Three Practical Ways You Can Improve Your Home

Having your own home is one of the biggest achievements you can make in your youth. Finally, you have a space that you can call your own and enjoy the independence you have always wanted. As amazing as it is to have your house, there are always things that you can do to make it a better and more enjoyable place to come back to after a long day at work.

To help you start to make these improvements to your home and your life in general, this handy guide has put together to get you started. These are the best three improvements you can make to start your home renovation in the right way.

Invest in the maintenance of your roof

When people think of home improvements, they tend to only give thought to the cosmetic side of things, in terms of interior design. While this can make your home look lovely, if the underlying structures are not properly looked after, then none of this will matter.

One of the most important of the practical considerations is the roof. A roof that is well looked after will ensure the protection of all your household items and aid in keeping in heat during the winter. You can click here to find roofers Charleston SC who will be able to identify any issues and fix your home to a high standard.

Prepare your garden for the summer

With summer just around the corner, one way to make some serious improvement to your home is to learn how to landscape your back yard. This isn’t something that requires you to have training in to be able to do well; it just means you need to do your research and invest in the proper tools to complete the job.

Go online and look up some professional gardens in order to get some ideas together about what you might be able to do with the space you have. If you are not someone who has particularly green fingers, then choosing to create a gravel garden with potted plants only will be a great alternative and easy to maintain no matter what the weather is.

Increase your storage space creatively

Another practical way that you can improve your home is to put some serious thought into your storage. Nothing can make a home more unpleasant to be in than clutter as this environment can cause stress and make you unhappy. Looking up some clever storage hacks to improve your home can make all the difference.

For example, something as simple as modifying your headboard to be pull-out storage space to keep in books, creams, and maybe even your pajama sets. Another good idea is put up shelving around the perimeter is your room just above head height; this is a great way to make use of dead space.

By making these changes to your home, you will be able to enjoy a higher quality of life and get excited about spending time in your own home again.

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Step back in time to the birthplace of Swing: The Savoy Ballroom

  Experience the best in classic swing, new swing, and electro swing along with vintage latin big band tunes.  Our extensive collection of dances are grouped by type and tempo to make dancing more realistic and fun. Dance to our SavoyStream 24x7, with volunteer dance partners often available.  Weekly hosted shows and monthly parties. Our Swing Era Museum and full-immersion Dance 301 Classroom brings the Golden Age of swing to life. Visit anytime - the swing never stops at Savoy.   In beautiful Creations Park

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Creations%20Park/33/50/28

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LUXURY IN YOUR SECONDLIFE – SPOTLIGHT ON LUXORY AND WILLOWDALE ESTATES- JOSH BELLIC REPORTING

“If you’re gonna live twice, why not live your Second Life in Luxury?”

And what better place to live that luxury than Luxory Estates and Willowdale Estates

The dictionary defines Luxury as: the state of great comfort and extravagant living.  This aptly captures the look and feel of life at “Luxory and Willowdale Estates” properties.

Two of SecondLife’s best and brightest minds, Imagin Illyar of Willowdale Estates, and Vanity Bonetto of Luxory Estates have teamed up to provide the quintessential land purchasing experience, unmatched anywhere on the entire grid.  

Immediately after landing at the sales pavilion, I was greeted by Andrea DeLauren, one of their courteous and highly professional staff.  This was no “sales bot”, but was an honest to goodness sales associate who knows the business and the details about their properties inside and out.  In fact, I was to learn that Luxory and Willowdale have a crew of eight such sales associates, providing an available agent 24/7.

I learned that Willowdale offers high-end professionally landscaped homesteads as well as full prim parcel land, and their newest product – the full homesteads.  Being a novice to the world of land purchasing, I asked Andrea, just what IS a “homestead”, and how does it differ from other properties? She told me that In SL there are two different types of sims.... "Homesteads" and "Full Prim".  Homesteads are sims with 5k prims capacity and Full Prim sims have 20k or 30K prims in total. In homestead sims you find bigger plots, usually more private... but with less prims... In Full Prim sims you get more neighbors, smaller parcels but much more prims for the price.  

Despite being one of the busiest women in SecondLife, I was able to catch up with Imagin Illyar and ask her a few questions about the Luxory and Willowdale Estates partnership.

Josh Bellic: So tell me, Imagin, what was it that turned you onto the idea of managing properties in SecondLife?

Imagin Illyar:  I bought my first sim 3 months after first joining Second Life back in 2008.  I knew as soon as I realized there was such a thing as an estate that I wanted to run one.  I enjoyed virtual landscaping from the very beginning. Making beautiful spaces is my passion and after 11 years of it I still feel as though I can't get enough.

JB: Do you, personally, own a home in Luxory Estates or Willowdale Estates and what is the difference between the two groups?  

II:  Luxory and Willowdale started out as separate estates but we merged them in December 2017.  I had known Vanity Bonetto, the owner, for many years and by joining our estates Willowdale has been able to grow and expand far beyond what I was able to do on my own.  56 sims have been added to Willowdale since merging with Luxory. It was a smart move, and yes, I make my home at Willowdale :)

JB:  What is it that makes Luxory Estates - Willowdale Estates. different from all the rest?

II:  The first thing people will notice is the landscaping.  Our tenants can also switch landscaping styles upon request. I have developed a system that allows me to do a switch in 10 minutes so you don't have to actually move to get a fresh new look for your homestead. Our sims are far above and beyond what is typical in SL, but it's the dedicated 24/7 customer service that really makes us stand out.  I know anyone can say that but our occupancy rate is usually around 95% and it's because we treat our tenants very well.

JB:  Tell me about the partnership between Luxory Estates and Willowdale  Estates? Has there been a real synergy when you decided to come together?  

II:  I ran Willowdale myself for 11 years and partnered with Vanity Bonetto of Luxory Estate in December of 2017. Since then 56 new sims have been added for a current total of 86 - and we are planning even more significant growth for the next year.  Vanity and I are a great team - I do the creative work and she runs the business end. Her highly-trained sales staff are the best in the business. We have both benefited greatly from the partnership. Vanity Bonetto and I are a perfect team.  I'm a creative type and she's the most talented business person I've ever met.  As I mentioned, we knew each other for many years before actually joining the estates.  In retrospect we should have done it from the beginning.  We've both benefited greatly from the merger.

JB:  Do you have plans for expansion?  Maybe create common use areas, like a community pool or clubhouses for use by fellow property owners?

II:  Absolutely!  Full homesteads are a new product for Willowdale and the reception has been overwhelming.  It has become difficult to keep them in stock! I very much enjoy creating new layouts for them and I hope that this growth momentum will continue for many years.  We have 4 different styles available so far and I hope to add the 5th any day now. The homestead styles I create are very unique from anything you will find elsewhere on the grid.

I've created many different common areas for tenants in the past they didn't work out.  I find that people in SL think they want common areas on estates but once provided they just don't get used.  There are a great many places that offer entertaining things for people to do in Second Life, what I provide is a peaceful and private place to come home to when you're done with that.  I've decided to just focus on doing what I do best and it's been working very well.

So, there you have it Folks.  Something for everyone. Land ownership just doesn't get any better than this!

SLURL:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LUXORY/131/131/25

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Petra's Performance Schedule & Hosts for Week of 4/21/19

                    ARTIST                                                                              HOST

                                                   TUESDAY, APRIL 23
                                                  
                                                  
    2pm     Paris Obscur                                                                    Alyss
   
    3pm     Savannah Rain                                                                 Alyss
   
    4pm     Wayne Davis                                                                   Foxxy
   
    5pm     Erik Kottzen                                                                     Foxxy
   
    6pm     Liam Wakeman                                              
   
    7pm     Savannah Coronet                                                          Sweet
   
    8pm     Essence Bilasimo                                                           Sweet
   
    9pm     Hogan Bailey                                     
   
   
   
                                                   FRIDAY, APRIL 26
   
   
   
   
    1pm     Telima                                                                            Alyss
   
    2on      (Lisa Brune Not In This Week)
   
    3pm     Jack Slade                                                                     Foxxy
   
    4pm     AMforte Clarity                                                              Sweet
   
    5pm     Collin Martin                                                                   Foxxy
   
    6pm     Max Kleene                                                                   Sweet

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Events For Parkinson's and Miss Globe Universal Charity Foundation partnered up to bring a exciting new event, The Oasis

Last day April 21st!


The event will kick off on April 1st and end April 21st. It will be a beautiful three week event inspired by Egyptian history.

We plan to provide a beautiful Egyptian themed region for invited brands, bloggers, and guests for an fun shopping experience, music, theater entertainment, twice the hunts and much more during the wonderful time of the Spring season in the era of Ancient Egypt. We also want to raise more awareness for this amazing charity through education for guests. Lending your support to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, we are forever grateful.

About The Michael J Fox Foundation

════════════════════════

Team Fox is the Grassroots Fund Raising Branch of the Michael J Fox Foundation. All their overhead and expenses are anonymously covered so that 100% raised by Team Fox is passed on to the Michael J Fox Foundation who then determines the most promising research into finding a cure for Parkinson’s.

The Michael J Fox Foundation has the highest rating by Charity Navigator. They work very hard to keep their overhead exceptionally low at only 11%. They give 89%, directly to the best research. This is perhaps the highest amount going to research of any major charity in the world. Their commitment is to find a CURE not only to find more expensive medicine or treatments.

Social Media

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Flickr Group

https://www.flickr.com/groups/creationsforparkinsons/

Official Blog

https://creationspark.wordpress.com/

SLurl:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Greenmist/105/134/3201

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GeekSpeak – 5G is coming! 5G is coming! Join the discussion Saturday April 20th at 12pm SLT

5G is coming.  What will that mean?  Will we all get fried by the data streams in the air, or will it usher in a whole new era?

What are the advantages of superfast data?  Will it enable thousands of drones to be in the air together?  Will it mean that self-driving cars finally take off?  Personalised ads on every corner wherever you walk?  Will it mean that everyone can look you up on Facebook before you walk around the corner?  Will every city be a forest of antennae?  

What new developments can you think of?  How will human behaviour change once we are always online at high speed?  Will we ever want to go back?  Will we be able to?

Do you look forward to the new world?  Or does it frighten you?  Discuss the future with us at GeekSpeak.

IM Vulcan Viper if you have any ideas for new subjects.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Danmu/143/127/51

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What You Need to Know About Caring for an Elderly Relative

What You Need to Know About Caring for an Elderly Relative

Aging is a fact of life, and while you might not think about your relatives getting older, it’s going to happen sooner or later. When you’re young, it’s difficult to imagine how a relative’s aging is going to affect them or indeed you. While they’re still in good health, you might not be too concerned. However, there will come a time when the effects of aging become more apparent and long-term care may be needed. They will experience a decline in physical and mental abilities, there may be changes to their appearance, and their standard of life may change, together with their emotional well-being.

Understanding how aging affects people and being aware of the options available means you can offer support and guidance.

Taking care of an elderly relative is one of the most challenging and difficult things you may ever have to experience. If you are, or soon will be, caring for an elderly relative here are some things you need to know.

Do Your Research

There are plenty of options when it comes to caring for an elderly relative. As a person's health deteriorates, a nursing home is generally the first option most people consider; however, it is possible for your loved one to retain their independence by living at home. There’s lots of support in the community and adjustments that can be made in their home.

A home can be modified to allow wheelchair or walker access. A ramp can be installed if steps have become a problem. Arm rails can be installed throughout the house to help them get around and for using the bathroom safely.

There are organizations that deliver frozen meals to seniors who live at home. There may also be schools, senior homes and faith-based settings that offer meals in a community setting.

Adult day care is another option worth considering and can be particularly valuable when an elder is alone all day and feeling lonely. As well as socializing with others of the same age, there may be arts and crafts, exercise, games and organized visits.

It’s also possible that your relative may not be able to stay in their home, because their health has deteriorated too much or it’s simply not a safe option. When a relative has Alzheimer’s or dementia, for example, they may need specialist care. If you’re worried about how to pay for this type of care, don’t be because there are financial resources available to help.

Have a Routine

If you’ve decided to care for your relative in your own home it’s important to get into a routine as this will mean you’re able to get so much more done. Agree a time for breakfast, for example, or a time when you need to help them out of bed and to get dressed. Your routine can also include regular times for meals and medication. If you’ve got a lot to do every day with regards their care, it might help if you make a list and tick tasks off as you go.

Setting a routine is not something you can do on your own. You’re not your relatives guardian after all, and they should be allowed some input because that makes them feel more in control. Sit down and have an honest conversation about things and if you’re open with each other, you’ll be able to see each other’s point of view. Agreeing on a routine together also means there’ll be fewer disagreements later on.

Don’t Ever Be Too Embarrassed to Ask for Professional Help

Taking on the care of an elderly relative all by yourself is a very brave thing to do. It is, however, unnecessary as there are plenty of people who can lend a hand. A live-in caregiver, for example, would be able to move into a spare room in your relative’s home and be available to provide 24-hour support and one-on-one care. If your relative needs something in the middle of the night, wants something from the store, or anything else they might be needed for they’ll always be there. This type of care can be very helpful if a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia. They will be able to provide a supportive role or a more leading role in the care of your relative.

It’s Vital You Look After Yourself

If you spend a large portion of your time looking after your relative it’s going to be very easy to forget about caring for yourself. You’ll be no good to anyone if you burn out. There are things you can do to ensure you’re in tip top condition. For example, getting enough sleep is vital, along with plenty of regular exercise. Eating a healthy and balanced diet is also going to keep you in good health.

Something else you should remember is that there’s lots of help available for caregivers. The first person you should talk to is your doctor. Let them know what you’re doing to help your relative and they’ll be able to assess your health accordingly. As well as ensuring you’re getting what you need to stay healthy, they’ll also be able to offer you advice with regards your lifestyle. There are going to be other caregivers in the area and your GP will be able to put you in touch with them. Having a support network is important.

One final tip is to make sure you’ve scheduled some “you” time into your routine. Even a five minute breather is going to make a difference to the way you feel. However, a few hours, days, or even a week to yourself will be very beneficial. If you’ve got family or friends who can help out in the longer term perhaps they won’t mind taking the reins so you can take a break. If family or friends aren’t an option for you there are care companies who will be able to help in the short term. Respite care is going to be available wherever you might live. A quick search online should provide a solution.     

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY Gabriel da Silva!

On behalf of The SL Enquirer, we wish you a happy birthday!

Celebration kicking off now at Solarwinds! April 15th at 7pm SLT

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife//227/230/2630

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Pajama Party at House of Willuna's Club Xplosion Wednesday April 17th 7-9pm SLT

House of Willuna   - Club Xplosion (downstairs)

DJ:         Tommi

HOST:     Willow

THEME:   PJ's

MUSIC:   80's

Come along have a great night with friends, excellent music

Look forward to seeing you

Cash Prize for best outfit

TELEPORT NOW

Upcoming Events: Mark your calendar!

Friday 19th April - Monday 22nd EASTER EVENT TBA  (egg hunt? 
Scavanger hunt, across sims progressive fun etc

Sunday 21st April - Max's rez day. KEEP DAY FREE 

Mon 22nd April - Club xplosion Poolside  Theme:  Easter Beach Party

Mon 29th April - Club xplosion Downstairs inside Club  Theme: Mad Max inspired - 
Leather or latex or grunge

*     *     *     *    *    *    *    *    *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Mon 6th  May  - Club xplosion Poolside  Theme:  "Be a Blonde"

Mon 13th May - Club xplosion Downstairs inside Club  Theme:  Adventure/tribal/primal

Mon 20th May - Club xplosion Poolside  Theme:  "Summer Fun"

Mon 27th May- Club xplosion Downstairs inside Club  Theme: Gangster/roaring 20's


*     *     *     *    *    *    *    *    *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *
1ST ANNIVERSARY  

Mon 3rd June  - Club xplosion DANAFOR'S Restuarant - Formal attire

Mon 10th June - Club xplosion Downstairs inside Club  Theme: Leather & Latex

Mon 17th June - Club xplosion Seaside Ballroom Theme:   Semi Formal By the sea magic 

Mon 24th June - Club xplosion Downstairs inside Club  Theme:  Fetish outfit

*     *     *     *    *    *    *    *    *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Mon 1st July - Club xplosion  Theme:  Beach 4th July Picnic celebration 

Mon 8th July - Club xplosion Downstairs inside Club  Theme: Nurses/maids/doctors etc

Mon 15th July- Club xplosion Poolside  Theme:  Nerds & cheerleaders

Mon 22nd July - Club xplosion Downstairs inside Club  Theme: Super Hero


Mon 29th July- Club xplosion Poolside  Theme:  Wear your favourite Hat


http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sherlock/202/86/21

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Tips For Planning The Perfect Business Event

Are you planning a business event? No matter if it is a presentation, workshop, guided tour or any other kind of event, it is vital that you carefully plan the occasion so that it can be a complete success. These events are important for raising brand awareness and reputation, so you need to make sure that you are painting your organization in a positive light. This is easier said than done, but there are a few tips which should and reduce the stress of planning one of these occasions. Read on to find out more about how to plan a successful business event.

Determine The Goals

First, you need to establish what the goals are for the business event so that you can make important decisions to help you achieve these goals. A few examples include:

• Launching a new product
• Raising awareness about your brand
• Improving the company reputation
• Attracting new customers
• Attracting investors

Work Out The Size

Once you know what you want to achieve you can begin to plan the scale of the event which will also help you to find a suitable venue. A few keys aspects to consider will be:

• How many people will be attending?
• How long will the event last for?
• Will you provide refreshments?
• Will there be entertainment?

Assemble Your Team

You can then start to assemble your team to help put on the perfect business event. This could involve identifying people who can help make bookings, plan the structure of the event, set up, etc. You should also establish who will be welcoming guests, giving speeches, etc. as early as possible so that they have time to prepare.

Timing

Timing is everything when it comes to business events especially if it is a one-off. You will want to find a time where people will be free, but equally, you must factor in that there are likely to be other events happening around holidays and weekends.

Guest List

Next, you should start to make a guest list so that you can send out invitations. If you plan on having the event public, like a guided tour of your factory, then you need to estimate your attendance and consider putting a ticketing system in place to make sure that you do not have too many people showing up.

Create A Budget

When you start to plan any kind of business event it is very easy to get carried away and forget that money will play a big role in the scope of your event. Figure out exactly how much money the company can afford to spend on the event as this will then help you to work out how much can be spent on each area with a budget. Key areas to consider include:

• Furniture
• Decoration
• Catering
• Hired help
• PA system

A good way to keep the costs of the business event low is to find volunteers who can help with the running of the event and to look into purchasing goods second-hand or if employees are willing to let you borrow items for the event.

Communication

No matter what type of event you are hosting, communication will be crucial. Whether this is somebody giving a presentation, a tour or even a launch party you will need to be able to clearly communicate with the visitors. One of the most effective ways to do this is with one-way tour guide systems with Q&A interaction from specialists like Plant Tours. These are guide/leader headsets which enable you to deliver your message with ease even in a noisy environment.

Create A Schedule

You will now have everything that you need for the event so you can start creating a schedule. How the day unfolds will depend on what the event is and what your goals are but you can begin planning what will happen throughout the day and people can start work on speeches/scripts etc.

Advertising

It is then a case of creating awareness about your business event (if it is public). Fortunately, the internet makes this incredibly easy as you can advertise on your website and on social media. If it is a public event you could also create leaflets and distribute them in the community and advertise in the local paper. Be sure to let people know well in advance of the event so that you are able to maximize the amount of people in attendance.

Practice Runs

It is always helpful to have a few practice runs before the event. This will help you to get your timings right, iron out any issues and to boost confidence prior to the event.

Remain Positive

On the day of the event, it is very easy to over stress and worry about all the minor details. While it is good to be on the ball, it is also important to have a positive attitude particularly if you are interacting with guests. There will always be a few hiccups and small issues that occur during any event but you simply need to be able to take these in your stride.

Following Up

A crucial yet often overlooked area of business events is following up after the event. Seek feedback from your visitors so that you can learn and find ways to improve for the next one. It can be hard to chase up feedback sometimes which is why it is worth incentivizing visitors with a discount or free gift. You also need to work with your team to reflect on the event and figure out what worked well, what could be improved and if it helped you to achieve your goals.

Planning any kind of business event can be stressful especially if you do not have a huge amount of experience in event management. A business event can also be a brilliant way to boost your business and help you to achieve various goals, but only if the event is well-organized and clearly thought out. This post should help you to plan the perfect business event whether it is a product launch, guided tour, lecture or any other kind of event.

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