The rice bag works, but I have known of phones that had to be left in the bag for a week. If the phone is not too wet, it can be dried with a blow dryer (after the phone has been taken apart) or may also respond to being left on top of heat emitting appliances. More ideas here:
http://cell-phone-info-online.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Wet Phone
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Vocal Maintenance
Vocal Maintenance
6 easy steps to maintaining vocal health
Vocal maintenance is a challenging issue for singers and performers of all kinds, including teachers, lawyers, actors, and politicians. All the folks who use their voices extensively in their work experience vocal problems at one time or another. Weather and allergies contribute to our overall vocal health, and the vocal chords, sensitive little things that they are, sometimes just get tired of working. Serious vocal problems require serious attention. There are, however, a number of things that you can practice regularly to strengthen your voice, care for it properly, and improve your own vocal maintenance habits.
We make behavioral choices every day that militate against vocal health and maintenance. We work too hard, put in long hours, fail to eat properly and exercise – all of the things that also create other health challenges for us. Healthy maintenance of the voice and vocal chords is one area that can be easily improved with some everyday changes. Try these tips for keep the voice clear and strong.
1. Work on your posture. Sounds simple, yes? Well, when your torso is collapsed, even a little, your lung capacity is significantly decreased. Less air = more vocal stress. The air needs to be able to float through the chords rather than being forced. So –
a. Stand up straight. When standing, keep your feet about shoulder width apart.
b. When walking, avoid splayed feet or pigeon toes. Train yourself to walk with your feet straight.
c. Elongate your spine. Test this by holding your arms and hands straight up. Notice where your ribcage is. Keep it there as you drop your arms and relax your shoulders.
d. Elevate your head. Think of it as being held in a sling that is suspended from the ceiling. Let your forehead reach up and out. President Obama sometimes gets a bad rap for looking imperious, but it is great posture.
e. When you sit, sit on the edge of the chair whenever possible. Keep your feet under you and treat the ribcage, spine and head just as you do when you are standing.
2. Breathe deeply. Good vocal maintenance is dependent upon lots of air. Now that good posture is becoming a habit, work on taking low, deep breaths. Try these:
a. Create and imaginary belt with long balloons attached and inch apart all the way around (think fun-balloon-animal balloons). Place the imaginary belt around your middle, level with your belly button. Now pretend that the balloons can be filled up with your breath. Inhale low enough and deeply enough to fill those balloons. Try this exercise several times a day. You’ll be surprised at how quickly your air capacity will increase. Greater air volume is a key element of proper vocal maintenance.
b. Choose a spot across the room from you about the size of a push pin. Focus on the spot, purse your lips, and blow out air through constricted lips as if your air is a laser burning a hole through the middle of the pin. Notice how the muscles around your mid-section respond with tension. This is the basis for good breath support.
3. Utilize good breath support. Breath support in healthy vocal maintenance is just the combination of low breathing, use of lower and upper abdominal muscles to control the air (as in the laser exercise), and relaxation of the upper torso, shoulders, neck and head.
4. Maintain hydration. Drink water. Then drink more water. Avoid caffeine and alcohol before speaking or singing. The vocal folds are thin and dry out easily. Keep the body hydrated so that the chords stay supple.
5. Get some vocal rest. Yes, I know. Easier said than done. But if healthy vocal maintenance is important to you, you must rest the voice periodically. Set aside a morning or afternoon each week when you do not speak. Don’t hum, don’t sing, don’t even mutter. Give your chords a break.
6. Don’t smoke. Obvious, but important. Both the smoke and the heat act on the larynx and trachea with damaging inflammation. Interestingly, unfiltered marijuana smoke causes even greater irritation to the throat and trachea than does tobacco smoke.
The maintenance of good vocal health takes much less effort than is necessary to repair damage. Create new habits. Take care of the voice now and you will reap beautiful, mellifluous rewards for life!
http://www.singingsuccess.com/cmd.php?af=1063622
6 easy steps to maintaining vocal health
Vocal maintenance is a challenging issue for singers and performers of all kinds, including teachers, lawyers, actors, and politicians. All the folks who use their voices extensively in their work experience vocal problems at one time or another. Weather and allergies contribute to our overall vocal health, and the vocal chords, sensitive little things that they are, sometimes just get tired of working. Serious vocal problems require serious attention. There are, however, a number of things that you can practice regularly to strengthen your voice, care for it properly, and improve your own vocal maintenance habits.
We make behavioral choices every day that militate against vocal health and maintenance. We work too hard, put in long hours, fail to eat properly and exercise – all of the things that also create other health challenges for us. Healthy maintenance of the voice and vocal chords is one area that can be easily improved with some everyday changes. Try these tips for keep the voice clear and strong.
1. Work on your posture. Sounds simple, yes? Well, when your torso is collapsed, even a little, your lung capacity is significantly decreased. Less air = more vocal stress. The air needs to be able to float through the chords rather than being forced. So –
a. Stand up straight. When standing, keep your feet about shoulder width apart.
b. When walking, avoid splayed feet or pigeon toes. Train yourself to walk with your feet straight.
c. Elongate your spine. Test this by holding your arms and hands straight up. Notice where your ribcage is. Keep it there as you drop your arms and relax your shoulders.
d. Elevate your head. Think of it as being held in a sling that is suspended from the ceiling. Let your forehead reach up and out. President Obama sometimes gets a bad rap for looking imperious, but it is great posture.
e. When you sit, sit on the edge of the chair whenever possible. Keep your feet under you and treat the ribcage, spine and head just as you do when you are standing.
2. Breathe deeply. Good vocal maintenance is dependent upon lots of air. Now that good posture is becoming a habit, work on taking low, deep breaths. Try these:
a. Create and imaginary belt with long balloons attached and inch apart all the way around (think fun-balloon-animal balloons). Place the imaginary belt around your middle, level with your belly button. Now pretend that the balloons can be filled up with your breath. Inhale low enough and deeply enough to fill those balloons. Try this exercise several times a day. You’ll be surprised at how quickly your air capacity will increase. Greater air volume is a key element of proper vocal maintenance.
b. Choose a spot across the room from you about the size of a push pin. Focus on the spot, purse your lips, and blow out air through constricted lips as if your air is a laser burning a hole through the middle of the pin. Notice how the muscles around your mid-section respond with tension. This is the basis for good breath support.
3. Utilize good breath support. Breath support in healthy vocal maintenance is just the combination of low breathing, use of lower and upper abdominal muscles to control the air (as in the laser exercise), and relaxation of the upper torso, shoulders, neck and head.
4. Maintain hydration. Drink water. Then drink more water. Avoid caffeine and alcohol before speaking or singing. The vocal folds are thin and dry out easily. Keep the body hydrated so that the chords stay supple.
5. Get some vocal rest. Yes, I know. Easier said than done. But if healthy vocal maintenance is important to you, you must rest the voice periodically. Set aside a morning or afternoon each week when you do not speak. Don’t hum, don’t sing, don’t even mutter. Give your chords a break.
6. Don’t smoke. Obvious, but important. Both the smoke and the heat act on the larynx and trachea with damaging inflammation. Interestingly, unfiltered marijuana smoke causes even greater irritation to the throat and trachea than does tobacco smoke.
The maintenance of good vocal health takes much less effort than is necessary to repair damage. Create new habits. Take care of the voice now and you will reap beautiful, mellifluous rewards for life!
http://www.singingsuccess.com/cmd.php?af=1063622
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Fun Board Games
Fun Board Games
In praise of good clean family fun
Ah, the joy of a family night of fun board games played at the dining table! From Chutes and Ladders to Monopoly, through Tripoly and Clue, to Stratego, Risk, and Battleship, board games are just plain fun.
When we were youngsters, our movies were books and our game consoles were stored in boxes on the closet shelves. I recently rediscovered this joy with my seven-year-old granddaughter. We made a decision to watch tv less and spend more time doing things that encouraged conversation and personal interaction. It was a great decision. We spent the summer working puzzles, reading books together, and playing games at the dining room table. I now know which girls in her class giggle too much, which boys will chase you on the playground, and how much homework "they" expect her to get done. I also had the pleasure of watching my really smart, very funny granddaughter become a card shark.
All of this together time took me back to my childhood. We never really had to decide to watch less television. We only got three channels and my father's interests ran the gamut from the news to football. Chet Huntley, David Brinkley, and Joe Namath pretty well dominated the airwaves at our house. The Philco belonged to Daddy. So we played outside in the sunshine and played inside when the rains came or nightfall drove us indoors. I can still sense the feeling of sitting around the kitchen table on a cold night with my brothers and sister and sometimes my parents, the smell of goodies cooking, the laughter swelling with the ups and downs of game play. I remember so clearly knowing the warmth and comfort of my place in the family. And all of this is connected in my mind with the delightful fun of board games.
Board Games for Adults can be fun!
Board Games for ADULTS??? Okay, "for Adults" doesn?t have to mean "for Adults," if you know what I mean.
Seriously, most of us just want to have some good conversation, good company, and good clean fun when we socialize. What better way to enjoy the company of friends than with a peaceable evening spent playing a game or two. Put on a pot of coffee, heat up some banana bread or a coffee cake, and pull out a crowd-pleasing board game.
Pictionary is a terrific game. I have a friend who guesses the picture from a straight line. Honest. I have trouble identifying a photograph, so they wait until I'm out of the room to choose teams. I?m much better at Scattergories. And Trivial Pursuit. I am a font of useless knowledge.
How about you? Are you a brain? Maybe Cranium or Scrabble are to your liking. If your ability lies in strategy you may prefer Chess or Mastermind. Backgammon and Yahtzee both utilize a combination of strategy and fortune. There's always Clue if you?re a sneaky son-of-a-gun or if you harbor suspicions and conspiracy theories. Old reliable Monopoly lets you practice getting wiped out financially. And for all of you would-be Kings of the World, it's hard to beat Risk for world domination.
There are lots more. Pick a favorite board game or two and call the crew. The adult crew. Adults - grown-ups - having fun just playing some board games. Hanging out. You know you want to. It's been too long since the last get-together.
Teens want to have a little board game fun, too.
Fun board games for teens just sounds like you're trying too hard. Really. But you're not. Young people are just people. They have friends. They like to do things with the people they like. They get tired of trying to say the right thing, wear the right clothes, hang with the right crowd. Heck, they get tired of just trying to figure out what all of that is. They need some easy-going time with no big consequences -- just a chance to slow down a bit now and then. Offer them a board game party.
Risk, Yahtzee, Pictionary, Scattergories, Trivial Pursuit -- all of these lend themselves to team play. Trivial Pursuit comes in a number of variations, so if they're big Lord of the Rings fans, go with that one.
They will, however, play with a different intensity than their parents. "Soorrryyy" could take on a whole new meaning at your house. Player pieces may well be slapped around the board with more energy than one might expect. The Game of Life could be assigned choices not listed in the rules. Scene It will cause them to monopolize the television while Monopoly will give them time to take over the refrigerator. Who cares? They?re home, at your house, laughing like crazy and having more fun than they ever thought. No keggers, no missing parents, no car trouble -- just friends and food and fun. Even teens have fun with board games.
And how about the children? Do they have any fun playing board games? Mayybeee.
The foundation of board games: children?s board games. I'm talking heart of childhood, elementary school, make a game out of everything age group. They make their own board games. They play board games at school when the weather is bad. They play board games all summer long in the floor, usually in the doorway to the kitchen. They just play. So what do they play?
Old stand-bys are still loved. Checkers and Chess are easily obtained and only take two people. Monopoly can take an entire afternoon and even then may not end with a clear winner. There?s a Monopoly Jr. now that is perfect for beginning readers and only takes about thirty minutes to play.
Sorry and Trouble, with it's great Pop-O-Matic dice tumbler, remain crowd favorites. The Game of Life has become pretty convoluted, but kids still like to play it. Mouse Trap is fun to build and has the added value of a half hour of trapping mice once the game is done. Upper grade levels have a great time with Clue and Colonel Mustard and the Library -- with the candlestick. Then there are cartoon-based games (think Spongebob) and Junior versions of Trivial Pursuit and Cranium. And Chinese Checkers and Parcheesi and Operation and Tri-Bond and Mancala and Aggravation and Backgammon and Scrabble and -- oh, you get the idea. The list of children's board games is as long as your imagination.
Don't leave out preschoolers. Board games are not just fun. They're useful.
We don't always think about board games for preschoolers when we think about their play. Little ones run and jump and fall and get up and do it again. We sometimes limit their calm time to television -- cartoons and children's movies are quite good when Mom and Dad need some quiet time. Still, we miss out on some important training for small ones, as well as missing time spent together in an atmosphere of calm. More and more, children are losing the art of polite conversation and civilized interaction with adults. One solution? Bring out the games!
Preschool board games help children to develop skills they will need in reading. They learn to match colors, count, recognize letters and their sounds, think sequentially, win graciously and lose gracefully. These are pretty important concepts. Candyland and Chutes and Ladders will wear you out, because your youngster will want to play again and again. There are all kinds of dominoes (I know -- not strictly a board game) that allow children to match cartoon characters rather than dots. There are games that let them match picture cards arranged on a grid and games that require fine motor skills. You?ll find that all of them are great fun for your four-year old.
Take the plunge. Board games with your preschooler. How much fun can you cram into one day?
WHOOHOO! Most fun section. Vintage board games.
Yep, fun board games of time gone by, making them vintage. Nice word for old. Well, maybe not all that old. Remember these?
Tripoly. We played this one with the neighbors. I don't remember much about it except we used poker chips. There was a big green mat. And it was pokerish. And rummyish, too, I think. That's it. That's all I remember. Probably because I had a crush on the neighbor.
Then there was the Game of the States: VERY educational.
I'm pretty sure this one was a gift from my aunt. Very sure. Really. Aunt Helen. She was always the best at finding "educational" stuff that was pretty fun. Thanks, Aunt Helen. I miss you.
We really did learn all kinds of things about the states. We learned capitals, state birds, agricultural products, population -- none of which I remember now. Not that much of it would be the same, anyway.
Now lets talk about the REAL fun we had with board games. How about Tycoon? You had to be money-grubbing and free of conscience. My brothers slaughtered me. What are some others? Stratego. Mystery Date! Now there's a great game for a sleep-over. Surfer dude. Hmmm. Remember him? Clue, Monopoly, Scrabble, Rook, Payday, Stock Market ? all great games. I wish I still had all of them. But there was one we played ALL THE TIME:
Square Mile. This was the game with plastic roads and bridges. There was a railroad and a swamp. There were these little bitty buildings, houses, a school, a church, factories, apartment buildings, a shopping center. This was a cool game. The best for a rainy day.
Board games - amazing fun. I recommend their resurrection. Even if you just pull out the Monopoly game for an evening. Step away from the x-box, look your children in the eye and say,
"That's Boardwalk with four houses. You owe me $1700."
In praise of good clean family fun
Ah, the joy of a family night of fun board games played at the dining table! From Chutes and Ladders to Monopoly, through Tripoly and Clue, to Stratego, Risk, and Battleship, board games are just plain fun.
When we were youngsters, our movies were books and our game consoles were stored in boxes on the closet shelves. I recently rediscovered this joy with my seven-year-old granddaughter. We made a decision to watch tv less and spend more time doing things that encouraged conversation and personal interaction. It was a great decision. We spent the summer working puzzles, reading books together, and playing games at the dining room table. I now know which girls in her class giggle too much, which boys will chase you on the playground, and how much homework "they" expect her to get done. I also had the pleasure of watching my really smart, very funny granddaughter become a card shark.
All of this together time took me back to my childhood. We never really had to decide to watch less television. We only got three channels and my father's interests ran the gamut from the news to football. Chet Huntley, David Brinkley, and Joe Namath pretty well dominated the airwaves at our house. The Philco belonged to Daddy. So we played outside in the sunshine and played inside when the rains came or nightfall drove us indoors. I can still sense the feeling of sitting around the kitchen table on a cold night with my brothers and sister and sometimes my parents, the smell of goodies cooking, the laughter swelling with the ups and downs of game play. I remember so clearly knowing the warmth and comfort of my place in the family. And all of this is connected in my mind with the delightful fun of board games.
Board Games for Adults can be fun!
Board Games for ADULTS??? Okay, "for Adults" doesn?t have to mean "for Adults," if you know what I mean.
Seriously, most of us just want to have some good conversation, good company, and good clean fun when we socialize. What better way to enjoy the company of friends than with a peaceable evening spent playing a game or two. Put on a pot of coffee, heat up some banana bread or a coffee cake, and pull out a crowd-pleasing board game.
Pictionary is a terrific game. I have a friend who guesses the picture from a straight line. Honest. I have trouble identifying a photograph, so they wait until I'm out of the room to choose teams. I?m much better at Scattergories. And Trivial Pursuit. I am a font of useless knowledge.
How about you? Are you a brain? Maybe Cranium or Scrabble are to your liking. If your ability lies in strategy you may prefer Chess or Mastermind. Backgammon and Yahtzee both utilize a combination of strategy and fortune. There's always Clue if you?re a sneaky son-of-a-gun or if you harbor suspicions and conspiracy theories. Old reliable Monopoly lets you practice getting wiped out financially. And for all of you would-be Kings of the World, it's hard to beat Risk for world domination.
There are lots more. Pick a favorite board game or two and call the crew. The adult crew. Adults - grown-ups - having fun just playing some board games. Hanging out. You know you want to. It's been too long since the last get-together.
Teens want to have a little board game fun, too.
Fun board games for teens just sounds like you're trying too hard. Really. But you're not. Young people are just people. They have friends. They like to do things with the people they like. They get tired of trying to say the right thing, wear the right clothes, hang with the right crowd. Heck, they get tired of just trying to figure out what all of that is. They need some easy-going time with no big consequences -- just a chance to slow down a bit now and then. Offer them a board game party.
Risk, Yahtzee, Pictionary, Scattergories, Trivial Pursuit -- all of these lend themselves to team play. Trivial Pursuit comes in a number of variations, so if they're big Lord of the Rings fans, go with that one.
They will, however, play with a different intensity than their parents. "Soorrryyy" could take on a whole new meaning at your house. Player pieces may well be slapped around the board with more energy than one might expect. The Game of Life could be assigned choices not listed in the rules. Scene It will cause them to monopolize the television while Monopoly will give them time to take over the refrigerator. Who cares? They?re home, at your house, laughing like crazy and having more fun than they ever thought. No keggers, no missing parents, no car trouble -- just friends and food and fun. Even teens have fun with board games.
And how about the children? Do they have any fun playing board games? Mayybeee.
The foundation of board games: children?s board games. I'm talking heart of childhood, elementary school, make a game out of everything age group. They make their own board games. They play board games at school when the weather is bad. They play board games all summer long in the floor, usually in the doorway to the kitchen. They just play. So what do they play?
Old stand-bys are still loved. Checkers and Chess are easily obtained and only take two people. Monopoly can take an entire afternoon and even then may not end with a clear winner. There?s a Monopoly Jr. now that is perfect for beginning readers and only takes about thirty minutes to play.
Sorry and Trouble, with it's great Pop-O-Matic dice tumbler, remain crowd favorites. The Game of Life has become pretty convoluted, but kids still like to play it. Mouse Trap is fun to build and has the added value of a half hour of trapping mice once the game is done. Upper grade levels have a great time with Clue and Colonel Mustard and the Library -- with the candlestick. Then there are cartoon-based games (think Spongebob) and Junior versions of Trivial Pursuit and Cranium. And Chinese Checkers and Parcheesi and Operation and Tri-Bond and Mancala and Aggravation and Backgammon and Scrabble and -- oh, you get the idea. The list of children's board games is as long as your imagination.
Don't leave out preschoolers. Board games are not just fun. They're useful.
We don't always think about board games for preschoolers when we think about their play. Little ones run and jump and fall and get up and do it again. We sometimes limit their calm time to television -- cartoons and children's movies are quite good when Mom and Dad need some quiet time. Still, we miss out on some important training for small ones, as well as missing time spent together in an atmosphere of calm. More and more, children are losing the art of polite conversation and civilized interaction with adults. One solution? Bring out the games!
Preschool board games help children to develop skills they will need in reading. They learn to match colors, count, recognize letters and their sounds, think sequentially, win graciously and lose gracefully. These are pretty important concepts. Candyland and Chutes and Ladders will wear you out, because your youngster will want to play again and again. There are all kinds of dominoes (I know -- not strictly a board game) that allow children to match cartoon characters rather than dots. There are games that let them match picture cards arranged on a grid and games that require fine motor skills. You?ll find that all of them are great fun for your four-year old.
Take the plunge. Board games with your preschooler. How much fun can you cram into one day?
WHOOHOO! Most fun section. Vintage board games.
Yep, fun board games of time gone by, making them vintage. Nice word for old. Well, maybe not all that old. Remember these?
Tripoly. We played this one with the neighbors. I don't remember much about it except we used poker chips. There was a big green mat. And it was pokerish. And rummyish, too, I think. That's it. That's all I remember. Probably because I had a crush on the neighbor.
Then there was the Game of the States: VERY educational.
I'm pretty sure this one was a gift from my aunt. Very sure. Really. Aunt Helen. She was always the best at finding "educational" stuff that was pretty fun. Thanks, Aunt Helen. I miss you.
We really did learn all kinds of things about the states. We learned capitals, state birds, agricultural products, population -- none of which I remember now. Not that much of it would be the same, anyway.
Now lets talk about the REAL fun we had with board games. How about Tycoon? You had to be money-grubbing and free of conscience. My brothers slaughtered me. What are some others? Stratego. Mystery Date! Now there's a great game for a sleep-over. Surfer dude. Hmmm. Remember him? Clue, Monopoly, Scrabble, Rook, Payday, Stock Market ? all great games. I wish I still had all of them. But there was one we played ALL THE TIME:
Square Mile. This was the game with plastic roads and bridges. There was a railroad and a swamp. There were these little bitty buildings, houses, a school, a church, factories, apartment buildings, a shopping center. This was a cool game. The best for a rainy day.
Board games - amazing fun. I recommend their resurrection. Even if you just pull out the Monopoly game for an evening. Step away from the x-box, look your children in the eye and say,
"That's Boardwalk with four houses. You owe me $1700."
There is so much to learn.
Just another typical Sunday here. Church, a quick stop at the store, then home to do laundry, hangout with my family, and learn something new. That's where the fun begins. First, I spent 30 minutes creating an ad template for this website. I've never used blogger before, so I was surprised to find that Google ads appear automatically once you've signed up. That's 30 minutes I can't get back. Oh well.
What a gorgeous day. I've written half an article, which I will post here if I ever finish it, but this is a gorgeous day. I still have 10 ads to build, a second article to write, and I'd like to put in a bit of research before the evening is through. Board game article coming up within the hour.
What a gorgeous day. I've written half an article, which I will post here if I ever finish it, but this is a gorgeous day. I still have 10 ads to build, a second article to write, and I'd like to put in a bit of research before the evening is through. Board game article coming up within the hour.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Day One (well, it's really night)
Welcome to Olive Branches - a peaceful place. This is the eye of the storm, the quiet place for musings when we step back from the busy day. We'll use this as a springboard for ideas, a place to think aloud, to invite reflection, to motivate ourselves and others -- to look at life. We'll also be much more mundane than that, as we review products we've used, movies and television we've seen, music we've heard and books that we've read. We'll discuss politics and religion and anything else we like, and we'll do it with civility and kindness. The vulgar is unwelcome here. We'll try to link to things of interest to us and I suspect we'll figure out what to do as we move along. We're glad to be here, now, and tomorrow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)