sleep to block out other noises in their environment, helping them drift off peacefully instead of cars or other people waking them up.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSIk6rRlXnyofRNECx8C8AkFKMqxJ0X-pQ_MobcPn2obrKIbclgolbefR8h7QUac2nYwtHSOvRhqEWLiLURk_OUyO_pbbbEvHxLwCJNrSiky4-E2TggS3ugepp9XTFd8vGb8rPwL8y-q64vyO2nJ_0OT_w2lhzIizFlZE3O95WhKw3GKHsTHam-I8e/s512/3photomusicblog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="512" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSIk6rRlXnyofRNECx8C8AkFKMqxJ0X-pQ_MobcPn2obrKIbclgolbefR8h7QUac2nYwtHSOvRhqEWLiLURk_OUyO_pbbbEvHxLwCJNrSiky4-E2TggS3ugepp9XTFd8vGb8rPwL8y-q64vyO2nJ_0OT_w2lhzIizFlZE3O95WhKw3GKHsTHam-I8e/w640-h360/3photomusicblog.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/3NgcTH0CFJg" target="_blank">IMAGE SOURCE</a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>What kind of influence does music have on your mood and mental health?</b> </div></b></span></div><div><br /></div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-8314033643049161722023-02-07T07:41:00.002-05:002023-06-30T16:14:31.285-04:00Rest In Peace, Skye Huskey<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">My niece has unexpectedly passed away in a car accident. My entire family is devastated and we are doing everything we can to love through this. Please send all of your love and strength to my sister in law. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZuuph-W05YJ80dWgpFD9bSH3s8icEgwIO1gxvvGl9qO4dQGX2IW7Ua6V2F9UW5RulumaPaNBO69prKkKfgVHAWWuHsvOTCyfIETiEATFloCeJtUn2DQYFzeaOB_d3h8SeOhRgxgYIqfFXs586gPamWLI6MVs_0KHH3yQ_NGeRSXUV1liROlfxgIG/s720/skyehuskey2.23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizZuuph-W05YJ80dWgpFD9bSH3s8icEgwIO1gxvvGl9qO4dQGX2IW7Ua6V2F9UW5RulumaPaNBO69prKkKfgVHAWWuHsvOTCyfIETiEATFloCeJtUn2DQYFzeaOB_d3h8SeOhRgxgYIqfFXs586gPamWLI6MVs_0KHH3yQ_NGeRSXUV1liROlfxgIG/w640-h640/skyehuskey2.23.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">We love you and will miss you forever, Skye 💔</span></div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-64328798490012747432022-12-04T06:08:00.002-05:002022-12-04T06:08:55.217-05:00Sometimes<div style="text-align: left;"> It sits in your gut</div><div>sometimes</div><div>rumbling</div><div>and rolling as rough </div><div>as the sea</div><div><br /></div><div>It sits in your chest</div><div>sometimes</div><div>throbbing</div><div>beating your blood </div><div>right through your veins</div><div><br /></div><div>It sits in your throat</div><div>sometimes</div><div>scratching your itchy</div><div>vocal chords</div><div>until you scream </div><div>its song</div><div><br /></div><div>It sits in your tongue</div><div>sometimes</div><div>strong</div><div>yet </div><div>always trapped </div><div><br /></div><div>It sits in your head</div><div>all the time</div><div>dancing </div><div>an apocalypse party</div><div>that never</div><div>ever</div><div>ends.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tCXPxjK2bBWIWmWjbW0uKF9eXgkl8KU6OFR4Rj-v-ahgpV8XCGPdCVYBgYvo4KJxpAisUISBGWAgTVPa3UOc0aqo_2wQB0N8E4rtcq4S6QmF3DBnEjM-PGNOjgMxoNooyWv9uCWJQCAiNiaQCKhb4niXZlG64uI__IGRR6cvQpGXLuG7kcgGJP03/s1080/original.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1080" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tCXPxjK2bBWIWmWjbW0uKF9eXgkl8KU6OFR4Rj-v-ahgpV8XCGPdCVYBgYvo4KJxpAisUISBGWAgTVPa3UOc0aqo_2wQB0N8E4rtcq4S6QmF3DBnEjM-PGNOjgMxoNooyWv9uCWJQCAiNiaQCKhb4niXZlG64uI__IGRR6cvQpGXLuG7kcgGJP03/w640-h634/original.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://weheartit.com/entry/337569685" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Image Source</a></div></span><div><br /></div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-36630003462326889412022-04-29T00:41:00.004-04:002022-04-29T00:41:49.934-04:00How To Select A New Hobby<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;"> Starting a new hobby can be very rewarding and can help you relax. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Have you been thinking about starting a new hobby?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you're having trouble deciding which hobby is right for you, you may need some help in making the right choice. The good news is that there are several ways you can go about selecting a great hobby that will bring you a lot of joy and excitement. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here's a look at some of the best ways to choose a hobby that is right for you.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-2mbgXV62I_kTEZBazbyKtNLtAvkA0lBWjuMlKhJ3OKHA6cdBxuylNH3AhGQoeROn8tMb1Cj9pgJ-I7yZfly9o-o_sTSUbaaD4C8yDG_YuFwtYW9d_YnLpW2jItpYj1aZOSsIoCjtmf9hBY4yT5YJMohWja6Ihpb91aYAz__5_sIoogQ3Dgv9_kF/s512/unnamed%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="512" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-2mbgXV62I_kTEZBazbyKtNLtAvkA0lBWjuMlKhJ3OKHA6cdBxuylNH3AhGQoeROn8tMb1Cj9pgJ-I7yZfly9o-o_sTSUbaaD4C8yDG_YuFwtYW9d_YnLpW2jItpYj1aZOSsIoCjtmf9hBY4yT5YJMohWja6Ihpb91aYAz__5_sIoogQ3Dgv9_kF/w640-h426/unnamed%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.pexels.com/@david-bartus-43782/" target="_blank">Photo by David Bartus</a></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>What Do You Enjoy?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">One of the easiest ways to find out what will make a good hobby for you is to take a look at what you enjoy. The things that you currently enjoy may be just what you need to provide you with some insight into what you should be doing in your free time. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">For example, if you enjoy eating you could take a cooking class and learn how to cook new dishes in your spare time. If you enjoy writing poetry that could easily be turned into a new songwriting hobby by putting music to your words. If you are serious about it you can get a <a href="https://www.singularsound.com/products/aeros-loop-studio" target="_blank">Singular sound</a> studio to help you mix and loop songs.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The bottom line is that the things you love will provide you with clues as to what <a href="https://www.stephaniestebbins.com/2022/03/finding-new-goals-for-your-hobbies.html" target="_blank">your hobby</a> should be.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Go Back In Time</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you want to figure out which hobby would be best for you, go back in time and think about your childhood. Think about the things that you enjoyed as a child until you had to abandon them as an adult. They may be just what you need to start up again to have a hobby you enjoy. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">For example, if you enjoyed playing with dolls you might want to start collecting Barbies as a hobby. Whatever it is that you found interesting and still find yourself fascinated with as an adult, may be what you need to focus on and start as a new hobby.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Find Your Personality Type</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are several tests you can take to find out <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-personality-testing-2795420" target="_blank">your personality type</a>. When you are aware of the type of personality that you have. You will be better able to access what type of hobbies will be right for you. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Many personality tests will often suggestions hobbies you may enjoy based on your score. You can use these suggestions as a starting point for selecting your next hobby.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Start Your New Hobby</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Finding a new hobby that you like is something that can bring you years of enjoyment. However, finding the right hobby can sometimes be challenging. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">You want to make sure that you have a hobby that will bring you <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-relax-like-a-pro_b_11403428" target="_blank">joy and relaxation</a>. This is why you need to take all the things discussed here into consideration when selecting your next hobby.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Remember to take a look at your childhood activities and even ask your parents about something that you enjoyed if you can't remember everything. It may trigger a memory that will lead to your next hobby.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4osRbH44iBzHJ2EbV4-l6KmbKEo45kYlVFR4MSEUw16Sw3mzgPWWMKcgJhbfSXRDHiFsrD_djHjxPgTa5D2b4XPxBjPw7romwPbnnro5Cv-FHGSy1bepvWWmhk3F7um-8621xot_TAyMldX7E9bFcJvMj-jvGLSA_7GbahHJdRTHQOOGeIqdrKP4C/s300/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4osRbH44iBzHJ2EbV4-l6KmbKEo45kYlVFR4MSEUw16Sw3mzgPWWMKcgJhbfSXRDHiFsrD_djHjxPgTa5D2b4XPxBjPw7romwPbnnro5Cv-FHGSy1bepvWWmhk3F7um-8621xot_TAyMldX7E9bFcJvMj-jvGLSA_7GbahHJdRTHQOOGeIqdrKP4C/w640-h358/images.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.thetrendspotter.net/best-hobbies-for-men/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Image Source</a></span></div></div><div><br /></div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-68366539849695857312022-03-31T00:32:00.002-04:002022-04-01T16:27:36.755-04:005 Alternative Easter Gift Ideas<p> Another holiday is here and I am not afraid to admit that it has been a different holiday experience during this pandemic!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/UuB5lh1bL1Dl6svihe/giphy.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/UuB5lh1bL1Dl6svihe/giphy.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It has forced me to be creative, however, and that is always a positive in my opinion. I have thought of 5 alternative gift ideas for Easter 2022 and I am excited to now share them with you:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>An Open Air Picnic And Easter Egg Hunt</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The great thing about a spring holiday is that everyone is ready to get out into the fresh air and sunshine so a picnic in a park (<i>or even your own backyard</i>) is definitely a gift for everyone! Pack a light lunch or snacks and get out there! You can hide your easter eggs around and watch as the kids try to find all of them. A lovely day together is a gift everyone will remember.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7qCPvH26iWour14dy2ZezrZAL-2843g1b0S2Ks1CDMW4wxTM4K0BVnWCVta1BekaxLiqT0NrP32ZXqSj8FN1sdGifc3SzKDI9H9F84ISCOEwi7dwLOfLTBgr5ZO442m5V8k07Wwafo51URVKohr-uh1EqNPR3Vt38Xf2uds_SUnwUqThb4zF22s2/s3428/1lostwoods.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1453" data-original-width="3428" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7qCPvH26iWour14dy2ZezrZAL-2843g1b0S2Ks1CDMW4wxTM4K0BVnWCVta1BekaxLiqT0NrP32ZXqSj8FN1sdGifc3SzKDI9H9F84ISCOEwi7dwLOfLTBgr5ZO442m5V8k07Wwafo51URVKohr-uh1EqNPR3Vt38Xf2uds_SUnwUqThb4zF22s2/w400-h170/1lostwoods.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>A Child's Gardening And Bug Catching Guide</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since you will already be outside, keep that energy going and gift your child with the knowledge of everything around them. A guide to the different bugs you will see outside can take away the fear or misunderstanding of insects and teach your child about what they see in their environment. Have a little competition to see who can name the most insects correctly and maybe you can learn a little something, too. If your child prefers to learn about the different plants and flowers they see, a gardening and/or botany guide would be another great pick. There is also bird watching and animal guides in case they prefer that. There is lots to learn about out here and having a guide makes it fun!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>A Memorable Piece Of Jewelry</b> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know jewelry seems like a simple go-to gift for any holiday, but <i>hear me out</i>. Every memorable piece of jewelry I have received on a holiday has always been on a holiday that I was not expecting jewelry. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2Eck7zjZiOtAf-9RIXvdTgWiMOO_LuReun1Ad7kvrbbrFQ1qGbV7zPj9CxdC8Q9ACESPvaRC7YL3Wsb7yDpJC1QRpHSHJxgsPKj5P4TeSPBxHuArETYQ-ZnA05hRWs_uGIm5su0qdkwFVrnHG6RfeSI0gGE-ckojm7veLQar3wGuZTkPnxaBVi4M/s600/1rabbitbrooch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2Eck7zjZiOtAf-9RIXvdTgWiMOO_LuReun1Ad7kvrbbrFQ1qGbV7zPj9CxdC8Q9ACESPvaRC7YL3Wsb7yDpJC1QRpHSHJxgsPKj5P4TeSPBxHuArETYQ-ZnA05hRWs_uGIm5su0qdkwFVrnHG6RfeSI0gGE-ckojm7veLQar3wGuZTkPnxaBVi4M/w400-h300/1rabbitbrooch.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <i>"Oh, you thought you were getting chocolate bunnies or a stuffed duck this Easter? WRONG. Here's a gorgeous gold rabbit brooch by <a href="http://www.acsilver.co.uk/shop/pc/home.asp" target="_blank"><b>AC Silver</b></a>!"</i><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Is this more of a gift idea for <b><i>mom</i></b> for Easter? Yes, <b>yes</b> it is.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>A Disposable Camera And Trip Scrapbook</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While I am sure that most older kids today already have a cellphone with a camera attached, a fun thing for little ones who do not is a disposable camera. They can take their own pictures, print them out, and then add them to their very own trip scrapbook. It helps kids open up their creative mind while giving them the satisfaction of seeing their creative work turn into a fun memory they get to keep. They could even start with your fun Easter Egg Hunt picnic I mentioned above!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Tickets To An Open Air Community Theater Event</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With tours and shows being opened and then shut back down again, entertainment has been in a sort of limbo. Luckily, there are always community theaters in your town that perform in open air parks! Ask your gift recipient what type of show they would be interested in seeing and then grab some tickets if you can to surprise them with! It's a gift for Easter and it's a gift for in the future. A win all around if you ask me!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbzU0zGrHKLfJbQ8_FAzUJaHdGXiMKAX9MtgmtlFocIwsToamQfjP6ebqU7S0E0LFGgtmcE0Nlp-OfKyI39OMnkMw_71YU6mqRbHxHGw8iB0OsFCY414AhSmxvns_BQykOgUd99UUPLVW5EHK8lsraiDGRmcPmFOdBVdKgDIoKxP40-MS9jhGs-vVg/s1200/RoseGardenTheater_17_TylerKuss_2017-02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbzU0zGrHKLfJbQ8_FAzUJaHdGXiMKAX9MtgmtlFocIwsToamQfjP6ebqU7S0E0LFGgtmcE0Nlp-OfKyI39OMnkMw_71YU6mqRbHxHGw8iB0OsFCY414AhSmxvns_BQykOgUd99UUPLVW5EHK8lsraiDGRmcPmFOdBVdKgDIoKxP40-MS9jhGs-vVg/w400-h225/RoseGardenTheater_17_TylerKuss_2017-02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.tclf.org/landscapes/raleigh-rose-garden-theater" target="_blank">Image Source</a></span></i></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Holidays have been different lately but we can always find a way to give gifts to the people we love. I hope these tips help you find the perfect gift this Easter holiday!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-29834826222414853612022-03-17T18:55:00.001-04:002022-03-18T12:18:18.837-04:00Finding New Goals For Your Hobbies<div style="text-align: left;"> Hobbies are good for our mental health and can help to build our personality. For a hobby to stay interesting, you need to keep finding new goals. If you’ve found yourself losing interest in a hobby or you simply feel your hobby doesn’t satisfy you as much, you should consider whether it’s time to set a new goal. Below are just 5 examples of goals for your hobbies.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaUNaYhHAFErM4du0VqOKATQz6Ly0UdCgOBxVos_fcnIcD9-61NyeV0nKLzEhN-wE0LRw3tVRxfyW-t2Jcu1jTxea7vi79Lv8TgrAAVRGp7IQmN6wL_p20sYSPTZ8KbMa_DL_-Ubirn4iW9ob90upEJQTJjHIr2thQVPCaP9KkSkQVIsyKJ6wr_jpG=s512" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="512" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaUNaYhHAFErM4du0VqOKATQz6Ly0UdCgOBxVos_fcnIcD9-61NyeV0nKLzEhN-wE0LRw3tVRxfyW-t2Jcu1jTxea7vi79Lv8TgrAAVRGp7IQmN6wL_p20sYSPTZ8KbMa_DL_-Ubirn4iW9ob90upEJQTJjHIr2thQVPCaP9KkSkQVIsyKJ6wr_jpG=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-playing-brown-ukulele-346726/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Image Source</a></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Learn New Skills/Techniques</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Consider whether it’s time to go out of your comfort zone and learn new skills related to your hobby. There are always niche skills that can be learned. A few examples include:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.stephaniestebbins.com/2021/01/why-you-should-learn-piano-as-adult.html" target="_blank">Expanding your piano skills</a> by trying new genres like jazz or classical</li><li>Improving your knitting skills by learning new stitches</li><li>Learning how to grow new vegetables in your backyard</li></ul></div><div>You can learn new skills by looking up tutorials online, getting paid lessons or reading handbooks. Work out what is the best form of learning for you.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Master How To Use New Equipment</b></div><div><br /></div><div>There could be new equipment that you could buy to get more out of your hobby. Challenge yourself to master this equipment. Examples could include:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Buying new camera lenses and learning to integrate them into your photography</li><li>Buying new cake modelling tools to build your cake-making skills</li><li>Buying a new effects pedal to use in your guitar-playing</li></ul></div><div>Saving up for equipment could be a goal in itself. Make sure to research into equipment so that you buy the best equipment and keep it well maintained.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Build An Online Fanbase</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Find an audience for your hobby by sharing videos, images or blog posts online. You can then challenge yourself to <a href="https://www.gokantaloupe.com/blog/how-to-build-a-social-media-following" target="_blank">build followers</a> by consistently posting engaging content. Examples of this include:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Sharing images of sketches and paintings on Instagram and building followers</li><li>Posting video reviews of great books you’ve read</li><li>Writing educational/informational travel blog posts of places you’ve been to and amassing lots of loyal readers</li></ul></div><div>Becoming an influencer could allow you to gain appreciation for your hobby, pass on knowledge and connect with fellow hobbyists. You could even monetize this following through options like sponsorships and ad revenue, which leads onto the next goal…</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Monetize Your Hobby</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Almost any hobby can be monetized. This could be a chance to earn an income - even if it’s just some money on the side - while doing something you love. A few examples include:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Selling handmade jewelry online</li><li>Becoming a paid soccer coach</li><li>Making money from a beauty vlog via ad revenue and sponsorships</li></ul></div><div>Monetizing your hobby requires understanding how to market yourself. You’ll likely need to build social media pages and launch a website using a platform like <a href="https://nestify.io/woocommerce-hosting/?aff_id=29392" target="_blank">WooCommerce hosting</a>. In other cases, it may benefit you to attend events such as craft fairs or paid competitions. Speaking of competitions…</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Get Competitive</b></div><div><br /></div><div>You may be able to compete with other hobbyists to win events or break records. Competition can be a great way to take your hobby to the next level. Examples could include:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Playing video games in an online tournament</li><li>Taking part in a chilli-eating competition</li><li>Downloading a <a href="https://www.tomsguide.com/uk/round-up/best-running-apps" target="_blank">running app like Strava</a> and competing with the performance stats of other users</li></ul></div><div>Make sure that you understand the rules of competing. Set realistic competition goals so that you stay motivated - <i>know your own ability</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>I hope these tips will help you find new goals for your hobbies. Add your own in the comments below!</b></div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-51172886598056168872022-03-09T17:01:00.001-05:002022-03-09T17:01:58.703-05:00Ambivalence<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">uncertainty is</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">swallowing me</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">and I will</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">drown</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">in these words</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">unsaid</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">gasping as</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I wonder</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">if I ever</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">knew </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">how to swim</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiM4hICrspV5Pxm9GJY10Ekm2j0rmdnHCRmVTPRoLyLeTm3BvMh3fgZTrL01eu2N0oN3sn62qh0NogcRPR_f5nxGGraJ6c9LAYP5rXxyAE4XDrtah7HkYb01mmmSiJSup9vjxZ-OiaZKT9c5Ig1rEzXl9vYOW52CSfR73lwLh1cjf2b3Bi8KfXSMQfW=s693" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="693" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiM4hICrspV5Pxm9GJY10Ekm2j0rmdnHCRmVTPRoLyLeTm3BvMh3fgZTrL01eu2N0oN3sn62qh0NogcRPR_f5nxGGraJ6c9LAYP5rXxyAE4XDrtah7HkYb01mmmSiJSup9vjxZ-OiaZKT9c5Ig1rEzXl9vYOW52CSfR73lwLh1cjf2b3Bi8KfXSMQfW=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://wallpapersafari.com/w/P2VXWv" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Image Source</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-5296017796983541082022-01-28T18:29:00.000-05:002022-01-28T18:29:12.292-05:00How To Stay Active During The Winter Months<div style="text-align: left;"> As January comes to a close, you may be thinking of those New Year’s Resolutions you set at the beginning of the year and how sustainable they are. For many, <a href="https://www.stephaniestebbins.com/2022/01/4-things-you-must-do-before-starting.html" target="_blank">trying to be more active</a> in your day-to-day life is on the list of things to do this year. A big obstacle to overcome while staying active is finding motivation during the winter season. Those snowy and chilly days make it hard to want to go outside at all, let alone go outside to exercise, so here are three ways to help make staying active in the winter a bit easier: </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhthHC30CbaQQkMlkDY6tji-1XR9ZxxKmg-N3er3alDxZ_yj3FLm0NZ5lyTcYEJhwlZ_2UrblCKCjzXP9CqgGRjIwZnhCedmCEblOSONaIrBtTGPzYBWKm7TsUl1Ci33_qjP3uTkzjaIgpQ-h6am1Y4zOJTHTYWh7e6jXOaqHoXUgbA34TLnN8kCvOj=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhthHC30CbaQQkMlkDY6tji-1XR9ZxxKmg-N3er3alDxZ_yj3FLm0NZ5lyTcYEJhwlZ_2UrblCKCjzXP9CqgGRjIwZnhCedmCEblOSONaIrBtTGPzYBWKm7TsUl1Ci33_qjP3uTkzjaIgpQ-h6am1Y4zOJTHTYWh7e6jXOaqHoXUgbA34TLnN8kCvOj=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://fitnessfor10.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Fitness-for-10-Home-Club-Locator.jpg">Image Source</a></span> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Make Goals With A Partner</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Enlisting the help of a workout buddy can help make staying active more exciting. It is easy to skip out on reaching your daily goals if you are on this journey alone, but having another person you are reaching these goals with will add a layer of accountability. Find someone that motivates you and makes going out in the snow worthwhile. It could be your work-best-friend and you go to the gym every day after work together, or it could be your neighbor and you take a long walk together in the mornings. Whoever it is and whatever you do, finding someone to make these activity goals with will have you looking forward to your workout plans. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you can’t meet up for every workout, <a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/the-best-social-media-apps-for-working-out-with-friends/" target="_blank">use an app to connect with your fitness partner</a>. Logging your workouts and stats can keep both of you motivated to continue exercising together and apart. If you are both competitive people, having a routine together can help keep you eager to reach your goals, especially on those solo days when you want to reach them first. A healthy competition with a workout partner is a great way to push you to reach your goals and keep each other accountable.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Create An At-Home Space</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Not only does the snowy season impact your motivation to stay active, but the ongoing pandemic also takes a toll on your comfortability with working out in communal spaces. Creating a space at home for you to exercise safely and conveniently can help retain your motivation for working out all year long. Having a dedicated area, like a spare room, garage, or a place in your basement, can help you stay focused on your fitness goals regardless of the weather.</div><div><br /></div><div>Dedicating an area to your own workout space can get pricey depending on what you want to do for exercise. Focusing on cardio or building muscle means having equipment like a treadmill or a set of weights, all of which can be expensive. Consider selling the furniture in the room you are transforming into your gym. That money you earn can buy the equipment you need. Selling that furniture will also help increase your motivation for working out in the room you specifically designed for your gym. Declutter any other dust collectors and items you no longer use to make some extra cash. If you are a homeowner, you may consider looking into <a href="https://www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/how-does-refinancing-work" target="_blank">how to refinance a mortgage</a> to help put some money towards equipment for your fitness space. Finding ways to save gives you the opportunity to purchase the gym equipment that will help you stay excited about working out from home. However, not all plans work out perfectly. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Have a Backup Plan</b></div><div><br /></div><div>When creating a home gym is not an option for you, it’s time to get creative. If the roads are too snowy to hit your local gym, or your workout buddy isn’t available for your daily routine, getting inventive on how you can stay active can help you keep your momentum going. You can also <a href="https://www.cnet.com/health/fitness/youtube-fitness-channels-for-getting-in-shape/" target="_blank">find workout routines online</a> that you can do from your home, with or without a home gym setup. By searching through thousands of home workouts, there is a good chance you will find some you like. </div><div><br /></div><div>Another way you can facilitate a workout without leaving your home is by making your chores an opportunity to exercise. In the winter, that can be especially easy to do on those snowy days you need to shovel. Shoveling is a great source of a cardio workout. You can even make doing your laundry a time for exercise by leaving a trail of the clothes you need to wash and making yourself go up and down the stairs to retrieve them until your washing machine is full. Adding extra steps to each of your chores that requires you to use your stairs or just gets you moving, in general, can be your workout on those lighter days. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5LgWq64GFiavKzOIbzIl65ALlH5YlWw2YkYv3m3-Fs7Rz3PowvROcmsFbb8KiehVdyNdBySztq2-cDGjIvX3-LCau-qqB1Q4VSnQK9bI8omNVmlBZ6GFk25IZC10rOeSsfFoTR1kFd5uex4DQUeuoNqSTR8xO0DL1dXHYeiKQyHa96edHXXI6S9bZ=s800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5LgWq64GFiavKzOIbzIl65ALlH5YlWw2YkYv3m3-Fs7Rz3PowvROcmsFbb8KiehVdyNdBySztq2-cDGjIvX3-LCau-qqB1Q4VSnQK9bI8omNVmlBZ6GFk25IZC10rOeSsfFoTR1kFd5uex4DQUeuoNqSTR8xO0DL1dXHYeiKQyHa96edHXXI6S9bZ=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.heart.org/-/media/Images/Healthy-Living/Fitness/BreakingDownBarriersFitness.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Source</span></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>There are many ways you can stay focused on your fitness goals even in the iciest of weather conditions. Finding what motivates you best will be the start to making exercise habits that can last a lifetime. </div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-50034352747124193282022-01-24T14:02:00.000-05:002022-01-24T14:02:16.438-05:004 Things You Must Do Before Starting Any Workout Plan<div style="text-align: left;"> You’ve decided to start a new workout plan, and it’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. Some of you are starting your very first workout plan, which is a big step for you. Others are switching up workouts and going for something different. Either way, there are four essential things you need to do before you begin this journey:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRI8ztGO1-DY8v9WJ0wibVuQI--cRRLjD8-9TySOkWWF79Ab7f1uhgn3uArXtvhpYWKdtDeHKC4ol0O0tXU1DfqrHoXLkIq9tlMbdZjEjTH7iMCDymtqM-O7YIyo6ppi88QnOKkqT83ntmkUmte6O3qyPyexpjgsaG2olBQJSMJ0QJ91LYYhEbN79b=s512" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="512" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRI8ztGO1-DY8v9WJ0wibVuQI--cRRLjD8-9TySOkWWF79Ab7f1uhgn3uArXtvhpYWKdtDeHKC4ol0O0tXU1DfqrHoXLkIq9tlMbdZjEjTH7iMCDymtqM-O7YIyo6ppi88QnOKkqT83ntmkUmte6O3qyPyexpjgsaG2olBQJSMJ0QJ91LYYhEbN79b=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-and-woman-holding-battle-ropes-1552242/" target="_blank">Image Source</a></div></span><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Get A Physical Examination From Your Doctor</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div>This is one of those things that’s always recommended, yet most people avoid it for one reason or another. A lot of the time, you avoid it because you can’t be bothered and don’t think you need one. However, it is important to get a physical examination because you will learn of any underlying health conditions that might cause problems while you exercise. Also, if you have a physical and are given the all-clear, then suffer from a health problem and are later diagnosed with an issue that should’ve been picked up in your physical exam, you can use a <a href="https://www.boyerslaw.com/medical-malpractice/" target="_blank">medical malpractice attorney</a> to gain compensation. So, it’s a good thing to do just in case the worst happens as you can take action to recover money for any medical bills. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Set Your Personal Goals</b></div><div><br /></div><div>What do you want to achieve from your fitness plan? Are you trying to lose weight, or do you want to gain muscle? Is there a more specific goal you have in mind, like being able to run a marathon? Do you want to <a href="https://www.livestrong.com/article/514149-how-to-get-physically-stronger-quickly/" target="_blank">get physically stronger</a>, in which case you need to set strength goals? Having goals will help you feel motivated to carry on your workout routine and keep at it until you reach your goals. It can also help you plan your workout routine - if you want to lose weight, your workouts will look a lot different from someone that wants to get stronger. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Make Sure You Know What You’re Doing</b></div><div><br /></div><div>If you’re a complete <a href="https://www.stephaniestebbins.com/2021/11/4-ways-to-develop-balanced-workout-plan.html" target="_blank">fitness beginner,</a> you need to ensure that you know what you’re doing when you work out. This might mean getting an induction in the gym, so you’re shown all the equipment, weights, and how to use everything. As a result, you can exercise with proper form, avoiding injuries. The same goes for anyone, no matter how experienced you are, you need to be sure that you know what you’re doing. If you have new exercises to do, practice them first, watch tutorial videos, and get comfortable doing them. It’s all about feeling safe and in control when you exercise, so take the time to get to know what you’re doing. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Set A Healthy Eating Plan</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div>Before you start your workout plan, you need to set a healthy eating plan as well. There’s no point working out if you have <a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-and-nutrition-pictures/bad-eating-habits-and-how-to-break-them.aspx" target="_blank">a terrible diet</a> as the two will cancel each other out. Eating healthily will help you fuel your ambitions and see better results from your plan, keeping you as fit and healthy as can be. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhac3zULKUH1YtNjnBxacdVEKZKSymo_6dPt8jmqCS8CdvP4TBe9hmtEHskaHEX-vD4ZcVE2qhDasXAanS-8gvnMDs2RIM_72hgG6HjCvK-cVjsYUUT6uKH90p6sv3ubX6yud9aRvmFgRXV1M3-spEuoqhL8I2hFh097sghNtb1-QH1JwY41hzoIQ8g=s512" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="512" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhac3zULKUH1YtNjnBxacdVEKZKSymo_6dPt8jmqCS8CdvP4TBe9hmtEHskaHEX-vD4ZcVE2qhDasXAanS-8gvnMDs2RIM_72hgG6HjCvK-cVjsYUUT6uKH90p6sv3ubX6yud9aRvmFgRXV1M3-spEuoqhL8I2hFh097sghNtb1-QH1JwY41hzoIQ8g=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/active-adult-athlete-body-416778/" target="_blank">Image Source</a></div></span><div><br /></div><div>Preparation is key when working out and getting fit. You need to prepare for your new workout plan to get the most out of it. Ensure you’re physically capable of handling the plan, be sure you know how to do all the exercises, set goals, and keep your diet healthy. From here, you can see the best results!</div><div><br /></div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-4676657975674155952021-12-29T22:11:00.001-05:002021-12-29T22:53:36.558-05:007 Ways To Protect Your Home From Damage This Winter<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;">The winter months can be difficult for homeowners in areas where the temperature drops below freezing. With ice, snow, and other natural occurrences like the wind to contend with, it's not too difficult to see how damage might happen. The good news is that there are some things you can do right now to help protect your property this winter.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizQE58YZM8xVZBOI28znjxlyE6009pXiPiryaeLx16-deOtrhKS0jYPnwHLtWmAOzufLUbCGr7xa3xVDXVKskxh8VIxfGfwCtr5mjtVm8NuW4-qbGlNovQGX9Z7OYFDuX57ZWu-fxu8mUMIAp26jcpC0KfUqxF4vbx9DwQ-saAp4u9MeYn7Ts5bA4i=s512" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="512" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizQE58YZM8xVZBOI28znjxlyE6009pXiPiryaeLx16-deOtrhKS0jYPnwHLtWmAOzufLUbCGr7xa3xVDXVKskxh8VIxfGfwCtr5mjtVm8NuW4-qbGlNovQGX9Z7OYFDuX57ZWu-fxu8mUMIAp26jcpC0KfUqxF4vbx9DwQ-saAp4u9MeYn7Ts5bA4i=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/houses-near-tress-2765436/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo source: fnfoto from Pexels</span></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>First, protect your home from the cold weather with these quick tips:</i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">-Install insulation in your attic and walls. This will help <a href="https://theconversation.com/10-ways-to-keep-your-house-warm-and-save-money-this-winter-67285" target="_blank">keep the heat inside your home.</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">-Caulk and weatherstrip around doors and windows to prevent drafts.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">-Put plastic over your windows to reduce the amount of cold air that enters your home.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">-Hang heavy curtains or drapes on the south- and west-facing windows to insulate them from the sun's heat.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">-Heating bills can be expensive, so consider installing a programmable thermostat that can save you money by automatically adjusting the temperature when you are not home.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">-If you have a fireplace, make sure the flue is open when you are using it, and always use a screen to protect against sparks.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Prevent Water Damage To The Home</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Water damage is one of the most common types of property damage to homes during the winter months. Water can get into your home in many ways, but here are some tips for keeping water away from your home's foundation and exterior walls: Avoid using sprinklers on cold nights when frost forms along rooflines because it will likely refreeze later at night if temperatures drop below freezing again. This seeping process could cause ice dams that lead to leaks inside your house or cracks in its structure. Clear branches away from roofs so they don't fall off due to heavy snowfall or high winds. Branches may also break under the weight of thick ice accumulations found near gutter systems leading towards the ground.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Be Prepared For A Power Outage</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">In the event that your power is out for an extended period of time, you want to make sure you're prepared. In addition to having <a href="https://www.purewow.com/food/pantry-staples" target="_blank">a well-stocked pantry</a> and plenty of drinking water on hand, there are other essentials every household should have to deal with this type of situation.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Protect Your Windows And Doors Against The Cold</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Another way to prevent damage to your home this winter is by protecting your windows and doors from the cold. Make sure that all of your windows and doors are properly sealed with caulk or weatherstripping, and consider installing storm windows or doors to keep the cold out. You can also install insulation around your doors and windows to further insulate them from the cold.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Clean Gutters And Downspouts</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's important to clean your gutters and downspouts regularly during the winter, as they can easily become clogged with snow and ice. If the water doesn't have a way to drain off your roof, it can cause damage to your home's eaves, gables, and siding. Be sure to use a ladder when cleaning your gutters, and take care not to stand on icy surfaces. If you are still unsure you can look up <a href="https://laborpanes.com/blog/wilmington/5-reasons-to-clean-your-gutters-in-wilmington/" target="_blank">5 Reasons To Clean Your Gutters</a> for some motivation.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Shut Off Your Water Supply In Bad Weather</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">One of the most important things you can do to protect your home from water damage is to shut off your water supply when bad weather is expected. If a winter storm knocks out power or causes flooding in your area, shutting off the water will help prevent extensive damage to your home. Make sure you have a plan in place for how you will turn off the water in case of an emergency.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Insulate Your Pipes</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you live in a cold climate, it's important to properly insulate your pipes to <a href="https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/how-to-prevent-pipes-from-freezing/" target="_blank">avoid freezing</a> and bursting. You can buy insulation kits at most hardware stores or call a plumber to have them installed. Burst pipes are one of the most common sources of water damage in homes, so it's essential to take the proper precautions.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Create A Waterproof Barrier</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you have a basement or crawlspace, it's important to take steps to create a waterproof barrier between the living space of your home and the ground below. This can be done by installing a drainage system and sealing all cracks and seams around the foundation of your house. If water does manage to get into your basement or crawlspace, it will at least be contained there rather than spreading throughout your home.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.lovethispic.com/uploaded_images/49012-Animated-Snow.gif?1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="346" height="254" src="https://www.lovethispic.com/uploaded_images/49012-Animated-Snow.gif?1" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are many things you can do to protect your home from damage this winter. Follow these tips, and you'll be able to rest easy knowing your home is safe from the cold weather.</span></div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-90375883068305717092021-11-19T00:00:00.001-05:002021-11-19T00:00:55.613-05:004 Ways to Develop A Balanced Workout Plan For Beginners<div style="text-align: left;"> Everyone knows that they should be in better shape. But even though fitness is more accessible than ever, with YouTube videos, apps, and as much advice as you could ever need online, some still avoid it. Often, this is because of <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-stop-being-intimidated-by-the-gym-2019-2" target="_blank">gym intimidation</a> (or even <i>gymtimidation</i>, perhaps?) where they are too nervous to make the first step. Other times, it’s a lack of time or even a lack of motivation. So how can beginners develop a plan that works for them? Here are four tips to create something balanced and effective. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkfS3NcFmF2OKSSjPMmb_Wp4pwczqhWfPDftMbf2BFbhGiGmrpTw1IHTMUNe4IDTynYgTcmdcK865HqbmhyuBFMcD1Ok7Z-nQda3omIiRJm6PfmXrvxSzmm5wliEL6E24dKY8QzxlrNE/s512/exercisepic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="512" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkfS3NcFmF2OKSSjPMmb_Wp4pwczqhWfPDftMbf2BFbhGiGmrpTw1IHTMUNe4IDTynYgTcmdcK865HqbmhyuBFMcD1Ok7Z-nQda3omIiRJm6PfmXrvxSzmm5wliEL6E24dKY8QzxlrNE/w640-h429/exercisepic.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/rZmCg1_QOYQ" target="_blank">Image Source</a></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Know Which Foods Are Beneficial</b></div><div><br /></div><div>It isn’t just about what you do or how much you lift, but also what you eat. Knowing the best foods to consume will make it easier to build muscle or cut weight, depending on your fitness goals. It is a good idea to eat <a href="https://www.stephaniestebbins.com/2020/06/always-eat-after-7pm-final-thoughts.html" target="_blank">at a time that is beneficial</a> for you, which is usually after the workout to encourage the muscle fibers to repair themselves and grow stronger. Eating after your workout also prevents discomfort when pushing yourself too hard, which will make your experience more enjoyable and productive. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Focus On a Range of Muscle Groups</b> </div><div><br /></div><div>You should remember to work out several muscle groups. Otherwise, you risk building muscle in one area, whether this is your back, arms, or legs. While this makes this part of your body look good, it can also make you look a little weird, as you don’t have consistency across your body. Exercises such as <a href="https://steelsupplements.com/blogs/steel-blog/best-pull-exercises-for-each-part-of-your-body" target="_blank">pull workouts</a> can target numerous muscles at once, but you can’t do this every day. You need to give your muscles time to repair, so use alternate days to work on other muscle groups, as this allows you to target everything throughout the week. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Do Enough and Do It Often</b></div><div><br /></div><div>You also won’t see any results if you are not consistent. This means you must do enough every time you go to the gym and do it often so you do not give your muscles or your conditioning levels the chance to go back to normal. Even when you don’t feel up to a workout, it’s still important to do something, as this will motivate you and maintain a baseline of activity. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Don’t Forget to Stretch</b> </div><div><br /></div><div>Aches and pains are something that everyone encounters after their first, second, and even their fiftieth workout. You shouldn't exercise when sore, so make sure you know <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/cooldown-exercises" target="_blank">the benefits of cooling down</a> after each session. Stretching prevents lactic acid buildup and minimizes the risk of post-workout aches. If you feel good enough the next day, you can focus on the next part of your routine without encountering any problems that could affect your workout and put you at risk of injury. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Getting started is tough. There will be days when you are too sore or lack motivation. But, as long as you remember that everyone begins this way, you can find the drive and the discipline to improve your fitness. You don’t need to expect big things immediately, so take gradual but effective steps, and you’ll see a difference soon enough. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Do you have any tips for a beginner's workout plan? Please share below!</b></div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-8340839835049819672021-09-30T14:21:00.001-04:002021-09-30T14:21:53.771-04:00Is Your Marketing Strategy A Mess?<div style="text-align: left;"> Marketing is essential for <a href="https://www.stephaniestebbins.com/2018/04/business-strategies-fascinate-me.html" target="_blank">attracting customers</a>. Most companies understand the basics, however when implementing a marketing strategy it can often be a bit of a mess. Below are a few signs that your marketing strategy could need some improvement.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpr97zodM5h58qCbNHeS5QY5CqCQ2Vknot20N4BX_UgW1Le5bZnxhkY99QdwPO3KjoXqL3CE522WblxJ4A6tqJQGXhI7XJgOziqUWv2GbP-v3NyCqWXhsz2OuBgrQ4K9G78VCqX4XWSgU/s640/pexels-fauxels-3184287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="427" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpr97zodM5h58qCbNHeS5QY5CqCQ2Vknot20N4BX_UgW1Le5bZnxhkY99QdwPO3KjoXqL3CE522WblxJ4A6tqJQGXhI7XJgOziqUWv2GbP-v3NyCqWXhsz2OuBgrQ4K9G78VCqX4XWSgU/w429-h640/pexels-fauxels-3184287.jpg" width="429" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/professionals-having-a-meeting-3184287/" target="_blank">Image Source</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>You Don’t Do Any Research</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div>Don’t just base your marketing off of your own intuition - especially if you don’t have any experience in marketing. There are tricks to things like social media marketing, email marketing and SEO that require research. Take the time to research marketing tactics at blogs such as this one owned by <a href="https://joey-armstrong.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Joey Armstrong.</a> This could prevent you from making rookie mistakes.</div><div><br /></div><div>Make sure that you’ve also researched exactly who your audience are and what types of marketing tactics appeal to them. Consider consumer surveys, focus groups and competitor research.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>You Don’t Plan Ahead For Your Marketing</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div>It’s worth planning your marketing ahead rather than being spontaneous with marketing ideas. For example, you may have a great idea for a social media post or a great idea for a blog post - before you post it, consider whether now is the best time to publish it. You could get more leads by <a href="https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-scheduling-tools/" target="_blank">scheduling your post</a> for a specific day and time when more people are likely to be online.</div><div><br /></div><div>Planning ahead isn’t just good for targeting key times - it can also give you time to research and prepare. Whether you’re creating a video advert or putting on a marketing event, it’s useful to have lots of time to prepare so that you can make it as successful as possible. If you only give yourself a couple weeks - or worse a couple days - your marketing strategy will be rushed.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>You’re Not Tracking Performance</b></div><div><br /></div><div>It’s important that you take time to assess the performance of your marketing strategies. If you’ve launched a PPC advertising campaign, you ideally want to be able to tell who clicked on your ad and how many of them converted into leads. This can help you to determine whether or not to run the advert again and what improvements you may want to make to your next campaign. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/google-analytics" target="_blank">Analytics</a> can be used to track the performance of many digital marketing strategies. When it comes to offline marketing strategies, there may be other ways of tracking performance such as using follow-up surveys (such as asking people who attended your marketing conference to give feedback via email).</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>You’re Trying To Target Too Many Marketing Channels</b></div><div><br /></div><div>While it can be worth dabbling in different types of marketing, you should try to keep a focus on a few specific types of marketing so that you’re not spreading your time and resources too thin. When getting involved in social media marketing, don’t try to conquer every social media platform unless you’ve got dedicated staff members that can do it for you. Instead, use your time to focus on specific social media sites that are likely to have the best results. For example, if you run a cake making business, it might make sense to focus on image-heavy sites like Instagram and Facebook.</div><div><br /></div><div>These tips should keep your marketing strategy optimized and organized leading to much better results!</div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-89249163297908440742021-07-31T09:04:00.000-04:002021-07-31T09:04:42.724-04:00The Ultimate Home Maintenance Toolkit<div style="text-align: left;"> Do you find it challenging to maintain your home? If so, then this blog post is for you. I have compiled a list of the best equipment to own as a homeowner for easy and cost-effective maintenance. These items will make handling your household chores much more manageable.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY67OeDMpIDNutl0AWJHvUH5qMRmDVNIVvF5R_CmEr2a49p-Zx74FvlzIFJ-lKiduSfsmM4Vjf1AXLEkWtyL1eHc-l9Z8_ZB0XM8cm4cN9A_PnLZerykyJdz0QZcm35r-pSntIJIqXOKo/s1430/hometoolkit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="1430" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY67OeDMpIDNutl0AWJHvUH5qMRmDVNIVvF5R_CmEr2a49p-Zx74FvlzIFJ-lKiduSfsmM4Vjf1AXLEkWtyL1eHc-l9Z8_ZB0XM8cm4cN9A_PnLZerykyJdz0QZcm35r-pSntIJIqXOKo/w640-h422/hometoolkit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Image Credit: Photo by <a href="https://www.pexels.com/@olly?utm_content=attributionCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pexels" target="_blank">Andrea Piacquadio</a> from <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/various-instruments-hanging-on-wooden-board-in-garage-3822859/?utm_content=attributionCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pexels" target="_blank">Pexels</a></b></div></span><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A Toolbox for Repairs</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>A toolbox will have all the tools you need to work on various projects in your home and is also perfect when helping friends or family with their DIY tasks too! In addition, it is essential for repairs, so you'll be able to fix anything on the spot.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A Lawnmower</b></div><div><br /></div><div>A lawn mower will make the job of cutting your grass much more effortless. Additionally, a gas engine powers the mower, and it has a rotating blade to cut the grass efficiently - saving you time and effort! If you combine it with the <a href="https://trimthatweed.com/electric-weed-eaters/" target="_blank">best electric weed eaters</a>, your lawn will be immaculate. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Leaf Rake</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div>A leaf rake will help you clean up fallen leaves and debris from your lawn quickly and efficiently for the autumn months.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Stepladder</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div>Whether you're painting a wall or putting up holiday decorations, a stepladder helps you reach those <a href="https://www.hse.gov.uk/work-at-height/stepladders.htm" target="_blank">hard-to-reach places in the house</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Extension Cord</b></div><div><br /></div><div>An extension cord is perfect for when you need to plug in a power tool. It gives the electric current more reach, which will make your tasks much easier and faster.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A Tool Belt</b></div><div><br /></div><div>A tool belt will make carrying and storing your tools much easier so that when you need them, they're right there on hand! It also helps protect from injury as well as saves time looking around for a specific item.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Pressure Washer</b></div><div><br /></div><div>You can use a pressure washer at any time of year - whether to get rid of moss on your driveway or wash your car- therefore; it is an excellent tool for any home. It is a <a href="https://www.stephaniestebbins.com/2020/05/personal-finance-tips-for-pandemic.html" target="_blank">cost-effective way of maintaining your home</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A Shovel</b></div><div><br /></div><div>You can use a shovel for all sorts of tasks at home like digging in dirt or snow - making it super handy! But, of course, you'll never know when you might need one, so make sure you have one at home.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A Hose Reel</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Keeping an unused length of hose on hand can be helpful for many different tasks in your yard, like washing a car or watering the garden. But it can also be dangerous if left lying around! That's why using a hose reel is preferable because it keeps the water safely stored away after use, so you don't have to worry about tripping over and hurting yourself.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A Power Drill</b></div><div><br /></div><div>You will need a power drill for drilling holes in various surfaces, applying sealants and even tightening screws! A cordless model is perfect if space isn't an issue. However, <a href="https://safestart.com/news/misused-power-tools-the-biggest-threat-to-your-injury-rate/" target="_blank">if this doesn't suit your needs</a>, a corded model can be plugged in and is more powerful.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In conclusion, these are some of the best home maintenance items to have in your home for tackling all the usual household chores. As time passes, I am sure you will add many more!</div><div><br /></div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-31986149810342217842021-07-29T17:05:00.000-04:002021-07-29T17:05:21.555-04:00Parasites<div style="text-align: left;"> I fall a little out of </div><div>love</div><div>with the world</div><div><br /></div><div>more and more</div><div>each day</div><div><br /></div><div>The noise</div><div>pollution</div><div>static</div><div>it gets in the way</div><div><br /></div><div>it's right there</div><div>below us</div><div>seething and turning</div><div>while we</div><div>pretend</div><div>it's not happening</div><div><br /></div><div>There is no change</div><div>you say</div><div><br /></div><div>While she screams</div><div>and moans</div><div>beneath you </div><div><br /></div><div>The agony </div><div>of</div><div>the host</div><div>being murdered slowly by these</div><div><br /></div><div>parasites</div><div><br /></div><div>the muted hum</div><div>has become an alarm</div><div><br /></div><div>But convenience</div><div>outweighs the </div><div>life of</div><div>mother</div><div><br /></div><div>I fall a little out of</div><div>love</div><div>with the world</div><div>every day</div><div><br /></div><div>I have to</div><div><br /></div><div>It will make it </div><div>easier</div><div>to watch</div><div>it go </div><div>away.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEeGdmNjq9MsbgaDo6R-dQAHn72Is9Fj2PGc73Deavk3tf2cWGKwIzyTgvdeFyVQ69wa-AUrlei0X96f_QYlVqPbArbfZrR1CmnmdI4TNkIeeJ-tSo_UWFT-NfuI_5rReDw4QRw0xgC00/s750/1parasite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="735" data-original-width="750" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEeGdmNjq9MsbgaDo6R-dQAHn72Is9Fj2PGc73Deavk3tf2cWGKwIzyTgvdeFyVQ69wa-AUrlei0X96f_QYlVqPbArbfZrR1CmnmdI4TNkIeeJ-tSo_UWFT-NfuI_5rReDw4QRw0xgC00/w400-h393/1parasite.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mometo.net/the-host/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Source</span></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-87168219902181303472021-05-05T20:34:00.001-04:002021-05-05T20:59:31.870-04:006 Tips For A Stress Free Home Purchase<div style="text-align: left;"> Moving and buying a home does not have to be a stressful situation! If you put together a plan to make it a bit more stress-free instead, the process can even be pretty fun. Here are 6 tips for a stress free home purchase.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbHLFjxUqZCf1yGR4SzUWeBGv54fWRXfGp3JFQb0vyPzmNx8BCAFvHcvotOgC6iKq91xH21bcwVJHQ1Hy5-87vR3vQSraLrZhefr2_ujb_OL-10KNJTXWakfZOcsgRAKPJZ3C9D4M5H4/s1000/collegemove.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbHLFjxUqZCf1yGR4SzUWeBGv54fWRXfGp3JFQb0vyPzmNx8BCAFvHcvotOgC6iKq91xH21bcwVJHQ1Hy5-87vR3vQSraLrZhefr2_ujb_OL-10KNJTXWakfZOcsgRAKPJZ3C9D4M5H4/w640-h426/collegemove.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Hire A Great Real Estate Agent</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Your first step is to hire a great real estate agent that knows your area well. They can provide recommendations for other vendors that you will need along the way, as well, which is really handy and can help make the process stress-free. A great real estate agent will help provide accurate pricing on your home that you are selling, they can help negotiate on your behalf, and they can also help walk you through the process and answer any questions along the way, which is priceless. As a buyer, you do not even have to pay them. The seller pays for the agent! But, if you are selling your home too, do keep in mind that you will have to pay them, which I think is very worth it. A great real estate agent will be a complete game changer in your entire home buying and selling process.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Get Pre-Approved</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Next step: get pre-approved so that you know what you can afford (and what homes you should not be looking at). Your real estate agent can help recommend a person that can help you get a pre-approval going. When you get pre-approved, this is a huge step, because you will then know how much you can and cannot afford, like I mentioned. This makes it easier to view homes within your budget, while not getting your hopes up on larger and more expensive homes. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Measure Your New Home</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Once you are tentatively buying a home and are working your way towards the closing table, you will have a few appointments like the inspection and the appraisal. You can ask for another date (if warranted) if you need to measure the floorplan, or have contractors come to measure in order to give you estimates on renovations. If you want to save yourself and the current homeowner time, try to have contractors come out during the inspection. It will make things much easier and less time consuming that way!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Trust Your Inspector</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Always trust your home inspector, as long as you have done your due diligence and have made sure that they come with great reviews (again - your real estate agent can probably recommend someone!). Your inspection will probably have a long list of needed improvements, but listen to your inspector and see what is necessary (to ask of the current homeowner) and what is not really that big of a deal. Some items on there will probably be door stops that are missing and small broken items. Other items may be bigger issues, such as fire hazards, issue(s) with the foundation, etc. These large ticketed items are the ones that your inspector will probably focus on, so trust them!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Hire Movers</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The thing none of us look forward to is moving once we have decided on our home. I found a great local service: <a href="https://collegedudeshelpmove.com" target="_blank">College Dudes Help U Move</a>. They are <a href="https://collegedudeshelpmove.com/moving-pool-tables/" target="_blank">Charlotte NC based pool table movers</a>, residential movers, and commercial movers. They can help you with packing, storage solutions, and more. They are licensed and insured, aim to give you a stress-free moving experience, and they have great reviews, too! They give free in-home estimates, provide same day services in some cases, and offer the best rates on moves within 150 miles of Charlotte, NC. You’ll work one-on-one with your very own move coordinator, a point of contact who will help you plan and organize your move. Choose from a premier a la carte and concierge services to craft the perfect moving plan suited to your local or long distance moving needs. Check out some of the benefits and services you can receive when you choose these local Charlotte movers:</div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Low $89/hour local moving rate!</li><li>Trained & Uniformed Charlotte Moving Professionals</li><li>Fully Licensed, Insured, & Bonded Moving service</li><li>No Hidden Fees or Charges</li><li>Packing & Unpacking</li><li>Clean Trucks & New Moving Equipment</li><li>Scheduling for your Convenience</li><li>A+ BBB Accreditation</li><li>A La Carte, Concierge, and 3rd Party Services</li></ul></div><div>College Dudes Help U Move, is a leader in luxury, premium moving services in Charlotte NC and surrounding areas at prices that can accommodate any budget. As an A+ BBB accredited business, they proudly provide local moving services that are unparalleled in the industry. You can call to learn more or schedule your free moving estimate by filling out an <a href="https://collegedudeshelpmove.com/" target="_blank">online form here.</a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Set Aside Extra Time</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>One of the things that makes any process more stressful? Running out of time. This is exactly why I believe that it’s essential to set aside extra time - more than you’ll think you need! If you think the moving process will take you 4 days, add an extra day or 2 to play it safe. Think you need 4 hours to clean? Add an extra 2 hours for flexibility. Expect to close in an hour? Add an additional hour, just in case.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_Dp0N4rn01oGsmUiRz0GpsQzvJ_qjiQgmjtr9RPC96P44TjdBfxdNtsB364j-NBZoOEliLFTZokZiFBofElOZ9iCaG0dg-JyvuU8ZOcYUziPYwnW2Z8dUxmbjNX1J2mxURpju0kDjOo/s1440/collegemove2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1440" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_Dp0N4rn01oGsmUiRz0GpsQzvJ_qjiQgmjtr9RPC96P44TjdBfxdNtsB364j-NBZoOEliLFTZokZiFBofElOZ9iCaG0dg-JyvuU8ZOcYUziPYwnW2Z8dUxmbjNX1J2mxURpju0kDjOo/w640-h426/collegemove2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>These tips should help guide you through a successful and stress free home purchase. <b>Feel free to add any tips you would like to share!</b></div><div><br /></div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-40225106684279277602021-03-03T20:30:00.001-05:002021-03-03T20:34:23.011-05:00Why You Should Sell On The GCP Marketplace<p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">The <a href="https://cloud.google.com/marketplace/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google Cloud Platform Marketplace</a> is quickly becoming the easiest way to sell your <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_as_a_service" target="_blank">SaaS</a>. More and more developers are turning to this solution to share their SaaS with an ever widening market. The GCP Marketplace is the quickest way to present production ready stacks, datasets, solutions, and services to aid in development of any product you are offering. The growing advancement of SaaS has changed the marketing needs of many developers. Here are 3 reasons why you should sell your SaaS on the GCP Marketplace:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnGEfYoGtXDHrT6Ih8ToCVyx4AZ3wi691skNs8bZf7Zbga4gwofYoAc1N8keUPnaorPJst6se0YbE_TjbkkVjnZ2Lw4GhRB01cqvwtTJgSnIBW_29Vy-77DtSG5sHElwdY9QnpVKI2Vg/s1500/Why+You+Should+Sell+On+The+google+Cloud+platform+marketplace.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnGEfYoGtXDHrT6Ih8ToCVyx4AZ3wi691skNs8bZf7Zbga4gwofYoAc1N8keUPnaorPJst6se0YbE_TjbkkVjnZ2Lw4GhRB01cqvwtTJgSnIBW_29Vy-77DtSG5sHElwdY9QnpVKI2Vg/w266-h400/Why+You+Should+Sell+On+The+google+Cloud+platform+marketplace.png" width="266" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>It's The Fastest Way To Get Your Customers Acclimated To Google Cloud Solutions</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In today's instantaneous business world, we are finding that Cloud solutions are becoming more and more important for developers and customers. After an entire year now of a pandemic, being able to access information from one centralized location has been paramount. COVID has changed a lot of ways that people are doing business these days and not for the worse. The most innovative and progressive inventions come by necessity and the GCP Marketplace is the perfect innovation for this pandemic roadblock. By offering your SaaS through the GCP Marketplace, you can also guide your customers on the usefulness of <a href="https://cloud.google.com/solutions" target="_blank">Google Cloud Solutions</a>. This will likely make them more aware of more solutions and practical products for them. The more you can help your customers, the more trust they will have in your product.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The GCP Marketplace Has The Most Convenient Billing Options</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Your customers will receive one bill for their usual Google services as well as your SaaS. It's that simple. You can offer the usual features like pay-as-you-go, subscriptions, and even custom pricing in a format that is familiar to your customers and clients. You also have the option to receive reports on what features your customers are enjoying or disliking about your software. You and your customers will appreciate the ease of accessibility and no-hassle billing. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The GCP Marketplace Offers World Class Security</b> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cybersecurity has been a significant issue for SaaS as well as the entire internet recently. By using the Google Cloud Platform Marketplace, you are putting your SaaS into safe hands as you have the safest and newest defense against any threat. Customers overwhelmingly prefer knowing that their SaaS is secure and will appreciate your attention to this detail. You will also have the comfort of knowing that your SaaS is safe, secure, and backed up by Google. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Using <a href="https://tackle.io/cloud-marketplaces/gcp/" target="_blank">the GCP Marketplace</a> gets your SaaS into your customer's hands quickly, easily, and conveniently! There are many guides, training, and tutorials on how to get started on the GCP Marketplace should you find yourself stuck in any way navigating this valuable marketplace. Once you are comfortable with this innovative platform marketplace, you will find that it is an invaluable resource for the development and sale of your SaaS.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsv8-_M9dc1jf-mXuHZ4fJ0gs1vhlBnFdkFf8bQNQMNVxmraDZXRoLppyR5kUshqPiiWXG3eej2oSGBwt7m39sW4nKcbxC1M71RijyPJlLiXT7X-vp_4YjRr4Vwt3PalHwaYlYxikDMgQ/s750/craft-marketplace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="750" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsv8-_M9dc1jf-mXuHZ4fJ0gs1vhlBnFdkFf8bQNQMNVxmraDZXRoLppyR5kUshqPiiWXG3eej2oSGBwt7m39sW4nKcbxC1M71RijyPJlLiXT7X-vp_4YjRr4Vwt3PalHwaYlYxikDMgQ/w400-h248/craft-marketplace.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://lvivity.com/how-to-create-a-marketplace" target="_blank">Source</a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Have you sold your SaaS on the Google Cloud Platform Marketplace? </b></span></p>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-83394147879660285022021-02-20T03:31:00.001-05:002021-02-20T20:09:02.172-05:00Why SEO Strategies Are For Writers, Too<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>What are some of the questions people ask when they read your work? What are some of the phrases or questions in those keywords?</i> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">That’s SEO- or search engine optimization- the very thing that is used to evaluate the keywords and make sure that your work is the answer to the question, while determining where your website will rank from these keywords. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkxMZybbgC9CyUUHeC7kFsC_42_3oJyJs9qbchaHAbsmosMW2XAJp4uCMWFFz4Aj4egwc01uMBgHppcT_Moo7gEhffT_EFPB5YpfzX5PtP5REdCElsbuCwrcCU25TecaZgU8qwpV1YWug/s1600/pasted+image+0.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="1600" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkxMZybbgC9CyUUHeC7kFsC_42_3oJyJs9qbchaHAbsmosMW2XAJp4uCMWFFz4Aj4egwc01uMBgHppcT_Moo7gEhffT_EFPB5YpfzX5PtP5REdCElsbuCwrcCU25TecaZgU8qwpV1YWug/w640-h392/pasted+image+0.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-and-red-typewriter-1995842/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">You can look at the keywords that best fit your work, and that are the closest to the front page of search results. This goes beyond the broad, basic keywords, but also highly specific, hyper local keywords. The basic keywords have a much higher search volume, but achieving a high rank on these keywords is very difficult. It is reminiscent of the social media strategy that targets everyone in a way that relies on high reach to yield a fraction of the potential return.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is why it’s important to think about some of the most recent questions you’ve asked via search. You can think about what you read and what you learnt as a result of reading that. What websites did you discover? Which of those did you begin to trust and return to? Those answers all started with a particular question, and there are specific ways in which you can benefit from an <a href="https://robbenmedia.com/seo-roi/" target="_blank">SEO return on investment</a> and you can become the answer to the questions asked. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some keywords have a lower search volume, so it’s easier to rank highly on them. And they are much more likely to be keywords searched by people in need of services and close enough to take advantage of what you have to offer- so if your <a href="https://www.stephaniestebbins.com/2020/10/4-tips-for-selling-your-book.html" target="_blank">published work</a> is particularly niche, you can still be the answer to some very specific questions! </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Invest In Keywords</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">You may have identified the keywords you wish to own, and now SEO experts can help you build rank on those websites through using those keywords in your work as it is published online. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The keywords may be used for inline links on the page which lead to other pages on your website. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">SEO experts can help to optimize your online presence, but there are some ways in which you could do it yourself. This includes writing blog posts that contain keywords within them and that answer the questions commonly asked about the subject you’re writing about. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">However, sometimes SEO expertise is absolutely necessary if you want more people to visit your website and read what you have to say. Some search keywords rank differently with slight variations of words or phrases. For example, if a word is at the beginning of the question rather than the end, for example, the ranking for the results can be completely different than if it is the other way around. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Strong optimization positions a website to rank highly for as many of those keywords as possible.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Good SEO does a lot of the work for you. It steers you into the path of the people with whom you wish to engage with and when. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>How do you make the most of SEO when writing online?</i></b></span></p>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-13219057245936262202021-01-11T03:52:00.002-05:002023-07-20T20:58:25.799-04:00Why You Should Learn The Piano As An Adult<div style="text-align: left;"> When asked about regrets from younger years, many adults will list ‘I wish I learned how to play piano’ as one of them.</div><div><br /></div><div> The good news is that whether you’re 10, or 60, you can always do something you’ve always wanted to do. </div><div><br /></div><div>Learning to play the piano as an adult should be fun and challenging. Unlike learning when you’re a child, you don’t have to force yourself to play if you no longer find you want to. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CzljAmcggnEdsymI77mc3wTX6BJFwADoA94NbHHiOp2l6lP9KBa6X4sz7WTSNGJhvn0DWuAkdZ_2R3wApyKfgBBnEUQ9x0Pui-hYVLuTMEBWujaGkyth7cSFUa_wbyg0TVwPB8CmNgM/s1600/pasted+image+0.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CzljAmcggnEdsymI77mc3wTX6BJFwADoA94NbHHiOp2l6lP9KBa6X4sz7WTSNGJhvn0DWuAkdZ_2R3wApyKfgBBnEUQ9x0Pui-hYVLuTMEBWujaGkyth7cSFUa_wbyg0TVwPB8CmNgM/w400-h266/pasted+image+0.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/hands-hand-notes-music-34583/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Why should I learn the piano as an adult?</b> </div><div><br /></div><div>As an adult wanting to learn the piano, the most important thing for you is to have the enthusiasm and enjoyment to want to stick to it. Discipline and talent will come later. </div><div><br /></div><div>There are a number of reasons you should learn to play the piano, or indeed any instrument you want to as an adult. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.stephaniestebbins.com/2020/11/how-to-stay-motivated-to-learn-new.html" target="_blank">Enthusiasm is the first thing</a>. As an adult you already have the power of choice. You can stop or start playing the piano whenever you want to, without being told otherwise. Many kids are encouraged by the adults in their lives to learn, and stick to playing any instrument, and even when they grow up, can no longer hear certain tunes they had to play over and over again… </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>You Can Learn any Song You Like</b></div><div><br /></div><div>No more ‘Mary had a little lamb’ or ‘Old Macdonald’ around if you don’t want to learn to play. As an adult who has been exposed to more music (note- heard more tunes that you will recognize as an adult) you can start by learning the songs you want to right away. </div><div><br /></div><div>You can start with the classical favorite, ‘Fur Elise’ if you want to. If you’re confident in reading music, you can search online for titles such as the Lumineers song <a href="https://music-store-download.com/the-lumineers-ophelia/" target="_blank">Ophelia piano sheet music</a> with both vocal and piano parts. This is a great way of learning to either accompany yourself or others. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>You Have a Choice of How You Learn</b> </div><div><br /></div><div>As an adult, you can choose how you learn how to play the piano. There are many options of how you can learn the piano; by ear, apps, or by getting a teacher. </div><div><br /></div><div>Digital pianos have inbuilt learning technology- which is a good way to learn, but may limit you with how many songs you can learn. </div><div><br /></div><div>Teachers are a good option as they can build bespoke lessons depending on what you want to learn, They also offer a range of ways to teach. One-to-one in person, or via video call. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>You Can Learn At Your Own Pace</b> </div><div><br /></div><div>When learning as an adult, there’s no pressure to learn at a particular pace in order to get a place in the school orchestra. Learning at your own place can make you feel relaxed and keeps the enjoyment element in your piano playing that will likely make you want to keep playing for years to come. </div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"> <b>For The Sheer Joy Of It</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Another reason to learn the piano as an adult is to allow yourself to do something for the sheer joy of it, something <a href="https://ocnjdaily.com/gerard-zappa-wooster-get-started-session-musician/" target="_blank">Gerard Zappa Wooster’s</a> bass guitarist strongly believes in. He says you should love the music you create, and play it well. It’s an opportunity to escape some of the drudgery of adult life and do something genuinely meaningful and valuable with your time. It’s an escape from all the work, school runs, and email writing that so often dominates your time. </div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/pEGIFM7NMgWVG/giphy.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="430" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/pEGIFM7NMgWVG/giphy.gif" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-10396186517356121752020-12-28T20:04:00.004-05:002020-12-31T22:34:02.117-05:00 My Top 5 Favorite Products Recommended by Amanda Jo of Organic Bunny<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2020 is finally coming to a close and I could not be happier about it! It's been quite the year and I know it was rough on all of us. My Treat Yourself Tuesday series definitely took a hit as most of us were much more concerned with paying our bills than frivolities!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gifer.com/origin/72/728fe9dcc5695e9281f910c8f0e976fa_w200.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="138" data-original-width="200" height="221" src="https://i.gifer.com/origin/72/728fe9dcc5695e9281f910c8f0e976fa_w200.gif" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">What I did have a lot of in 2020 was time so I made good use of it! I decided that it was about time that I gave a few things recommended by <a href="https://foundersguide.com/amanda-jo-organic-bunny/" target="_blank">Amanda Jo of Organic Bunny</a> a try and I am so glad I did. I am often reminding everyone to practice self care, yet I found I wasn't following my own advice. So, I got a little <i>splurgy</i> and decided I was going to focus on me for once and not feel an ounce of guilt about it. I came across some great products and wanted to share them with you as an end of the year-that-wasn't Treat Yourself <b>TODAY</b> post!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://thumbs.gfycat.com/HarshThriftyFerret-small.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" src="https://thumbs.gfycat.com/HarshThriftyFerret-small.gif" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></span><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://www.theorganicbunny.com/product/suntegrity-impeccable-skin-in-1-5-nude/" target="_blank">SUNTEGRITY IMPECCABLE SKIN BB CREAM</a></b> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWDpUYf06bZc8ZvB_36TfHCrz91Y1JCLVYMKmEJNOIK4U3oFOqMbDhYASQ-cRQAiMfMjnTO50-jtbQ1kYvU8goAjwK3n8XCirAnv5rSDUYNS4aNDYNOg1m6vAyV4zn7UPi9XnNnofthY/s600/Impeccable-Skin_Nude_Jan-2020__28751.1579570241-600x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWDpUYf06bZc8ZvB_36TfHCrz91Y1JCLVYMKmEJNOIK4U3oFOqMbDhYASQ-cRQAiMfMjnTO50-jtbQ1kYvU8goAjwK3n8XCirAnv5rSDUYNS4aNDYNOg1m6vAyV4zn7UPi9XnNnofthY/s320/Impeccable-Skin_Nude_Jan-2020__28751.1579570241-600x600.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.theorganicbunny.com/product/suntegrity-impeccable-skin-in-1-5-nude" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now that I have reached my forties, I have retired foundation. It doesn't matter what brand it is or if it has anti-aging properties...it will end up caked up in weird places. I fell in love with BB cream, however, the first time I used it. I have tried many different kinds since it became available and I think I have finally found my favorite in <a href="https://www.theorganicbunny.com/product/suntegrity-impeccable-skin-in-1-5-nude/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Suntegrity's Impeccable BB Cream</a>. It's very light and I love that it has SPF30 and blue light protection. It leaves my skin so soft and the coverage is exactly the kind I am looking for. You can even buy samples <a href="https://www.theorganicbunny.com/product/suntegrity-impeccable-skin-in-1-5-nude-sample-tube" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>! </span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://www.theorganicbunny.com/product/earth-harbor-sunstone-hair-revive-elixir/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">EARTH HARBOR SUNSTONE HAIR REVIVE ELIXIR</a></b> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-puZrvEzlTcwP8B_ZjHhZ2pdbBu60KA5X-449F6thkr1HLAGayFsRlSl5tH7uCkcA7VIXTy1ZBmSc5RVY1LCYDiAZ98UqkA3gffeg0T6WmUhxkC7ATkMgWzbPwPGFghf9yDAEUXQwGZQ/s600/Earth_Harbor_Sunstone_1024x1024-1-600x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-puZrvEzlTcwP8B_ZjHhZ2pdbBu60KA5X-449F6thkr1HLAGayFsRlSl5tH7uCkcA7VIXTy1ZBmSc5RVY1LCYDiAZ98UqkA3gffeg0T6WmUhxkC7ATkMgWzbPwPGFghf9yDAEUXQwGZQ/s320/Earth_Harbor_Sunstone_1024x1024-1-600x600.jpg" /></a></div><a href="https://www.theorganicbunny.com/product/earth-harbor-sunstone-hair-revive-elixir/" rel="nofollow" style="font-size: x-small;" target="_blank">Source</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As I am sure <a href="https://www.stephaniestebbins.com/2019/04/treat-yourself-tuesday-renourish.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">I have mentioned</a>, I am obsessed with my hair. I am constantly looking for new hair products that will nourish, revive, and renew these old, <i>tired</i> strands. This <a href="https://www.theorganicbunny.com/product/earth-harbor-sunstone-hair-revive-elixir/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Earth Harbor Sunstone Hair Revive Elixir</a> is my favorite find. It smells like heaven and it is actually taming my fly-aways and damaged ends. My hair is softer than it has ever been! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://www.theorganicbunny.com/product/jordan-seban-le-masque/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">JORDAN SEBAN LE MASQUE</a></b> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQlaD4B_sC36ATaQlFU3M4uMr2LGMiD2Th6AV8QpFMiMECtMMbPeqCnAcpuzIFfHBTnGkF-29b1hqZSN10Km-tg4BQoMB-TEpI1A33YNMOuqkCv1IKfkZMvHPs6f8bbacnepfByUXoZa0/s600/Jordan-Seban-Le-Masque.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQlaD4B_sC36ATaQlFU3M4uMr2LGMiD2Th6AV8QpFMiMECtMMbPeqCnAcpuzIFfHBTnGkF-29b1hqZSN10Km-tg4BQoMB-TEpI1A33YNMOuqkCv1IKfkZMvHPs6f8bbacnepfByUXoZa0/s320/Jordan-Seban-Le-Masque.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.theorganicbunny.com/product/jordan-seban-le-masque/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Another hair product, of course! I am always a little skeptical of hair masks as I have tried many that leave my hair heavy and a little more oily than I would like. This rosewater, vitamin B, coconut, silk proteins and jojoba infused mask leaves my hair essentially moisturized and revitalized without that "Did I wash this all of the way out?" feeling. I finally believe in hair masks again!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://www.theorganicbunny.com/product/shiva-rose-rose-moon-sea-salts/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SHIVA ROSE ROSE MOON SEA SALTS</a></b> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzbJj6iJaL-TGVxvnLAKwSOc7ZOzuEDAflhTEB7A8X5BrIwYnSv6EX4pAH8QYRaOgrwOJVgoZ-Z3Q9OnJQJRXrA2LOvZSKPqph9ijV1BBNfM0-6Qfmn1mrwvNozcxrkVD2cpRmQ4zLfo/s600/ShivaRose-Rose-Moon-Sea-Salts_1280x_044b261a-13ec-4931-bbea-e38995b1c5c8_1280x-600x559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzbJj6iJaL-TGVxvnLAKwSOc7ZOzuEDAflhTEB7A8X5BrIwYnSv6EX4pAH8QYRaOgrwOJVgoZ-Z3Q9OnJQJRXrA2LOvZSKPqph9ijV1BBNfM0-6Qfmn1mrwvNozcxrkVD2cpRmQ4zLfo/s320/ShivaRose-Rose-Moon-Sea-Salts_1280x_044b261a-13ec-4931-bbea-e38995b1c5c8_1280x-600x559.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.theorganicbunny.com/product/shiva-rose-rose-moon-sea-salts/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My mother was always of the opinion that a nice, long, hot bath could fix anything. Mom was definitely right about this! All of my troubles seem to float away with the steam of a hot bath and I come out of the bath feeling refreshed and ready. The <a href="https://www.theorganicbunny.com/product/shiva-rose-rose-moon-sea-salts/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shiva Rose Moon Sea Salts</a> soothe with rose crystal salts from the peaks of the Andes, mineral rich salts from the Dead Sea and the Himalayan peaks, rose oil, frankincense, and grounding cedar. Absolutely lovely. Your body will thank you!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://www.theorganicbunny.com/product/babo-botanicals-calming-baby-lotion/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BABO BOTANICALS CALMING BABY LOTION</a></b> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN0X7Hu9QYN5kgAm1RcDLzzLOaCSR-3dRbdNdttfX7oVEZnf1KnR6LcOmbjYTiSRCx941wqa4xmB1L0anGfqk2JtEVj2jr7C80J7rPHb7MTVpSCApggQ5GVIP-cVu6fPnTRo7hyphenhyphenNPDWTU/s600/babybabo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN0X7Hu9QYN5kgAm1RcDLzzLOaCSR-3dRbdNdttfX7oVEZnf1KnR6LcOmbjYTiSRCx941wqa4xmB1L0anGfqk2JtEVj2jr7C80J7rPHb7MTVpSCApggQ5GVIP-cVu6fPnTRo7hyphenhyphenNPDWTU/s320/babybabo.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.theorganicbunny.com/product/babo-botanicals-calming-baby-lotion/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I know, I said I was going to focus on </span><b style="font-family: verdana;">SELF </b><span style="font-family: verdana;">care but I can not stop myself from spoiling my very first granddaughter, even if I try. This calming baby lotion leaves baby super soft but not greasy. It absorbs so rapidly and smells divine. Made with French Lavender, Chamomile, and Meadowsweet oil, it is the perfect calming lotion for baby (or you)! I admit, I have used it as well and absolutely love it. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.guestofaguest.com/t_article_content/gofg-media/2019/09/1/52805/homemade_diy_bubble_baths.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="750" height="286" src="https://media.guestofaguest.com/t_article_content/gofg-media/2019/09/1/52805/homemade_diy_bubble_baths.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://media.guestofaguest.com/t_article_content/gofg-media/2019/09/1/52805/homemade_diy_bubble_baths.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a></span> </div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Did you treat yourself today?</b> </div></b></span></div>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5477663016336863968.post-66003322414620304492020-12-05T02:54:00.002-05:002020-12-05T17:38:43.889-05:003 Things To Know Before You Rent<p> Finding and deciding on a place to rent can be a daunting task. There are so many "what if?" questions that can arise that it can be difficult to know where to begin. After twenty years of renting, I think I have encountered every single one of the possibilities that can come up! Luckily I am here to give you answers to those what if questions and see if I can help you avoid a few catastrophes.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.garzablancaresort.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/oSRR9qHQ.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://www.garzablancaresort.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/oSRR9qHQ.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Compare Prices In A Larger Rental Area</b></p><p>I love that there is an app for everything these days. Every time we would have to move, I immediately began searching all of the apps for the area we were going to next. I am originally from the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, which is coastal Virginia chopped up into seven cities. The seven cities are Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Hampton, and Newport News. If you are in any one of those cities, you can live in any other of those cities and only be 45 minutes away at the most (unless the bridge is jammed, but that's a story for another day). So, if I were moving to Norfolk, I could search for <a href="https://www.zumper.com/rent-research/norfolk-va" target="_blank">Norfolk, VA rent prices</a> as well as any of the seven cities of the Hampton Roads area to find the best price and area. Apps like <a href="https://www.zumper.com/rent-research/norfolk-va" target="_blank">Zumper</a> make it easy to see what schools are like in your area, what the median rent is, and you can even see satellite photos of the area. Always remember to look at the surrounding areas of where you're moving, you might be surprised with what you find!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Invest In Renter's Insurance</b> </p><p style="text-align: left;">Someone once told me with a straight face that buying renter's insurance was asking for something bad to happen. Here's some breaking news: bad things happen regardless. No one thinks they need insurance until they do and they don't have it. No one likes to learn this lesson by losing everything they own in a fire that wasn't even their fault, and you shouldn't either. Buy the insurance, if anything, for peace of mind.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>You Have Options For How Long You Rent</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">I thought that all rental leases were for a year for far too long. You actually do have options to rent by the month, 6 months, or even longer than a year. In some places, it is actually cheaper by the month if you sign the lease for longer than a year. Everyone likes to save on rent so don't forget to explore those options when looking for your next rental!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/826269862881913781" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGr-6RUZNCBEgVmU1ZN60uT7F8GBCMdNYECylzcEfXfC72xDJrVgGRgmnFCji1CMXm-1-AYAf133vF2EsPO3p_WoEC9KRk7VOvME98aNtbqTmCXpLTkavySMwe3-iiykrVYRiwIc2n5o/w266-h400/3rent.png" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/826269862881913781" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Click here to pin for later!</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Want more advice on renting and moving? Check out my blog: <a href="https://www.stephaniestebbins.com/2019/04/5-things-to-keep-in-mind-when-moving.html" target="_blank">5 Things To Keep In Mind When Moving </a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Do you have any tips to add?</b></p>Stephanie Stebbinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17893561830762779929noreply@blogger.com9