#if i start with a 1 min audio i will stop at 30 seconds

[wolfythewitch]

I have the curse of starting animatics and doing 1-2 minutes before losing motivation or getting busy and then losing motivation after LMAO

[pinkthrone445]

-Let it burn to the ground- Part 4

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Pairing:Melissa Schemmenti x Reader

Gender:fluf, Mel being soft, soft, love, soft sex

Warnings:Mention about past trauma, fires, injuries, soft lovely sex, SMUT, soft smut for your sinful but delicate souls

Summary:Melissa lets the fire of love consume her when she meets the new chief of the fire station.

Your day out with your family, son and Mel ended better than expected.

-"Mama! Mama! MAMA!" - Your child screamed with excitement as you changed him

-"Yes baby?" - You asked as you took off his pajamas and put on his football jersey

-"Who is going to see the game today?" - He asked with a big smile moving his little feet excitedly

-"Me, your two aunties, your abu, your nana and Melissa" - You whispered, adjusting his socks

-"Melissa?" - He asked, lost and thinking for a few seconds-"Miss Schementti?" - He asked curiously and you nodded looking at his little face

-"It's that okay? I invited her" - You asked with a slight wrinkle in your nose, you were going to check with him if it was okay for Melissa to go, it was his game after all. But when you came home from work, your sister had already bathed him and he had fallen asleep after eating, so you didn't got the chance

-"Yes mama, I like seeing that you have new friends too, and I like Melissa... Besides, I want everyone to be there when they give us the medal! When we win! Or lose...they give us a medal anyways... But I want everyone there! "-He said excited, making you laugh and you hugged him after putting on his soccer shoes

-"You are the most perfect boy" - You whispered kissing his forehead-"Does your hair bother you on your face to play? Do you want me to tie it up?" - You asked and he shook his head smiling - "Okey then, go to the bathroom while I finish your breakfast" - You responded by getting out of bed where you were sitting and headed to the kitchen while he ran to the bathroom.

While cooking the scrambled eggs, you grabbed your phone and sent an audio message to Melissa

-"Good morning Mel, we will pick you up in like 30 min. Chris is excited that you will be there... And I'm exited about it too. See you soon"-You sent the audio and served breakfast for you and your child along with orange juice. The redhead send you a picture of herself using a Philly's t-shirt with the caption "ready to cheer", you smiled and send her a heart, putting your phone in your pocket. The little boy came running back smiling and sitting down in his high chair-"Did you wash your hands?" - You asked, and he nodded, showing you his hands that were dripping with water-"Good, but next time remember to dry too" - You laughed and sat down to eat together.

After eating, brushing your teeth and a quick stop at the bathroom again. You put your son in his car seat and drove to the redhead's house, honking twice to let her know you'd arrived. Almost immediately the redhead walked out locking the house with her purse on her shoulder, smiling more than you'd seen her smile on other occasions. She got in the car in the passenger seat and turned to look at your son

-"Hi Chris! Look!" - She showed him the back of the T-shirt she was wearing, the front was a regular Philly T-shirt, but the back Melissa had sewn the name "Christian" next to a No. 1. Your child screamed with excitement moving his little feet that were hanging very happily.

The interaction filled your heart with joy

-"Look mama! Look how cool!" - Your son clapped his hands and you laughed

-"That's very sweet, thank you Mel..."- You took her and and gave her a little peck making her smile-"When did you get the time to do that?" - You asked sincerely surprised and she laughed squeezing your hand gently

-"Last night as soon as I got home, after your CPR class" - She replied and you smiled at her thanking her again starting the car to go to the field where they would play.

As soon as all the children arrived at the camp, they were put to do warm-up exercises while the families settled in their places. Mel sat next to you smiling, your family hadn't arrived yet

-"Of all the sports in Philly and the great teams we have, why did you put it to do football?" - The redhead asked and you laughed looking at her

-"Before we moved he played soccer with his friends, his dad was the referee of a big fútbol team were we lived, Chris was barely a toddler back then but he loved playing with his dad and to this day he still likes playing football, I think somehow it makes him feel close to him... So he wanted to keep playing football here..."-You whispered watching them run

-"That's sweet"-Mel whispered looking at you

-"It's also very funny to watch them play, they spend more time on the floor than behind the ball, they look like mini drunk people" - You commented and the redhead laughed with you.

When the match started Mel rested her head on your shoulder and you held her hand without saying anything, making small circles in the palm of her hand, enjoying the silence and how natural it felt.

In the middle of the game your son had his body covered with so much mud that you could barely see the number of his shirt, you would swear that they would lie on the ground on purpose to look dirtier.

Before the halftime whistle blew, your child scored a goal and Melissa immediately stood up screaming with more excitement than you. When the kids were given a break, your son ran up to you with open arms giving you a big hug, excited because he had made a point, when he let go of you, he immediately went to hug Mel just as hard, before you could realize that he had smeared you both with mud.

-"Did you see me? I kicked like a rocket!" - Your son asked both of you, kicking in the air imitating the great asaña of previous moments

-"You were amazing kiddo!" - Mel encouraged him and he smiled a lot more

-"You are great baby, do you want to eat something?" - You inquired and he nodded but also pointed behind you

-"First I'm going to say hi to my abu and aunties!" - Your little one ran two steps up and you blushed at the sight of your sisters and mother, you hadn't realized they'd arrived

-"Hi mom, hi sis" - You said a little embarrassed - "She is Melissa... A friend..."-You whispered blushing and Melissa smiled as she stretched out her hand to your mother

-"Hi, nice to meet you all" - The redhead greeted cordially under the gaze of your family

-"Nice to meet you too" - One of your sisters replied and you looked at them

-"At what point did you arrive that I didn't see you? Why didn't you sit next to me as usual?" - You asked with a frown

-"Maybe you didn't realize we got here because your attention was on someone else..."-One of your sisters responded, staring at the redhead

-"We didn't wanted to interrupt your concentration" - Your other sister replied and you rolled your eyes. Your little one looked at them all, confused by the tension

-"Abu! Did you saw my goal? Did you like it?" - Your son asked, and you sighed gratefully that he had changed the subject of conversation

-"I love it baby, it was amazing!" - Your mother replied and your son smiled excitedly. While he entertained your family, you brought out the sandwich you had made and the orange slices for your little one. He ate while talking excitedly about the game and his teammates.

Mel took your hand gently and careful not to let others notice

-"Are you okay hon? You seem a little tense..."-she whispered, looking at you worriedly

-"Yes... They are a little bit much sometimes, sorry... I promise you this wasn't a plan to corral you into meeting my family. I knew they were coming, but I didn't think they'd care that I brought a friend. Sorry" - You apologized and she smiled

-"Everything is okay, don't worry" - Mel whispered

When the whistle blew again, the children returned to play the last part of the game. In the end, the children ended in a tie and gave their medals to everyone.

Your son hugged you again, filling your shirt with mud

-"Mama are we going to the cinema?" - He asked excitedly and you nodded, it was a tradition at this point, every time he played an important game like this, you went to the movies afterwards-"Can everyone come? Mel and the aunties too?"- He asked, making puppy eyes at you so you wouldn't tell him not to that

-"Sure baby, but first we will go home to change the t-shirts, because you have clothes to change, but Mel and I have mud on our t-shirts and have no clothes to spare" - You replied and he nodded happily

-"Christian! Are you going with us to eat ice cream?!" - One of his teammate' kid asked your son and he looked at you smiling excitedly, asking without saying a word if he could go

-"You can go baby, but choose what you want to do, eat ice cream or go to the movies" - You answered and he sighed

-"It can't be both?" - He whispered sadly. Your sister looked at you knowing what you were going to answer, you were going to make him choose so he could learn a lesson, but what are the aunts for if not to fulfill whims?

-"Sis, why don't you and Melissa go to change while we take him for ice cream with the other kids? When he finishes the ice cream we'll go home and we all go to the movies. What do you think?" - Your sister offered and your son smiled from ear to ear excitedly waiting for you to say yes, you rolled your eyes smiling and nodded

-"We will see you at home" - You answered and kissed your child's forehead.

Once in the car, you and Mel agreed that you would lend her a t-shirt, so you went straight to your house.

When she arrived, Melissa began to look at the photos of the house, in most of them you were with your husband and your son, she knew that your husband had passed away, but the fact that he was still so present made her feel something that she did not know how to describe it.

-"Melissa follow me, I've got clothes in my room" - You muttered as you went upstairs and she followed. When you got to the room she sat on your bed while you went through your closet

-"Your room is gorgeous, smells like you" - Mel murmured and you smiled as you looked at her over your shoulder

-"Thank you... Do you like this one?" - You offered her a comfy shirt and a tank top, you knew her stile. She smiled and nodded taking the clothes off your hands.

As Mel changed, you took off your shirt too, but when Mel gasped, your face turned red knowing very well why it was

-"God! Honey..."-Her hand rested on your back and you couldn't help the way your body shook-"What happened?..."-Asked. On your back and shoulder you had a big scar from a big burn from a big fire, usually you left it covered but you felt so comfortable with her that you had completely forgotten about it

-"I'm sorry for showing this... I forgot for a moment" - You whispered and her soft hands caressed your arms standing behind you

-"Do you want to tell me how happened?" - she whispered in your ear and you sighed

-"One day an illegal factory caught fire and the station came to help but it was a difficult situation, as it was illegal, no one had plans of the place and it was in precarious conditions, plus we did not know how many people there were. When we thought everyone had left, we heard screams through the walls so we went back inside. When we found the person, the fire cornered us and the man who was there became desperate and tried to get out of the window, but when oxygen came in, a huge explosion was caused. I was working with my husband at the time and he threw himself on top of me to cover me from the fire and explosion... A part of my back was exposed to fire and I burned myself like this... Chris's dad didn't survive... I made it out alive but he didn't, I felt that a part of me also died there... And the scar is a big reminder of that"-You whispered trying not to get into the details because you knew you'd start crying and it would be hard to stop. Mel kissed your shoulder softly

-"I'm so sorry... How come I didn't notice this when you were at my house?" - she whispered, hugging you from behind, resting her bare chest on your back

-"Because I never took my shirt off, I only opened the buttons" - You whispered and she continued kissing your back and shoulder, tracing the edge of the scar

-"I'm sorry you went through that... You are so strong... You are a hero" - She commented and you blushed for the soft words and kisses- "You have been taking care of Chris almost alone... You have been taking care of everyone even putting your life at risk... You are amazing" - The redhead commented, and her hands caressed your abdomen gently

-"Mel... You make me blush" - You whispered with a nervous laugh, you felt so exposed

-"It's okay, it's just me... Nothing to worry about" - Her soft hands scratched your abdomen delicately-"You don't know how crazy you drive me... You are just perfect in every way" - The woman gave a small bite on the shoulder that had no scar and kissed the one that did have the mark. Her hands undid your pants and her chest clung tighter to you, brushing against her body making you shiver as you felt her standing nipples on you back

-"Mel, they could be here at any moment" - You whispered nervously

-"I'll fast, I promise... Besides kids eat slow, we have plenty of time... Just let me take care of you..."-she whispered in your ear making you shiver. She carefully took a few steps back walking towards the bed, making you sit up and she stood behind you hugging your waist and resting her chin on your shoulder-" Can I have a kiss? "-She whispered in your ear making you laugh softly, carefully you turned your head to kiss her over your shoulder, relaxing under her soft lips. One of her hands landed on your neck pressing gently making you sigh on her lips, when you opened your mouth the redhead took the opportunity to claim your mouth with her tongue, unlike the previous time, you let her dominate the kiss now. The redhead's free hand began to lift your underwear to sneak her hand inside gently, her fingertips brushing against your mount, resting on your outer lips made you feel electricity from your fingertips to behind your eyes. A sigh from the center of your interior came out of your mouth, it had been a long time since anyone had touched you with such patience and delicacy. You couldn't help but close your eyes and let your head fall back to rest on her shoulder, action that made her smile, she took advantage of the new position and kissed your forehead smiling. When a whimper left your mouth for the lack of movement she laughed softly. She carefully parted your outer lips to insert one of her fingers further in, gently caressing your cliroris, while with her other hand she began to play with your breast.

Your body tensed up a bit from the new or renewed sensations you were feeling and she came closer to you, sharing her body warmth with you, letting you feel her body throbbing against your back and her breathing a little heavier than normal

-"Relax, just enjoy, you are safe with me... If you want me to stop I will, just tell me to stop... Do you want me to stop?" - She whispered, caressing your cliroris, in gentle circles, you shook your head, placing your hand on top of hers, who was massaging your breasts to make her squeeze tighter. Mel smiled and ran her fingers over your inner lips, collecting your juices on her fingers and drawing different shapes around your entrance, you couldn't help it and started moving your hips at the same pace as her fingers.

Melissa leaned more on the bed and was almost sitting up against your pillows, settling your body on top of hers to have better access to your entrance despite your pants. You spread your legs further apart and one of your hands ended up on the back of her head so you could play with her soft locks in your hands.

Faced with the new position and comfort, one of her fingers easily slipped into you making you moan a little loudly, surprising you and her. The redhead started pumping in and out of you, pulling relaxed but needy sounds out of you. Your hand started playing with your free chest and you pulled her hair a little with your other hand. Mel tried to stick a second finger in and was met with a bit of resistance, but after a gentle, consistent press, she went in with ease making sure not to hurt you.

In the face of the new pressure, your walls began to hug her fingers and your movements became more erratic. The redhead quickened her speed, listening as the bed gently tapped and hit against the wall and your breath turned into short pufs.

Hypnotized by the way your breasts were retreating and your abdomen was contradicting, the redhead continued with surprising speed, your hand automatically went to your mouth to cover your moans but she grabbed it and caught it with her free hand

-"Don't get shy on me princess, you are doing so good" - Mel whispered in your ear biting your earlobe, at the praise your walls tightened to the maximum and a strong orgasm covered your body like a cloak, making you tense for a few seconds and then relaxing completely against the older woman's body while she kissed you deeply swallowing your moans. Melissa noticed how your body reacted to her words and praises, which she would take into account to explore next time.

She carefully pulled her fingers out of you and your pants making you whimper, delicately she kissed your sweaty forehead and you sighed, letting out a moan at seeing how soaked her fingers were with your juices, even her fingertips were a little wrinkled from how wet you were. Melissa smiled arrogantly at what she had accomplished and tap your mouth made you lick her fingers, groaning at how easily you opened your mouth to her and how you looked at her while you lick Her fingers.

-"Sis! We are home! Where are you?!" - Your sister screamed from downstairs and you looked at the redhead a little scared with her fingers still inside your mouth. This would be an interesting conversation to have with your family while you share your ride to the cinema.

[yn-x-animeboy]

Jungkook x y/n (as a famous artist) Pt.3

sinopsis: You are a popular artist in America, pretty famous, loved and well-known by the general public (actually you were one of the top 10 artists in the world but you are pretty humble and naïve to realize your popularity), one day during one of your fan meets you talk about how much you love BTS, and not only how you wish to meet them and work with them but how Jungkook is one of your celebrity crushes. During the meet you fangirled with other ARMYs in the crowd; video clips of you fangirling and talking about BTS at your meet where posted and reposted all over social media. This obviously broke the internet because you were not only a famous singer but you also were always accepted and loved by ARMY and this made a lot of people happy. Suddenly it felt like everyone wanted you to meet the seven handsome and talented idols and collaborate, but you could only wish, you believed they didn't even know who you were...or so you thought

pairing: reader x Jungkook

genre: fluff, romance, for entertainment purposes

BTS x Fem Reader

Parts: 1 here & 2 here

---

Part: 3 - The Jimmy Fallon Show

A couple of months have passed since your fan meet episode went viral and since BTS saw the video too. A lot has happened since then tbh, you kept working hard, you just put out your 5th studio album which is doing amazing in the charts, it reached no.1 for album of the year and 3 of your songs stand in the first places amongst other artists on the top 100 songs as well. BTS have also been working on music and projects, not a lot of time for you all. 

Even though it has been a long time since your ‘fan meet’ episode was aired  the media still brings up your episode highlights where you talk about BTS, it is not another really, it doesn't seem to affect you. Neither you or BTS have openly spoken about this to the general public, to them, it seemed like a cute exchange between you and your fans where they got ‘close and personal’. The only difference now is that your fans and ARMYs now have a ship name for you and Jungkook, and they still wish their ship could sail someday….

Thanks to the success your album has had in the short time it was published, you have been invited to multiple talk-shows to promote your new music and to basically catch up with the media. As an artist the whole publicity thing is important for your team and company. Even though it can be hard to ‘do press’ as a celebrity, you enjoy it and always do your best for your supporters. Your fans and everyone who became a fan of your infamous episode would troll around twitter writing things like ‘will BTS be on this show appearing with y/n?’ ‘AYe y/n watch out, they are going to surprise you with BTS’; but you didn't really have time to see them, only your team was aware. Your days working + rehearsing + promoting don't really give you time to scoop around your social media.

Today on your schedule: The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Tonight you will be performing and having an interview for the show. You love this show so much, you have been invited before,  and you really feel comfortable on set in the company of Jimmy and his team/staff, they are always super nice and welcoming. You haven’t been there for an interview in a while and you are excited. (Even though it went viral, and it was your fantasy, the whole “I WISH I COULD MEET BTS AT A TONIGHT SHOW” was not really on your mind today, probablly because of how hectic your day was. You woke up super early and took a flight on your jet to New York, then you went to rehearsal to rehearse the song you’ll be performing tonight, went to the hotel and took a shower, went to two important business meetings for your record company, barely had time to eat, then went and had hair and makeup done for an afternoon interview for a radio show and finally some rest before you went to the Jimmy Fallon studio)

The Tonight Show starts at 10:00pm but you have to get there earlier to greet Jimmy and the staff, to quickly rehearse your performance, to go over details about the show, get ready, etc. You arrive on set at around 6:00pm in sweatpants, a baggy Ariana Grande merch T-shirt, sneakers and fresh hair from your second shower today. You walk through the door next to your personal bodyguard Lee and Manager Sam, followed by your stylist Meg behind you, you look around to see if you could recognize any familiar faces, The camera crew were setting up their high budget equipment, staff members cleaning, running around and preparing for tonight's live interview. Jimmy comes out from behind a door with casual clothes and messy hair, nothing like his sleek professional look on TV. Smiling he greets you and your team; he takes a step forward and hugs you tightly “Hi y/n it’s so nice to see you, it has been a while we have missed you, ever since your interview was scheduled for this week the staff has been excited to see you again, including me, you are one of our favorite guests to have over i swear” you look at him sweetly with hands on your chest from his hind words (the reason why they loved you so much was because you were different from other celebrities on the show, you were always super polite and nice to the staff and took time out of your schedule to greet everyone and introduce yourself, even though you were one of the biggest stars in the world you humble personality attracted many). “Omg stop Jimmy you are so sweet, I love your show so much it’s always an honor, thanks again for inviting meI wanna say hi to the staff, can I?” You said; Jimmy has been like a mentor to you when it comes to interviews and press, he was one of the first people to believe in you and interview you when you debuted. “Yes of course you go ahead, I’ll talk with your manager while you do so to catch up.” (They were good friends too)

While Jimmy and Sam catch up, and your stylist and bodyguard follow an assistant to put your stuff in the dressing room; you walk around introducing yourself to the staff; you visit the camera crew, the audio booth, the lighting crew, the producers, the PD, the meeting room, even the cafeteria. This helped you also to loosen up and feel more comfortable and confident for the show. After the greeting you quickly rehearsed with your talented backup dancers for the performance to get used to the ‘stage’ and the spacing.

One of the sweet staff members you just met offered to show you to your dressing room where Lee, Sam and Meg were waiting for you. You entered the spacious dressing room and sat at a small couch next to Lee (he was your bodyguard but sometimes even acted like a father/guardian to you, you were thankful you had a close connection with your team) You treated them all, including your dancers, to a mini banquet of food from the cafeteria and chatted about nothing before you had to start getting ready. Sam started getting constant phone calls, as your manager he was constantly busy on the phone, he ignored a couple of them but the caller seemed insistant, Sam saw the caller ID and shot up and ran outside to answer. “Ey no phones on the table mister” you teased as he was halfway out the door, he flipped you off and you back at him and proceeded to finish your snack; “Who would be so insistent, the company handles the calls when Sam has something to to with y/n… this interview has been scheduled for a month now…” Meg, your stylist commented, but you just just shrugged her shoulders as you swallowed the last bite of your sandwich, not really thinking too much about it. You stood up to brush your teeth after finishing eating. (what you failed to notice was Lee making a face to Meg basically telling her to ‘shut up’.... they knew something you didn’t but you didn’t see said interaction at all)

After 20-30 mins Sam came back as if nothing happened, you were now sitting in front of the large vanity mirror and Meg staring at your hair behind you. “Is everything okay Sammy?” You asked, thinking the call could be from a family member or an emergency, judging on the time it took. “No, yes- um it was just a catch up call, apparently the company did not answer their call in my place so they called me directly ignoring the fact that I was here with you.” he spoke. “Ah yeah, well that's good, well we finished our food and cleaned up so the girls (referring to the 2 backup dancers) and I could start getting ready but I left you and Lee some cookies and coffee on the table” you said pointing to the small coffee table in front of the couch that was previously filled with food, Lee, a 6’5 tall man sitting in a tiny couch with a cookie on his right hand and coffee on his left making space for Sam to sit next to him. cute. 

You finish getting ready, hair done simple and comfortable for your interview and later performance, light natural makeup letting your natural beauty show off and fancy yet comfortable outfit that allows you to sit and dance comfortably. You felt really pretty and powerful. It was 9:30, only 30 mins before The Tonight Show started. before The live audience was allowed inside the studio you went over your dance quickly to make sure your outfit was safe to dance in, to make sure the music was the right one and to let the camera crew plan out their shots for the dance and interview segments. Once again you bought your head towards the staff and wished them good luck and a good show, you introduced yourself to the live band that accomplies Jimmy for the show as well and went backstage again for the final touch ups and waited for your turn to come out.

----

“.... and now here is your host...Jimmy Fallon'' he was introduced as the audience clapped for him and he walked across the set to his desk. “Hi, everyone, and welcome to THE TONIGHT SHOW!!!” The crowd cheered again for Jimmy. “Normally we have multiple guests on this show and from 10:00 pm to 12:00am we talk to multiple guests but today is a little different, today we have a very very special guest who will be with us. the. full. show!!!” The audience was comforted by a lot of your fans since it was announced you would be the guest tonight they prepared, and as soon as they heard this immediately stood up and cheered knowing it was you he was talking about. “She is one of my favorite artists, she is the sweetest, most talented artist today. Everyone welcome…. y/n'' The crowd went crazy as you came out from behind the curtain. Seeing everyone you bowed down to the audience and waved your hands, then you took Jimmy's hand to help you up the steps to the couch next to his talk show desk and sat down again bowing your head and mouthing ‘thank you’ to the still cheering audience.

“Wow the people love you y/n'' Jimmy said. “Hahaha no, stop, Thank you all, I love you so much I don't deserve you all.” you said blushing a little from the overwhelming support. The interview started normally, Jimmy introduced you properly to the camera and audience, you spoke about yourself and answered the general questions (‘What have you been doing these days?’ ‘Tell us about your album’.... blah blah)

After a couple of questions you did a fun activity with Jimmy where you created a funny sketch similar to the ones on SNL, you followed the lines on the promter and it came out to be a really funny and light activity to interlude the show. Then after a small break you went back to your seats and continued the Q&A.

“It's crazy, y/n’s latest album is the number one album in the country and she also holds the first, second and third spots for the billboard top 100 hits. You even broke a record for this, to being the youngest and first woman to ever achieve this.” Jimmy said as you smiled and looked at the cheering crowd. “Its crazy, I never thought one day I could even hold a place in the top 100, and now I actually hold 3 places plus another 1st place for album of the country, Thank you all so much for supporting me, this would've happened if it wasn't for all of the people who supported my music, Thank you for giving my music a chance.”

“So actually the next billboard award show is tomorrow, and y/n, we heard you are going to be performing.. is that so?” Jimmy smoothly transitioned form question to question, topic from topic. “Yeah I was blessed to not only be nominated for an award but to also be invited to perform for the ceremony, I am so excited, It is an honor, it not my first time performing at the billboard’s but I have so much fun every time, hopefully the audience will like my performance and the other guest performers of the night, I can’t wait.

“What are you performing tomorrow y/n?”, “Shhh it’s a surprise Jimmy, I can give you a little spoiler, I am performing one of my new album’s songs, it is one of my favorite songs on it” You smoothly avoided actually answering what song you would be performing tomorrow. “Mhm okay how about you tell me in secret during the commercial break I have to know…” Jimmy insisted “Sure Jimmy I’ll tell you”. “Okay so guys let's go to a short commercial break, but don’t leave cause when we are back y/n will be performing live, don't you miss it!” Jimmy said and waved with you as the producer called for the commercial break. 

After the commercial break you got to perform one of your hit songs next to your back up dancers, you let yourself go to the music and enjoyed the performance; you really got lost in the music and dancing every time you had an audience, you loved this so much. After your performance you received a standing ovation form the people present on set, Jimmy went over from his seat to you, he congratulated and complimented you. He then guided you to your seat and gave you some water; he made some ads/sponsorship bits while you grabbed some air and while Meg retouched your hair and makeup while the cameras weren’t on you.

Jimmy then came back after another small break to proceed with the interview: “So y/n I actually wanted to talk to you about something really big” you made a face at Jimmy’s word choices (you had somewhat of a dirty mind) “Hahahaha, Don't make that face y/n, it's not what you think… God.. what a dirty mind you have; I meant I wanted to talk to you about something that recently happened and I’m sure everyone wants to have an update on'' Jimmy made himself clear. “Hahahaha oh, okay sure, tell me” 

“A couple of months ago you went viral on social media after you talked about BTS on one of your episodes, and your fans and ARMYs went crazy, not gonna lie even I got excited” As soon as you heard Jimmy say “BTS'' your face dropped making the audience giggle at your reaction, you started to get anxious. “Hah-, um yeah that happened, I didn't expect for it to become such a big thing tbh Jimmy” you said.

“So in the episode you got asked by one of your fans something about how you would want to meet them or something and you mentioned how you would like to meet then on a talk show… like this one” Jimmy said with a smug expression taking over his face. You quickly spoke before he could say something else “Omg Jimmy stop, I swear if I look behind this couch and BTS is hiding behind it I will have a heart attack, please don't play with me, I’m not ready, stop that''

 The crowd and Jimmy laughed at your cute panic. “Don’t worry y/n, no, I swear they are not there” Jimmy treasured. “IDK MAN, I’m gonna look behind the couch….” you dared; “Go ahead y/n” Jimmy fired back; this made you more nervous, you made a ‘I’m tough’ face at Jimmy and moved your body sideways, “If there is someone behind here I will run Jimmy, I. WILL. RUN. I don’t know where or how far but I will run out..” Jimmy and the audience laughed again and stopped as you looked behind the couch….. and…… there behind the couch…… there was…….. nothing. You started laughing as you went back to your original sitting position, the audience looking curiously at you. “Hahahaha ahhhh there is nothing there” whipping some laughing tears off the inner corner of your eyes you looked at Jimmy who was too laughing at you. “I told you y/n! ahahahah”

Jimmy looked at the camera and directed to the audience “For the people who don’t know what we are talking about and/or haven't seen y/n’s latest episode we have some clips for you” You looked at Jimmy and at the crew wanting to refuse due to your embarrassment, you felt exposed. The video played on the screen, the screen was split so that while the episode clips showed on screen your reaction could also be seen at the same time. Only a small trailer was played, which made you confused, you thought they would play the clips where you deeply talk about BTS…

The video stopped and the audience clapped, “Well that's just a small trailer of the full episode if anyone would like to go over and watch it it was pretty fun… I really enjoy ‘y/n’s camera roll’ episodes, I highly recommend” you smiled and appreciated the free proportion but you went anxious again as Jimmy spoke, “But y/n I actually have a small surprise for you, actually BTS saw your episode and reacted to it on camera…” You went stiff…. he said what???? BTS saw your video? they learned who your where?.... wait. THEY SAW THE VIDEO????? THEY SAW YOU FANGIRLING OVER THEM AND THIRSTING OVER JK AND HERD YOUR STUPID FANTASY????

 “OMG Jimmy no…. AHHH no….” You said as realization dawned on you and you covered your face with your hands.

“oh y/n yes… and we have the video of their reaction here, for the first time ever, an exclusive for the Tonight Show…. watch the screen y/n'' The screen was again split to show your reaction + the video. You lifted your face from your hands and held on to Jimmy’s hand on the desk, bracing yourself for further embarrassment and probable rejection. The video played: 

(BTS reacting to your episode. {the bullet points are your ‘present day’ reactions to BTS reacting to you})

The video started . “Oi, it’s y/n'' Jin immediately said as soon as your face appeared on their screen, “Is this a new episode?” Jimin asked out loud, “Wait what day is it? they normally go up on Friday, did we miss it?” Taehyung spoke.

“OMG no way, they know who I am, omg I’m crying Jimmy” You actually started tearing up and Jimmy squished your hands tighter as he read the subtitles added (you understood Korean).

“Hello everyone welcome to another episode of…. f** I don't even know what we call these videos, jajajaja” “Wait what?... jajajajaja omg guys thank you, I'm so sorry, yeah you heard them, welcome back to y/n’s camera roll, I can’t believe I forgot that, anyway today’s episode is a little different……” the boys chuckle at your genuine personality “hahaha gwiyeoun” (haha cute) Suga added, J-Hope agreeing with him as he gave Suga a piece of the food he was having. Kookie was currently watching the screen not even blinking, he hadn’t taken a bite out of his noodles or a sip out of his banana milk, Jimin noticed and pointed at him looking back at the guys with a silent laugh.

You kept crying and making faces reacting to them every time they spoke

“Hi, y/n, can I ask you another question?” “I saw that you liked an instagram post about BTS a while back uploaded by a fan account and I also saw that you actually follow their personal twitter account. ALSO in your behind the scenes video for your music video shoot you can be seen in the background dancing the Boy with luv choreo. So I wanted to ask if you were an ARMY and if you know them personally? and like should we be expecting a collaboration soon?”

“No way….Omg what she says she hates us” Jimin said. “Imagine if she said she hates us, is this why you guys are making us watch this?” Suga looked  at the staff.

“OMG I could never, NO omg how could I hate them” you commented wiping away your tears and back to squeezing Jimmy’s stretched hand on the desk

 “Can we keep watching hyungs…” Jungkook said looking around at the others, a bit desperate to find out what you said next. “Oi, wouldn't you want to know guki…” Jin teased him, wiggling his eyebrows and slapping the back of his head playfully. Before Jungkook could fight back RM reached over them and pressed play, preventing a ‘playful’ fight between the youngest and oldest member to take place.

You froze at the interaction between Jungkook and Jin… but kept watching not wanting to overthink it.

“OMG hahaha I love you so much, what an amazing question, Okay so first off no I don’t know them personally and sadly no plans of collaboration are on sight. Oh wow I have never been asked if I liked BTS before, I’m excited hahaha. Yeah I am an ARMY, I love them so much I am one of their biggest fans, and they are also one of my biggest inspirations when it comes to work ethic and professionalism, listening to them or watching them gives me motivation to keep doing what I love, which is this. anyway I am rambling I should stop; you guys can say y/n stop whenever I start rambling okay? hahaha''

RM stood up with hands on his head; Jin and J-Hope held on to each other with their mouths wide open looking at the screen; V was still sitting in the same spot, frozen, as if he was paused in time along with the now paused screen; Suga stood up with his hands on his mouth bouncing his knees lightly; Jimin reached to RM behind him and stretched his arms out with a ‘Did you hear that?’ expression; Jungkook leaned over the table and pulled the screen closer, he was smiling from ear to ear letting out a small “wow” under his breath, then he replayed your answer to listen to it one more time, rereading the subtitles under the video making sure he did not miss any words.

You chuckled at their individual reactions and resumed your crying at their reactions because you couldn’t believe they knew you and could be so cute towards a video of you

 “y/n Okay so, who is your favorite member?” “Well first off, I don't have a favorite member. I really mean it when I say this. I love them all equally and I love them all as a group. I don’t prefer one over the other or like one better.  I really do support them equally. I mean there is nothing wrong with having a bias, as long as you also respect the other members, hope that all made sense lol” Everyone seemed moved by your support towards them and nodded.

Again the boys reacted, they were so surprised they paused again and walked back and forth making sounds of excitement

Jimmy smiled proudly at you and helped you wipe a tear with a tissue 

“Y/n so you don’t have a favorite, but do you have a crush on any of them?, like if you could date one of them right now, which one do you pick?” A fan asked. “okay...well...Like I said just to be clear I don't have favorites amongst the group members, but I do have a type…. I consider one of them to be my celebrity crush”......“So in that case, if I had to pick someone that I would date in real life...i would say…. Jungkook” 

You put your forehead on Jimmy’s desk, you felt embarrassed, you knew what was coming, the audience was also reacting along and they got super excited at this part. You were scared over what BTS would think/say about this.

The. Guys. Went. Nuts. Jungkook immediately stood up and lifted his hands up in the air as if he had won an award, he paused the video and started smiling like crazy; 

A staff member spoke to Jungkook on the video : “How do you feel Jungkook?” He lifted his face from his hands and ran his fingers through his hair, his eyes were glossy and his smile wide. “I-I don't know what to say, I can’t believe it,” he said as he sat down looking  at the pause screen, looking at your still image. His hyungs patted him on the back; Jimin turned his head to the staff as he was rubbing JK’s back with one hand, “You know Jungook has had the biggest crush on y/n for so long now” Jimin told the staff. 

you completely froze, you started shaking, Jimmy was looking at you happily, the audience was going crazy, even the crew was invested in the k-drama worthy content. You went numb, you kept looking at the screen frozen.

Jungkook looked up and spoke to the staff: “Yeah I remember listening to her debut song for the longest time without really thinking about who the artist was. When her first studio album broke records I decided to look her up, I watched a video of her talking about the album and her experience as a new artist and I think ever since then I have had a crush on her; she is my ideal type”

Everyone was going crazy in the Tonight Show studio. EVEN Jimmy let go of you and stood up pacing around his desk, no one was expecting this. You came out of your trance as Jimmy shook you and you wiped more tears clouding your vision.

“Why is she your ideal type?” a staff member in the back asked JK. “Ha. um. well  I think my ideal type of girl is someone who is funny and has a bright and cool personality; someone who as soon as they step into a room they immediately light it up; someone who is goofy and isn't afraid to become a joke or mess up; A confident person; someone who isn't too girly or too boyish; someone who likes to learn new  things and from who I can learn new things too; someone who is younger than me; Someone who loves dancing and singing a lot, etc. And y/n is kinda all that and more tbh; 

You felt like you were dreaming… Totally forgetting you were on live television. The butterflies in your stomach felt more like birds. your heart pounding out of your chest and body glued to your seat.

The video of you time skipped again to the ‘fantasy’ answer’: “Okay so, my literal fantasy is to one day meet them at a talk show, you know how hosts like to surprise their guests with something/someone they like?, I believe Ellen has done it multiple times where she surprised a guest with their idol or celebrity crush, you know?” The group nodded, invested in your fake scenario “Well i would be invited to like the Jimmy Fallon Show, where he would just randomly surprise me with BTS. Then I would be given the opportunity to introduce myself and tell them how much I love and support them. I would also be able to show them my korean speaking skills, I learned Korean and Spanish back in school and I have never been able to actually use either them, lol, anyway...well after that we would all become really good friends, and we would collaborate and put out one or multiple songs for you guys. I mean that's basically it, I wish I could meet them, and become their friend and write songs with them, even produce songs with Suga or RM if I could'' 

you cringed at the sound of your voice, you were so embarrassed. The audience, crew and Jimmy found this and your reaction to be so adorable.

“What???? does she speak korean?” / “OMG Jungkook is she speaks korean marry her” / “OMG I wanna meet her now”  / “That's so cute” / “She is so cool” 

oMg, even after the video stopped you kept crying and sobbing, it almost felt like you had made it in life, you curled into a ball, you didn't care if you were live or not.

(end of video, camera was back to you and Jimmy only)

“y/n this is amazing, this was my first time watching the video too, how do you feel, hahahaha stop crying this is good y/n” He rubbed your hand and passed you a new tissue from his desk. You cleaned yourself up and accepted a new water bottle from a crew assistant.

“I- I’m at a loss for words Jimmy, I cannot even process it; I love them so much hahaha” You sniffed and looked at Jimmy innocently. “By the way I am so sorry for crying like this, ew I’m a mess right now, I so sorry for anyone watching” 

“No no, you are good, your fans love you and love to see the real you; right guys?” Jimmy said looking at the crowd and once again they all cheered for you, this made you happy and you smiled again. “Thank You all so much, thank you to anyone involved in the making of this reaction video and this segment of the show AND FOR WHOEVER ADDED THE SUBTITLES FOR THE STUDIO hahaha, I am so happy, I want to keep crying but I will compose myself for now and once I go home cry some more hahaha” 

“Y/N so obviously you are an ARMY, would you mind playing a small game with me?...” You nodded at Jimmy. “Okay so after the break we will be back  with y/n, and she will prove how big of an ARMY she actually is…”

Another commercial break was called, Meg again came over and cleaned you up, she fixed your hair and makeup and then made you change into some sneakers (you performed in heels), fresh sweatpants and a shirt that compliment your figure. Your manager told you that for the next segment you needed comfy clothes. You had so much in your mind right now you didn’t even question it.

“Okayyy and we are back everybody, so right now as you can see y/n has changed into a more sporty outfit, right y/n?” you looked at him and at the camera and answered back. “Yeah, i’m in my natural form now” you said as you modeled your comfy wear

“So today I will put your BTS knowledge to the test, I will play a snippet of a BTS song, to your right you have two buttons ‘dance button’ or ‘sing’ button; you can either dance to the part being played when you hit the dance button or keep singing the song if your hit the ‘sing’ button.” Jimmy challenged you as he explained the next activity, to the left of you a small table with both buttons and a mic was set up, you accepted and started the challenge; the game went like this; Dynamite, dance; Mic Drop, dance; No more dream, dance; Daechwita, sing/rap; the crowd was super hyped and Jimmy was loving your energy and the way you executed the songs perfectly, suddenly you recognized Euphoria being played, you clicked the sing button and you started to complete the lyrics as the music was switched to ‘karaoke mode’… you started to sing and suddenly you heard a voice behind you singing with you, and you couldn’t even turn around to prove yourself you were not mistaken, you knew that voice too well, the live audience was losing it, the crew looked excited, you went numb, you looked back and it seemed like a joke, a complete dream…..

The seven guys were coming out from behind the curtain, being led by Jungkook, he was singing the bridge of the song, mic in hand and just looking at you. Your knees gave out and you curled on your knees as you cried on your knees, ‘there is no way’, you could even begin to process what was going on, The boys were a little shy and stayed behind you as Jimmy lifted you from the floor and made you look at them.....

----

PART 4 > HERE

AHhhh I love this part hahahhaha

Hope you liked it. PArt 4 is up; please give me a lil <3 if you liked this. :) Xx

[gemtalkpodcast]

We’re alive, we swear! (Along with some insight into making a podcast!)

Hello, everyone! Shane here!

I know it’s been quite a while since our last episode, but with the combination of life hitting Ken and I relatively hard, the holidays, AND Steven Universe going on a long hiatus, we haven’t been able to produce episodes for the past few months. On top of that, producing episodes is a bit more difficult now that Ken and I no longer live in the same building. We weren’t sure if we were going to continue making episodes after the movie ended, since we didn’t know what the Crewniverse had planned. Now that several episodes of Future has been released, though... we’re debating getting back into weekly updates. 

Now, I know I’ve said this before, but editing a 1-2 hour long podcast weekly is NOT a small feat, especially for a group of two people. Allow me to give a very brief explanation behind what goes behind making just one of these GemTalk episodes:

1) We watch the episode once for enjoyment, at this point we aren’t thinking about the show as theorists/podcasters, but rather as fans. We don’t put on our super-fanboy glasses until step 2. (15 min.)

2) We separately watch the episode critically. After we let the episode roll around in our heads for about a day, we sit down with the episode and watch it with an intense level of scrutiny, jotting down nearly everything that happens in the episode worth mentioning. This can take anywhere from half an hour to an hour, depending on how lore-heavy the episode is. (30-60 min.)

3) We research anything that could possibly be a clue, hint, reference, etc. This involves a great deal of internet sleuthing to uncover things we might not have known, such as references to places, events, subjects, or pretty much anything that we need more data on to make an informed commentary. This is one of my favorite parts, as I’ve learned a great deal about a broad list of subjects from doing research for a podcast about a cartoon. However, this is also one of the longest portions of the process. We do our absolute best to provide ONLY information that has been provided by several sources or thoroughly verified, while simultaneously keeping the show as fair and honest as possible. While we obviously have a lot of fun with what we do, we strive to maintain a level of honesty, kindness, and integrity in everything we produce. (60-120 min.)

4) The theory crafting section comes next, where Ken and I sit down and discuss how the recent information we’ve received could be connected to past events. Sometimes we go back and watch old episodes, or review old theories, or even plan out extensive hypothetical situations to see how well they hold up to scrutiny. Sometimes we let our minds go wild and come up with some pretty crazy theories, but we do our best to focus most often on where we think the show “will” go. Since most of this section is open conversation, plotting, reviewing, and theorizing, it happens sporadically over the next day or so. (120 min. - 180 min.)

5) Planning out the show comes next. It might be somewhat surprising to hear this, but our shows do have a fairly loose script. We’ve tried going nearly completely off the cuff before, and it just ends up as a rambling mess. To do this, we sit down with our separate set of notes, compare what we both feel is important to discuss, and determine the order in which we should talk about each topic. This is done to ensure that the flow of our conversation feels natural while running parallel to what is happening in the show. This also usually serves as a “mock run” of the episode, giving us the opportunity to practice how we’ll approach each topic and loosen up the ol’ lips. For me, it also means I’m chugging the last of my coffee before we go on! (60 min.)

6) Recording! This step doesn’t require a great deal of explaining, aside from some small “behind the scenes” facts you might not know. For example, there are several moments where one of us will trip over our lines and “bluh bluh flibberty gibberty” for a few seconds, which obviously gets cut. Also, one of us will occasionally say something very wrong (intentionally or otherwise), which leads to a fit of laughter, which also must be cut. Very rarely we’ll think of something right in the middle of an episode and literally stop what we’re doing to do research just to make sure we’re right. Either way, this usually ends up with nearly twice as much content as actually gets posted. (120 min.)

7) EDITING. The bane of my existence. The curse that accompanies my love of podcasting. This is where I make a massive cup of coffee, burn a pumpkin spice candle, get super comfy in my blanket, and sit at my computer for half a day. The process starts with taking a raw 2+ hour clip, canceling out the noise, adjusting the volume levels, editing out any unexpected background noise, cutting out any mistakes, ensuring that the audio around the cut sounds natural, fixing mic peaks (usually from laughing), removing “filler words” (Hmm, Ummm, Uhh, etc.), adding the intro and outro music, saving, and exporting. This whole process is pretty much the rest of my day once I get home from my day job. (240-360 min.)

8) Posting and advertising is the final step. We’ve pretty much gotten this down to a science at this point, so it takes a lot less time and effort than it used to. We upload the episode to Soundcloud, which beams it out to other podcasting websites, and then post it out on our social media pages. We also try (sometimes better than others) to create other fan content to keep our social media pages as more than just another reservoir of episodes. (30 min.)

If you add all of that up, it comes out to around 13-14 hours of work a week to generate a 1-2 hour podcast. That means GemTalk is practically a part-time job for each of us, on top of our full-time jobs. However, SU has been a wonderful part of my life that has allowed me to create something with my best friend. The time I spend working on the show is a labor of love, and just hearing that people enjoy listening to us ramble about the show for hours at a time means the world to me. Making GemTalk also provided Ken and I with the opportunity to reach out to the community during conventions and provide help in areas like writing, critical thinking, and (perhaps unexpectedly) cooking. It’s been a wonderful ride so far, and we wanted to reach out to everyone and let them know that it’s not over just yet. 

As stated when I began this (now much longer than anticipated) post, we’re currently holding discussions as to whether or not we should continue making episodes about Steven Universe Future. We’re not opposed to it, so it’s likely we will. Regardless of what we decide, however, please be aware that there will be something to look forward to! We can’t promise exactly when, but it’s likely to be within the next few weeks. I’ll do my best until then to try to keep everyone posted.

As always, love ya’ll and thanks for reading/listening!

- Shane <3

[meditativeyoga]

Find Serenity in Savasana

Award yourself everyday by taking a 15-minute break for actual relaxation.

I was plunged on the flooring of a dressing space in a huge outlet store at 7:40 p.m. enjoying my adolescent little girl try out what looked like the 5,000 th set of jeans. It was taking 'for ev-vah,' as she would claim, and also I was actually tired. Much more compared to that, I really felt overwhelmed, like the lead character in some poor desire, endlessly running from job to job. Exactly what was I doing below? Why wasn't I home resting after a complete day of training, composing, food preparation, and owning youngsters around? For that matter, why do so much of us prevent taking a nice, scrumptious break daily?

The response is intricate, both in my life and also, I'm thinking, in your own also. First, our days have plenty of jobs, consultations, and tasks. Second, statistics reveal that we are functioning longer hrs and also bringing even more job home with us compared to ever. Innovation has given us particular freedoms, yet it has also enabled us to work at all times. It's now simple to check a bank equilibrium online at 1 a.m. or make that little organisation call from the cars and truck.

My preferred sign of overload is when I'm rushing around and I call from my mobile phone to my home addressing machine to leave myself a message concerning something that I absolutely have to do that day-very efficient. I think I'm not alone in this actions, it seems we are all on overload a lot of the moment.

What's the result of this constant busyness? We're exhausted and also burnt out. I lately asked my yoga exercise trainees to elevate their hands if they had actually been stressed-out during the previous week. I got a near-universal program of hands and also some incredulous looks. Why wouldn't they be stressed-out? We currently expect to be.

It should be kept in mind that anxiety isn't always a bad point. Actually, it's an essential physiological action when we regard a risk. Take the instance of an unfamiliar person following you down a dark alleyway-when you pick up risk, your body responds by turning on the supportive worried system, also understood as the fight-or-flight action, as well as bringing you to a hyperalert state, ready to react. ( For a much more detailed description of these physiological effects, see the post, This Is Your Body on Stress.) Yet when the body repeatedly and needlessly goes into this state day after day, our health suffers. Persistent stress and anxiety could interfere with food digestion, sleep, sex drive, fertility, and more.

What techniques can we adopt-aside from chucking everything as well as transferring to a covert paradise-to ease this feeling of rashness as well as fatigue? Exactly how can we stop the sensation that there are way too many points to do and inadequate time to do them?

Resting in Personal Paradise

I propose a formal leisure duration of 15 to Thirty Minutes daily, everyday, in Savasana (Remains Pose). Not just is Savasana (noticable sha-VAH-suh-nuh) central to all traditions of hatha yoga exercise, however it could be maded with hardly any difficulty. You can choose an easy variation with few props or a lavish, completely propped, 'Calgon, take me away' version.

Savasana made use of to be part of every yoga exercise course. Regretfully, I now speak with students that teachers skip it and also recommend 'doing it later.' Or I listen to that some instructors do Savasana for five minutes. They might unknown that it takes at the very least 15 minutes to unwind deeply. In some nations, there is a siesta every day. I choose an everyday siesta through Savasana.

There are several justifications for not exercising Savasana, and also I've heard them all. Do it anyway! First, you could need to reconsider exactly how you assume about time. The one point most individuals say about time is that there is not sufficient. Right here's a radical idea: Everyone that lives worldwide has exactly the exact same quantity of time every day. Some have a lot more education and learning, some have more wide range, some remain in much better health and wellness, but everybody has the exact same amount of time. It is how you make use of that time, and how you regard the quantity of time you have, that can enhance or reduce stress and anxiety.

The truth is, you might have to quit that TELEVISION sitcom or stand up to speaking on the phone reworking the exact same old thing, yet if you assess the different time slots in your day, you'll locate space for at the very least 15 mins of do-nothing rejuvenation.

Savasana Strategies

Some people want to exercise Savasana very first point in the early morning as component of a normal yoga method. Others use it as a midafternoon break as opposed to drinking a mug of coffee. Still others want to rest briefly when they obtain home from work, before the night's tasks start. Find a time that works finest for you and also exercise at the same time every day. Consider utilizing a timer. I find that a timer enables me to completely relax without stressing that I'll finish up existing in Savasana for hours, not able to obtain up and also complete my day.

Think of exercising Savasana daily as a present to on your own, your family, and also the globe. Taking a restorative break on a daily basis will certainly not just make you really feel better, it will likely make you more pleasurable to be around. When you're unwinded, you're less likely to overreact in the face of trouble. A well-rested, balanced person is more most likely making selections that will certainly impact the world in a favorable way.

A Simple Setup

Here's more great information: Everything you require for Savasana could be located existing around your house. The basic kind of Savasana requires only a quiet space, a comfy surface area to push, and also a number of props. For the standard present, you'll require a support for your head, such as a little pillow or folded up blanket, and also a rolled blanket or huge cushion to support the rear of your knees. For added relaxation, I recommend a soft cover for your eyes as well as another covering to maintain you cozy, you can additionally use socks.

Lie down on your back. Area the small pillow or folded up covering underneath your head so the neck is well supported as well as the chin goes down listed below the level of the forehead. Take a minute to relax the legs and also let them drop open. With the hands dealing with up, spread out the arms far from your body so the arms do not touch the sides of your rib cage. You need to have a large sensation, as if you are using up as much room in the area as possible.

Set your timer for 15 or 20 mins (you can work up to 30), cover your eyes, and also lie back. Occupy to 20 consistent, even breaths, progressively boosting the inhalations as well as exhalations. After that completely release, release any controlled breathing, enable your body to go down into the flooring, and also observe your ideas without reacting to them, as if they were clouds drifting past you in the skies. When you listen to the timer, exhale and also flex your knees to your chest. Roll to one side, letting the eye cover fall off on its own, and also use your arms to sit up slowly.

Savasana as Stress Management

If you stay in Savasana long sufficient, you will ultimately experience three different phases of the pose. The first is what I call physiological leisure, it takes most individuals concerning 15 minutes. Initially, you might seem like the mind is still accelerated as well as connected to thoughts, feelings, and also muscle movement. However slowly, the mind waves and also the breath reduce down, as well as the blood stress decreases.

As the body and mind relax, the genuine Savasana can start. Throughout this second stage, recognition of the outside globe begins to dim. You could hear audios, but they will not interrupt you. Instead, everything will begin to drift further as well as further away.

In my point of view, the second stage is one of the most recovery for the body and comforting to the mind. A secondary school student once explained Savasana to me as, 'Your body sleeps as well as your mind watches.' I like this summary, because the mind never ever entirely quiets down, however as you loosen your recognition with the physique, you could separate from the constant whirl of ideas. After that you could just witness them, simply as you would certainly see the climbing and also dropping of your upper body with the breath. As this occurs, you'll really feel a lot more secure as well as prepared to be where you are.

The final state of Savasana occurs when the mind completely releases. It is thought that the mind waves reduce down to their most affordable frequency. You will feel separated from the outdoors up until the timer rings or your instructor's voice brings you back to the present.

Give on your own time to drop right into at the very least the 2nd stage daily. Some days you will get the 3rd state as a present, however don't worry if you don't. Simply keep exercising as well as it will advance.

I sometimes ask my yoga exercise students if they assume the world could be a much better place if every person practiced Savasana on a daily basis. The consentaneous answer is always yes. So allow Savasana start with you, today. Rather than thinking about it as a worthless completing position that isn't really necessary, think of your energetic yoga practice as a preparation for the real, deep yoga of Savasana.

[madeslots56]

How many rpm does a cd spin at

Cutting Speeds & RPM Calculations - Wisc-Online.

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Microcontroller - How can I measure the RPM of a Frisbee? - Electrical.

How to Choose the Proper Speeds for Router Bits.

Kinematics of Rotational Motion | Physics | | Course Hero.

How Do Jet Airplanes Start Their Engines? - Forbes.

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A centrifuge accelerates from rest to rpm in s. Through how many.

Max RPM for Diesel Engines - The Diesel Stop.

Vinyl Record Sizes and Speeds - What does 33 - 45- 78 RPM means?.

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Ch. 10 Problems & Exercises - College Physics - OpenStax.

PowerLabs High Speed Exploding CDs!.

Mixxx - Download the Best Free DJ Mixing Software App.

Cutting Speeds & RPM Calculations - Wisc-Online.

Subscribe! T-shirts & Hoodies! stupid but a lot of fun!Support my videos!:..

How can we calculate the required torque to move a massive object by.

In my raids, I often come to projects where old CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drives are exploited (yep: round about year 2000 is old). Especially the stepper motor, which moves the read head, is used in projects where, for example, the self-construction of a CNC station is concerned. This is why it is so good because the existing mechanics - the guide slide - is already there and we expose ourselves to. Medium speed (eg. diesel locomotives) 350 to 1200rpm. High speed: Above 1200 rpm. Also consider that the faster you spin an engine the fast it is going to wear out. An engine that is running say 8000rpm is going to be lucky to make half the engine life of another engine running at 4000rpm.

Microcontroller - How can I measure the RPM of a Frisbee? - Electrical.

Spin speed (rotations per minute, or RPM) is relatively important. The faster a disk (platter) spins, the faster your computer can find the file you want. A 7200-RPM hard drive is obviously faster than a 5400-RPM hard drive. But with external drives, you'll hardly notice a difference between the two RPM speeds. The same holds true with.

How to Choose the Proper Speeds for Router Bits.

You start with the torque equation: A DVD is a disk shape rotating around its center, which means that its moment of inertia is. The diameter of the DVD is 12 centimeters, so the radius is 6.0 centimeters. Putting in the numbers gives you the moment of inertia: How about the angular acceleration, Here's the angular equivalent of the equation. A cut is to be taken with a (HSS) turning tool on a 0.75 inch piece of 1045 steel with a brinnel hardness of 300. Calculate the RPM setting to perform this cut. Cutting Speed = 60 (fpm) Diameter of part = 0.75. A 1-inch (HSS) drill is used on a 4-inch diameter piece of 1012 steel with a brinnel hardness of 100. The Creation of 78 RPM. Inventor Emile Berliner created the first true disc record in 1888. However, unlike the Edison model, his playback device used an electric motor. The motor played back a disc at times between 70 and 80 RPM. As more and more audio manufacturers turned to producing record players, the idea of a 78 RPM turntable became the.

Kinematics of Rotational Motion | Physics | | Course Hero.

A CD player spins at 8590 rpm. If it starts from rest and has an acceleration of 450 rad/s2, how... A flywheel slows from 250 rpm to 150 rpm in 4.2 seconds. How many revolutions occur during this time? 7. You are driving your car at 55 mph (24.6 m/s). Your car has 15-inch radius tires (1 inch = 2.54. Skater is 1 m, how fast is each skater moving in m/s? Why does the end skater have the hardest job? 9) A discus thrower accelerates the discus as he throws to an angular velocity of 15.0 rad/s in 0.270 seconds. If the active radius of his arm and shoulder is 0.810 m, find the total acceleration of the discus just before it is released. Here's the minimum and maximum spin rates in RPM I've found works best with Sierra's 30 caliber match bullets:.308 dia. Min. Max.... (Cd) was constant and this is not true. The faster the bullet, the lower the Cd. This means the drag does not quite increase as v^2 so faster bullets will be more stable than predicted by the simple.

How Do Jet Airplanes Start Their Engines? - Forbes.

If your CD player motor is not spinning, then chances are that it has quit working and your prized high-end CD player has the option of either being repaired at a service centre or ending up in landfill.... Its maximum speed without load is 3700-rpm drawing a current of 0.018 A. However, its stalling torque is 20 g•cm. The 11400 version is. The rotational speed, or angular velocity, of a DVD goes between 570-1600 rpm (rotations per minute). The closer to the center of the disc, the faster it spins and which is why there is a range for the angular velocity and not one specific number. This means the "read head" passes the same length at all times and radii.

Chapter 10, Rotational Kinematics and Energy Video Solutions... - Numerade.

On Monday July 22, 2002 @09:46AM ( #3929724 ) Homepage. A fun experiment is to put a polished, hardened steel rod through the spindle hole, then hit it with a jet of compressed air. If you get the bearing effect just right the CD will spin up to a 10-20krpm and will occasionally disintegrate on the spindle. If you are listening to music on your record player, the chances are that you are looking at a full-size 12-inch vinyl, and It must be spinning at 33-1/3 RPM. The second most popular is a 7-inch single that spins at 45 RPM. Many times artists use 12-inch records for producing EPs / full albums and 7-inch for singles.

A centrifuge accelerates from rest to rpm in s. Through how many.

A CD rotates at 500 (revolutions per minute) while the last song is playing, and then spins down to zero angular speed in 2.60 seconds with constant angular acceleration. The magnitude of the angular acceleration of the CD, as it spins to a stop is 20.1 radians per second squared.

Max RPM for Diesel Engines - The Diesel Stop.

How many RPM does a Dyson digital motor spin? a.10,000 b.50,000 c.100,000. Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min,... The second hand of a conventional analog clock rotates at 1 rpm. Audio CD players read their discs at a precise,... 30 CFM computer fan will spin at 2,600-3,000 rpm (43-50 Hz) on 12-V DC power. A millisecond pulsar can have near 50,000 rpm. The spin-drier of a washing machine slows down uniformly from 880 rpm (revolutions per minute) to 260 rpm while making 50 revolutions. Find the angular acceleration through these 50 revolutions. Express your answer in rad/s2. The answer is -12.3359871531.

Vinyl Record Sizes and Speeds - What does 33 - 45- 78 RPM means?.

CD-ROM average seek times range from 200 milliseconds (ms) to as low as 80ms. In comparison, current hard drive seek times are typically around 9ms, and some are lower. The fastest drives use Constant Angular Velocity (CAV) technology. CD-ROM drives usually operate using Constant Linear Velocity (CLV).

Linear & Angular Speed of a CD - The Physics Factbook.

The CD starts out spinning at nearly 500 RPM slowing to just over 200RPM at the outside edge of the disk. So if the songs fill the entire disk the last track will spin the disk a bit under half the speed of the first track. So it's not how many tracks that count but how long they are and hence how far away from the centre of the disk the laser. 5. How many times faster'in rad's does a CD spin more than a 33 1/3 rpm vinyl album? Explain why all the music on a vinyl album is not moving with the same linear velocity. (5 pts.) Question: 5. How many times faster'in rad's does a CD spin more than a 33 1/3 rpm vinyl album?. Translation: the record stands still while the the player spins, and it sends the audio over Bluetooth to headphones or a speaker. Inside this portable player is an Arduino Nano driving a 5 VDC.

Ch. 10 Problems & Exercises - College Physics - OpenStax.

However if you need some actual numbers, I measured the RPM of my very average stand fan (Evernal, 16 inch/40cm blades, 60 watts) and the speeds were as follows: Low speed = 950rpm Medium speed = 1050 rpm High speed = 1150 rpm. Hope this is useful. (P.S. standard stand fans use permanent-split-capacitor AC induction motors.

PowerLabs High Speed Exploding CDs!.

To convert ms you RPM you can do this: 28ms = 0.028s. You don't know how many full rotations happened, so let it be N. Then rotations per second is N / 0.028 = N * 35.7 and RPM is 60s * N * 35.7 = N * 2143, where N is any natural number (1, 2, 3, etc).. Record two times longer! Up to 13.52 hours at CD quality! New easy speed/rate adjuster for recording 78s at 45 rpm. Ability to change volume of each track! Vista / Windows 7 / Windows 8 / Windows 10 support! Dedicated interface to easily record your old cassettes and records. Easily transfer vinyl LP to CD or cassette to CD. How much torque is required to spin up a CD from rest to 480 rpm (revolutions per minute) in 1.5 seconds? The mass of a CD is 17 g and its radius is 6.0 cm. Treat the CD as a uniform disk - ignore the small hole in the center! (0.0015 N m) Find the angular momentum and the rotational kinetic energy of the CD when it is spinning at 480 rpm.

Mixxx - Download the Best Free DJ Mixing Software App.

There are only three speeds in which a vinyl record can be produced: 33 1/3 RPM 45 RPM 78 RPM Record Sizes Chances are, the records you'd like to listen to are full-size 12-inch records, spinning at 33 1/3 RPM, or 7-inch singles, spinning at 45 RPM. Often, EPs and maxi-singles are produced on 12-inch disks that also rotate at 45 RPM.

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[assholemurphy]

i am incredibly sad that i only have like, 1 extra adderall left (i may have to find somewhere to buy more from, since i only get like, enough for the month with my prescription, the only reason i had extras this month is bc it took a week for me to be able to get my prescription filled, so i literally had to go a week w/o adderall and i don’t wanna do that again, ever, it was hell, esp bc i ran out of sudafed, too, that week) bc holy fucking shit am i awake. i’m getting so much done. i took a shower and then highlighted all of the units in my script, which is usually hard to focus on bc it’s so dull, and i got another 15 units done, so i’ve only got like 30 left and i’m still wide awake and focused AF. like, i’m p sure that colors have smells, but also, like, the world is so intense and amazing. i feel fucking fantastic. i kinda wanna go skydiving, but like, not until i get my hw done, ya know?

but i’ve got 30 more units to do, then i’ve gotta make a graph, but after that, i’m done with the project and can move on. depending on how i feel/what time it is when i get that done (bc if it’s past 3:30/4a, i can’t sleep, i’ve got to stay up bc if not, i won’t wake up in time for class, but also, if i still feel this awake, then there’s rly no point to sleeping bc i won’t be able to, anyway) i might sleep, or i might start working on my playwriting assignment (bc that’s due mon @ 2p and i’ve got to write 6 1-min monologues for my characters) and watch the first 30min of shrek: the musical (bc i gotta have that done by fri @ 9a bc we’re watching it in class and that’s where we’re picking up at since the audio wouldn’t work in class, so it’s hw to watch the first 30 of it, but we can watch all of it, if we want, idk if i will, i’ve got too much to do and if i watch all of it, then there’ll be no point of going to class bc i hate rewatching things bc i’ve got a damn near eidetic memory for movies/books and certain other things, depending on how much i’m paying attention, but almost always books/movies unless i find them boring and don’t care abt them, so it would be stupid to watch all of it and then be bored in class), then maybe read some of after the fall (the script i’m pulling my monologue from for acting i) and do the assignment that goes with that (bc it’s due tues @ 9:30a). after that i should do my therapy hw (we’re still working on stuck points and i’ve got like, 5 more sheets, maybe more, to fill out) bc that’ll be due at my next counselling appt, which i think is next week, i’ll have to call them, but it’ll take abt an hour and it’ll emotionally drain me.

i think that’s abt it for hw, tho, but all of that’ll take roughly 9 hours, which means i def won’t be able to do it all tonight, but i can get most of it done if i don’t sleep, which means i’ll have more time for sleep/writing/literally everything else on the weekend. i might even be lucky enough to be able to get drunk. maybe. i’d have to start drinking at like, 3p and stop at like, 6p for it to all be out of my system so i can get to bed by 2/3a. so that’s a maybe. but a nice maybe.

ofc, i’ve got non hw stuff to do, too. i’ve got to make a list of roommate requirements so i can start looking for a new one (i’ve also got to talk to goldilocks to see when she plans to move out, bc like hell am i moving out, all the bills except her half of the lease are in my name and most of the furniture (aside from her personal stuff and the coffee table) is mine and i don’t want to have to move ALL of it out and into a new place, plus it’s her decision to not be roommates, so it’s on her, not me, and i won’t budge, not this time). then i’ve got to get my study/organization binder made so things’ll be easier to keep track of. i’ve got to do some cleaning (taking out the trash, cleaning up my side of the living room (we didn’t divide it, it’s just where the couches are so we stick to our couches most of the time) and the coffee table). then laundry, gotta do laundry, i’m almost out of socks.

ofc, i might have to start on my part of the second part of the group project. i wanna design costumes for the play, if neither of the others is doing that, which i hope they aren’t, bc i don’t know enough abt any of the other elements of production to do something else. but if i have to, i can try to do sound, maybe, that’s my second choice. so, i may have to start on that this weekend. i’ll talk to hurricane bianca and tim the toolman taylor and see what they’re doing for it probs on fri if not tomorrow at rehearsal. then i can start on my part and get it finished ahead of time to prove i’m capable, when i’ve got my shit together and am not having a breakdown every week. then, after i talk to prof j abt what i’m supposed to do for the show (something with finding times for freeze frames and spotlights, which is fun, but i’m worried my comdic timing isn’t the same as everyone else’s bc i’m autistic, so my sense of humor is a bit skewed, ya know? but anyway, prof j specifically told goldilocks (who is stage manager, i’m one of two assistant stage managers) to have me do it, so i’m afraid i’m being set up to fail bc i know nothing abt theatre, rly, and i’m always paranoid abt these things, but i’m also kinda thinking it might be bc she actually thinks i can do it, which sounds unrealistic, but she’s not a mean person, so i’m willing to bet it’s that one. but i need to ask her what all she needs me to do, bc goldilocks has no clue, which was so fucking helpful, what a great stage manager she is (no, srsly, idk if i bitched abt this earlier or not, but she’s absolutely horrible at this shit so far and i can’t stand working under her bc i hate working under incompetent ppl bc i feel it makes me look incompetent, too, if the job isn’t done right, even if it’s not my fault bc i wasn’t in charge and i’m always, always terrified to look stupid or incapable in the eyes of others). so, i’ve got to ask prof j abt what all i need to do bc i’m p sure the advice given to me by the lighting tech (who is apparently a decent stage manager, tho i doubt it, truly, she doesn’t have the personality for it, she’s too pushy and it makes her hard to work with, but that might just be bc i don’t like her as a person, so i’m reserving judgement until i see her in the position) is wrong bc it makes no sense, is way too hard, doesn’t actually help with anything and gives me a headache (bc mapping out the goddamn blocking is impossible when the actors do diff things every fucking night, wtf??? do the same shit, you assholes! but it’s also useless bc it doesn’t tell anyone where the spotlights/freeze frames should be, and blocking isn’t my job, it’s the other asm’s (who i don’t have a nickname for, but will probs have before the end of rehearsal) so why she’s not doing it, idk???) so i’ll ask tomorrow.

so, i’m looking at 9 hours hw now, then 30 min of cleaning, 3 hours of other paperwork shit, and potentially 4 hours of hw and 2 hours of theatre stuff this weekend. which means i can get at least 10 hours of sleep per night and get some writing done, if i finish most of my hw now. i think that’s worth one sleepless night. it rly is. so, here’s to hoping for at least one day off this week.

but if i don’t sleep, i’ll probs crash after rehearsal tomorrow night, unless i can convince my friends to come over and hang out, since they won’t be here this weekend and i kinda need their help making the roommate requirement list bc otherwise it’s just gonna be like ‘can’t leave time on the microwave after they’re done using it’ and ‘must know how to use headphones when others are studying in the living room’ and ‘must not whine when i want to stay in my room and do work instead of being around them 24/7′ (tho, goldilocks doesn’t spend much time with me anymore, which is fine, i guess, but it’s a complete 180 from what she used to do and honestly, i’m offended bc i caved and started staying in the living room and now it just feels weird not being in the living room and idk what to do abt any of this). i need real things, too, like, big concerns that i’ll forget abt when writing it, and i need to know if my requirements are petty or things that aren’t specific to most ppl, just goldilocks. and it’d be nice to hang out with them and shit.

anyway, this is rly long and rambly, but i rly need to vent all of this shit somewhere, it helps me sort my brain out. i don’t actually expect anyone to read it and you can always blacklist my personal tag ‘iz says stuff’ if you don’t want this shit on your dash. but if you do read them, then you’re always welcome to come to my inbox and be like ‘quit bitching and get back to work, dumbass’ or something. 

[artbyelana]

W12 / 1 on 1s with Jenny & Raul

Artur Zmijewski Them, 2007 (still) single channel video, colour, sound Polish with English subtitles 26 mins 30 secs courtesy the artist & Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Zurich

^ Above are 2 links on the work 'Them' by Artur Zmijewski, where different religious and political groups paint their beliefs and then have the opportunity to change the other groups paintings. Both Raul and Jenny have mentioned this work to me because there are a lot of social dynamics and interactions that happen in the work which are super interesting to observe.

I was only planning on watching the first few minutes of the video but once I started watching I couldn't stop! It was such an interesting experiment, every few seconds one of the groups would do something crazy and then the next group would try to one up them. The social dynamics and interactions got more and more chaotic and intense as the video went on, it was really interesting to watch and observe.

1 on 1 notes from zoom call with Jenny:

other notes:

Consider recording audio so audience can hear the interactions and conversations happening as we paint

Direct the other participants on how and what to paint for content -> also takes them out of their comfort zone.

Write and clarify what I haven't addressed in terms of ideas and explorations for final. Also touch up IPO.

1 on 1 notes from Raul:

Agrees with showing the rules for summative -> not just the collaboration final outcome -> describe how it was made

Think of rule description that speaks to the social dynamics e.g Painting made in collaboration with 3 other female friends, I was the only one allowed to use the blue paint.

Add how many people were involved.

Siphon descriptions e.g 15-20 yr old females in Wellington

Describe participants - sudo language -> 4 female participants painted, only I could use blue paint.

Bring gesture to scale of canvas - further progression for next year / revisit

Super helpful chats today with both Jenny and Raul, they both know where I'm at for hand in and I'm feeling really good about my explorations this year and how I can progress them further next year!

[creativeclaygraphics]

My First Wedding Videography Gig - Starting Out as a Freelancer

Watch here - https://youtu.be/B87mE3uJ05w

15 AUG 2020 

A cloudy day that turned to non-stop rain. It certainly helped with more or less consistent lighting. 

PREPARATION 

I've been friends with Heidi for 7 years now! It has been such a privilege and joy to shoot and edit her wedding video. I made two - the full length version was 1 hour 40 min and the second video is the highlights around 7 min. 

I've been getting into videography and motion graphics in the past 2 years. I've mainly done travel videos and some graphic templates. When she first asked me to be her wedding videographer, I was so excited and so freaking out! I certainly felt the pressure of making it good. The only disappointing thing was because of Covid restrictions, my boyfriend couldn't come and film as well. It would have been incredibly handy to have extra angles to capture those expressions.

My first instinct was to jump on YouTube and search for Wedding Videography Tips and 'How-Tos'.  I have looked up to a lot of videographers on YouTube who showcase their work and provide helpful tutorials. Here are a few videos with tips and considerations I found useful before the day of the wedding. 

Matti Haapoja - 7 Pro Tips for Wedding Videography!

https://youtu.be/4xp31LYdcKo

Matt WhoisMatt Johnson - My Favourite Lens for Wedding Filmmaking!

https://youtu.be/AMwrYohDz00

As I was getting ready prepping with theory and strategy, there was one tip that I learned from Daniel Schiffer that I had to do. That was making a shot list. I prepared a shot list for Heidi, then sent it to her to double check if I missed anything. This was really key in ensuring that I don't miss any moment or people in the video.

Daniel Schiffer -- How I plan Shots & Transitions | B ROLL 101

https://youtu.be/3mZuJAWH1Ow

**Something to note is I did consider the issue of audio, but thankfully the ceremony was being broadcasted through zoom and they had extra cameras and audio set up, which was something I didn't need to worry about.

The next thing I did was to present the couple a few reference videos on YouTube of what style they would want the video to be. They didn't seem to fussed but they certainly liked the examples I had given them.

https://youtu.be/OUB6zKc-Tos

WEDDING DAY 

This was how it all went down: 

7 A.M.  WAKE UP 8 A.M. LEAVE TO TRAIN 10:30 A.M. ARRIVE AT HOTEL - Film Bride and Groom 12 P.M. GROOM LEAVES HOTEL TO CHURCH 1 P.M. BRIDE LEAVES HOTEL TO CHURCH 1:30 P.M. CEREMONY STARTS 3:30 P.M. LATE LUNCH 5 P.M. GROUP PHOTOS 5:45 P.M. TEA CEREMONY 

CAMERA - Lumix G85 LENS - ZhongYi Mitakon 25mm f/0.95              Lumix G VARIO 14-42mm  f/3.5-5.6 

The first half of the day went surprisingly smooth. Arrived unscathed at the hotel, found the bride's room no problem and began shooting while she was getting her make up done. I got some shots of the dress and rings as well. Later on the groom was ready, so I got some shots the grooms men helping the groom with his suit. Then other closeup shots with placing the handkerchief in the pocket, tying shoes. After the groom was ready, we all headed back to the bride. Heidi hid behind the door ajar and David approached and they touched hands. It was a very cute scene to film! David and the groomsmen went off to the church venue. Meanwhile the rest of the time I spent filming the Heidi's parents helping her with her dress. 

All these scenes I shot using the Mitakon f/0.95 to get that awesome depth of field combined with close up shots all hand held. The plan was I would leave with the bride's mum first and once we got to the church, I would switch to the 14-42mm and use the DJI Ronin-sc gimbal. Total fail. 

I spent a good 30 minutes fixing and trying to set up the gimbal....! So incredibly frustrating. I realised that I didn't bring my quick release plate and so I had to redo the entire set up. Even when I got my camera on, it wouldn't stop jittering. Eventually I got it working. Unfortunately the footage using the 14-42mm was a bit too dark, I should have realised the interior of the church wasn't that well lit. I ended up having to do hand held shots with the Mitakon during the signing and also during the first dance - which worked out really nicely!

FILMING HINDSIGHT

WHAT WORKED OUT

Preparing the shot list

Getting there early at the hotel

Mitakon f/0.95 close ups

Transitions and shot ideas - rehearsing the movements beforehand and also coming up with transitions on the spot

POINTERS FOR NEXT TIME

An extra person filming with me would be great

Seriously need to check and prepare for the gimbal set up

Account for delays throughout the wedding

Save up for zoom lenses - luckily I know the bride well so I didn't feel awkward getting in their faces.

VIDEO EDITING

Having other on going projects, I ended up completing all the vidoes in about a month and a half. I use the apps Clockify and RescueTime to track roughly the amount of time spent. I ended up doing 17-20 hours of work on editing. The wedding video took around 8 hours and the highlights took 6 hours - excluding changes.

Originally I was thinking of doing this for free for my friend, but she kindly offered to pay at a discounted rate. That made me reflect what kind of price I should charge in the future...

EXTRA FILES: - Zoom recorded video - Bridesmaid video and audio - Wedding graphics

With the combination of the zoom video files, that helped fill in the gaps that I couldn't get. Overall I'm really delighted with the final outcome of the highlights video. The only annoying aspect was the inconsistency of quality of the clips. It had been a tough process of filtering out all the clips so I began editing it in chronological order, getting the best bits. Then I was able to jumble it up to match the transitions and the progression of the story. I completed the full video first before attempting the highlights... and boy I NEEDED motivation for that. Sometimes, starting from scratch, new music and just bringing in the best clips together is just the way to go.

VIDEO EDITING HINDSIGHT

WHAT WORKED OUT

Choosing the music first

Cutting only the best clips chronologically and saving that as an original sequence

Editing based on those chosen clips

Sending a sample for the couple to check the video direction

POINTERS FOR NEXT TIME

The zoom file came as an MTS file. I now hate MTS files. That took so long to figure out how to resolve the audio. Definitely have a better understanding though now.

There were a couple of changes that the couple wanted to make, which of course is not a problem at all. Thankfully they were simple changes. But certainly always to be prepared for changes, to save and make all files in a way that can be revisited and edited.

Another thing is it made me consider how to charge if there were multiple changes needed.

THANK YOU...

for reading me documenting my first experience as a wedding videographer. What was your first wedding gig like? Or first time going out there filming and editing?

[allenmendezsr]

3 Minute Meditations

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3 Minute Meditations

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    Get ready to experience the simplest, gentlest 28-day jumpstart to the life-changing practice of meditation for beginners. I’m going to teach you the number one secret to have more peace, tranquility and balance in your life. It is doable, realistic, time-friendly and all-inclusive and will provide you with physical, mental and emotional harmony.

Before I tell you more about the PROVEN meditation techniques that have changed the outlook of meditation for thousands of people around the world, I am going to reveal the 3 most common barriers you are facing that are stopping you from getting the peace of mind and anxiety-free living that you deserve.

Your mind is just too busy to sit still for extended periods of time.

Let me tell you something my friend, join the club. Millions of people all across the planet suffer from the syndrome “I-Can’t-Sit-Still-itis”. We live in a society that has us over-stimulated on every level…cell phones, iPads, computers, tvs, billboards, car radios and the list goes on. It’s no wonder you can’t quiet your mind and sit still for any period of time.

That’s why we’re going to start you with baby steps. I’m not going to ask you to sit for 10, 20 or 30 minutes when you first begin. That’s like asking someone who struggles to drink one glass of water a day, to drink in excess of eight glasses a day. That’s a recipe for failure. Your body and your mind would rebel against this.

To find success, you would encourage the person to begin by drinking perhaps 3 glasses a day, then slowly increasing the amount as they found comfort. Likewise, since you’re probably struggling to sit still at all, I’m simply going to ask you to meditate for only 180 seconds a day. That’s right, 180 seconds a day! Once you realize, “Hey, I can do this!”, naturally and gradually you may begin to add time.

Get ready, I am about to show you a very unique and doable approach for beginning to meditate.

You can’t fit it into your already super busy schedule.

Listen, these days, if you’re anything like me, you’ve got a gazillion things that seem to demand your time. If it’s not one thing, it’s another. The crazy thing, is that today, our society makes us feel like we’ve always got to be doing, doing, doing.

At some point, though, if you’re always doing, doing, doing, and going, going, going…you’re going to hit a breaking point. I know I certainly did!

Each and everyone of us, myself included can find 3 minutes a day to meditate…it’s that simple. I’m here to tell you from personal experience, it’s imperative that you do. Your life depends on it.

Here’s the truth though (just in case you think it’s a waste of time), simply by taking a few short minutes a day to sit and be still, to refuel yourself, you will become that much more productive and present when you’re doing what you’re doing, whether it’s working, playing, studying, or loving 🙂

You’ll discover the most efficient and effective way to get the most out of your meditation time.

You want to start meditating but don’t know how and don’t want to spend lots of money to learn.

You’ve probably heard it said before, but it’s the starts that stop people. Just breaking the inertia that keeps us from getting from where we are to where we hope to be is very challenging for just about everybody. Truthfully there is a ton of information out there about how to begin meditating, it’s just that a lot of it can be confusing and/or expensive.

It’s time to put an end to this, let’s get you off the blocks!

As it relates to getting into the wonderful world of meditation, if you’re tired of feeling like you’re spinning your wheels and getting nowhere fast, then keep reading and you will find the SOLUTION you have been longing for. It’s easy to understand, simple to do and super inexpensive!

I want to let you know that all of the above barriers are NOT YOUR FAULT, BUT YOU NEED TO SET THE GAME UP TO WIN!

EVERYONE IS CAPABLE OF SITTING CALMLY IN MEDITATION

And you don’t need to be a spiritual aspirant, monk or mystic to get it.

YOU are capable of doing this! I doubted myself when I first started as well. But I finally figured out what I was doing wrong.

Once I learned the proper way to really meditate and create stillness of mind and body, I became doubtless.

Now I get to share it with you.

YOU can have the peace of mind you have always wanted. Believe in yourself and just follow what I am about to show you.

Follow it to the exact letter and I guarantee you will be on your way to a life filled with peace, positivity, vitality and connectivity.

These 3 barriers are STOPPING you from getting the life you’ve been longing for. It’s time to make a change.

I’ve created a NEW cutting-edge version of my practice, what I call 3-Minute Meditations. They are for beginners or folks short on time. They are super-short, super-simple, uncomplicated introductions to the art and science of meditation. With these breakthrough methods, you’ll be well on your way to getting all the benefits of meditation while sitting about 1/10th of the time of other programs.

3-Minute Meditations is guaranteed to lead you to incredible results if you practice daily. And the best part is it only takes 180 seconds a day.

3-Minute Meditations is built around 7 guided audio meditations/visualizations systematically utilized throughout the four weeks. These include Intentional, Oneness, Mantra, Forgiveness, Mindfulness, Heart & Healing meditations/visualizations.

With a simple, intentional, easy-to-implement practice, you’ll witness an increase in peace, joy & gratitude and a decrease in stress, anxiety & overwhelm in your life.

You Get All Of This…

Component 1:

The 3MM Book and 28-Day Challenge ($19 Value)

I’ve written a book called 3-Minute Meditations where I simplify and demystify the life-changing transformational technology of mediation and I’ve made it doable for everybody.

In this 32 page primer on the 2500 year old practice of meditation, you’re going to learn what meditation is, the 12 top effects you’ll experience, the 4 different types of brain waves and how to access them, as well as the 3 keys to success.

Within the book I’ve created a 28-Day Meditation Challenge where I ask you, the reader, to sit and meditate using the techniques I provide, for just 3 minutes a day for 28 days straight. That’s right you heard me correctly, just 3 minutes a day!

Sound like something you can do? I bet it does! And I’m quite confident that if you do, you’ll be hooked and you will be taking your first step on the journey of a lifetime.

If you’ve ever wanted to meditate, this is your opportunity to get in the game, my friend.

Component 2:

3-Minute Meditations “Done-For-You” Audio Accelerator Package

Get Even FASTER RESULTS! ($27 Value)

Because you have chosen to take action today, your order includes 9 follow-along, guided AUDIO meditations, which are systematically practiced during the 28-day meditation challenge contained within the 3-Minute Meditations book. These are quick and easy audios with relaxing, soothing music in the background. They include Intentional, Oneness, Contemplative, Existential, Mantra, Forgiveness, Mindfulness, Heart & Healing meditations/visualizations.

You can download them as mp3s so you can listen to them anywhere… at home, in your car, when you’re on a run, or in between getting your coffee and getting to the office. All you have to do is push play and get in the flow!

Component 3:

Joyful Living Journal ($19 Value)

In component 3, the Joyful Living Journal, you’ll have the opportunity to consciously cultivate more gratitude and joy in your life over the course of 28 Days.

This is the perfect companion to the 28-Day meditation challenge you’ll go through in the 3-Minute Meditations book.

Each day I will provide you with 2 thought-provoking questions for you to ponder and write about.

All of this is done to afford you the opportunity to get to know YOU better than you ever imagined. From this space of self-awareness, you will be better able to begin living a joyful, grateful life.

BONUS 1:

Secrets For Meditation Success Videos ($27 Value)

When it comes to meditating, there are certain practices you can do BEFORE you begin that will greatly increase your chances of enjoying the experience. In these 2 videos Adam Michael Brewer gives you insider secrets for meditation success.

Video 1 – Finding your spot to meditate and relaxation exercises

Video 2 – How to sit to meditate

BONUS 2:

“Done For You” Meditation X(tended) Pack ($47 Value)

Ready to sit longer than 3 minutes? Then this is what you’re looking for.

An additional 10-guided audio meditations of extended lengths where Adam Michael Brewer leads you through four 5-minute Mindfulness Meditations, three Intentional Meditations (5 min, 10 min & 15 min) and three Oneness Meditations (5 min, 10 min & 15 min).

That’s an additional 2 HOURS worth of guided audio meditations!

Once the 28-Day Challenge is completed, THE RESULTS WILL BLOW YOUR MIND!

Be far more patient with your loved ones so that you can have a deep meaningful relationship with the people you care about most.

Feel comfortable in all situations so that you can go to all cocktail parties, social gatherings, banquets, meetings without feeling anxiety, sweaty palms and pitting out.

Have greater energy levels throughout the day so that you can be more productive at work, do the things you love doing, and just keep going and going and going.

Save money on a therapist or medications so that you can take the vacation you’ve always dreamed of, go to the restaurants you love, and save for your future.

Become less likely to suffer from anxiety attacks so that you can take full control of your life, dominate your path and become the best version of you ever!

AND MUCH MUCH MORE!

Just imagine enjoying all these benefits simply by sitting down and being still for

ONLY 3 MINUTES A DAY!

TESTIMONIALS

“Adam!!! I want to share my immense gratitude to you for sharing 3 Minute Meditations and the 28 Day Meditation Challenge. I have been meditating for years, but NEVER consistently. Now, by putting into practice a daily 3 minute meditation, I am able to meditate daily, sometimes multiple times daily, and often for longer amounts of time. Shifts in perspective, peace of mind, and HUGE new opportunities are entering my life… MIRACLES!

Meditation is such an important spiritual tool and I feel like you’ve given me such a huge gift. I’m forever grateful.…AMAZING!!! THANK YOU!!! I AM BBD!”

Beth Bloom

Los Angeles, CA

“3 Minute Meditations provided an easy to follow introduction to meditation. Adding three minutes of meditation to my routine has been relaxing, energizing, and grounding. It has become regular part of my day that I will enthusiastically continue.

I would highly recommend it for anyone looking for a systematic method of learning to implement daily meditation. Amazing how just three minutes of meditation can be so energizing! Ready to go workout! Thank you for including me, Adam!”

Julie R. Schulte, MA, CCC-A

Zionsville, Indiana

“Thank you Adam for giving me just what I needed to start a meditation practice. I have heard and read for years about the benefits of meditation, but always found excuses not to try, or would try and not stay consistent. When I read about the 3 minute format, I thought to myself, “now that’s something can do”. Within the first week I was naturally craving to sit longer, and am now meditating daily. Something I have always wanted to do for myself, I am now doing.

I have developed a daily ritual I look forward to which nourishes me. I truly see the value in developing this practice even more deeply, and you were just what I needed to get started. Thank you again! Namaste.”

Jennifer McKinney

Los Angeles, CA

“As a freelance television producer working sometimes 60+ hours a week while juggling my teenage daughter’s schedule and trying not to neglect my husband, my days are almost always stressful! So when Adam offered the 28-day-meditation challenge to sit for three minutes a day, I seized the opportunity to incorporate the practice into my life.

I am thrilled to report that during the challenge, I was better able to deal with tense situations and difficult people. My anxiety levels have most definitely dropped (see ya Xanax). Once the challenge ended, I have continued my practice and extended my meditation time. I would highly recommend Three Minute Meditations to anyone who is interested in exploring meditation but isn’t sure how to begin – the practice has truly added value to my life (and by extension, the lives I touch on a daily basis). Having Adam as my guide into this practice has been a real blessing, and I believe that his unique perspective and approach has the potential to so many people who, like me, find themselves overwhelmed by the demands of the multi-tasking, fast-paced world in which we live.”

Leslie Lindsey Ward

Santa Monica, CA

“The depth of my gratitude is simply boundless. Today was day 28 of the 28 day meditation challenge for me. I have practiced various forms of meditation, prayer, chanting since the mid to late 80’s and where I have always struggled was keeping a daily practice truly daily for more than a few weeks. The 3 minute meditations made it so easy for me to really commit this time. I love having the various guided meditations. I love setting my intention and creating a field of gratitude.

I have had more sustained peace and joy over the past 28 days than I can really ever remember. Or maybe simply I have come to know a greater depth of the peace and joy and gratitude and it stays with me throughout the day. When it doesn’t, I simply give myself the time to use the tools from this program to center myself again and come back to that attitude of gratitude. As I celebrate completing the 28 day challenge, I also look forward to sustaining my practice and continuing on the path of spiritual progress, health, healing and happiness.

I’ve heard it said that at the moment of commitment, the entire Universe conspires to assist you. My thanks to the Universe for bringing me to this program. Adam, this was exactly what I needed. Thank you!”

Dave Drezner

PA

“I recently finished my 28 day challenge and all I can say is how appreciative I am for having been given this most amazing gift. I feel so much calmer and more connected than I ever have. I have also been dealing with a lot of emotional turmoil lately – aging and ill parents that could send anyone into a tailspin, but with the tools Adam has provided, I have been able to keep calm, breathe and move forward without losing it!

Thank you Adam for blessing me with a gift I didn’t even know I needed or wanted. I am so grateful to have met you and I look forward to learning and growing with your guidance and support. I am actually going to do the challenge again using the guided meditation-excited to see where that takes me!!”

Kathy Donovan

Los Angeles, CA

“As a 46 year old trying to balance work and family life, I found the 3 minute meditation to be a great stress reliever. 3MM provides big impact for such a small commitment of time and is very easy to do. I recommend it for anyone who is looking to improve the quality of their lives.”

Dan Schuman

Cleveland, OH

“The 3 Minute Meditations book takes you thru a 28 day journey, enveloping the core of all things life has to offer, opening our minds into accepting all the goodness there is within ourselves and others. You can do these 3 minute meditations anywhere at anytime with ease. These 3 minutes a day can really change your life!”

Janae Brand

Marina Del Rey, CA

“Before I even go into my kitchen in the morning —before I enter the chaos and look at my schedule for the day, I stay in my room and do my 3 minutes of meditation and it just seems to get me focused for my day—it energizes me and makes me very positive and ready take on the challenge. I try very hard to do it again in the evening and it just helps me to breathe out all of the chaos of the day!!

Thank you Adam for helping me de-stress!!”

Leigh Ann Oberski

Toledo, OH

“I tried both morning and evening and found I prefer the evening/night. I do it as a part of getting ready for bed and I find it helps me relax, unwind and sleep happy. Thank you Adam!”

Jennifer Stump

Marina Del Rey, CA

“Due to my mommy and work schedule I have been using your 3-minute meditations in the morning, mid day or at night. Ideally the morning is best, but if it was a high intensity day, night is amazing to wind down with a 3MM. Mid day actually has been great for me too, if business just gets a lil hectic. It’s good to take that time to release and regroup.

My goal is to get it to the same time everyday as many days as possible. All in all its brilliant for me so far. Muah AMB!!! Thank you for this beautification!”

Shaina Fast

Los Angeles, CA

“I want to call your attention to Adam Michael Brewer. He has launched his ebook on meditation. The peace that is over this guy can only described as heaven sent. He is truly centered and has taught me through example how to ascend.

I can’t stress enough the benefits of meditation. It doesn’t take a lot of time and its not a difficult thing to do but his book will show you how. Please, please, hit him up and he’ll advise you how to join his group and obtain his book. – be blessed!!!”

Scott A. Williams

Los Angeles, CA

Biography

Hi, I’m Adam Michael Brewer; meditation guide, wellness coach and mind/body specialist. I live in Playa Del Rey, CA with my partner Liz and our son Skye. Simply put, meditation has been the greatest gift I have ever given myself. In short, it was a serious Game-Changer. It found it’s way into my life back in 2003 at a time when I desperately needed to find solid ground in my life.

I’ve been practicing meditation for the last 15 years and have been teaching it to others for the last 3 years. I can’t wait to share it with you too. Very soon you will learn the secret to living with more joy, peace of mind and greater vitality than you’ve ever imagined.

PRICING

What are you waiting for? You’ve come this far and you’re just one click away from experiencing this life-changing program!

Learn More

Q & A’s

Q. Will this program work if I’m in my 40’s and 50’s?A. Yes, the beautiful part about this program is that it works at any age.

Q. I’ve been meditating for years, just not consistently. Will this be for me? A. YES!!! The real benefits of meditation are felt and experienced through daily meditation. I intentionally picked a length of time for the meditation that anyone can fit into their days, whether you’ve been at this before, but it didn’t stick or this is your first time.

Q. What if I already have a consistent meditation practice? A. That is completely fine. Consider this another option for when you are time crunched… kind of like meditation-to-go!

Q. I’m not religious. Does this technique have any particular religious affiliation? A. This practice is not affiliated with any religion. It is for anyone… whether you’re religious, spiritual or anywhere in between.

Q. Is 3 minutes of meditation really enough to get results?A. Absolutely!!! Just look at some of the testimonials to hear about the results people got whether or not they had meditated before or had never tried it. The best part about it being 3 minutes is that it allows you to create a HABIT. What most people experience is that they eventually, if not very quickly, love the feeling and they naturally want to sit longer. 🙂

[mofer]

How Has Instagram Changed In The Past Decade

In just a matter of a few months, Instagram will be 10 years since it was first released. Indeed the photo-sharing platform became a sensation back on October 6, 2010. However, things at the moment were a lot different than they are now. As a matter of fact, at the time, Instagram was simply a platform from where one could share photos with friends and family. 

Who would’ve thought that years later, that photo-sharing platform would become the second-largest social media site in the world? Well, it did. And that’s why today, we want to go over some of the changes Instagram has had over the span of 10 years.

Of course, it goes without saying that listing every single update and feature the platform has had over that time would make this article endless. So, for now, we will limit this list to 10 changes Instagram had over the past decade.

Hashtags – 2011

Unlike many new platforms, Instagram didn’t have much trouble growing its user base. As a matter of fact, a week after its launch, the photo-sharing app had already gotten 100k users. Shortly after, (two months to be more accurate), Instagram got its first million active users. Indeed, this was a sign that the site was off to a good start.

Therefore, Instagram founders, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger started working on making the platform even better. And so in January 2011, a mere month after reaching the one million mark, Instagram added the now-famous hashtags.

You see, at the time of its launch, Instagram was basically a platform from where you could just share photos with your friends and family. However, things changed pretty soon when hashtags were introduced. At this point, we all know that hashtags allow you to find content you like more easily. And adding them to Instagram proved to be an effective tool that changed things forever.  

Instagram Direct – 2013

In 2013, Instagram surprised us with Direct. A new messaging feature designed to allow Instagram users to message each other using the platform. The main purpose of this feature was to compete against some of the biggest messaging services of that time. And well… It worked. 

Over time, Direct has evolved enormously. So much so, that Instagram users are now able to send not only photos and videos, but also audio notes, gifs, and much more. In short, we are talking about a messaging tool that offers pretty much the same and even more than that of its competitors.

Finally, there were rumors about Instagram wanting to make Direct an independent app. But, that never happened.  

Instagram Ads – 2015

So, by 2015 Instagram was already owned by Facebook. In fact, the photo-sharing app had been acquired by the blue giant back in 2012. But, it wasn’t until 2015 that the app became a business opportunity for everyone with a desire to grow. You see, Instagram had already been working on its business version. 

But, they were still lacking something. And that something was ads. Let’s face it, advertisement is one of the best ways to make money online. And Instagram knew how to profit from that opportunity. They used the platform to allow brands to create 30 seconds ads promoting their services or products. And in return, they made millions of dollars.

The new Instagram ads system also changed over time and of course, they worked hard to improve the service and get to more people willing to use the system.

Instagram Boomerang – 2015

Instagram launched some major updates in 2015. But not all of them were designed for the business field. As a matter of fact, regular users had the fortune of testing a new standalone app created by Instagram that is still used in 2020. Instagram Boomerang as we all know it, it’s an app that allows users to shoot a one-second burst of five photos, and then turn it into a silent video that plays forwards and reverses in a loop.

We can’t say for sure how many people still use the app. But, what we do know is that ever since it was released, Instagram Boomerang has been downloaded over a hundred million times. If that doesn’t mean success, I don’t know what does.

Instagram Stories – 2016

The year is 2016. Instagram had already become a sensation among all of us. But, it still had a lot to work on. The ambition to become the second-best social media site in the world made Instagram work on new things that a lot of us would learn to love. And in 2016, they presented Instagram Stories. 

There’s no much need to explain what Stories are. But, in the weird remote case that you are clueless about it, here’s a brief explanation. Instagram Stories is a feature created in the year 2016 that allows Instagram users to share moments of their every day lives with all their friends and followers. 

Moreover, Stories also became a great option for brands to advertise their products or services. Oh, and we can’t forget to mention the endless tools Instagram made available for us to use on Stories. Gifs, Stickers, Music, etc. 

What’s funny about this all is that Instagram was actually accused of stealing the Stories format from one of its competitors. Snapchat. You see, the truth is that Snapchat already had Stories on their platform. But, not only that.

They actually also had a version of Direct before Instagram launched its own. Perhaps, we can say Instagram took inspiration from the yellow ghost app and gave us something improved.

Instagram New Logo – 2016

One of the things that had us recognize Instagram right away was that of its logo. The iconic retro brown and cream camera with a rainbow stripe icon was the one thing we never thought would change. But, we were wrong. In 2016 Instagram opted to change its classic logo to a pink, purple, orange version of it. 

Surprisingly, people didn’t really like the change. As a matter of fact, I remember reading an article calling the new logo, “A Travesti icon” or something around those lines. However, time went by and users learned to adapt. So now the colorful logo we all know is what represents Instagram in the present time. 

Instagram Shopping – 2017

With Instagram on the rise, it was just a matter of time until the company found a new way to make money off the platform. And so they invented Shopping. Instagram Shopping had been under development since November 2016. However, it was officially released in March 2017 in a selected number of countries. 

The new e-commerce feature was designed to allow brands to sell their products or services through Instagram. And users to buy them with the power of one tap. Fortunately, Shopping then expanded to most countries in the world and it got tons of updated that made the experience of shopping on Instagram way better.

IGTV – 2018

On June 20, 2018, Instagram launched IGTV. A standalone app created to compete directly with Youtube. One of the most appealing aspects of this new app was that users could watch videos vertically. People in general were allowed to upload 10 min long videos to the platform. And verified creators could upload videos up to 1 hour long. 

The app does not let you monetize content as Youtube does. But it’s still a good option when it comes to market your brand. Finally, while IGTV comes integrated within the main Instagram app, the video-sharing platform has been downloaded at least one million times from the PlayStore, and who knows how many more from the App Store.

One Billion Users – 2018

Currently, Facebook is the number one social media platform in the world. And unless it is shut down by the government, we don’t think there will be any other company that will equal Facebook’s power in one million years. Or perhaps, there could be. You see, Instagram was off to a good start from the very beginning. 

As we mentioned when we started this article, it only took one week for the platform to reach its first 100k users. Well, ever since Instagram was bought by Facebook, the site has kept on growing non-stop. And finally, in 2018, Instagram reached its first BILLION mark. One billion monthly active users. Incredible, right? This has made Instagram the second largest social media platform in the world. And probably Facebook’s replacement is such site were ever to disappear. 

The news of Instagram reaching a billion monthly active users was announced on the same day that the IGTV app was presented. 

Instagram Removes Likes – 2019

Finally, let’s talk about likes. Instagram likes have been incredibly important for users all over the world. Lots of brands rely on likes to choose influencers that could promote their products. But, there’s more. Instagram likes were always a mean to measure popularity amongst youngsters on Instagram. 

Unfortunately, the whole popularity game soon became a problem for Instagram. Since lots of teenagers started to deal with depression due to social media pressure. Things that we adults think are stupid. Instagram was labeled as the saddest app in the world. So, what did they do? Well, they removed the likes from posts. This way, no one would have to suffer bullying for not getting likes when posting a photo. 

The whole point of removing the like count from posts was to protect the mental health of users in general. And even though lots of people didn’t like the change too much, Instagram still went on with it. However, this like removal thing only applied to certain countries. So, some of us still get to see how many likes a post has.

The post How Has Instagram Changed In The Past Decade appeared first on Becoming Instafamous.

Source: https://becoming.instafamous.pro/instagram-10th-aniversary/

[instafamouspro]

How Has Instagram Changed In The Past Decade

In just a matter of a few months, Instagram will be 10 years since it was first released. Indeed the photo-sharing platform became a sensation back on October 6, 2010. However, things at the moment were a lot different than they are now. As a matter of fact, at the time, Instagram was simply a platform from where one could share photos with friends and family. 

Who would’ve thought that years later, that photo-sharing platform would become the second-largest social media site in the world? Well, it did. And that’s why today, we want to go over some of the changes Instagram has had over the span of 10 years.

Of course, it goes without saying that listing every single update and feature the platform has had over that time would make this article endless. So, for now, we will limit this list to 10 changes Instagram had over the past decade.

Hashtags – 2011

Unlike many new platforms, Instagram didn’t have much trouble growing its user base. As a matter of fact, a week after its launch, the photo-sharing app had already gotten 100k users. Shortly after, (two months to be more accurate), Instagram got its first million active users. Indeed, this was a sign that the site was off to a good start.

Therefore, Instagram founders, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger started working on making the platform even better. And so in January 2011, a mere month after reaching the one million mark, Instagram added the now-famous hashtags.

You see, at the time of its launch, Instagram was basically a platform from where you could just share photos with your friends and family. However, things changed pretty soon when hashtags were introduced. At this point, we all know that hashtags allow you to find content you like more easily. And adding them to Instagram proved to be an effective tool that changed things forever.  

Instagram Direct – 2013

In 2013, Instagram surprised us with Direct. A new messaging feature designed to allow Instagram users to message each other using the platform. The main purpose of this feature was to compete against some of the biggest messaging services of that time. And well… It worked. 

Over time, Direct has evolved enormously. So much so, that Instagram users are now able to send not only photos and videos, but also audio notes, gifs, and much more. In short, we are talking about a messaging tool that offers pretty much the same and even more than that of its competitors.

Finally, there were rumors about Instagram wanting to make Direct an independent app. But, that never happened.  

Instagram Ads – 2015

So, by 2015 Instagram was already owned by Facebook. In fact, the photo-sharing app had been acquired by the blue giant back in 2012. But, it wasn’t until 2015 that the app became a business opportunity for everyone with a desire to grow. You see, Instagram had already been working on its business version. 

But, they were still lacking something. And that something was ads. Let’s face it, advertisement is one of the best ways to make money online. And Instagram knew how to profit from that opportunity. They used the platform to allow brands to create 30 seconds ads promoting their services or products. And in return, they made millions of dollars.

The new Instagram ads system also changed over time and of course, they worked hard to improve the service and get to more people willing to use the system.

Instagram Boomerang – 2015

Instagram launched some major updates in 2015. But not all of them were designed for the business field. As a matter of fact, regular users had the fortune of testing a new standalone app created by Instagram that is still used in 2020. Instagram Boomerang as we all know it, it’s an app that allows users to shoot a one-second burst of five photos, and then turn it into a silent video that plays forwards and reverses in a loop.

We can’t say for sure how many people still use the app. But, what we do know is that ever since it was released, Instagram Boomerang has been downloaded over a hundred million times. If that doesn’t mean success, I don’t know what does.

Instagram Stories – 2016

The year is 2016. Instagram had already become a sensation among all of us. But, it still had a lot to work on. The ambition to become the second-best social media site in the world made Instagram work on new things that a lot of us would learn to love. And in 2016, they presented Instagram Stories. 

There’s no much need to explain what Stories are. But, in the weird remote case that you are clueless about it, here’s a brief explanation. Instagram Stories is a feature created in the year 2016 that allows Instagram users to share moments of their every day lives with all their friends and followers. 

Moreover, Stories also became a great option for brands to advertise their products or services. Oh, and we can’t forget to mention the endless tools Instagram made available for us to use on Stories. Gifs, Stickers, Music, etc. 

What’s funny about this all is that Instagram was actually accused of stealing the Stories format from one of its competitors. Snapchat. You see, the truth is that Snapchat already had Stories on their platform. But, not only that.

They actually also had a version of Direct before Instagram launched its own. Perhaps, we can say Instagram took inspiration from the yellow ghost app and gave us something improved.

Instagram New Logo – 2016

One of the things that had us recognize Instagram right away was that of its logo. The iconic retro brown and cream camera with a rainbow stripe icon was the one thing we never thought would change. But, we were wrong. In 2016 Instagram opted to change its classic logo to a pink, purple, orange version of it. 

Surprisingly, people didn’t really like the change. As a matter of fact, I remember reading an article calling the new logo, “A Travesti icon” or something around those lines. However, time went by and users learned to adapt. So now the colorful logo we all know is what represents Instagram in the present time. 

Instagram Shopping – 2017

With Instagram on the rise, it was just a matter of time until the company found a new way to make money off the platform. And so they invented Shopping. Instagram Shopping had been under development since November 2016. However, it was officially released in March 2017 in a selected number of countries. 

The new e-commerce feature was designed to allow brands to sell their products or services through Instagram. And users to buy them with the power of one tap. Fortunately, Shopping then expanded to most countries in the world and it got tons of updated that made the experience of shopping on Instagram way better.

IGTV – 2018

On June 20, 2018, Instagram launched IGTV. A standalone app created to compete directly with Youtube. One of the most appealing aspects of this new app was that users could watch videos vertically. People in general were allowed to upload 10 min long videos to the platform. And verified creators could upload videos up to 1 hour long. 

The app does not let you monetize content as Youtube does. But it’s still a good option when it comes to market your brand. Finally, while IGTV comes integrated within the main Instagram app, the video-sharing platform has been downloaded at least one million times from the PlayStore, and who knows how many more from the App Store.

One Billion Users – 2018

Currently, Facebook is the number one social media platform in the world. And unless it is shut down by the government, we don’t think there will be any other company that will equal Facebook’s power in one million years. Or perhaps, there could be. You see, Instagram was off to a good start from the very beginning. 

As we mentioned when we started this article, it only took one week for the platform to reach its first 100k users. Well, ever since Instagram was bought by Facebook, the site has kept on growing non-stop. And finally, in 2018, Instagram reached its first BILLION mark. One billion monthly active users. Incredible, right? This has made Instagram the second largest social media platform in the world. And probably Facebook’s replacement is such site were ever to disappear. 

The news of Instagram reaching a billion monthly active users was announced on the same day that the IGTV app was presented. 

Instagram Removes Likes – 2019

Finally, let’s talk about likes. Instagram likes have been incredibly important for users all over the world. Lots of brands rely on likes to choose influencers that could promote their products. But, there’s more. Instagram likes were always a mean to measure popularity amongst youngsters on Instagram. 

Unfortunately, the whole popularity game soon became a problem for Instagram. Since lots of teenagers started to deal with depression due to social media pressure. Things that we adults think are stupid. Instagram was labeled as the saddest app in the world. So, what did they do? Well, they removed the likes from posts. This way, no one would have to suffer bullying for not getting likes when posting a photo. 

The whole point of removing the like count from posts was to protect the mental health of users in general. And even though lots of people didn’t like the change too much, Instagram still went on with it. However, this like removal thing only applied to certain countries. So, some of us still get to see how many likes a post has.

The post How Has Instagram Changed In The Past Decade appeared first on Becoming Instafamous.

https://ift.tt/2SCcL6c https://ift.tt/2Lyx2Ua May 06, 2020 at 02:30AM

[thisdaynews]

Scottish League Cup final: Rangers v Celtic - build-up to Old Firm showpiece

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/scottish-league-cup-final-rangers-v-celtic-build-up-to-old-firm-showpiece/

Scottish League Cup final: Rangers v Celtic - build-up to Old Firm showpiece

Rangers v CelticBBC Radio Scotland FM

22,03722,037

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17:3017:30

BBC Radio nan Gàidheal

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Live Reporting

By Colin Moffat

All times stated are UK

7 mins

Post update

Rangers 0-0 Celitc

Celtic get forward for the first time but their momentum is broken when Borna Barisic stops Jeremie Frimpong in his tracks with a wonderful slide tackle.

5 mins

Post update

Rangers 0-0 Celitc

It’s all Rangers right now as Borna Barisic swings in a cross from the left. Scott Arfield gets to it first but the header lacks conviction.

Posted at 15:0415:04

Post update

Rangers 0-0 Celtic

Pat Bonner

Former Celtic goalkeeper on BBC Sportsound

Quote Message: Exactly the start Steven Gerrard would have wanted. Getting high up the pitch, pressing Celtic.

Exactly the start Steven Gerrard would have wanted. Getting high up the pitch, pressing Celtic.

3 mins

Post update

Rangers 0-0 Celitc

Connor Goldson again. The Rangers defender is picked out by a James Tavernier free kick but the header is way off target.

Good pressure from Steven Gerrard’s side.

Posted at 15:0315:03

Post update

Rangers 0-0 Celtic

Billy Dodds

Former Scotland striker on Sportsound

Quote Message: That was some chance for Connor Goldson because he gets above Kristoffer Ajer.

That was some chance for Connor Goldson because he gets above Kristoffer Ajer.

2 min

Post update

Rangers 0-0 Celitc

Corner to Rangers. Filip Helander gets his head on James Tavernier’s delivery but the ball shoots high up into the sky before Fraser Forster punches clear.

A second corner. This time Connor Goldson attacks it and sends his header high and wide.

Posted at 15:0015:00

KICK-OFF

Rangers 0-0 Celitc

Posted at 14:5814:58

Hampden roars

Rangers v Celtic (15:00)

The teams are out. It’s noisy at the national stadium. Very, very noisy.

There are a few smoke bombs going off too, making it look like a heavy fog has descended.

Posted at 14:5614:56

Five minutes until kick-off

Rangers v Celtic (15:00)

Former Old Firm strikers Ally McCoist and Chris Sutton take turns at showing off the cup to both sets of fans at a rainy Hampden but are largely ignored.

Not long to go now…

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Get Involved – Where are you watching the final?

Tweet us @bbcsportscot

Shep:I’m watching in Aberdeen Uni Library while revising…

Posted at 14:5414:54

Gerrard coy on new contract talk

Rangers v Celtic (15:00)

Asked by BT Sport if reports he had signed a new contract at Rangers were true,Steven Gerrardsaid: “It’s not important right now. All our attention is on the next 90 minutes and beyond. I’ll speak to you on that if and when needed.”

You can make your own mind up on that one…

Posted at 14:5214:52

‘Important to nullify Celtic threat’ – Gerrard

Rangers v Celtic (15:00)

Rangers manager Steven Gerrardtells BT Sport midfielder Steven Davis “had no chance”.

“He’s got a calf problem and will probably miss two or three games,” he explains. “Barisic has pulled through, he’s in great form so that one was a no-brainer.”

On the match, Gerrard says: “You’ve got to defend well. Celtic have got good players, especially their front four who have got good movement. It’s important we try and nullify their threats.

“And when the game presents itself for us to go and show how good we are from an attacking point of view we need to go and execute. We’ve got good players as well. It’s important we play the game rather than the occasion. We need to get the best Rangers today.”

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Steven Gerrard and Neil Lennon with the trophyImage caption: Steven Gerrard and Neil Lennon with the trophy

Posted at 14:5014:50

Edouard ‘wasn’t comfortable enough to start’

Rangers v Celtic (15:00)

Celtic manager Neil Lennontells BBC Scotland: “We’ve been going with Lewis Morgan for the past three games, it’s not going to change that much. Odsonne Edouard said yesterday he didn’t feel comfortable enough to start, but he can hopefully make an impact later in the game.

“If we turn up and play we’ve got a chance. The wet pitch may suit us.Sometimes the quicker the pitch the better we play.”

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Celtic manager Neil Lennon inspects the Hampden pitchImage caption: Celtic manager Neil Lennon inspects the Hampden pitch

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Get Involved – Where are you watching the final?

Tweet us @bbcsportscot

J-R Bergevin-Marion:Montréal, Québec.

Posted at 14:4614:46

‘Hopefully, weather doesn’t impact game’

Rangers v Celtic (15:00)

Former Rangers defender Alan Huttontells BBC Scotland: “The weather is shocking, I just hope it doesn’t impact the game.

“It’s such a big occasion, probably more so for Rangers. It’s a massive game, hopefully they can do it.

“Obviously, Celtic have been used to winning, they’ve been dominant the past few years.”

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It’s not short-sleeve weather for spectator Alan Hutton todayImage caption: It’s not short-sleeve weather for spectator Alan Hutton today

Posted at 14:4314:43

Rangers looking for 28th League Cup

Rangers v Celtic (15:00)

Rangers have won the League Cup more times than any other team, lifting the trophy on 27 occasions.

They won the first final way back in the 1946-47 season with a 4-0 win over Aberdeen.

But Rangers fans haven’t seen their team lift the cup since 2010-11 when they were 2-1 extra-time winners against Celtic.

The competition was 10 years old before Celtic made their first final, beating Partick Thistle in a replay, and they have won it 18 times in total – including the last three.

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Gordon Smith (no10) is mobbed by Rangers teammates Sandy Jardine and Derek Johnstone after grabbing the winner in the 1978 final against CelticImage caption: Gordon Smith (no10) is mobbed by Rangers teammates Sandy Jardine and Derek Johnstone after grabbing the winner in the 1978 final against Celtic

Posted at 14:4014:40

Can Celtic cup run keep going?

Rangers v Celtic (15:00)

Celtic’s recent cup record is just incredible. As they chase a fourth League Cup in a row and a 10th successive trophy, their run in domestic knockout competitions stands at 30 consecutive victories.

Yes, 30! With an aggregate score of 95-11.

They are unbeaten since a Scottish Cup semi-final penalty shootout defeat at the hands of Rangers in April 2016 under the command of Ronny Deila.

Posted at 14:3714:37

Cheering on the coefficient

Rangers v Celtic (15:00)

To keep the neck and neck rivalry going, both sides are proudly flying the flag for Scotland in the Europa League.

With victories home and away against Lazio, unbeaten Celtic are already through to the knockout phase as group winners.

Rangers will join them in the round of 32 if they avoid defeat against Young Boys at Ibrox on Thursday.

It all means Scotland are currently soaring in 15th place in the Uefa coefficient standings and heading for an extra Champions League spot in 2021-22.

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Olivier Ntcham celebrates a dramatic late winner against Lazio in RomeImage caption: Olivier Ntcham celebrates a dramatic late winner against Lazio in Rome

Posted at 14:3514:35

Tight at the top

Rangers v Celtic (15:00)

This season’s Scottish Premiership title race looks like being a real humdinger.

Celtic opened a two-point lead over Rangers on Wednesday after several weeks of the sides being split only by goal difference.

Both sides have lost just once – Rangers to Celtic, whose sole slip up was at Livingston.

Will it remain nip and tuck all the way to May?

Posted at 14:3214:32

Jack v Christie

Rangers v Celtic (15:00)

Scotland team-mates Ryan Jack and Ryan Christie are in red hot form for their clubs right now.

Who will come out on top in that midfield battle?

Video content

Video caption: Watch: Jack v Christie – League Cup final midfield battleWatch: Jack v Christie – League Cup final midfield battle

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[meditativeyoga]

Daily Meditation Made Easy

Alexandra Branzan Albu, an associate teacher of electric and computer system design at the College of Victoria BC as well as a mom of 2, had a million things on her mind. She jogged on a regular basis in order to help remove her head but usually really felt bewildered by the anxiety of juggling motherhood with a demanding job. Meditation assured the tranquility she was trying to find, yet developing a method seemed like another thing on her unlimited order of business, and the barriers to obtaining started appeared impossible. 'I was convinced I didn't have time, that I needed to concentrate on my family members and getting period,' says Branzan Albu, who however negotiated with herself to meditate daily, as well as that now, three years later on, wakes early most mornings to center herself before the day begins.

Her efforts repaid promptly. Within a month of starting her method, she says, she not just felt calmer, but found herself free of the sleeping disorders she had actually dealt with for several years. 'I began little, felt a change, and also simply kept going,' she says.

The miracle of reflection is obvious. A vast and expanding body of study shows that practicing meditation can reduce stress, ease stress and anxiety and clinical depression, enhance your interest period, as well as deepen your concern for others, amongst its several other benefits. We currently know that routine meditation can change the physical structure of the mind, and current research studies by researchers at the College of Wisconsin and UCLA suggest not just that meditation could make your brain better at cognitive features such as refining information and also forming memories, but likewise that the more years you regularly practice meditation, the greater the possible advantages. From the Dalai Lama to Oprah and also from cellular phone apps that motivate you to look inward to worldwide flash-mob meditations that intend to advertise the advantages of the practice, reflection is heralded by nonreligious, spiritual, and also scientific communities alike as unimpeachably good for you.

But recognizing that meditation is excellent for you is something-- taking a seat daily to do it is another. As well as consistency is the key to realizing the method's several benefits, states Sally Kempton, acclaimed reflection teacher and also the author of Reflection for the Love of It.

Kempton, formerly referred to as Swami Durgananda, has instructed reflection and yoga philosophy for more than 40 years, including 2 years invested as a training monk in the Saraswati order. To assist you establish your very own method, Yoga Journal teamed up with Kempton ahead up with a program that provides both start and on-again, off-again meditators a taste of the incentives of normal method-- and also puts you on the course to a habit that sticks.

The heart of the program is a series of four audio meditations of enhancing length and complexity. While practicing meditation for 30 to 75 mins a day is excellent, Kempton states, beginners should begin with much shorter sessions as well as gradually increase the amount of time spent resting. To that end, the first of the four reflections is simply 10 mins, to be done on a daily basis for a week. Each week brings a new technique, with each method structure on the last.

1. Choose a Technique

If you've ever before assumed regarding discovering how to practice meditation, you know that there are a potentially frustrating variety of designs as well as strategies to pick from. Vipassana or Transcendental? Visualization, prayer, or mantra? Music or no music? Decisions in the vitamin aisle at Whole Foods seem easy comparative. Kempton's recommendations is not to worry over the stretching meditation buffet. Instead, consider the numerous methods as devices or websites to provide you accessibility to the reflective state.

Which method you make use of is less important than gaining the benefits of a peaceful mind. Beginners, states Kempton, must begin by discovering a technique or method that dependably puts them into a reflective state. When this 'core practice' is developed, you can after that begin to try out other reflection techniques and also styles-- constantly with the knowledge that you could return to one that helps you if you begin to shed your way.

Over the course of 4 weeks, you will have an opportunity to experiment with a number of different techniques, beginning with the fundamental mindfulness practice of purposely adhering to the breath. This technique offers a beginner's hectic mind something to do, clarifies Kempton: The exchange of air, also the metronomic rhythm of the effort, steers the meditator toward the natural power inside the body that desires to take the focus internal, a power Kempton calls the 'reflection existing.'

2. Establish a Habit

According to Kempton, it's practical for beginners to develop conditions for a meditation technique that will continue to be basically constant-- the very same time, the same cushion, the same peaceful edge. Our body and minds have natural rhythms, and also they respond favorably to practicing meditation at the exact same time each day and to visual and also sensory signs like paddings, garments, candle lights, and spaces dedicated to meditation, she says. Undoubtedly, neuroscientists believe that we form routines by means of a three-step 'behavior loophole': The mind triggers you to carry out a react to a cue, you do the activity, and also you locate it gratifying, thus reinforcing the loophole and also making you anxious to do it again.

When you develop the conditions for your reflection technique, you're not just establishing up signals that inform your mind and body it's time to turn internal, but you are making it that much extra likely that you'll sit down in the initial place.

Of course, genuine life-- in the kind of work, substantial others, and children, to say nothing of laundry and also dirty dishes-- could make such consistency impossible. Don't allow the truth that you don't have a silent edge (or also a dedicated pillow) prevent you. 'Don't obtain stuck on the suggestion that you must practice meditation at a certain time, or in certain garments,' states Kempton, who has actually meditated on park benches, in buses, on aircrafts, as well as also in a parked car.

3. Be Patient

I pencil in the 20 mins prior to dawn as my ideal method time as well as select the guest bed room as a peaceful area where I'm not likely to be disturbed. On my first morning, I remain on the floor on a folded up blanket with my eyes carefully closed, my legs freely went across, and my palms relaxing softly on my upper legs. The wall surface is close by to sustain my back if I need it. 'You should make yourself comfy to ensure that physical pain doesn't stop you from meditating,' states Kempton. Sustaining the back versus a wall surface with cushions, or perhaps sitting in a chair is fine, as long as the spinal column is put up-- a plunged stance constricts breathing, decreases performance, and also puts a kink in the power running with the body.

As I pay attention to the first of the led reflection audio recordings that make up this program, I concentrate on Kempton's voice and also on my breath. The air enters my lungs, the air leaves. My concentration is periodically interrupted by thoughts of my son's Little League team and also the jingle of the pet's tags, but complying with Kempton's recommendations, I aim to let these disturbances reoccur, as if they're pieces of driftwood floating towards and far from me on the ocean. Sometime throughout the first meditation session, my mind clears, my lower arms and jaw feel splendidly heavy, and I shed myself in the exchange of breath. Later, I feel kicked back, like the debris inside of me has settled.

Was that the meditation current? I ask Kempton later. She verifies that it sounds as though I was attracted. Some people, she tells me, are fortunate to capture the current on the first try, but those less fortunate ought to hold your horses. The amount of time it requires to reach a silent state differs by person and also by degree of experience. Ways to know when you're there is an additional question without strict solution. You might experience a deep and also relaxed state of recognition, as I did, while others may experience visions or noises. And also just what took place in today's session, Kempton tells me, could have no bearing on what will take place tomorrow or the next day. 'Every reflection is different,' she says.

As the days go by, I uncover that every method does not bring bliss. In general, I do not experience much from the squirminess that frequently torments the newbie meditator. The mantra meditation of the second week doesn't feel as effective as the initial week's breath method. The concept that I am concentrating on-- Ham sa, or 'I am that'-- hasn't already maintained me involved. In one session, I bother with a good friend who has actually simply shed his work. On an additional day, I can not obtain comfortable. On a third day, my MP3 gamer inexplicably changes from Kempton's voice to a singing Ray LaMontagne.

Kempton tells me that not every method reverberates with every person, and she assures me that down days belong to developing a practice. Even if some of my sessions do not really feel successful, she states, it is still time well invested. Pressing through uncreative sessions aids you build exactly what is basically meditation muscular tissue. You're educating your body and also mind to transform inward continuously-- to stand firm with one negative day or a collection of tough days in order to better savor the excellent sessions.

I'm further guaranteed that virtually every seasoned meditator I talk to says establishing a technique commonly boils down to merely revealing up each day. I talk to an Idaho speech therapist with an eating problem who originally located reflection so painful that she could not rest for also one min, a workaholic East Shore exec who had a difficult time believing that practicing meditation would certainly pay sufficient dividends making it worth his while, as well as Cherilynn Morrow, a retired teacher of physics as well as astronomy at Atlanta's Georgia State University as well as a pupil of Kempton's that, in spite of duplicated efforts at meditating, could not subdue her racing thoughts.

' The reflection I was doing had not been making me tranquil. I wasn't calming down,' she says. On Kempton's advice, she tried a different method as well as was able to catch the meditation present by observing her busy reasoning rather than dealing with it.

4. Find The Joy

As my experience of the 28-day program nears its end, I really feel palpable yet subtle advantages: increased empathy, even more objectivity, a better sense of joy and also tranquility. When I am patient with my children as they enter into their fourth debate of the early morning, when I take a seat at my workdesk and my mind focuses rather than racing, I cannot assist thinking that I have reflection to thank. Still, I have not experienced any cymbal clashes or grand revelations. Reflection hasn't already stopped me from consistently inspecting my e-mail, or from suggesting with the police that draws me over for speeding. I wonder if I've in some way shown up short.

Kempton advises me that a final secret to developing a meditation practice is locating pleasure in it. That I am feeling happier as well as a lot more secure means that I am off to a good begin, and also I can anticipate these small happiness to snowball-- over the sessions as well as days, months, as well as years-- into bigger ones. The last days of the program rate by as I genuinely relish each practice. Twenty-eight days in, I recognize I'm shutting the behavior loop. Meditation has actually come to be an unquestionably gratifying part of my life.

And after that, just days after I finish the program, I avoid my practice to take a bike trip. The following early morning I oversleep. On the 3rd morning, I have to wake up early to obtain the kids ready for the day. I wonder if meditating hasn't already stuck nevertheless, if I have actually lost whatever toehold I located in the meditation world. On the fourth morning, the impulse to meditate wakes me up prior to the alarm clock. I desire exactly what resting provides me. In the darkness before dawn, I move silently toward the area where my reflection perch awaits. Andrew Tilin is an author in Austin, Texas, and the writer of The Doper Next Door.

5. Get a Good Seat

Proper position is essential for reflection, however you don't need to being in a timeless yogic position. The only outright regulation is that your back should be upright-- straight yet not inflexible-- to allow the breath and power to flow easily. Beyond that, solidity and also comfort are vital, you should be in a secure placement that you can preserve comfortably for at the very least 20 mins. Below are 3 options to obtain you started.

Once you're sittinged conveniently, location your hands on your knees, palms up or down, with the thumb as well as forefinger touching. This completes an energetic circuit that enables the power to broaden as well as increase in the body.

In a Chair: Sit upright in a straight-backed chair with a level seat, rather compared to one that tilts backwards. (If you do not have a chair with a level seat, position a folded covering under-neath your resting bones, as revealed, to turn your hips ahead.) Location both feet flat on the flooring, and also utilize pillows or reinforces behind your reduced back, if required, to keep your back upright.

Simple Crossed Legs: Rest on the floor in Sukhasana (Easy Posture). If you get on a tough flooring, remaining on a rug or a folded blanket will certainly cushion your ankle joints. Your hips must be 2 to 4 inches more than your knees. If they aren't, elevate your hips and also butts with a company cushion, a wedge, or two or three folded coverings under your sitting bones. This assistance will certainly keep your pose set up as well as safeguard your psoas and also the muscles of your reduced back.

6. Begin With the Breath

This breath-awareness meditation is the first sound technique. When you want to develop a structure for transforming the mind internal, it is essential to collaborate with a solitary core method daily until it ends up being a habit.

Against a Wall: If you find it hard to sit upright on the flooring, you could sit versus a wall in Easy Posture and also place soft cushions behind your reduced back (keep the pillows behind the lumbar spine, as opposed to behind the center back). Use as lots of as you require to support your spinal column and also place you in an upright posture.

Sit in a comfy position with your back quickly set up. Inhale, allowing the hips, thighs, and also sitting bones end up being hefty as they penetrate the floor. Exhale, really feeling that the breath gently lifts the back column up with the crown of the head. Inhale, letting the chest lift as well as open. Exhale, enabling the shoulder blades to launch down the back.

Inhale, and envision that the sides of your ears return simply sufficient to ensure that your head and also neck feel straightened with your shoulders. Your chin ought to tilt slightly downward. Place your hands in Chin Mudra, thumb and also first finger touching, hands down on your upper legs. Let your tongue hinge on the floor of your mouth. Close your eyes.

Notice as your awareness comes delicately to the circulation of the breath. As the breath streams in as well as out, notice the sensations in your body. Let the breathing bring your attention to any areas in the body that feel tense or tight, and after that, with the exhalation, launch any kind of holding there. Let the breath bring your focus on your shoulders, as well as with the exhalation, feel them releasing. Allow the breath bring your focus to your chest as well as belly, and with the exhalation, release any type of holding in those locations. Inhale with the feeling of allowing the breath to touch any areas in your body that still feel tight, and also exhale with the feeling that your whole body softens and also releases.

Allow the breath to stream at an all-natural rhythm. Notice exactly how the breath flows into the nostrils with a feeling of coolness. It moves in as well as down the throat, probably coming to relax in the breast, then streams out slightly cozy as it misses via the throat as well as out the nostrils.

Notice the mild touch of your breath as your attention progressively ends up being increasingly more resolved in the circulation of the breath. If ideas occur, note them with the recognition 'Reasoning,' as well as bring your focus back to the breath.

As the breath flows in and out, you may pick up that the breath is flowing in with bits of very refined as well as tranquil light as well as energy. They flow in with the breath, down into your body, as well as out with the exhalation. You could imagine these light bits as white or blue or pink. Or you might merely notice them as waves as well as particles of energy.

Sense the jazzing up caress of the breath, perhaps being mindful of the breath filling your body with light fragments, possibly really feeling the touch of the breath as it flows in with your nostrils, moves down via your throat and also right into your heart center, and after that delicately flows out.

To appeared of the meditation, take a deep breath in and also carefully allow it out. Notification exactly how your body feels, exactly how your mind really feels, the top quality of your power. When you prepare, occupy your journal as well as compose exactly what you keep in mind concerning this meditation. Sally Kempton is a worldwide acknowledged educator of meditation and also yoga approach and the author of Meditation for the Love of It.

[gadgetblogger]

The Dyson Supersonic -  Just an expensive gadget that dries hair or is it more?

I’ve been a fan of Dyson brand since I bought my first Dyson vacuum cleaner14 years ago (and it’s still going strong) while living in the UK. When I heard about the rumours that they were going into the personal grooming industry by reinventing the hairdryer, I was most certainly  intrigued. Then I heard a bit more and the rumours proved to be true 3 years ago, as after 50 months and 103 engineers and Fifty million pounds in the making , the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer was finally launched with a pretty hefty price tag (I guess not surprising for something that took over 50 million pounds to create) – you can read about it’s engineering story here .

While I was super impressed with the reviews and the tech behind it (it has a digital motor, called the V9 that does most of the work and is the smallest and lightest digital motor yet, which spins at an insane rate of 15,000rpm – comparable to a F1 CAR ENGINE!!!.) I still didn’t think paying close to R7K (at the time of launch) was worth the price for something that (that I thought of at the time)  just dries hair and does nothing else…until this year.

So I Caved and got one

I’ve got long hair and reached a point this year where I simply got fed up of spending almost 25-30 mins doing an average job of drying my hair and worse about 45 mins to dry my 11yo daughter Hannah’s hair (she want’s Rapunzel’s hair) so I finally saved up and decided to get a Supersonic 6 months ago (when there was a special on) and due to popular request, here is my personal views of using what I honestly consider the best grooming gadget since the GHD in 2001.

What’s in the box

It all starts with the packaging Honestly unboxing a Supersonic gives you the same experience as unboxing an Apple product, I can’t describe it but if you are an Apple Fan Girl like me, you will know what I mean 😜

The dryer comes with an extremely long, heavy duty cord which is about 2.7m which Dyson describes this cord as “salon length”.

There’s a diffuser cone for managing curly hair and creating volume, two styling nozzles (a smoothing nozzle and a styling concentrator) that attach with magnets (how cool is that!), a rubber mat for placing the dryer on, and a string loop for hanging. All of nozzle attachments, including the diffuser snap on with strong magnets, making attaching and detaching them super easy.

So there are plenty of reviews out there, what is it like in action, well here is how it’s worked for both me and Hannah

FACT: It truly is Fast drying

Most reviewers have said “At its highest speed and heat settings the Supersonic is one of the fastest hair dryers available – some testers say that it can dry hair in half the usual time.”

Pre Supersonic Days Well I have fairly longish hair and washing and conditioning aside (which takes me a good 15-20 mins alone) it usually takes me just over 25-30 mins to blow-dry my hair, thereafter another 15 mins to straighten if I wanted it to look like I bothered to make an effort. 

Post Supersonic Days The first time I used to Supersonic. I specifically timed the drying time, and using it on the highest setting, it took 8 mins! 8!!! That’s almost a 1/3 of my usual drying time. The second time I used it, it was cut to 7 mins. The third time,  I decided to use experiment with the attachments. I used using the smoothing nozzle I found my drying time took 10 mins and it eliminated the need for me to use my straighteners after. Using the diffuser I found it helped creating the volume that I was able ever able to get by a salon professional.My hair also still looked nearly as smooth  and volumised the next day too.

On Extra-long hair Pre Supersonic Days After a few uses on my hair I thought it was time to put the Supersonic to the test on Hannah’s hair. Usually the washing and drying process for her hair takes at least 3-4 hrs of my time with the drying time taking at least 45 mins with lots of stopping and starting , due to the hairdryer getting  too hot and Hannah complaining that her head gets too hot and me being afraid of too much heat burning her hair.

Post Supersonic Days Using the supersonic on Hannah’s hair on its fastest setting took 12 mins max and there was not a complaint about getting her hair getting too hot. Using the smoother, took an extra 4 mins and even Hannah said there is no need for a straightener anymore.

Less Heat and Healthier Hair

Using the supersonic I don’t really use as much hair styling products anymore and our hair just feels so much healthier, smoother and shinier. It’s obviously your choice about using styling products but in the past, I found there was no real cure for split ends and since using the Dyson, my stylist finds that I don’t really have as many split ends as I used to. For Hannah’s hair though as it does take a few mins longer and I’m extra protective of her, I just spray on a detangling spray as she has finer hair than me that tangles very easily.

Hannah’s favourite part of using the dryer on hair is that she feels her hair does not feel like it’s burning anymore like the old dryer, whether I dry her hair for 10 mins or 15 (when I use the smoothing nozzel)

I definitely see a glow and natural shine to both of our hair that proves the point Dyson makes “Unlike some others, the Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer measures air temperature 20 times a second and regulates the heat. This prevents extreme heat damage, to help protect your hair's natural shine.”

I can see that this is potentially going to save women a lot of heat damage and split ends.

Noise Level

Many people have been asking me about this and quite honestly while it may not be as silent as people expect it to be, it is by far the least noisy hairdryers I’ve ever heard. We can certainly still dry our hair and listen to our favourite music, be it Ed Sheeran (for me) or BlackPink (for Hannah obvs) on at our usual decibel audio levels ☺️

Perfect for Travelling

The Supersonic is compact and lightweight (560g without attachments), compared to models that can weigh over 1kg and the fact that I can now go on a business meeting and wash dry and style my hair in 15 mins or less, is definitely a more cost effective option if I think cost/hr as I can spend more time on my work than time (which equates to money) drying my hair.

My Final Verdict

As sceptical as I was about the initial hefty price tag , after 6 months of owning this hairdryer, I can certainly say that owning a Dyson Supersonic is a bit like owning an Apple product , its essentially a top quality product at a premium price.

However taking into consideration the time saving factor (whether you are a new mum with barely any time to yourself or an entrepreneur always on the go, or simply someone who has gotten fed up of spending over 2 hrs drying and styling their hair),  and overall healthiness of both mine and especially my daughter’s hair , this was certainly a (hopefully) long term investment for us.

If this is something on your bucket list to get, I would recommend saving up and getting one as it certainly does more than just dry hair. It has been a while since a personal grooming tool has impressed me, the last was my GHD that I also saved up and purchased in 2001 with my first UK Christmas bonus back in my 20s (soon after it was released) and even though I’m a little late on acquiring the Dyson Supersonic, it is most definitely the gadget that has impressed me more than anything else since that 2001 GHD purchase.

[scottgw62]

New Post has been published on https://coachscottworswick.com/lets-check-out-cambodia/

Let's check out Cambodia

After around 19 months in Thailand I felt it was time to look for new pastures and decided to move to Cambodia.  Some of you may be thinking, ‘What!! why would he do that’, moving from one of the most developed countries in Asia, to a very small and under developed country without the many facilities offered by a more advanced nation.

Stay tuned and I’ll let you know.

So I arrived in Phnom Penh the capital of Cambodia traveling by coach, an experience in itself!

Some of the roads were filled with deep pits and holes and it had been raining so muddy too, however we eventually arrived safely in Phnom Penh in the late evening in October 2014.

Fortunately, after only a short walk I was able to find a hotel for temporary accommodation while looking for a job and a more permanent apartment.

It did not take long to acquire a new position and I started work as a Tutor for a company run by an English owner. This involved some one on one tutoring and some small group work with local companies, again at a fairly low level. I continued working here until I met a guy in a local bar one evening and he told me about a language school run by IDP called ACE (Australian Centre for Education) and that I should apply there.

I suppose I should add a rather funny story (although not so funny for me at the time), one day my boss invited me to meet for lunch this was about 2 hours before my lesson with a Korean guy, very good in English but he wanted to improve even more and learn many of the idioms we have in English as well as converse with a native speaker. Anyway so at lunch my boss ordered some pizza and we had a pleasant time eating and drinking. However, unknown to me was the fact that this was commonly known as a ‘happy pizza’ in other words it was laced with cannabis.

I now had to proceed to my lesson with an executive client who spoke very good English and try to provide a good session. But that was not to be, I found myself feeling very drowsy and unable to concentrate eventually after about 30 to 40 min’s he ended the class. I’m sure he must have realised what had happened, but I put it down to not feeling very well. For me a terrible experience, as I would never drink or take mild drugs like that knowing I had a lesson to do, but quite funny looking back. What a boss right!!       

 This I did and after an interview, I was accepted to stat in a new branch in an area known as Toul Tom Poung. It was a brand new building with about 7 floors. This was to begin in the New Year January 2015.  

All the teachers that started in this branch were new teachers and we had induction training before we started. Very professional and although they did have classes for all ages we were able to stipulate our preferences. So I chose to teach at level 4 and above which was at an intermediate level and with teenagers and adults.

Quick note; IDP is an organization in Australia I believe its government run to encourage foreign students to study in Australian Universities. They are one part of the team that makes up the IELTS exams with the British Council.

I was very please to find this position as it was my first experience of working in a well run and organized school, it also took care of our visa’s and working permits and provided medical insurance after a 6 month probationary period.  We had all the necessary tools and equipment to plan our lessons and a structured curriculum using English course books. So whilst it was still required to make lesson plans they were developed around the lessons from the books, these included audio and video material.

Cambodia Expat Lifestyle

OK, so what about Cambodia, I found it a very nice place not too much traffic compared to other major capital cities, which made it easy to get around, here I did buy a second hand scooter rather than renting as they are very cheap here. Most of the traffic is motorbikes and bicycles not so many cars as the population is still relatively poor and cars here are very heavily taxed, they cost more here than in western countries.

The driving is not so good, they do go through red lights and drive on the wrong side of the road and you have to watch for vehicles coming from all directions, but they tend to drive quite slow, so just be careful.

About the traffic police if they stop you there will be a fine, even if you have done nothing wrong, but if you keep your eyes open they are avoidable and if you keep to the outside lane a go faster it’s difficult for them to stop you. It’s also acceptable here to ignore the police if they are flagging you down, they never pursue you.

I bought my scooter and never had a license in Cambodia, didn’t have any insurance. The only expenses were the petrol, about $1 a litre and any repairs, punctures did occur quite frequently but they have many places to repair and not very expensive.  

Cuisine in Cambodia mostly revolves around rice and noodles just like all the other Asian countries, meals could be bought at local restaurants for around a dollar, a can of beer about 70 cents in a store for the local brew or if in a bar $1.50 to $2. That’s if you wish to be on the economy side. But like Thailand being the capital city they have many different kinds of foods including, hamburgers, chips, Kebabs, Chinese, KFC and as in Thailand some western owners of bars and restaurants.

Of course if you venture into the small towns and villages you can only find the local foods.

Things to do, they had some small shopping malls and also one big AON mall that had just been built, with cinema that catered for blockbuster movies.

I also found a gym not as modern as the one in Thailand and no air conditioning which actually I prefer. But it had all the weights and equipment for me to work out a circuit for myself and it was only a dollar per visit.

Cambodia has many holidays, so the students and the school closed quite a bit and I decided to travel to the beach at Sihanouk about a 4 hour mini bus ride from Phnom Penh during any of the longer holidays. It was here that I noticed the scuba diving schools and being an adventurous person. I began by having an introductory course at a PADI diving school close to the beach at Sihanouk. After getting into the diving, I made my mind up to complete my open water certificate, this entailed buying some books and doing some study as well as the diving.

The centre I used had a place on an island, so we went by boat to this Island known as Koh Rong Sanloem and although there were some other small resorts it was almost a deserted beach, especially when it was out of the main season for tourists. However, on the other side of the Island, there were larger resorts and I occasionally took a walk over the hill to the other side, quite a steep climb and took about 30 to 40 min's, through a dense overgrown forest and a few streams to cross quite a nice little hike.  

          I got hooked on diving and went on to complete my advanced diving and also a rescue and first aid course. I thought about becoming an instructor but in the end decided against it.

I was also able to get involved with the school 5-a-side football team, we went to a local venue and played against the local teams, in my first 6 month contract we had two young guys teaching with us who were quite good footballers. So when the school had a 5-a-side competition we had a good team, even at 58, I was able to play in the side and we managed to win the competition on penalties in the final.  Not bad for an old geezer.   

    As for the cost of living, a bit less than Thailand especially for accommodation, although I have to say, I was very blessed to find a 3 bedroom two floor apartment fully furnished, for $200 a month. Most of the rented apartments were more in the region of $250 to $300 depending on what kind of facilities you were after, Oh! and with a balcony.  

Food to buy in the markets are cheap and varied you can get most vegetables that you might be used to, as well as many you have not seen before in your home country, unless you’re from another Asian country of course.                  

Scott Worswick