Color of 2022: Very Peri

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Our house sits on the side of the road. And, I mean, a big road where ten-wheeler trucks would pass by almost daily, especially at night. As a result, dust is always present in our house. We need to clean daily otherwise our house would be full of grime and dirt.

We implemented changes at home so we can minimize the dust that gets in the house. Plants which are best for clean air have been put strategically in our garage, doors, windows and places at home where we often hang out at. We put screens on windows and a filter screen on doors. Every little thing we can think of to ward off the dust emitted by vehicles zooming by.

And another thing we are implementing right now? Repainting our house for a cleaner and livelier look!

Our house is painted white and gray. You can just imagine what state of white it is now. It is now a dirty white shade. My siblings and I talked about it and we decided that a really nice new paint is needed. We waited for the announcement for the Pantone 2022 color of the year. We are so happy when it was announced that the new shade for 2022 is a ‘Happy’ Periwinkle Blue. Very Peri, for short. I read that the shade is the happiest and warmest shade of all the blue hues. I would love that for our home!

No, we will not repaint the whole house with the Very Peri shade. We will just put touches of it around the house. Maybe, pillars outside the house will be painted with that color? One wall in the living room? White will still be the dominant color inside the house, of course. I love a clean look and it really invites light to come in the house especially in the morning. Also, have you noticed just how calming the surroundings become when the place is all white?

We originally planned to help each other out, pitch in, and do the painting ourselves. But I don’t think we can do it. We are all busy with work, my sister-in-law is busy with her small business and with my nephews. Disruption of our work is a big no especially that it’s nearing year-end when reports of every kind become due. So, we agreed that a professional local painting contractor will be retained. I think they will do a better job than us girls who know nothing about painting.

The coming year 2022 is such a big expectation for every person I know. The year will be a year of bouncing back from almost every kind of setback that pandemic has brought each one of us. I am really praying that this year will bring us blessings in abundance, especially in our finances. So, yes, a repaint of the house will be the start. Here’s hoping the new paint will attract positive energy into our home. And will bring luck into our lives.

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How Lockdown Is Affecting People’s Mental Health

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The Covid-19 pandemic has kept at least 2.6 billion people in some form of social isolation. But how does that affect people mentally? Well, according to experts, the Covid-19 lockdown has caused some of the most major psychological challenges the world has seen in recent years. And now there are deep fears that towards late 2020, an outbreak of burnouts could hit the globe as a result of lockdown.

Covid-19 mental challenges are real

Following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the world’s health facilities have been overwhelmed as a result of the upsurge in new infections. Nations scrambled to erect tents and temporary healthcare centers to treat infected patients. For example, in the United States, field hospitals were put up in Central Park when the COVID case counts and death toll shot to the roof. Unfortunately, what’s conspicuously missing in the world is the lack of psychological help centers for people grappling with the effects of social distancing protocols and quarantine. If the world is to come back stronger post-COVID-19, then nations shouldn’t be ignoring the mental health dangers posed by people being torn away from their loved ones as a result of unprecedented lockdown. There is a good reason why experts are tagging the Covid-19 pandemic as the “biggest psychological test” the world has seen in a long time. With a third of the global population living in isolation, that cannot go on without sparking psychological effects.

Effects of lockdown on mental health

Around February 2020, The Lancet reviewed 24 studies on the impact of lockdown on mental health. Insights from that study revealed what may be going on in the millions of households that have been hit hard by the pandemic. As expected, the results showed that quarantined people have a high likelihood of developing a broad spectrum of symptoms characteristic of psychological disorders. These include anxiety, sleeplessness, depression, stress, and anger, among other traumatic experiences.

But in particular, it was observed that low mood and temper irritability stood out among the psychological effects of Covid-19 lockdown. Moving to China, the origin of the virus, researchers also confirmed mental health challenges springing from the coronavirus pandemic.
In cases involving the quarantine of parents and their kids, the toll on mental health was much more pronounced.

Some studies found out that close to 28% of parents in quarantine showed trauma-like symptoms relating to mental health abnormalities. Meanwhile, healthcare workers can’t be left out. Nearly 10% of hospital workers experienced severe symptoms of depression. In the face of these difficulties, healthcare workers have a high tendency to engage in risky behaviors such as alcohol abuse and self-medication. In some cases, health practitioners avoid making contact with patients due to the fear of being infected.

The lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) also explains why doctors shirk their basic responsibilities of catering for the sick. The big question is — if doctors are closing their offices for fear of their lives, what happens to Covid-19 patients and those with non-communicable cases such as hearing losses? Well, that means Covid-19 patients may lose their lives needlessly, and the hearing-impaired won’t have access to an audiogram to diagnose their conditions.

How to overcome coronavirus-related mental health challenges

  • Call for help
  • This is not the best time to hide your poor mental health situation. Speak it out, and you will get help. For example, make a consultation with a psychologist and seek help before it’s too late. As trained mental health professionals, doctors and psychologists can offer you advice and even medications to improve your condition. Explain your feelings to them, and follow their recommendations to restore your positive mind.

  • Socialize with friends online
  • The internet is serving the world perfectly in the course of the pandemic. Even though lockdown can tie you to your home, don’t allow it to cut off your communication with family and friends. Of course, in quarantine, you may not be able to attend parties with friends, but you can connect with them online through platforms like FaceTime, Facebook, and other platforms.

  • Find a flexible job
  • The Covid-19 crisis has affected people’s sources of income because the pandemic has dealt with businesses a big blow. To lessen your financial worries, you need to find a flexible job during the pandemic. Think about how you can work from home to make some money and meet your household needs.

    The pandemic has affected the psychological state of people. But if you take the above measures, you can mitigate the negative impact of lockdown, and have your full mental health back.

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Three Jelly Shot Recipes To Try In Lockdown

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Just because we are in lockdown does not mean you cannot have a lot of fun. There is one thing that all summers should involve, and this is jelly shots. This trend is well and truly taking over and the warmer months ahead give you a great chance to experiment with different fruit flavours. Keeping that in mind, read on to discover more about three of my favourite jelly shot recipes for the summer…

Strawberry Margarita Jelly Shots

If you are looking for ideas of things to do during the lockdown, you should definitely try this recipe out, as it tastes amazing and is perfect for posting some pictures on Instagram! These shots can be served inside a strawberry, which looks cool and eliminates any washing up. You will need to begin by cutting the top off a strawberry and, using a melon scoop, carefully scoop out the inside. It is also a good idea to cut a bit of the bottom of the strawberry so it stands up straight. After this, you should combine boiling water and jelly, preferably strawberry flavoured, with boiling water until it dissolves. Mix in Cointreau and tequila and then stir the mixture. After this, pour it into your strawberry cups and leave to set in the fridge until firm.

Watermelon Lime Jelly Shots

Not only do these shots taste delicious, but they look great too, as you can serve them up as little watermelon segments. For this recipe, you will need mini chocolate chips, vodka, boiling water, watermelon jelly, and limes with the pulp removed. You’ll need to add boiling water to the jelly until it has dissolved. After this, stir in about a cup of vodka and pour it into lime halves. Leave this in the fridge for about two hours to chill. After this, cut the limes in half again to create wedges and you can stick chocolate chips in to create the appearance of watermelon pips.

Mimosa Jelly Shots

Mimosa is a well-known champagne cocktail, which would make a great summer jelly shot, with the orange bringing the fruitiness and refreshing qualities and the champagne bringing a touch of luxury. To make this drink you will need one box of orange flavoured jelly or gelatine, as well as champagne, orange juice, boiling water, and triple sec. Simply mix the jelly with the boiling water so that it dissolves. After this, you can add the rest of the ingredients and then leave to set. You may wish to serve this shot in a champagne flute to give it the full effect, but make sure you’ve got little spoons or something similar handy so people can scoop out the jelly.

So there you have it: three of the best jelly shot recipes to try making while in lockdown. Just because we’re stuck at home doesn’t mean we cannot have lots of fun (and a bit of booze too!), right?

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Spreading Love and Joy Amidst the Lockdown

Days are blending from one to another. It’s becoming a bit difficult nowadays to keep track of what day it is and how everyone is doing. We all feel disconnected and disjointed, and it is completely understandable. This lockdown brought about by the novel corona virus is hard on all of us. So, to cheer up your love ones who are in isolation or far away from you, here are three suggestions that you can follow and so with your kids.

Video call with a twist

Get the whole family on board the idea of putting on costumes. Any favorite character is welcome. Just make sure that it is not something scary so as not to cause anxiety to the person or persons you will be video calling.

Imagine getting a video call from Çaptain Jack Sparrow, Princess Leia, Darth Vader, or even from a Disney princess! It will be a treat, that’s for sure. Wear your costume, go into position in front of the camera, make sure you have a decent internet connection, and then, make your call.

A video call will bring a big smile to your love ones’ faces. It will also be a sure fire way for you to know that the person on the other line is well and alive.

Arts and crafts to send online

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This suggestion will be like killing two birds with one stone. It is understandable how bored everyone is right now, most especially the kids who are ordered to stay put at home. Cabin fever is setting in so to divert their attention, get them on board for an arts and crafts day!

The idea is to create something inspiring for those isolated from their love ones. Maybe, you have a relative who are alone somewhere and in need of some cheering up. Bring out pens, papers, scissors, glue, glitters, washi tapes, and anything else that will bring color to your message. You can also download a digital love svg you can print, cut and put on paper.

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My nephews have been missing their grandparents who are under a quarantine. The simple message above will be sent to their grandparents through email. We used a digital heart svg and hugs and kisses design that we downloaded from Design Bundles. There are so many more designs to choose from.

Creating art will keep the kids busy for some time and it will also be a great way to keep the spirits of your love ones up when they see what the kids made for them.

Create a video blog

It seems to be the biggest hit among people of all ages these days. Video blogging! Create a video and then upload it online for everyone to watch and enjoy.

One or a few members of the family can be on board this idea. Create a video content for the frontliners. Thank the medical workers, delivery personnel, garbage collectors, supermarket personnel, and everyone who are still outside and working for us to be able to function in the most normal way possible. A simple message will do. Or even a simple thank you and clapping will be bring a smile to those who will see the video.

There are so many other ways to spread love and joy amidst this lockdown. The three suggestions above are just the tip of the iceberg. You can surely come up with a dozen or so more ways to spread cheer in these trying times.

What’s important is for all of us to stay at home, stay healthy, and stay put so the virus will die a natural death very, very soon.

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Teaching Children How To Be Safe In Your Neighborhood

Depending on your neighborhood, your children will come into contact or witness some scary things. Some areas are better than others when it comes to crime and violence. Some neighborhoods simply have more welcoming and even more civilized people than others. So you may know how to handle yourself and stay out of harm’s way, but do your children? Essentially, you have to teach your children how to avoid certain things and be safe while they’re at home and or around in the neighborhood. Teaching your children ‘street smarts’ could save them from a lot of trouble in the future. But if you yourself are not really privy to such a way of life, then how do you let your children know what to avoid? That’s why you’re reading…

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Contractors: Why They Are Better Than DIY

Home renovations can be hard work and a very stressful job. Getting the job done to a high standard should be your number one priority, but you will also want to think about how fast you can get this work carried out.

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DIY, A False Economy?

Cost is also an important factor for anyone, and you may be tempted to cut the expenses by doing the job yourself. But, before you head off to the DIY store to buy all of the things that you think that you may need, consider whether that is the best idea. Yes, you can work for free and when labor costs represent a large proportion of the cost of the job, then you will be justified in wanting to remove this cost from the task.

But, think again. Are you experienced enough to carry out this work? You may be quite good at a lot of handy work around the home, but are you going to be any good at doing a major project that you may not have any previous experience of doing?

Calling a contractor to do the job will probably be the best option. If things go wrong for you while you get the job done, it may cost you in replacing damaged or wasted materials. You may find the finish that you achieve is far from professional either, and you will regret not getting a professional to do the job every time you look at it.

Get Recommendations And Quotes

You will need to find someone who will be able to do the job to a high standard and who will be easy to deal with, but with so many contractors out there, how do you know that you are going to get a good one? Ask around friends and family or put a post on Facebook asking for recommendations. The best way to find a reputable contractor is through word of mouth. You may also want to check out ratedpeople.com for recommended local tradespeople.

Once you have found contractors that you have heard good things about, get them to quote you for the job that you need doing. Be specific about everything that you want, for example, if you want panels from Nichiha.com let them know so that they can quote you based on the specifics.

Getting The Job Done

Once you have a quote that you are satisfied with, then you can let the contractors get to work. It can be very difficult to allow other people to set to work on your home, but you need to have faith and trust that they will complete the job in a professional manner. Avoid being an armchair foreman, and let them do the job.

When they have completed the task there may be some snagging issues, this is normal so do not be alarmed if you have to get the workers to fix a few small things that are outstanding, or that crop up in the days or weeks after completion.

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How to Prevent the Devastating Effects of a DUI Charge

A DUI charge can result in fines, loss of license, or even jail time. While you can take certain steps to avoid drinking and driving in the first place, it is also important to know how you can minimize the long-term damage if you do make a mistake. Hiring the right DUI lawyer is a good start, and keeping the tips here in mind can also help. If you stay calm and approach the problem properly, you can avoid fines and jail sentences that would otherwise completely derail your life.

Knowing the Limit

The first thing you need to do when trying to avoid a DUI charge is to make sure that you don’t get caught driving over 80 in the first place. You can accomplish this by knowing how much it takes to put you over the legal limit of 80 mg of alcohol in 100 mL of blood. Usually, this amounts to two to three drinks, although heavy-set men might be able to go four or even five drinks before reaching that threshold. Remember that eating, drinking, and taking time to let the alcohol go through your system can all decrease the amount of alcohol in your blood. Doing all of these things can help keep you safe behind the wheel and ensure that you don’t go over 80 in the first place.

Dealing with the Police

When you get pulled over for driving over 80, you need to keep in mind that your behavior at this point may affect the overall course of your impaired driving case. You should remain cooperative with police officers but avoid volunteering potentially incriminating information about yourself. Answer the questions asked, but don’t go beyond the scope of those questions. You should also make sure that you create an account of your dealings with the police that your lawyer can review later on. This can help the lawyer determine whether any procedural errors might aid your case and to note whether your account differs from the police report.

Hiring a Lawyer

Once the initial traffic stop is taken care of and the charges have been filed, it is time to reach out to a DUI lawyer who can help you navigate through the legal process. When looking for a lawyer, you need to find somebody with experience in your area. For example, if you live in Ontario then you need to find somebody who has practiced in the courts of Ontario before. The more experience, the better, as long as that experience has a reasonable track record for success as well. When in doubt, look for reviews on the lawyer from former clients. If you can find a lot of happy clients, then you can probably trust that these lawyers know how to get things done.

Getting a DUI charge is an unfortunate matter and one that can make you feel like you are completely out of control of your life. Luckily, a good lawyer can see you through these troubles and get your life back on track as soon as possible.

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