Thursday, November 25, 2021

3 Tips For Moving A Piano

 Are you planning to move a piano? There's no denying the size and weight of a piano may be intimidating to move, but if you know what to expect and plan ahead, it's not as difficult as it looks. Here are a few tips for moving your piano so it arrives safely.

1. Disassemble the Piano

Pianos consist of many different parts, and while some may be able to remain intact during a move, others must be removed in order to prevent damage. If you're familiar with the workings of pianos, you can remove the necessary parts before moving day. If you're not, ask an experienced individual to help by removing anything that could break or bend during transit.

2. Disassemble Your Furniture

Chairs, desks, tables and other furniture should be completely disassembled prior to moving. Not only will you save space and make your move more efficient, but you'll avoid damaging furniture in transit.

3. Cover Your Piano

The piano itself must be covered at all times while it's being moved to prevent accidents from occurring. A good quality cloth or plastic will suffice, or you can simply use a dark sheet or blanket for added discretion. Never tie the piano to the truck with anything but purpose-built straps and pads, as wire cables and nylon straps can cut through your piano's exterior.

Final Thoughts

Moving a piano isn't as intimidating as you might think, and if you break down the process, it's not difficult to accomplish. However, it's always smart to use a Modern Piano Moving service whenever possible, as it's a safer, easier option in the vast majority of cases.

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

How to be Calmer in Life

 Have you ever seen people be totally calm in even the most difficult situations and wondered what their secret was? Some people just seem able to keep a level head no matter what is going on around them, and it is these people who are the most healthy in mind and body because they don’t allow external influences to affect them. They keep grounded and peaceful and are therefore better able to come up with solutions to the problems facing them. If you would like to know how they can do this and use this calmness in your own life, here are some great tips. 

 

Image from Pixabay

 

Regular Exercise 

Exercise is crucial for many reasons, and the ability to keep calm no matter what (as far as possible, at least) is one of them. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, hormones that are known to improve the mood substantially. In fact, ensuring your hormones are well balanced in general is also a good idea, and there are many ways to do this, including online testosterone replacement therapy

 

When you feel happy, you will also be calmer, and you won’t make any rash decisions. If you think of the times you have felt stressed and angry, you will know that it’s easy to say or do the wrong thing that you later regret. Exercise more and have more endorphins in your body, and you will be able to think before you act, keeping you calm. 

 

Practice Mindfulness 

Life is busy, and being busy all the time doesn’t always leave much time for being calm; it’s stress and anxiety for most of the time. This is where being mindful can help immensely. Being mindful means living in the moment and not worrying about what happened in the past or what is going to happen in the future because, for the most part, you cannot change this. There are many ways to practice mindfulness, and finding your best path may take a little time, but it will be worth it. 

 

Some people find that meditation works well for them, for example. Others prefer a walk in nature, yoga, or doing something artistic such as painting. You simply need to find something that takes up your entire focus, even if it’s only for a little while. When you get back to ‘real life’, you will be much calmer for it. 

 

True To Themselves

What is it that you love more than anything? What puts the biggest smile on your face? This is the path you need to follow, either as a career or hobby. Not doing what you love will lead to frustration and sadness – it could even cause depression. Honoring your own truth and doing what makes you happy will reduce the frustration you might be feeling and help to keep you a calmer, happier person. This is true even if there are aspects of your life that you don’t like; as long as you find time to do whatever makes you smile, you will still be calm. In fact, this can help you deal with the less positive parts of your life because you will be better able to think about them and come up with a rational solution. 

 

Down Time 

It may feel as though you simply have to be on the go at all times to get everything done and keep everyone happy, but this won’t help you to be calm and could even mean that your productivity and efficiency are reduced. Taking some time out to relax and just unwind, whether that’s a vacation away from it all or an hour or two of doing nothing at home, will mean you can come back to work or life in general with a better attitude, and you’ll be refreshed. This means you will get your work done more efficiently, even if you have a little less time to do it. This is a great way to remain calm – if you feel yourself boiling over or feel totally overwhelmed, just step away. It doesn’t have to be for long, just enough time to re-set yourself, and then you can continue calmly and more happily. 

 

Honesty

Trying to please everyone all the time means that you can end up feeling dissatisfied, not just because it means you find it hard to say no and are therefore busier than you should be, but also because you are not being true to yourself. Every time you agree to do something that doesn’t fit with your true ideas and feelings, you are stopping yourself from doing something that you really do believe in and want to do. The more honest you can be by saying no when you can’t take on any more work or when you disagree with what is being asked of you, the calmer and happier you will be in general. 


Monday, November 22, 2021

How to Help Your Weight Loss Journey When It Plateaus

 In a perfect world, everyone would have the time to exercise and eat healthy every single day. Unfortunately, this is not the case for many people. What happens when you are eating well and exercising regularly but your weight loss journey has plateaued?


Via Pexels

What Is A Plateau?

A plateau is when your weight loss progress stops or slows down. It doesn't mean that you have stopped losing weight, it just means that the scale isn't moving in a positive direction and you're not burning as many calories as before. Plateaus can happen for all sorts of reasons: increased stress levels, lack of sleep, bad eating habits, traveling, lack of exercise, or even hormonal changes.


What you need to do is try and figure out why your weight loss journey has plateaued so that you can start losing weight again.

Surgery

Some people have gone down a surgical route and that may help for a while, but even after weight loss surgery, your weight loss can plateau before you have reached your goal weight. If this is the case, then it is best to see a specialist for a gastric sleeve revision. This surgery will help more than just your weight loss plateau, it can also help with any conditions related to weight including diabetes and sleep apnea. 

Supplements

You can always try a weight loss supplement that will help make your body more efficient at losing weight, but it's important to use only the best ones. If you choose one of these options and still cannot lose weight, then there may be something else going on with your health or hormones.

Exercise

There are plenty of exercise options that you can try for weight loss. Things like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or boot camp workouts might work well. You don't have to do these alone either, they make great group classes and friends will be happy to help motivate you when the going gets tough during your workout.


Adjusting your lifestyle so that you are more active is another way to help weight loss along. Park a bit further away so you have to walk a bit further, or take the stairs. Little adjustments to your daily life can help break that stagnant weight loss.

Eating Habits

When it comes to eating habits, you need to make sure that you are not falling into bad traps. You can try a high-fat diet for weight loss by limiting carbohydrates and increasing the percentage of your daily calories from healthy fats. The ketogenic diet is a great way to get rid of extra body fat without doing any exercise at all!

Get More Sleep

Your body slows down when you don’t get enough sleep, which means that it won't burn off the food that you eat as quickly. This is why it's important to get around eight hours of sleep per night. During this time, your body will burn off calories and create more energy for the next day so that you can exercise or just generally get stuff done.

Hormones

If none of these options work for you then there may be something wrong with your hormones that needs to be managed by a specialist such as an endocrinologist. Hormonal imbalances can cause many problems including weight gain, fatigue, and even depression.

Cut Back On Alcohol

If you are drinking one or two alcoholic drinks per day, then it might be time to cut back. If you're not sure how many calories are in your drink, try an online calorie counter so that you can see exactly what sort of damage this is doing to your weight loss journey.

Stress Management

High levels of stress can cause your body to store more fat and slow down weight loss. This is why it's important to try and reduce the amount of stress that you're dealing with every day, even if this means taking up a new hobby or spending time with family members.

Check Your Water Intake

If you are not drinking enough water then it means that your body is dehydrated. This decreases the amount of energy being produced so you won't have as much motivation to exercise or burn off calories with physical activity.


While these are all great ways for helping out your weight loss journey when it plateaus, sometimes you just have to try something else. This is where the real work starts because now you need to figure out what worked for other people in your situation and see if their methods can help with yours too.


There are options for helping your weight loss journey when it plateaus so never give up hope and remember that there is always someone who can help. Finally, try not to be discouraged if you hit a plateau because this is an all too common symptom of weight loss!


Sunday, November 21, 2021

4 Ways to a Less Stressful Thanksgiving at Your Home

 


Isn't Thanksgiving so great? It's one of the least stressful holidays for me personally. 

Fourth of July finds me worrying about burns and blown-off fingers and how many people are in the swimming pool. 

Christmas finds me frantically wrapping presents for days on end, holed up in the bedroom trying to hide what I'm doing, tossing a ring pop out the door now and then to keep my kids happy for a while. 

Comparatively speaking, Thanksgiving is a walk in the holiday park! Here are some ideas for making it even less stressful that I have learned over the years (since moving into our bigger house where we host a lot of parties!).

BEFORE: Instead of purchasing GladWare, saving up plastic containers (whipped cream, sour cream, lunchmeat, etc.), or loaning out your favorite Tupperware, (hoping it will come back to you someday), ask guests to bring a few small containers of their own to take leftovers home in. If they forget, put out some aluminum foil and paper plates for them. 

HOW THIS HELPS YOU: This puts the leftovers ball in their court and you can relax and enjoy the day while they are getting all packed up.

BEFORE: Put several extra empty trash bags at the bottom of your kitchen trash can.

HOW THIS HELPS YOU:  When a wonderful guest offers to take out the trash for you, they won't have to ask you where more bags are. You're hosting a party and you're busy! Sometimes during a party my kitchen is so full I can't even wade through the people to get to the empty trash bags, so that eliminates that problem as well. (Also, I tend to get distracted easily and forget what I was doing before I was interrupted, so...)

BEFORE: Yes, I know it's bad for the environment and clogs up the landfills. Just buy sturdy and large paper plates, as well as plastic cups and silverware. Don't forget to also purchase small paper plates for desserts. Forget the soda for kids and just get Capri Sun juice pouches (you know they make purses out of the empty pouches, right?).

HOW THIS HELPS YOU: Obviously you won't have to do dishes if they are all in the trash. If you have a compost pile, even better.

BEFORE: Put a cloth or paper tablecloth on the main table.

HOW THIS HELPS YOU: If it's paper, just take it off after everyone leaves and throw it away. If it's cloth, toss it in the washing machine. This saves you time wiping down a very messy table and then probably also having to sweep the floor as well. 

Now it's time to relax for the evening and watch Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Or check out my helpful post about How to Have a Happy Thanksgiving from 2015 :-)

Saturday, November 20, 2021

How Breast Cancer Is Diagnosed – 5 Early Warning Signs

 


Breast cancer is far more prevalent than one might think. No one wants to consider that they may have this life-threatening disease, but there are a few things you can do to ensure that you pick up the early warning signs.

Apart from visiting your doctor and having a mammogram, there are a few things you can do to pick up the early warning signs that something may be wrong.

5 Early Warning Signs of Breast Cancer 

Here are five early warning signs of breast cancer that can help with early detection:

  1. Finding a hard lump either inside your underarm or feeling a thickening or hard knot inside your breast tissue.
  2. A swelling, redness, warmth, or a darkening of the color of your breast.
  3. Changes in the size or shape of your breast.
  4. The skin on your breast starts to dimple or pucker.
  5. You detect a discharge from your nipple.

Should you experience any of these signs, then it is recommended by the FDA that you request a mammogram from your doctor.

Do Not Ignore These Warning Signs

If you experience the five warning signs above together with any unexplained weight loss, fatigue, fever, persistent pain, and signs of jaundice, then it’s best to schedule an appointment as soon as possible. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, more people are living longer after an early cancer diagnosis. The disease is generally easier to treat the earlier you can receive a firm diagnosis and receive treatment.

More research is required on the causes of breast cancer Orange county's City of Hope. is investing billions of dollars to break new ground in its quest to bring new information to light on this potentially devastating disease. Remember, routine screenings will help with an early breast cancer diagnosis.

Friday, November 19, 2021

How To Obtain Services When You're Homeless

 

Image by Q K from Pixabay 

On any given night, over 550,000 individuals in the U.S. experience homelessness. This is due to any number of conditions. No matter what the situation, they require assistance to get their lives back in order. 

Even though many of these people and families feel they're alone, numerous agencies are available to help them. Here are a few options to obtain services when you're homeless.

Thursday, November 18, 2021

Basic Tips for Personal Investment in the Stock Market

 

Image by Ahmad Ardity from Pixabay 

Stock market investment is the most unpredictable form of personal investment. Such a high-risk-high-reward environment requires an investor to be on their toes for new financial opportunities. If you have recently acquired your first stocks or you are looking to invest, here are some basic tips to prepare yourself for a successful stock market career.  

Picture Your Investment Goals

You should ask yourself, why do you want to invest in the first place? Your investment aspirations should be attainable and entirely feasible. Do not try to use investing as a get-rich-quick scheme. This intention isn't realistic, and while it is possible to increase your personal wealth by investing in the stock market, it will not happen overnight. Growing your earnings will take a lot of time, dedication, and experience. Raw ambition may prompt you to invest unwisely.

Buy Low But Not Too Low

Buying cheap stocks, also known as penny stocks, may seem like a great idea if you're new to the world of stocks and bonds. You may think that they are a lower risk when compared to pricier stocks, but cheap stocks are actually more unstable because they are not subject to regulation, and you are more likely to lose money. Penny stocks are also inclined to be involved in penny stock scams, and they are harder to sell when you want to get rid of them.

Be Logical About Your Investment Decisions

In January of 2020, well-known entrepreneur Elon Musk tweeted about "using Signal." Investors started pouring money into a company with the word "signal" in its name, drastically inflating its stock prices. Musk later clarified that he was talking about a business that was completely unrelated to the one that had garnered so much attention. He also explained that his tweet was simply stating that people should use its app services more often, not that they should invest in it.

This incident illustrates how important it is to be rational about your investment decisions and not fall prey to hype. Letting emotions and impulsivity dictate one's actions is a common investing mistake to watch out for.

Stay Well Informed

Even if you lead a busy lifestyle, you should always make time to learn more about investing. Consider subscribing to a specialty magazine for personal finance articles or buying books on relevant topics. You can also surf the web for free informative content. Prominent bankers like Julio Herrera Velutini have a plethora of articles on their blogs for investors of all experience levels.

Don't Trade Too Often

Review your portfolio quarterly and keep track of long-term trends in all company stocks. Checking your stocks more often than that may make you feel antsy, especially if a company experiences a hiccup. Such changes are likely to be temporary and selling that stock could end up hurting you.

If the stock's decrease is severe, research the reasons for the downturn before making any permanent decisions.

Investing in the stock market doesn't have to be incredibly complicated, and you do not have to be a billionaire to get started. Following these general guidelines will help you make smart investment decisions.

Friday, November 12, 2021

75 (and Counting) Clean Movies with Minimal Sex/Nudity (updated regularly)



*"Clean" means different things to different people. My kids are 12 and up, so violence and cussing are not things I worry about as much as others might need to. It's the visual sex and the messages sent that I am now trying to watch out for. Definitely watch out for some of the PG-13 movies and make sure to read what others have posted.

I have to admit, we have watched some questionable movies. Sometimes we'll put on a movie for the family that we enjoyed once (pre-kids), and then we realize ... "Oh wow, I forgot about that inappropriate part." (examples: why does the guy have to be naked at the start of Die Hard 2, and why does there have to be a poster of a naked woman on the wall as Bruce Willis walks by in Die Hard?)

But it's never too late to turn things around! A quick trip to the IMDb website parent guide, which my best friend told me about now solves all that. (just go to IMDb site and search for the movie or show title, then scroll down to Parents Guide) If something is rated R, don't freak out. Sometimes movies are rated R for something like smoking ;-)

It goes further than Common Sense Media in that it explains specific instances and scenes. I'm okay with most language (hate when God's name is taken in vain though), and some violence is fine, but the sexual stuff that's inserted even in kid movies is just so unnecessary! There's a section at the top called Sex and Nudity and it shows instances and describes them so you can make an informed decision about watching the movie or not.

BONUS: Many of these movies are based on true stories and count as educational history!

Check out this list of movies, vetted by my girlfriend for her family of 7 boys and 2 girls 😀 plus a few of my own. And PLEASE leave your ideas in the Comments section or email them to me at mommykerrie@yahoo.com so I can check them out and add them!

All the Marvel movies (except for the Iron Man movies)

Captain Phillips

Courageous

Dunkirk

Godzilla movies (newer ones, 1998 and 2014)

Goosebumps

Hunger Games series (four movies)

In the Heart of the Sea

Inception

Interstellar

Lincoln

Night at the Museum (and 2 sequels) — We've seen this many times and I didn't realize how clean it was! Sam requested it for his 12th-birthday night movie after his homemade sushi dinner. 

Pacific Rim and sequel

Pursuit of Happyness

          Quiet Place 1 and 2 

Source Code

The Bourne Identity (and sequels)

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (we read the book first as a family for homeschooling, then watched the movie ... be prepared to be depressed afterward)

The Eagle

The Giver

The Greatest Showman (one of our family's favorites!)

The Impossible

The Maze Runner

There be Dragons

True Grit (the newer one)

Vantage Point

Walk the Line (Johnny Cash)

My Family's Recommendations (movies we have seen or want to see again or for the first time):

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Because of Winn-Dixie Just started this book with 12-year-old Sam (November 2021), then we'll watch the movie.

Cast Away (male butt cheek)

Cheaper by the Dozen (how could I forget this one?!) but NOT the second one

Chef (read the sex/nudity stuff before watching with your kids, depending on their ages)

Cinderella Man

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (2012)

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Evan Almighty

Good Will Hunting

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

Little Women (2019) We've read the Junior Classics version of this book, and need to watch the movie!

McFarland USA (it says 7 instances, but one instance says "there is absolutely no sex or nudity" and then it goes on to talk about things like a married couple kissing or a brief shot of a shirtless man, so you do need to read it!)

Me Before You (fantastic date night at home movie, but the message about self-euthanasia is something to watch out for and discuss)

Moneyball

RED (Retired Extremely Dangerous) (my aunt recommended this one forever ago, so I recently checked it out and was shocked that it had zero sex/nudity and only 1 instance of profanity) (Update: if anyone in your household is triggered by being tied up or women with duct tape on their mouth and a bit of cleavage showing at the same time, skip this one. Keep an eye on the "violence" category in IMDB as well, because something like this was not in the "sex/nudity" category and also I didn't realize that people just like you and I are the ones leaving these notes.)

The Princess Diaries (2001) *Cheerleaders and bathing suits at a beach party*

That Thing You Do

The Terminal

Twister (I was typing up some Science stuff for homeschooling and this movie came into my mind, so I looked it up and it's clean!)

Wall-E

Walt before Mickey

Yes Day

Recommendations Found Online:

A Boy Called Po

A Little Game

All is Lost

Arrival

August Rush

Cool Runnings

Finding Neverland

Glengarry Glen Ross

Hachi: A Dog's Tale

Heart of the Country

High Strung

Locke

Major Payne

Martian Child

Mr. Church

National Treasure (cleavage)

Storm Rider

The Great Gilly Hopkins

The Intouchables (subtitles)

The King's Speech

The Truman Show

Waffle Street

Your Recommendations: 


Have seen but won't watch again with the kids:

Bedtime Stories (or anything by Adam Sandler, sadly)

Pixels

Image by Devon Breen from Pixabay 

Monday, November 8, 2021

4 Ways To Look After Your Health And Wellbeing

 The tendency to get engaged in a cycle of work, sleep, and then more work is highly common among people. After a while, both you and your body will begin to complain and demand that you take better care of yourself. With only a few minutes of your time per day, you can find simple ways to take care of yourself that will not take up too much of your schedule.


Here, we look at some of the things that you can do to look after your health and wellbeing.


Image


EXERCISE


Exercise has been shown to put your mind in a positive state. When it comes to things like stress, a little movement may certainly make a difference. An early morning walk might help you feel more motivated and energized for the day ahead by simply including it in your routine. Set your alarm a few minutes earlier than you typically would and take a little walk around the block before getting ready for the day. If you prepare for your day the night before, you will have more time in the morning to get things done.


MEDITATION IN THE MORNING


Allowing yourself five or ten minutes of meditation each morning will assist you in balancing and relaxing your brain in preparation for the day ahead of you. Taking a few minutes to relax before you begin getting ready for your day can help you to remain calmer and less likely to feel anxious during the day. Make a point of providing yourself with positive reinforcement.


MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF


When we organize our days, we do not frequently include any time for ourselves in the schedule. However, it is crucial to remember to include yourself in your plans as well. Self-care is vital for us to live peaceful and positive lives. Without it, we will suffer. Some people prefer to pamper themselves, read a book, go for a stroll and take some cbd oil.  So, when you are planning your calendar, make sure to include some time for yourself, even if it is simply a night in where you take a long bath and apply a face mask.


LIMIT YOUR SCREEN TIME


The majority of individuals now have a smartphone, and they check it multiple times a day on average. Although it is easy to have a device like this and it has opened up so many chances for individuals, there are some drawbacks to having one. It is common for people to get into the habit of looking at their phones when they first wake up in the morning. They check emails, social media, and text messages and before they realize it, their day has already begun, and they have not had enough time to prepare for work or other daily tasks. Try to take some time away from your devices, especially while getting ready for the day and when in the evening before bed to avoid being distracted.


What are your top tips for ensuring that you look after your health and wellbeing?

How Purchasing A Car Can Be An Investment

 Most people will have two significant types of investments in their lifetime. Purchasing property is one, and purchasing a vehicle is the other. Purchasing a car can be an investment rather than an expense. Here are some of the signs that purchasing your dream car could lead to added benefits in the long run.

Image Credit

Possible Benefits:

  1. Your car should last for at least five years (after which it will need replacement parts), especially if you treat it well and follow all maintenance precautions, e.g., changing oil every so often.

  2. There is also resale value attached to cars, meaning even when your model gets older, you still have a chance of reselling it for something less than what you bought it for originally. According to Edmunds, there's usually between $1,500 and $2,000 loss in value over three years old used vehicles, but that doesn't mean your car automatically becomes scrap at three years.

  3. If you have owned a car for a long time, your parts will be worn down and need replacement. Since cars require regular maintenance during their lifetime, the car owner is expected to spend money on everything ranging from oil changes to spark plugs and more. This means that over the course of 5 or 10 years of owning a car, you should expect to purchase all new parts and pay mechanic fees. As these costs add up over time, it's important to note that they can definitely become investments as opposed to expenses.

Expensive Vehicles

Other factors such as gas prices do come into play when purchasing an expensive vehicle. Of course, there are plenty of free benefits such as convenience and better driving experience, which might not necessarily count as "investments," but they definitely contribute to the positive outcome of owning an expensive car.

Affordable Vehicles

As for small or used cars, there are still benefits that shouldn't be ignored when purchasing them. It's true that most owners of older models need to spend money on repairs and parts replacements more often than owners of newer models, but it doesn't mean they should never buy a used car. Some people prefer buying cheaper models in order to save up or pay whatever is due right away; some might want smaller vehicles because bigger ones aren't practical in big cities; others don't care for bells and whistles as long as the engine runs smoothly - all these reasons point out that when you purchase your dream vehicle (used or not), it will bring you satisfaction and financial benefits at some point or another.

All in all, purchasing an expensive car is a decision that should be made carefully and after thorough consideration of what it means to own both the vehicle itself and its different parts over time. There are advantages to buying cars with high resale value, but there are also disadvantages such as higher monthly payments. 

Make An Informed Decision

When you weigh every factor before actually hitting the market for a good used car, you'll have enough information to decide whether spending money on your dream ride will help you achieve your goals!