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The Implications of Technology on the 21st Century Writer

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Seeing as I am always writing for this blog – and many other online mediums – I find it of virtue to discuss this topic of writing, the internet and technology for a change of pace; as technology has certainly impacted the 21st century writer in numerous different ways. So for a different flavor of a blog post, today let’s examine just what those implications are, and how they affect writers like me and others during the present day.

More technological advancements have been made over the past twenty years than in the two hundred years or so that preceded them. The 90s dotcom boom really did change everything for the modern day writer, as did the innovations that were procured through the advancements of computers and word processing software, and the way that the Internet changed the writing metric forever. Soon after the 90s, paper mediums began to slowly lessen in their popularity, as electronic information sharing steadily took over the way that words, the news, social interaction and even personal communications like emailing, were conducted (now paper mail is called “snail mail” and most companies offer “green” e-billing to reduce paper usage). Indeed, technology has impacted the modern day writer on many different fronts, both positively and negatively, and its implications shouldn’t be overlooked.

Pros of Technology

The Internet has Catapulted this Industry to New Echelons

The arrival of the World Wide Web – the information superhighway – has ushered in a new realm for writers of all mediums, and entities that bring such works to the mainstream. Newspapers are now going broke in efforts to stay competitive with online news sources. E-books are quickly becoming the new medium, along with some innovative e-book readers, like Amazon’s Kindle. And even major bookstores chains are feeling the technological squeeze; Borders recently filed for Chapter 11 protection due to the lack of paper books being sold during the modern day, and is planning on shuddering hundreds of stores nationwide. In short: The Internet has enacted sweeping changes to the ways that writers – and publishers – used to do things. But this is not necessarily a bad thing.

Word Processing Software Streamlines the Composition Process

Similar to how video killed the radio star, computers and word processing software did away with the typewriter. No longer must writers change out ink rolls, use White Out to correct errors or even worry about misspelling a word. Rather, they can use state-of-the-art software that allows for them to more easily and more accurately compose anything. Such software applications have greatly enhanced the way that writers can work and have made the process far more efficient.

Popular Content Management Systems Enable Efficiency

Now writers can work in virtual worldwide networks thanks to innovative content management systems such as Blogger, Drupal, WordPress and others. With more and more writers working from out of their homes, such systems allow for them to easily compose, edit and submit their works to editors in real time. These unique content management systems are also equipped with many of the desirable features that the popular word processors offer; such as spell checkers and image and text formatting options.

Cons of Technology

The Dreaded Hourglass Syndrome is a Reality for Some Writers

While computers have advanced rapidly, most writers – and most people – don’t own the latest and greatest thing. Computer sluggishness is a large problem for many writers. An April 2010 report on this that was conducted by Reuters concluded that, “66 percent of computer users are at least somewhat stressed by slow-poke technology and 23 percent described themselves as very or extremely stressed.”

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Has Impacted Content Needs

Search engine optimization is at the forefront of writing – with the very rare exceptions of journalists and book writers. Now writers have to keep in mind that they need to add relevant keywords to their pieces, and ensure that they are SEO-friendly so that the major search engines pick them up and index them. Similarly, for many article writers, spinning articles, or rewriting the same article several different times for search engine optimization, has made the process seem more redundant and boring.

Those Who Don’t Stay Abreast Are Quickly Left Behind

With technology changing so rapidly, one has to be quick on their toes, lest they be left behind in the dust. This is especially apparent for freelance writers, who usually write much web-based or SEO-friendly content. If they don’t keep up to par with today’s standards and practices, they could find themselves out of clients rather quickly for failure to adapt to these constantly changing content requirements.

Reducing Stress

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There are a lot of ideas as to how to reduce the stress that one feels, but there are a few specific methods for relaxations. These methods can be easy to do, sometimes requiring no more than a few minutes per day. Some of these methods can be more time consuming than others, but each of them are well worth the effort and the time that is needed to be invested in the method.

 

  • Exercise is a great way to reduce stress. This should be engaged in for at least 30 minutes every other day if allowed by the individual’s medical professional. This can reduce the levels of cortisol in a person, and increase the oxytosin that a person has in his or her blood. This makes a person feel better, have more energy, sleep better and lose weight.
  • Eat healthy food. By eating healthy foods, one can increase the amount of energy that he or she has available to them. This will allow a person to be more productive and therefore reducing the amount of stress that one experiences. Eating healthy foods includes some complex carbohydrates, proteins and limited fats. Fast food is not considered healthy foods, although a limited amount considered okay.
  • Meditation is a great way to reduce stress and has been used as such for an era. The process of meditation is not complicated, but rather the clearing of the mind, the focusing on the present. This can be achieved by focusing on one’s breathing, removing distractions and relaxing.
  • Take a break. It may sound counter intuitive to take a break when one is busy and stressed, but this can be vital to the stress relief of the individual, the increase of energy and the new thought processes that can help to streamline and organize the current thoughts, allowing one to come up with new ideas for solving a problem. This can help people come up new and improved ways to do things and in particular reduce the stress that one experiences.

 

Sleeping the Weight Away

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It sounds obvious; medicine and science have found that many adults are sleep deprived. That most people manage to only get a few hours of solid sleep a day, lack naps and are overdosing on stimulants such as caffeine in order to keep up with their days. This leaves people feeling exhausted, hungry, tired, and crabby. In addition, sleep deprived individuals make more decisions, look for quick energy sources like caffeine and sugar, and gain weight.

Yep, you read that right, your lack of sleep is what is making it harder for you to fit in those skinny jeans you love so much. There are quite a few reasons that sleep is such a major contributor to one’s weight loss goals and the fight against obesity. One is that those individuals who are sleep deprived suffer more stress due to the lack of sleep. This causes a jump in cortisol, and this jump then translates into more energy being stored as fat.

Another concern is the intake of sugars in order to obtain that quick energy many people need in order to stay awake. This increase in sugar is then stored by the body as fats. The carbohydrates that are burnt as fuel are burnt in stead of, not in addition  to, the fats that the body already has stored as energy sources. While the sugar does provide the individual with that quick burst of energy, it also slows down the individual’s energy level after the burst wears off, requiring more sugar to keep going.

Sugar also has a lot of excess calories in it. These excess calories are not needed by the body and therefore they are stored. The body cannot just dump calories, and therefore the calories are transferred into fats, and those fats are then stored around the waist, in the legs and butt of the individual.

Sleep deprivation also limits the body’s ability to heal itself. Healing and repairing damaged tissues is vital to the health of the body. If this is not allowed to happen, one risks serious injury or even illness or death. Repairing the body takes a lot of work, and that uses up additional energy. This additional energy is not being supplemented by sugars and excess foods, so therefore the body uses fat reserves in order to complete the task.

If you are looking to lose weight or maintain the weight you have, without gaining any more, consider going to bed a little bit earlier, sleeping a little bit later. You just might wake up feeling refreshed, happy, full of energy and ready to tackle a new day. While you will still have to watch your diet and enjoy exercise, you just might find yourself losing weight by taking naps and enjoying a little extra sleep during the day.

Importance of Foundation

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Foundation is the foothold of everything, be it a building, a relationship or make up. Being able to find the right foundation can make or break whatever is built over that foundation. While it seems a little overly dramatic to compare a home’s foundation to make up foundation, rest assured it is the same concept. There are some important things to consider when purchasing foundation make up and using the foundation. This can make or break your image.

  1. Look for foundation that resembles your natural skin tone. When the foundation is placed on the back of one’s hand and gently applied, the foundation should appear to disappear. Remember, foundation is not used to change our skin tone, but rather smooth out the skin tone.
  2. Apply the foundation with a sponge. This way the foundation can be evenly spread and it has a more natural appearance. For those areas that require a little bit more coverage, dab the foundation on, as opposed to wiping it on. This will provide more coverage without necessarily increasing the amount of foundation used or causing a fake appearance.
  3. Be sure to blend the foundation well. Most people tend to forget to blend the foundation along the jaw line and hair line. This gives the individual a mask like affect, even if the amount of make up used is minimal.
  4. Use foundation wherever additional make up will be placed with the exception of the lips. This will provide the powders that most make are made from something to stick to, and will provide an individual with a longer lasting finished look to them.
  5. Use liquid foundation first then set this with a foundation powder. This will feel light but will also provide one with a stronger and longer lasting image. This will also allow one to appear softer and more natural than if liquid or powdered foundation alone were used.

Hips Don’t Lie

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The “Dancing with the Twin Cities’ Celebrities” hips with probably the most exciting action have been undermined by a bum knee.

St. Paul’s FACES restaurant owner David Fhima had to pull out of Saturday’s charity event at the Minneapolis Hilton because his orthopedist doesn’t think the muscles around the chef’s knee need the added stress of trying to remember dance steps. Fhima doesn’t need to be out of commission with any new knee problems, his wife, Lori Fhima, told me.

I imagine, just from watching Mr. Sexy Pants navigate FACES’ kitchen and dining areas, that he can dance? “He can dance,” said Lori.

Melinda Jacobs, who will dance the bolero, asked me to handicap the hip action of her competitors. But since not everybody is doing a dance that requires hip action, this is all I have to offer. No matter how Macy’s trend expert Laura Schara sambas, guys will love it. Fashion blogger Richard Moody of IamMoody.com will tango up a storm. And Joe Schmit, KSTP sports anchor … well, let’s just hope he doesn’t pull anything.

And the Arthur Murray Dance Studio professionals would probably appreciate remaining uninjured at this benefit for various charities.

View the full article at http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/116367334.html

Consume These Five Things Daily for Youthful, Supple and Toned Skin

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Skin, it’s the most noticeable and the largest organ on our bodies. Our skin can say a lot about who we are, what our health and eating habits are like, and can easily dictate how presentable that we feel, as well as greatly contributing to our self confidence. It goes without saying that all fashion-minded individuals generally care a great deal for the health of their skin; I sure do.

But you don’t necessarily have to break the bank by spending oodles of cash on tons of different supplements and skincare products to enjoy healthy skin; although such products can really aid you along the way. To better help you enjoy more youthful, supple and elastic skin—here are five easy and delicious things to add to your daily intake.

1. Go crazy over berries! Did you know that yummy berries, such as blueberries and strawberries, are loaded with antioxidants? These help to eradicate free-radicals, which can damage your skin or contribute to premature aging.
2. Speaking of free-radicals and antioxidants, don’t forget to get your daily intake of green tea, iced, hot or even in a smoothie. It contains some very potent antioxidants as well.
3. While we are on the subject of antioxidants, eat more uncooked olive oil. You can enjoy it on bread or on a salad, or a number of other tasty eats. It’s not only bursting with antioxidants, but olive oil also contains certain phytochemicals that help to keep your skin healthy.
4. Water, water and more water! Our skin is comprised of mostly water. So drink up, because you should be drinking at least 7-8 glasses per day.
5. Don’t forget to get your proper amounts of vitamin E in. A delish way to do this is by eating more nuts, or seeds or even dark green vegetables. They provide a substantial source of this vitamin, which is crucial in the maintenance of healthy skin.