Abstract | HOMETHEATER

Self Defense Tips – Be Aware of Your Surroundings Walking to Your Vehicle

July 2, 2020 Comments Off

Being aware of your surroundings as you are walking to your vehicle is one of the most important things in your day-to-day life to protect yourself and avoid a self defense situation. If you park in a garage where you work and are assigned a space, become aware of the vehicles parked around your vehicle. If possible, get to know the other vehicle owners. New friends are always a positive thing in your life. You will be more conscious of an out of place vehicle or person in your area if you know those who should be there at any given time.
Have your keys ready as you approach your vehicle. Taking time to find your keys when you reach the vehicle presents an opportunity for an attack. If you feel you are being followed as you walk to your vehicle, do not go to your vehicle. Continue to a populated area and summon help. It might seem like a good idea to get in the vehicle and lock the doors but if an assailant has some type of weapon they could smash a window and you would be in an undesirable position to defend yourself.
When and where possible back your vehicle into parking spaces. This allows for a quick getaway if the need arises. It also gives you an opportunity to check backup lights, brake lights, turn signals, etc. if there is a wall behind your vehicle. It also allows you a clear view to see if someone is approaching your vehicle after you have gotten into the vehicle. It is much easier to see out the windshield than it is out of the rearview mirrors.
These same ideas apply if you park in an open area or a garage at your place of residence or at the local shopping mall or grocery store. Self defense is an ongoing process of awareness of the situation you are currently in. The more you are able to be aware of your surroundings the better you can protect yourself, your property and others.…

How Badly Taught Military Self Defense Can Cause You Problems

June 22, 2020 Comments Off

When you hear the term ‘military self defense’ you automatically think of Green Berets dismantling an attacker with precision moves that an ordinary person could never learn. To be honest, no regular citizen will be able to fight like a marine or soldier because they have years and in some cases decades of training behind them. Yet you have instructors trying teach some of these martial arts techniques in the same way as it would be taught to a military person which is completely wrong. As already stated, these men and women are physically elite so what is taught to them is not applicable to 99% of the population. While this doesn’t mean that the techniques they learn are redundant, it is clear that there are problems with the way they are taught.
The first issue with military self defense as it is often taught is the fact that it focuses on speed and strength above all else. Once again, military personnel are exceptional in both departments, trying to teach an average Joe these maneuvers that are based on you being as strong as your opponent is foolish. Generally speaking, if you are being attacked randomly there is a very good chance that your assailant will be physically stronger than you. Thugs generally don’t go around picking on strong guys because they are cowards at heart and want a confidence boosting exercise which involves beating up weaker people.
Some teachers decide to teach you how to use weapons which is definitely a good idea. However, they overemphasize their importance. Rather than focusing on the person who is the real problem, they keep their eyes firmly on the weapon, seeing it as the be all and end all of the confrontation. If someone attacks you with a knife, obviously your first goal should be to avoid their initial attack and find a way to get that weapon out of their hands. There are several martial arts techniques that can help you with this. Yet once you succeed in disarming them, they are still there, ready and willing to hurt you in some other way. The focus should always on defeating the attacker, not their weapon.
There are many military self defense techniques that can have lethal consequences. Sometimes situations occur when fatalities happen. If a thug attacks you with a gun or knife or a group of people come after you, the ferocity of your defense could accidentally kill someone. While that is more the fault of the legal system, the fierceness of this training presents trainees with another problem. Knowledge of the effectiveness of military techniques could actually cause you to hold back which results in you getting badly hurt. It is necessary to find an instructor who can teach you how to defend effectively without getting in legal trouble.
If you are learning martial arts techniques fused with the expertise of military training, be careful if you ever get involved in a confrontation. Being too fierce or holding back could spell danger whilst focusing on things like strength and the opponent’s weapon should be discarded in favor of learning solid technique.…

Play The Guitar Easily With These Simple Learning Tips

June 19, 2020 Comments Off

If you have ever been truly moved by music made by a skilled guitarist, you are not alone. The great sound a guitar can make really has inspired quite a few people all over the world. Read on to learn how to become a guitarist yourself and follow your dreams.

Don’t ever feel like you need to learn everything at the same time. When you take it slow and are patient, success will follow. If you use the guitar each and every day, you will slowly start to learn the skills that you need for more complex playing.

Look for a good guitar teacher. Though many people have taught themselves guitar, just as you can, you might want someone objective to watch you play. Good teachers will help improve your style and technique. You can ask questions too, which will help out.

Musical notation as well as guitar tabs are important. Musical theory will help you to understand the scales and how the various chords operate. Learn the strings as well as what the notes are called. This expertise can help you when playing riffs and melodies.

Try to build calluses on your fingertips if you are working on learning the guitar. With calluses, you will not feel the pain of strumming the strings quite so much. It will take you some time to build your callouses, but practicing frequently will help build them faster. There are products available that help them develop.

Before learning to play guitar, try to learn and memorize its parts. This helps as you start playing because you will know more about the scales, chords and strings.

Use a metronome. Keeping time is a real challenge for novice players. Metronomes are able to help you make sure you’re on the beat properly. You’ll be able to keep the beat by yourself if you practice enough.

When you make the commitment to learn the guitar, you must practice. You will never achieve anything worthwhile if you are unwilling to work hard. For this reason, you need to practice a minimum of 30 minutes per day, five to seven days a week.

Start slow. Though you may have a desire to master that high pace song that requires quick fingering, you must learn the song, first. Once you have learned all the notes, you can begin working on your speed. If you only concern yourself with the speed, you’ll continue to make mistakes. Slowly become a master of the song and gradually increase your speed from there.

Finger strengthening exercises are very important. Some chords need you to do something fancy with your hands, and you can only do this if you’re in control of your guitar’s strings. Learning some techniques and practicing with finger exercises can help strengthen your hands.

There are millions who love guitar music. Regardless of the style of music, the guitar creates a song that simply sounds pleasing to the ear. Keep these tips handy as you learn to play and amaze everyone with your new skills.…

10 Things to Do If You Want to Be a Graphic Designer

May 18, 2020 Comments Off

Go to School
If at all possible, get some formal education through college. Many community colleges offer graphic design classes at a reasonable price. Taking classes will give you practice designing and teach you designing principals and theories. It will also give you the opportunity to meet and work with other students with goals similar to yours. Also, after you graduate, simply having the degree will help you get chosen for a job in your field.
Do Online Tutorials
There are thousands of tutorials available for free online. Completing these will help you learn how to use common designing software.
Read Books
Books are also a valuable resource in learning how to design. It is best to check out most of your books from the library so you don’t have to buy them. You should read books about the software your are going to be using, graphic design history, art history, color theory, business, and human relations.
Practice Your Skills
You might not have a job yet, but you can still act like you do. In your free time, give yourself mock projects to complete. This will give you practice doing these things, and when you do get a job, you will already have some experience.
Start Your Own Blog
Keep track of what you learn, and share it with others at the same time. If you forget something and would like to review it again, just return to your blog and it will be right there for you. It also gives you something to show off to your friends and potential clients.
Do Freelance Work
If possible, try to get some freelance jobs online. Even if they don’t pay much, they will give you practice and experience. If it is okay with your clients that your freelancing for, you might also be able to use some of this work in your portfolio.
Keep Your Work
Keep all of the work you do. You never know what you will want to use later. You can put your best work in a portfolio. You can also email samples of some of your best work to clients for review. Even if something isn’t your best work, you may want to refer to it later for ideas or to make improvements on it. If you keep even the work you don’t like, such as your very first attempts at a web page, you can refer back to it and see how much you’ve improved.
Look at Other People’s Work
Pay attention to web pages, package designs, and promotional materials created by someone else. Follow design trends. Think about what works and what doesn’t.
Learn Business Skills
Learning some business skills is necessary if you want to have your own business or do freelance work.
Think Positive
Positive thought can improve your design. If you don’t think that you are any good, or that you can’t improve, you won’t be able to do a good job.…

Strength Training For Mixed Martial Arts

May 14, 2020 Comments Off

Mixed Martial Arts training is tough. There is no doubt about it and one of the hardest things to do is build genuine strength. But having a lot of strength will allow you to explode on your opponent, will increase your punching power, will make you better in the clinch and on the ground.
One thing that I want to point out here. We are not talking about doing traditional bodybuilding. We are looking for STRENGTH here not size. Just because you are big does not mean that you are necessarily strong. Remember that the key is strength not size. We are not looking to become the next Arnold Swarchenegger. We are looking to become the next Anderson Silva.
So where do we start? Well, the first and most obvious place is with your core. Your core is your abs, back muscles and all the surrounding muscles. These are the muscles that you use to generate torque on your punches, use your hips to escape… well, pretty much you use them for everything. That’s why they are vital.
One thing to look out for when doing weight training is that, unless you are doing so for weight class reasons, you really don’t need to get big. Large muscles use more oxygen and will cause you to tire out in a fight faster. Ever notice how quickly heavyweights gas out compared to the lighter weight classes. This is because their large muscles are demanding tons of oxygen to fuel them. We want to stay away from that. Remember, strength is key but not size.…

Learning Guitar: Comprehensive Knowledge You Just Have To Have

May 10, 2020 Comments Off

Do you long to play your favorite songs on a guitar? Yes? Well, there’s not reason why you can’t. It is possible to pick up the guitar and learn to play, regardless of your age. Use the following advice and get started today.

Learn all the basics. When you were young, you learned to walk well before you learned to run. You might want to play a beloved song to start with, but you need a foundation first. Also, determine where your fingers should reside on the guitar. Practice chords and scales. You need to own these prior to taking the next step with anything else.

Discover ways to keep yourself motivated. Make a long-term dream for yourself, but also keep short-term goals in mind. Practice with a friend if you can. When you have stuck to your daily practice schedule for one week, give yourself a reward. Keep in mind that real skill takes real practice.

A simple tip: purchase a guitar if you’ve made the decision to learn the instrument. It will be hard to practice if you do not. Also, you have to keep the guitar in tune. Otherwise, you won’t hear the right note coming out of the right string.

Make sure to learn music notation as well as guitar tabs. Learning about music theory can assist you with understanding the how the chords and scales work. Learn the note name of each individual string, as well as the note for each fret along the strings. This will improve your riffs and melodies.

Make sure you enjoy your guitar practice. This is something you desire to do, not something you need to do. Don’t turn it into a stressful activity that you dread. If you do so, you can frustrate or bore yourself enough to give up on the practice. You should play and practice on pieces you wish to play.

As you begin to learn to play your guitar, be sure to learn the names and positions of all of its parts. You’ll need this knowledge to speak the language. It’ll help you learn as many course books expect that you’ve got those basics down. When you do this you’ll be a musician that’s intelligent and good at what they do.

You must understand the parts of the guitar before you plan on playing it well. This will help as you begin to play, as you will need to know the instrument well as you begin to learn chords, scales and the names of the strings.

You may get sore fingertips before they develop calluses. Use an electric guitar to combat this. Newbies find steel-string acoustic models to cause the most pain. It might feel good to soak your fingers in alcohol, but avoid hazardous substances like turpentine.

People young and old alike can learn to play a guitar. It’s an excellent instrument to learn regardless of your age or skill level. Plus, there are lots of styles of music it can play, from folk music to rock and roll. Use these suggestions to begin exploring a whole new side of musical enjoyment.…

Learning Guitar: The Best Article On The Topic Is Here

April 29, 2020 Comments Off

The guitar holds interest for people from all walks of life. If you want to learn guitar or wish to become a more talented player, this is the place for you.

Take formal lessons if you can. Though many people have taught themselves guitar, just as you can, you might want someone objective to watch you play. A good teacher can critique your style, but can also give you suggestions to make yourself better. This will also give you the opportunity to ask questions.

Stay motivated. Set short-term goals and long-term dreams for learning to play the guitar. It can also be helpful to practice with a fellow guitar player. If you’ve practiced every day for a week, reward yourself. Keep in mind that things worth doing will never be that easy.

Although this may be obvious to you, be sure you purchase a guitar if you’re wishing to play one well. Without a guitar, regular practice is difficult at best. Make sure the guitar is tuned to avoid hearing wrong sounds that are actually right.

You need to learn about musical notation, as well as guitar tabs. Musical theory can help you understand each scale and how different chords work. Learn each string’s note name and fret note. This is very helpful when you learn new melodies.

Remember that practicing guitar should always be fun. You should be learning to play because you’re passionate about it. Don’t make it into a something ugly and stressful. When you have that attitude, you may develop such a strong dislike to it that you may think about quitting. Continue practicing with music you like.

Get yourself a metronome. One of the biggest hurdles for a new guitar player to get over is keeping time. Metronomes are great for keeping you on track. By practicing regularly, you will have no trouble keeping time without a metronome.

Learn tunes in different keys. This helps you get used to certain chords. You will better understand music as well. The more you know, the better musician you’ll be.

Buy a metronome to improve your sound. You can improve your ability to keep a rhythm and keep your timing on target with a metronome. This prevents struggling with proper pacing since you can begin it slowly and hasten it as you get better. You will probably find that using a metronome is very beneficial to you honing your skills.

Try some useful exercises for strengthening fingers. Some chords require fancy handwork, and that is possible only when you can control the strings with your fingers. Be sure to practice some exercises and techniques that help make your hands stronger to improve your playing ability.

Master moving from one specific chord to another with ease. Dedicate a part of your practice time each day to this alone. Having the ability to transition from chord to chord skillfully is a good way to keep your sound tight.

As you can see, many things go into playing the guitar. There is much that you have to learn. The tips from above can help you become a better player and improve your skill at playing. So take what you have learned here, and start playing as soon as possible.…

What You Need To Know About Arts And Crafts

March 24, 2020 Comments Off

Everyone can do arts and crafts; some can even make it their job. No matter what you want to make, you can make something wonderful. Learning everything out there about your hobby is crucial, so begin with the advice in the article below.

If you are doing crafts with children, prepare for a mess. If that is a source of stress, you can cover your work surface with newspaper or butcher paper to catch the mess. Washable markers are another option.

If you cannot find the supplies you want at affordable prices, try thrift shops. They often have items which your creativity can turn into a project. Be sure to check back as inventory constantly changes.

It’s important to remember that you should not have one set idea in mind as to how the finished project should look when doing crafts with children. The perfect examples inhibit their imagination and hold them up to a standard. You want to focus on them being creative instead. For instance, never tell a child that an animal must have two eyes, a nose and a mouth. Instead, let them decide what the face should look like. Their thoughts and ideas are important, so allow them to be a part of the final execution of the project.

Look online for ideas for crafting. You will literally find thousands of websites that have ideas that will spark your imagination. No matter who is doing the project or how old they are, you can find something that you can all do by looking online.

Arts and crafts can be fun for kids of any age. If there is a bunch of children in your midst, think of a project that everyone can enjoy. For fun and creative ideas you can use your friends, family or the internet as resources to help you come up with something enjoyable to do.

Look in your kitchen for supplies. You are sure to find lots of interesting items there that can be used. Things alike metal cans, glass jars, and tin foil are just a few examples. Even dried beans and pasta can be crafting material.

Make sure that you have all the supplies before starting a project. It is easier to complete your project when you have everything you need handy. Write down everything you need beforehand, then run out and purchase those items.

Create presents for loved ones. You can customize your gifts to suit recipients, and give them on special occasions. People will appreciate the things you make with your own two hands so much more than store-bought items.

Use arts and crafts as a way to teach your children. Get them to do math, learn science or appreciate art.

Make sure that you allow yourself plenty of time for your arts and crafts. You will not get good results if you rush yourself. Quality means taking our time. If you don’t give the time a project needs, you won’t be giving it justice. Make the time to accomplish it right, and the results will speak for themselves.

You can now create all types of things, and you can do it better using the tips you’ve read. Use each to turn your projects into masterpieces. Eventually, you will see your projects becoming better.…

Want To Rock? Try These Guitar Tips And Tricks

March 9, 2020 Comments Off

Learning guitar is something that many people want to do. Unfortunately, few people put this wish into action. This article can help you break through that barrier. The following tips are great for beginning the process of learning to play guitar.

Don’t think you have to figure out all there is to know at one time. You will succeed by going slowly and deliberately. If you use the guitar each and every day, you will slowly start to learn the skills that you need for more complex playing.

Try to learn from a teacher. Someone who has experience can improve your playing ability a lot. Great teachers can assess your style and provide useful pointers. You’ll also be able to ask an expert some questions.

Keep yourself motivated. You should create both short-term and long-term goals for your guitar playing. If someone you know plays, join up with them for a music session every now and again. Set up a rewards system that rewards you when you practice daily for one week. Remember that nothing worth doing is easy.

Enjoy yourself while you are practicing your guitar. Remember that you’re learning it for fun. Do not make it something you find stressful. If you do, you may grow tired of it and stop practicing altogether. Play the songs that you find to be the most fun.

As you start out learning the guitar, find an well-made instrument that you can buy and practice on. Some music stores rent instruments. If you’re not sure that you will stick with playing the guitar, renting may be a good option for you. Using a good guitar can help you achieve great sounds when bettering yours skills.

Toughening your fingertips is necessary if you play the guitar. If you do not get calluses, playing will be painful. It will take time to accumulate callouses, but they will grow as you practice. You can also purchase products that expedite this process.

As a beginner on the guitar, it is important to become familiar with the names of all the different parts of the guitar. It is much easier to understand tutorials and instruction manuals if you know the terminology. That way, you will transform yourself into a truly knowledgeable musician.

Your fingertips will get sore with constant practice. It might hurt less to use nylon strings or an electric guitar. Avoid steel-string guitars, as they tend to hurt the most. Soaking your fingers in rubbing alcohol can help soothe the pain.

When learning songs, you should try playing them in different keys. This helps you get used to certain chords. It is also a way to get more acquainted with the music. You will become a much stronger, well-rounded musician.

How that you have learned a few key tips, you can start using them to learn the guitar. You won’t become a rock star overnight, but you can get a jump on the basics. Keep the above advice in mind when learning how to play the guitar.…

Arts and Entertainment – Getting Your Man to Appreciate Theater

February 2, 2020 Comments Off

If you ask a person what comes to mind when they think about Broadway theatre, they are likely to say is goes hand in hand with images of New York City and its Theater District. New York is certainly the mecca of all things Broadway. However, many major cities and metro regions across the United States have ornate play houses that host the hottest Broadway plays. It used to be that to see quality arts you had to be in New York City, but no more. Opera, ballet, musicals, productions and the works are seen across the country, making it more accessible to fans of Broadway… and their husbands.

Yes, that’s right, their husbands. To be sure, not all husbands or men are fanatically against attending Broadway plays, in fact we all enjoy it equally. It does seem, however, that stubborn men, and especially husbands, protest the most when it comes to accompanying their wives to a musical of any sort. At least, this is the stereotype or stigma that goes along with a ‘macho’ man. So, ladies, how can you convince, bribe, encourage or drag your man to a play and help him actually enjoy himself? Here are a few tips:

Find Some Action: Choose a drama or action infused production or play. Les Miserables is a great play with some war scenes, fighting, explosions and the works. With such intense action, he may not mind the musical aspect and in fact, he may find it adds to the experience. Ask him to think of it as the soundtrack to his favorite war movie.

Surprise Him: Make all the arrangements and include arts, entertainment and food and surprise him for the evening. Plan dinner or even a weekend getaway.

Make A Deal: Offer to do something he enjoys or give him some space to enjoy the things he loves in return for taking you out so that he sees this is a give-and-take deal.

Make It An Event: If he likes going to dinner and dancing, then get dressed up an have dinner, see the Broadway play and go dancing. Combining the evening with things you both enjoy will draw out the fun for both of you.

The More The Merrier: Invite your couple friends to join you. Your man will be more comfortable around a group of guys he knows and your gal friends will be excited to get out too.

Give A Little: The best relationships are those with two-way streets – meaning, if you’re asking him to give the arts a try, make an honest effort to enjoy things he does. Perhaps this means you don a football jersey and watch a game on Sunday, but who knows, you may get in to the spirit of the game and enjoy yourself. Showing him that you are meeting him in the middle will make him want to do the same for you.

These tips are geared towards the arts but can really be applied to anything you want to get your spouse interested in. The best way to encourage someone to enjoy the arts is to do just that – encourage them with positive reinforcement and never negative or nagging words. Encourage and discover with them which plays, productions or musicals they enjoy and what parts they love the most. Was it the music, the storyline, the special affects, set, props and wardrobe – all of these are magnificent when you are experiencing them from the audience of one of America’s fabulous theatres.…

M	T	W	T	F	S	S
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28	29	30	31