Put Your Talent to Work for a Good Cause

If you have a song in your heart or another performing arts-related talent, you already know how uplifting sharing your talents can be. Sing a Song of Hope (SFH) is looking for artists, writers, poets and singers to put their talents to good use as a volunteer. You don't even have to have a specific talent as long as you have a willingness to change a life, maybe even your own.

What Does SFH Organization Do?

We've found a way to fulfill two needs in New York City: allowing local artists an outlet for expression and brightening the lives of those in the community who need it most. Our great city has an abundance of both in our population, and we've had a lot of success through various outreach programs. We work through a city-wide network of partner sites to put on productions and other means of involvement.

What Kind of Volunteer Opportunities Are Available From SFH?

We offer several ways for anyone who's interested in improving their community to get involved. The easiest way if you don't have the time or the talent is to subscribe to our community or donate money. We're a non-profit charitable organization, so your donation is tax deductible. You don't need to be a performance artist to give you time and talent. We have talented photographers, writers, comics and dancers bringing joy through our program. If you're looking for a hands-on opportunity, here's what we need.

Youth outreach: Art for All is a youth leadership initiative to develop talent among high school students in the community. Our Youth Corps is open to all high school students, and they're involved in coordinating events, running promotional campaigns and community networking.

Healthcare outreach: We put on concerts and other performances at hospitals, nursing homes and treatment centers throughout the city. We even give bedside performances and interactive shows.

Community outreach: Our flagship program is SFH pianos, each of which is customized by local artist. They're placed in parks and other public spaces to encourage interaction and inspire community engagement.

Project Leaders: If you're too shy to perform or prefer to lend us your organizational skills, you can train to become a project leader.

It's been proven time and again that art has the power to heal and inspire. We invite you to become part of a community of artists who want to change the world with song. Get in touch with us to learn more abut how you can get involved. You can also form an SFH program in your community.

Travel Gear That Keeps Things Convenient

You already know all the obvious goods you need for your next trip. All your travel documents, the
right clothes, your first aid kit, sunscreen. Those are your travel essentials, but if they leave you a
little extra room, what else should you pack? A lot of people fail to consider just how uncomfortable
and inconvenient travel can be at times. However, we’re not going to make that mistake, now, as we
take a look at some of the gear and gadgets that can play the starring role in saving the next trip you
make.

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The right bag

First of all, you should learn what makes a good travel bag and what doesn’t. Your carry on bag is
going to be the one you spend the most time with, as you’ll likely carry it around at your destination,
too. Having the right bag is about more than just choosing the one that offers the most space while
staying on a plane. Organization should be a factor, too, with different pockets and sections allowing
you easier access to your money, electronics, papers, and so on. What’s more, security must also be
an issue, with many bags coming with clips and ties that can help you secure them to your person
so they’re less likely to be lifted off from the first opportunist you encounter.

Saving on space

If you can get even more into those bags, then you can make more room for some of the other gear
we’re going to take a look at, too. There are all kinds of tips on how to layout your clothes so as
to fit more stuff in, but no technique works quite as well as vacuum packing them. The best
vacuum packing gadgets allow you to fill them as you would any other piece of luggage. Once they’re
all full, however, they suck all the air out of the bag, shrinking it down, compressing its contents, and
sealing them tight. You can save huge amounts of space simply by getting rid of the air.

Get in your zone

When you’re flying or taking public transport, you might want nothing more than to be able to shake
off the stress of the airport. However, that’s often easier said than done. With other passengers,
sights, and sounds to invade your consciousness, it can be much harder to catch a nap or simply
meditate and regain your cool. If that’s the case for you, look at the possibility of getting some
noise-cancelling headphones for your next flight. That way, it’s a lot easier to put on some relaxing
songs or background noise, put your head down, and catch some sleep. Don’t worry, a flight
attendant will wake you when you land.

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Investing in comfort

On the flight and throughout the trip, you might that real comfort is in rather short supply. Especially
if you’re going camping. For that reason, consider investing in the tools to give yourself that comfort.
If you’re a flight or a long train ride, travel pillows should be considered a must-have, supporting your
head so you can rest more comfortably just about anywhere. Camping pillows allow nature lovers to
enjoy a better sleep without taking up too much space, often coming in inflatable form. Compression
socks can help you avoid painful inflammation in your legs during long trips, as well as protecting
you from the very serious risk of blood clots. If you don’t want to start your vacation off with a bunch
of aches and pains, invest a little in your own comfort.

You have the power

Nowadays, access to the internet and all the most reliable travel apps can be just as much a source
of comfort as a good sleep. However, when you’re traveling, you don’t always have access to a
source of power or, if you do, it may very well be the wrong one. There are lots of different portable
chargers to browse, some being as small as a USB pen and other larger models offering a lot more
power. But there are also plug socket converters that allow you to charge your goods like regular folk,
no matter what part of the world you’re in. Of course, you should do a little research to see if the
country you’re going to uses different socket layouts or not. You don’t want to waste space packing
things you’re not going to need.

Never lose a thing again

All that power for your tablet isn’t going to do much good if you can’t find it. Lost items are a regular
antagonist of the frequent flyer and can result in more than one panic and the occasional cancelled
trip. Beyond double-checking and triple-checking your goods at every opportunity, there are tools
that can help you know exactly where your items are at all points of the journey. GPS trackers are
getting much smaller, making them much more convenient and able to fit on most of your goods. If
your bag ever gets stolen, a well-hidden GPS tracker can even help you find it again.

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Trouble sleeping?

Noise-cancelling headphones can help you relax or catch a nap on a flight, but if you have regular
sleeping trouble in new environments, you might want something a little stronger. That something
stronger may very well be a white noise machine. Beyond drowning noises out, these machines are
regularly used to treat people with sleep disorders, creating environmental noises at just the right
pitches and tones to help the majority of people drift off into a quiet sleep. Especially helpful if you’re
the kind of person who jolts awake at unexplained noises, which are far from uncommon in your
average hotel or wilderness camping trip.

Never underestimate the difference that a little convenience can make on your next trip. Sure, some
people like the rugged, minimalist experience of backpacking with nothing but the clothes on their
back and so on. But when you just want a nice, relaxing vacation, you’ll want these tools with you.

“I’m A Working Mom – How Can I Get Extra Qualifications?”

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Moms have to mix running a family with bringing in the dough. One thing mothers don’t want is to
get pigeonholed. Sure, the kids and your partner are everything, but so is being a working parent.
Without a job, things get pretty boring pretty quickly. Like the majority of people, as soon as
you take it seriously, there is an urge to be better. In your head, and there is no reason why not,
promotions and corporate takeovers are on the cards. To get to this position, though, moms need
qualifications to stand out from the crowd. Securing them isn’t easy because time is short; still, it’s
possible.

Night School

The obvious first step is to enroll on a course at a night school. That way, work shouldn’t be an issue
because the classes will start after the shift ends. One sticking point is child care. Not only are the
kids young, but they aren’t responsible enough to take care of one another. Hopefully, daddy dearest
will be able to pick up the slack and play mother. If he can’t, babysitters are cheap and trustworthy if
you choose correctly. Considering it’s only one or two nights a week, the cost is quite low.

Weekend School

Alternatively, consider going back to school on the weekends. Usually, Saturdays and Sundays are
more flexible because most people aren’t scheduled to work. So, father should be free to do his
fatherly duties. Even if he isn’t, kids have clubs and camps which they participate in all day. Therefore,
they are well looked after and have a guardian so there is no reason to worry. Nowadays, unis and
colleges offer weekend courses as they understand the demand from working parents. Just pick the
timetable which works best and sign on the dotted line.

Online School

Of course, there is no need to attend a class physically. Thanks to new technology, qualifications are
attainable digitally instead of in person. Yep, an online masters in marketing is just as easy to get
and it doesn’t bring the same problems. For example, there is no reason to panic about childcare or
a lack of time. By enrolling online, you can complete your studies from the comfort of any room in the
house. It’s your choice! So, after the kids hit the hay, log in and continue where you left off the night
before. It’s pretty straightforward.

At Work

Outside of the office seems like the best place to study, but the workplace can provide great
opportunities. Take training sessions as an example. Employers want employees to boost their skills,
which is why they offer courses free of charge. They can’t force people to take part, but they do
have welcome incentives. A popular one is an afternoon off work to attend class. By signing up,
you can receive a certificate in an area of the industry which is gaining momentum such as first aid.

Are you a working mom? Which one of the above is your favorite choice?

At What Age Can Your Child Get Contact Lenses?

Contact lenses were a breakthrough in vision correction for cosmetic and convenience. But unlike wearing glasses, they don't correct all vision problems. They also require extra care and diligence to avoid problems like eye infections or corneal damage. For these and other reasons, not everyone is a candidate for contacts, especially children under a certain age.

Age Isn't the Main Factor

Physically, contacts by can worn at any age. Even infants are sometimes fitted with lenses to correct congenital eye diseases. That means your child's age isn't as important as their level of responsibility. Although problems with contacts only affect about 5% of wearer, they usually stem from improper use or care.

Consider your child's level of responsibility on other matters, as well as their personal hygiene habits. Do they do their chores without constant nagging and do their homework on time? What is the state of their bedroom, and how well do they take care of their possessions? Children who are more conscientious and self-directed are usually responsible enough to handle contacts.

When Contacts Are Preferable

Contacts offer several benefits over traditional eyewear, and advances have made them viable for a range of vision problems; they even make bi-focal contact lenses now. Children who are active in sports should wear contacts to avoid losing or damaging their glasses, which can be expensive to replace. They're also safe to wear if your child is involved in contact sports, since broken glasses can cause serious injuries. Contacts also offer:

• Wider field of vision
• Increased confidence
• Better vision when correctly prescribed

Children are also less susceptible to dry-eye, a common issue with some lens wearers that becomes worse as we age. It can cause irritation and make lenses difficult to tolerate. Recent studies have found that wearing contact lenses can also slow the progression of conditions like nearsightedness in children and inhibit myopic progression, leading to better eyesight as they grow up. The newer gas permeable (GP) contact lenses, when worn overnight, temporarily reshape the cornea, allowing near-sighted children to forego eyeglasses during the day.

When is it okay for your child to start wearing contacts, and what conditions prohibit them? Each child is an individual, and no option is right for everybody. An Edmonton eyewear professional can tell you more, but these basic guidelines can help parents make some decisions.

How is a Credit Score Evaluated?

There are a good number of reasons why you should focus on creating a good credit history. Maintaining a good credit history allows you many benefits. Namely, you can get loans at a much better rate, you can discuss a mortgage with better terms, etc.

Speaking of which, we are going to explain how a credit score is evaluated and what steps you can take to improve your credit score. Pay attention to these, and you will do fine.

Evaluating a Credit Score

Every credit score company has its own approach to determine a credit score, which they are not very open to discussing. These companies are very strict about discussing their methods in public. But they do inform you about the factors they use to evaluate a credit score.

These factors are the number of accounts someone has, whether they pay their bills on time or not, and how far back their credit history goes. Following, we are going to discuss these in more detail.

Pay Bills on Time

Your payment history plays an important role in calculating the credit score. Therefore, you need to avoid late payments and make them on time every month. If you are afraid you won’t remember the time, you should use credit issuer offers.

Small Business Credit Cards offer SMS and email reminders for payment dates. You can also set up an automatic payment from your bank account.

Debt to Credit Ratio

For the best results, you need to keep your debt to credit ratio low. The amount you owe is the second most important thing after your payment history. It pays to have low debt compared to available credit.

In order to maintain a low rate, you need to keep debt in control and enough credit available in your account.

Avoid Exaggerating

You should never apply for every line of credit you can instantly. Restrain yourself from applying for too many new credit lines at one time because it ruins your debt to credit ratio. If you have managed to keep a low ratio, you shouldn’t apply for new options instantaneously.

Every application will open a new inquiry and will have an adverse effect. It may seem to the vendors that you are applying for way too much credit.

Open and Close Accounts

As lenders want clients with a strong credit history, you may ruin your credit score if you open and close accounts on a regular basis. Instead, you should leave some accounts as they are with a good credit standing.

This will help you devise which credit cards you should carry, and which loan option you should apply for. Maintaining old accounts with a good history opens up new possibilities for you.

You Don’t Have to be Afraid of Anything

We understand we made some drastic points, but you don’t need to be afraid of credit. Maintaining a good credit history depends on creating a habit of managing your accounts the right way. Doing so, you won’t even need to borrow any money. However, developing a good credit history depends on dedication.