Soap making is a lot easier (and cheaper!) than you think. Sure, there are many ingredients, supplies, steps, and precautions involved, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to make soap with your eyes closed (although not literally)!

Don’t believe me? Just take a look at this picture:

When I took up the ridiculously frugal hobby of soap making last year, I taught myself by reading countless books, websites, and blogs. It was so time-consuming that I wished I had all the soap making tips, precautions, recipes, and information in one place. It would’ve made my life so much easier.

Well, now that I’m a somewhat seasoned soap maker, I’ve decided to make your life easier by giving you the tutorial I wished I had.

I tried to be as thorough as possible, but I’m sure I accidentally left out a few minor details. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments section.

Okay, let’s start making some awesome soap!

Ingredients checklist

If you already have a handmade soap recipe you want to try, you can definitely go ahead and use it! If you haven’t the slightest clue what you’re supposed to put in soap, no worries: I have a wonderful recipe for you to use! You will find it further down the post, but let’s focus on the ingredients right now.

Most handmade soap recipes contain palm oil, a controversial ingredient I personally prefer not to use (find out why). I went ahead and found a wonderful palm-free soap recipe. It lathers well and moisturizes my skin so much that I barely have to use lotion. If you want to use my recipe, here are the ingredients you’ll need:

* Olive oil

* Coconut oil

* Shea butter

* Avocado oil

* Lye

* Distilled water

Supplies checklist

The good news is that you don’t need a set of obscure soap making supplies. In fact, you probably already have most, if not all, of the supplies you need lying around the house! Don’t cheer just yet, though. The bad news is that once you use the following supplies for soap making, you can never, ever use them to prepare food again. It’s because those supplies will come in contact with lye, which can be deadly if ingested. I keep all my soap making supplies in a box far away from the kitchen, and I don’t ever use them unless I’m making soap.

There’s no need to take the supplies checklist to the store. You can just dig through your old kitchen stuff and add the supplies you no longer use to your soap making box. As for the stuff you don’t have around the house, you can pick up some used things at a thrift store.

Also note that it’s extremely important to use the right materials. It’s because lye will destroy certain materials, such as aluminum or Teflon. However, lye won’t react to stainless steel, plastic, and wood. You have to follow the checklist closely and use the materials specified in the list.

And, now, here’s finally the checklist:

* A stainless steel pot (Never use an aluminum pot. I scored a used stainless steel pot at a thrift store for 50 cents. Bring a magnet to the store. If it sticks to the pot, even weakly, then it’s stainless steel.)

* A plastic or stainless steel hand blender (I got a used one at the thrift store for a couple of bucks.)

* A stainless steel meat thermometer

* A small plastic container (a Tupperware container or an empty sour cream container would do well.)

* A plastic mixing bowl

* A wooden, plastic, or stainless steel spoon

* A food scale

* Lots of white vinegar

* An old sponge

* Soap molds (You can buy some from a craft store or use any type of container.)

* A covered box large enough to contain the soap molds

* A soap color dye of your choosing (optional – if you don’t want to end up with yellow soap)

* An essential oil of your choosing (optional – if you want to add fragrance to your soap)

What to wear

Lye is very dangerous when inhaled or come in contact with skin, so you have to protect yourself as much as possible, even if it means looking totally ridiculous like me right now.

When you’re done laughing at me, take a look at what you need to throw on beforehand:

* Safety glasses

* A respirator mask

* Long rubber gloves

* An old long-sleeved shirt

* Old pants

* Old socks

* Anything else that you feel will protect your skin, eyes, and lungs

Now that you have all the stuff you need, it’s time to crunch some numbers!

My handmade soap recipe

As promised, here’s my recipe:

50% olive oil

25% coconut oil

15% shea butter

10% avocado oil

(Lye and distilled water to be calculated later)

1. Determine how much soap you want to make and do the math.

I suggest starting small, with maybe 2 pounds (32 oz) of soap. Do the math using the percentages in the recipe to determine how many ounces of each ingredient you need to use. Here’s an example using my recipe and a total of 32 oz:

16 oz olive oil

8 oz coconut oil

4.8 oz shea butter

3.2 oz avocado oil

Make sure to write it all down. You will be using those numbers during step 3. If you hate doing math, you can just enter the percentages in a lye calculator (see step 2), and it’ll do the math for you.

2. Use a lye calculator to figure out how much water and lye you need to use.

If you do a Google search on “lye calculator”, you’ll get some pretty good hits. The Bramble Berry Lye Calculator is my favorite one. What a lye calculator does is determine how much lye and water you should put in your soap based on the type and amount of ingredients you’re using. The lye calculator will also ask you for the superfatting level (or the amount of excess fat you want in your soap). The more excess fat there is, the more the soap will moisturize your skin. However, too much excess fat will result in mushy soap. Too little excess fat will result in too-hard soap that doesn’t lather well. I’d recommend putting down any number between 4% and 8%. I always superfat at 6%, and it works out perfectly.

When the lye calculator gives you the results, be sure to write down the amount of water and lye you should use.

3. Weigh the oils.

There are two things you have to do first: make sure all the solid oils (such as coconut oil) are in their solid form, and make sure the food scale weighs in ounces.

Put the stainless steel pot on the food scale and reset the scale to 0. Pour the first oil into the pot until you get the amount of ounces you need. Reset the scale to 0. Pour the second oil in until you get the amount of ounces you need. Reset the scale to 0. Repeat the process until you get all the oils in the pot. Be very careful not to over pour, because once the oil’s in the pot, you can’t take any out because it’ll mess up the measurements.

4. Heat the oils.

Put the pot on the stove over low heat and use the meat thermometer to measure the temperature of the mixture. When it reaches 110 degrees, remove from heat. In the meantime…

5. Weigh the lye.

First of all, make sure your rubber gloves are on! Put the small plastic container on the food scale and reset the scale to 0. Pour the lye into the container until you get the amount of ounces you need. Set aside.

6. Weigh the distilled water.

Put the plastic mixing bowl on the food scale and reset the scale to 0. Pour the water into the bowl until you get the amount of ounces you need.

7. Go outside and add the lye to the water.

When lye mixes with water, it will produce some toxic fumes. The first time I did this, I foolishly stayed inside and I accidentally inhaled some of the fumes. My throat burned nonstop the next couple of weeks, and I couldn’t stop coughing. Lesson learned: always go outside when mixing lye with water!

When you’re outside, slowly add the lye to the water (never add water to lye). The mixture will heat up on its own. Keep your face away to avoid breathing in the toxic fumes. Use the wooden, plastic, or stainless steel spoon to gently stir the mixture until the lye dissolves in the water.

Leave the bowl outside until the fumes dissipate. Use the meat thermometer to measure the heat of the mixture. Once it cools to 110 degrees, bring it inside and…

8. Add the lye mixture to the oil mixture.

You need to do this right after the oil mixture is removed from heat. You want both mixtures to be at the same temperature.

Slowly pour the lye mixture into the pot with the oil mixture and use the spoon to mix it in.

9. Blend it.

Take the hand blender and carefully blend the combined mixture for 3-5 minutes. Be sure not to lift the blender up or let the mixture splash around. You can alternate between blending and stirring.

You need to blend the mixture until the trace stage is achieved. You can start testing for trace as soon as the soap starts to exhibit a pudding-like consistency. To test for trace, lift your hand blender (when it’s off) and let the soap drizzle on its surface. If you see a trail of soap that takes some time to dissolve back into the mixture, you’ve achieved trace.

10. [Optional step] Add the essential oil and/or soap dye.

As soon as the soap reaches its trace stage, stir in by hand the essential oil and/or soap dye. Be sure not to over stir, because you don’t want the soap to get too thick.

11. Pour the soap into the mold(s) and put it in the covered box.

The soap has to be stored in a cool, dark, and dry place. I keep mine in a large box (or if the batch’s small, a shoe box). Keep it there for at least 24 hours while the soap mixture sets.

12. Clean up.

Now, you should be dousing everything in white vinegar. By everything, I mean all the things that have come in contact with lye (including your rubber gloves). It’s important to note that you shouldn’t touch anything, not even the soap, with your bare hands because lye is dangerous in its raw form. White vinegar neutralizes lye. Put everything in the sink and soak it in 50% water and 50% white vinegar for a few hours. Next, drain the sink and use an old sponge and dish soap to scrub everything down. Throw the sponge out when you’re done.

13. Lather up!

After 24 hours, the soap should be hard enough to pop out of the mold(s) and cut up if necessary. At this point, the soap is safe to touch with your bare hands. Some people use the soap right away; others think it’s better to age (or “cure”) it for a few weeks.

The first couple of times you make soap, it might not come out perfectly. Don’t let that discourage you; it happens to everyone. Practice makes perfect!

Good luck, and happy soap making!

How to Make Soap at Home (A Step-By-Step Tutorial With Pictures) is a post from: Lifed

A common misconception about gardening is that it requires a big backyard and a lot of money. That’s why a lot of people, namely city dwellers on a tight budget, shy away from growing their own food. If you’re one of them, we have good news for you:

You can certainly grow your own food with a teeny-tiny balcony (or indoor space near a window) and only a few dollars in your bank account!

How?

Containers. All you need is a bunch of containers. It’s entirely possible to grow all kinds of herbs, fruits, and vegetables in all kinds of large and small pots, window boxes, hanging baskets, or used rain boots.

Yes, used rain boots. You don’t need a typical pot; you can use pretty much anything as a container!

Affordable upcycled container ideas

There’s no need to drop $25 on a fancy ceramic pot when you can dig around your garage or a thrift store. There are so many different things you can upcycle into a container for your balcony or window garden. Here are some fun, practical, and ridiculously cheap ideas:

Mason jars

Mason jars are a very versatile type of container for herbs. You can place them indoors by a window, hang them from a window sill, put them on an outdoor table top, adorn them on a balcony railing, or set them on the ground. You just have to make sure they’re in direct sunlight for the most part of the day.

If you don’t have any Mason jars (or empty pasta sauce jars) lying around your house, you can look for some at a thrift store or, as a last resort, buy a dozen of brand-new Mason jars for under $20 at Walmart, King Soopers, Safeway, or Amazon.

Pallets

Pallets are a great container for herbs, lettuce, or strawberries because they let you save a lot of space and money! You can pick up some good pallets behind a department store, grocery store, or pretty much any type of business that orders a lot of inventory on a regular basis. Be sure to check with the manager or owner first; they’d be likely to let you haul away the pallets for free just so they won’t have to pay a company to do it. You can also check Craigslist for free pallets.

Once you get your hands on a pallet, you have to make sure it’s not made of pressure-treated lumber. You don’t want toxic chemicals to leach into the soil and ruin your plants. Look at the cut end of the pallet. If there’s a green tinge, then it’s probably pressure-treated. If there’s no green tinge, you still have to make sure it’s definitely not pressure-treated. It’s better to be safe than sorry, after all! So go ahead and cut a small piece of the pallet. If the inside is yellow or white, then it’s probably not pressure-treated. For further information, check out Instructables.com’s How to determine if a wood pallet is safe for use. If you find that the pallet hasn’t been pressure-treated, sand it down and get it ready to serve as a gardening container! Growing a Greener World has a great set of instructions on how to do it right.

Tin or plastic buckets

You can use paint cans, empty coffee cans, sand buckets, or anything else you can find at the dollar store or around your house. You just have to remember to punch drainage holes in the bottom of each bucket.

Things to consider before getting a container

Before you let your imagination go wild and repurpose something into a container, take a look at the following list of important things to consider. It’ll help you choose the best container for the type of plant you want to grow.

* Size: When it comes to growing herbs, fruits, or vegetables, bigger is always better. The larger the container, the more likely the crop will come out all right. If the container’s too small, your crop will become root-bound and die. Note that most vegetables require a container that’s larger than 5 gallons.

* Weight: If you choose to use a tall container, you have to make sure it has enough weight in the bottom so it won’t fall over. If you intend to move the container around frequently, it’d be best to go with a lightweight container made from synthetic materials (such as a sand bucket or a plastic drum).

* Material: While most materials are safe to use, it’d still be wise to choose one that would suit your needs the best. Here’s a list of acceptable materials to use and how each one will benefit you.

-       Plastic: With plastic, soil will not dry out as quickly as with other materials. Also, plastic containers are easy to move around, even after you plant in them.

-       Ceramic: Ceramic pots are usually frost-resistant and will last for years. They also look nice and will pretty up your balcony. However, ceramic pots will make soil dry out quickly, so it’d be wise to line them with plastic sheets. You might be able to score a few ceramic pots for pennies on the dollar at a thrift store.

-       Stone/concrete: If you’re worried about someone stealing your plants, you should invest in a stone or concrete pot. Those bad boys are extremely heavy, highly durable, and frost resistant.

-       Untreated wood: This is a highly versatile material, because it can contain any type of plant. However, soil will dry out quickly, so be sure to line the inner walls of a wooden container with a plastic sheet, or just water the plant often.

-       Metal: While this is an acceptable material to use in a container, it doesn’t do so well in extreme weather. Metal containers heat up quickly in hot weather and fail to provide adequate insulation in cold weather. If you must use metal containers in extreme weather, line them with plastic sheets or bubble wrap or just bring the containers inside when the weather gets too bad. Otherwise, only use metal containers in areas where the climate is generally mild.

-       Fiberglass: This inexpensive material is ideal for balconies because it’s lightweight and can be moved around a lot. Also, fiberglass containers are weatherproof, but they don’t last a long time because they’re fragile.

Designing your balcony garden

Before starting your balcony garden, ask yourself the following questions to determine which fruits, vegetables, or herbs would fare best on your balcony:

* What type of microclimate exists on your balcony? Is your balcony exposed to wind, cold, and sometimes frost?

* What direction does your balcony face? If your balcony faces west, your plants will get plenty of sun in the afternoon and evening, and they’ll be shielded from the northeast winds. Plants in east-facing balconies are often subjected to frost and the abrupt change in temperature due to the sunrise in the morning. North and south facing balconies get sunlight for the most part of the day, and north-facing balconies get some wind.

* Is your balcony sheltered from the wind? Is there a screen or a wall that can protect your plants from the wind?

Take those questions into consideration and determine the best types of fruits, vegetables, herbs, or other plants for you to grow on your balcony.

Next, grab a sketchbook and plan different options. Be sure to get the measurements right. Figure out which types of containers would fit in your space in the best way possible.

Once you have everything planned out, get the containers you need, start planting, and watch your balcony garden flourish in no time!

How to Build a Balcony Garden on a Shoestring Budget is a post from: Lifed

For many, attaining that seemingly elusive balance between their job or career and personal lives seems like, at best, borrowing a miracle off on the horizon. Kids get sick.

Those complicated presentations? Well, they’re due tomorrow morning. The spouse or significant other is griping about you never having enough time for them. Seems like it’s an unmerciful, perpetual cycle, no?

According to a recent study of U.S. workers, approximately two-fifths of employees claim that their jobs are exhausting and stressful—a.k.a., life-sucking. People (particularly women) in high-stress positions are statistically around three times more likely than others to experience stress-related medical conditions, and even quit their jobs twice as much.

Common results from work-life deficiencies include:

• Weakened immune system
• Cardiovascular disease
• Sexual health issues
• Headaches and backaches
• Irritability, exhaustion (even chronic fatigue), and/or depression/anxiety
• Formation of unhealthy habits, e.g. smoking, drinking, or overeating

The good news is that, well, for most people, it doesn’t have to be like this, at least not all of the time.

1. Dump time- or energy-sucking activities.

You’d be surprised at how many hours and how much energy folks plunder on wasteful activities or other people every day. These useless activities and people (e.g. listening to others bitch about their problems), often formed habits, add nothing of value to your life. Take the time to recognize anything and everything in your daily life that’s not somehow life- or career-fulfilling and terminate it.

2. Find Time to Relax.

If you’re reading this article, chances are that you just scoffed at this idea—”like, okay when and where?!”, you’re thinking. I get it. 24 hours a day just doesn’t seem to cut it. And after years of these super busy, carbon copy-like days, people tend to get burned the hell out. Hence, one of two (or both) things suffer: work or personal/family time. Avoid this life-sucking problem by proactively planning out your days. Integrate fun and fulfilling activities into your schedule; allot time for family or friends every day or, at minimum, a few times a week.

Bottom line: Regularly give yourself incentives to complete your daily tasks. For example, “Every other day I’ll spend time playing with kids” or “I’ll make it a priority to go to the movies or out to eat with a couple of good friends every Friday.”

3. Explore Your Work Options and, For God’s Sakes, Leave Work at Work, Already.

A firm, set work schedule is inevitable to many, if not most, people. What most people don’t consider, though, is at least trying to ease their workload and/or work hours. Propose to your boss stress-lifting ideas like task sharing and compressing work hours (i.e. work harder and faster to spend less time at work if you’re on a salary). Use that awesome organ atop your head, get creative.

Regarding work, stick to this m/o whenever possible—what happens at work, stays at work, and what happens at home, well, don’t let it be job-related, damn it. With technology allowing virtually unlimited communication, many people can’t tell where work ends and home life, well, begins. Separate work time from personal or family time whenever and wherever possible. When out with friends, for example, put the laptop out of sight and completely away.

4.  Take Care of Your Body

This one should be immediately obvious but sadly, it isn’t to your average workaholic. We tend to get so tied up in our jobs or careers that, at the end of every day, we resort to unproductive and especially unhealthy things. Common habits brought about or augmented by work-related stress include pigging-out, being excessively lazy, smoking, boozing and so forth. If any of that’s you, it’s got to change.

Start eating healthy. Or for the “it’s easier said than done” crowd, eat healthier. Include a minimum amount of physical activity into every day. Go for a brisk walk at dawn before work or unwind after work by doing laps in the pool for thirty minutes. Whatever it is that you do, make sure it’s something that you’ll (at least) somewhat enjoy doing and that can be done every day or every other day. Otherwise, you’re only setting yourself up for likely burnout.

5. Make “YOU” Time

It’s exactly what it sounds like: make time at least once a week to spend by your merry self, preferably away from all the usual distractions—i.e. cell phone, laptop, TV and so forth. Choose a quiet, serene place, pick up a book of interest and get lost in it. Take in a sunset from a grassy knoll. Do whatever it takes to ‘be at one’ with yourself, to recharge and to assess (or reassess) your life and the priorities within it.

6. Find a Mentor and/or Life Coach

Know someone that’s at the top of their game in life? Yes? Awesome! No? Find one. Seek his or her mentoring to sort of absorb how the awesome’s done. And maybe better yet, look into hiring a life coach (a quick search of Google or your local Craigslist page can help locating one). These individuals are (or should be) experienced in evaluating the work-life balance of clients and making recommendations as to how they can optimize their work lives and home lives or take steps to correct any imbalances of, therein.

7. Putting in Extra Work Hours Won’t Affect Your Success

Never assume that the more hours you slave at work, the more successful you’ll be. Working tons of extra hours makes your paycheck fatter, but it’s generally meaningless as a determiner of your career success. What matters is how you spend the time that you do work—how you maximize your regular hours in pursuit of achieving greater success in the long run. And yes, the cliche must be mentioned: Work smarter, not harder.

8. Leave Work at Work and Home at Home

Similar to the rule in No. 3, use your daily trip to work to your advantage—mentally switch between “home life” and “work life. En route to the job, leave any worries or stresses at home at, well, home. Get in the “I’m about to go optimize the hell out of my work day today” frame of mind and then go do it. On the return trip home, gradually slide back into “home mode”. Granted, it’s not always as easy as that–especially when work ‘follows’ you home. At the very least, though, finish your work at home first, then drop it. Just pack it up and save work for the next day.

The rule of thumb: make a clear distinction among your work life, your home life, and your ‘you’ time.

8 Tips to Achieving a Balance Between Life and Work is a post from: Lifed

Have you ever seen Catwoman?

It’s an arguably cheesy 2004 spin-off of the Batman film series featuring Halle Berry playing an ordinary woman who gains cat-like powers after running into some trouble. At one point, Halle Berry’s character, who has probably never ridden a motorcycle before in her life, jumps on a random Ducati Monster and immediately rips through the streets, maneuvering the bike like a pro. Her instant mastery of the motorcycle may seem normal to viewers who have never been on a motorcycle, but any experienced rider would scoff at the absurdity of this very inaccurate portrayal.

As much as Hollywood movies would like us to believe otherwise, motorcycle riding is not as easy as you think. It requires a lot of knowledge, preparation, and concentration. You have to know what you’re doing, prepare your bike before each trip, and ride with the utmost alertness. When it comes to motorcycle riding, safety is always number one. Motorcycle riding is a high-risk activity where a small accident could cost you your life, so it would be wise to ensure your own safety as much as possible on the road.

We’re here to clue you in on the basics of handling a motorcycle and protecting yourself on the road. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced rider, the following crash course will teach you all about motorcycle riding or refresh your memory on safety tips, respectively.

What to wear
Before you go for a ride, be sure to put on the following safety gear and articles of clothing that will protect you on the road:

A helmet
Did you know that motorcyclists not wearing a helmet are 40% more likely to die in a crash than those who wear head protection? If there’s something that can save your life during a spill, it’s a helmet. Actually, it is so useful that some states have implemented laws requiring motorcyclists to wear helmets at all times.

A jacket with padding and reflectors
What you wear while riding matters a lot. Have you ever wondered why a lot of motorcyclists wear leather jackets or mesh jackets? It’s because leather and mesh are very sturdy and wind-resistant materials that will protect your skin when they come in contact with asphalt in the case of a spill. Natural fibers like cotton and wool will be more likely to rip and subject your skin to cuts and asphalt burns.

While a padded jacket or body armor won’t keep you completely safe, it will add protection in case of a crash. If your jacket has reflectors (or at least reflective tape or patches), other motorists will be able to see you better at nighttime.

Sturdy over-the-ankle boots
You want to wear boots that cover your ankles. Your ankles are fragile, so you need to protect them as much as possible in case of a crash. While your boots have to be sturdy, they have to be comfortable as well. You’re going to be using your feet while motorcycle riding, so it’s important for you to be able to move them around.

Jeans or leather pants
When you ride a standard motorcycle, your right calf will be situated very close to the exhaust pipe. If you’re wearing shorts or even pants made out of thin fabric, the exhaust pipe can burn your skin. You want to wear jeans or leather pants. If the weather’s too cold for your liking, consider wearing chaps as well.

A pair of glasses
It’s nearly impossible to ride without wearing glasses! All the wind would get into your eyes, and you wouldn’t be able to see anything. During the day, you can wear sunglasses. At nighttime, you can wear clear glasses. A pair of safety glasses from a hardware store would do the trick.

Safety precautions
The last thing you want is to get stranded on the road, or even worse, take a spill just because you didn’t take five minutes to perform a pre-check before taking your bike out on the road. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation came up with the acronym T-CLOCK to help you remember what to check: tires, controls, lights, oil, chassis, and kickstand.

With that in mind, here are the steps you need to take during your pre-check:

Check the tire pressure.
Even the smallest change in the tire pressure can cause drastic changes in the handling and riding quality of the motorcycle. Look at your owner’s manual or call the tire manufacturer’s hotline to find out the recommended PSI levels. Also, always check the tire pressure when the tires are cool in temperature.

Ensure that the tires don’t have any dry rot.
When the bike is in motion, its tires warm up, which will change the density and pressure of the air inside. If there’s any dry rot, the tires will blow up after being subjected to the changes. Wondering what dry rot looks like? Take a look at this picture:

If you have spokes, make sure none of them are loose.
A loose spoke leads to an unbalanced tire, which can blow up over time. Tap each spoke with a wrench and listen to the sound it makes. If it makes a ping sound, it’s tight. If there’s no ping sound, the spoke is probably loose. Tighten any loose spokes until they all make a similar sound when tapped.

Test the brakes, clutch, and throttle.
Without properly functioning controls, you can end up on the side of the road. Prevent this from happening simply by ensuring that the levers and cables are in good shape. Press the front brake and move your bike forward. If the brake feels firm and if the front wheel doesn’t move, it’s good. Repeat with the rear brake. Squeeze the clutch and if it feels smooth, it’s fine. Repeat with the throttle.

Test the turn signals, brake lights, and headlights.
You want to make sure all the lights are working so you can communicate with other motorists on the road if needed. This step is imperative to your safety, so don’t skip it.

Check the oil and fuel.
If your bike is low on oil, your engine can blow up. If there’s not enough oil, add some more. Next, look at the gas level in the tank and ensure that your fuel petcock isn’t on “reserve”.

Look for any loose debris in the chain and/or the belt.
Make sure there’s no loose debris (like rocks, sticks, or anything that can get stuck in there). Anything that gets caught in the chain or the belt can wreck the wheels and/or the transmission… and set you back a pretty penny!

Ensure that the chain and/or belt aren’t too loose or too tight.
Put your hand under the chain or belt and gently push it upwards. If it doesn’t move at all, it’s too tight. If it moves more than an inch, it’s too loose. If it’s too loose or too tight, it can blow your transmission. Make the necessary adjustments before putting the motorcycle into motion.

Make sure nothing is leaking.
If something is leaking, fix the problem or have it looked at by a mechanic before taking the motorcycle out for a spin.

Check the kickstand.
The kickstand is what keeps your motorcycle off the ground. Make sure it’s not bent or cracked.

Once you have everything checked (and adjusted if necessary), you’ll have the peace of mind that your motorcycle is in tip-top shape and is safe to ride.

Starting your motorcycle
Motorcycles are not like cars at all. You can’t just get on, turn the ignition, and then zoom off. Starting a motorcycle requires a series of steps. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation came up with the acronym FINE-C to help you remember the proper steps to start your motorcycle: fuel, ignition, neutral, engine, and choke/clutch.

1. Turn the FUEL valve on.
2. Turn the IGNITION.
3. Make sure the motorcycle is in NEUTRAL (check if the neutral light is on).
4. Run the ENGINE (put the switch in the run/on position).
5. Adjust the CHOKE until the engine is running smoothly.
6. Squeeze the CLUTCH before putting your motorcycle into first gear.

… And now you’re good to go!

Shifting gears
Motorcycles are not scooters. They are manual transmission vehicles that require a lot of shifting. A lot of novice riders find shifting gears to be one of the most challenging aspects of motorcycle riding. However, once you have it down pat, you’ll be able to do it effortlessly.

You see that lever by your left foot? That’s the gear selector. You use it to shift gears. If you push it all the way down with your foot, your motorcycle goes into first gear. From that point, gently lifting the lever with your foot will put your bike into neutral. From neutral, lifting the lever again (which will produce a clicking sound) puts your bike into second gear. Repeat, and you’re in third gear. Repeat, and you’re in fourth gear. If you’re on the road and if you want to get from first to second gear, firmly lift the lever. Doing it too gently will put your bike in neutral.

When to shift gears
Listen to the motorcycle, and feel the engine. A smooth and purring engine means you’re going the right speed in the right gear. If the engine starts grinding and emitting a whining sound, it’s time to shift up to make your engine accommodate the increased speed. If your engine starts to give off a low, rumbling sound and if your motorcycle starts to jerk forward a little bit, you’re going too slow for the gear you’ve selected. Immediately shift down to avoid stalling your engine.

What happens if you don’t shift gears?
If you constantly over-rev your engine (which basically means going faster than your engine can handle) the engine will eventually blow up. If you ride too slow for the gear you’ve selected, your engine will stall and possibly put you in danger, especially if you’re on a busy street.

How to shift gears
Here’s how to shift gears when your motorcycle’s already in full motion on the road:

1. Push the throttle forward until the engine stops revving.
2. Squeeze the clutch to disengage the engine.
3. Downshift or upshift with your left foot.
4. Let go of the clutch and slowly accelerate the throttle until you reach a comfortable speed.

The only exception to this is when you’re moving from a complete stop in first gear. Let’s say you’re sitting at a stoplight (with your motorcycle in neutral). Once the light turns green, do the following:

1. Squeeze the clutch.
2. Put your bike in first gear.
3. Slowly loosen your grip on the clutch until your motorcycle moves on its own (this is called the friction zone). NEVER completely let go of your clutch when doing this.
4. Rev the throttle while releasing the clutch. Keep it smooth and gradual; don’t completely release the clutch until the throttle is fully revved.

This takes a lot of practice to master, so be patient and don’t become frustrated every time your engine stalls! You can practice this move in a parking lot or someplace without many cars around.

Turning
Another tricky aspect of motorcycle riding is turning. Everything your driver’s ed teacher in high school ever taught you about steering does not apply here. Instead, you use your weight to turn the motorcycle, so you always have to keep your handlebars straight while turning. If you’re going left, slightly push your left grip in order to keep your motorcycle straight. If you’re going right, slightly push your right grip. Rather than watching the road right in front of you, always keep your eye on where your motorcycle will end up after the turn is completed. It may seem awkward for you to do at first, but it really helps ensure a smooth turn.

Taking a turn on your motorcycle requires a lot of practice. Don’t rush into it; always start slow and gradually ease into the harder turns whenever you feel confident enough.

Additional motorcycle riding tips

• If you run out of gas, put your fuel valve in reserve. It should give you enough gas to last another 20 miles.
• If you have to come to a quick stop, make sure your bike is straight.
• Don’t trust any other motorists on the road. They’re not looking out for you. Sometimes they can’t see you or hear you. You’re the only one who can ensure your own safety.
• Reset the tripmeter every time you fill up your gas tank.

Most of all, always remember that safety is number one!

A Crash Course in Motorcycle Riding is a post from: Lifed

Need a few words of advice? Looking for an inspirational pick-me-up to remind yourself why you get up every day? We’ve hunted down 12 Life Quotes to Live By that will help. Give them a look and get back to living!

1. “I think I’ve discovered the secret of life – you just hang around until you get used to it.” – Charles Schulz

If you ever switched majors a few times or found yourself to be a late bloomer, then you can relate to what the creator of Charlie Brown is saying. The longer you’re here, the more you get the hang of it.

2. “However mean your life is, meet it and live it: do not shun it and call it hard names. Cultivate poverty like a garden herb, like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends. Things do not change, we change. Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts.” – Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau, author of Walden, offers one of the most profound life quotes to live by when he advises you to let life be what it’s going to be and roll with the punches. Don’t try to hammer your life into a hole it doesn’t fit.

3. “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.” – Robert Byrne

Expert pool and billiard writer Byrne makes a great point here. As long as you have goals, you have the possibility of fulfillment. That gives life purpose.

4. “Life is a ticket to the greatest show on earth.” – Martin H. Fische

Fische, a physician, adds this short but sweet quote to our life quotes to live by, and we agree. Life isn’t meant to be spent in front of a TV screen. It’s a show you’re the star of.

5. “Life is a sum of all your choices.” – Albert Camus

French author Camus (The Stranger) raises a very good point here. Life isn’t about the little milestones you set for yourself, but for the good (or the harm) you’ve done with your decisions. Choose wisely.

6. “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein

With this selection on our life quotes to live by, Einstein’s making a case for believing in something or nothing and committing. Those on the fence should choose a side. You’ll be happier that way.

7. “Life is an exciting business, and most exciting when it is lived for others.” – Helen Keller

Ms. Keller’s message represents the essence of what it means to be a good person. Living for others. Try it if you haven’t yet. It reminds you how great life can be.

8. “We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come.” – Joseph Campbell

Campbell (The Power of Myth) reminds us through this entry on our life quotes to live by that getting the most out of life means not living to a rigid plan but being adaptive to the changes.

9. “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” – Neale Donald Walsch (Conversations with God)

Or, to really experience something beyond numbness and boredom, you really must challenge yourself to do more than you would otherwise.

10. “Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” – Robert Breault

Breault, a tenor, may not be who you think of for emitting life quotes to live by, but this is a good reminder of life and its shifting priorities.

11. “I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you … we are in charge of our Attitudes.” – Charles R. Swindoll (Author, Clergyman)

No use squabbling over the percentages in this entry on the life quotes to live by. Swindoll is probably 90% right anyway.

11 Life Quotes To Live By is a post from: Lifed

On Feb. 19, Hollywood’s favorite religion will celebrate its 59^th Anniversary. To help with the celebration, Life’d now takes a look at 9 Facts about Scientology to Make You Think Twice about Joining. Dianetics fans, you may want to look the other way. Now, let’s get down to business.

1. L. Ron Hubbard saw religion as a big money-maker.

Multiple sources who knew L. Ron Hubbard in life, including firsthand accounts from people who witnessed the sci-fi author speak, reported comments to the effect that “the easiest way to make money would be to start a religion” (Reporter Neison Himmel, quoted in the book Bare Faced Messiah). Of all the facts about Scientology, this one is the most telling and could lead one to interpret that the founder of the religion believed what he was espousing about as much as you probably do if you clicked on this story.

2. Christ was made-up.

The villainous alien Xenu enslaved memory implants, or Thetans (Fay-tans), to planet Earth in or around volcanos. After the eruptions, these Thetans were trapped here and decided to latch on to humanity. They are, today, the source of our confusion. Jesus was a pretty high level Thetan, according to Hubbard, and didn’t exist. These same facts about Scientology also call into question other events and people throughout world history, but Jesus is probably the most high profile.

3. Scientology equals espionage. 

Followers dispute much of the religion’s bad press, but one of the facts about Scientology that is difficult to argue against is Operation Snowwhite. In an effort to protect its tax interests and remove unfavorable government files regarding the religion, more than 5,000 Scientology agents infiltrated the IRS and other government agencies as workers. The effort eventually led to FBI interest and several indictments, save for Hubbard. However, his wife Mary was not so lucky. She was sentenced to five years imprisonment, though that was eventually reduced to one for medical reasons.

4. L. Ron Hubbard loved to sail. 

Hubbard took to the high seas aboard his Royal Scotsman – a 3,000+ ton vessel. His life was a very cushy one unlike most of his crew. His attendants were teenage girls, whose uniforms consisted of white hot pants. It was their job to lay out his clothes for the day, dress him, light cigarettes and clean up his ashes, according to Tonja Burden, one of the lucky gals. If you did something Hubbard didn’t like, it wasn’t uncommon to be locked up in tiny holding cells and given the most menial of jobs. (Think sewer-related.)

5. Scientology isn’t cheap. 

Referring back to No. 1 and the probability that Hubbard didn’t believe a word of his religion, one’s successes in advancing through Scientology hierarchy are directly contingent on the amount of money paid in. Scientologists must pay for their course-work, counseling and other tasks as they move from one level to the next. While exact estimates depend on one’s “needs,” the highest level, OT VIII, runs around $300,000.

6. What are you doing the next, oh let’s say, billion years? 

Scientology members must sign one-billion-year contracts. Good luck getting out of that!

7. Nobody likes a crabapple. 

Of the facts about Scientology that are the most agreeable, this is probably the one. Followers of the religion are forbidden from complaining, which on the surface sounds like a great idea. After all, who needs the negativity? However, the Church itself doesn’t do the best job in practicing this as they’ve issued a number of complaints and threats of lawsuits over the years to publications or programs that portray it in a negative light.

8. The FBI is watching. 

The FBI is currently investigating Scientology for human trafficking allegations. The case remains open, and alleges that the Church of Scientology engaged in the practice “using free labor,” according to The New Yorker, in the service of celebrity figurehead Tom Cruise.

9. It takes a village, or else.

Going back to the Tonja Burden case, the girl was 13 when her parents joined the Church of Scientology, but they eventually left the religion and were separated from their daughter, who was still traveling aboard Hubbard’s ship. According to Burden, she was kept away from her parents until 1977 – a period of around four years. She eventually accepted a settlement from the church to drop her suit of kidnapping. She dropped the allegations in 1986. Members of the faith are expected to follow the church’s bidding, which means that if families are to be “stationed” in different locations and split apart, they must do so no questions asked. (Refer back to facts about Scientology No. 7.)

Those are our facts about Scientology. Which ones did we leave off the list? Share your comments below!

9 Facts about Scientology to Make You Think Twice about Joining is a post from: Lifed

Here’s a quick joke:

A young man goes into a drug store to buy condoms. The pharmacist asks how many condoms the young man wants.

“Well,” the young man says. “I’ve been seeing this girl for a while. I’m meeting her parents for the first time tonight, and I’ve got a feeling I’m gonna get lucky after that. Once she’s had me, she’ll want me all the time, so you’d better give me the 12 pack.”

“That’s nice,” the pharmacist says. The young man makes his purchase and leaves.

Later that evening, the young man shows up at his girlfriend’s parents’ house and meets his girlfriend at the door. “Oh, I’m so excited for you to meet my parents,” she says. “Come on in!”

The young man goes inside and is taken to the dinner table where the girl’s parents are seated. He quickly offers to say grace and bows his head. Five minutes pass, and the young man is still deep in prayer, with his head down. Finally, his girlfriend leans over and whispers, “I had no idea you were this religious.”

The young man turns and whispers back, “I have no idea your father was a pharmacist!”

The moral of the story? Find out your significant other’s parents’ line of work before meeting them… and always be discreet when buying contraceptives!

If you learn that your boyfriend’s or girlfriend’s father isn’t a pharmacist, don’t breathe a sigh of relief just yet. You could run into so many other types of disastrous scenarios. The more prepared you are, the more likely your name will end up in their next holiday newsletter followed with “the best thing to have ever happened to our baby”.

Meeting your significant other’s parents for the first time can be a daunting enough experience without doing anything Gaylord Focker-esque. If you’ve been with someone for a while, that person might have already laid the groundwork by telling his or her parents how wonderful you are. Now it’s time for you to add a face to your name and live up to the hype.

Pretty nerve-wracking, isn’t it?

Don’t worry. First impressions don’t always last forever. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to win them over when you first meet them. Take a look at the following tips on how to earn your significant other’s parents’ seal of approval. By the time you finish this foolproof guide Gaylord Focker wished he had before he met Pam’s father, you’ll be eagerly counting down the days until the big meeting!

Gather some dirt on the parents.

Ask your significant other to provide information on his or her family. How many siblings does he or she have? Are the parents conservative or liberal? Are they serious or do they have a sense of humor? What are their hobbies? Are there any sensitive topics you should avoid? The more information you know about the parents, the more you can prepare yourself to meet their expectations.

Get your stories straight.

Did you meet your significant other on Craigslist? Did your first date consist of endless drinking and dirty dancing? If there’s an element of your relationship you feel the parents won’t be too pleased about, find out from your significant other whether or not he or she told them about it. It’s possible that he or she made up a few things. Get the scoop to ensure that your stories line up.

Create a 30-second summary of your career.

99.9% of the time, the parents will ask you what you do for a living. You want to clearly describe your career (or plans for the future) without going on and on about yourself. Create a 30-second summary on what you do (or plan to do) for living. They will be impressed by how dedicated you are to your work or plans, and if they want to know more, they’ll ask.

Prepare to be interviewed.

The parents are going to be curious about you. They’ll ask you about your family, goals, hobbies, beliefs, and anything else they can think of. List the questions you think they might ask you, and come up with an impressive answer for each one.

Clean yourself up.

Very few parents actually want their child to date a slob. Groom yourself. Shave, do your hair, put on deodorant, and dress to impress.

Bring a small present.

If you’re invited to dinner, bring a nice gift, such as a bottle of wine, home baked goods, or a nice candle. First, ask your significant other if there’s anything you should avoid bringing, like a box of chocolates if the mother is diabetic.

Respect your significant other.

Treating your significant other with the utmost respect is almost a surefire way to get the parents’ seal of approval. Pull your girlfriend’s chair out for her when she’s about to sit down. Compliment your boyfriend on a recent accomplishment. Pay attention to everything your significant other says, and respond politely and respectfully.

Remember your manners!

Be on time. Say “please” and “thank you”. Address the parents as “Mr. and Mrs.” Mind your table manners: sit up straight, eat with your mouth closed, use your napkin, hold your fork properly, and ask for food to be passed instead of reaching for it. Make yourself useful and offer to help with something.

Bond with the mother.

Here’s a secret: your significant other’s mother is your ally. She’s the one who will invite you over for dinner. She’s the one who will tell everybody else what a catch you are. If you’re a guy, she’s the one who will defend you if you get on her husband’s bad side. She’s the one who will listen to your significant other’s woes if you two run into any problems, and she’s the one who will encourage your significant other to make amends with you. She is definitely someone you want on your side.

That doesn’t mean you should continuously empty-mindedly compliment your significant other’s mother on her earrings, home décor, or cooking. Instead, put on your best manners and engage in conversations with her. If you’re not offering to help with the dishes after dinner, ask about her prize-winning garden, tell her how you used to be fluent in French, or show her pictures of your artwork.

If you want to really wow her, listen to what she is saying, and then follow up on it later. For example, if your significant other’s mother tells you that she’s been looking for the perfect beef stew recipe, surprise her with the recipe for your aunt’s famous beef stew next time you see her.

Don’t ignore the father.

Just because the mother is your ally doesn’t mean you should ignore the father. Find out beforehand what his interests are and then ask him about them. For example, if he’s a car buff, mention that you’re looking for a new car and ask him for some pointers.

Leave on a high note.

You don’t want to overstay your welcome or linger around until it becomes awkward. When things start to settle down, take it as your cue to politely thank the parents for taking the time to meet you and then make your grand exit. Be careful, though. If you get up immediately after dinner and announce your goodbyes, the parents will feel that you came just for the free food. Allow some time to hang out after the meal, and leave when you feel is appropriate. If you leave on a high note, the parents will be likely to look forward to seeing you again.

A Foolproof Guide to Meeting the Parents is a post from: Lifed

We just learned some alarming news.

Santander, an insurance company located in the United Kingdom, just conducted a study and discovered that 25% of drivers have gotten in a car accident due to snowy or icy conditions. That’s one out of four drivers!

Driving in the snow is dangerous and not for the faint of heart. The safest way to drive in bad winter weather is to simply stay home. If you absolutely have to brave the snow and go somewhere, take all the precautions possible and make sure you know what you’re doing on the road. The more prepared you are, the lower your chances are of getting in a car accident.

As a person who survived 26 brutal winters of Chicago and is currently living in the high Rockies where steep roads meet hundreds of inches of snow and slippery ice, I’m no stranger to the art of driving in the snow. However, I still become nervous behind the wheel whenever the weather gets too extreme for my liking. Bad weather is not something to be taken lightly.

While you can never be 100% safe driving in snowy or icy conditions, you can avoid all kinds of detrimental scenarios that happen on the road every day simply by preparing yourself and your car. What better place to start than here? Take a look at the following list of useful tips for preparing yourself and driving safely in the snow.

Know your vehicle.

Is your car a rear-wheel, front-wheel, or all-wheel drive? How much engine power does your car have? Where does your car carry the most weight? What kind of brake system does your car have?

All those factors affect the way your vehicle performs in the snow. For example, if you have a rear-wheel pickup truck, you need to know that most of the weight resides in the front and that it’s difficult for the rear wheels to grip the road and push all the weight forward. The best solution for this type of vehicle is to add weight, such as sandbags, to the bed of the truck.

You can drive your car around an empty snowy parking lot until you’re immensely familiar with how your car handles in snowy or icy conditions.

Use the right tires.

Did you know that more than 90% of drivers don’t even use winter tires? Don’t be one of them! Winter tires – also known as snow tires – can save your life. Not only do they drastically reduce braking distance, they also have great snow traction.

If you think your ultra high performance summer tires or all-season tires provide enough grip on slippery roads, you’re mistaken. Even though all-season tires are more effective than summer tires when it comes to driving in bad weather, they’re not necessarily useful in snowy or icy conditions. When looking for winter tires, look for the ones with a symbol that resembles a snowflake on a mountain on the sidewall. That means they meet the tire industry’s standards for snow traction.

Prepare your car before each trip.

Before driving anywhere, take the following steps to ensure that your vehicle is ready to be driven out in the snow:

-       Ensure that your windshield washer system works.

-       Add more anti-icing fluid if necessary.

-       In extreme conditions, install snow chains to your tires.

-       Check the brakes.

-       Clear snow from your tires, headlights, taillights, windshield, rear window, and side windows.

-       Ensure that there’s a winter safety kit in your car. (A typical winter safety kit consists of a spade, sand for traction, a wool blanket, non-perishable emergency food, jumper cables, flashlight, a flare gun, and a first aid kit.)

Keep the headlights on.

When snow is falling, you want to be visible to other drivers. The best way to do this is to turn your headlights on during the day.

Stick to main roads as much as possible.

Snow plow trucks and salt spreaders tackle main roads first before doing side roads and residential streets. Because of that, well-maintained main roads are far safer than snow-covered side streets that probably won’t get any attention until hours into the snowstorm. Also, often times main roads have enough traffic to ensure that you will get help in the event of an emergency. Try to stick with main roads that are straight, not curvy.

Don’t drive too fast.

Here’s a fun fact: cutting your speed by only 5 to 10 mph will give you a lot more control over your car. Speeding is the number one cause of car accidents in bad winter weather. It’s because speeding on slippery roads leads to more dramatic and life-threatening mistakes. Do not put your car on cruise control, and do not attempt to pass other vehicles.  If you’re driving a manual vehicle, drive using the lower gears to increase your traction on the road.

Increase the distance.

Never drive too close to the car in front of you. Instead, increase the distance between you and the car ahead of you. A good rule of thumb is to allow four car lengths for every 10 mph you drive. For example, if you’re driving 30 mph in the midst of a snowstorm, leave 12 car lengths between you and the car in front of you.

Think ahead.

You know how sometimes you would space out while driving? Well, never, ever, ever space out during a snowstorm! Be alert, look ahead, and think clearly. Anticipate problems before they actually occur. You don’t want to be forced to abruptly react to problems you could’ve easily anticipated beforehand.

Steer and brake smoothly.

Any abrupt movement can result in losing control of the vehicle. If you maneuver your vehicle smoothly and gently, you will keep traction and control as much as possible. For example, always brake smoothly before you reach a corner, release the brakes while turning the corner gently, and once your car straightens up, gently accelerate until you regain control of your vehicle.

Slow your speed when crossing bridges and overpasses.

Bridges and overpasses are notorious hotspots for black ice. It’s because cold air passes underneath those structures and keeps the ice frozen longer than usual. If the road – on bridges, overpasses, or any other place – looks slick, it probably is. Black ice is dangerously transparent ice that can be hard to detect. If you suspect that you’re approaching black ice, especially on a bridge or an overpass, slow your speed with smooth brake application and drive cautiously.

Don’t put too much trust in your car.

All-wheel drive, electronic stability control, antilock brakes, and other vehicle control mechanisms are especially nice to have, but they won’t save your life. A lot of people allow those features to lull them into a false sense of security.

If you’re sliding off the road, not even a state-of-the-art stability system will change that. Remember that a four-wheel drive doesn’t provide much more traction than a two-wheel drive does. Contrary to popular belief, four-wheel drives don’t exist to help you drive faster in the snow. Rather, they exist to help you get unstuck from the snow.

Don’t expect your vehicle to handle the problems on the road. As the driver, you’re the only one who has the power to maneuver yourself to safety. Always remember that.

How to Drive in the Snow Like a Pro is a post from: Lifed

There was a time when TV was free. True, you often had to watch shows through a light haze of snowy static, put things known as bunny ears on top of your giant, wood-encased set and sometimes even enhance said ears with crafty homemade tinfoil tubes, but still … it was free. Then the cable companies got involved, dramatically raising  both picture and programming quality while simultaneously lowering the bank account balances for millions of viewers across the land. These days, premium cable packages can easily crest the hundred-dollar-per-month line, a steep price to pay for dozens of channels you most likely never watch.

But, all things have their time, and with the rise of the Internet, standard cable broadcasting companies are finding that their customers are migrating like kids to the kitchen during commercials to web-based viewing options. If you want to join their ranks—and save yourself hundreds of dollars a year in the process–have a look at this handy guide to both the services and equipment available to help you get video off the Internet and onto your TV.

SERVICES

Netflix. Netflix is a rental-only video service and has a massive library featuring both TV shows and movies, along with 23 million subscribers who enjoy them. Many movies are made available for streaming 28 days after they come out on DVD, a timeframe that might disappoint cinema aficionados. Another potential drawback of the Netflix service is that TV shows from premium channels like HBO are not available, plus shows from standard channels are often not available for streaming immediately after the TV air date. However, unlike all of its competitors, in 2013, Netflix will begin airing its own original programming, including a revival of cult fave “Arrested Development.” Also, of all the online movie and TV streaming services, Netflix is the only one to also offer delivery of actual DVDs to your mailbox. At press time, they charge $7.99 per month for the streaming of unlimited movies and TV shows, and an additional $7.99 per month to have unlimited DVDs delivered to your mailbox, although you can only have one out at a time. There are no due dates or late fees for through-the-mail movies.

iTunes. With over 400 million active accounts, iTunes is a giant when it comes to offering electronic entertainment options. The service does not require a subscription (just an iTunes account linked to a credit card), and allows customers to either download or rent movies or TV shows from a large library. Video content can be played on the full suite of Apple devices, which can all be connected to a TV set via cables or by using Apple’s airplay functionality. A benefit of iTunes is that rented movies can be downloaded to your computer, so that you can watch them at a later time, even if you have no Internet connection. Movies can be rented in either HD or SD which also means you can download the highest quality video and watch it afterwards, with no worries about glitches in the video stream if you have an unreliable or slow Internet connection.

Amazon. Amazon is iTunes biggest competitor. Like Apple’s service, Amazon offers customers the chance to either buy or rent movies and TV shows. Also like iTunes, movies can be downloaded and watched at a later time, without an Internet connection. One of the primary differences between the two services, however, is that if you sign up for an Amazon Prime account ($79 per year at press time), you can stream unlimited movies from their library, although the selection of streamable titles is limited. (Prime account holders also get a free Kindle book rental per month plus free 2 day shipping on any order.) For streaming titles, Amazon says that they automatically detect the speed of your Internet connection and adjust the quality of the video accordingly—from standard DVD to HD. All other movies are downloaded at DVD quality. The offering of titles between iTunes and Amazon varies slightly, and on some titles, Amazon offers lower pricing, making it a slightly more affordable service.

Hulu Plus. When it comes to watching current TV shows, it’s hard to beat Hulu plus. At press time, the service cost $7.99 per month and includes unlimited streaming of their content, which features the largest number of just-aired TV shows of any competitor. Shows will often be available on Hulu Plus just 24 hours after their network broadcast. One drawback of Hulu Plus is that, unlike its competitors, the service shows ads in their video feeds, although at a much-reduced rate from regular television. Hulu also offers a more limited selection of movies than Netflix, iTunes or Amazon.

Vudu. This service excels in the quality of the movies you are able to rent or purchase. Although films and TV shows in the HDX format (a step above HD) tend to be a bit pricey ($6 to rent, $23 to own at press time), if you have a high-quality TV and are a true videophile, the expense might be worth it. Vudu HDX movies also feature Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound. For more affordable options  Vudu also offers its movie and TV shows in HD and SD, and is on par with iTunes and Amazon when it comes to selection. One differentiating factor between Vudu and its competitors is that purchased movies are stored in the cloud—a benefit if you are concerned about eating up your computer’s hard drive, a drawback if you want to watch movies without an Internet connection. Vudu is owned by Walmart and their bricks-and-mortar presence allows them to do something the other services don’t—convert your old DVDs to electronic versions that get stored in the cloud. Through their Disc-to-Digital program, you simply bring your DVDs to a Walmart store—or insert them into your computer’s DVD drive—and pay $2 to have each of them converted to SD or HD, or $5 for conversion to HDX. For the computer version, you don’t have to wait for the disc to be copied to the cloud. Vudu is able to verify a legitimate DVD and automatically transfer a copy to your online vault—which is protected by the Ultraviolet online initiative.

Crackle. According to their website, “Crackle specializes in hand-picked movies, TV shows and original programming in guys’ favorite genres—like action, sci-fi, horror, crime and comedy.” If that’s not enough to get video-loving guys excited, here’s something that should: all the content on Crackle, which is Sony’s offering in the video-streaming arena, is completely free. Many of the movies are of the older and B-grade variety, but then again, they’re free so it’s hard to complain. And there is a pretty nice selection of anime. Crackle is available on nearly all mobile devices.

EQUIPMENT

Apple TV. Although it’s possible to play iTunes movies and TV shows through your TV by connecting an iPad or iPhone with a special adaptor cable, Apple TV makes the whole process simpler and more elegant. Apple TV is a small black box that connects to your TV and the Internet (either through WiFi or an ethernet cable) and lets you access content from both the iTunes store and your iTunes library right from your TV screen. Movies purchased through Apple TV are stored in the cloud, so if you want to own the file, it’s best to download it on your computer through iTunes, then send it out to your Apple TV through the AirPlay functionality. AirPlay also allows mirroring which lets you beam any content that’s on your computer, iPad or iPhone to your TV. In addition to providing iTunes content, Apple TVs also receive content from Hulu Plus and Netflix and can stream YouTube and Vimeo content. If you have the relevant accounts, you can also get Major League Baseball, NBA and NHL channels. At press time, Apple TV was $99.

Roku. The Roku device is also a small box, like the Apple TV, and it also connects to the Internet either through WiFi or an ethernet cable. Roku, however, offers a much wider range of content. The devices come in a range of styles from the purple LT ($50 at press time) to the Roku Plus XS ($99.99 at press time). The higher-priced models play video at an improved quality (up to 1080p for the most expensive system), and the XS features a motion-sensing remote that allows game play. The XS system comes with several games including Angry Birds, Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. It also has a USB port from where it can access your photos and music. On all Roku devices you can get content from Netflix, Amazon, Crackle, Vudu, Hulu Plus, HBO GO (if you have regular HBO service), Disney and the NBA. You can also stream Pandora Internet radio. In an industry-leading move, Roku has also released what they call a “Streaming Stick” which is a USB fob that plugs into Roku-Ready HDTVs, and functions just like a regular Roku box without the cables.

Boxee TV. Boxee TV’s major source of content is Netflix and Vudu. It can also play content from YouTube and Vimeo, gets the MLB channel and can stream music from Pandora and Spotify. The major differentiating factor with this device however, is that if you connect it to your regular cable service, you can record unlimited programming which will be stored in your own cloud account for $9.99 per month (at press time). But this is an article about ending your cable service, so another way to use this unique Boxee feature is to see what channels you can pick up and record for free using the included digital antenna. At press time, Boxees were selling for $99.

Gaming Consoles. According to a Nielsen survey, half of all Netflix users access the service via a gaming console like PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360. These devices, along with the Wii, can not only provide a great gaming experience in the home, they can become total entertainment factories when used to access streaming video content. All three can stream content from Hulu Plus and Netflix and the Xbox 360 and PS3 can also work with Amazon’s Instant Video program.

Internet-Ready TVs, DVD & Blu-ray Players. If you’re in the market for a new TV or Blu-ray player, you might do best to forgo the other devices listed here and seek out a TV or disc player with Internet connectivity. This, in effect, gets you two devices in one: a TV (or Blu-ray player) and an Internet video streaming box. By going this route, you can save a bit of money and keep your home theater set up as clutter free as possible. A particularly good value in an Internet-enabled TV is the Vizio M3D470KD, which is one of the few TVs to offer services from all four online video giants: Netflix, Hulu Plus, Vudu and Amazon. New devices are being introduced all the time, but you can get a good overview of which machines play what service by going to the Hulu Plus, Netflix and Amazon websites for compatible devices.

Cutting The Ties That Bind You (To Your Cable Company) is a post from: Lifed

Whether you’re considering trying to get pregnant for the first time, or you have been trying to conceive for a while without success, it is a good idea to review some tips that can increase your likelihood of conceiving.  Besides helping you conceive, many of these tips, such as getting the right nutrients and reaching a healthy weight, also help set the stage for a successful pregnancy.

Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs

While most people know that indulging in alcohol, cigarettes, or certain drugs can have negative effects on your unborn baby during pregnancy, fewer people are aware that these substances can negatively affect your ability to become pregnant.

When it comes to alcohol, there is some evidence that even moderate drinking can make it harder for women to get pregnant and for men to get their partner pregnant. The exact mechanisms are behind this effect are unclear, but it is thought that alcohol may impair a woman’s hormonal balance and that its dehydrating effects could potentially make the cervical mucus too thick for conception.

Studies have also consistently shown the negative effects of smoking cigarettes on both male and female fertility, potentially increasing the time it takes to get pregnant because of egg damage and sperm depletion.

Finally, according to Harvard Health Publications, so-called “social” drugs like marijuana and cocaine may also harm fertility in men by making sperm less motile and reducing sperm count. Women should also avoid marijuana when trying to get pregnant, as some lab studies show that sperm exposed to THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) in vaginal fluids may also be rendered less potent.

Getting rid of your smoking habit or penchant for partying before you get pregnant will also help prepare you for pregnancy itself, during which cigarettes, alcohol, and other fun substances are strictly off limits.

Get in shape

Research has shown that women who engage in regular, moderate or vigorous exercise are able to get pregnant sooner than more sedentary women. Health authorities recommend 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day for healthy women trying to conceive or up to 60 minutes a day if you are overweight.

Exercise is also important for reaching a healthy weight, and people who are at a healthy weight have an easier time conceiving than those who are overweight or obese. Overweight women produce more androgens, insulin, and estrogen, all of which can impair ovulation and egg quality. Studies show that losing just five percent of your bodyweight can help improve ovulatory function if you are overweight. However, this doesn’t mean you should lose too much weight – underweight women also have problems conceiving because they are less likely to ovulate.

This tip doesn’t only apply to women; overweight and underweight men may also have impaired fertility due to problems with sperm quality. Thus, it might be wise for both partners to start a pre-conception workout program together to gain healthy muscle and lose any excess fat.

Once you’re pregnant, you should continue on a modified exercise plan, per your physician’s recommendations.

Track your ovulation

Timing is important when trying to conceive, and if you’re not having sex around the time of ovulation, conception will be difficult, if not impossible. Thus, in addition to having more sex in general, it is a smart idea to try to figure out when you are ovulating so you’ll know when your most fertile time is. There are a few ways to do this:

Get an ovulation kit: Sold at drugstores everywhere, these simple kits are used to measure the presence of luteinizing hormone (LH) in your urine; LH levels surge about three days before you ovulate. However, some kits are more sensitive than others, meaning that some products can detect an LH surge days before others can.

Track your basal body temperature: Basal body temperature typically drops by about half a degree 24 hours before ovulation and increases by about the same amount after ovulation. However, you might not want to use this method by itself, since your body temperature can be thrown off by other things, such as illness. You can buy a basal body temperature thermometer in drugstores or online.

Listen to your body: Certain bodily changes take place around the time of ovulation. Many of them, including breast soreness, cramps, and moodiness, are commonly recognized as premenstrual symptoms. Cervical mucus also changes around the time of ovulation, becoming, clear, wet, and slippery – some describe the texture as being like “raw egg whites.”

There’s an app for that: Various websites, computer applications, and even smartphone apps can help you chart your ovulation based on the length of your menstruation cycle. For those with a regular 28-day cycle, the most fertile days are between day 12 and 16 (with day 1 representing the first day of your period). You can also track days yourself with an old-fashioned calendar. Note that this method is trickier if you have an irregular cycle.

So, you’ve been able to narrow down your probable ovulation day … now what? Well, don’t wait until the actual day of ovulation to start trying – have sex several times in the 2-3 days leading up to ovulation as well.

Take a prenatal vitamin

In addition to providing important nutrients during pregnancy, prenatal multivitamin/mineral supplements also offer nutrients that support fertility. The most important fertility nutrient provided by prenatal vitamins is folate/folic acid (folic acid is the synthetic form of folate found in vitamin supplements). Folic acid, a B-vitamin, is so important to female reproductive health that doctors recommend that all women of reproductive age get 400 mcg to 800 mcg per day – whether you’re trying to get pregnant or not. Folate may improve ovulation and protects against birth defects if you do get pregnant. Men also need sufficient levels of folic acid, along with the mineral zinc, to support healthy sperm production.

Other important pre-conception nutrients for women found in typical prenatal vitamins include other B-vitamins, iodine, iron, vitamins A, C, and E, calcium, and zinc.

Omega-3 fatty acids may also boost fertility, though these aren’t typically available in prenatal multivitamins and must be obtained through a separate supplement, such as a fish oil supplement.

While all of these nutrients can also be obtained through a healthy diet – with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fish – a prenatal vitamin is a good backup policy to make sure you don’t have any nutritional gaps in your diet.

Make a pre-conception doctor visit

While not strictly required for someone who is younger than 35 and in good health, a pre-conception visit with your OBGYN is important if you have any chronic health conditions, take any medications, or are 35 or older. Your doctor will perform a check-up and talk to you about managing health conditions such as diabetes, obesity, kidney disease, or any other condition that might make you a candidate for a high-risk pregnancy. She will also likely want to discuss your family health history, lifestyle, reproductive history, vaccinations, weight, and other factors that can affect fertility and pregnancy outcomes. This is also a good time to ask your doctor about any concerns you might have about your health or pregnancy risks. Depending on your situation, your doctor may conduct lab tests to rule out diseases like hepatitis C, HIV, and others.

Avoid these things:

Hot tubs or saunas (males only) – Scrotal exposure to high heat, such as that in hot tubs, saunas, or even long showers, can impair the number and function of sperm, leading to decreased fertility.

Artificial lubricants – Even non-spermicidal lubricants sold over-the-counter have ingredients that are hostile to sperm, potentially making you less likely to conceive if you use them.

Douches – Douches are linked to decreased fertility, with one study showing that women who douched were 30 percent less likely to conceive in a given month than women who didn’t douche.

Excessive caffeine – According to the American Pregnancy Association, research shows daily caffeine doses exceeding 200 to 300 mg may decrease fertility by 27 percent.

Toxic substances – This category includes many synthetic chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers, metals such as lead and mercury, and other toxic substances you may be exposed to at work or in the home. The CDC provides this brochure on protecting yourself and your family from toxic substances.

Stop trying so hard

This one may seem to stand in opposition to the idea of this article itself, but it is nevertheless true. Sometimes, couples can get so caught up in trying to do everything right to get pregnant that they can bring added stress to their lives, and this stress itself can actually make it more difficult to get pregnant. According to WebMD, stress, including that caused by “trying too hard,” may account for as many as 30 percent of infertility problems. On the bright side, this means that stressed individuals can increase their odds of conceiving by employing stress-reduction techniques.

Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is one technique that is effective in reducing the stress that can harm fertility. One Harvard University Medical School study found that group therapy more than doubled the rates of conception for women who previously had difficulty getting pregnant. Yoga, meditation, deep breathing, and progressive relaxation can also help you reduce stress.

Another thing to keep in mind is that being overly strict about only having sex during ovulation can increase stress in both partners and even decrease your odds of conception if you are not correct in your calculation of when you’re ovulating. Instead, it might be better to have sex on a more regular, natural basis — as long as you have sex 2-3 times per week, you are likely to hit your ovulation window eventually.

Finally, it may be helpful to remember that healthy, fertile couples have about a 20 percent chance of conceiving each month when having regular, unprotected sex. This means that is completely normal for it take up to a year to get pregnant. If you’ve been trying for longer than a year, it is a recommended that you see a fertility counselor who can help you determine why you’re not getting pregnant and what you can do to increase your odds.

So You Want To Have A Baby? is a post from: Lifed