How to Make Gender-Specific Colors or Patterns “Work” at Important Events

Plaid is perfect of Christmas celebrations and ’90s themed events.

It’s kind of silly to think of colors and patterns as masculine or feminine, but we all do it. Fortunately, when planning an event, whether it’s a birthday party or a wedding, you can pretty much ignore traditional color connotations. Likewise, we can ignore any gender ascribed to particular patterns, like plaid and floral. Certainly, some colors and patterns are more conducive to certain events than others, but you should never hesitate to rent table linen or choose a color palette based on outdated notions of gendered color.

Pink Knows No Boundaries

Back in the early days of metrosexuality (you know, back when personal grooming was considered a strictly feminine activity), Ryan Seacrest made headlines (for some reason) over his decision to wear pink shirts. Since then, more men have come to terms with the idea that all colors are gender-neutral. Women, of course, have always had more leeway in terms of what they decide to wear or what table linen we choose, but our friends might raise an eyebrow if we decided to decorate our domicile like a hunter’s lodge, where red plaid and green camouflage reign supreme.

Indeed, no matter how damaging and antiquated they are, stereotypes persist, and ignoring them won’t make them go away. It is not by chance that the Susan G. Komen Foundation chose pink as the go-to color for women’s health, or that men’s clothing consists of scores of neutral tones with the occasional pink or lavender collared shirt thrown in. We are all well-aware that attributing a gender to something as blatantly gender-neutral as a segment of the light spectrum is entirely silly, cultural . . . and common

Away from tradition

Back in the early days of metrosexuality (you know, back when personal grooming was considered a strictly feminine activity), Ryan Seacrest made headlines (for some reason) over his decision to wear pink shirts. Since then, more men have come to terms with the idea that all colors are gender-neutral. Women, of course, have always had more leeway in terms of what they decide to wear or what table linen we choose, but our friends might raise an eyebrow if we decided to decorate our domicile like a hunter’s lodge, where red plaid and green camouflage reign supreme.

Indeed, no matter how damaging and antiquated they are, stereotypes persist, and ignoring them won’t make them go away. It is not by chance that the Susan G. Komen Foundation chose pink as the go-to color for women’s health, or that men’s clothing consists of scores of neutral tones with the occasional pink or lavender collared shirt thrown in. We are all well-aware that attributing a gender to something as blatantly gender-neutral as a segment of the light spectrum is entirely silly, cultural . . . and common.

A J. Press plaid sport coat from the fall collection. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Manly, Manly Plaid

Ah, plaid. As mentioned above, it’s the preferred pattern of hunters and other manly men. While plaid goes in and out of style for women, men can always count on it for its robust color schemes and steadfast square patterned cloth. As the photo above shows, though, plaid is the perfect pattern for holiday celebrations and for any ’90s themed event.

Due to ’90s nostalgia, plaid has been making a comeback lately-and not just classic plaid tablecloths for outdoor events. To capitalize on this trend, one of the best ways to include plaid table linen in your event is to throw a ’90s themed party.

 

80’s night!

’80s night has become a standard at many night clubs, but the ’90s are a bit more difficult to pin down. This is the era that saw TLC rise to fame alongside Pearl Jam, after all, so coming up with a unifying theme seems difficult. So if you decide to throw a ’90s party for a Gen-Y-er’s birthday, a plaid tablecloth rental will essentially cover every trend. It appeared in everything from Slackers to Clueless and remained popular right up to the teen pop invasion.

But what type of plaid? That will really depend on your personal taste. After all, there’s Kurt Cobain plaid and there’s Gwen Stefani plaid . . . and even Britney Spears plaid, for that matter. Your best bet would be to review your options for online tablecloth rental and go from there. Then set a ’90s playlist and party like it’s 1999.

 

Pretty in Pink

Again, women have far more leeway in terms of what we’re “allowed to wear.” In a perfect world, anyone should be allowed to wear anything they want, of course. I would argue that everyone should wear whatever they want in order to create that perfect world. We should also be able to throw around pink square tablecloths and put pink cherry blossoms everywhere without regard for traditional gender norms.

Because let’s face it-everyone loves cherry blossoms. Everyone knows that pink frosting is the best frosting. Everyone exchanges pink hearts and pink roses on Valentine’s Day, regardless of whether or not they have found a significant other. So pink napkins aren’t going to hurt anyone and pink chair ties will only serve as compelling bursts of color.

Pink is often associated with romance, and more couples, like my friends mentioned above, are working to incorporate it into the festivities. Often paired with neutral tones, pink table linen can be delicate or striking, depending on the tone you choose. Fuchsia and black look quite sophisticated together, while pale pinks are the perfect complement to ivory tablecloths. And no matter how you decide to make your pink palette look fabulous, be sure to include lots of pink flowers.

Go the Blues?

One of my friends decided to dress her beautiful baby girl in pale blue hand-me-downs. We didn’t think it was a big deal until the third person stopped to pat the child on the head and remark, “What a handsome baby boy!” While it can be hard to determine gender in a four-month-old, I got the distinct impression that it was the color blue that they deemed “masculine.”

So what is it about blue that makes “masculine,” anyway? It is so serene and ubiquitous that limiting it to one gender just seems inorganic. And, of course, women wear blue all the time without even thinking about its connotations. We really only think of blue as being a “boy color” with regard to children, so you can pull off a beach-themed party with blue table runners and shell-white chair covers quite easily.

Some might argue that darker shades of blue like navy are masculine due to their association with the armed forces, but women have served in armies since the invention of war, which renders this point ineffective. Navy is often considered a neutral in the fashion world, and it is perfect for creating an event with a nautical theme. You should stick with white table linen, but you can incorporate navy elsewhere, such as in the cloth napkins or in your flower choices. You may also add rope-like details throughout, and use round glass dinnerware to evoke portholes.

 

The Darling Buds of May

As noted in the “pink” section, everyone can love, or at least appreciate, cherry blossoms. Men do garden, after all, and they do appreciate the finer things in life, so associating floral prints with women only seems excessive. Modern floral prints tend to err on the side of neutral colors, anyway, so floral tablecloths are more a matter of elegant graphic design than they are literal drawings of flowers.

Events with a floral theme are particularly appropriate for the spring and summer. You may wish to take advantage of the abundant flowers during this time and stick with solid, square tablecloths, or you may want to extend the theme further. Some even like to match their linen napkins to elaborately-printed floral table linen.

Another option would be to look for glasses and dinner plates that reflect a floral motif. Think of bread and butter plates in the shape of daisies, or even small vases with a floral detail.

 

Rainbow

When all else fails, look to the sky for inspiration. Rainbows have become an emblem for diversity and acceptance, but they have always been popular motifs. Just think of the Dark Side of the Moon album cover as an example. By combining every color, they are the opposite of gender-specific.

Rainbows are unapologetically bright, so your options will basically come down to using neutral shades to temper that brightness, or just letting them be as ostentatious as you want. Both choices can yield delightful table linen arrangements. You can also go dark or light with it, and look for rainbow-inspired pieces of décor. Some companies make iridescent linen overlays, for example, and you can often find sets of martini glasses that showcase glass in every color of the rainbow.

Rainbow-themed events are some of the most difficult, and therefore the most rewarding, to arrange. Some prefer to decorate each table with linen in varying colors-a difficult task when table arrangements aren’t symmetrical. Others prefer to include different rainbow elements on each table. Perhaps an iridescent glass dinner plate, or even linen chair covers in alternating colors.

Not many have the ambition or time to plan a rainbow-themed party, so be thorough. Above all, have fun with it. Think of how you feel every time you see a rainbow after a storm and let it inspire you.

Looking for fun ways to integrate colors and patterns into your next event?

These websites are a great place to start.

Birthday Tablecloth Rental

Find the perfect tablecloth rental in any color, for any age group.

Smithsonian Magazine

A great article on the cultural history of gendered colors.

My Party Planner

Look for vendors, suggestions, and more for help planning your next event.

 

(I Always Feel Like) Somebody’s Watching Me

User big brother 1984 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Relax, Orwell! Nobody is actually watching you-it’s just Internet technology!

“I’m just an average man, with an average life. I work from nine to five-hey, hell, I pay the price!”

Alright, that’s enough of that. You can see where I’m going with this: When you’re on the Internet, sometimes, it feels like somebody’s watching you. Like your computer is starting to know you a little too well, almost. Don’t worry, though-we’re still a long way off from the eventual robot uprising and the super-intelligent killing machines that look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. What we are dealing with, though, is the increasing ubiquity of e-commerce personalization software and other tracking programs that sneak around the Internet and keep an eye on you.

Nobody’s Really Watching

If it makes you feel better, know this: There is nobody actually watching you. Big Brother doesn’t exist-thankfully, 1984 came and went without that one every coming true-and nobody is spying on you from the other end of your DSL line. Online technology is so advanced that nobody has to, because at this point, it’s all done automatically with e-commerce personalization software. This type of program automatically logs everything that you look at when you’re shopping on a certain website, building up a history of your previously viewed and purchased items. Instead of just reminding you about those products later (and it will), it also learns about why the item is significant, how it relates to other things you’ve looked at and how it can recommend new products based on that information.

So What Does It Do?

Confused yet? Don’t be-while the technology behind programs like these is pretty complex (and way beyond anything I can distill here), the principle behind it is simple. Let’s illustrate it with an example: If you are shopping in an art supply store, and the salesman sees that your cart has canvas, paintbrushes, acrylics and an easel, he’s not going to take you to the knitting aisle-he can see that you’re interested in painting supplies. That’s exactly how personalized online shopping works, too. The website sees what you look at and what you buy, then puts it all together to form a logical conclusion.

Let the Following Begin

The thing about personalized online shopping programs is that they don’t stop working once you leave the website-and this is where some of that feeling of being followed sets in. For example, let’s say you looked at a new set of paintbrushes online, while you’re logged into a web store that has your e-mail address on file. You leave the site without buying the paintbrushes, and after a bit, you forget all about them.

Next thing you know, you get an e-mail from that website advertising the very paintbrushes you looked at before! This is one of the tricks of personalization programs-they remember what you looked at, then proactively use that information to tailor their ads right to you.

When I was younger, I imagined that in the future, it would be cool if TV stations knew what products you had already bought, so you didn’t have to watch commercials for those things. A modest ambition, maybe, but darn it, I hate commercials! And while we’re not quite to that point yet, the way that personalization programs work is remarkably similar-because they remember everything you look at and everything you buy, they don’t waste your time with irrelevant advertising. If only I’d actually invented it!

Online Shopping Banner Ads

Personalized online shopping and marketing strategies take plenty of other forms, too. For example, have you ever noticed that you tend to see banner and display ads for websites you’ve already visited? When you leave a website without making a purchase or contacting them-what they call “converting”-you can be on the receiving end of retargeting. This is when the website’s marketing tries to bring you back, and the strategy can be as simple or complex as the site wants.

For example, instead of just showing you a display ad for the online store, the display ad itself may be customized to show you a picture of a product you looked at and didn’t buy. It’s like if you could open up a magazine, and every ad was something you had already thought about buying.

Forget about Big Brother

So in the end, you can relax. You don’t have to bolt your door real tight, or be afraid to wash your hair-no matter how smart these algorithms and engines get, nobody is actually watching you. The Internet is full of codes, programs and little tricks that keep an eye on your shopping habits, but it’s not fundamentally different from how an in-store salesperson works-just more efficient. Your computer just wants to help, and hey, if you’re like me, you need all the shopping help you can get!

More Info about Online Shopping

Go behind the scenes of the online industry!

Online Shopping Habits

Are you in the majority?

E-commerce Personalization Software

Get a look at how they do it

How Retargeting Works

See an illustrated example of the technology

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• What Does Privacy Mean Today? (iic2013sp102.wordpress.com)
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• Big Brother Camera Security – Daniel Amitay (itunes.apple.com)

Colored sand helps children understand how molecules work.

DIY experiments are a great, hands-on way to get your kids excited about science. Instead of giving them a dusty old textbook full of abstract scientific concepts they may not understand, learning through experiments lets them see for themselves how ideas translate to reality.

If your child is always asking where things come from, a few experiments in engineering can illuminate the answers while giving you an afternoon of fun together. Plastics engineering, for example, utilizes a lot of concepts that you can easily illustrate using things you already have at home, so you can learn all about where everyday objects like plastic baggies, shower curtains, beach balls and inner tubes come from. You don’t have to visit an industrial manufacturing plant to try your hand at plastics engineering-with a few simple at-home experiments like these, you’ll be melting and melding like a pro!

Hot Air Welding

What you need: Cellophane wrap, cookie, hair dryer

 

When manufacturers use hot air welding to meld plastics together, they blast them with a concentrated stream of extremely hot compressed air. If you want to show your child what compressed air is, you can buy it by the can at office supply stores-domestically, it’s often used to clean out keyboards and circuitry. Otherwise, you could use a bike tire pump or a car tire air kiosk at the gas station. Because you can’t heat compressed air like they do in the hot air sealing plant, though, you’ll be demonstrating a less-refined version of the process.

Place a cookie on a large, rectangular piece of cellophane. Fold the cellophane over itself, over the top of the cookie, like a book. Then, hold your hair dryer a few inches over the cellophane and turn it on. As you move it over the cellophane, the plastic wrap will heat up, shrink and melt-since it is folded over on itself, the plastic will melt together, forming a seal around the cookie. This is how hot air welding works, although it is much more precise than your hair dryer!

 

RF Welding

What you need: One large jar, two types of colored sand, one spoon, two plastic knives, rubber cement

 

Radio frequency heat sealing, or RF welding, is a process that uses high frequency waves to alter the molecular structure of two pieces of plastic. While you can’t imitate this process at home, you can conduct a simple demonstration to teach your child about molecules, how they make up matter and how they can be altered to create new matter.

Begin with an empty jar and two types of colored sand. Explain that each grain of sand represents a molecule, which is a tiny, microscopic building block that is found in everything. A molecule by itself is very small, but when enough of them are together in one place, they make a whole. Pour one of your colored sands into the jar-they represent the molecules in a single piece of plastic.

Pour your other colored sand into the jar. It should sit right on top of the other one, without the grains mixing. This colored sand represents a different piece of plastic-the two can touch, but their molecules are going to stay separate.

Finally, stick your spoon into the jar and start swirling it around. The spoon is a high frequency wave, which passes through the plastics and mixes up their molecules. As you swirl the spoon around, it should mix up the two colored sands until they are completely mixed together, and you can pull out the spoon. Explain that the molecules are so mixed up that they can never come apart-like the grains of sand, there are too many, and they’re too small for you to separate them. You have combined them, creating something totally new that didn’t exist before: A solid structure, with a whole new molecular composition.

 

Solvent Bonding

 

You can use the sand experiment to explain how solvent bonding works, too. When plastic manufacturing companies use solvents to join plastics, they are performing a process similar in spirit to RF welding. The solvent is applied to the materials, which it superficially melts. As they melt, they are pressed together, and the molecules rearrange together in a process spiritually similar to RF welding and your sand experiment.

You may explain how these solvents are different from domestic solvents by using rubber cement to attach two pieces of plastic. Smear rubber cement on two plastic knives and press them together. When it sets, you can demonstrate that they are stuck together, but by assertively pulling them apart, they split. You can even peel the dried rubber cement right off. Compare that to the irreversibly-mixed jar of multicolored sand, and you can demonstrate that household glues simply create a sticky layer that can be removed, while chemical solvent binding actually rearranges the molecules of the materials and blends them together.

 

More Science Resources

Making At-Home Experiments Fun and Easy!

National Geographic Kids

Simple experiments you can perform at home

RF Welding

More information about plastic engineering

PBS Zoom

Experiments in engineering for kids

Unique Names For Dogs

Having Trouble Naming Your Dog?

Ok, so you just brought home a new puppy. Everything seems to be going just as planned; you have the puppy cage, the toys, the cute little bowls and even a doggy door. But there’s one thing missing, right? Oh yeah, what are you going to call the adorable pooch?

Finding a name for your dog can be difficult. First of all, it’s hard to come up with a name that’s fitting for the pup. Then it can be even harder to find a name that everyone can agree on, assuming you’re not alone in this adventure. Before you know it, you’re looking around the house to find something to name the dog after, like “book mark!”

I know that finding the perfect name for a dog is tough. Having had several dogs throughout my life, I understand the yearning to find the perfect name for a dog. Therefore, I decided to help. Here are some unique name possibilities for your pup. Take note that I said “unique.” These name suggestions are supposed to be a little wacky because a name wouldn’t be original if it sounded normal, right?

Presidential Names

 

Here’s a good way to honor the United State of America. Naming your dog after a president is a quick method of choosing a name. Most of the time, people can agree on at least one or two of their most favorite presidents in US history. If you can’t, pick a president with a funny name or one who did something so bizarre that it resembles your puppy, even if you didn’t like his political career. Here are my favorite presidential names for a male dog:

William McKinley, President of the United States. Deutsch: William McKinley, Präsident der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika Italiano: William McKinley Nederlands: William McKinley Русский: Президент Мак-Кинли, при котором США отказались от изоляционизма и стали мировой империалистической державой (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1. General George Washington (Once a general, always a general. I think it sounds better than President George Washington. Plus the full name has a good ring to it!)
2. John Quincy Adams, “Quincy” for short
3. John Tyler (Seriously, who remembers this guy? Therefore, it’s a funny name.)
4. Millard Fillmore, “Filly” for short
5. Ulysses S. Grant, “Ulysses” for short
6. Chester A. Arthur, “Chester” for short
7. William McKinley, “McKinley” for short (Not a great president, but the last name sounds good)
8. Calvin Coolidge (First or last name could both be good for a nickname.)
9. Franklin D. Roosevelt, “FDR” for short

Royal Names

Does your new puppy portray signs of royalty? Do you plan on pampering your pup on a daily basis? Does your dog have unusually good posture? If so, then try out some of today’s famous royal names. They might sound odd at first, but give them a shot. You might just have a king or queen roaming around your house!

Here are my preferred, present-day royal names for both male and female dogs:

1. Prince Nicolas
2. Princess Luisa
3. Lord Frederick
4. Princess Beatrice
5. Prince Nikolai
6. Queen Beatrix
7. King Constantine
8. Luana

9. Crown Prince Pavlos
10. Princess Theodora
11. King Harald
12. Queen Sonja
13. King Juan Carlos
14. Princess Madeleine

Note: If you can’t find an actual royal name you like, just add the title of Duke, Lord, Dutchess, Countess, etc. to your dog’s name and see how it sounds!

Old Fashioned Names

Whatever happened to old school names? Here’s a great way to have a name stick for your dog. Give your dog a name people don’t hear anymore and you’re sure to have a memorable dog. Here are my favorite old fashion names for both male and female dogs:

1. Earnest
2. Mabel
3. Arthur
4. Bessie
5. Louis
6. Ida
7. Walter
8. Ethel
9. Clarence
10. Nellie
11. Roy
12. Ella
13. Donald
14. Dorothy
15. Raymond
16. Evelyn
17. Eugene
18. Mildred

The Perfect Fit

Regardless of how you choose to find the right name for your dog, just make sure it fits his or hers personality and look. Don’t force a name on your dog just because you ran out of ideas. The fun part about giving your puppy a unique name is that you can create it yourself.

Your dog is still being trained, so it’s ok to wait a several days until you finally decide on the right name. During this time, observe your dog and see if he or she has any funny, odd

A blue Great Dane puppy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

or original habits. This might inspire some great unique names for your dog.

To all of the proud owners of a new puppy out there, looking for names, I hope my lists were helpful. If you’re still stuck on finding the perfect name, try making a list yourself. Base the list off of a certain category, such as favorite food, historic period, profession, etc. and you’re more than likely to come up with a creative, original name on your own. Good luck!

Need More Help With Your Puppy?

Puppy Training

Learn how to train your new puppy like a pro!

Cruisin Canines

Get some help during the day from the go to Chicago dog walkers!

Doggy Info

Find out more information about dogs, breeding, training and much more!

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An Online Sport Book Guide – Best in the Genre

You don’t have to be a super fan to appreciate a super book.

There will always be a market for good sports books, but that means you have to choose carefully—they aren’t all home runs! Even if you’re a serious sports nut, there are books in this genre that are move slower than a 20-inning no-hitter. Some of the best sport books are actually the ones that appeal even to non-diehard fans, because they’re well-written enough to reach a wider audience. Whether the story is fact or fiction, if it’s compelling, it can gain popularity even in the non-ESPN-watching segment of the population. These are just a few popular titles of recent years that you should watch out for the next time you need a fascinating sport-related read.

Moneyball, by Michael Lewis

This 2003 book by the future author of The Blind Side also became a major motion picture, and whether or not you’ve seen the movie, this detail-oriented story will change the way you think about baseball. It follows Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland A’s, a Major League Baseball team with a majorly small budget. By employing an unconventional method of managing his players—bucking traditional management techniques in favor of a statistical, mathematical approach—Beane transformed his team and changed the game. Part character study, part sports book and part primer on statistics, this book is a sure thing for anyone who’s ever swung a bat.

Friday Night Lights, by H.G. Bissinger

Anyone who’s been to a high school football game can find something to love about this bestseller. Chronicling a single season of high school football in a West Texas city, this book offers an up-close and in-depth look at how something like high school football can impact the lives of so many so heavily. The Permian High School Panthers are the backbone of the community, and its players and coaches are revered. This smash hit inspired a film and two television series, showing that the Panthers had a compelling influence even outside their hometown. The degree to which Bissinger showcases football’s impact on rural communities, and the humanity on display, makes this one of the top sports books on any football fan’s list.

Fever Pitch, by Nick Hornby

Perfect for any reader whether or not they’ve ever seen a soccer game, this heartfelt and funny memoir gives a glimpse of sports fandom in another culture. The author of such hits as About a Boy and High Fidelity, Hornby goes into wonderfully self-deprecating detail about how his love of soccer descended into an obsession that dominated his life. Whether you’re a fan of the game or simply Hornby’s typically sharp-witted tongue, Fever Pitch will strike a familiar chord.

Into Thin Air, by Jon Krakauer and Between a Rock and a Hard Place, by Aron Ralston

If you’ve ever considered taking up climbing for sport, these two books are nail-biting must-reads. Good sports books whether or not you enjoy sports, these are also harrowing tales of survival whenever sport climbing goes badly. In Into Thin Air, journalist Jon Krakauer finds himself in over his head while reporting a story from Mt. Everest. As he finds himself caught in the middle of a disastrous storm that would claim the lives of many of his fellow climbers, Krakauer and other survivors must battle the elements to survive.

In the similarly-themed Between a Rock and a Hard Place, climber Aron Ralston learns the risks and consequences of climbing alone when he becomes trapped in a canyon far from civilization. With his arm pinned under an immovable boulder and no help in sight, Ralston survives for days, eventually coming to terms with the horrific action he must take if he’s going to escape. These inspiring tales of survival highlight the danger posed by certain sports.

The Sweet Science, by A.J. Liebling

Named the best sports book of all time by Sports Illustrated, this sweeping account of American boxing history by New Yorker writer A.J. Liebling casts the sport in a whole new light. This collection of his essays from the New Yorker examine boxing and its stars in all its brutality and glory, combining his journalistic eye for detail and his irresistible sense of style. If you’ve never watched or understood the appeal of boxing before, this book may well change your mind—Liebling’s authoritative but accessible approach to the sport makes it not only the best book about boxing ever written, but easily one of the best sports books available today.

Best of the Rest

Other sports books worth checking out

Online Sport Book

SportsFan Chronicles, a funny sports novel you can download online

The Blind Side: The Evolution of a Game

Michael Lewis’s football book that became an Oscar-winning film

The Boys of Summer

A stirring account of the 1950’s Brooklyn Dodgers

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Vitamins That Belong In Your Medicine Cabinet

A typical fish oil softgel (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you’ve never taken vitamins before, it’s easy to convince yourself that you don’t need them. After all, you’ve made it this far without supplements, right? Well, sort of. You may feel like you’re doing just fine, but in reality, there are vitamins and nutrients that your body just might not get enough of.

For thousands of years, people had to tailor their diets to include essential vitamins, like the sailors that regularly snacked on fresh limes to avoid Vitamin C deficiency-related scurvy. With the heavy use of preservatives and artificial ingredients in today’s food, you could be facing deficiencies that people did before they had access to things like vitamins! By keeping a few simple things on hand, though, you can make sure that your body is always getting exactly what it needs—no limes required.

Omega 3 Fish Oil Tablets

Fish oil comes from one of two places: Fatty fish, or Omega 3 fish oil tablets. If you’re not a big fish eater, then, taking a fish oil supplement can make sure that your body is still reaping the benefits of fish oil. Fish oil is used primarily to treat high triglyceride levels, which are traditionally associated with conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Even if you don’t have heart disease or necessarily high triglycerides, taking fish oil may work as a preventative. Research into the power of fish oil continues to unearth new information, but if you ever worry about your heart’s health, this belongs in your medicine cabinet.

Prenatal Vitamins

If you’re pregnant or trying to become pregnant, prenatal vitamins help make sure that you and your baby get all of the nutrients you need. Even if you’re eating a well-balanced diet during your pregnancy, taking a prenatal vitamin ensures that you aren’t missing out on any opportunities to nourish yourself and your little one. For example, the folic acid in prenatal vitamins helps prevent spinal cord problems in the baby, while the calcium ensures that you aren’t losing too much calcium to your baby.

While some conventional wisdom suggests that taking prenatal vitamins while you aren’t pregnant can result in stronger nails and hair, that doesn’t mean you should. Taking prenatal vitamins when you aren’t pregnant can overload your body with nutrients, even if you’re taking small prenatal vitamins. For example, too much iron in your system can result in constipation, vomiting and other unpleasant side effects. If you’re worried about your nails or hair, ask your doctor about more appropriate vitamin solutions.

Multivitamins

A daily multivitamin is almost always a good idea, whether you’re man or woman, big or small. Multivitamins for women, for example, are perfect for women that suffer iron deficiencies, or want to fill in the gaps left behind by a diet. As another example, if you’re cutting back on dairy as part of a dietary change, you could be missing out on valuable calcium and vitamin D. Men’s multivitamins are similarly tailored for gender-specific needs—in this case, prostate health. Ingredients like Lycopene have been shown the support a healthy prostate, which is increasingly important with age.

Collagen Supplements

You may have heard of Hollywood stars getting collagen injections to make their skin look plumper and younger, but you can reap the benefits of increased collagen levels just by taking a collagen supplement. While collagen is found naturally in your body, BioCell Collagen II is an engineered form of this protein that your body absorbs rapidly and puts to use in a variety of ways.

Small collagen tablets give your body a protein boost that helps it both inside and out. Inside, collagen goes to work in your joints, supplementing structural components and helping relieve conditions like arthritis and joint pain. Outside, collagen helps you put your best face forward—literally! When you’re young, you have higher levels of hyaluronic acid, which gives your skin the elasticity and suppleness that makes you look young and healthy. As you get older, your hyaluronic acid stores deplete and your skin loses elasticity, leading to wrinkles and sagging skin. Taking a collagen supplement, however, can deliver a dose of hyaluronic acid back into your body, giving it the youthful elasticity that had slipped away. Whether you’re considering starting a supplement regimen for health or beauty reasons, consult your doctor about appropriate dosing.

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Enliven Your Anniversary

Make This One Count

Wedding Anniversaries: the time of the year in which we are reminded how lucky we are to have our loved ones. As times passes by, it always seems trickier to come up with something fresh or more exciting than what we did last year for the big day. That’s when we look for help or new ideas to make this year better than the last.

As a way to lend a helping hand for those of you looking to spice up your anniversary this year, I’ve come up with some ideas for your assistance. These tips range from simple and convenient to a little more elaborate, depending on how much you want to spend or go out of your way. Regardless of what you may choose to do, these suggestions should guide you towards a fantastic and romantic time with your loved one.

Take a Trip to the Beach

This might seem like a cliche, but it’s always nice to get away to a sun-soaked beach. Sandy beaches and the salty ocean air have so much to offer for couples. As long as you find a decent hotel on or near the ocean, you’re set for doing pretty much any beach related activity you and your loved one desire!

If you’re looking for exciting things to do out on the sea, there’s plenty to keep you busy. Same goes for staying on the beach. If you or your spouse are not into water activities, there’s enough to keep you entertained on the sand. Here are some suggestions for daytime fun if you decide to go to the beach for your next anniversary:

• Deep sea fishing
• Jet skiing
• Wind boarding
• Kayaking
• Boogie boarding, surfing or wakeboarding
• Fly kites
• Rent beach buggies or beach bikes
• Play bocce ball

When the night time comes, don’t forget to get your fill of fresh seafood. Some of the best seafood restaurants can be found near the ocean. Once you finish a nice meal, be on the lookout for put-put courses and boardwalk entertainment. These fun little spots usually surround every large beach in the nation and are always great for nightlife recreation.

Relax on a Weekend Getaway

Sometimes, all it takes to make an anniversary special is some quiet time out of the house. One of the best ways to do so is by going on a weekend getaway. There’s plenty of options on where to take your spouse. Whether it’s out in the country or someplace downtown, getaways can be just as enjoyable as a fancy vacation.

After you find a place to go to, see what kind of attractions are nearby. No matter where you go there will be things to do. Here are some ideas for pleasant activities to do with your spouse during your weekend getaway:

• Go site seeing
• Enjoy fine dining
• Tour the nearest museum, big or small
• Go to a spa
• Play golf, tennis, etc.
• Find a place to take cooking classes
• Take stroll or drive to the nearest farmers market

These are just a few ideas. As long as you’re out of the house and spending time together on your weekend getaway, you’re bound to have a nice time. Most of the time it’s fun to just get there, explore and make up plans along the way!

Night Out on the Town

If vacations or weekend getaways don’t fit into your schedule, don’t fret because all you need is one night out to enjoy your next anniversary. Taking a trip downtown for the evening is always exciting. Depending on where you live, try to make it to your nearest big city or one that offers a decent amount of nighttime entertainment.

First things first, find a fancy restaurant to take your spouse to; you can never go wrong with fine cuisine. Next, look what your big city has to offer. Here are some day and/or night activities most people can find in their nearest city:

• Theatre performances
• Sports games
• Comedy shows
• Concerts
• Art galleries
• Tours
• Museum attractions
• And much more!

Your entertainment options may vary, but in the end it’s up to whatever interests you and your loved one. As long as you find something that pleases the both of you, you’ll have a wonderful anniversary night in the city at a reasonable price.

These are only a few ideas to help make your next anniversary a bit more special than the last one. Regardless of what you choose to do, as long as you’re with your loved one and get away from home for awhile, you will have pleasant time. Just make sure you have some ideas or plans of your own; you want to look good in front of your spouse don’t you?

Need Some More Tips for a Fun Anniversary?

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Get Away to Grow Closer

 

Weekend Getaways Can Help

Relationships take work. In a perfect world, we could all just go about our daily lives and always come home to the person we love with a smile on our face; never a frown. However, that’s not the case. We need to actually work things out and grow together as couples. But how do we do just that?

One way to help spice up a relationship and make things work is by taking an annual trip with your loved one. It’s amazing how some alone time go can a long way towards making a relationship stronger. Whether it’s a weekend getaway at a local bed and breakfast or a fancy vacation far away, getting away together can be effective.

If you and your special partner are looking for ways to strengthen your relationship, consider getting away. Below are some reasons how an annual trip can be just the right thing for an experienced couple looking to mix things up.

 

Mental Break

The daily stress from work and other responsibilities can take a toll on any relationship. Sometimes, taking a break from it all can re-charge the body and mind. When you’re away from home with your loved one, you finally get the time to relax and worry only about yourselves. Here are some reasons why a couple’s getaway can offer you that mental break you might be looking for:

• Worry about yourselves. Being away from home allows you to focus on you and your relationship.
• Quiet time. Enjoying each other’s company can be done in the simplest and most quiet way, such as bathing in the sun or even enjoying a nice nap together.
• Ignore Technology. Straying away from your cell phone and computer can help remind you what’s important in life and why you were originally connected to your partner in the first place.

Getting away from your daily routine can be beneficial to your mental health. Taking your loved one with you only helps put things into perspective. Try doing this at regularly and you’ll be shocked as to just how refreshing this can be for your relationship!

 

Relive Old Memories

The nice thing about a weekend getaway or vacation is that you can go wherever you want. If you’re struggling to find a new place to visit, why not revisit somewhere you and your partner once had a fantastic experience? Reliving old memories is a great way to rekindle your relationship and fun way to spend your vacation.

Here are some quick ideas on how to relive those memorable experiences with your loved one:

• Go back to that one restaurant the two of you loved so much. Try to remember what you both had to eat and get it again. This should spark those fond memories you have from the last time you were there.
• Try to one-up yourselves! Go do the exact same fun activity you two did years ago, but try something else that activity has to offer. There’s usually at least one thing people look back upon during a trip and wish he or she would have tried differently. Well, now’s the perfect time to do so.
• Visit that same romantic spot. Most couples find one spot during vacation to sit down, relax and enjoy time together. Whether it was a park bench or ocean side view from a hotel room, find that spot again. You’re bound to revisit some wonderful memories.

 

There’s nothing wrong with reliving past memories. This might help remind the both of you why you got together in the first place. Additionally, you can always add to older memories, so don’t feel pressured to relive the exact same experiences.

 

Make New Memories

If you and your partner are into new experiences and adventures, try going somewhere you both have never been to before. Making new memories is always refreshing and can help increase the bond between a couple. Here are some fun ways to ensure that your new experience together will be worth your while:

• Try something challenging. Go hiking on a tough path or do something that faces your fears. This is an enjoyable way to rebuild your teamwork and experience an accomplishment together.
• Do something random. Out-of-the-blue activities are sometimes the most fun. Wake up one morning and do the first thing that comes up. If nothing seems to pop-up, ask a local; he or she probably knows of the best things to do around the area.
• Enjoy unusual cuisine. Trying the local fare or some type of food the both of you have never had before can be quite pleasant. You’ll never know if you don’t try, right?

 

Give It A Shot!

These are some short and easy answers as to how and why you can enjoy a romantic getaway with your partner. Doing this regularly gives the two of you something to look forward to every year. It’s a great way to build a relationship as well as continue the beautiful bond you might already have. If you haven’t thought about enjoying an adventure yet, try giving it a shot; you’ll be surprised how rejuvenating it can be. Good luck!

 

Fun Ideas For Your First Weekend Getaway With That Special Someone

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Avoid The Awkward Moments & Have Fun

The time has come to step things up a bit. You and your most recent love interest want to see if you’re ready to take things to the next level and start an official relationship. This is a very important time in a budding relationship for both parties. Each of you are uncertain how this will turn out but are curious enough to give it a fair shot. Therefore, it’s time to test the relationship waters, so why not try going on a weekend getaway?

If this is your first time going on a romantic getaway, you might have some alarms setting off inside your mind right now, but that’s ok. It’s natural to be worried about the little things, such as the early awkward moments that consist of odd conversations or even boredom. However, it’s important that you give it a shot. Otherwise, you may never know whether or not your companion is that ‘special someone.’

The foremost step to going on your first getaway is finding a place to go and stay. Once you figure this out, the next step is a little trickier. You might be thinking, “Ok, so what do I do from here?” Now is the time to map out what your day to day plans will be during your getaway. You need to prepare for your trip so you can avoid those awkward moments. Sleeping and lounging are highly enjoyable during a vacation, but even they have a certain limit before they become overdone. For that reason, here are some fun things to do in most places with your companion.

Laugh at a Comedy Show

An easy way to break the ice during your first weekend getaway is taking your date to a comedy show. Most cities have at least one comedy club in or nearby them, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find one. This will be a relatively cheap date and should help break any nervous or odd tensions between the two of you. You won’t have to worry about what to talk about; just sit back and enjoy the show.

Before you pick a show to see, make sure you know what kind of humor your date is interested in. That way you’ll know what type of comedian or show to choose to see. You won’t want to offend your date by making him or her sit through an hour set, listening to an offensive comedian. After you pick a show that will be a good fit for both of your personalities, the rest will be easy. If you have nothing to talk about at first, the show will be a good way to help spark some conversations after the show. Oh yeah, and you’ll probably be smiling and laughing the whole time, which is always pleasant!

Dine At A Fun Restaurant

During your romantic getaway, you will most likely be going out for dinner at least once. Try finding a restaurant that’s entertaining or interactive. Interactive restaurants are places where the chefs and the staff interact with you in a non conventional way. This could include anything from the chef talking to you while he or she makes your food to the waiting staff allowing you to order your meal in a fun, creative way.  Not only will this be more amusing than a typical dinner date, but it will also help initiate more conversation as well as create a new bond between the both of you.

Dinner dates don’t have to be a quiet, candle lit experience all the time. You and your date will have more fun experiencing something new and different together compared doing the same old, typical steak house dinner. Here are some type of places that will make for a pleasurable dining experience:

• Themed restaurants
• Tech restaurants with touch screen tables & menus
• Theater restaurants – dinner & a show
• Hands on restaurants where you help make your own meal with the chef

These are just a few ideas of places that will be fun to dine in. No matter where you choose to go, make sure it’s a place that neither of you have been to before. That way you will share this new experience together.

Get Wild & Go Skydiving

This is a bit off the wall for an early date, however it will definitely be a great bonding experience if you’re both brave enough to endure jumping out of a plane at 3,000 to 12,000 feet above the ground!  For those of you who have never gone before, your first skydiving tip will be with a professional jumper. Most places make uncertified or first time jumpers make their first jump with a certified professional to ensure your safety.

This will be one of the biggest adrenaline rushes of your life and will be an experience you and your date can enjoy and remember for the rest of your lives. on this romantic getaway trip. Even though you both might be nervous at first, you’ll both have a smile on your faces by the time you finally land on the ground. Let it be known; skydiving has never been described as a boring experience!

Have Fun at the Zoo

For those of you who aren’t ready to have a free-falling experience, the zoo might be a better option for your getaway weekend date. The zoo is always a safe bet for a date. There are plenty of fun things to do and see. It’s also a picture friendly place, so if you or your date are into photography, this will be a great place to record you date.

Most zoo’s have some sort of specialty attraction, whether they’re housing a special, endangered animal or have a new exhibit that allows people to interact with the animals. Therefore, the both of you should share some sort of new experience together. Also, the environment at zoos are always friendly and laid back. Thus this date should be an easy place to talk, stroll around and site see together.

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The World of Web Design and Development in 2013

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Last year was quite the year for the internet, as censorship was battled, native apps were created, and technology evolved overall. Technology is always changing, and it seems to be changing more quickly every year, which means that developers and designers need to adapt to these changes faster. I have a website for my company, and it can be absolutely daunting to keep up with all of the trends going on, which is why I decided to figure out for myself what’s in store this year. I thought I’d share what I discovered so that developers and designers don’t have to experience the frustration of falling behind.

You Can Bet on Responsive Web Design Being Necessary

Responsive web design became a huge design trend in 2012, but it’s bound to come into full bloom this year. The continuously rising technology of tablets, mobile phones and other mediums for browsing the web should be taken into consideration when designing a website. This is excellent for the future of web design because designers will no longer need to come up with individual sites for phones and other technology, as a single website can be created that’s optimized for all browsers. Thankfully, the growing number of gadgets doesn’t mean design efficiency will go down.

Things Will Get Experimental

As the technology evolves, so will the ways websites are created. CSS grids support, rem units and pre-processors are simply some of the ways people will discover new and more efficient ways to design and develop a website. When publishing a website that isn’t finished, it’s fine for publishers because as time goes on the site can be updated and be given new features based on visitor interaction and input. This process can lead to a lot of experimental tweaking that sparks new ways to go about web design.

New Tools Will Make Things Easier

Products such as Adobe Edge Reflow will incorporate responsive web design into common web design and management. These tools will allow for more flexibility and make things much simpler for designers and publishers. This will go a long way in making sure websites are published faster while still allowing comprehensive design to take place.

Expect to See More Videos

As the internet continues to speed up and people experiment with new programs, video will continue to grow in popularity. Video camera technology is always going through changes as well, so it’s only natural that more videos will be popping up online. Videos provide an engaging, stimulating way to learn about products and services, or to simply be entertained. One of the product packages that’s at the top of its game (and has been for some time) is Adobe Creative Suite, with Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects being innovative software that filmmakers love to toy with. Best of all, tablets and mobile phones will be able to view all videos in high quality with faster loading times, making video perfectly optimized.

Bringing in Unique Personalities

Things are bound to become more colorful online this year. There’s been a greater focus on content, with illustrations becoming a huge part of what goes into a solid website. Sure, content strategies have always been important, but there’s a need to produce content that’s original, eye-catching and interesting. Every company website should carry an identifiable personality that’s comforting while speaking loud and clear to users. This fact is becoming all the more crucial to online success in 2013.

The Younger Guys Will Learn More

Along with the growth of web design and development, the youth who will be the leaders of the industry are also growing. Younger students have grown up in a digital age, and will be able to pick up more technology trends as they happen. Organizations are taking over where the government isn’t picking up quite as much as it probably should, working to teach kids about the future of the web.

The iPad Won’t Remain the Only Tablet

Apple once again may have proven to be a pioneer in new technology, but the “wave of the future” is about to become tidal, with a slew of tablets coming along for publishers to acknowledge. Mobile operating systems such as Tizen, which uses HTML5, will be a huge deal because of the expected quality, and the Firefox OS will be showing up as well. Microsoft and Android OS’s are also going to be increasingly popular with users, while web designers experience the efficiency of creating responsive HTML apps that work for all of them.

You Can Only Look Forward

These are simply some of the many, many ways the terrain of the internet is changing. Gone are the days of creating websites that don’t allow for optimization on all mobile phones and tablets. Creating a website that utilizes as many trends as possible can help guarantee successful web design and development. Also, Chicago web development is certainly likely to evolve more quickly than in other locations, considering I’ve always found the city in general to be ahead of the latest business practices, online and off. I know I’m happy that I’ve found out a lot of what’s going on, even if I’m not entirely familiar with it all quite yet, and hopefully you can use these tips and more to your advantage as well.