Brain Wave – Page 18 – Sasha Says…

Brain Wave, Computers and gadgets, Internet-Web Devt

Online classes and meetings and IT experts.

February 2, 2021 No Comments

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In this side of the world, there are three big internet companies that compete in providing citizens with the “best” of what they can offer. Their “best” is dependent on specific areas and subscriber usage. Internet provider One can be the best in this part of the city and the worst in another location of the same city. The same with internet provider Two and Three.

Imagine a number of kids in one home taking online classes using one internet connection. Or imagine the same but this time around with a number of adults participating in online meetings using one internet connection.

A lot of bad-tempered kids and adults in a given place!

One solution that I can think of is getting IT support. An IT expert can help find a solution to the problem of multiple users with a single internet connection. If there is an IT expert on standby, downtime can be minimized and a prevention to common troubles in internet usage can be anticipated.

Students in this part of the world learn through online classes. It is almost the same as to the traditional ones except instead of a blackboard, teachers use cameras and online materials to teach. I have been observing my nephew and my younger sister with their online classes. With my nephew who is in first grade, taking his classes online is effective. He is learning a lot from his teachers these days. But with my younger sister, who is already in high school, there are just so many distractions including social media which is open in her cellphone while taking classes.

There are pros and cons. Topmost pro of online classes is, of course, the safety of the students. Safe and sound at home, away from everyone who can pass on the virus to them. The topmost con, well, the stability of the internet connection.

The same goes for online meetings. Based on personal experience, being in the middle of a meeting with the boss and the internet connection going intermittent is not a very nice situation to be in.

So, here is what an IT professional, also a cousin, did to alleviate the internet situation at home.

He bought two wifi routers, one he put on the second floor of the house, another on the ground floor. The first two floors of the house are where we normally do our online work and meetings. He also got a wifi extender for my nephew’s room. He did some tinkering so that our internet connection will be enough even if there are four to six persons using at the same time. And it is working for us just fine.

Get an IT professional to help you sort your internet connection, either for online classes or meetings, or both. You need them to do some tinkering around. You need their expertise. It will help with all the online activities that we are participating in right now.

Unless you want chaos to rule when everyone is online?

Brain Wave, Family and Home living

Security in these trying times.

February 2, 2021 No Comments

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The unemployment rate has been down since the pandemic hit the world. It is not only confined to one part of any country. Jobless individuals are everywhere. From former rank and file workers to managers to executives. The blow on the economy took down numerous companies and with it, its workers.

Most of the time, an increase in unemployment is accompanied by an increase in crime rate. Individuals who are desperate will turn to desperate measures for them to put food on the table. Some who are on the brink of a mental breakdown would even resort to hurting whoever gets in their way.

In these trying times, it is important that we secure our homes, our families. First step is to call on locksmith markham, change the locks, and make sure that the door will do its job when everyone is at home and sleeping peacefully. An additional security would be to install a door sensor or a security door alarm.

A family was sleeping peacefully on a Saturday morning. It was broad daylight when two men entered their home through the back kitchen door. Maybe, a chemical that deepened their sleep was sprayed in the air. Maybe, their sleep was so deep and peaceful that they did not hear the two men who took appliances, gadgets, and bags with money, and other important stuff. It was a couple of minutes, at most, and it was a blessing that nobody woke up or who knew what those two men would do to whoever would stop them.

Secure every door inside your home. After the door, secure all the windows especially the ones in the bedrooms. There was a time when babies sleeping in the nursery went missing because someone took them breaking through the window. It was a scary period as I remember a dear friend went paranoid after giving birth to her firstborn. She had all windows of the nursery sealed shut. Well, nothing happened to her baby and her paranoia did not last. But can you blame a mother for making sure that her baby is safe?

It is better safe than sorry; we always hear that. And it is true. Better to take precautionary measures than be sorry later that we did not do what we must to double the security of our homes and those living in it.

Change locks. Choose the people to whom you will give the keys of the door to your home. Tell them to guard the keys fiercely. Check the windows. Seal it shut if you think it will become a way for burglars to enter your home. Change the window if you see a crack.

Security should be a priority in these trying times. We cannot see the end of this pandemic yet. It may be two years, three, or five as experts predict it to be. The end is so far out of reach. What we can do for now is make sure that we all safe and sound inside our homes.

Brain Wave, Family and Home living, Health and medicine

Turning to a healthy lifestyle.

February 2, 2021 No Comments

Social media has given us glimpses of what it is like to be healthy and active. Numerous workout videos, nutritious and healthy recipes that we can easily replicate and cook, real results after religiously following a simple routine to lose weight. We see it every single day on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and other social media platforms.

Here are some lifestyle changes that I got online and will be trying out in the next couple of weeks.

Easy to Follow Home-Cooked Meals

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Get those appliance repair services as soon as possible! There are so many easy-to-cook meals out in the social media world that we can pick up and try at home. We need our oven and stove in good condition. We need our refrigerators cleaned and cleared of clutter. We need to do grocery shopping at least once a week. Meal planning is strongly advised.

Being able to choose the ingredients and being able to plan properly especially the cost of each meal are just two of the advantages of cooking at home.

A Five-Minute Simple Daily Workout

I have been picking up some five-minute workouts here and there, mostly from Instagram. The idea that five minutes of your day will become a habit once you commit to doing it every single day. No rest days for those who are deeply committed to losing weight and becoming healthy.

A woman I was following in Facebook has been documenting her journey to a healthier version of herself. It was not an easy journey. I have been how she struggled, and she was honest enough to tell everyone about it. It was from her that I got the idea of five minutes daily can become a habit.

Ten seconds per type of workout. Planking will take getting used to but this has the best effect on our body, according to one fitness expert.

Minimizing the Carbon Footprint

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Just like with working out, minimizing our carbon footprint will need a stronghold commitment. We are used to single-use plastics when we are out. Admit it or not. If we reduce our use of materials that are harmful to the environment, if we reuse and recycle, then we are contributing to the health of the land around us.

Clean air. Clean water. Abundance in nature.

We can use bicycles to work or to go to places nearby. Bike more, drive less. If driving a car cannot be avoided, carpooling is a great way to encourage others to minimize their carbon footprints, too. Of course, walking is still the best option. Ten thousand footsteps a day can help drive away any kind of illness.

There are a lot of ways that we can turn to healthy living. The three I mentioned are just some of the ways that I picked up while browsing through my social media accounts. One thing that we need to keep in mind is that every way needs total commitment. It is committing to a better life every single day.

Brain Wave, Entrepreneurship & Business Talks

Renovating the Office.

February 2, 2021 No Comments

With this pandemic, and most places are on lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus, people have more time to think and plan. The company manager thought that this is the best time to push through with the renovation of the office since majority of the workers work from home now and labor is down. This is also the best time to contact those experts on windows and doors north york. It is best to reinforce the security of the office especially as most days nobody is there to stay or check.

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There are three considerations which should be taken into account while planning the renovation.

Timeline and cost of labor

A couple of contractors were contacted and were asked to submit proposals. The whole office will be renovated, top to bottom. How many weeks will it take for the renovation to be completed? How many workers will it need for the renovation to be done on time? How much will it cost the company to have the office renovated in the timeline and number of workers the contractor has provided?

There was an instance in the past when the company had partitions installed. Timeline and cost were provided that were not followed simply because one worker did not go to work for two days and some partitions were not pre-cut as specified in the contract. The company did not pay for anything since it was not a fault on our part, but we were inconvenienced with an additional three days of on-site work.

This time around, the timeline should be followed strictly, and the cost of labor will also have to be followed to the last cent.

New office layout

Should we go back to having partitions or stay with the open concept that was adopted a few years ago?

Most offices have cubicles for workers to provide a semblance of privacy. There are also those provided with rooms of their own. But with limited floor area to plan with, cubicles will make an office look and feel tight and cramped. With open concept though, the privacy provided by cubicles will be gone.

A properly well-thought out layout will have to be drawn, discussed, and approved by management to ensure peace and harmony when everyone goes back to the office for work after this pandemic. Just imagine three people talking on the phone and every one on the floor can hear it. Chaos.

Options, Maintenance, Security

New shades of walls, brand new tables and chairs (or newly repainted), doors and windows, biometrics. These are just some of the additional considerations in renovating the office. Also, maintaining it once the renovation is done. Professionals should be called and hired for the doors and windows for security purposes. The same should be considered for biometrics.

Renovating an office takes ample time, planning and consideration, as well as money for it to be done properly and on time. Make sure professionals are consulted and contractors are asked to submit their proposals with the contracts secured and followed to the T.

Brain Wave, Family and Home living

On the lookout for a new home.

February 2, 2021 No Comments

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A favorite television show at home is HGTV. From fixer uppers to buying and selling to landscaping, you bet we watch every show there is. One thing that I learned from every show that we ever watched is to always make sure the house has a great curb appeal, most especially when you are checking out houses that will turn into a home for the family.

Landscaping plays a big factor in a house’s curb appeal. Imagine the house surrounded by beautiful plants, flowers, vines… It brings nature so close to us even when we are living in the city. We used to have a big house with landscaped grotto. I loved that side of the house when I was a little kid. Whenever I think about it, or would tell stories about it to my siblings, the desire to have the same grotto resurfaces. There are landscaping companies Toronto should you also feel that your house is in clear need of a great curb appeal. Our family will retain the services of one soon.

The front of the house also plays a big role in making sure that the house is appealing to potential homeowners. As for our family, aside from a landscaped grotto, we would love a wrap-around porch, planters surrounding it, cushy couches, even a small swing! I can already imagine us having cozy nights sitting at the porch, walking down memory lane while sipping hot coffee or tea.

A beautiful façade is just one of the items on our checklist now that the family is on the lookout for a new house. We want an open layout, a big backyard, a swimming pool (but can be changed to a basketball court for the boys), and a big garage.

An open layout, I believe, is particularly great for a big family like ours. A big family with kids, I should add. The adults can be cooking in the kitchen while still monitoring the kids playing. Or the guests and those who are prepping meals can still talk to each other and catch up. That’s the appeal of an open layout for me and the family. One where we can all be together even when we are doing our own things.

The big backyard is for the kids and for my sister who loves to plant. A big chunk of the backyard will be for her vegetables that she is so fond of growing. She has chili, calamansi, and tomatoes now. I can only imagine if she has a big yard to work on. The kids can also play outside even in this pandemic. A pool and a big garage are also on the checklist. My nephews are swimmers so the pool is for them. The big garage is for making sure we can secure our cars especially at night.

We have seen two potential houses so far but the curb appeal for both is missing. Landscaped front yard is one that we truly want to find. And we are hoping to find that house we can turn into a home. Or we can always turn to those landscaping companies Toronto.

Brain Wave, Entrepreneurship & Business Talks, Life in general

Adding a passive income.

January 31, 2021 No Comments

I am in the process of establishing a business which will give me a steady passive income. Checking out poly plastic bags has brought back so many memories of the past year. Memories, lessons, plans…

The past year has taught me a very important lesson: I need to save up. 2020 came with a loud bang! Everyone, including myself, had been expecting last year to be abundant in all aspects of our lives. Indeed, the year ushered in great income potential not only professionally but personally as well. We couldn’t ask for a better first month of the year. Who would have thought that it would go down the hill faster than you could expect it to be?!?

One disaster came after another. A volcano erupted causing massive disruption in the economy. When the effects of the eruption was fading away and people were going back to the normalcy of their lives, a super typhoon hit the country destroying billions worth of crops, produces, and so livelihood.

Then the virus hit.

It was a Monday, I was at work. We were immediately told to bring whatever we needed to begin working from home until further notice. I had to pack a lot of documents and brought home all of it including binders, printers, rims of paper. It was a manic Monday, literally.

Months that we were in limbo, our jobs were on the line because businesses were closing. With no income flowing in, almost every company I knew declared bankruptcy. The company I was working for was so close to shutting down. I was silently panicking because I had no savings to speak of. Where would I get the money to pay for my bills?

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That’s where the idea of setting up a permanent source of passive income came from. One idea is a business with my sister of producing candles meant to be given away on special occasions. The big ones. The packaging is something I am very particular about because I want it to be extra special. Maybe, International Plastics can provide it. I still have to check again.

Save up. Have an emergency fund. Have a steady source of passive income. It won’t hurt to have something to tap on should a big disaster hit the world again.

Brain Wave, Family and Home living

Going green this season.

December 20, 2020 No Comments

Have you noticed how a lot of people are buying plants nowadays? Indoor and outdoor plants, small and big ones. A lot of homeowners are turning to plants to beautify their homes and to reap the benefits of having one at home. I am sure plant enthusiasts are checking out Plant Shed New York City locations so they can get their hands on what’s new especially for this season.

Plants are natural air sanitizers. You only need to choose the right one you can place inside your home, especially ones that are safe for kids to touch and be around with. There are local florists in New York City where you can inquire and who can help you choose the best ones for you.

My choices are, and I believe, the best nyc florists will also say these, are purifying plants. Here are eight of them:

1. Devil’s Ivy or pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
2. Dwarf Date Palm (Phoenix Roebelenii)
3. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
4. Philodendron
5. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
6. Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum morifolium)
7. Rubber plants (Ficus elastic)
8. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata v. Bostoniesis)

There are a lot more you can choose for your home.

Another important consideration in choosing a plant is your skill and patience in taking care of it. There are low maintenance plants, ones you don’t need to water daily, ones that don’t really need sunshine. There are also plants that can grow taller than you and ones that will occupy a big space. You really need to choose the ones that you can take care of and will be great for the space you have at home.

Lastly, plants need your TLC even those low maintenance ones. So be sure to choose ones you can really commit to.

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