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EA Acquires Glu Mobile to Strengthen Its Gaming Empire

Lisa Bianconi
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The digital entertainment house Electronic Arts (EA) announced at the beginning of February 2021 that it has acquired Glu Mobile for $2.1 billion. The deal with the mobile gaming developer showcases EA’s intention to further its reach across all platforms. 

Founded in 1982, EA designs games and online content across a variety of mediums. In the financial year of 2018, the company generated a revenue of $5.15 billion. EA has 9,700 employees and is ranked as one of the top entertainment companies in the world. 

Glu Mobile was formed in 2004 as a developer of games across portable and handheld devices such as tablets and mobile phones. With 500 developers and 800 employees in total, the move to EA is a big step for both companies. 

A Merger with Huge Potential

The merger between EA and Glu Mobile creates a new competitive force in the mobile gaming market. EA specifically looked at Glu Mobile’s skills and experience in creating mobile games and the merger is set to add strength to the company’s mobile games business and catalogue of successful products. EA already has a network of 430 million players. In acquiring Glu Mobile, the company adds even more resilience to its share of the market. 
The mobile gaming market is one of the most dynamic in the entertainments market and currently holds the largest share of the overall gaming market. More and more people are playing games on mobile devices and the acquisition move demonstrates EA’s desire to stay ahead of the curve. EA explained the merger as a decision capable of bringing a greater range of genres into its mobile games catalogue. The two company’s core practices and aims were also said to be complementary to each other.The Popularity of Mobile Gaming 

Mobile gaming has come into its own in recent years. The rapidly advancing tech of mobile devices, plus the fact that nearly everyone has access to one, has opened up a whole new world for gaming. 

Previously, the games market was centered around people specifically into computer and console games, more of the ‘hardcore games’, nowadays literally anyone and everyone can be a gamer, whether that be more casual or more intense. This is because mobile gaming makes it easy and convenient to get into any kind of game across a full range of genre and type. 

EA Acquires Glu Mobile to Strengthen Its Gaming Empire

EA’s Current Mobile Games

EA has some hugely popular mobile games already on its books. Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes has made over $924million, demonstrating the full potential of tie-ins and genre products across a mobile gaming platform.The company also produces one of the biggest games of all time in the shape of the soccer simulator FIFA. The mobile version of FIFA Soccer had made in excess of $242million in 2018. Other popular mobile games in EA’s catalogue include the mobile version of The Sims and the sports games Madden mobile and NBA Live mobile.

EA Acquires Glu Mobile to Strengthen Its Gaming Empire

The Most Popular Mobile Games

EA and Glu Mobile are both well aware that the biggest mobile games attract a spectacular number of subscribers. This makes both developers keen to tap into popular themes and genres of games. 

The following are some of the types of game that have proven to be a hit with gamers:

First-person shooter

The 50million downloads of Call of Duty Mobile is evidence of the massive popularity of the first-person shooter style of game. Making new waves on mobile devices, the game features strong game play elements and realistic gun control to provide action and tense play.  

Casinos

Mobile casinos are another popular mobile game genre with more people now accessing casino games online rather than at a physical venue. Playing casino games online from the convenience of a personal device is rising in popularity everywhere. This is mostly down to the convenience and security offered by accessing games on a mobile. The variety of casino games on offer is also a contributing factor with online casino providers having the ability of offer more games than land-based casinos.

Adventure 

Animal Crossing is another wildly popular game and leading title that has successfully transferred to mobile. The mobile version of the Nintendo game is Animal Crossing:Pocket Camp. Scoring highly on cuteness elements and educational factors, the mobile title has been a big hit with younger gamers who like a sense of adventure.

VR Gaming

Pokémon Go is a free-roaming smartphone game where players use their smartphones to move around a real-world location searching for the cute little monsters. Massively popular ever since its release in 2016, the free-to-play game continues to attract downloads in the millions. The ‘freemium’ game earns huge sums of money for both Pokémon and co-developer Nintendo in ‘micro transactions’ of players buying in-game features. 

Conclusion 

The merger between EA and Glu Mobile offers a competitive new force in the portable entertainments market. The two companies look set to develop imaginative new ideas in this rapidly changing sphere.  

Bobby Rydell

Caroline McElroy
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Bobby Rydell

The 1960’s teen idol Bobby Rydell recently asked how come he had never been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF) on his Facebook page and the LA Music Scene found it to be such an interesting question that we had to pounce on it. It seems ludicrous that Rydell with all of his notable accomplishments would be or could be snubbed by the RRHOF.

At the tender age of nine, Rydell crept into my young female psyche with his smooth as silk voice and his incredible good looks. My main exposure to the world of contemporary music at this time was my brother Granville and his taste in music. Granville was a huge fan of Rydell’s back then and would play him constantly. I would sit outside his bedroom door and listen to and then sing along with Rydell. My brother would come flying out of his bedroom and yell at me to shut up. Guess I must have sounded as if I was howling like “Old Yeller.”

It seemed that every time the television was on there was Rydell making an appearance on some show. Rydell always seemed so polite and nice. When Rydell was nine years old, he was already playing drums professionally and by age 19 he headlined the Copacabana in New York. In fact it was as a young drummer that Rydell teamed up with future teen idols Frankie Avalon and Fabian in a group called “Rocco and The Saints.”

Rydell, Avalon and Fabian launched the “Phillie” music scene and all went on to various degrees of success as singers and actors. The girls would swoon over all of them, but it seemed that Rydell received the lion’s share of swooning adoration from his young female fans.

His 45- record covers had pictures of Rydell and he always looked so handsome and cute with a dash of the boy next door vulnerability. Maybe that was his hidden super power…boy next door vulnerability.

Rydell’s 45s netted him 34 Top 40 hits which landed him in the Top 5 artists of his era per Billboard. Rydell’s top records have sold a stunning combined total of over 25 million records. In addition, Rydell had 19 Top 40 hits and 29 songs on The Billboard Hot 100.

Rydell has also scored several films such as “Because They’re Young” with “Swingin’ School” and “Bye, Bye Birdie” where he also played the role of a teen heartthrob along side the steamy Ann Margaret.

For this Rydell fan, songs such as “Wild One,” “Volare” and “Forget Him” were the living end and I would be outside my brother’s bedroom door crooning, at least that’s what I thought I was doing, gingerly listening to every word as if it were meant for me.

Covid-19 effectively stalled Rydell’s Hollywood Walk of Fame Star that was slated for 2020. At least Rydell was one of the first 10 to be inducted into Philadelphia’s Walk of Fame on Broad Street and “Rydell High” from “Grease” was named in honor of Rydell. Always wondered about that and now we know.

The song that appears to have launched Rydell’s career was “Kissin Time” in 1959 and while appearing on “American Bandstand” to sing the song he was declared the most promising talent in the music business at the time by the show’s host Dick Clark.

There are so many more things that could be written here about Rydell’s career, but space needs to be left open for the RRHOF part. Suffice it to say that this dude is the real thing and is still going strong by touring here in the USA and abroad singing standards of blissful days of yore…until the dreadful plague came. Those “Phillie” boys can sure do it right.

As for the RRHOF…hmmm. Been pondering that issue publicly for at least one year, one year to think things over and be reminded of what was said about the 60s music pioneers on The Strip…LOVE. There was a blog written a little over a year ago on the newsletter blog “News From The Front” (NFTF) which mused about why hadn’t LOVE been inducted into the RRHOF.

Factor in the technical reasons why LOVE should have been inducted as well as the myriad of conspiracy theories and you have a jumble of Gumbo. Then there is the version that LOVE co-founder Johnny Echols has stated on numerous occasions on his social platform.

Echols is a friend or shall we say tribes person. LOVE was a rockin’ band from my formative music years whom I tried to see many times while hanging and dancing on The Strip. Problem was that I was always too late and had to stand outside with the other music lovers.

Fast forward more years than I want to admit to and we become friends through my sweet friend Georgianne Steele-Waller, 60s scenester, author, stunt double, whom I met on Facebook. Waller and Echols are a united couple that usually host a yearly Love-In at Griffith Park by the Merry-Go-Round, but was cancelled last year due to Covid-19.

Echols was very honest and outright about the real reason why LOVE would never be inducted into the RRHOF. Echols even posted it on his social platform. It turns out that the band was at a recording session when for some reason LOVE co-founder Arthur Lee made a very derogatory remark about Jann Wenner who was the RRHOF Board Chair at the time. To our knowledge Wenner has never responded to the NFTF blog which he was sent a copy of. Wenner stepped down from his controlling board seat January 1, 2020.

Wenner anointed former President of Entertainment Enterprises for iHeartMedia John Sykes. RRHOF was co-founded by Wenner and Ahmet Ertegun in 1983 Wenner is also the head of Rolling Stone Magazine. Neither of these gentlemen are business slouches and know how to broker a deal most of the time.

For Wenner, it appears that sometimes the process has been personnel and not about a band that were early pioneers of the unique sound that LOVE as a unit had created.

Their music has withstood the test of time much the same way as The Beatles have.

The same can be said of Rydell’s music. Rydell is a pioneer of the “Phillie” sound whose early roots begin in the latter part of the 50s.

Hailing from the city of brotherly love Rydell would really like to know why the RRHOF snub?

Looking back at a lot of the talent that have won an induction into the RRHOF, it has become like a patchwork quilt of so many genres that it has bubbled over the boundaries of what exactly constitutes rock ‘n’ roll.

Having said that, might it be time to rename the hall to the Music Hall of Fame?

When one takes in the voluminous amount of music genres that have been inducted into the RRHOF, it surpassed rock ‘n’ roll a long time ago. There are many that have put forward the concept that “their” music is rock ‘n’ roll when in reality it isn’t. My brother Granville used to get into heated debates over this very subject. If anyone knew what constitutes rock ‘n’ roll it was Granville since his initiation into the realm of rock ‘n’ roll began around 1955 and was his life.

Renaming the RRHOF the Music Hall of fame seems the best and safest alternative. Also on my mind is how many pioneers of various off-shoots of Rock ‘n’ roll such as Rydell and the “Philie” sound and LOVE with their progressive style of rock ‘n’ roll which I call The Strip sound have been left out of the RRHOF? If a person or band are the pioneers of any given sound like the Laurel Canyon music scene then they should be acknowledged for their contributions to rock ‘n’ roll. Just as there are “heritage” constituents among our eligible voters so should there be a “heritage” award from the RRHOF.

What to Look out for while Investing in Bitcoin.

Lisa Bianconi
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What to Look out for while Investing in Bitcoin.

Are you thinking about investing in Bitcoin for the long haul? If yes, then you came to the perfect place. There is no doubt that Bitcoin is the currency for the new age and is the most expensive Cryptocurrency in the world. It’s seen dramatic changes in price in the last few months and it has increased a lot.

Before investing in Bitcoin, beginners should keep several things in mind, such as price fluctuations, trading systems, a Bitcoin wallet, etc.  By considering these key points, users will be able to invest in Bitcoin at the right time and make a tremendous amount of money.

The good thing about the Bitcoin market is that it allows the two main parties to trade without including a third one, like banks or the government. Users have direct contact with the leading trader and can make more money.

Three secrets to look out for while investing in Bitcoin.

To invest in Bitcoin at the right time, users need to consider these three factors:

The price of Bitcoin is unstable!

So, it would be better for users to subscribe to YouTube channels and search Google directly so that they will be able to know the current price and be able to trade when needed.

 Wisely store your Bitcoins!

  • If you are a beginner and worried about where to store Bitcoins, you must learn how the Bitcoin wallet works. There are three main types of Bitcoin wallets: desktop, smart device and hardware, based on priority and preference. Before selecting any wallet from the main menu, it would be better for investors to know what the storing process is, how much time it takes to get Bitcoin after purchase, etc. Make sure to choose one with a simple scoring system to invest in Bitcoin without any type of fraud or cheating.
  • Bitcoin wallets can be safe and secure, where investors can save their currency at any time, and make the best use of them while buying goods and services from all over the world.
  • Bitcoin wallet is the only place to store the currency by setting up a public and private key. Make sure to set up the key so you can use the bitcoins wherever or whenever you want. It is also an important thing for you to choose the wallet that has a multi signature feature as it will ensure higher safety of your funds and you can learn about it, just visit here.

Timing is everything!

Whenever you are investing in Bitcoin, make sure to know that timing is everything. Digital assets are incredibly unpredictable so investors should check the Bitcoin price from time to time if they want to make a considerable amount of money within the shortest period of time. Being a beginner or experienced investor doesn’t matter. Everyone must check the Bitcoin price often  because it changes constantly.

The Final Words!

These are some tips investors should consider before investing in Bitcoin so that they will be able to trade easily and at the right time without involving a third party. Finally, investors must remember that it records all the transactions between the two main parties through blockchain technology.

Do You and Your Dog Dread Baths?

Bethany Wilson
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Do You and Your Dog Dread Baths?

Let’s talk dog baths, but not just any dog, a dog that really struggles with being bathed, even becomes aggressive or panicky.  

Maybe you got a new puppy and want to condition your new puppy to like baths.  These tips will make a huge difference.

Checklist!

Use a tub and pre fill 1/3rd or halfway w/ warm water

Get a pitcher or large container to wet the dog down and for rinsing so you don’t turn the faucet on at all if possible.  That is what can really startle and scare dogs, making them edgier and an unpleasant experience. 

Most tubs are very slick. They need tub traction stickers. Their feet splay out and can even panic a bit as a result.  Not being sure footed is scary for dogs and puppies. The traction mats can help them feel sure footed, a very important thing for dogs.

Save the neck and head for last and try not to get water in their ears.

Slip leash is all that’s needed. Any fussing use slip leash pressure, dog settles and continue.  With a puppy just hold them and wait out any fussing and go back to bathing extra slow and have treats on you!

Two people for older or insecure dogs so the second person can hold the leash (to prevent jumping out) while the second person leans way in the tub to hold the dogs back end up while scrubbing the behind! Some dogs will stand easily, where some of the nervous dogs will tuck their bum and older dogs need help standing for longer periods of time.

Use lots of towels along the tub so you aren’t aggravated when water gets everywhere. The dogs sense frustration so stay calm and patient. This is where your nurturing and patient side can really come out.

Think of this like a massage for the dogs. Nice and slow hand motions and scratching so they enjoy part of it.

Also, teaching the tub as a place command is very useful.  Hopping in and out on command for food is very valuable when you aren’t working on the water part.  Do it 3x a week for a few minutes before you plan on giving a bath.  That way they don’t just see the tub as water and jump in and out easier.  It builds confidence.  

With young or scared dogs, you need to go very slow and use lots of food in-between what you are doing to build comfort.  If they don’t take food, start to really target the tub when it’s empty for fun until they are comfortable taking food.  If they don’t, there is a lack of trust with the tub and it just takes time to build up.  Some dogs are not food driven.  If that is the case, a calm and confident tone of voice and slow massage can be the praise. 

If you have a dog that is very fearful or can sometimes have a bad reaction and become aggressive, pay attention to every part of their body language.   You are looking for two main things, a subtle stillness/tenseness and staring at what you are doing (like staring at your hand all of a sudden when you touch a leg or bum, etc.). When that happens you should pause and take a breath.  Don’t continue to move forward.  Your dog just needs to settle most likely and if you keep going, they see it as disrespectful or that you aren’t listening to them, forcing them, etc.  Make sure you always pause, wait till you feel them relax and continue moving on much slower and take your time. 

Be ready to settle in. It takes awhile to rinse bellies by hand. Make it as positive and considerate as you can.

I hope these tips help you with your dog at home. 

-Bethany Wilson 

Bethany Wilson

Ruff Beginnings Rehab

818-732-1364

http://www.RuffBeginningsRehab.com/

https://www.facebook.com/RuffBeginningsRehab

https://www.youtube.com/c/RuffBeginningsRehab

The Group Rep Company Presents “Unhidden Figures”

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The Group Rep Company Presents “Unhidden Figures”

The Group Rep Company Presents “Unhidden Figures” – A Virtual Play Festival Celebrating African American Women

Now streaming, FREE: https://thegrouprep.com/show/unhidden-figures/

In honour of Black History Month, the Group Rep has created a virtual play festival of fresh new short plays celebrating African American women, with a gorgeous tapestry of disparate stories.  All the plays have been written and directed by members of GRT and are performed by actors from all over the world, with a little help from the magic of the internet.  Brilliantly, the technology enables cast members to perform with each other live together, from different locations all over the planet….amazing!!!

These incredible stories are beautifully performed.  Very simple set ups of course, no audience, no stage, and yet somehow the intimacy of performing in solitude, knowing that anyone, anywhere on the planet, or the universe, can tune in to see you, creates something entirely new.  Something wildly uplifting and positive, uniquely made of this pandemic, this sad and difficult situation. The hope is that this kind of spectacular creation inspires and connects and heals. A hope that has been completely realized  with this profound and heart-rending selection of voices.

The performances are fabulous, I would expect no less from GRT, but the production quality is also brilliant.  From the graphics, to the music, to the wonderful attention to detail, sets, wardrobe, composition. Each play put together with the precision and technicality of a short film, but they become much more than that.  Plays in the sense of the magic that only live theatre can provide, as it is recorded as a live performance.  But transformative in this form,  more than theatre, more than film, it morphs into something closer to a radio play, where actors can allow themselves the calm of anonymity.  And yet we see them, as if they are almost unaware of that fact.  It’s hard to describe. Poetic, sublime, gorgeous and insanely clever.  You really do have to see to believe.

I’ve watched quite a lot of online theatre this past year, as you can probably imagine, and not all of it has been that successful, if I’m honest.  It’s a shockingly clumsy venue, the internet, for all its technical abilities it can be unreliable, flat, sad, removed and it doesn’t seem to have got much better over this past year or so.  However, this remarkable production is one of the shining lights in the data darkness.

The combination of wonderful stories beautifully told and flawless and inventive technical presentation, “Unhidden Figures” provides the best possible place to honour our African American women’s profound place in Black History Month.

The producers and writers, directors, actors and technical crew have gifted us something special.  Indeed something, that without this shut down, could never have even existed.  An opportunity to work across time zones and hemispheres, to bring creative people together in spite of the distance between them, to give us funny, heart-breaking, poignant and important stories that remind us we are all ultimately the same, with the same needs and desires, losses and triumphs and hearts.

Bravo yet again to The Group Rep Company and all their members…. I absolutely loved this!!!

The 1 hour, 53 minute show is online indefinitely…..admission is free!!! (donations encouraged)

https://thegrouprep.com/show/unhidden-figures/

CREATIVE & PRODUCTION TEAM
Kathleen Delaney, Brooklyn Sample & Melanie Lee (Producers), Doug Engalla (Editor), Hartley Powers (Animation & Sound Design), Doug Haverty (Graphic Design), Heidi Mendez Harrison (Tech Director)

SHOWS>>



“Brave Bess” – “Unhidden Figures” L R Juanita Dilia Olivo, Victor D’wayne Little. Image: Katelyn Ann Clark

“Brave Bess” by Denise Downer
1926. Aviator Bessie Coleman, the first African-American female pilot in the U.S., sits for an imagined interview with Robert S. Abbott, editor of the influential African-American newspaper the Chicago Defender.
Directed by Katelyn Ann Clark
With: Juanita Dilia Olivo & Victor D’wayne Little


“Surgery and Divorce” – “Unhidden Figures” Keyara Milliner. Image: Victor D’wayne Little, Doug Engalla

“Surgery and Divorce” by Bert Emmett
1963. “Raisin in the Sun” playwright/activist Lorraine Hansberry calls her estranged husband shortly after her meeting with the Attorney General of the U. S. to give him some rather significant news.
Directed by Victor D’wayne Little
With: Keyara Milliner & Adam Smith


“Black Bow” – “Unhidden Figures”  L R Maria Kress, Tristan Avelina Cunningham. Image: Matthew Guthrie Jr

“Black Bow” by Matthew Guthrie
1965. A lifelong friendship transcends time, place and racial stigma after tragedy occurs.
Directed by Kathleen Delaney
With: Tristan Cunningham & Maria Kress

“Mary and Sylvia & Hercules“ by Stevie Stern
1981. Mary Wilson, the first African-American zookeeper of the Maryland Zoo, is forced to send two gorillas she raised from infancy to another zoo, but before they go, she joins them in matrimony.
Directed by Stevie Stern
With: Rosibel Mejia

“Piano in the Dark” – “Unhidden Figures”  L R Kimberly Green, Landon Beatty. Image: Marie Broderick

“Piano in the Dark” by Doug Haverty
1988. As the release date for her highly anticipated new album approaches, singer-songwriter Brenda Russell questions the hype surrounding it. A junior exec at her label helps her avert a crisis of confidence.
Directed by Marie Broderick
With: Landon Beatty & Kimberly Green

“Black Flower in the White House” – “Unhidden Figures” L R Michael Gabiano, Maegan McConnell. Image: Tom Lazarus

“Black Flower in the White House” by Tom Lazarus
2008. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice makes a state visit to Libyan Dictator Muammar Gaddafi who turns out to be her secret admirer. Based on actual events.
Directed by Tom Lazarus
With: Michael Gabiano & Maegan McConnell

“Class Project” by Craig Holland
2020. A persistent high school English teacher strives to understand why her star student is struggling with her assignments.
Directed by Heidi Mendez Harrison
With: Karole Bennett & Michele Schultz

“Kizzy” – “Unhidden Figures” 

“Kizzy: The Real Wonder Woman” by Doug Haverty
2021. For her mid-term project, a high school student does a video tribute to her hero: Kizzmekia Corbett, the African American scientist who developed the vaccine for Covid-19. She taps her friends and family to portray family and doctors using all real quotes.
Directed by Disraeli Ellison
With: Bita Arefnia, Todd Andrew Ball, T. Ryan Brennen, Cynthia Bryant, James J. Cox, Peyton Kirkner, Rudy McCollum, Bruce Nehlsen, Cathy Diane Tomlin

Take Five Movies That Are Bound to Educate

Lisa Bianconi
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Yes, the main reason most of us go to the movies is to be entertained, whether it’s by a rom-com or a weighty drama. But many films also serve to teach us too, for example by dissecting the life of someone famous or lifting the lid on an area of life that not many of us know about.

So if you want a mix of entertainment and education, here are five great titles that do both things brilliantly.

  1. Mr Turner (2014)

Mike Leigh is a British director who made his name for making films featuring extreme social realism, largely relying on improvisation from his casts to create the dialogue around a pre-determined plot.

Therefore Mr Turner represented a great departure from the director’s usual style as it told the story of the last twenty five years in the life of arguably the greatest British landscape artist ever, J.M.W. Turner.

Leigh presents the man as a fully rounded individual who squabbles with other artists, defies convention, and outrages the art scene of the time, In being such a “warts and all” portrait of the man it gives a unique insight into the kind of genius who produced pictures as brilliantly realised as The Fighting Temeraire. 

The casting of the actor Timothy Spall as Turner was an inspired choice as he perfectly captures the energy and enthusiasm of the artist, as well as his fighting spirit. So it’s no wonder that he scooped the Best Actor award at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival for his performance.

  1. Molly’s Game (2017)

Take Five Movies That Are Bound to Educate

The world of high-stakes poker games is blown wide open by this 2017 movie starring Jessica Chastain as the real-life party organiser Molly Bloom.

For anyone unfamiliar with her story, Bloom came to notoriety as someone who, first of all, started organising illegal poker parties in California attended by high profile celebrities and other high rollers.

Among the real-life A-listers said to have attended the parties were Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio but, not surprisingly, they don’t appear as themselves.

The movie tells the story of the rise and fall of Molly as she moves from the West Coast to New York as she tries, unsuccessfully, to stay one step ahead of the law. It also gives a great insight into the game itself, especially for viewers who have spent a little time to get to know the rules of poker.

Director Aaron Sorkin even insisted that the extras used in the poker scenes should be experienced players to add an extra layer of authenticity to the action.

  1. The Dig (2020)

Archaeology might seem like a pretty dry sort of subject for a movie but, as the reviews attest, it can make for a very gripping and informative drama.

The Dig stars Carey Mulligan as Edith Pretty, owner of a grand estate called Sutton Hoo in the county of Suffolk in the East of England. The year is 1939 and she decides it is time to explore some of the mysterious mounds on her land. She enlists the help of an archaeologist called Basil Brown, played by Ralph Fiennes, to start the excavations.

He soon discovers evidence that a large Anglo-Saxon ship may the buried in the grounds, making it a site of real historical significance. As soon as other, more eminent and highly qualified, archaeologists hear about the find they try to get Brown removed, but Ms Pretty insists that it is his project and he should get the glory. 

As well as being a great primer in archaeology, the film is also very informative about the British class system in the pre-war years and the struggles that men like Brown would have experienced at the time.

  1. Whiplash (2014)

Take Five Movies That Are Bound to Educate

There are plenty of struggles of a different kind in this 2014 movie about the pressures faced by a young music student striving to become a professional jazz drummer.

The drama unfolds around the relationship between the student, Andrew Neiman played by Miles Teller and his teacher Terence Fletcher played by J.K. Simmons. In his drive to get his students to be the best that they can possibly be, Fletcher uses bullying and even violence to get results.

Anyone who is reminded of Alan Parker’s 1980 movie Fame about a group of performing arts students will be in for a shock when they see the sacrifices demanded of the musicians in this movie. And, while it may be a little over-the-top in places, it’s easy to believe in the levels of dedication needed to make it as a musician of any kind.

  1. The Big Short

It’s since been widely acknowledged that it was ignorance that largely to blame for the financial crash of 2008-9. Impossibly complex products were being bought and sold without anyone having a very clear idea of what they entailed.

Presented as a comedy drama and featuring a cast including Christian Bale, Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling, there are also a number of cameos from people including the late chef Anthony Bourdain, Margot Robbie and the eminent economist, Richard Thaler. The latter pops up frequently to explain the ins and outs of the financial instruments being exploited, directly addressing the audience and giving thorough explanations of everything from sub-prime mortgages and collateralized debt.

So settle down in front of these five movies and you’re certain to learn a lot – and you’ll also have enjoyed some great stories in the process.

NoHo Senior Arts Colony

TheNoHoArtsDistrict
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NoHo Senior Arts Colony

WHETHER YOU’RE AN ARTIST OR SIMPLY TAKE PLEASURE IN THE CREATIVITY OF LIFE, DISCOVER A NEW WAY TO ENJOY YOUR NEXT CHAPTER. 

Reimagine life. Be the first to enjoy brand new 1- and 2-bedroom apartments for adults 62+ in the vibrant NOHO Arts District. More than just the typical pool and fitness center, NOHO Senior Arts Colony offers amenities, programs and social events that go beyond senior apartment living you’ll find anywhere else.

Take pleasure in all that today’s renters expect in a luxury apartment as well as unique features including a visual arts studio, digital arts room, stadium-style performing arts theatre – The Road Theatre Company’s second home – and complimentary arts and wellness programs offered by EngAGE®.

Check this out NoHo Senior Arts Colony

Ben Conley “Thanks for Something” Single Release

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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Ben Conley “Thanks for Something” Single Release

Punk!!!! Just what I need right now! Loud, barbaric, crude and gorgeous.  Ben Conley is all American punk. Sad, angry, funny and melodic.  He is L.A., because isn’t L.A. just so punk really! In your face, shabby, dark, sullen and painfully creative.

The song is about a bad break up, which is quintessentially punk. Heartbreak at 100 megawatts, the poetry and the pain smashed into you in this cannot-be-ignored wall of sound.  It’s a great song, fast, driven, purposeful and shockingly real.  Full of humour and irony and sarcasm, like only the very best punk should be!

I love the video too – more in your face punk bliss. Oh how I miss loud dirty clubs with too many people and sticky floors and terrible bathrooms. Mosh pits, spilled beer and the kind of heightened life force you get with all that energy, all that passion and all that exuberant release.

Love this track!!!!! Looking forward to more glorious noise from Ben Conley!!!

Stream on Spotify.

Official Website: benconleymusic.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/benconleymusic

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/benconley_music

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ben.conley.music

Spotify: Ben Conley

Bandcamp: Ben Conley

Soundcloud: Ben Conley Music

Artist Contact Email: benconley850@gmail.com

Kayleigh “Predestined” Album Release

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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Kayleigh “Predestined” Album Release

L.A.-based singer songwriter Kayleigh releases this bold rock pop album after a year of descent, protests, anger, sickness and chaos.

Her powerful, sometimes shiny, sometimes rock-grunge wall of sound style fits pretty perfectly into the present darkly manic national zeitgeist.

Kayleigh has scored over 75,000 streams on Spotify with 28,000 individual fans in 29 countries. Her single “Country Class” charted at number 173 on the DRT Top 200 Global Airplay Chart and received rave reviews. Her co-produced music videos for her previous singles, “Fading” and “Twisted//Mistake” have over 40,000 views on her YouTube channel….not too shabby.

The music is endemic of her strong visual style. The music is immersive, visceral and it creates wild and deliberate imagery as the sounds pound and swirl and build.  There’s quirky pop in here too, sort of disparate and lost, broken and imperfect.

It’s all quite heady and I think deliberately wild and intense. There’s cynicism and irony in this gorgeous 23-year-old L.A. girl’s take on her world, which I rather love.  I hear a little Shirley Manson, a little Joan Jett, a little Avril Levine…what a great night out that would be!

“Predestined” has potential, recorded during lockdown, mostly in her home studio. Kayleigh has put together a very intriguing and eclectic selection of songs.  It will be interesting to see where she goes next….bravo!!

Check out two of her videos from the album below!

Producer Name(s): Gary L. Krause

Mastering Engineer: Randy Merrill at Sterling Sound

Websites:

Official Website: https://lovealwayskaleigh.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LoveAlwaysKaleigh/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lvalwayskaleigh

Instagram: http://www.instagram.comlovealwayskaleigh

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7iSzXbCjsrURnjUPnuiLEc?si=7cjxEy3zRUazBfx7Lh30mA

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/lovealwayskaleigh

Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfLU2VS0FUxEmYnNF7LrHxw

Vevo Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTIJVmYtXGvAmsdGDJuArIQ

Nicholas Gunn “Sound Condition” Album Release

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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Nicholas Gunn “Sound Condition” Album Release

Fellow Brit, Nicholas Gunn, has a long career of invention, musical ambition, and deeply intuitive electronic music.

He’s developed several of his own labels over the years, offering a hugely wide range of styles and genres, but his running theme seems to be spirited, soulful, healing music with a purpose.  His new album, “Sound Condition,” is quite literally a sound track for our time.  This awkward, terrifying time we are all in together and apart, where we feel as if we are on the brink of everything.  So basically a much-needed soul bath.

Gorgeous, fluid musical stories, unfolding, evolving, revolving. Reaching down into the abyss and upwards to the heavens with equal intensity and reward.  Exquisitely produced, with warmth and humanity, and oh so delicate nuance.  Several of the tracks feature the beautiful voice of Alina Renae, such a perfect balance.

The results are uplifting and inspiring, with musical phrases and rhythms whirling around us, teasing and questioning and informing. Therapy in melody and refrain, but not without opinion and gusto.  It is truly excellent. Profound, informative, supportive and purposeful. The best kind of ambient electronic and extremely danceable music.  So we can move our bodies as the music moves our souls….love, love, love it!!! Bravo! More please!!!

Stream the album on Spotify.

Download or listen via our Haulix EPK.

Official Website: www.nicholasgunn.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NicholasGunnOfficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NicholasGunnMus

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicholasgunn/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/54EYfCxN1dGJKec029vO7S?si=_W_0lBMpTw-omnd0ut-8aA

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/nicholasgunn

Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Nicholasgunnofficial

NoHo News February 25

Lisa Bianconi
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NoHo News February 25

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NoHo News: Lydia Floyd. A Quiet Scene. Unsung Heroes. Tiny Homes. Kung Hei Fat Choy! Villains. Who I Am. Pet Food Pantry. Theater is ALIVE. NoHo Restaurant Delivery. Wear a mask so we can keep NoHo an arts district. #KeepNoHoArtsy.

Here’s your NoHo arts community update!  We look forward to sharing lots of fun and unique news, events, profiles and updates on what’s happening in the NoHo Arts District.

Every Thursday we send out our NoHo e-News. Do you get it? It takes 30 seconds. Make sure you sign up, it’s FREE. Sign up HERE>>

This issue of NoHo e-News is about what’s going on in North Hollywood and a selection of some theatre shows. But we have a ton of them. Did you know that the NoHo Arts District has the highest concentration of theatres outside of New York City? Just check out the NoHo Arts District Theatre Guide>>

Here’s a glimpse at what’s going on in North Hollywood.

Follow NoHo News with Bloglovin

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo. On Instagram @NoHoArtsDistrict and Facebook @NoHoArtsDistrict.

Lydia Floyd – Helping to Nurture NoHo’s Youth and Build Stronger Nonprofits

Francesca del Console
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Lydia Floyd – Helping to Nurture NoHo’s Youth and Build Stronger Nonprofits

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The NoHo official motto really should be: “NoHo is only as great as its people.”

Meet Lydia Floyd. She is the founder of the non-profit organization Hand4Hope LA, a group founded in 2000 that provides after-school and single-parent resource programs for North Hollywood and the surrounding East Valley communities. Hands4Hope LA provides support to at-risk youth ages 8 to 18 from low-income, predominantly minority households to improve their quality through free S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) based after-school programs, low-cost academic summer camp., and semi-annual single parent resource fairs.

Throughout Lydia’s career as an executive director of Hands4Hope LA, she attempted to help those seeking to start a nonprofit or churches as well as small agencies who needed assistance. So in 2010 she founded Simple Data Nonprofit Consulting (SDNC) to guide, assist and serve small to mid-size nonprofit organizations and church leaders. SDNC helps simplify complex terms, concepts and tasks to provide the fuel leaders need to propel the nonprofit to sustainability and successful service to the community.

Her skill set includes but is not limited to donor database management, board development, event planning as well as accounting (she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting). She hosts a class in nonprofit management basics and coaches and mentors executive directors and church finance leaders. She has held workshops in Succession Planning for L.A. County Native American Commission, an Effective Financial Management workshop for Valley Nonprofit Resources, and webinars in Nonprofit Management Basics and Reviewing Your Financial Management Operations.

This month, Lydia was honored with the Inspirational Women of the San Fernando Valley award from the United Chambers of Commerce that recognizes women who have been an inspiration while trailblazing on a path to making the San Fernando Valley a better place. The committee seeks nominations from across all industries, including for profit, non-profit, education, government and law enforcement.

What has been your favorite project/program at Hands4Hope LA?

There are too many to pick just one.

I love all of our parent resource programs, after-school classes and summer camp! We have transitioned to a virtual format during the pandemic, but I can’t wait to see everyone’s faces and connect in person. One program that holds a special place in my heart, and which we will hold either virtually or in-person this summer is our annual 5k HopeWalk and Kids’ Fair. It starts and finishes at the North Hollywood Park and winds throughout the NoHo Arts District. NoHo Neighborhood Council and North Hollywood North East Neighborhood Council generously sponsor the event, and the kids are so active and having fun not sitting in front of screens? which is all the more important in 2021. I am enjoying watching our kids learning things like knitting and sign language in our virtual classes we have now but my preference is seeing them active.

In our parent program I loved getting a single mother of five a refrigerator filled with food from a donor. Lately, Black Bottom restaurant has been blessing our parents with a week of free family dinners. I love helping single moms like my mother who had epilepsy and raised four children alone.

Where do you see Hands4Hope LA in five years?

My main goal is to continue to support at-risk youth from low-income, predominantly-minority families in North Hollywood and the greater San Fernando Valley. In five years, I want to still be connecting with families and I dream of doing that at our own site. We are grateful to have a space at First Baptist Church of NoHo but it would be great to expand to our own building.

I would also like to continue on our course of partnering with government agencies to provide our much-needed services with funding support. We are currently contracting with the Department of Mental Health and we are a certified social enterprise through workforce development because we provide transitional subsidized employment and training.

We want to get the word out about our great programs for kids and the resources we provide for parents in order to serve more families in our community.

Why did you start Simple Data?

I want to give small nonprofit and church leaders the help I wish I had when I founded a nonprofit organization 20 years ago.

Why the name?

It is so important to simplify the sometimes complex tasks associated with managing a non-profit organization.

I believe if a nonprofit leader starts right from the beginning tracking their donors and donations in software or even in Excel they are more likely to succeed using this data to cultivate relationships.

How can Simple Data help new and established nonprofits?

Our website lists some of the ways we can help. I have a new client who is so excited to have someone to listen and help her with the questions and challenges she has such as how do I setup Quickbooks, develop my board, plan an event and so much more.

What are your top three tips for nonprofits?

1.Track and record your data, keep it simple, stick to the basic information you need
2.Show appreciation to those who help
3.Keep the faith, you can do it

There will be times you want to give up. “This too shall pass” are words to live by, to get you through the tough times. Remember, people need you.

If you are looking to start a nonprofit or need assistance in growing your organization, reach out to Lydia at Simple Data Nonprofit Consulting.

Thanks for helping to #KeepNoHoArtsy, Lydia.

Lyndol Descant “Let it All Krumble” Single/Video Release

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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Lyndol Descant “Let it All Krumble” Single/Video Release

“Let it All Krumble” is a sweet, sweet track, full of hope and quirk and soulful vocals.

Lyndol spins a beautiful story with this bouncy, whimsical song.  Jazzy, funky, inspiring, all of the lightness and magic we all need so badly right now.

The video is lovely too, a sweet and simple, indie representation of the themes of the song. Artists struggling to make ends meet, while the act to create persists. Shot on location in Brooklyn, we see the hero, actor/wrestler/comedian Lawson Leog, as he paces the streets on a mission to rid himself, quite literally, of what represents his own personal artistry, only to have it returned to him.

The muse is strong and, however many times we might wish to be something we are not, our true self will always return.  The song is a mantra to all artists.  “Nothing round me sparkles, still my soul dances tonight.”  You can’t change who you are so you may as well embrace it all, including the struggle!

It’s a great track and I’m really looking forward to more from the incandescent Lyndol Descant!

Musician Names/Instruments:   Lyndol Descant – piano and voice, electronic production

Producer Name(s): Lyndol Descant and Colin Hua

Official Website:   https://lyndol.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/LyndolMusic

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LyndolDescant 

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/lyndoldescant/

Spotify:   https://open.spotify.com/artist/26GaXDXGwactIq339Ha7As?si=HRQqmpT-RTm2So61Ujv4kw

Bandcamp: https://lyndol.bandcamp.com

Soundcloud:  https://soundcloud.com/lyndol-descant

Youtube Channel:   https://www.youtube.com/user/Lyndol6

Going Tech: 5 Best Schools to Choose

Lisa Bianconi
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The world is getting more and more dependent on technologies. Every industry heavily relies on tech specialists. Naturally, many students are choosing tech majors. This decision promises lots of career options and interesting professional experience. 

Apart from launching their own business, tech graduates can build a rewarding career in a range of fields. Medicine, Data Science, eCommerce, Engineering, Construction, and many others. A world needs tech specialists. They create and configure technologies to meet growing business needs and continue to improve lives.

Going Tech: 5 Best Schools to Choose alex knight 2EJCSULRwC8 unsplashhttps://unsplash.com/photos/2EJCSULRwC8
image source: https://unsplash.com/photos/2EJCSULRwC8

Obviously, what school to choose is a critical question for all students-to-be. Finding a great educational institution is not as easy as it is to find your essay helper on essayhelp. It requires way more time and research. 

In the following article, we’ve made a list of the best tech schools in the world. Read ahead to find out more about your dream school or finally make up your mind!

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

MIT is one of the most well-known and recognized tech universities worldwide. This US institution was founded in 1861 by a small community of science lovers and problem-solvers. Educational innovation and dedication to technological development drive its focus on STEM fields.

Today’s MIT alumni, students, and staff are at the forefront of the world’s most impressive developments and breakthroughs. Experiments and research at MIT fuel scientific progress and foster further scientific advancement. 

That’s why so many talented students look forward to entering this university. Yet, this dream is quite hard to fulfill. MIT is one of the most selective universities worldwide. It enrolls only the most prominent and successful students. Those with notable academic pursuits and interesting ideas.

Stanford University

Stanford University is another US institution on our list. It’s located in San Francisco, CA. This place is a factory of the qualified cadre. Its alumni are working in Silicon Valley and big tech corporations across the world. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Stanford graduates own every second startup in Silicon Valley. At the same time, Stanford alumni often take leading positions in big tech business administration as well. 

thisisengineering raeng GoKFTYnRoQ unsplash 2 Going Tech: 5 Best Schools to Choose
image source: https://unsplash.com/photos/-GoKFTYnRoQ

For over a century, Stanford has been building its reputation as a research center. It can boast 19 Nobel Prize laureates and winners of many other awards. That alone proves its high research output. Stanford also promotes active student life and extracurricular activities. It supports student physical and intellectual development and fosters creativity and innovation.

It is also very selective when it comes to admissions. The university cherishes diversity, inclusion, and cultural tolerance. At the same time, it strives to recognize talent and facilitate its development.

Tsinghua University

This Chinese university located in Beijing is also one of the most recognized tech schools in the world. Most of its graduate degree programs are offered in English. This promotes student exchange and international scientific collaboration.

The university has a range of facilities focusing on Engineering and Tech studies. It hosts the Tsinghua National Laboratory of Information Science and Technology, The State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology, and many others. Students have access to state-of-art technologies and cutting-edge devices. This helps them research emerging technologies and further advance science.

The university is highly selective as well. However, since it decided to become more international, foreign students have better chances to get enrolled.

University of California – Berkeley

UC – Berkeley is another American top university on our list. It’s located near San Francisco, CA. Unlike Stanford, it is more focused on research than on hands-on experience. This makes UC-Berkeley one of the top world’s institutions in terms of technological science development.

Berkeley alumni and faculty members include over a hundred international award holders. The projects and breakthroughs developed by students and staff are recognized around the world. They are actively used to improve lives and the human condition.

Berkeley has a huge campus. It has all the facilities students may need from housing to entertainment. It focuses on creating an environment where students can enjoy every second of their time, balancing both studies and life.

The university has strict admission policies as it strives to enroll the best of the best. At the same time, it has managed to build a diverse learning environment.

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Established in 1855, ETH Zurich is well-known for its cutting-edge research and innovation. Just like every institution on this list, it has many alumni that hold various awards. Moreover, the great Albert Einstein is ETH Zurich’s alumni.

Education at this university combines theory and practice in the right proportion. Most degree programs are based on a solid mathematical foundation. ETH Zurich actively encourages students to take part in cultural and leisure activities. Lots of regular symposia and conferences on campus are available to all students of 16 university departments.

At the same time, ETH Zurich pays lots of attention to exercising student bodies as well as their minds. All university sports teams are successful and regularly attend world’s student competitions.

Imperial College London

This British university is located in the area where ‘science and the arts would come together’. Its neighbors are the world’s most recognized ballet schools and colleges of art and music. It, however, focuses on Science and Technology. 

Imperial College is a research-based educational institution. It is equipped with cutting-edge technologies. This allows its educators to foster experiments and research. It also encourages students to progress scientifically. It is especially active in promoting creativity and innovation. Specifically when it comes to solutions addressing global challenges. A high level of interdisciplinary collaboration makes this direction of research highly effective. 

The university is one of the most international in the world. Over 60% of its students are non-UK citizens. It is also one of the most culturally diverse and inclusive. Yet, it is very difficult to get enrolled in Imperial College London. With such a history and background, this university remains to be one of the most selective in Europe.

7 Hobbies for Those Who Miss Traveling

Staff Writer
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Our whole lives have turned upside down due to the pandemic. Lockdowns have been introduced, borders are closed and airlines are forced to cancel flights.

No doubt, Covid-19 is a good reason to stay at home, but it’s not a reason to give up traveling for good. Fortunately, we can still admire the beauty of our planet without leaving our bedrooms thanks to some amazing resources. Read this article to know more – there’s definitely something that will inspire you to plan your next trips when the borders are open again.

 Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/u0lAovoUsaU 

Go On A Photo Tour

Street view on Google maps is not a surprise to anyone. However, a new trend has emerged – more and more users create photo tours and whole virtual trips.

Now, we have the chance to go for a walk near the Taj Mahal, enjoy Dubai from the famous Burj Khalifa skyscraper and take a look at Paris from the observation decks of the Eiffel Tower.

Of course, if you like something more unique, there are other options, as well. For example, you can go down to the Wieliczka Salt Mine (Poland), which looks like an underground palace. Or go on a dive around the Galapagos Islands.

Such virtual trips can give us a boost of energy. And we surely need it – during the lockdown period, more and more people open up about the loss of motivation and focus.

This problem is extremely relevant to college students nowadays. Those who find it hard to concentrate on college tasks often buy essay online and turn to professional assistance. Thanks to experienced writers, students are sure their paper will follow all the teacher’s instructions and requirements. 

Appreciate Panoramas

The stunning AirPano project gives you the opportunity to view panoramas or aerial tours taken from literally everything that can fly. There are about 2000 panoramas available on the website, taken from airplanes, balloons, airships, and drones.

On the website, you can enjoy the most picturesque places on our planet: the landscapes of Iceland or Hawaii, visit the Jordanian Petra and fly above the valley of mountain peaks and waterfalls in Switzerland.

360cities.net is another well-known platform. Here, you can stroll around Kathmandu or explore the skyline of London taken from a skyscraper. The quality is so great that you can practically see people’s faces in the windows. 

Visit a Virtual Museum

Google Arts & Culture project is gaining more and more popularity these days. It is an impressive collection of thousands of paintings from the finest museums in the world. Moreover, each picture was taken in a high resolution. Thus, you can examine Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” in detail, or look into the eyes of Frida Kahlo in one of her self-portraits. You can explore the museums in VR or using an ordinary screen

Some museums have allowed shooting not only their exhibitions, but premises as well. So, now we can stroll through the halls of the Doge’s Palace in Venice, or visit the Athenian Acropolis Museum from the comfort of our homes.

YouTube Walks

Of course, we all miss exploring new cities on spring breaks. Thanks to Watched Walker channel, it’s finally possible again. A snowy winter walk in Notting Hill, a beach promenade in Barcelona, strolling around Monaco’s Old Town – you can enjoy all of that. The videos are relatively long: on average, they last from 20 minutes to an hour and a half.

Nomadic Ambience is another great channel. Here, you can travel to Manhattan in the pouring rain, walk through the woods in the morning fog, or admire sunset in Istanbul, Turkey.

In fact, there are many channels of this type: just look up something like «Walking around [any place] 4K».


Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/xu2WYJek5AI

Live Cameras

On earthcam.com, there is a huge collection of webcams from all over the world: from New York and Tbilisi to Bangkok or Budapest. Thanks to this project, you can spend a couple of hours watching the sunrise over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, or follow the change of time zones on the planet.

Travel Videos on Vimeo

Timelapse 4K feels like actual magic. Using high resolution cameras, talented photographers can do wonders, showing us places in a new, delightful way, even if they are familiar to us.

On vimeo.com, there are wonderful collections of such videos, allowing us to visit the most stunning spots all over the world. Visit this platform to admire hypnotic Norwegian sunsets, romantic shots from Yosemite National Park, or the Dolomites mountains in Italy.

In Case You Are a Film Fan

When you can’t go on a real adventure, you can always see the world through movies.

«Before The Sunset» shows us one day that a couple of young people spent in Austria’s capital. An American tourist and a student from France meet on the train from Budapest, get off together in Vienna and enjoy this beautiful city together.

«The Secret Life of Walter Mitty» is a film for those looking for a good mood, jokes and unforgettable landscapes. The main character, played by Ben Stiller, visits Greenland, Iceland and the Himalayas.

Another movie on the list is «Eat. Pray. Love», you’ve certainly heard about this one. In the adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert’s novel, the impeccable Julia Roberts explores Italy, India and Bali.

If you haven’t watched «Roman Holiday», it’s time to enjoy an astonishing story with Audrey Hepburn in all her glory. Hepburn plays a princess on a tour of Europe. During an official visit to Rome, the girl meets a reporter and spends 24 hours full of romance with him. By the end of the movie, you will probably dream of a warm Italian evening in a cozy pizzeria.

In «Midnight In Paris», Woody Allen told the story of an American writer. The charming and dreamy main character is convinced that he should not have been born in our time, but in the 1920s. He comes to Paris and his wish finally comes true in this magical city. The writer travels back in time and meets Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Salvador Dali in-person.

Final Thoughts

During self-isolation, we tend to miss not only new impressions and experiences, but simple things, too. They can be different: from the sounds of an airport or train station to a noisy café background. Sometimes ambient sounds might help us focus as we work, so try turning them on as a background.

“The Evolution of a Woman” | Shapiro Studio Gallery

Raleigh Barrett Gallina
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“The Evolution of a Woman” | Shapiro Studio Gallery

Though glass ceilings-shattered stand alongside obvious inequality, achievements and evolution are still to be celebrated. 

Laurie Shapiro offers us a moment to breathe and take stock of a world in which women hold the highest political positions than ever before here in the United States. Shapiro Studio Gallery takes a moment to celebrate and gather women in Shapiro’s first ever official exhibition, “The Evolution of a Woman.“

Featuring an all-female artist lineup, the exhibition will feature artists such as Ibuki Kuramochi, Annie Wood, Alexandra Carter, Ilaria De Plano, Lauren Jenkins, Alexandra Wiesenfeld, and Mary Margaret Groves among others. Curated by Olivia Mia Orozco (founder of Performative Pop-Ups), and in collaboration with Laurie Shapiro, “The Evolution of A Woman” seeks to both celebrate the past and fantasize about the future.

“The Evolution of a Woman” is not only spotlighting female perspective (which has historically been underrepresented in the arts community and lineage), but it envisions a world in which women are seen in pure equity and appreciation.

In an ever-evolving world, the art pieces will be evolving up until the March 13, 2021 exhibition opening.

Exhibition: “The Evolution of a Woman”

When:  March 13 – April 11, 2021

Where: Shapiro Studio Gallery (private viewings only)

*There will be a zoom opening with the artists on March 13th at 5:00pm Pacific Standard Time featuring a digital performance by Ibuki Kuramochi. 

Click here to register on eventbrite.

Home Designing that Will Save Space & Boost the Interior

Lisa Bianconi
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Home Designing that Will Save Space & Boost the Interior

In the modern age, decorating a small home is not a bigger challenge. The professional interior designers have solved the riddle of small space with multiple versatile and functional ways. There are such awe-inspiring techniques that will turn the tiny room into spacious and boost its interior appeal. The major tricks that can make a little space look bigger include the natural, clear wall tones, majestic windows, illuminating lighting system, indoor plants, bright mirrors and many more.                       

Other tricks may include the considerable distance between the roof and the floor. When designing a small apartment, modern architects use every inch trickily and maintain a big lapse between the floor and ceiling. The secret behind this much space is that it gives the appearance of spacious rooms on the one hand and you can build a mezzanine to use as a home office, a bedroom or for storage purposes on the other. 

Our today’s blog has brought some astounding tips of using and decorating a small home luxuriously. Let’s go through the secrets and amplify our tiny abode!

Dual Furniture

When dealing with space-deprived homes, be smart and bring intelligent furniture. Yes, the furniture items that perform dual functions. Also, buying a more oversized furniture item that suits the room’s space is a smart trick. Pick a comparatively ample bed with storage space. If you establish a small bed in the room, it will give a sense of smaller space, while a more prominent piece will create a sense of amplitude.

Similarly, the choice of pillowcases, the fabric pigments can add to the spacious look if selected wisely. Go for the big-sized colorful pillow cases with white bedding or the bed sheets’ soft colors give an impression of a capacious room.  Create a handsome contrast of the ample furniture picking small accessories, but remember, don’t clutter!

Spread Large Area Rugs

In modern home decoration, area rugs are a smart choice. Even spacious villas don’t forget to spread them in their room. Their need becomes more crucial to organize a small space. Moreover, the rugs replace many decorating accessories, thus decluttering the space and catering to a spacious vibe.

Better, if you go for the large area rugs for your small apartment. Like bigger furniture articles, this art piece will smartly gain a look of ample space.

The selection of the right fiber, shade and texture will add to the grandeur and value of space. In the presence of transparent, neutral wall paints, you can pick a marvelous area rug in a reddish tone. It will magically beautify the space and create an inviting and attractive look.

Hide Storage

Small gadgets, tiny accessories, and little useful items are many in every house. They have a little use, perhaps once a month or year but are crucial. We can place them at some hidden location and at the time of need, we can approach them. We should not allow these too many little tools to destroy the whole aesthetic equilibrium and beauty of the already little space. We can pack them in cartons or place in the storage cabinets built in the entryway or the storeroom. If you need to keep the packed luggage under the table, this is the time to employ your creativity. Surround the table with an artistic textile fragment in a stylish way and complement the surrounding space.

Also, clean the interior environment placing all the items at a specific place. Don’t throw the taken off clothes on the bed or sofa; it can spoil the room’s freshness and splendor. Keep washable clothes in the laundry and hook the usable garments in the wardrobe. If you have little kids, let them pick their toys and games after playing and put them in the box or wicker basket meant for their storage. No chance of a messy environment in the little abode!

Walls-The Alternative Space Providers

Walls have a purposeful use in vast houses; these are even more crucial in small homes. We are to use the walls getting beyond the conventional concept that walls are meant for displaying the frames only. Walls can provide sufficient space for hook, shelves, and storage. The wall is indeed an alternative space providing entity in a space-deprived sanctuary. Walls have kindled the creative imagination of contemporary designers as space savers. Build vertical wooden cabinets on the wall and put any necessary items from garments to bed sheets to curtains and throws. If you need to keep books, step ahead and organize books there. 

You can construct open cabinets if you want to showcase the collection of some antique and modern decorating objects. The wooden shelves create a pretty contrast with the other furniture articles and look admirable and symmetrical. No worries for the little space when every room has four walls. If you are a small family and feel no nuisance in the little space, decorate the walls by portrayal, attractive photographic frames or area rugs. Pick either small, graceful circular rugs or a square shaped carpet to prettify the wall. The rugs hanging on the wall will instantly catch your guests’ attention and spread color in the room. 

No need to make the room look cluttered with floor cabinets and shelves when walls are there. The wooden floor cabinets will occupy the floor and hinder free movement in the room. For a small house, always choose the natural ivory shades for the wall paint. The clear, creamy and neat walls magically turn the interior into a healing and relaxing place!

Conclusion

Facing a small space issue? Forget not RugKnots that possess peerless area rugs to aggrandize the available space and enhance the interior’s beauty and charm. Select from a vast collection of floor carpets and bring a marvelous art piece at home without moving and wasting time in the physical markets. Think not, hit an order! 

Welcome Tiny Homes to the Neighborhood

Jack Witt
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Welcome Tiny Homes to the Neighborhood

“We don’t want to give a handout, we want to give a hand-up.” That’s how Ken Craft, the CEO of Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission describes their mindset. Ken started Hope of the Valley in 2009 and they currently have nine shelters in the Valley consisting of 507 beds. The newest shelter, called the “Tiny Homes,” is here in NoHo on Chandler Boulevard. It has 50 residents, all 18 years and over.

There are roughly 70,000 homeless people overall in Los Angeles and Ken predicts a tsunami of homelessness after the moratorium on rent is lifted in the city. His goal is to have 14 shelters here in the Valley consisting of 1,100 beds by this time next year.

One way we here in the NoHo community can help is to sponsor dinner one evening for the residents, kind of a “welcome to the neighborhood” gesture. So, I’m teaming up with The Federal, who have offered to prepare and individually package the meals to make this special evening happen. The date for delivery of our dinners for the Tiny Homes residents is going to be March 8th. You can help sponsor a dinner by donating any amount here: https://gofund.me/d8eb3ace

And just know that giving donations to others, or “prosocial spending “ has been shown to reduce blood pressure and improve heart health. This is going to be a win for the mission, a win for one of our local restaurants in NoHo, and a win for donors by improving our health.

A Quiet Scene: L.A. Film Competition

Francesca del Console
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A Quiet Scene: L.A. Film Competition

Submit Your Short Film for A Quiet Scene: L.A. Film Competition and Screening Project.

Even in isolation, we can connect. A Quiet Scene: L.A. is a free film project and screening initiative that encourages the public to create a short original film that is an authentic reflection of Los Angeles during current times. Participation is free and open to all ages. No film experience is required. You can simply grab a single shot of a quiet moment in L.A. and use a track from Roger and Brian Eno’s “Luminous” EP as the score.

A Quiet Scene: L.A. provides a Los Angeles perspective to the highly successful 2020 public audio-visual project, A Quiet Scene, created by Deutsche Grammophon and the Eno brothers in support of their “Mixing Colours” album.

The competition/screening project is presented by The Music Center and dublab, in collaboration with Deutsche Grammophon. Banner artwork by Radha Vishnubhotla.

Interested filmmakers may submit their work at filmfreeway.com/AQuietSceneLA through Monday, March 1, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. PST.

MORE INFORMATION>>

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo. On Instagram @NoHoArtsDistrict and Facebook @NoHoArtsDistrict.

Mulligan and Mulligan: “Promising Young Woman” and “The Dig”

Mike Peros
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Mulligan and Mulligan: “Promising Young Woman” and “The Dig”

This has been a good few weeks if you appreciate Carey Mulligan’s screen work, as her considerable talents are on display in the new releases “Promising Young Woman” and “The Dig.” 

Both films not only provide fine showcases for her abilities, but are also intelligent, satisfying entertainments in their own right. The one that is gathering the most buzz is “Promising Young Woman,” and it’s partly because of Mulligan’s work in an atypical role; it’s also because of the timely subject matter and the fact that it’s the debut writing/directorial effort from Emerald Fennell, whom some viewers might remember from her turn as Camilla Parker Bowles in “The Crown” (though others might recall her as a lovelorn midwife in “Call the Midwife”).

The premise of “Promising Young Woman” concerns Carey Mulligan’s Cassie, a once-promising medical student who had dropped out to care for her now-deceased best friend Nina, who had been raped by their classmate (and subsequently escaped punishment). Cassie now works in a coffee shop by day, but on occasional evenings, she goes to clubs and feigns drunkenness in order to entrap/humiliate the unwitting predators who would take advantage. Though at first it seems like it might evolve into an ordinary revenge tale, Fennell’s script takes Mulligan’s Cassie through some unexpected twists, including an encounter with a likable, sincere ex-classmate (Bo Burnham) that might lead to something more; a few reckonings that lead her to question the motives and define her own morality—and a late discovery that threatens to upend everything.

Fennell’s script is fairly ambitious in that it is not content to be a mere revenge saga (albeit with dark humor), but it explores the motivations and rationalizations of those who either stood by when a sexual assault occurred, sought ways to distance themselves after—or assisted in the subsequent cover-up. Many of the characters are not stereotypical villains (well, maybe one is), but individuals who believe they can get past the unseen event at the core of the film by either burying it or ignoring the fact that it happened. There are some quietly powerful scenes when Cassie forces these individuals to confront the enormity of their actions—and where Mulligan excels is retaining the viewer’s sympathy even when moving in dangerous, morally uncharted waters. One scene with Cassie and Connie Britton’s Dean crackles with tension and ambivalence—but it’s one of many in a film that takes a provocative premise and provides some jolts along the way. Though Mulligan is superlative throughout in suggesting Cassie’s mixture of assurance, anguish and malaise, she is not alone: Alison Brie, Alfred Molina and Molly Shannon all contribute nicely etched performances in a movie that might earn some notice at Oscar time.

While it isn’t nearly as provocative as “Promising Young Woman,” Mulligan’s other new release, “The Dig,” directed by Simon Stone from a script by Moira Buffini (in turn based on John Preston’s book) is a beautifully made, old-fashioned (in the best sense of the word), well-acted, period drama (based on real-life events) with a great deal to say about love, responsibility, service, mortality, and immortality. The year is 1939, Britain is thisclose to war, and determined but ailing widow Edith Pretty (Carey Mulligan) hires Ralph Fiennes’ self-taught excavator Basil Brown to “dig up” certain burial mounds on her country estate to see what might be there. Their small-scale efforts attract the attention of representatives from the British Museum, and though they “take over” the effort, Brown is retained—and their discovery is much bigger and more valuable than anticipated. This leads to the question of what to do with the treasures—and how safe they would be in an England on the verge of war.

Though there is a lot of digging in the film (apropos of the title), it is the human element that compels the viewer’s attention and makes “The Dig” another film that should not escape notice come Oscar-time. Carey Mulligan’s dignified widow radiates warmth, integrity, vulnerability and grit; the wonder of her performance is she manages to subtly inject these dimensions throughout. Perhaps the most telling is when she is expecting someone for dinner and he can’t attend—the reaction seamlessly proceeds from one level to another, without calling attention to itself. Mulligan’s work is flawlessly layered throughout, not only in her many scenes with Fiennes’ Brown (who matches her and is also quietly superb throughout), but also her moments with Lily James’ Peggy, who is working on “the dig” but has some life issues of her own (concerning her relationship with beau Ben Chaplin). “The Dig” is a rewarding, poignant film and can be seen on Netflix. Give it a try.

GEA “Truth Between the Lies”

Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros
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GEA “Truth Between the Lies”

GEA is a Helsinki-based, Icelandic singer songwriter with a piece of musical art that hits some pretty profound notes.

The universe has surely aligned.  Yet again!  It’s a beautiful, ethereal song but its lightness is fused with a powerful, soulful, dark, electronic melody, the vocals piercing the darkness, like truth has a tendency to do.

The simplicity is deceptive, the waves of music, grunge, soaring, spiraling vocals spinning the sounds around, echoing, bouncing from ear to ear.  It’s absolutely gorgeous. Epic even.  How strange that music can so perfectly take moments – big, big moments in history – and strip them bare.  Show us what is real, what it is necessary, for us to truly see, to stay alive.

I love this song. It’s retro, a bit 80s, a bit 90s, but also so modern, so shiny and new. Amazing vocals, phenomenal tracks, polished, yet still so raw.  This is the best kind of electronica, when the warmth of vocals, the soul of the message and the crisp beauty of the music blend together into something wonderful.

Love, love, LOVE this track!!! Can’t wait to hear more from GEA!!!

The stunning animated music video for GEA’s “Truth Between the Lies” from Fragility Records is brought to life by BYNEW (producer) and Raimi Nikkari (animator).

Stream on Spotify.

Musician Names/Instruments: Chris Birkett: electronic drums, synth bass, string bass, keyboards, electric guitars, synth effects

Producer Name(s): Chris Birkett

Official Website: https://geaofficial.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/geamusicofficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/official_gea

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geamusicofficial/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1isCvsa0zmYMVRPkPVmNC2?si=zWgnchA2SY2ukFLMXYIhrg

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/geasongs

Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw4Ou4aXfg7rsp7x6zbK0Qw

Business of Being an Actor PART I

Fran Montano
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Business of Being an Actor PART I

The beginning of the year is a great time to do a self assessment.  A time to review, make plans and set goals.

In our classes at The Actors Workout Studio, we spend time in the beginning of the year on goals, actions, and discussing the actor’s business model.  Painfully, a lot of actors don’t want to talk about it, they just want to do their art. I even have a number of students who leave and return when we get back to the craft. They don’t want to deal with it.

With Covid upon us, many actors have more free time and are looking to stay productive and move forward. I’ve gotten many calls and requests for this conversation that am repeating this from previous years and doing it in several parts.

Part One – You are a business

Yes, it is true, you are a business. You are self employed and like it or not, an entrepreneur.  You are selling a product and you have to have a business plan, with a marketing strategy, budget, staff (which might just be yourself at first) then execute it, and sell it. Actors tend to avoid this conversation relying on the excuse “I am an artist, if I wanted to go into business then I would have gone into my family’s business.”  They prefer to study their art, by taking classes, maybe doing a play once in a while, sending out headshots, and wonder (bitterly) why nothing is happening for them.

The greatest tragedy I see after working with thousands of actors for nearly 30 years is this:  I’ll see a great actor not get any work. They are excellent, trained, professional, talented, true artists, and don’t get any work.  They become great “classroom” actors, might do some theater once in a while, but no real career to talk about. The other sad thing to see are mediocre actors who have great success. I am actually happy for them. They may not be as talented yet get work. It almost seems unfair to these passionate artists. They see this and feel helpless and turn bitter.

The fact is, you are a business, and most of an actors’ job is to be looking for work, networking, and setting up the next job, or interview, or audition.  90% of actors are unemployed 90% of the time. It’s a fact. But that 10% can make it all worthwhile.

Consider this. If you are a trained engineer and looking for a job, you get your resume, solicit companies, look at want ads and listings and put yourself out there. If you are trained and have some experience you may go out on 10 to 12 interviews.  Then you might get a job.  Once you do, then you are probably set for a few years if it all works out. Your employer also goes through this process once every few years.  In our business, you go out, have 10 -12 job interviews (auditions in our language), say you get one, work a day or two, and guess what?  You are back to doing it all over again. So, you are in the business of seeking employment, constantly.  The good news is the employer, (casting directors) are also looking to hire on their next project. So, there is good news. If you don’t get that job, you have an opportunity to move on to another and not wait 2-3 years until that engineering position opens up again.

My point is, you are constantly looking for work, and, you need a plan, a structure and discipline.

Next month I’ll cover setting goals and how we do them at the Actors Workout Studio.

Stay positive.

Fran Montano

Finding the Right Engagement Ring Is a Significant Test for the Relationship

Lisa Bianconi
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Finding the Right Engagement Ring is a Significant Test for the Relationship 

 

Proposing to your partner is a significant milestone. You won’t think about doing it unless you are sure about the decision. Therefore, you have to find the best engagement ring. The problem is that finding a ring isn’t something that happens overnight. You have to work hard until you find the ring she deserves. Finding the perfect ring can even be a significant test for your relationship.

It shows how much you know her

There are different types of engagement rings. They come in different sizes, metals, stones, and fit certain personalities. If your partner is larger-than-life, she deserves an engagement ring that matches her personality. If she’s more reserved, she also deserves a different kind of ring. She might also love jewelry, and you have to know what her interests are. If you have a hard time matching the jewelry with her personality, it could be an issue. It shows that you don’t know her well enough to ask for her hand in marriage.

Surprising her with the engagement

Engagements are a special moment. You want her to feel surprised that you popped the question. The problem is that you might get caught since you have to determine her ring size. It’s another challenge for your relationship. Find a way to get her ring size without her knowing that you’re going to propose. You can even ask accomplices in this regard. If you can’t pull it off, it shows that you don’t know her well.

Choosing the right time 

You will only consider buying the engagement ring if you’re already certain about your decision. Several men decided to postpone their plans because they were not yet sure if they should propose. Once you have thought about buying the ring and started looking for the perfect one, it means that you’re ready. You also feel that she’s ready to take the relationship to the next level. Remember that there are failed engagements. They happen because of the wrong timing. Hopefully, it won’t happen to you since you don’t want the relationship to end.

It’s even more challenging these days

During the quarantine, you spend more time with your partner. You don’t have a choice since there are movement restrictions in different places. It’s also safer if you stay together at home. Therefore, finding the right time to pick the ring can be challenging. You have to start looking for the best jewelry store at willyou.net. You also need to check the arrival of your order so that she won’t notice. The good thing is that since you’ve been spending a lot of time together, your decision to propose shows that you’re certain about it. Several couples even broke up since they couldn’t stand being with each other all the time. Once you get married, you will be together most of the time. If that’s what you’re envisioning for yourself, you’re doing the right thing.

Hopefully, she will say yes, and decide to spend the rest of her life with you.

7 Things to Consider When Taking an Online BSW Degree

Lisa Bianconi
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7 Things to Consider When Taking an Online BSW Degree

Becoming a student is a big step and there are plenty of things to consider. A bachelor’s degree in social work is a challenging yet rewarding way to gain knowledge, skills and a qualification that can lead you to further education or a career in the many different fields of social work. You can achieve a BSW degree by studying in person on campus or online. Studying online brings a whole new set of factors to take into consideration, from the location you work in to the pace at which you complete your studies. Here are just a few of the things that you might consider when you start studying online.

Career Outcomes

An online BSW degree allows you to complete a bachelor’s degree that is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. This means that you will benefit from a high level of education. Furthermore, you will receive support from a tutor for help in courses and internships and there is plenty of financial support available too. The coursework is completed 100% online and there is also no residency requirement. Studying a BSW degree online is a brilliant way to gain a qualification while having the chance to practice other important life skills, such as time management and self-motivation.

There are a huge number of careers within the field of social work. You could work in schools, hospitals, prisons or nursing homes, among many other institutions or organizations. 

One-to-one social work is known as micro social work and is considered clinical, so a master’s degree in social work is usually required. A BSW degree can help prepare you for this next step in your education. Micro social work involves counselling individuals with social, emotional or health related issues. This can be in many different settings, such as schools, family therapy or as a city social services caseworker.

Mezzo social work consists of working with a small group or organization. You may be acting as a mediator in a work-place conflict resolution setting or in a support group for strangers with a shared experience – such as grief or addiction. At this level, the aim of the social worker is to focus on changing the group as a whole, rather than the individuals within it.

Macro social work is when the social worker works with a community, which could be defined by location, religion or politics, among many other things. They may be working to lobby for social change, creating or shaping social policies, or training others to do so. 

Location

Sometimes, your location may act as a barrier to accessing your dream course. You may be confined to what your local colleges can offer you, and this may not include what you really want to study. There are huge costs involved in studying abroad and this may prevent you from following your dream. However, when you study online, your location becomes less important as you can access your course from your home. 

More specifically in terms of working location, it is important to take into account immediate area in which you will be studying. Working from home can sound great, but in reality, it can be easy to get distracted. It can also be difficult to stay motivated and on schedule without the physical routine of going to a class. However, there are plenty of ways to overcome this and to create a good home working environment. Allocating a space to work in can help you to stay focused when you are studying a BSW degree. It might be tempting to work in bed or from your couch, but it is better to separate the places you work and the places you relax in. Clearing your desk or table will help to reduce distractions and prevent your notes from getting lost. Working by a window can also be a good idea, as it can provide you with fresh air and sunlight.

Further Education

Completing a BSW degree is a great step towards your dream career in social work. There are plenty of jobs that can be gained with this qualification, but many require further education such as master’s degrees. A BSW degree can help prepare you for further education by providing you with valuable skills, knowledge and experience. It will also allow you to discover what kinds of social work you would most like to work in. When you know this, you can create a plan to help achieve it. 

Personality and Characteristics

There are many personality traits that make a great social worker. These can be developed over the course of your BSW degree, allowing you to grow your personal skills as well as knowledge. Organization is important for social work, as you will typically have many cases to work on at once, and each needs to be treated with the same level of care, attention and professionalism. You will develop your organizational skills when studying an online BSW degree, as it is also important to keep organized for your studies. Not only does this help you plan your day, but it also lets you make the most of your education. Simple items such as diaries, to-do lists and calendars can all help keep you on top of your work. Being able to see the amount of work you have can help you to break down tasks and make them more manageable, and there is always something satisfying about crossing a task of a to-do list! It may be tempting to try and just keep everything in your brain, but this can make it easier to forget things or leave you feeling overwhelmed. 

Patience is another valuable characteristic in a social worker, as you may be working with people or organizations that have differing opinions or goals. People may also be unwilling to ask for or receive your help and you need to remain patient in order to properly help them and not become frustrated. You need to always remember that change is not immediate and it can take time to see results in a person or organization. 

Costs

There are many costs associated with becoming a student, whether that is in-person or when studying an online BSW degree. Food, rent, travel and textbooks are just a few of the things you will have to think about accommodating. Fortunately, there are many ways to reduce or remove costs if you choose an online BSW and study at home. You should not have to worry about finding accommodation on or near campus by studying at home. Furthermore, there will be less or no need to commute each day, which will save you money on gas and parking, or public transport. As well as saving money, it can also work towards reducing your impact on the environment, as you are taking less journeys.

Textbooks and learning materials can be notoriously expensive, so trying to find second-hand copies is a great idea. Asking previous students if they are selling or loaning their copies is a good place to start, as it will save you money and connect you with people who have done the same course. Your institution may also be signed up with an organization or subscription service that allows you to access content for free as long as you are a student, so it is worth asking about this before you spend money on something you could have used for free! Furthermore, the internet has a wealth of resources that are much more immediate than ordering books online. You do not have to pay for postage, wait for it to be delivered, and you are also reducing your impact on the planet by using less paper.

Pace

Working at your own pace is something that can be overlooked in physical classroom settings. Many people can find this type of learning atmosphere overwhelming or intimidating, making them less likely to contribute and ask questions when they do not understand something. When studying online, there is more room to work at your own pace and take in the information in a way that works best for you.

It can also help to understand what kind of learner you are. When working towards an online BSW degree, implementing learner and studying techniques that support the way your brain takes in information can have a huge impact on your studying experience. There are a lot of different types of learners, and it may take time to discover what works best for you. You could be a visual, auditory or kinesthetic learner (among others) and different teaching styles and revision methods can be used to make your studying more effective.

For example, an auditory learner takes information in best when it is spoken, so listening to lectures or podcasts can be very useful. They may also take in new information better when saying it out loud or explaining it to other people. Visual learners like to use images and diagrams in their learning, and so may benefit from using videos, colors and pictures in their learning and revising. If you are a kinesthetic learner, you learn best by being physical. Practical demonstrations and acting things out can help your brain to retain information most efficiently.

Skills

When studying an online BSW degree, you will of course gain valuable knowledge and skills related to that area of study. However, the benefits of an online degree do not end there. You can also develop your soft skills. These are non-technical skills that help you to perform well in the workplace. Soft skills include time management, motivation, conflict resolution and problem solving. Many of these are developed over time and with experience; by studying an online course, you can provide interviewers with real-life examples.

Motivation and the ability to self-motivate are very valuable skills that will come into play a lot when studying online. In a physical, classroom setting, there would be a tutor there to make sure you are completing your work. Studying online means you have to be more independent and disciplined when it comes to completing your work. It can be very easy to get distracted when working at home and so it is essential that you motivate yourself and focus, to ensure that you are making the most of your course and achieving the highest results you can. Whilst working on the internet, there are so many ways you can become distracted. Blocking those tempting websites, like your social media accounts, can help you to focus solely on your work and study. Hunger and dehydration can also cause you to lose focus, so planning your day to include breaks, good meals and regularly drinking water will help give you structure and keep your body fueled properly.

Time management is another soft skill that you will develop when studying online for a BSW degree. You must be organized and prepared in order to complete your work and get the results you want. There are many ways to manage your time and it may take time to work out what is best for you. Keeping notes, making a schedule and getting into a routine can all help make your studying more efficient and productive. You may also be studying alongside other commitments such as work or family and will need to practice juggling multiple commitments at once. When you have gotten into the flow of this, you will be able to really develop this skill and provide examples on your resume and in interviews, to really impress your employers.

These are just a few of the things to consider when you decide to study a BSW degree online. Working and studying online introduce a whole new set of challenges, but you can overcome them by asking for help and practicing your skills. It can be very rewarding to complete an online course, especially if it is in an area you are passionate about and have always wanted to study. There are many options available to you and you will be able to find your perfect online course with research and consideration.

NoHo News February 18

NoHo - North Hollywood
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NoHo News February 18

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NoHo News: Kung Hei Fat Choy! Unhidden Figures. Strange Fruit. Villains. Who I Am. Pet Food Pantry. Theater is ALIVE. NoHo Restaurant Delivery. Wear a mask so we can keep NoHo an arts district. #KeepNoHoArtsy.

Here’s your NoHo arts community update!  We look forward to sharing lots of fun and unique news, events, profiles and updates on what’s happening in the NoHo Arts District.

Every Thursday we send out our NoHo e-News. Do you get it? It takes 30 seconds. Make sure you sign up, it’s FREE. Sign up HERE>>

This issue of NoHo e-News is about what’s going on in North Hollywood and a selection of some theatre shows. But we have a ton of them. Did you know that the NoHo Arts District has the highest concentration of theatres outside of New York City? Just check out the NoHo Arts District Theatre Guide>>

Here’s a glimpse at what’s going on in North Hollywood.

Follow NoHo News with Bloglovin

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo. On Instagram @NoHoArtsDistrict and Facebook @NoHoArtsDistrict.

Tamashii – NoHo

Lisa Bianconi
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Tamashii – NoHo

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Happy Lunar New Year! We wish you and your family a prosperous Year of the OX – a year full of happiness and good health. – Colin from Tamashii Ramen, NoHo Arts District

What are your top three ramen dishes to help fight a cold in the cold months?

Tonkotsu Shio Ramen – The pork bone broth is high in collagen and will support joint health.

Chicken Ramen – The chicken broth is rich with vitamins and minerals, and it also helps to address the symptoms of the common cold.

Beef Ramen – We’ve added garlic, star anise, clover and cinnamon sticks to create a rich broth to increase bone strength.

Any vegan/vegetarian ramen options?

Yes, we do have vegetable broth and vegetarian noodle options – kale noodle, gluten free noodles and rice noodles.

What makes your ramen different?

All of our broths are cooked more than 14 hours. Everything is made from scratch and we don’t use MSG for our food, so you don’t feel thirsty when you slurp our broth.  (Slurping is a must!)

Tell us more about the ginger honey tea?

Our honey ginger tea is directly import from Korea. Korea has a long history of making ginger tea, and it is very important in their culture and cuisine. Ginger tea is not just a refreshing drink, it showers you with tons of health benefits. It can boost your immune system, and give you relief from nausea and indigestion. It’s said to be a weight-loss aid. Ginger tea is soothing hot or cold! You can get it to go as well.

What are some of the specials you have coming up for patio/al fresco dining?

As we enter into spring, what else is better than sitting down at our patio to enjoy a bowl of ramen? We recently added more dishes on our ‘Tamashii Steam” menu, such as “Har Gow” – shrimp dumpling, “Shiu Mai” -pork and shrimp dumpling, “Char Siu Bao” – bbq pork bun, and sticky rice wrapped with lotus leaf, and more. They are ordered to steam and are so fresh, like having ‘Yum Cha with Dim Sum” (tea and Dim Sum) in Hong Kong.

Is there something you’d like to highlight?

I would like to take this opportunity thank everyone, especially our neighbors, who havee supportd us and dined with us since we reopened our outdoor dining on January 29, 2021. iIt has been such a joy and pleasure seeing old and new faces again, and we really appreciate all your support!

Kung Hei Fat Choy! Happy Lunar New Year!

**** For information on Los Angeles theatre, tickets to theatre in North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District, theatre reviews, the NoHo Event Calendar, restaurants, news and local businesses in NoHo, or anything and everything about the NoHo Arts Community, bookmark nohoartsdistrict.com. Follow us on Twitter @OfficialNoHo. On Instagram @NoHoArtsDistrict and Facebook @NoHoArtsDistrict.

The History of Bingo: Where Did It All Begin?

Lisa Bianconi
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The History of Bingo: Where Did It All Begin?

The actual origins surrounding the history of bingo is quite unclear, with different editions of the game originating in different countries, at different times.

Apparently, early variations of the game began in Italy and in France where the game was known as ‘Le Lotto’, yet it first made its mark in the USA in the 1920s where it was a popular game at travelling fairs across the country.

With bingo gaining in popularity in the country, purpose-built bingo halls were erected all over the nation, and they offered a variety of different games from the ‘national game’, which saw bingo halls linked together to offer a bigger jackpot.

The most popular variant of bingo in this UK is 90 ball bingo, yet in the US people prefer playing a 75 ball version of the game. American bingo doesn’t differ too much from the documented UK edition, other than the number of grids found on a ticket. For the states, Hugh J. Ward is the man credited with bringing the game a more recognised identity, as he standardised bingo and actually published a rule book in 1933.

Toymaker and salesman Edwin Lowe helped grow the game even further, as he is recorded as being the figure to bring Bingo over to New York City, where you can still find many places to play the historic game today.

Development Online

People began to play bingo online in the early 2000s, but it really took off in the middle of the 21st Century.

Since then the online bingo world has grown to become a digitally dependent one. Whether it be through our smartphones, tablets or iPads, technology has made accessing the internet such an easy task. This development of such devices has subsequently led to the rise of online casinos, with brands around the world having to adapt to such a change, in order to survive.

Taking games into the virtual world is a phenomenon that has only escalated too, leading onto the activity of online gambling. The very first site to do so was The Gaming Club, when Microgaming established the website back in 1994. Since then, casinos have continued to follow the trend and push the majority of their resources to the web, as opposed to physical halls and casinos.

Online, you can now discover hundreds and thousands of bingo providers at sites such as Which Bingo. This is another trend to recognise when it comes to online bingo rooms, as game developers are able to create a variety of themed lobbies for you to play in. Long gone are the days of online bingo rooms with simple settings and no colour. Now, you can choose from many themes like Deal or No Deal and even Age of the Gods. Many sites likes to offer a large selection to all their players, as customer satisfaction is certainly a number one priority,

In terms of the online history of bingo, this didn’t officially hit the scenes until 2003. Since moving online, bingo has actually grown to accommodate for a range of players of all ages. Of course, please remember, you must be aged 18 or over to gamble!

How Do You Play Bingo?

If you are sitting there wondering how to play bingo, then don’t worry, as it couldn’t be easier. In a bingo hall, you would be given a card with numbers on, and when the caller calls out one of the numbers on your card, you mark it off. The winner is the first to mark off all of the numbers on their card.

More specifically, you will need to cross off all the numbers across a certain line. Typically, you will need to do this across a single horizontal line, or in some cases, two lines. Please, however, note that patterns can occur in many different shapes, depending on your game.

You may also recognise the term ‘full house’. This is arguably the most iconic saying in the ‘bingo lingo’, and it is when all the numbers in a grid have been ticked off. No matter what game you are playing on bingo night, this is the biggest prize possible! Let’s hope you’ll be one of the lucky few to see all the numbers crossed off if you choose to play online with us.

However, there are often also smaller prizes on offer for completing a line on a card or marking off four corners. In the UK, it is popular for players to buy a strip of six cards (each containing 15 numbers) as this means that every time a number is called, they will be able to mark off a number on one of their cards.

Tips on How to Support Your Mental Health with CBD Oils

TheNoHoArtsDistrict
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Tips on How to Support Your Mental Health with CBD Oils

woman blowing dandelions

 

Our everyday life is filled up with social pressure, conflicts with family and friends or random people in the neighborhood, stress at school and work. Coupled with these day-to-day struggles, many people still suffer from mental health issues. In this post, we will give you tips on how you can use CBD oil drops to support your mental health.

If we want to remain sane, then we have to include different relaxation practices in our schedules. Because of our daily hustle/races, we find ourselves working all through the days without giving ourselves rest. It is unfortunate that many people no longer have the aptitude to even relax.

The big question is; how do we get our nerves back on track? How can we use CBD oil to support our mental health? Why is it even important? Let us proceed to find the answers to these questions.

CBD for mental health

When we work throughout the day for some years, weeks, or months without getting enough rest, our organisms begin to adapt to such intensity and get away from the ferocious circle of doing hard work. Undoubtedly, not having enough sleep can be dangerous to our general well-being.

The best thing for you to do is to calm down your life and take practical steps to build your relaxation or resting skills. Making use of CBD oils is an effective way of getting enough relaxation, as it would help to reduce and soothe the pressure in your body and mind. How will you start this process? 

The first time of making use of CBD oils

If you just want to start making use of CBD tinctures, then it is advisable to begin your experiments with a very small-recommended dosage. The effects of essential and good-quality CBD oils can be strong and sedative that you may get surprised.

The human body has the ECS (Endocannabinoid system), which controls motivation, satiety, hunger, motor activity, mood, and the neuroimmune and neurohormonal connections. The ECS also has Cannabinoid receptors that determine where the compounds of CBD oils are exposed.

That is the reason why CBD oil tinctures are effective in stabilizing a person’s mood and relaxing the muscles. However, have it at the back of your mind that you cannot make use of CBD oil to replace medical treatment; neither can you use it as a form of medication. You can only use it as a supplement.

Before you begin to make use of CBD oil to support your mental health, make sure that you tell your doctor and ask for advice.

person holding black and yellow hand tool

What else to use apart from CBD tinctures

When you orally take CBD, or make use of vaporizers or CBD pills, you may get an immediate result. When you use other products, you can get a more subtle result or more time would be needed for the absorption of the cannabidiol compounds to start working. Here are other CBD oil products that may help to support your mental health:

  • Edibles
  • Cosmetics
  • Candles

 

Edibles

Some popular edibles that can be gotten in the market are gummies infused with CBD oil. There is just one difference between consuming gummies and applying CBD tinctures underneath the tongue; it is the absorption time. Edibles last for about 30 minutes – 1 hour before they dissolve and begin to have effects. You can decide to use edibles as a delicious snack while seeing a movie or natural tranquilizer.

Candles

You already know and have felt how relaxing it is to light just normal candles. The warmth and the yellow burning light give you a sense of safety and peace. You can get an intensified experience when you light CBD oil candles that have been scented and you inhale the relaxing chemical compounds. It is similar to vaporizing.

Cosmetics

While performing your SPA rituals at home, try to include the use of CBD-infused facial masks, bath bombs, body balms, and facial creams. The use of a CBD bath bomb will soothe your body as well as your senses, and facial creams can benefit your skin.

Engaging in your daily beauty routines can help to erase the regular racing thoughts off your mind and help you to focus on what you can smell, see, and touch now. This can be beneficial in supporting your mental health.

Make CBD-infused treats on your own

It is economical to make snacks and cosmetics by yourself. It is also miraculous as it will boost your self-esteem and help your mind stay busy and calm.

How can the use of CBD oil benefit your brain?

Addiction to the use of drugs can affect the behavior and brain of an individual, and it may make it difficult for the person to control his/her usage of drugs – both legal and illegal.

CBD is not a medication but can be used as a supplement that can support a person’s mental health by influencing some brain circuits that are responsible for addiction. It can also regulate the obsessive behavior of the person.

A research was conducted on humans and animals (rats), and the study shows that the use of CBD as a supplement can benefit the dependence on tobacco and cannabis, and support people that are fighting addiction.

The researchers also discovered that taking CBD oil products as a supplement to support mental health is effective. More research has to be made to get further proof that CBD oil products can support our mental health.

Always remember to see your doctor before beginning to use CBD oils to support your mental health. He will give you the needed advice on how to go about it. This will help you to be on the safer side.

The Power of Personification

Jessica Lynn Johnson
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The Power of Personification

“Instead of thinking outside the box, get rid of the box.”   -Deepak Chopra

As spiritual leader Deepak Chopra alluded to in the quote above, getting rid of rigid boxes is an essential part of being a successful Solo Artist. 

Solo Theatre is a genre that celebrates the authentic artistic expression of each individual; therefore, boldly acting upon your own creative genius and imaginative ideas will enable you to develop an interesting, unique, and entertaining one person play.

With that in mind, I invite you to get rid of any personal boxes that keep your creativity contained, step outside of your comfort zone, and think about a colorful approach to telling your story that you may have never considered before.

In today’s blog, we will be exploring the concept of Personification as it applies to Solo Theatre.

And by personification, I mean the portrayal of any inanimate object, or otherwise inhuman entity, that is given human traits and personality in order to become a fully realized character in your solo story.

Personification is by far one of my favorite theatrical devices, and I am excited to illuminate a few of the benefits that this clever tool provides.

1) Add humor to awkward moments!

Personification is an excellent way to bring humor to awkward moments that we may not want to recreate using realism.

For example,  in the one woman show “October Baby,” written and performed by Brooke Baumer, with direction and development by Yours Truly, Brooke personifies a set of lace curtains, a wooden bed, and a pink wall in her in-laws’ bedroom. 

This colorful cast of characters humorously narrates a sex scene between Brooke and her husband Tom.

By becoming these inanimate objects and having them give a play by play of the physical action they were witnessing, Brooke was able to tastefully approach a very intimate moment in her marriage and also infuse a great deal of comedy. 

Take a look at Brooke’s use of personification in October Baby on YouTube!

2) Prevent therapy on stage!

Personification is also a very effective way to prevent therapy on stage.

In another show I had the pleasure of Directing and Developing entitled “Wild At Heart,” written and performed by Kamakshi Hart, Kamakshi embodies her Shame as a recurring character throughout the entire show.

By consistently weaving in the character of Shame and having him berate her brutally, Kamakshi was able to illustrate for the audience just how large of a role her internalized shame has played in her life as a survivor of sexual trauma and other abuse. 

Delving into such serious subject matter could make for a very dark and depressing solo show. However, because Kamakshi’s portrayal of Shame had such a comedic edge to it, Shame soon became a devilish character that the audience loved to hate.

Shame’s antagonistic antics frequently brought levity as Kamakshi’s tale of trauma unfolded.

Incorporating comedy, even if it is dark comedy, allows the audience to let down their walls and let in thought-provoking and deeply challenging material.

In “Wild At Hart,” Kamakshi also personified her inner wisdom as a character aptly named the Inner Guru.

This guru spoke of many traumatic sexual experiences from a heightened place of compassion and wisdom. Not only did this approach make the information more accessible for the audience to receive, but it also provided a much safer means for Kamakshi to talk about these horrific events without harming herself emotionally, mentally or spiritually.

Personification often grants a safe distance for the performer to recount dramatic and traumatic events without re-traumatizing the artist and this navigates the actor away from the trap of therapy on stage.

3) Heighten the stakes!

Personification allows the solo artist to take any ordinary moment in life and make it extraordinary, and subsequently the theatrical stakes are heightened. 

In yet another show I had the pleasure of Directing, “Voices,” award-winning solo artist Carla Delaney portrays a slew of musical instruments she encountered at the music store when she was a child. 

Not only did this creative choice allow Carla to display her enormous talents as a voiceover artist and character actor, but it took an ordinary day in her adolescence and made it an extraordinary event filled with whimsical and fantastical characters. 

Each dynamic character had a rich point of view and individual agenda which resulted in raising the dramatic stakes of the scene as a whole. Which instrument would she choose? Would they be left behind? Did they want to leave the music store at all?

I could go on and on with many more inspiring examples of solo artists from the Soaring Solo Community who have powerfully utilized personification to enhance their one person plays. Yet, I trust that these three sensational solo artists have exemplified a myriad of reasons for you to think outside of the box and play with personification as you create characters for your solo show.

So, if you are looking for ways to make your one person play more entertaining while challenging yourself as an actor and as an artist, then start to identify objects in your world who could tell your story for you. Begin looking within to see which emotions and aspects of your inner world could become captivating characters!

Enjoy these Solo Theatre resources to further guide you on your solo journey!

Tune in and Support the SOARING SOLO SALON on Saturday February 27th @ 3pm (PST)!


Award-winning director and developer, Jessica Lynn Johnson, hosts a matinee of brand new solo show excerpts taken from the Soaring Solo Community all around the world!

This enticing program will be pre-recorded and will feature six superb Solo Artists throughout the show.

The talented lineup includes: Christion Ty Edwards, Veronica Matthews, Phyllis Gordon, Michael David Ker, Mary Guillermin and Bethany Vee.

Enjoy these solo stories from the comfort of your own home, safely prerecorded at the homes of each solo artist, and know that a large portion of the proceeds will go toward supporting the Whitefire Theatre during a global pandemic. There will be a post show Q&A with all of the artists, hosted by Jessica, on Zoom. This event will be monthly. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THE SOARING SOLO SALON.

Start every Hump Day off right with FREE guided meditation and writing prompts with “Isolate Meditate Create”!

Join BEST NATIONAL SOLO ARTIST WINNER Jessica Lynn Johnson EVERY HUMP DAY @ 9AM (PST) on ZOOM for ISOLATE. MEDITATE. CREATE!

This is a 100% free guided meditation & writing prompt experience is designed to keep you healthy, connected and creative EVERY HUMP DAY during STAY AT HOME and who knows, maybe you will even write your one person play with the content you create.

CLICK HERE TO ATTEND ISOLATE MEDITATE CREATE and obtain the Zoom link and password.

Attend the Soaring Solo FREE One Person Play Development class ONLINE!

No matter where you are in the creation of your solo show, idea phase, curiosity phase, full draft written, touring the festival and college market, BEST NATIONAL SOLO ARTIST & Founder of Soaring Solo, Jessica Lynn Johnson, will meet you where you are at and take you to the next level! All that is required to attend is a willingness to explore, a pen, and some paper. No previous writing or performance experience necessary, and no need to have written anything to bring to class. Each week Jessica will guide you in exercises to help generate and stage NEW material! So come and meet other creatives in a supportive space for expression and exploration! The class is ongoing and so you may pop in and out as you please as long as you RSVP by clicking here for this FREE ONE PERSON PLAY CLASS.

Schedule an Online Coaching Consultation with Jessica Lynn Johnson to discuss the possibilities for your solo show!

Jessica brings her 15+ years of solo theatre expertise to work privately with solo artists from all over the world on an as needed basis.

1 on 1 coaching and consultation is for you if…

-You are curious about creating a solo show, but you need writing prompts to help you generate material.

-You are tossing around ideas for your solo show, but you need some accountability and encouragement to commit those ideas to the page.

-You have already written some material, but you need expert feedback on editing, story structure and play formatting.

-You have a great first draft, but need guidance on how to utilize multimedia and solo theatre technique in order to make your show a dynamic piece of solo theatre.

-You already premiered your solo show and now you want some tips on how to tour colleges and festivals, and garner accolades and great reviews

-You have heard great things about Jessica’s work and you’re curious about hiring her as a Director & Developer for your solo show, but first you want to feel her out and see if she is the right fit for you and your project.

Wherever you may find yourself on your solo journey, Jessica will help you overcome whatever immediate obstacle stands between you and your solo success.  

If you resonated with many of the things on this list, then take the next step by emailing SoaringSoloArtist@gmail.com for more information.

Jessica Lynn Johnson

Founder & CEO of Soaring Solo LLC

SoaringSoloArtist@gmail.com

www.SoaringSoloStudios.com

The Great Outdoors of Tucson

Jack Witt
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The Great Outdoors of Tucson

If you enjoy hiking, you’ll love Tucson. Since the city is surrounded by five mountain ranges and bordered by two halves of a national park, there are seemingly endless opportunities to get out and experience nature.

A small group of us went in January, when the weather in Tucson is typically perfect for outdoor activity. Tucson enjoys 350 days of sunshine per year and fortunately the rays were out in full force while we were there.

We stayed at the Downtown Clifton Hotel as our base. It has a cool vibe and the staff there are all very attentive. I liked how they had portable record players and a big selection of vinyl that you could take to your room for free during your stay. You also get a free drink token for their indoor/outdoor bar and restaurant area. It seemed like the place to be for both locals and tourists alike.

We warmed up for our hiking weekend by doing Tumamoc Hill near downtown. It is an ecological preserve on a butte and home of the University of Arizona Desert Laboratory. It’s deemed a US National Historical Landmark and apparently this is where the study of ecology (the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings) originated. The 3-mile out and back trail is paved and once you get to the top, you are rewarded by incredible views of Tucson.

On our first full day we went to Saguaro National Park and hiked Wasson Peak via Sendero Esperanza and Hugh Norris Trail, an out and back 7-mile trail with 1,650 ft. elevation gain. The Saguaro is the nation’s largest cacti and is the universal symbol of the American West. The hike features classic Sonoran Desert flora and fauna, and equal opportunity to see owl clover and Mexican gold poppies, and spectacular 360-degree views from the summit of Wasson Peak.

Afterwards, we took some time to explore the Arizona – Sonora Desert Museum, a world-renowned zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden, all in one place! Allow yourself a couple hours to explore around this vast, mostly outdoor museum. There’s even a nature trail/hiking path there, although we didn’t do it since we just had come from a hike.

On our next full day, we went over to the Sabino Canyon Recreation area.. We hiked Bear Canyon to Seven Falls in Sabino Canyon Recreation Area, an out and back, 6-mile trail with about 1,000 ft. elevation gain. I always enjoy canyon hiking, wherever I am and this one was no exception. Do note though that if it has been raining in Tucson (not the case when we were there), this hike features about 6 shallow stream crossings. They were all dry for our hike. We were so fortunate to have Mike Harris from the Southern Arizona Hiking Club with us as our guide for both of our hikes. He was very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna and history of the Tucson area and really has a passion for leading groups on the local trails.

After this hike, we visited Tucson’s legendary landmark of art and architecture – The DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun Museum. This vast facility, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has six permanent collections of DeGrazia paintings displaying colorful cultures of the Sonoran Desert, along with ceramics and sculptures.

On our last day in Tucson, we took a scenic drive up the beautiful Mt. Lemmon Scenic Byway (9,000 ft summit) loop. It is regarded by many to be one of the most scenic drives in Arizona. It’s an easy day trip from Tucson. You’ll ascend up the mountain, starting in the desert foothills at around 2,000-feet elevation, climbing approximately 7,000 feet in elevation in under 30 miles and experiencing beautiful changes in scenery. It’s kind of like the equivalent of driving from the deserts of Mexico to the forests of Canada.

No trip to Tucson is complete without a visit to historic 4th Avenue. We had a delicious lunch at Boca Tacos y Tequila, an outpost for modern Mexican fare, imaginative salsa, and local craft beeers.

Our last stop before heading home was Mission San Xavier del Bac. Known as the “white dove of the desert”, it was finished in 1797 and is a National Historic Landmark. The Mission is a premier example of Mexican Baroque architecture and is one of the most recognized icons in Arizona.

Tucson truly has a little something for everyone, from the great outdoors to beautiful architecture, museums, and mouth-watering Mexican inspired cuisine. So, giddy up on over to Tucson when you get a chance and feed your spirit with a true southwestern experience.

Cheers,

Jack Witt, MS, CPT
Fitness and Health Coach

“Get Fit with Witt”

Individuals / Groups / Corporate
310.562.5629 Cell / 818.760.3891 Main

Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn / YouTube 

Online Wellness Program “Lifestyle Insights” Click here

Paperback or E-Book “Fitness and Anti-Aging Secrets” Click here

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