LIVING QUARTERS Disclaimer: The views or opinions presented in this publication are solely those of the writers and do not necessarily represent those of the company. Employees of ABSTRACT MEDIA GROUP COMPANY LIMITED are expressly required not to make defamatory statements and not to infringe or authorize any infringement of copyright or any other legal right. Any such article is contrary to company policy and is outside the scope of the employment of the individual writer concerned. The company will not accept any liability in respect of such article, and the employee responsible will be personally liable for any damages or other liability arising.
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our bedroom isn’t just the place you go to rest your head. It is one of the most intimate spaces in any home and it should be reflective of the mood the inhabitant seeks to attain therein. If you want to add pep to your bedroom, here is how. Fauxframe Is your mirror standing naked against a stark wall? Dress it up by painting a faux frame around it. It adds an artsy, decorative element to the bedroom at a fraction of the cost of buying a frame. Painted side table Painting furniture helps integrate new pieces into old home decor or update old pieces to match new decor. Sometimes, though, it's a shame to cover up gorgeous antique wood so try leaving the top of the piece in its natural state. It's a great way to preserve its original look while keeping it in line with the rest of your decor.
Four Fantastic Ways To Beautify Your Bedroom or nailhead, a solid colour or a pattern won't matter because it'll all cost the same. Dyed cushions Get funky with your decor with tie-dyed cushions. Not feeling very psychedelic? Don't worry; tie-dying doesn't have to make your bedroom resemble Woodstock, circa 1969. There are various tie-dying techniques that can create colour blocks, stripes and prints.
Faux headboard Can't find just the right fabric to upholster a headboard? Don't have the funds to buy a fabulous ready-made one? Paint your own! Whether you prefer tufted w w w . a m g tt. c o m
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LIVING QUARTERS
Renewing Your Bedroom Action
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o a new year has dawned and you feel like nothing has changed in the bedroom, pun not inteneded, but fits in so nicely! Too much of the same and recession stalling that massive remodling dream of yours? Here are some old tricks of the trade, cutting corners to rejuvenute the love life you once had with your ex-favourite room. Layout of the Land Start with the big stuff. The bed, the wardrobe - if its not built-in - the night stands, these dominant items more or less set the entire layout of the room and moving them around can get your juices flowing. Even with limited space, just twisting the angle of the furniture can be the start of something big. Bedding Ok so now you’ve strained your muscles moving the bed around, 2
but the bed still looks like uhmmm… The answer could very well be changing the bed covers. Consider a duvet or comforter set with matching shims and shams that helps to create a whole new look. This could be going super frilly-girly, modern – bold prints, classic flowers, to primary pastel; all possible in a snap. Careful with the overpopulation of pillows, they really shouldn’t take up more than half the bed. Clear the Clutter Rid your slowly transforming bedroom of anything that isn't conducive to relaxation or romance, including the TV. Even if you eat and sleep work, you should at least find a divider that separates your work desk from the rest of the room. For all the other must have‘knick knacks’you should at least, hide any stress-inducing clutter in a stylish container.
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light breezy statements and dramatically change the tone of the room. Add some depth with layers and experiment dramatically with textures and tones.
Handles Replace existing drawer handles, door knobs and pulls with decorative ones. This easy low-effort trick adds personality and style to nondescript or inexpensive furniture. Think brass, black or varnished woods. Drapery Yes, curtains! They have as much leeway as bed spreads and just as much say. They make loud or
Turn Down the Lights Keep bedroom lighting subdued instead of bright and harsh. Nightstand lamps or wall sconces should be close enough for bedtime reading, but use threeway bulbs so you can adapt the wattage to your needs or mood. The selective use of candles is also both eco-friendly and creates an unmatchable dreamy atmosphere. Make the Room Come Alive Houseplants generate oxygen and remove toxins from the air, so get some in there. If your thumb is far from green, ask for watering, feeding, and maintenance tips for the plants you like or else just ask which plants are hardest to kill.
LIVING QUARTERS
Cleaning Your Showerheads
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ver time, the small holes in a shower head will become clogged. The rate at which this happens depends on several factors, such as the amount of minerals in your water. The easiest way to tell if you have a clogged shower head is if your shower has become erratic, spitting water in peculiar patterns. You will probably be able to see the deposits in the holes of your shower head, but they may be so deep that you may not. To clean out the mineral deposits, unscrew and take apart the entire showerhead. While doing this, make sure to keep all the pieces for easy reassembly. Soak the parts in vinegar overnight. Scrub off the encrusted minerals with steel wool or a wire brush. This should not be too difficult after soaking the head thoroughly. If neces-
sary, poke open the small holes in the faceplate with a pin or a tack. If soaking the showerhead in vinegar is not enough, you can also soak the showerhead in hot vinegar. Heat the vinegar, not quite to boiling, and pour it into a container. Place the showerhead in the hot vinegar. Just as with the regular
vinegar, let it soak overnight, or for about ten to twelve hours. Once it has been thoroughly soaked, rinse the head vigorously in hot water. As an extra measure, take a very thin wire and poke each hole before rinsing. A small, unfolded paperclip will probably do the job. Once again, you can also use a pin or a tack. If you prefer a commercial solution, you can use LimeA-Way or its equivalent. Fill a bowl with the cleaner and soak the showerhead parts in it overnight. Thoroughly rinse them off. Make sure to read the warning label on the container before use. Make sure you reassemble your showerhead carefully. When done, you should get like-new performance from the showerhead without replacing it.
Removing Toilet Bowl Stains
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sparkling clean toilet bowl can really bring your bathroom’s décor to life. Missing a couple regular cleanings can cause hard water and mineral deposits to accumulate resulting in that dirty look many of us dread. However, it does not have to remain dirty. There are ways to remove even the most stubborn of bowl stains. Vinegar is a readily available product at home and this can help you with your toilet bowl stains. First, turn off the water connection to the water closet. Flush the toilet so that the water level will go down to below the normal levels. Now pour a gallon of white vinegar into the toilet bowl and allow it to remain in the bowl for the whole night. The acidity of vinegar would help in breaking down the calcium deposits and the buildup of lime in the bowl. In the morning, get a stiff-bristled
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toilet brush and brush away the stains. You can also use a scouring pad if you want some extra abrasiveness. If you’re up to it, you can actually use sandpaper to remove toilet bowl stains. Use wet/dry sandpaper with a grit of between 600 and 400 and sand away the stubborn toilet bowl stains. Be prepared to exert yourself because you’ll need to scrub forcefully to really remove the stains. Don’t worry about damaging the porcelain finish of the toilet bowl, the grit of the sandpaper is fine enough
not to damage it. An alternative to sandpaper is a pumice stick, which will also achieve the same results. In order to prevent stains from recurring, use baking soda and vinegar to clean your toilet bowl. The combination of the two products will help break down stains and even prevent mildew. Just sprinkle baking soda on the toilet bowl and using a spray bottle, spray the vinegar on to the baking soda. Leave the solution for thirty minutes before you scrub it with a stiff-bristled brush.
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LIVING QUARTERS
Laundry Tips For Keeping Clothes Bright
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oing the laundry is one of those tasks most people hate because it can often lead to bad results. After sorting clothes and washing and drying them you can easily end up with clothes that are discoloured, shrunken, stretched or not very clean at all. Here are some tips to overcome those wash day worries. For Keeping Colours Bright • Add 1/2 cup vinegar to a load of laundry during the wash cycle. • Color Protector: Soak new items in a straight solution of vinegar to protect dyes from running. You can also try soaking them in lightly salted water. • Soak new garments and items in a mixture of 1 tsp Epsom salts mixed with one gallon of water. Will help prevent
fading and dyes running. • One-half cup of household ammonia added to rinse water will help brighten colored clothes. Do not use ammonia if bleach has been used. • Turn clothes inside out before washing to help prevent fading (especially helpful for black garments). • If line drying outdoors, colored items should be dried in the shade to prevent fading. • Pour two cups of strong tea in the rinse cycle to restore dark colors. Doing the laundry doesn’t have to cause you any unnecessary headaches or tress. Follow these simple tips and you’ll feel more confident about your wash worthiness.
Five Facets Of Good Ironing
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roning is a chore that most believe is a bore. While we may not like the preparatory work of ironing, this is integral to giving us the clean-cut, streamlined look we desire. Without further ado, here are some tips for ironing that will help you through the dull process. Keep it Clean Clean your iron regularly to prevent deposits from ejecting and ruining your clothes. You can clean a warm iron plate with a cloth dipped in a water/ baking soda solution, and use Q-tips to remove deposits from the holes in the iron. Clear Water Even if the instruction manual states that you can use tap water, always use boiled (and cooled) or distilled water in your iron. This will keep deposits from 6
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clogging up the iron, and eventually, spewing out onto your clothes. Double the Heat Use aluminum foil under the ironing board cover. You’ll cut ironing time in half, because the aluminum reflects the heat of the iron, effectively smoothing the underside of your clothes as you run over the topside. Hang it Up Hang up your ironed clothes immediately after ironing to make sure all that hard work you just did sets in immediately and you don’t risk wrinkling the fabrics again. Get it Straight Always iron using straight, back and forth strokes; never use circular movements. This can stretch out your fabrics and will shorten the life of your clothes.
HOME OFFICE
Become Better Organized At Work
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good worker is not just a “hard worker.” The key to optimal performance is the understanding of organization and strategy in order to achieve goals. However, becoming better organized does not happen just like that. You have to put things in place for the results to happen. Use files to stay organized Some sort of filing system is important (whether it be paper or electronic) because it'll save you later on from rummaging through piles of paper or disorganized files on your computer. By keeping everything in a file and knowing where it is, you can save large amounts of time and feel less stressed. Create a routine On your first day of work, start an organizational system. Before you receive a significant workload, you’ll have an established routine to keep you on track. Use an app like Evernote, which you can access on your computer and mobile device, to track information, lists, tasks and more. Ask employees who do similar work what their organizational method is and for
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vital to have a to-do list whether it is for daily tasks or other objectives.
any advice they can give. If your company uses a specific type of software, adapt to its various uses and organizational properties. For example, construction workers who don’t use the normal office organization techniques should check out software that’s specific to their industry. Don't procrastinate Procrastination will do nothing other than increase your stress levels and workload later. Do bothersome things first to get them out of the way. Always try to get work done as quickly as possible because there is a lot of satisfaction to be had in checking items off a to-do list. With that said, it is
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Don’t multitask Instead of trying to do multiple projects at once, focus on a single task and manage time instead. There are numerous people who talk on the phone while responding to emails and putting a presentation together. They often end up driving themselves crazy and not putting their best foot forward. Don’t be like those people. Make a list of the tasks you need completed and take care of the most important ones, with the nearest deadline, first. Put one hundred percent of your energy into each task and avoid everything else so when you take on the next task, you already have a sense of accomplishment. Delegate where possible If you have a junior colleague, you should be delegating some of your responsibilities to them. Good delegation saves you time and will motivate and develop other team members. Even if you’re not a manager, there are always opportunities to share work among colleagues who are
less busy or who have specific, relevant skills. Make sure your wider team is aware of what you have on your plate. Then, when you delegate, explain why you’ve chosen that person to help you and how you think it will benefit them too. The key to good delegation is making sure your team feels valued and respected. That way they should be happy to provide the support you need. Utilize your email calendar A great way to stay on top of meetings, deadlines and tasks is to use the existing calendar on your email account. Whether you choose your work email calendar or a Gmail account, it’s helpful to mark all events on the calendar. Since you’ll constantly be using your email, you’ll have easy and consistent access to this calendar. You can also use the calendar to add alerts, particularly for recurring events. If you have a weekly meeting, set up your calendar to remind you automatically. Similarly, you can use your work calendar to invite and set up meetings with coworkers.
HYDRATION
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• Oil free
HYALURONIC ACID?
Hyaluronic acid (HA), naturally found in skin, is a powerful hydrator that holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water. It plays a critical role in keeping skin cells* hydrated and “plumped,” resulting in supple, youthful-looking skin. We lose Hyaluronic acid over time, but the added HA in Hydro Boost works to help keep skin hydrated and smooth, with a healthy-looking glow.
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*stratum corneum layer Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. 2016
ELEGANT IDEAS
Enter The Lap Of Luxury
An elegant space accentuated by extra-long curtains, rich wooden floors and ornate wrought iron rails.
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ELEGANT IDEAS
Lime amid the luxury of this wonderful white living space with contrasting dark floor accent.
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ELEGANT IDEAS
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ELEGANT IDEAS
Lather up in this and luxurious, large bathroom. 14
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ELEGANT IDEAS
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KITCHEN
Choosing The Right Pans
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ow do you go about choosing the right pot or pan for your dishes? If you are unsure about your cookware, these tips will guide you. Look for heavy-gauge materials Thinner-gauge materials spread and hold heat unevenly, and their bottoms are more likely to dent and warp. This means that food can scorch. Absolutely flat bottoms are particularly important if your stovetop element is electric. Heavy-gauge pans deliver heat more evenly. To decide if a pan is heavy enough, lift it, look at the thickness of the walls and base, and rap it with your knuckles—do you hear a light ping or a dull thud? A thud is good in this case. The Right Lids and Handles are Important You'll want handles and a lid that are sturdy, heatproof, and secure. Handles come welded, riveted, or screwed. Some cooks
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advise against welded handles because they can break off. As long as handles are welded in several spots, they can be preferable to riveted ones because residue is apt to collect around a rivet. Many pans have metal handles that stay relatively cool when the pan is on the stove because the handle is made of a metal that's a poor heat conductor and retainer, such as stainless steel. Plastic and wooden handles stay cool, too, but they're not ovenproof. Heat or ovenproof handles mean that dishes started on the stovetop can be finished in the oven. All lids should fit tightly to keep in moisture. The lid should also have a heatproof handle. Glass lids, which you'll find on certain brands, are usually oven safe only up to 350°F. The Pan Should Match Its Usage For sautéing and other cooking that calls for quick temperature changes, a pan should be respon-
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sive. This means that the pan is doing what the heat source tells it to, and pronto. For example, if you sauté garlic just until fragrant and then turn down the flame, the pan should cool down quickly so the garlic doesn't burn. Responsiveness isn't as crucial for boiling, steaming, or the long, slow cooking that stocks and stews undergo. For sautéing and oven roasts, it helps if the pan heats evenly up the sides. When you've got a pan full of chicken breasts nestling against the pan sides, you want them all to cook quickly and evenly, so heat coming from the sides of the pan is important. For cooking acidic foods, such as tomato sauces, wine sauces, and fruit fillings, a pan's lining should be nonreactive. Stainless steel, enamel, and anodized aluminum won't react no matter what they touch, while plain aluminum can discolor white sauces and foods that are acidic, sulfurous, or alkaline. It can even make those foods taste
metallic. Eggs, vegetables in the cabbage family, and baking soda are some of the other foods vulnerable to aluminum's graying effect. In the past, there was concern about aluminum and Alzheimer's, but evidence has been far from conclusive. Are You Using Less Fat? If so, nonstick may be a good choice, and happily, nonstick technology has come a long way in the past few years. With the old-style, lighter-weight nonstick pans, it was hard to get the pan hot enough to sauté properly. Nonstick pans are now being made of harder, high-heat-tolerant metals, such as anodized aluminum and stainless steel, and the coatings themselves can withstand more heat and abrasion -- no more nonstick flakes in your food. Another potential disadvantage of sautéing in nonstick is the difficulty in deglazing. The nonstick surface can be so effective that you never get any good brown bits in the bottom of the pan.
RECIPES
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Creative Chicken Bakes
t’s no secret that we are large consumers of chicken. Trinbagonians also have a proclivity toward eating baked casseroles or “pies” as we call them. Mix the two together and we have great recipes options.
PARMESAN CHICKEN BAKE Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 2 cups prepared marinara sauce 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese, divided 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided 1 (5 ounce) package garlic croutons Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish with olive oil, and sprinkle with garlic and hot red pepper flakes. Arrange the chicken breasts in bottom of the dish, and pour marinara sauce over chicken. Sprinkle basil over marinara sauce, and top with half the mozzarella cheese, followed by half the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle on the croutons, then top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake in preheated oven until 18
cheese and croutons are golden brown and the chicken is no longer pink inside, about 35 minutes to an hour, depending on the shape and thickness of your chicken breasts. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a chicken breast should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).
BUFFALO CHICKEN AND POTATO CASSEROLE Ingredients Cooking spray 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup ranch dressing 2 tablespoons Buffalo wing sauce (such as Frank's® RedHot®) 2 tablespoons garlic powder 1 tablespoon onion powder 2 teaspoons salt 6 Idaho potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 (12 ounce) package bacon 3 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese 4 green onions, chopped Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Grease a 9x13inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Mix oil, ranch dressing, Buffalo wing sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt together in a a large bowl to make sauce. Add potatoes; stir to coat thoroughly. Transfer potatoes to the casserole dish. Place chicken in the sauce bowl; stir to coat with remaining sauce. Marinate in the refrigerator,
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about 30 minutes. Roast potatoes in the preheated oven while chicken marinates, stirring halfway, until tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in chicken. Continue roasting, stirring once or twice, until chicken and potatoes are tender, 15 to 30 minutes. Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels. Crumble bacon into a bowl; stir in Colby Jack cheese and green onions. Sprinkle cheese mixture over potatoes and chicken; bake until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
BAKED CHICKEN ALFREDO Ingredients 1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta 1/2 cup butter 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 2 cups milk 6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese, divided 2 teaspoons dried parsley 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon salt, divided 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon olive oil 2 chicken breasts, patted dry 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder Directions Bring a large pot of lightly salted
water to a boil; add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic; saute until golden, about 30 seconds. Stir in cream cheese until smooth. Add milk; stir until there are no lumps. Lower heat to medium. Add 3/4 of the Parmesan cheese, parsley, Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. Season chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and garlic powder on both sides. Cook chicken breasts until no longer pink in the center and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 6 minutes per side. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch cubes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Cover bottom with a layer of pasta. Place half of the chicken cubes on top. Pour 1/2 of the sauce over the chicken. Repeat layering pasta, chicken, and sauce. Sprinkle top with remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven until sauce is bubbly, about 15 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and bake until cheese is golden, about 5 minutes more.
BRIDAL
8 Things Wives Need To Know
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eddings are normally for women, but marriage is for couples. The way to successful matrimony is through understanding. While men can be block-headed, there are some things wives need to know and follow as well.
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Respect your husband. - Notice how it doesn’t say “Respect your husband if he has earned it”. A man’s greatest need in this world is to be respected, and the person he desires that respect from the most is his wife. The trap that we’ve all been ensnared by is that they only deserve our respect when they earn it. Yes, we want our husbands to make decisions that will ultimately garner our respect, but the truth is that your husband is a human being. A human being who makes mistakes. This is the man that YOU have chosen to walk alongside you for the rest of your life and to lead your family and he needs to be respected for that quality alone. Take it from me – when respect is given even when he doesn’t deserve it, it will motivate him to earn it. That doesn’t mean you pretend that his choices are good ones when they aren’t. Things like that still need to be communicated, but you can flesh out your differences with respect. It makes all the difference in the world to him.
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Guard your heart. - The grass is not greener on the other side. Do not believe the lie that with a slimmer figure, a higher salary, a faster car, or a bigger house, you will be a happier woman. The world is full of things and people that will serve as reminders that you don’t have the best of the best, but it’s simply not true. Live the life you’ve been blessed with, and be thankful. I get that we all have struggles, and there are even times when I would love 1,000 more square feet of house to live in, but square footage is not fulfilling – relationships are. Guard your heart from things and people that will try to convince you that your life or your husband is not good enough. There will always be bigger, faster, stronger, or shinier – but you’ll never be satisfied with more until you’re fulfilled with what you have now.
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Forgive. - No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. If you make forgiveness a habit – for everything from major mistakes to little annoyances - you will keep resentment from growing.
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Over-communicate. - I used to have a bad habit of not speaking my feelings. I played the standard “You should know why I’m mad” game, and that’s just downright unfair.
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him gifts? Whatever his love language is – learn it and use it.
7 Men are not wired like women, and they don’t always know that they’ve been insensitive. I’m still growing in this area, and there are often times when my husband has to pry something out of me, but I’m trying to remember that I need to just communicate how I feel.
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Schedule a regular date night. - This one isn’t new, but it’s very important. Never stop dating your spouse. Even if you can’t afford dinner and a movie (which we seldom can), spending some regular one-on-one time with your spouse is essential. Don’t talk about bills, or schedules, or the kids. You can daydream about your future, or plan your dream vacation. Connect emotionally and often learn something new about each other.
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Learn his love language. - Everyone has a love language. The way you perceive love is often different from the way your spouse perceives love. Does he like words of affirmation, or does he respond better when you give
Never talk negatively about him. - If you’re going through a difficult time in your marriage and you need advice, see a counselor. Family counseling is a great tool, but try to remember that your family members and friends are not the most objective people to give advice. The argument they are hearing is one-sided and they often build up negative feelings toward your spouse, which usually doesn’t subside once you and your husband have moved past it. Protect his image with those that you’re close with and seek help from those who can actually be objective. News flash, ladies – your mother cannot be objective!
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Choose to love. - There are times in a marriage that you may wake up and not feel in love anymore. Choose to love anyway. There are times when you may not be attracted to your husband anymore. Choose to love anyway. Marriage is a commitment. In sickness and health, in good times and in bad. Those vows are sacred. They don’t say “if you have bad times”. They say “in good times and in bad”, implying that there will be bad times. It’s inevitable. So choose to love anyway. He’s worth it.
FAMILY
Communicating In Blended Families
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ood communication is a challenge for every family. For those dealing with blended family issues, however, communication is even more vital. Children are usually living in multiple households and relationships between exes sometimes sour. What’s the best way to communicate in situations like those? Here are some tips to help open the lines of communication with the ex, your new spouse and your step children. With the ex Put aside your differences for the kids’ sake. Divorce is incredibly heartbreaking and emotional. Many people don’t have a good relationship with their ex and find their parenting styles are very different. If you find it impossible to talk on the phone without fighting, try texting or emailing. Keep messages simple to avoid emotional entanglement. No matter how difficult or “bad” you think your spouse is, that person plays an important role in your children’s lives. Your kids will be happier if everyone 22
communicates and stays on the same page. Don’t use kids as messengers. They have no business discussing issues like placement, child support or parenting styles with either parent. Work mightily to keep them out of the middle. With each other Discuss your parenting styles (but not in front of the children). Talk about how you’ll handle the children’s discipline, privileges and expectations around the house. If there are areas in which you disagree, work them out in advance so the kids aren’t confused later on. Use written communication. Write notes on a dry erase board and send each other text mes-
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sages to keep the parenting team well-informed. Steal 15 minutes each day to talk. The chaos of family life can feel like a whirlwind. Touch base with each other every day to avoid miscommunication. This is especially helpful when one parent spends more time at home with the kids than the other. With the step children Demonstrate good communication habits yourself. When they talk, listen. Look them in the eye. If there is an important issue to discuss, turn off distractions like the TV or computer. Repeat important requests or feelings back to them. This gives you both a chance to be sure you completely understand what was
said. Don’t force communication in the heat of the moment. Wait until after the storm has passed to address a concern. If you are arguing, ask for a break until things calm down. Go outside or to your own rooms. You don’t have to solve every problem as soon as it arises. Catch your breath, first. Write a letter. When parents talk, kids get bored. If you have something in your heart regarding a misunderstanding or difficult issue, try writing your stepchild a letter. The letter would be much more easily received than a talk would have been. Be honest, kind and keep it simple. Subtly get their attention. Something as simple as placing your hand on their shoulder or elbow when you have something important to say can help them focus on the message. Good communication is one key to happiness within a blended family. No one likes to be left in the dark when it comes to their children or family life. Strive to communicate with an open mind, open ears and love in your heart, always.
WARDROBE
POWDER ROOM
The Benefits Of African Black Soap
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hose of us who are serious about skin may have heard of African Black Soap. The natural organic version is clearly the best and shockingly, it isn’t as expensive as one would think. Here are some of the main benefits of African Black Soap. Has Deep Cleansing Action Black soap is great for deep pore cleansing. It works as a gentle exfoliant. When you use the bar or break it in half you will feel the graininess of it. This gentle exfoliation helps your skin glow but helps deal with the awful razor bumps and in grown hairs we face after shaving or getting waxed. It also is effective at removing makeup because of the oils and butters. Good for Sensitive Skin Types African black soap is a popular choice for those with sensitive skin types that are prone to redness, rashes and other skin infections. If your skin reacts negatively to commercial soaps or even gentle soaps such as liquid castile soap, then you must try using African black soap. It contains absolutely no hidden ingredients that can irritate the skin.
Choosing The Right Socks
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Eliminates Fungal Skin Infections and Helps Heal Wounds African black soap has antifungal and antibacterial properties that fight off bacteria, fungus and other microbes that cause skin infections. Allantoin of African black soap acts as a germicide and has antibacterial properties in it. Thus, it helps in quick healing and it also fastens the process of synthesis of skin cells. Moisturizing The shea bark present in African black soap moisturizes the skin. There are a large number of fatty acids and vitamins in shea bark tree (4). The dry skin is protected.
ocks are one of the most underappreciated pieces of attire we wear. In fact, some people are letting their feet go commando and choose not to wear socks at all. We don’t recommend this. We also don’t recommend putting on any old pair of socks with any piece of apparel. Socks have a role and should be given some darned respect. Though it might not be rocket science, some of you need to know how to choose socks. Here are three tips. Fit Your socks should not be too thin or loose. Improperly fitting socks have a tendency to keep sliding down, or get swallowed by your shoe. They should not be too thick either. Tall people should make sure the length of the socks from toe to heel is just right for them. If it’s too long, it’s going to be uncomfortable in the toe area. If it were too short, you’d feel awkward and uneasy, as well. If you are wearing mid- or high-cut boots, wear quarter and crew socks to protect your legs from abrasion from your boot tops. w w w . a m g tt. c o m
Variety Socks do make a difference to your overall look so keep a wide variety of socks. Ribbed, textured, patterned, and solid socks should all be a part of a man's wardrobe. Colors should include white, black, gray, dark gray, beige or brown and navy blue. White socks should only be worn at the gym or when playing sports. White socks with suits only help in making one look like the late great Michael Jackson. The white socks he wore were the not-so-great part about him. Climate & Activity In cooler temperatures and wet weather, thicker and well-insulated socks are recommended. When it is dry and warm, lightweight socks with moisture wicking technologies are the better choice. Depending on the activities you are going to be involved in, choose socks to suit. You would not want to wear the same socks for running in hot weather as you would for hiking in snow. Sometimes the thickness of a sock can determine if it is the right choice.
JANUARY 2017
ABSTRACT HOME
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MEDICINE CABINET
HOME GYM
Asthma Control For Kids
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iving with asthma is a challenge. It can be especially difficult for parents to deal with children who have this affliction. However, certain steps can lessen your fears and reduce the chances of asthma attacks. Here are three tips. Keep a clean house Almost every asthmatic child has a strong reaction to dust, and simply keeping household dust to a minimum can immediately improve your child's asthma. While keeping your house clean, it is also worth considering removing anything that can easily collect dust - carpet is much harder to keep dust-free than floorboards or tiles; piles of soft toys and knick-knacks are great dust collectors; Using a quality vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter will help, as will ensuring all family members take their shoes off at the front door to leave dust and dirt outside where it belongs. Dusting regularly with microfiber cloths which you throw in the washing machine is probably a better idea
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than spraying plenty of cleaning products around the house and adding to the respiratory loads inside the house. Keep your kids healthy While it is always important for growing children to eat well and sleep well, it is more important than ever in asthmatic children. Without a balanced diet and adequate sleep, your asthmatic child can become rundown and more vulnerable to colds and coughs, which can trigger an asthma attack. Plenty of fruit and vegetables will go a long way to keeping asthma at bay. Keep your child involved As much as possible, get your child involved in managing and understanding his condition. He will be much more motivated to do the right things if he understands the consequences and feels some responsibility for his health. Make sure he understands from a young age what triggers his asthma and strategies he can use to avoid those triggers.
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Tips To Better Calves
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etting the perfect sculpted legs takes work. While legs contain the most muscle mass, it is still hard to get the right definition without specifically targeting certain areas of the body. When it comes to your calves it takes especially specific training routines. Do your calf exercises without wearing highly supportive athletic shoes. When you train your calves wearing softer shoes or just wearing socks, your muscles have to do all the work without the aid of the springlike structure of athletic footwear. Mind-muscle connection is critical in helping maximize muscle growth, especially for small and stubborn muscles like calves. For each rep you do, keep mental connection and feeling with your calves and focus all your energy on that rep. By being mentally focused and connecting that mental energy to your muscles, you push the muscle to take in all the work. In fact, studies have shown that a strong mind-muscle connection can help spur growth and strength gains. Mixing up your rep scheme within a workout is also a very
effective strategy for targeting your calves. Start out with exercises performed with heavier weights in the beginning and progress toward lighter weights for the exercises at the end of the workout. You can also mix up your reps within an exercise by starting off heavier and lightening the load as the sets progress. Try to achieve the fullest range of motion possible. Stretch all the way down at the bottom, and come right up on your toes at the top. Calf muscles generally work mostly in the mid-range, so full range movements tend to create a very good response. Regardless of your rep range, be sure you can perform most reps with a full contraction by raising your heels as high as possible and squeezing the calf muscle.
GARAGE
PETS
Things To Consider When Buying A Car
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hinking about getting a new car? Don’t dish out your hard-earned cash on just anything. There are a few things to consider. Fuel The type of fuel you use is an important consideration. Some cars come only in petrol or only in diesel, while hybrid models are becoming increasingly common and can be a good choice, particularly if you do a lot of town driving. If you cover fewer than 12,000 miles a year, a petrol engine is best. Diesel cars cost more to buy than their petrol counterparts, and you’ll need to cover quite a lot of miles to make up the difference in fuel savings. All-Wheel Drive All-wheel drive is seen as a safety feature for colder climates. Automatically that should tell you that you don’t need it here. The only difference the average driver will notice with all-wheel drive is the added traction when accelerating. All-wheel drive doesn’t increase a vehicle’s ability to stop or turn. Instead of allwheel drive, invest in a good set of tires and watch the difference. it is cheaper than upgrading to an all-wheel-drive car and won’t
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have the year-round negative impact on your fuel economy that comes with a car having to drive all four wheels all the time. Functionality/Space A sports car is a mere statementmaker. Speed restrictions and our bad roads mean you will never be able to drive it as intended. Also, two doors and small back seat means your crew is always going to be small. If you need space to transport tools, huge pieces of wood and more, then a pickup truck will be right for you. They come in double and single cab so you can carry people along for the trip. If you have a big family a minivan or SUV will work well. However, the fuel and maintenance costs are likely to be high. A good option for a small family or personal car is a regular sedan or station wagon. Affordability Regardless of whether you decide to buy or lease your next car, establishing a realistic monthly payment that fits into your budget is crucial. How much should this be? A rule of thumb is your total monthly car payments shouldn't exceed 20 percent of your monthly takehome pay.
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Speech Lessons For Your Pet Parrot
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ome birds have the ability to mimic human voice and speech patterns and parrots are one such type of bird. If your pet can talk, wouldn’t you want it to? Of course you would, so here is how you do it. Start Simple The best way to encourage birds to speak is to choose a few short words for them to start off with. Examples of good starter words include "hello", "bye-bye", "nite nite", or even your bird's own name. Simple words, when said with enthusiasm, seem to become more interesting to most parrots. Make sure that when you speak to your bird, you do so in a happy, positive tone. Watch your bird as you repeat the words you've chosen. If you pay close attention, you will probably see that some words catch his attention more than others. Use the word that your bird responds to the most as your first "training word". Repeat Words Often Once you have locked onto a word that your feathered friend is interested in, repeat the word to him as often as you possibly can. Parrots learn to mimic
through repetition -- so saying the word over and over again is the only way to encourage your bird to say it back. While it's always best for owners to teach their pets directly, some owners opt to use extra learning tools such as tape recorders and CD's to help teach their birds to talk. Using these tools can be effective, and certainly won't hinder the training process, but owners should know that they are no substitute for one on one interaction, and should be used only as supplemental training aids. Align Actions With Your Words Repeat certain words or phrases every time you do something, such as 'Up' when you lift your bird up, to teach her to associate a certain movement with certain words.
TRAVEL
Camping Trip Tips
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rinidad is becoming more like its foreign counterparts every day. Pastimes like camping are becoming more common and this is a great travel option for those who want to be away from home without the big bill. If you are one of those looking to escape the pace and go camping for Carnival, here are some tips. Be Ready For Anything Nothing could be truer than the Boy Scout motto "Be prepared." Carrying a survival kit when you venture away from your campsite is an indispensable camping tip. You'll want to have a water filter and a metal bowl. Then, add a survival knife, which can be used to hunt, to protect yourself and to signal for help. Not just any blade will do; it's worth investing in one from a camping or outdoor goods store. Another must-have in
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fire, it's best to start simple. You can prepare food at home and reheat it at the campsite or purchase tasty premade, freezedried meals which are becoming much more popular these days. The variety will amaze you. Get your fair share of quality snacks in there as well (especially if you are camping with kids). As a backup, bring some no-cook options such as sandwiches, bread, cheese, fruit and canned goods.
your survival kit is waterproof matches stored in an airtight container. You can make waterproof matches by dipping regular ones in either nail polish or paraffin. A plastic medicine bottle or 35 millimeter film container makes a handy caddy for your waterproof matches. Keep a flashlight in your survival kit, and store extra bat-
ABSTRACT HOME JANUARY 2017 w w w . a mg t t . c o m
teries in an airtight container similar to the ones you store your matches in. Having a flare gun and a mini LED torch isn’t a bad idea, either. Don’t Forget the Food Good food is an important part of a great camping trip. Although it is possible to cook gourmet meals over a camp-
Clean Up As you're living it up on the open range, keep this next camping tip in mind; it will help you protect and preserve nature so that you and future generations can enjoy it again and again. Leave no trace, meaning pick up after yourself to leave the ecosystem undisturbed. Clean up thoroughly after meals and secure your food high above the ground.
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