Shh! At-Home Workout Tips To Not Disturb the Neighbors

Shh! At-Home Workout Tips To Not Disturb the Neighbors (Photo by Elly Fairytale from Pexels)

With paper thin walls, apartment living can be a real bore sometimes. No playing piano at midnight, singing in the shower, or Hiit class will go unheard by the occupants below you. As we’ve been spending so much time at home this year because of the pandemic, keeping quiet all the time has been especially difficult.

Still, there are little workarounds that we all must do to avoid becoming the most hated tenant in the building. Exercising in particular presents a challenge, but there are plenty of modifications that will allow you to move around quietly. Grab your mens or womens supportive sneakers and try these tips for a whisper-soft workout at home.

Try Bodyweight Exercises, Rather than Lifting Weights

Lifting weights, especially with a weight bench, can be very noisy. All that clanking when you put the weights down might start to annoy your neighbors, so skip the weights and opt for bodyweight exercises instead. An online mat class, like Pilates or yoga, uses only your own body to develop long, lean muscles. If you are going to use weights, try some free weights that are coated in rubber to muffle the sound of the metal.

Skip the Jumping Exercises

If you are going to do a Hiit or other cardio class, modify the exercises by taking out the ones where you are jumping. Avoid burpees, doing quiet burpees that step through the positions instead. These will still be effective without making a ton of noise.

Use a Chair or a Wall

You don’t need anything to get a killer workout at home, but having a sturdy chair to do exercises with can be a help. You can get a full workout done, targeting your arms, legs, and core just by using a chair. According to healthline.com, tricep dips using a chair are the most effective exercise to target the muscles on the backs of your upper arms. You can also do wall sits and pushups agains the wall without making any noise.

Skip the Machinery and Head Outdoors

A treadmill or stationary bike can be great, but they can also be loud. Plus, they take up a lot of space and are costly. Instead, why not head outside for your workouts? All you need is a pair of womens or mens supportive sneakers and you’re ready to run. You’ll get the benefit of fresh air while making sure not to disturb the neighbors. Exercising outside can be done much more safely than in an enclosed space like a gym.

Shh! At-Home Workout Tips To Not Disturb the Neighbors (Photo by RF._.studio from Pexels)

4 Tips To Follow When Driving A Truck This Winter

4 Tips To Follow When Driving A Truck This Winter (Photo by Seb Creativo on Unsplash)

Winter is approaching and driving a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) during this time of year can be extremely dangerous, especially when the temperatures plummet and the roads can be icy. No matter how long you have been driving a HGV, it’s important for you to brush up on your driving knowledge to ensure you are prepared for a long journey that will get you to your destination as safely as possible. This post will look at four tips to follow when driving a truck this winter. 

Make sure you are well-rested

The winter months can affect everyone and leave you feeling more tired and sluggish than usual. As a truck driver, it’s essential that you get plenty of rest to avoid a potential accident on the road. The daily limit for driving a truck is 9 hours which includes a 45-minute break every 4.5 hours. Try to sleep as long as you possibly can to avoid exhaustion and remember to read up on tacho rules as there are some that all operators and drivers need to be aware of.

Drive slowly and carefully

Winter conditions can include heavy rainfall, wind, fog, ice, and snow so you must drive extra carefully. There will be times when you will need to drive slowly and take extra precaution on the roads. By slowing down, this will give you more time to react should you need to. Even the most experienced drivers still need to be careful on the roads in winter because bad weather can mean poor visibility or slippery roads. Remember to keep a safe distance from other vehicles around you for your safety as well as the safety of others on the road. If you are taking medication make sure you read the possible side effects that could also affect your driving ability.

Pack a winter emergency kit

Breakdowns and delays increase during winter, so it’s best to be prepared by packing a winter emergency kit. If you find yourself stranded, some items you may need to assist you during this time include a high-vis jacket to ensure you are visible to other drivers, a flashlight, jump cables, de-icer and scraper, and a shovel with sand and salt to grit the road. Other important items to pack are extra clothes, a blanket, and some food and water in case you are stranded for a long period.

Make sure your vehicle is prepared

Driving in the winter can be unpredictable so try to prepare your truck as best as you can. It’s advised that your tank should be half full at minimum before setting off on any journey. Ensure that your windows and mirrors are clean, as well as your lights and that they are working and visible. Before you set off make sure the heater works, check your defroster, top up the washer fluid, and check that your tyre pressure meets the legal requirement. 

It’s important that you plan your journey and to make sure that you and your vehicle are as best prepared for the trip as you can be.

4 Tips To Follow When Driving A Truck This Winter (Photo by Cris Tagupa on Unsplash)

4 Key Steps to Design a Strategic Life Apple Style

You probably have at least one Apple product in your home. Or if you don’t have one, you know someone who does. Apple has become shorthand for ubiquitous, sustainable success and instant recognizability.

Apple has a small stable of products that they do exceptionally well. They are focused and strategic in their product development and marketing. And their big not-so-secret weapon? They invent something and then keep refining it. 

• This approach to innovation and incremental change is something you can easily adapt to your own life. Here’s how.

Keep it Simple

Steve Jobs made a strategic decision to keep Apple’s focus tight. He simplified their product lines down to four computers.

You can easily simplify your life right now by eliminating the elements that waste your time and resources. Start by cutting down or cutting out TV and video games, which are both low-return uses of your time.

Then think of how you can downsize your resources from switching to a smaller car, a smaller house, de-cluttering, to not buying more stuff you don’t need. Free up time by shopping in bulk and batch cooking.

Learn to Iterate

Any psychologist will tell you that small, incremental lifestyle changes are much more successful than the big sort that tries to change everything at once. Think of how successful most New Year’s resolutions are.

Make a commitment to a significant life change, like early retirement or budgeting for more vacations. You can make a series of small changes, like switching from an-on-the-way-to-work coffee to having one at home. Then add in complementary changes, like cutting down on takeout, downgrading your subscriptions and buying a smaller car. Small iterations compound over time and can make a massive impact on your life.

Be curious

One of Apple’s big successes is its research and development capacity. They are committed to not missing an opportunity to learn and grow and improve over time.

Stay ahead of the pack by being curious, by always being open to learning and change, looking for new opportunities, tweaking your goals, and always staying committed to improvement.

Being Okay with Imperfection.

One of Apple’s mottos is ‘just ship’ meaning that they don’t wait to get a product absolutely perfect before they launch it into the world.

Being okay with imperfection doesn’t mean you just leave it there and turn out low-quality work. It means you keep hustling. You give it your best shot, get it out, and then make improvements. You keep moving, keep thinking, keep improving.

Tips To Get Into Film & TV Production

Tips To Get Into Film & TV Production (Photo by Terje Sollie from Pexels)

There are lots of ways to get into film and tv production, beyond just being an actor. However, when it comes to people’s knowledge of what’s available, it can often be limited if you’ve not yet entered the professional world of film and tv. With that being said, if you’re looking at a career in this industry, then here are some helpful tips to get you started.

Make Content

Content is an important element to film and television production. It’s a good idea to look at what you want to do in terms of the roles, but firstly, it’s all about creating content. Whether you’re a performer, you want to help with the actual filming or you’d prefer to do lighting or script work, it’s important to put those passions into actual content. It’s good to have evidence of your work and to start creating a portfolio so that you can eventually get it out there when it’s needed. There is a lot of competition that comes with film and television production in all aspects of the roles available. With that in mind, you want to be putting yourself up there with the best of the best, and having evidence of your work is essential.

Explore What Roles Are Out There

There are lots of different roles in the industry, and until you start exploring them, you probably only know the bare minimum that is typically known to most of us who watch television and film in general. There’s, in fact, a whole host of jobs that you might not even be aware of like nationwide film fixers who source the equipment for film productions or those who do location scouting. There’s a lot of different areas to explore, and so it’s important to look at what’s available and what you might find useful.

Start Networking

Networking is an essential part of the industry because it’s not necessarily always about what you know but who you know too. That can be the key to getting yourself those opportunities and in front of the people that are influential. Whether you’re going to organized events put on by industry leaders in film and television or simply reaching out to those online, every bit of networking is crucial. You never know who might be able to give you that leg up that you need.

Consider Studying

Studying is something that might be worth exploring when it comes to the film and television industry. It’s not 100% necessary to do so, but it might give you that knowledge needed and the experience that some will want you to have. There are plenty of schools and influential organizations that you could sign up or apply to. There would be fees for some of them, whilst others might be free opportunities. It’s good to take advantage of any institution that may be able to help you get to where you want to be.

Getting into film and television is certainly something exciting, so use these tips to help you get there.

Tips To Get Into Film & TV Production (Photo by Fox from Pexels)

How To Be More Mindful About the Medication You Take

A transparent coffee cup with colourful pills on gray background. (Photo by Adam Nieścioruk on Unsplash)

When it comes to illnesses, it’s common for us to rely on our doctor for most things. We’ll book an appointment, we’ll speak to a medical professional and we’ll get a diagnosis. From there, we’ll usually be given a mixture of different drugs and medication to help improve our situation. That’s probably the most common approach when it comes to solving any issues with our body.

However, a lot of people feel like this approach can make you overly reliant on your doctor. While most people only visit their doctor for serious issues, some would visit their physician for something as basic as a headache or aches in their body. While it’s never a bad idea to be cautious, there is a point where you need to step back and ask yourself if you really need your doctor for so many things.

Not only can it save you time and effort, but it might be more effective to have some kind of remedy at home ready for when you have a headache or if you experience aches. As the saying goes, prevention is the best type of treatment. If you focus on improving your health in a holistic fashion, you’ll typically have a much healthier body that can actively avoid developing illnesses and other troubling conditions.

So how do you take a more mindful approach to the medication you take?

Understanding the side effects of medication

Did you know that most medication comes with side effects? Some medication might cause minor drowsiness, headaches or even vomiting. However, on the more serious side of things, some medication can actually make you see hallucinations or even cause hearing loss. Prescription drugs are incredibly powerful because they’re designed to be effective at dealing with the problem they’re made for. However, it also means they can affect other parts of your body with unintentional consequences.

These side effects can range from being incredibly dangerous to relatively minor. Whatever the case is, it’s important that you understand the different levels of side effects and the ones associated with any medication you’re taking. In fact, some people might find that they feel depressed or even anxious after taking certain types of medication. Others might feel that their health was better before taking some medication. In some cases, taking medication might be the trigger that causes you to feel more tired and weak due to the way it works on your body.

Some situations will be unavoidable, especially if you’re dealing with a pressing condition that requires you to take powerful drugs. However, if it can be avoided, it’s never a bad idea to look for alternative treatments. You may want to first let your doctor know about the side effects and how it’s affecting your body. They may have alternatives for you that might be slightly less effective at dealing with your condition, but it’ll be better in the long run since it doesn’t take a huge toll on your body.

Understanding that there are usually always alternatives available

It’s a good idea to be more mindful about the alternatives available to you. With so much research being put into alternate forms of medicine, it’s a good idea to do your own research and look for testimonials from others that have suffered similar conditions to you.

For example, CBD is one of the more popular forms of alternative medicine that has grown significantly over the past few years. Most people associate CBD with marijuana or cannabis because it’s derived from the plant. When these two terms are mentioned, people might link CBD with weed and its psychoactive properties. However, this isn’t the case. CBD is a compound that has seen a lot of positive research in recent years. It has been shown to reduce pain in some patients and it can even help with anxiety and depression. In some cases, studies have shown that it can reduce the effect of seizures and even soothe certain cancer symptoms.

A CBD dosage calculator is a great tool to use if you decide to start using CBD. It can be taken in a number of different ways, so it’s important to know how much you should be using for your particular symptoms or use case. Of course, before you use any kind of alternative medicine, it’s vital that you speak to your doctor and have them perform a health check to confirm that it’s suitable for your needs. If you try to use too many different alternative remedies, you might find that it does more harm to your body than good. You also don’t want to waste money on snake oil that others are pushing into your hands. It’s a good idea to get a professional opinion first.

How To Be More Mindful About the Medication You Take (Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash)

Natural remedies are plentiful and can give you more control

Natural remedies can give you more control over your body and what you put into it. Many people listen to doctors without a second thought. Considering they’re healthcare specialists, this is usually fine because they’re looking out for your wellbeing. However, you may find that you want a bit more control over what you put in your body.

In a case like this, natural remedies can be an effective alternative. For instance, taking supplements and switching your diet around can be a great way to avoid or cope with certain conditions in the body. However, you should still be taking professional advice whenever possible so that you don’t make your situation worse.

However, that doesn’t mean you should avoid regular medicine

Despite the direction of this post, you should never actively avoid regular medicine if you’re facing some kind of serious illness or issue with your health. You have to make sure that you’re communicating with your doctor to ensure your health doesn’t suffer negative consequences. If they feel that an alternative remedy can be a good option to help you avoid the side effects of certain drugs, then they’ll let you know and help you transition to a different treatment. However, if they believe the best course of action is a standard form of medication, then it’s usually best to listen to them.

What is SEO and How Can It Help Your Business?

What is SEO and How Can It Help Your Business? (Photo by Designecologist from Pexels)

If you run a business, you will know that your website is key to driving customers and peaking people’s interests. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, even more people began shopping online due to quarantine - a user-friendly, well designed online presence for your business has never been more essential than now. Yet building a good website is not enough any more; thanks to the algorithms of search engines like Google, your site might be a great site, but fall to the bottom of the search list.

How do search engine algorithms work?

Search engine algorithms are the result of years of research, coding and data collection. It would take pages and pages to explain the ins and outs of how they function, but here are the basics:

• The more a website is clicked on, the further up the list it goes. Did you ever wonder why, if you search a basic item like a dustpan and brush into Google, the first sites listed are the giant corporations like Amazon? This is because they are the most clicked-on sites, so Google’s algorithm bumps them up the ladder. The algorithm uses the number of clicks and follow-throughs used on a site to determine how important it is, and ranks it accordingly in the list.

• Keywords matter. A search engine algorithm determines what category of search your website should come under by assessing the keywords involved. For example, if you run a blog about floristry, ‘floristry’ is not the only word people will search to find you. It could be ‘flower arranging’ or ‘how to make flowers look pretty in a vase.’ With the right keywords, Google can associate many different searches with your blog, thereby bumping it up the list.

How does SEO come into this?

You might be thinking, how does SEO come into all this? SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation, and is essentially a set of tools and techniques which help Google assign your website to greater importance, and therefore rank it highly on more searches. This means that, if you sell a product which is also sold by thousands of other retailers, your site will be one of the first to be found on Google. It can increase footfall, help spread awareness of your brand and boost profits too.

How does SEO work?

Getting SEO right means including the right keywords; backlinks, which help connect your site with other relevant sites and increase traffic; and, crucially, help footfall to your website without paying advertisers or bankrupting yourself on marketing strategies.

If you aren’t sure how SEO works, it is advisable to contact an SEO Agency who specialise in helping websites achieve more clicks based on search engine results. It could be by featuring blogs on your page which contain keywords and backlinks, or through more advanced SEO tools such as hyperlinks.

Building a website is one task; getting people to click on it is another. Maximise your chances with an SEO strategy and help your business achieve even greater things.

#WeKnowPlay: The Toy Insider Experts Help Shoppers Sleigh the Holidays with the Hottest Toys of 2020 [Video Included]

Star Wars The Child Animatronic Edition (Hasbro)

The Toy Insider today unveiled its expert picks for the best kids' toys and gifts in its 15th annual holiday gift guide. 

The hottest and most coveted items for 2020 are broken out into three lists: the Hot 20 (the most wished-for items of the year), the STEM 10 (science, technology, engineering and math toys that make learning fun) and the 12 Under $12 (affordable toys packed with play value and unboxing experiences).

Shopping for holiday gifts will look different this year as the Coronavirus pandemic continues: social distancing guidelines are still in place, limiting the number of in-store shoppers; retailers are starting holiday promotions earlier; and consumers are increasingly conscious of their spending during a tough economic year.

"This holiday shopping season will be unlike any other. It will be in your best interest to plan ahead and grab these hot toys before you start carving out your pumpkins," said Laurie Schacht, Chief Toy Officer, The Toy Insider. "Playtime offers a powerful way of coping with the world we live in, and the wide assortment of toys we reviewed for this year's holiday gift guide showcase the innovative, creative and affordable ways toymakers are serving the needs of families during challenging times."

• This year's hand-picked selections represent an extensive variety of open-ended toys to keep kids busy; screen-free playthings filled with educational value; toys that promote diversity, sustainability, and accessibility; and affordable toys that fit any budget, among many more categories that are sure to please kids of all ages this holiday season.

Pokémon Trading Card Game Battle Academy (The Pokémon Co.)

The Toy Insider's Hot 20

0-2 years

• Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Grow-the-Fun Garden to Kitchen (Mattel)
• Speak & Learn Puppy (LeapFrog)

3-4 years

• Blippi Recycling Truck (Jazwares)
• Blues Clues & You! Dance-Along Blue Plush (Just Play)
• Barbie Color Reveal Slumber Party Fun (Mattel)
• HEXBUG Nanotopia (HEXBUG)
• Pinkfong Baby Shark Dancing DJ (WowWee)
• PJ Masks Transforming 2 in 1 Mobile HQ (Just Play)
• Ryan's World Shadow Warrior Ninja Mystery Box (Bonkers Toys)
• Star Wars The Child Animatronic Edition (Hasbro)

5-7 years

• KidiZoom Creator Cam (VTech)
• LEGO Super Mario Adventure Starter Course (The LEGO Group)
• Present Pets (Spin Master)
• Rainbow High Fashion Dolls (MGA Entertainment)
• Squeakee the Balloon Dog (Moose Toys)
• Zoe (Healthy Roots Dolls)

8+ years

• Beyblade Burst Rise Hypersphere Vortex Climb Battle Set (Hasbro)
• Chocolate Pen (Skyrocket)
• Pokémon Trading Card Game Battle Academy (The Pokémon Co.)
• Snap Ships Gladius AC-75 Drop Ship (PlayMonster)

JIMU Robot Mythical Series: Firebot Kit (UBTECH Robotics)

The Toy Insider's STEM 10

• 3D Build & Play (3Doodler)
• Apollo — A Game Inspired by the NASA Moon Missions (Buffalo Games)
• Blockaroo (Blue Marble)
• Botley 2.0 The Coding Robot (Learning Resources)
• Circuit Explorer (Educational Insights)
• Crayola STEAM Paper Flower Science Kit (Crayola)
• DIY Music Maker Science Lab (hand2mind)
• JIMU Robot Mythical Series: Firebot Kit (UBTECH Robotics)
• Mega Cyborg Hand (Thames & Kosmos)
• National Geographic Science Magic (Blue Marble)

Cats vs. Pickles (Cepia)

The Toy Insider's 12 Under $12

• 5 Surprise Mini Brands Series 2 (ZURU)
• Blume Petal Pets (Skyrocket)
• Butter Cloudz Castle Bucket (WeCool Toys)
• Cats vs. Pickles (Cepia)
• Curligirls (Basic Fun!)
• Glitter Burst (YULU)
• Junkbots (HEXBUG)
• Kitten Catfe Purrista Girls (JAKKS Pacific)
• L.O.L. Surprise! Present Surprise (MGA Entertainment)
• Oh! My Gif – 1-Bit Pack (Moose Toys)
• Ravel Tales (Sunny Days Entertainment)
• Something Wild Card Games (Funko Games)

The Toy Insider's 2020 holiday gift guide will appear in the November issue of PARENTS magazine, on newsstands on Oct. 5. An extended guide appears online at thetoyinsider.com starting today. This year's print guide features nearly 160 toys, and an additional 150 toys can be found online, representing more than 110 toy companies in total.

• Parents and gift-givers can easily search for toys and games by a child's age (broken out into 0-2, 3-4, 5-7 and 8+ age groups). They can also view the guide online with their children to create a wish list of favorite toys, making holiday shopping easy for friends and family.

• The Toy Insider is an independent organization. Its team of experts attends major toy industry trade shows and events, and conducts briefings with manufacturers, retailers and analysts throughout the year. The Toy Insider gift guide submission process is open to all toy companies, of all sizes. Toys must be new for 2020 and available to consumers for purchase for the holiday season, either on the company's website or widely available through any retail partner. When evaluating toys, the team considers play value, originality, skill building, product integrity and, of course, fun factor.

The Video:

• To join in the holiday toy fun on social media this season, use #weknowplay and find @TheToyInsider on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

The Toy Insider is published by Adventure Media & Events, publisher of The Pop Insider, a daily pop culture news and review site that fuels fandoms, as well as leading trade publication The Toy Book. 

SOURCE: The Toy Insider

Genovation Cars Announces Design Competition Winners

Genovation Cars Announces Design Competition Winners (Credit: Job Skandera)

Genovation Cars Inc. in collaboration with the College for Creative Studies, announces the scholarship winners and their designs of a reimagined exterior for Genovation's GXE all-electric supercar, currently holding the world speed record of 211.8mph which was witnessed and certified by the International Mile Racing Association (IMRA).

SCHOLARSHIP PRIZE AMOUNTS

• First Place: $3,000 – Job Skandera
• Second Place: $1,000 – Raymond Gonet Jr.
• Third Place: $750 – Benjamin Treinen
• Honorable Mention: $250 – Dane Hamilton
• Honorable Mention: $250 – Ali Shoghimojarad

Genovation Cars Announces Design Competition Winners (Credit: Job Skandera)

• View student submissions here: dtw-files.centigrade.com/share.cgi?ssid=0tNGAGx

JUDGING PARAMETERS

• The winning design were judged based on these criteria:
• Defines a unique American exotic supercar
• Avoids encumbering high performance aerodynamics
• Reflects Genovation's commitment to innovation, creativity, and cutting-edge electric vehicle technology

JUDGES

• Andrew Saul, CEO of Genovation Cars, Inc.
• Julie Barnard, President of Centigrade Inc.
• Ken Lingenfelter, Owner and President of Lingenfelter Performance Engineering, Lingenfelter Motor Sports, and the Lingenfelter Collection
• Gordon Platto, Design Director, NA Ford Cars and CUV's
• Ed Welburn, General Motors Vice President of Global Design (retired), Movie Executive Producer, Member of the CCS Board of Trustees

Genovation Cars Announces Design Competition Winners (Credit: Job Skandera)

"I am honored to be a part of this extraordinary opportunity from Genovation Cars and The College for Creative Studies. This design challenge has helped me grow immensely, and I'm looking forward to learning more in continuing through development," said Job Skandera. "I want to thank Genovation and CCS for the scholarship and the recognition. All the glory belongs to God, who's hand gives every beautiful and perfect thing."

"The Genovation Team was extremely impressed with the submissions," said Andrew Saul, CEO of Genovation Cars, Inc. "The high level of creativity is a credit to the student's design sense and the role The College for Creative Studies played in mentoring these talented individuals. It was a great honor to be on a judging panel with such automotive luminaries. We very much look forward to future collaborations."

"The College for Creative Studies Transportation Design Department wishes to extend their gratitude for this competition offered by Genovation. The brief, based on adherence to an existing platform, was a significant real-world experience for our students and recent graduates. I am proud to say they rose to the challenge. Also, many thanks go out to the panel of prestigious judges that brought so much richness to the experience. In addition to becoming a valuable portfolio piece for these rising stars, having the opportunity to present to you and receive your valuable feedback was an honor they will hold in their hearts as they transition into their professional careers." 

Paul Snyder, Paul & Helen Farago Chair of Transportation Design.

Genovation Cars Announces Design Competition Winners (Credit: Job Skandera)

About Genovation GXE

The GXE was designed from the ground up to have a low center of gravity and near 50/50 weight distribution: a true driver's car. The GXE also comes equipped with a programmable active suspension, carbon ceramic Brembo® brakes, state-of-the-art carbon fiber wheels supplied by Carbon Revolution, ultra-high fidelity 10-speaker JBL stereo, a 10.4-inch custom high definition center console touchscreen and bespoke exterior and interior. The all-electric supercar comes available with either a 7-speed manual – an all-electric supercar category exclusive – or an 8-speed paddle shift automatic transmission.

In normal driving operation, the Genovation GXE delivers a range of more than 175 miles on a full battery charge, imperative to ultra-high performance and efficient daily-driver convenience.

The Genovation GXE will be produced in a limited-edition run of 75 units, with initial customer deliveries scheduled in 2021.

Genovation Cars Announces Design Competition Winners (Credit: Job Skandera)

About College for Creative Studies

Located in the heart of Detroit and ranked third among U.S. art and design colleges by LinkedIn for alumni success, the College for Creative Studies (CCS) is a world-class institution that educates artists and designers to be leaders in the creative professions. A private, fully accredited college, CCS enrolls more than 1,400 students pursuing Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degrees.


Students in the BFA program can major in Advertising Design, Communication Design, Crafts, Entertainment Arts, Fashion Accessories Design, Fine Arts, Illustration, Interior Design, Photography, Product Design, and Transportation Design, in addition to a dual major Art Education program. Students in the MFA program can major in Color and Materials Design, Interaction Design, Integrated Design, and Transportation Design.

Genovation Cars Announces Design Competition Winners - First Place: Job Skandera (Credit: Job Skandera)

SOURCE: Genovation Cars Inc.

Signs You Need Healthier Personal Boundaries

Signs You Need Healthier Personal Boundaries (Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels)

You have boundaries, but they don’t seem to be working. You still feel like people are taking unfair advantage of you. Your self-esteem is taking constant hits, and the criticism is unending. What gives?

Chances are you need to take a hard look at your boundaries. Perhaps the ones that used to work, don’t anymore because you aren’t the same person. Or it’s time for a tune-up so that you can not only strengthen the boundaries you have but make them healthier at the same time.

What are (some of) the warning signs that your boundaries need work?

• When someone bullies you, and you stay silent.

• You agree to things you don’t agree with (such as political opinions) to avoid ‘rocking the boat.’

• You suffer from guilt anytime you do something for yourself. 

• You feel invisible.

• You constantly say ‘yes’ even when you want to say ‘no’ when people ask you to do things.

• You’re the one who does all the giving in your relationships.

• You give your time to people who don’t deserve it. 

• When someone is in your personal space, you don’t say anything, despite how uncomfortable you feel. 

• You don’t speak up when the joke isn’t funny - and it’s at your expense. 

• People bully you, but you do nothing about it. 

• You’re always playing the victim. 
  
  
• People take you for granted. 

• You worry all the time about what people think of you. 

• When someone tells you to ‘do something for yourself’ you have no idea what to do. 

• You over-share when talking to others about yourself. 

• You take on other people’s guilt as though that will absolve them somehow. 

• You’re in a career that was chosen for you, rather than in one that you want to do (such as working in a family business you had no desire to be part of). 

• You don’t speak up when someone touches you physically even though you don’t want to be touched. 

• You wind up in relationships with controlling individuals. 

• You see yourself as the ‘sacrifice.’ 

• You feel like people won’t like you if you don’t do things for them. 

• You use actions as currency with people by doing things in hopes that they will someday do something for you in return (that day never comes, does it?) 

• You tend to manipulate people to get your needs met 

• Reading this list is making you uncomfortable because you’ve already recognized more than one thing on it that sounds like you.
  

It is a daunting list.

The good news is, there is room for you to change. Remember, boundaries are always a good idea. Making sure that the boundaries are healthy is crucial to your development into the individual you’ve always been meant to become. 

Signs You Need Healthier Personal Boundaries (Photo by Naveen Annam from Pexels)

• By checking your boundaries periodically, you will likely see places that need work. But you’ll also see where you can do things to keep them strong and healthy enough to serve you going forward. 

It might seem like a lot of effort on your part, but in the end, don’t you think you’re worth it? With that in mind, it’s time to get down to work. You’ve got this!

Related Stories:

• How to Handle a Bully [Video Included] 
• How To Be Daring and Stand Up to Others
• The Anatomy of a Boss from Hell [Infographic]
• 5 Memorable Bullies From The Big Screen

Slot Machine Cheats That Don’t Work

Slot Machine Cheats That Don’t Work (Photo by Longxiang Qian from Pexels)

Unfortunately the history of gambling has always been marred by various opportunists who have tried to cheat their way to a win at every opportunity, something that is doubly annoying because it means there is less cash for the genuine gamblers in the world to compete for too. Whilst casino cheats in general are frustrating, it actually isn’t all bad when it comes to these miscreants, because they have helped the overall industry in certain ways too. 

You see, casinos have historically had to make sure they are cheat proof over the years, and that is more difficult than you might think if there is nobody actively trying to cheat. Take the world of slot machines, for example, these incredibly popular gambling games did have a profound problem with slot cheats back in the day, however it simply galvanised developers to make doubly sure that their games at Thor Slots were uncheatable. 

The coin on a string slot machine cheat 

One of the most famous slot machine cheats from back in the day that no longer works was the coin on a string slot machine cheat. As you might expect from the name, this involved drilling a hole through a coin and threading a piece of string through it, something that then resulted in the coin mechanism being able to be tricked. 

As soon as slot machine developers caught on to this trick they took steps to make it an option no more, something that was achieved by making the coin feeder mechanism more complex. 

The electro-magnetic slot machine cheat 

Another famous slot machine cheat that no longer works because of the good work done by developers is the electro-magnetic slot machine cheat. This involved using powerful electro-magnets to manually spin the metal reels in place to make winning combinations, something that was possible due to the thin plastic protecting the reels at the time. 

All slot machine engineers really had to do to combat this was to install thicker protective layers covering the reels, and when video slots arrived there was no need to worry about the problem anymore. 

Slot machine cheating from the inside 

One of the weirder and hopelessly ambitious old slot machine cheats actually involves climbing into the mechanism of the slot machine itself, hoping to either spin the reels into a winning combination, or simply make a smash and grab with the money already in the machine. 

And yes, this actually happened, with a woman once being found trapped inside a Las Vegas slot machine. Needless to say, this isn’t a cheat that actually works… 

The fake coin slot machine cheat 

Another popular way of trying to cheat a slot machine coin feeder mechanism was to use fake or foreign coins, something that delivered a fair amount of success with slots cheats, mainly because it was a very inconspicuous way of cheating. 

But you cannot hide these things forever, and it wasn’t long before slot engineers noticed the problem and took steps to rectify it.

How To Be Daring and Stand Up to Others

How To Be Daring and Stand Up to Others (Photo by Jill Wellington from Pexels)

Were you ever bullied as a child? If so, it could be something that you carry with you into your adult years. You may yield to those who bark louder, so to speak. But, there are times when you need to stand your ground. These are the times to be daring and stand up to others.

• You may feel like you are an easygoing person. There’s nothing wrong with that. If you are a person who would defer to others because you don’t want to make waves, this can be okay, in the right circumstances. But, if you do this all the time, you eventually will get trampled on with more important issues.

• You do need to pick your battles. If you become the stronger person in your group, you run the risk of becoming bully-like yourself. In fact, this is something that can happen when people stand up to others for the first time. They take on the strong-willed persona and become that person they used to fear. The key is to be strong when it’s important and let the little stuff go by.

• Also, let others have some wins. This shows strength and leadership. You will win people to your way of thinking as they won’t feel threatened by your presence. When you show your willingness to cede to them, you can develop a great working relationship going forward.

How To Be Daring and Stand Up to Others (Photo by Kaboompics .com from Pexels)

• When you do take a stand, make sure that you do it respectfully. If you don’t, you risk losing respect from everyone around and not just the person you are going up against. Whenever possible, try to find an arrangement where both you and the other party wins. The person will see that they can’t take advantage of you, while at the same time, they don’t lose out in the interaction.

• Not everyone will take your newfound strength well. That’s okay. As long as you do everything you can to try and work with them, you will be the bigger person. He or she may have issues with you, but at least they know you aren’t willing to back down on the bigger issues. You also will find people need time and may come around after a while. Your relationship won’t be the same, but that could be for the best.

• Try to keep anger out of the picture because it makes people react in ways they later regret. It’s okay to be firm when dealing with others, but there’s no reason to elevate the situation to the point where you start getting personal.

How To Be Daring and Stand Up to Others (jmage via Pexels)

Related Stories:

• How to Handle a Bully [Video Included]
• The Anatomy of a Boss from Hell [Infographic]
• 5 Memorable Bullies From The Big Screen

How to Handle a Bully [Video Included]

How to Handle a Bully (Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels)

It’d be nice to think that once you’re out of school, you’d be done with bullies for the rest of your life. Unfortunately, that can be far from the truth, as anyone who’s ever had a bullying boss, co-worker or friend can attest.

We all know what bullying looks like as a kid: name calling, pushing, meanness, just to name a few. But how do you know that someone is an adult bully?

Often, in the name of security and keeping the peace, we may let bullying just roll off our back. But if someone you know is a bully, they may take subtle actions such as:

• Ignoring you - This is a form of disrespect, and aims to control you by keeping you guessing and never knowing. You make a request or ask a question, and don’t get a response.

• Being late, or not showing up at all - Again, this is another form of disrespect, but it can sometimes have more serious consequences, such as missing an important appointment or being late for a meeting.

• Starting rumors - The bully that starts untrue rumors is seeking to sabotage you and your reputation. Seeing you react (or overreact) to hearing lies told about yourself is what they thrive on. 

• Passive-aggressive behavior - Backwards compliments, deliberate procrastination, having to have the last word... these are all examples of passive-aggressive behavior that a bully might exhibit.

These are only a few examples of how a bully might act as an adult to control a situation. How you handle each situation is the key to taking away the bully’s power.

How to Handle a Bully (Photo by Josh Hild from Pexels)

First and foremost, if you find yourself being bullied a lot as an adult, take a close look at whether you’re playing the victim. Due to your upbringing, you may not even realize that you’re doing it, but often, a bully will instinctively aim for the person who already has a victim mentality. If that’s you, you’ll need to learn to stand up for yourself and become more assertive in the face of the bully.

If all else fails, simply separate yourself from the bully. This may be more difficult to accomplish in a work situation, but be creative, and try to create space between you and the bully. The less you are around them, the less harm they can do.

Also, try to remember that most bullies end up that way because of low self-esteem and a fragile sense of self-worth. By asserting yourself, you take away the bullies power, and maybe... just maybe... you’ll show them that they don’t have to be that way.

The Video:

Related Stories:

• How To Be Daring and Stand Up to Others
• The Anatomy of a Boss from Hell [Infographic]
• 5 Memorable Bullies From The Big Screen