The Top 13 Activities to Make Your Next Entertainment Event a Hit

Whether you’re planning a themed birthday party or corporate outing, social gatherings are a great way to get closer with friends and colleagues while enjoying delicious food. Take your event to the next level by inserting some fun and whimsy to help break the ice and coax everyone to let loose. Avoid the mundane weather chatter, put down your smartphone and connect with those around you by trying these thirteen games that require nothing more than good humor and a dose of imagination!

1.Battle of the Air Bands

What You’ll Need: Speakers, smartphone or mp3 player

Instructions: Ever seen Spike TV’s spinoff series of Jimmy Fallon’s famous lip sync battles? Expand the idea to a full-on battle of the air bands. Divide your group up into teams of 3-4 people and let them choose who will be the singers, guitarists, drummers, etc. Give them some time to rehearse before performing a lip synced version of whatever song they like. If enough notice is given in advance, teams can dress up or bring props. After the performances, teams can vote on the winner (with the caveat that no one can vote for their own band). This is a great party entertainment idea that will liven up any event.

2.Back-to-Back Drawing 

What You’ll Need: Paper, writing utensils, printouts of simple line drawings or basic shapes.

Instructions: Ideal for a company party to get closer to colleagues, divide your group into pairs and have each person sit back to back. One person gets a picture of a shape or simple image, and the other gets a piece of paper and pen. The person holding the picture gives verbal instructions to their partner on how to draw the shape or image they’ve been given (without telling them blatantly what the shape or image is). After a set amount of time, have each pair of partners compare their images and see which team drew the most accurate replica.

3.Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower

What You’ll Need: 20 sticks of uncooked spaghetti, 1 roll of masking tape, 1 yard of string, and 1 marshmallow for every team.

Instructions: Another fun corporate entertainment idea, using only the above supplies, determine which team can build the tallest tower—But there’s a catch: the marshmallow must be at the very top of the tower, and the whole structure has to stand on its own for at least five seconds.

4.Minefield

What You’ll Need: An empty room or hallway, and a collection of common office or household items

Instructions: Fun for any party, no matter how old you are! Use boxes, pillows, chairs, water bottles, etc. to create an obstacle course of “mines” within the empty space. Split the group into pairs, where one partner is blindfolded. The other must guide that person from one end of the course to another without “setting off” any mines. The person guiding their partner cannot enter the course and must only use verbal instructions to get their partner through. Depending on the number of people you have and how difficult you want this activity to be, you can vary the number of pairs trying to complete the course at the same time so that pairs have to work harder to listen to each other and communicate clearly.

5.Scavenger Hunt

What You’ll Need: Set course and series of clues

Instructions: In addition to being a fun activity, a scavenger hunt can enhance creativity and teamwork. Create a list of hints based on the history of your company or party theme. Form a trail to enable every team to find the next clues. Don’t forget to arrange a prize for the group that completes the task first. If you want to get a bit more high-tech, you can set up text messages, riddles, or email addresses with auto-responses to provide clues.

6.Charades

What You’ll Need: Pens, paper and your pantomiming skills!

Instructions:The classic party game! Split into two teams and ask each person to write a word or phrase on a piece of paper. The slips of paper are collected and separated, with each team guessing the other’s phrases or words. Alternating turns, one person from each team acts out the clue without speaking. The team members can shout out guesses, but they have to figure out the word in three minutes or less. Each correct answer is worth one point.

Traditionally, there are six categories for charades: books, movies, plays, songs, TV shows or quotes.  Players acting out the clue can begin by motioning the category and also informing their team how many syllables each word contains.

7.Murder Mystery

What You’ll Need: Decide whether to buy a murder mystery party kit or whether to create your own.Most kits contain the script, rules, ideas for costumes, and complimenting recipes, making them ideal dinner party entertainment ideas. If you decide to create your own game, make sure the story is somewhat believable, scary, and interesting.

Instructions: Once the guests have arrived and have received their character assignments, let them mingle for a while to get to know the other characters. Clues should be delivered to guests throughout the course of the game. Some clues are meant to be revealed, while others should remain concealed. “Reveal” clues should be casually brought up in conversation to different guests at different times. Since every guest will hear a variety of different hints, each will reach her own conclusion about the case. “Conceal” clues should be guarded. Guests should try to keep these secret so they are not incriminated. Other guests will inevitably discover the secrets and tell the others. When the game is over, have each guest reveal who they think is the killer and why. Once all partygoers have guessed, unveil the truth behind the murder mystery. Whoever guess right, or closest is the winner.

8.Two Truths and a Lie

What You’ll Need: Pens, paper and your poker face

Instructions: Each participant will have to tell three facts about themselves. Out of these three facts, two will be true, while one will be a lie. All other members will have to guess which one is a lie. Whoever guesses the most correct lies, wins the game.

9.Drama-in-a-Bag

What You’ll Need:2 or more shopping bags, funny props, random items

Instructions: Before guests arrive put five or more random items in each of 2 or more shopping bags. It doesn’t matter what you put in the bags, just be sure that each bag contains different items. Divide your guests into teams (one team per bag). Instruct the teams that they have 10 minutes (or whatever amount of time you decide on) to create a skit using all of the items in the bag and all of the members on the team.

Some examples of themes could be “commercial-in-a-bag” (have your guests do a commercial following the specifications noted above). Or, if you’re short on materials, ask each person to bring a random item. Divide your party guests or colleagues into teams and have them use these items to create a skit or commercial.

10.Candy Bar Game

What You’ll Need: 10-20 candy bars

Instructions: Come up with a definition for each one. Keep the candy bars hidden as you call out the definitions. When someone guesses correctly, give them the corresponding candy bar.
Sample definitions:
– A famous swashbuckling trio of old (3 Musketeers)
– Peculiar laughter (Snickers)
– Almost between (Twix)
– Warm embraces (Hugs)
– Wise guys (Smarties)
– Red planet (Mars)
– A feline (Kit Kat)

11.Escape room

What You’ll Need: A venue in your area that hosts physical adventure games

Instructions: A group of people get “locked” in a room for one hour. During that time, they have to find hidden objects, solve puzzles, and figure out clues hidden in the elements of the room to locate the key that will set them free.

12.Trampoline Park

What You’ll Need: A local indoor trampoline park

Instructions: Ready to take your next birthday party or corporate social event to the sky? Indoor trampoline parks often have multiple packages to make your party soar, literally! Aside from just jumpin’ around, you can even play three-dimensional versions of your favorite sports, such as dodgeball and basketball.

13.Ice Cubes

What You’ll Need: one or two trays of ice cubes

Instructions: Split your group into two even teams. On “Go,” the first player of each team picks up an ice cube and tries to melt it as quickly as they can. They can rub it between their hands or their clothes – but what they can’t do is put it in their mouths, stamp on it or use any equipment on it (e.g. a lighter). No one is allowed keep a cube for more than a few seconds, so make sure the cubes are being passed between players. First team to melt the cube (or tray of cubes) wins.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/leurypichardo/top-13-activities-to-make-your-next-entertainment-event-a-hit/

Things Every Business Owner Should Know Before a Business Trip

Traveling with business in mind requires you to be on the game, not footloose and fancy-free.  It is even more stressful than vacation adventures, since the stakes are definitely higher. Arriving at the conference only to find out you forgot a laptop charger or appropriate clothing is something you want to avoid at all cost. On the brighter note, there are many ways to take some sting out of the whole hassle.

A game plan

Planning is what makes or breaks a business trip. This may sound like a no-brainer, but once you start dealing with it in practice, you will regret not spending more time doing the legwork. Setting up the budget is one of the first things to consider and it helps if you know the exact price in advance. Opt for agencies that feature fixed exchange rate and no hidden or extra costs.  Applications like Expensify aid businessmen in keeping track of all the traveling costs, so there is no need for pen and paper, or a memory strain.

Time is of the essence and it is never too early to start with the preparations. In this stage, packing is your prime concern: make every inch count in your suitcase and get into the art of packing light and smart. Last-minute shopping, overpacking, rushing to the airport, these are all practices that slow you down, stress you out and undermine the success of the trip. What matters is not only what you pack, but also how you transfer the load.

Fighting on two fronts

Business attire is one of the most important items on your checklist. It includes dress pants or skirts, coordinating jackets, shirts, blouses, tops, and dress shoes.  Casual clothing for evenings is also a good addition to the wardrobe, while pajama ensures you get plenty of comfortable sleep. Bringing all the toiletries, business material and tech equipment is also an absolute must. Some entrepreneurs even turn to apps like Packing Pro that do the heavy lifting and pull together customized packing lists.

Now, closing down the operations when away from the home base is not the option for a bulk of business owners. Activities such as emailing are not postponed just because you have decided to hit the road. Vice versa, you are not excused from all the duties you “leave behind”. Catching up on email and message communication upon return can push you into a vicious cycle for days. Therefore, it is a good idea to stay connected and do some of the work whenever possible.

Just do away with distractions in the form of push notifications or social media alerts and set up a schedule with precise times for commutation. It is highly advisable to leverage the time away by being truly present at the new destination. Make yourself ready for a no-outlet scenario and ponder on investing in a backup power source. My personal favorite is a USB battery pack, a little lifesaver.  A travel power strip should do the trick as well.

Sweet dreams

Traveling drains batteries of your gadgets, but do not forget to recharge your own ones. Many people experience difficulties while trying to get a good night’s sleep abroad, and if you fall in that category, purchase noise-canceling earphones or earplugs. A quiet space in the hotel is also preferable, so do not settle for just any room. Furthermore, bear in mind that convenience food around airports and city hubs is not the best kind of fuel for serious business travelers. Apps in the league of Yelp are of great help when it comes to healthy food options that enable you to stay at your best.

Finally, you might have not even boarded the plane, but it would be wise to muse on getting home as well. There could be delays and complications, so always have a plan B in case you cannot return to the workplace on time. Also, do not assume everything will play out as intended, so call the airline before going to the airport. A lounge might be costly, but note that it most often offers free food, drinks, Wi-Fi,  power outlets, etc. In any case, do not schedule any meetings for the day you get back in the office or dive into daily tasks right away.

Your way or the highway

For many entrepreneurs, business trips are not really the reason to rejoice. The crux of the matter is in planning activities you carry out, not gut instinct or resourcefulness on the road. You need to arrive home in one piece, without stress and pressure getting the better of you. So pack all the necessities and stay on top of daily communication. Know when to put down your tablet and how to blow away the cobwebs. Keep calm, productive, powered-up and comfortable — that way, you should be able to travel the highways and byways of the world with the bells on.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/marcusjensen/things-every-business-owner-should-know-before-a-business-trip/

End of Job Interview Questions

A lot of work is involved in getting qualified job candidates for an interview. Using a recruitment system makes finding recruits easier. Then the toughest task is developing a set of interview questions that give the answers needed to help in the hiring decision. You do not want to go into an interview unprepared, or walk away feeling unsure of a candidate’s potential. A recruitment system team suggests the following questions to be asked at the end of an interview.

What was the best job you had? Why?

Answers to these questions tell about the culture a candidate responds to and how motivated they are.

Have you had experience with significant policy changes or department structure changes? If so, tell how to remain flexible and productive in such a situation.

There is always change occurring within every organisation. Knowing how someone reacts and stays focused in times of change is a good indicator of future performance.

What management style do you prefer?

This information provides insight into the responsibility level with which a candidate is comfortable. It allows the employer to determine if the candidate’s preferred managerial style matches expectations.

Ask what about a job on the resume a candidate liked most and least.

Information about a candidate’s potential culture fit, personality, and motivation comes from the answer to this question.

Have the candidate tell about a successful partnership with a client or peer.

In the role an individual has, the interaction with others varies considerably. By answering this inquiry, the employer gets an idea of how the candidate contributes to the ever changing needs of business. The employer may want to hear the interviewee pitches in on projects or bounces ideas off colleagues.

Ask about projects the candidate enjoyed.

This allows an employer to gain deeper insight into the candidate’s motivation. The answer allows an employer to gauge how the candidate’s interests align with the scope of the position. Information becomes available as to how the candidate meets the immediate needs of the job and how his or her interests and strengths can enhance work in the long term.

Ask about the greatest successes and failures.

The successes cited, provide insight to a candidate’s aspirations and achievements. They serve as a demonstration of the methods, strategies, and sacrifices used to obtain goals. Failures allow an employer to see what the candidate learned from experience. Understanding how both good and bad experiences shaped or improved the candidate helps understand how goal-oriented he or she is and the thought process used. It demonstrates how the candidate recovered failures.

What techniques ensure meeting the commitments of your position.

Answers reveal a great deal about job dedication and commitment follow through. The employer looks for specific responses. Committed, dedicated employees perform well. Prioritising tasks and schedule management are important responses.

Ask why the candidate is leaving or left his or her last position.

The question response tells an employer about a person’s expectations and work performance. If red flags emerge, the response helps lead to questions that probe further into the reason for leaving. A candidate that states, seeking growth opportunity as a reason for leaving, but sought no work project or increased work load, perhaps expects a promotion without working for it.

When competing priorities arise, how do you strategise and communicate your expectations to those affected by your decisions?

The work environment of today has employees tasked with multiple deadlines and projects deemed urgent. Understanding the candidate’s communication strategies and work methodologies helps determine whether a demanding and fast-paced environment is one the candidate is capable of handling.

What factors would cause a career change to be made?

Broad, open-ended questions, such as this, help an employer gauge the candidate’s motivation in seeking a new position. Different things motivate each person. New technology, work-life balance, and money are some examples. Determining a candidate’s motivators avoids wasting time trying to sell aspects of a job that the applicant has no interest in.

What is the minimum salary requirement?

Applicants avoid talking about salary requirements for fear of overpricing themselves and elimination from the list of potential candidates. If the candidate provides at least a salary range, there is no waste of either the employer’s or candidate’s time, if the requirement is way over budget.

Every candidate interview is important. Recruiting new employees, while juggling a regular workload, is challenging. Enlisting the help of a recruitment system relieves some of the stress. It may also eliminate questions about a candidate that has the legal right to work in the United States. Salary requirement questions may be unnecessary. These questions are to address issues candidates fail to mention in an interview. They reveal how prepared a candidate is.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/twitter-epicninjadaboss/end-of-job-interview-questions/

SImple Iphone Hacks To Make Your Life Easier

Owning an IPhone means that you are free from all worries regarding technicalities that are usually found in a normal phone. It is true that having a device like IPhone is the coolest thing in today’s society. Furthermore, even though it is quite expensive but it offers extensive value to its user. That’s marketing 101; giving your customer a valuable product in order to satisfy their needs. However, we also come across some situations in which we get stuck while using an IPhone. It may concern the fact that we want to fix a disabled IPhone but do it without using iTunes or any simple factotum of making it work in an effective manner. How about getting to know some simple IPhone hacks to make your life easier? Lucky for you. I have compiled a list of some simple IPhone hacks which will make your lives convenient in a lot of ways. Take a look at the following hacks:

Fast Performance

Isn’t that something we will all love? What do we like about an IPhone? The fact that it never gets stuck. How about increasing its performance speed? In order to do that clear your Random Access Memory (RAM), after that come back on the home screen, hold the power button till the words Swipe to Power off Appears on the screen. Switch back to the home screen and hold for five seconds. It will do the job!

Extended Battery Life

This is something we have all experienced one way or the other. It can be easily tackled by going to Settings, then Battery and then set it on Low Power Mode (If your phone is running on iOS9 which has a lot of exciting features. By doing so, all the unnecessary tasks are disabled and you can get extended battery life up to four hours.

Erase Error While Typing

We all come across this issue one way or the other and it bugs us a lot. However, if you are an IPhone user you must know that if you make a mistake while typing you simply need to shake the phone from side to side to erase the written words and then start over. No harm right?

Keep IPhone From Restarting

You are in a middle of a very important task and your device reboots or restarts. All your valuable data if not saved is lost. That is really a bummer, right? However, in order to prevent this, you can easily keep your device from restarting by turning off the mobile data, reset the phone, get rid of a nonessential application, restore your phone on iTunes or get a new battery for your phone.

Save Time On Searches

We are all busy individuals and time is money for us. Quite often we find ourselves using the internet on our phones but get stuck with the slow speed of the internet. In order to save time on searches, IPhone offers you with the hack of holding the (period button) while typing an address to show a series of URL suffixes. Cool right?

Custom Vibrations

If you are an IPhone user it is most likely that you keep your phone on silent mode if you are at work or while you are sleeping. As its users, we always wanted to customize the buzzing of vibration as well. You can do that now! Go in contact, select any person and press edit. You will find a vibration option. After selecting that it will give you plenty of options to start off with, including the fact of creating your own new vibration! Happy buzzing!

Turn Off Costly Features

Money is dear to all of us. As an IPhone user; you would also get the convenience of turning off features that would be costing you tons of money. It can be easily done by going into the setting, then cellular and then switching off WiFi assist.

Save Date Allowance

IPhone may be an amazing device to use but one of the backward thing about it is that it comes with the built-in memory and does not have a memory card slot. In order to save your data allowance, it can be done by going to settings then mobile data where you can limit application access.

Turn Off Emergency Alerts

This is something that keeps you on track and works as a reminder for the things you might have forgotten. However for some people, it can be vice versa. In order to turn off emergency alerts to save yourself from the buzzing and blaring of sirens, it can be done by going to settings then notification and then switch off amber alerts and emergency alert.

Frequent Locations

IPhone offers you with the service of storing your visited location with the help of GPS. It can be done by going to settings then privacy, then location services and then system services in order to take a look at your frequent locations.

To put it into simple words there are tons of hacks and tips for an IPhone which can make your life much easier and simpler.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/zyanamorris/simple-iphone-hacks-to-make-your-life-easier/

Writing Essays With the Help of Modern Tools

Finding controversial ideas for your arguments

The topic of every essay will mostly be the main instructions for such an essay. This will require the essay writer to think about a couple of arguments which could be used to either prove or disprove the statement which is made by the title of that essay. Each of these arguments will have to be very well presented and they will have to provide proof as to why the essay writer believe those arguments to be true and valid. However in order to deliver a quality article, it will be helpful if the essay writer could find a few excellent ideas which will help him with the formulation of those arguments. This could be either very hard or very easy depending on the skills and talents of the essay writer. It is often seen that articles dealing with almost the same topic is beaten to death by essay writers and this could make it very difficult for the reader to really focus on the content which is presented. This is why fresh ideas which could be converted to convincing and interesting arguments will receive a lot more attention from readers and could result in better grades for the essay writer. In order to find fresh ideas, it might be necessary to consider the lesser known sources because it could be expected that most essay writers will go for the mainstream sources.

There are many sources available to essay writers

One of the best places to start is with educational institutions such as colleges and universities and things which should be considered is their websites and also their newsletters. Because they themselves are constantly requiring essays from students, they often are one of the best sources when it comes to fresh ideas which could be used for convincing arguments. It must just be remembered that a specific educational institution may be focusing on a specific study direction and therefore it will be best to visit a college or university which will be most likely to provide you with ideas on your specific topic. Nevertheless, they can be an interesting source of information when used correctly. There is also blogging sites such as those which is maintained by professional writers and they can be an excellent source of advice and other essay tips which could really help the student to produce interesting content. Many of these blogs belong to professional writing services and therefore they will address the issue of ideas for convincing arguments which can then be used in your essay. The fact remains that when a student remains innovative and persistent in their research it will always be possible to find ideas which could really help to write an exciting and satisfactory essay.

 
Alternative sources for essay writers

There are thousands of children busy with their school education and many of them share their experiences in online discussions. Over the years there are many sites which have been developed specifically to help schoolchildren were their homework and this includes projects which involve essay writing. These sites are fully aware of the kinds of essays which students is required to produce and therefore they will always have interesting ideas which could certainly be used to create very interesting arguments for your essay. They will even have guidelines on how to apply the best possible essay and they will also have numerous argument essay topics which could be used by students. There are many websites which have been created specifically as a source of information for essay writing and they will also have a whole range of interesting topics because they themselves understand how important a good topic will be in that essay writing project which a student has to produce.

The purpose of the argumentative essay

Whenever an argument is used in your essay the main purpose is to produce some information to your reader about certain points in your argument. Objectivity is very important because although it may be a persuasive essay, your goal should be to provide all the available information so that the reader will be able to come to a satisfactory conclusion. Although it is certainly true that a persuasive essay will contain strong personal opinions it should still be an objective exercise. When it comes to persuasive essays it is accepted that such an essay contains the views of the essay writer and it also provides a whole range of reasons why the essay writer believes that argument to be true. There is an endless list of topics which could be considered when choosing a topic for an essay. One of the safest options will always be to choose a topic which is of particular interest to you or something about which you are passionate. This will really help you to remain motivated and focused while writing that essay. With every essay topic, your first goal will be to answer the question which is being alluded to in the essay title and then provide convincing arguments as to why you believe that argument to be valid and truthful. Fortunately, there are many professional essays writing websites such as custom essay writing which will be more than able to assist students with their school projects.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/twitter-epicninjadaboss/writing-essays-with-the-help-of-modern-tools/

Top 5 Things New College Grads Should Do to Start the Job Search

Now that you’ve turned your tassel and received your degree, you have the chance to go out into the world and make something of yourself. It’s time to use all the skills you’ve been accumulating throughout high school and college as you enter the real world.

But before you get to show off your smarts, you need to land the job. As more and more qualified workers are graduating, this can be a tough task. How do you stand out from the rest of the crowd and find the job of your dreams? Read these tips to get started.  

 

• Define the parameters for your dream job

There are thousands of jobs available out there, which makes starting a job search incredibly daunting. To begin your search, you need to narrow down your expectations. Start by determining the field you want to work in. While this doesn’t necessarily have to exactly align with your college major, you should have some knowledge of the field and should have picked up transferable skills from your major. Once you know the field, determine where you want to work. Do you want to be in a big city at a large office, or in a smaller, more personal setting? Narrowing your search to a few types of environments and a few cities will help you get started.

 

• Determine your qualifications

Although you might be an enthusiastic, hard worker, your eagerness alone will only get you so far. The truth of the matter is, employers are looking for experience. Hopefully throughout college, you’ve had a few internships or student leadership roles that will help qualify you for a variety of entry-level positions. It’s important as you’re looking for roles that you are realistic about your skills and experiences to help ensure you’re applying for jobs within your reach. While applying for a job that recommends one to three years of experience isn’t a stretch, applying for a mid-level management job might be. With these two steps taken care of, you now should have a manageable set of jobs to apply for.

 

• Polish your application collateral

Before you even begin to apply for jobs, you should create a master resume of all of your experiences. A strong resume uses quantifiable data, strong action verbs, and consistency. Once you have your master resume, you can begin to tailor resumes for each job you are applying to. Choose experiences and bullet points that pair well with the position to show the employer how particularly well suited you are for this specific job. While most of your cover letters can follow a similar structure, it is important to still do what you can to cater them to each position as well. Look through the company’s website and social media platforms and reference some of their mission statements or goals you admire. Be sure you aren’t just regurgitating your resume, but rather, providing deeper information on who you really are and why you are a stellar fit for the job.

 

• Start networking

Networking can often be such a dreaded term, but it doesn’t have to be! While you may think of networking as just small talking, your network pool has multiplied now that you’ve just graduated. Talk to your friends who have found jobs and internships and see if their companies have any plans to expand. One of the best ways to get your foot in the door for a job is to be recommended by a current employee. Reach out to your alma mater’s job center and see if they can match you up with any alumni in your field. No lead is a waste, as everyone can have something of value to add.

 

• Be diligent

Searching for a job is no easy task, and it’s not going to happen in a week. Finding the right job may take months, but it’s worth the wait to find the job that fits you. Make a goal of how many jobs you will apply to each week and stick to that goal. You should also set up a tracking system to keep track of all the positions you apply to, so you know the appropriate times to follow up.  Remember: searching for a job is a full-time job in and of itself. Good luck!
Brittany Phillips is a contributing writer for Varsity Tutors, a live learning platform that connects students with personalized instruction to accelerate academic achievement.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/varsitytutors/top-5-things-new-college-grads-should-do-to-start-the-job-search/

How to Easily Create a Website – The Best Options for Startups

This is the age of the internet, so it’s not uncommon for people to Google you immediately after you introduce yourself. People ask if you have Facebook, Twitter or they might want your e-mail and website. Especially if you are performing some service. In case you are running a small business or blogging, you always want to attract more customers and readers.

There is no better way but to have your own website where you can manage your own content. Luckily, there are many easy ways to build your website, and here is some information you will find useful if you decide to build one.

You don’t have to know coding, HTML, CSS, or even know how use Flash to build your website. Online, you can find many solutions and tips on how to create website, all of which revolve around website building platforms also known as content management systems (CMS). These platforms are user-friendly and they provide you with everything you need to create your website and manage your own content.

Before you go out there and buy yourself a website builder, you have to take into account some reviews and experiences of real people. Look for and compare prices, ratings and features. Knowing all of this can help you choose the right tool for you. Here are some of the tools that can ease your way into world wide web.

Jimdo

This platform can help you to create your own place on the internet in just a few minutes. Jimdo’s free version covers all the things a beginner plans to and needs to achieve: Templates, Blog, Mobile View, Social Media, Photo galleries, Contact Forms and much more. For a reasonable price, you can unlock some features like PayPal Stores and newsletters, to keep in touch with your customers or website visitors.

Wix

Another great and free platform for creating websites, Wix’s moto “what you see is what you get” is exactly the thing they provide. Being based on Adobe Flash, it lets you build beautiful websites in no time. They offer many elegant and flashy templates that are customizable. This meets the needs of both bloggers and entrepreneurs. They also have a mobile tool that is great when it comes to building simple, mobile-optimized sites. Read up on the limits of Flash so that you can find out the functionality of this CMS.

Squarespace

Squarespace is platform that helps you create websites that are mobile-ready by default. By using this tool, you will be able to create beautiful galleries, professional blogs or very simple webpages. The creation process they’ve implemented lets you build intuitively, by just adding and arranging the elements and features you choose for your website. This is why this tool is very attractive for various users; photographers, bloggers, small business owners, artists, etc.

WordPress

This platform started back in 2003 and, since then, it has grown to be the largest self-hosted tool for blogging in the world. It offers complete customization and can be used for many purposes. If you want to be guided while building your website, you should visit wordpress.com, where you can get started with a free blog in no time. If you want access to a set of customization tools, you can download and install WordPress on your PC and go from there.

This is a more complicated process and will it require you to go through some WordPress tutorials. The skills that are explained in these tutorials are not hard to master and, by learning them, you can easily create unique websites with many features.

Strikingly

If you are aiming for a simple yet stylish design, Strikingly is the right building platform for you. It is very popular in the startup world. Strikingly’s team is keeping the platform updated on a regular basis, with many new functions and features to meet the needs of their client base. They have excellent customer support. You don’t need to know any code or have any design experience to edit and publish content when using this CMS.

As you can see, there are many tools that can help you get up and running in a matter of minutes. It all depends on your motivation and effort. Some of the tools are better for specific websites than others. Browse through them, get familiar with their potentials and, when you are ready to start, you can build a website so easily that you will be asking yourself: “Why did I think that I need to be expert to build a website?”

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/vladzivanovic/how-to-easily-create-a-website-the-best-options-for-startups/

5 Creative and Fun Jobs that Pay Well

You are probably already familiar with fact that lawyers, doctors and engineers are all professions who make serious money. You might’ve already considered these careers, but you simply can’t find yourself in those lines of work. Well, luckily, there are many opportunities out there to pursue, which will both be fun and fruitful.

Software Developer

If you like to be practical and have fun at the same time, software development is made just for you. Your task will be to design a database that supports your company’s applications or to oversee the complete development cycle of a software program. If you have interest in coding, don’t worry; having to supervise all programmers will give you plenty of opportunities to get familiar with many programming languages.

Coming up with solutions for ongoing problems both structurally and in detail requires creativity. You will be busting the myth that programmers sit alone at their workstations and code all day long. Well, a software developer always works in a team. You can meet new people that have different approaches to the same problems and constantly learn new things from your teammates.

Another thing is that you should not worry about your job disappearing; there are a lot of programs that still need to be developed and maintained.

Video Game Designer

If you love video games, there is no better way to stay in touch with them than becoming a video game designer. As the market grows, there will be more and more companies in the entertainment industry that are in need of a designer. Fortunately for you, you don’t even need to leave your home, because there are online game design remote classes that can help you learn from the comfort of your home. You can express your artistic side in this field of work like nowhere else. You can create fantasy worlds and storylines that other people can experience. Besides, many of video game companies are well-known for their fun work environment.

Photographer

This career path allows you to have a unique opportunity for self-employment. The flexibility and creativity this job allows you to embrace makes it one of the most fun jobs to be engaged in. Meet new people and see new places, capture memories and make them last for generations. These are all the things you “will have to do”. Seeing your clients’ eyes well up with happiness when they see the photos you have taken of their precious little ones is fun.

Not to mention that you’ll have access to all the new, cool gadgets that are highly addictive and fun to use. There are also photography techniques that make this job even more fun, like Panoramic Stitching, Pinhole, Long Exposure and Tilt-Shift Photography.

Ethical Hacker

Did you know that you can hack, or better, try to hack big companies’ computer network systems and software in order to identify security vulnerabilities for money? There is brand new, super fun career out there – Ethical Hacker. At first sight, these jobs can be seen as odd and weird, but the thrill and fun they bring are beyond imagining. Your employers could be big banks, postal offices, hospitals, governments or vehicle manufacturers.

Working for the government will get you security clearances that will enable you to see things some other professions can only dream about. You will be racing other hackers, trying to penetrate the system, which brings a lot of fun into the picture. On top of it all this, you can earn some serious money.

Blogger

Are you a writer? You can easily pursue a more creative career. There are opportunities out there in the waters of freelancing. Journalism, copy writing, travel writing, blogging; all of these require a writer’s creativity and they could spice up your job with some fun, at the same time providing you with a steady income.

Blogging can connect you with many people online. It’s always fun to read comments on your articles and find out that you have helped someone by inspiring them or giving them a fresh perspective. By having fun while blogging, you can change your life and express yourself in so many ways. Blogging definitely offers many possibilities that can be pursued. And, by being one of the most engaging careers out there, it certainly deserves its place on this list.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/ivandseo/5-creative-and-fun-jobs-that-pay-well/

Coloured Glass Splashbacks Give your Kitchen Personality

Creating a unique looking kitchen can be quite tricky. The reason for this is because most of us have been taught that smooth and shiny surfaces in the kitchen relate to clean and functional. However, adding some textural elements to your kitchen can add some much needed visual interest and make the room more appealing.

One of the trends that is currently sweeping the nation is adding coloured glass backsplash. There is a good reason why this trend is becoming so popular. Glass backsplashes are modern, sleek, and can be easily customized. In addition, they are inexpensive, low maintenance, extremely versatile, and can be cleaned easily.

No matter what style that you have, bold or classic, loud or neutral, the endless options available from a glass backsplash for hue, design, texture, and size, make it a beautiful addition for any kitchen. However, you may be wondering if this trend is right for you. Below you will find some information about the cost, appearance, and maintenance of this current home improvement trend that can help you determine if using coloured glass backsplash is something you want to do.

Cost

When starting any home improvement project one of the first things that most homeowners are concerned about is the cost. It is possible to complete this project yourself. If you choose to do it yourself you will need to consider the sourcing of the glass plates, how much the glass costs, colour and texture of the glass, and how you will affix the glass to your walls. Before installing the coloured glass backsplash you will need to clean your walls thoroughly.

There are several paint options that adhere to glass and the colour and size of the glass backsplash can be customized to meet your needs. The cost for materials will range from $19 to $35 per square foot.

While installing coloured glass backsplash on your own is an option, it is often a good idea to consider hiring a professional to do the installation for you. The reason for this is because working with glass can be difficult and these tiles can break while you are installing them. A professional will be able to make sure that each tile is installed correctly. In addition, while the cost of hiring a professional may be more up front, most contractors will be able to get a better price on materials, so the cost may even out in the long run.

Appearance

When choosing a colour for your glass backsplash it is a good idea to find options that will withstand the ebbs and flows of fashion. Do not make the mistake of choosing a coloured backsplash that looks great when it is installed, but when they go to sell their home it becomes an eyesore.

If you are looking to add some colour or to add a focal point, make sure that you choose a colour that you will still love in the years to come.

Maintenance

Perhaps the biggest reason this trend is so popular is because glass backsplash looks great and is easy to maintain. You can easily wipe the glass clean and glass will not get moldy or stain. This is a great feature to add behind your hood range or in the area around your sink.

To clean, use a soft bristled brush to avoid scratching the glass or damaging the grout.

Overall, if you are looking for a great way to add some pizazz to your kitchen, coloured glass backsplash just might be the perfect choice.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/neel-joshi/coloured-glass-splashbacks-give-your-kitchen-personality/

How Apps are Changing the Farming Industry

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In an increasing digital world, phone applications are making it easier than ever before for farmers to manage their fleets and farms. You might think that the rural agricultural society is the last place you would find these new technologies. However, Statista writes that by 2017 “over a third of the world’s population is projected to own a smartphonec, an estimated total of almost 2.6 billion smartphone users in the world.”  With nearly two thirds of Americans owning and using smart phones on a regular basis already, you’re probably not surprised to learn that these apps are gaining in popularity outside of urban centers to make daily tasks easier on farmers, staff, and drivers.

Phone applications are simplifying the many challenges that go along with growing a business. For small business owners especially, there are useful websites and phone applications that can make quick work of tedious tasks, while also getting us the advice and support we need to streamline our businesses within our start-up budgets.

With less room in budgets for full time staff to handle important tasks, simple apps can work like part-time personal assistants, simplifying processes and keeping us focused.

Here are a few apps that make light work of chores and are changing the farming and transport landscape for the better:

Equipment check

Farmers and other equipment operators can use apps like the Heavy Equipment Inspection App by Fulcrum to conduct their periodic inspections of any equipment and machinery. It eliminates the need to drag out a camera and laptop. Using their mobile phones or tablets, inspectors fill out customizable forms that cover each major system and component, being sure to indicate all damages, malfunctions, or other problems in the equipment performance.

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Once the form is complete it’s saved on the device and both an Excel file and PDF are generated. The files can then be shared with other team members via email or text, uploaded to cloud storage systems (like Drop Box and Google Drive), or printed.

The Heavy Equipment Inspection App is also a useful tool when considering any used equipment for purchase. It’s a valuable resource that helps a farmer thoroughly evaluate potential machinery and other items.

Driving apps

For those that need to transport feed or animals long distances, there are a variety of apps that can be used to plan routes, calculate fuel and rest breaks, and track inclement weather changes. These apps make it easier for long haul truck drivers to choose the most convenient and economical route, saving idle time and fuel.

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The Trucker Tools app provides many of these features. This makes the driving life for full time and interstate truckers easier and safer. The most used features of the app include; calculated distances and directions to the nearest rest areas and truck stops, accurate real time fuel prices for all states, fuel optimizing tips and routes, and other quick information about any route closures or restrictions.

Invasive Species Apps

There are other apps that are helping government agencies and other farmers pay heed to changes in the local plant and animal life. A new app called SEEDN helps farmers report outbreaks of plants like the kudzu vine (also known as “the vine that ate the South”) and other invasive species. This aids government agencies in tracking and combatting these infestations before they get out of hand.

 

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This app is a powerful tool workers can use to report invasive species of animals, insects, or plants. Once spotted, farmers can submit their observations using their smartphones, and upload the report to the Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS). The app also emails their observations to local and state verifies for review. The SEEDN app only covers the southeastern United States; however, the creators also have an Early Detection Network app for the Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes areas, and hope to develop more.

Mobile phone applications are driving changes in the farming and trucking industries. Not only are they making all aspects of farming easier and more efficient, but many applications are also aiding environmental efforts, saving idle time, and making the industry a safer and healthier place for all its workers.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/zyanamorris/how-apps-are-changing-the-farming-industry/

Keeping Your Cardiovascular System Healthy: 4 Easy Tips to Follow

Staying healthy is trend that is becoming very popular everywhere in the world. The main reason for this is the fact that many people stay tangled up in their everyday responsibilities and they forgot how important it is to stay healthy. One of the worldwide recognized problem is a variety of different cardiovascular problems that people are experiencing because of this type of lifestyle.

Even though medicine has greatly developed and there are many non-surgical cardiovascular treatments, it is best that you stay focused on following several tips that are going to keep your cardiovascular system healthy.

Eat better

As our whole lives have become much faster, so has the way we eat food. There are simply too many things that we shouldn’t eat, yet, somehow, at the end of the day, the majority of them are being processed in our stomach. Many people believe that eating healthy food requires a lot of attention, but this is actually not true. The basic principles of high quality nutrition revolve around avoiding refined sugar, as it has various bad effects on our bodies, it should be completely excluded from nutrition of all the people around the world.

The natural sugars coming from fruit are enough for your body. Besides avoiding sugar, the nutrition should include food that is low in fat. Sugar and fat are two big enemies of our whole cardiovascular systems, so make sure that you lower the consumption of these two things and substitute them with regular intake of omega oil in your body. It offers great benefits for your heart.

 

Physical activity

Physical activity is a very important part of keeping your cardiovascular system healthy. Good nutrition is simply not going to provide all the benefits if you are sitting all day. A sedentary position slows down your metabolism and does not give your body the chance to take in all the nutrients that you are providing. This is why it is very important to keep the blood flowing by performing physical activities regularly.

You can start going to the gym, or start a workout plan that relies only on exercises including your bodyweight or you could start jogging or cycling, there are literally endless options that are at your disposal. One of great activities for the whole cardiovascular system is also swimming, so if you are someone who likes water, this should become your favorite activity. All you need is three workouts per week, so if you were worried about time, this is not that big of a time investment.

 

Establish a sleeping pattern

No matter how busy you are throughout the day, you can always establish a sleeping pattern that is going to allow you to sleep for 7 to 8 hours a day. Being sleep deprived for a longer period of time can cause serious health problems, and it is also bad for your cardiovascular system. This is why it is necessary to plan out your sleep schedule, as it is going to keep you more energized and ready for your usual daily tasks while helping you stay healthy. If you are having trouble sleeping, you can take several steps that will help you sleep better.

 

Get rid of alcohol and cigarettes

These two things are the great enemies of the whole cardiovascular system. If you truly want to keep it healthy, you should definitely avoid drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes. These two bad habits are responsible for creation of numerous diseases. They are particularly responsible for the wide range of cardiovascular diseases.

If you are a smoker or someone who drink regularly, you should definitely stop doing these things, as you are bringing a lot of damage to your whole body. People believe that stopping smoking or drinking is something that is hard to do, but it is not so. Simply replace the activity with another, healthier habit. You are going to feel the benefits in just a matter of days.

As blood is the fuel that powers our whole body, it is necessary that you keep your cardiovascular system healthy. Following these easy tips is going to ensure that you never have to face a cardiovascular disease. So, if you are not already relying on these tips, it is time to start doing it.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/alexf/keeping-your-cardiovascular-system-healthy-4-easy-tips-to-follow/

5 Crucial Benefits of Prenatal Care

After learning about their pregnancy, many future mothers immediately go shopping for baby clothes and start decorating the nursery, while forgetting to schedule a prenatal appointment with their obstetrician. They are so excited and happy about the fact that they are going to have a baby that they simply think everything is going to be just fine and that they can visit their doctor later.

However, while preparing your home for a new baby is completely normal, what’s more important is preparing your body for a nine month journey. Therefore, receiving good prenatal care as soon as you find out you are pregnant is of the utmost importance for both your and your baby’s health.

Having great prenatal care will not only help you get answers to all of the possible questions you may have, but it will also help you build a relationship with your obstetrician and help you feel more comfortable and confident before you go into labor. Prenatal care offers several benefits that are crucial for you and your baby, so take a look at what those benefits are.

 

Reduced Risk of Pregnancy Complications

 

Although almost every pregnancy turns out to be perfectly normal for the entire time, you never know when some kind of a complication might occur. Good prenatal care ensures you and your baby remain perfectly fine and healthy during your entire pregnancy, since any potential health problems may be detected during your regular check-ups with your doctor. It goes without saying that detecting them on time is crucial for dealing with them effectively and successfully.

Prenatal care can help you potentially detect anaemia and gestational diabetes, as well as pre-eclampsia, and it is crucial to detect those early so that proper treatment can take place. This is one of the main reasons why prenatal care is essential for a healthy pregnancy and its main benefit is that it helps you greatly reduce the risk of any potential complications during pregnancy.

 

An Insight into Your Baby’s Development

 

By having regular prenatal care visits with your obstetrician, you will always know how your baby is doing and how its development and growth is progressing. The speed of your baby’s growth can tell a lot about your baby’s physical development and can be a significant indicator of how it is doing inside your womb.

During your prenatal care check-ups, your OB will measure your belly, which will show exactly how much your little baby is growing. Needless to say, ultrasounds will immensely help in learning about your baby’s growth and overall development and it is absolutely essential that you have an ultrasound on a regular basis.

 

Nutritional Information for Following a Healthy Diet

 

This is another very important benefit of receiving good prenatal care. Your doctor will provide you with all the necessary information regarding proper nutrition in order for you and your baby to stay healthy during the entire period of nine months.

Your doctor will tell you what you should and should not eat during your pregnancy and it’s important to remember that you do not have to eat for two. That is a complete myth, since you only need about 300 extra calories a day in order to provide both yourself and your baby with all the necessary food and vitamins.

 

Opportunity to Take Certain Very Important Tests

 

Prenatal care can provide you with an opportunity to take some tests that are very important for detecting certain problems that can’t be detected any other way. Your obstetrician may schedule certain tests depending on your medical and family history, as well as your age.

For instance, your OB may schedule a test called amniocentesis, which can help detect potential genetic abnormalities, such as Down syndrome, as well as detect a potential uterine infection or check your baby’s lungs. There are a lot of other prenatal tests that you may need to take, but they are only available if you have proper prenatal care.

 

Learning Everything about Labor and Delivery

 

It is very important that you learn everything there is to know about labor and prenatal visits with your OB can help you get all of your questions answered by a professional. During your prenatal check-ups, you can discuss everything you want with your doctor, including labor and delivery procedures, potential scenarios and any concern you may have.

You should feel free to ask your doctor anything you want and learn all about potential risks that may happen during pregnancy or labor, and learn about all the benefits of each and every treatment available.

Regular prenatal care is extremely important for every future mother and her baby, so make sure you schedule an appointment with the best obstetrician as soon as possible and receive the best possible care.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/vladzivanovic/5-crucial-benefits-of-prenatal-care/

5 Ways to Fight DDoS Attacks

In any online endeavor, one of the most concerning prospects is being the victim of a DDoS attack. This form of attack can debilitate your online presence for days or even weeks at a time if not managed correctly. In this article, we’ll look at how you can identify and deal with a DDoS attack.

What Is a DDoS Attack?

 

Image via Flickr via Katy Levinson

A DDoS, or “Distributed Denial of Service,” attack is when a hacker or group of hackers intentionally overload the bandwidth of a website to shut down service to legitimate users. This is typically done through a “botnet,” a system of computers hijacked via malicious software. Each of the computers on the botnet attempt to constantly send and receive the maximum amount of data possible, eclipsing the server’s capacity.

Various major sites — including the BBC, the Church of Scientology, Amazon, Yahoo, Microsoft, and the Department of Defense — have been taken down by major DDoS attacks. So how can you manage if this happens to you? Here are the vital steps.

1. Create a Response Plan for Emergencies

Being prepared is key. After reviewing the items on this list and doing your own research to learn more about today’s online security threats, put together a comprehensive emergency response plan that covers all the major scenarios. Speed of response is vital for a DDoS, so simply knowing what to do will reduce the damage of the attack dramatically.

2. Know Who to Call

It’s useful to have a dedicated server expert who works as the authority should anything go wrong. This person would also be best equipped to identify abnormalities in your traffic. If you don’t run your own server, the key here is knowing who to call in case of emergency, how to get the fastest response, and how reliable your host company’s response is.

3. Know How to Identify Threats Early

Every DDoS starts out as a sudden increase in traffic, and the key is identifying malicious as opposed to legitimate traffic. If you run your own server, you can evaluate how your current traffic matches up to your traffic profile by using either “flow analytics” (a slower but simpler solution) or “in-path mitigation” (a quicker, more comprehensive, but more costly approach).

4. Set Aside Excess Bandwidth

Since a DDoS relies on overloading your bandwidth, the best preventive measure you can take is ensuring that you have bandwidth to spare. In addition to reducing the damage of the attack, this will also give you more space in which to recognize and deal with the attack before it affects your legitimate visitors.

5. Use Defensive Filters and Settings

Since DDoS attacks use thousands of partial connections to your site and massive download/upload attempts, you can use server filters that time out partial connections more rapidly and reject data packets that go beyond credible limits for your site’s typical data transfer. You will still need to shut down the attack after it starts, but these filters can delay the damage and give you the time for a comprehensive response.

The digital era has brought many opportunities as well as countless new dangers. The dangers, however, can be understood and overcome. By following the steps above, you can protect your online properties against attacks.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/sambradford/5-ways-to-fight-ddos-attacks/

How HR Software Affected Hiring Process

Recruiting and hiring has never been easier. In the old days, it was pretty difficult to gather information on potential employees. Nowadays, with the rise of the internet, various types of useful information are easily accessible. For instance,  big data is a huge collection of information that anyone can use to generate reports on applicants , and it is a result of the fact that, today, not leaving a digital footprint  is virtually impossible. To illustrate, credit card companies track every single purchase you make and each time you scan a reward card at a store, they know.

Human Resource (HR) software and applicant tracking software have become integral elements of the hiring process. They reduce the hiring manager’s obligations, because they are automating tasks which had to be done manually. Furthermore, such software enhances the quality of work that these managers do, as they standardize the hiring process and make it more efficient.

Numbers never lie

According to a recruiting software impact report from last year, 75% of recruiters use some kind of applicant tracking software. Out of those 75%, 94% state that software has enhanced hiring process, while only around 5% claim that the usage of software negatively affected their business.  Out of all software users, around 27% use it for internal hiring, while the remaining 73% are staffing firms.

When it comes to the hiring role of software users, around 53% are recruiters, 38% are talent managers and 9% have other roles at their organizations. So, it is clear that HR software has significantly improved the hiring process.

The human resources departments are changing

An HR expert, Tim Sackett, states that HR software is changing human resources departments because their price is so low that any HR shop can afford to have this sort of technology. HR software is extremely efficient as it eliminates a multitude of administrative tasks. So, HR professionals need to become much more strategic and organizations have to hire the ones that are on a higher level. Professionals who are comfortable with doing the administrative work are no longer needed.

Another expert in the field, Jon Ingham says that thanks to HR software, the strategic and transactional parts of any organization’s HR architecture can be clearly defined. The transactional part should just be delivered by a well-organized system, while the strategic part is more important and complicated and may need an upgrade on top of the existing platform.

Bryan Wempen, CEO of Assessment Research and Development (ARD) claims that at some point in the future, HR will become a function of Finance and Marketing departments, primarily because these two are more linked with income strategy and execution.

The benefits of HR software

Remote recruiting, for example, has become easier because it is now digitized and enables employers to find qualified employees wherever. Therefore, organizations have a wider pool of candidates and they can track down top talents, instead of settling with hardly qualified applicants. Because of transparency, employees can effortlessly search for information about a certain company.

Collaborative hiring is now enhanced, as it is much simpler for managers and HR professionals to review applications and profiles, to add feedback and move the candidate onto the next step. Also, certain types of software enable employers to view analytics which can provide them with precise information about past hires, present performance and turnover data. As a result they can make better decision when hiring in the future and thus improve company’s retention rates, productivity and efficiency.

HR software can be crucial for a company’s growth

After considering numerous upsides and small number of downsides of HR software, any organization that has such a possibility should take advantage of it. It can be used it to cut down on expenses, as well as to find the best possible candidates, who can, in the future, take such an organization to the very top.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/marcusjensen/how-hr-software-affected-hiring-process/

5 Easy-To-Do Seasonal Jobs for a Lazy Summer

Another hot summer is on the horizon, and you’ve just decided to take a couple of months off your college schedule and to prolong your narcissistic millennial status a bit longer? As much as the prospect of being lazy all the way to Labor Day is blissfully exciting, there’s always a catch – in order to keep doing nothing at all, you’ll need a couple of bucks to support you during the summer.

Here are some suggestions for easy-to-do seasonal jobs that require nothing but a laptop and an email address, both of which you already have in your lazy summer arsenal.

 

1. Errand Boy

With responsible white collars running around everywhere these days, a virtual assistant has become the next big career feat for the underdogs. For each lazy millennial out there, there’s a successful go-getter that needs a little help with juggling all that research and bookings. Suggest outsourcing those tedious and time-consuming tasks to you, and they’ll be more than happy to do it.

To stay in the same niche, but work with even less responsibility, try joining one of the errand services for elderlies. Usually, they provide help to those physically unable to perform everyday tasks by sending young and willing people to their houses – practically, you’ll be doing their shopping, paying their bills, taking care of their pets or taking their clothes to the dry-cleaner’s.

Another alternative is to freelance as a classic errand boy. If you own a car, you can set up an offer to do late-night shopping and deliveries for those unenthusiastic about leaving their couch once the Game of Thrones marathon begins.

 

2. Tour Guide

If you’re looking to earn some pocket money, but are still not eager enough to launch a career and wear a uniform, a tour guide might possibly be the job of your dreams. Especially lucrative for those living in metropolises and taking pride in being tireless roamers, this job will allow you to keep exploring your home city, meet interesting newcomers and get paid for having a nice time.

Simply promote yourself as a local expert through one of the websites designed for providing informal and helpful tips for travelers and outline an original route that will introduce visitors to all of the amazing urban hotspots in your city.

 

3. Videographer/Photographer

When the summer is especially sluggish, why not take some time to explore your talents and potentially get paid in the process? With new fancy gadgets and high-definition cell phone cameras, the expensive professional gear once needed for filmmaking is no longer a requirement for video-production jobs.

Nowadays, all you need is a sharp eye – if your creativity has been recognized before, you can start your summer career on nothing but that. Naturally, you’ll need to refine your raw talent with a few online tutorials, but apart from that, nothing can restrain your creativity.

 

4. Blogger

For some time now, we have been living our lives in both the virtual and the real world, which is why blogging is the ultimate form of expressing yourself in the online community, and with a unique attitude and some luck, earn a couple of bucks. If you tend to spend the summer laying around and reading, consider starting a blog and voicing your opinions on all of the books you’ve red.

Basically any leisure activity you were planning to enjoy can be translated in the form of a virtual diary – cooking, traveling, fashion and photography blogs have already conquered the web, and those are all activities each of us undertake on a daily basis.

Do some research and learn more about starting a blog and building a followership – being the ultimate job of the millennia, blogging is studied as it is easy and fun, and with a little help from your predecessors, you’ll certainly manage to launch your own virtual notebook.

 

5. Online tutor

In case your academic achievements have been substantial so far, and you simply need a little off-time, you can definitely find a way of reimbursing for all of those all-nighters and long studying hours you’ve been so diligent about over the past few years. Besides, you certainly know a couple of fellow students that need some help preparing their exams for the fall – contact them and offer them a deal of intellectual exchange, consultation and creative input.

With numerous video chat and voice call services available online, you can now provide them help during the late-night studying sessions or even put out a word about your tutoring skills through social media and offer assistance to the students from foreign countries.
With so many earning possibilities the digital age provides, staying idle during the summer months is no longer unachievable. Simply take an hour or two of your day, offer them to those in need of some help, and they will certainly pay off! That way, you can spend most of your time rewarding yourself with some quality leisure time, and even buy a nice drink to cool off.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/vladzivanovic/5-easy-to-do-seasonal-jobs-for-a-lazy-summer/

Family Bonds: 5 Tips to Get Your Family Closer than Ever

Modern society and its hectic lifestyle are making very little room for family values – it seems like you either have to devote your full time to taking care of your family or do the complete opposite, and no one is trying to be in the middle and be moderate.

There is enough time for everything, and the fact is that each family member has their own daily schedules that need to be followed. As a parent, you don’t have to insist on spending a lot of your time during the day together, because quantity isn’t what we’re after here, but quality.

However, if you feel like your family members have drifted apart you probably don’t know where to start. When confronted with similar issues I managed to solve them by using the following three tactics, which work best when combined.

 

Get Involved

Yes, I know that time simply passes you by day after day, but that’s not really a good excuse. Everyone is in such a hurry that they’ve stopped genuinely caring for the people around them, and that’s no way to live a family life.

Just imagine what you could do if you only got a bit more involved. You don’t even have to be pushy – you just need to show you care by asking your family members about their day, how they’ve been recently and do they need a hand with something.

Within the circle of family, as in society in general, people respond to positivity and initiative. Bonding shouldn’t be forced and done superficially – it can and should be done slowly and subtly, so just be patient and polite, and take your time.

 

Travel

The strongest bonds are made by going through new experiences and learning new things, and as far as I’m concerned, the best way to do this is traveling. Learning about another culture and their ways is a healthy way for a family to grow together and bond through all kind of situations, and do so in both convenient and inconvenient ones.

The fact is not all families have enough funds to travel whenever they feel like it, but if you do open a savings account specifically for this cause and save money throughout the whole year, I’m sure you’ll be able to go to a nice destination and have some family fun.

 

Outdoor Activities

Going camping, organizing picnics or simply spending some time in your backyard is a really awesome way to bond with your family. You can play sports together, take care of your garden, simply enjoy the nice weather or explore new ways to have fun outdoors – whatever you choose, rest assured that it will be an incredibly efficient bonding activity, and the great thing about it is that you’ll all get to spend some time in nature.

 

DIY Projects

Devoting your family time to DIY projects isn’t just an amazing bonding method, it’s also a great way to save money. Being handy and able to fix minor problems around the house is very important for both boys and girls, and helping them learn to take things into their own hands is a very important step towards becoming truly independent in adulthood.

You should start with small projects, of course, and my suggestion is to conduct minor repairs on your furniture, for starters. Once you all become confident in your DIY skills, you should combine your forces and make a treehouse that the whole family can enjoy.

 

Board Games

This one is my favorite – there’s so many positive things kids can subtly learn through board games and probably the most important one of them is sharing. I don’t know when was the last time you walked into a store that sells board games – if you haven’t been to one recently I’m sure you will be surprised with the diversity available today. Anyway, I’m sure you will have a lot of fun picking out and later playing a board game as a family.
None of the things I mentioned above are difficult or overwhelming – all you really have to do is enjoy an activity with your family members and everything else will fall in its proper place if you just give it enough time.

 

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/ivandseo/family-bonds-5-tips-to-get-your-family-closer-than-ever/