Two little words…’health’, ‘fitness’. Easy to say, they roll off the tongue together so easily and without hardly thinking about them. We see magazines filled with articles headed by those two little words – all professing to give the best advice (or at least opinion). Television programmes are interspersed with infomercials extolling the virtues of fitness equipment or health regimens, or both…and all the while the world’s population is becoming less and less healthy and more and more unfit! So, how do we remedy the fact that those two simple, slip-off-the-tongue words are not so easy to put into practice?First we have to recognise just what ‘health’ means – it refers simply to the human state of physical and mental well-being. ‘Fitness’ is, in general terms, a loose reference to the physical condition of the human frame, internally as well as externally. Most physical instructors agree that to have a fit body you first must cultivate a healthy mind. Nutritionists will argue that you cannot hope to enjoy a fit mind until you are sporting a healthy body! The truth is, of course that the two go hand in hand. We need to apply the oriental teachings of Yin and Yang – the balance between the physical and the mental condition of we mere mortals.HEALTH FIRST OR..? All we really need in order to be both healthy AND fit at the same time is the correct mental approach. The yin and yang referred to earlier is an ideal way of expressing the nuances of health and fitness. The literal definition of ‘Yang’ in Chinese is ‘light, sunshine’. In Chinese cosmology ‘Yang’ and its complementary opposite ‘Yin’ are the fundamental principles of the Universe – yin meaning ‘shade’. Thus, by providing the light and the shade for our health and fitness programmes we automatically apply the balance required for that which we are seeking.How do we manage this? Well, it’s fairly easy if we remember the saying ‘little and often’. If we exercise often, but without it being excessive, that’s fine. By the same argument, if we eat a little several times a day, again we achieve our goal. Several small meals each day rather than one big one only hours before retiring has been shown by the health gurus to be far more beneficial to one’s health and overall fitness. A useful axiom to remember is: ‘Eat like a King at breakfast, a Prince at lunch time and a Pauper at dinner’.That way the body has a high store of energy to work on from early in the day, but is not trying desperately to digest a large quantity of nutrients just when the body’s metabolism is about to ‘close down’ for the night.EXERCISENow there’s a dirty word – to some even the thought of something called ‘exercise’ is off-putting in the order of things labeled ‘Health and Fitness’.But exercise doesn’t have to be a labour on its own. Exercise can be almost anything you want it to be because you don’t have to join a gym and leap around with a gaggle of other damp and possibly even non-aromatic individuals, all with the same objectives – to lose weight and/or get fit…whatever that might mean!Apply a mental thinking approach of balance to your programme of exercise. Run or walk briskly on a regular basis. Set yourself a target of one and a half kilometres (a mile) each run/walk to begin with. Time yourself over that distance and check the time after each; you’ll soon notice that the time shortens and the breath lengthens. Some people don’t like running – that’s fine, do what you are comfortable doing. If you don’t like walking well, I guess it’s back to the gym with a bottle of perfume. All in all, what you do for exercise is totally a matter of personal preference. Push ups, press ups, sit ups, crunches, bunches, weights or rowing machines are for those who enjoy the activity, and perhaps, the company of other like-minded folk. In the final event, you are the one to decide which regime is best for you.
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As the 2007/2008 ski season enters the final few weeks of the winter, the alpine property market continues to show positive results in popular mountain resorts. The French Alps have long held great appeal for those seeking to buy ski property and it appears that the British love of the great outdoors has continued to push prices upwards despite a sluggish property market at home.Recently released reports show that property prices in the ski resorts of Haute-Savoie increased by over 13% for re-sale apartments in 2007, with some mountain destinations showing price growth of over 20% year-on-year. According to figures released by the estate agency association FNAIM, the average price per square metre in the northern French Alps has almost doubled since 2002, and now sits at 4,844 euros.Property in the French Alps is amongst some of the most sought-after and therefore the priciest locations in France and much of the growth in the past 10 years has been influenced by British buyers. The British now account for over 18% of the property sales in this part of the Alps; 10 years ago their market share was 2%. Property for sale in resorts such as Chamonix, Morzine, Les Gets, Megeve and Samoens is still highly desirable and a distinct lack of land to build on ensures that demand for the French Alps continues to outstrip supply.Buyers are increasingly choosing the northern French Alps because of the fantastic flexibility a property in this part of France can offer. The region is home to some of the largest ski and winter sports domains in the world, yet less than 50% of annual visitors to the Alps actually come here to ski. The summer seasons can be equally as popular as the winter; with breath-taking scenery, a multitude of outdoor pursuits to enjoy and a hot if sometimes unpredictable summer climate. As a result a property in the French Alps can cater for family holidays throughout the entire year. In addition to enjoying winter and summer holidays in the area, owning a property in the Alps offers great scope for seasonal rentals; enabling owners to really capitalise on their investment and recover many of the costs of their second home. Proximity to a major international airport at Geneva is another strong plus point; low-cost and scheduled flights arrive from the UK throughout the entire year and most resorts in the Haute-Savoie region of the French Alps can be reached within 1 hour of the airport.The future of any mountain destination really hinges on its ability to anticipate and adapt to client needs. Property hunters in today’s market are buying into a lifestyle product; they want to buy a ski property in a resort that has retained its alpine charm, that offers access to good and reliable skiing but also has plenty to enjoy in the summer, with lots of character and a distinctly old alpine French feel. The property needs to be a spacious and comfortable mountain retreat where the whole family can enjoy relaxing short breaks and longer stays. The northern French Alps and in particular the Haute-Savoie region are well matched to buyers’ requirements and this winning formula is reflected in the impressive price increases experienced by many of the mountain destinations in 2007; the price per m² in Flaine/les Carroz has leapt up by 23% in the past year, La Clusaz by 22% and across the Evasion Mont Blanc ski domain by 22%.With such high demand for ski property for sale it is no surprise that one property sale in four in Haute-Savoie is in a mountain destination. The highest concentrations of British buyers across the northern French Alps are in the Grand Massif, the Portes de Soleil, the Mont Blanc region and the Three Valleys ski domains. In these areas property in Chamonix and Megeve has always held a huge draw for British buyers and the resorts of Morzine, Les Gets and Samoens have all developed and grown massively over the past 8 years. These destinations are well placed to offer the quality and size of property that British buyers are seeking, combined with the allure of a year-round and attractive holiday destination.Developers of new build property in the Alps have increasingly listened to buyers’ requirements and are now focussing on providing more spacious properties with multiple bathrooms. 74% of all apartments sold in the resale market are studios and 1-beds. In new build apartments the most popular purchases are 1 and 2-bed apartments accounting for 72% of sales. The popularity of the larger properties in the new build arena is indicative of changing consumer needs and property designs have adapted accordingly.The repercussions of the 2007 US sub prime credit crisis and its subsequent impact on the UK housing market has tightened many buyer’s budgets and consequently the alpine property market has recorded a slower pace during the first quarter of 2008. This coupled with the recent fall in the sterling-euro exchange rate has caused buyers to think hard about what they can afford to invest in their alpine property. In recent years ski property for sale in the popular resorts was so scarce buyers had to move quickly and with little or no negotiation in order to secure their property. In today’s market prices are more negotiable, although resort centres are still recording a fast sales turnover and buyers do need to move quickly when they find the right property.Many of the vendors in the French Alps are British and planning to convert their euros back into sterling once their property has sold. The current euro-sterling exchange rate weighs heavily in their favour and as a result they can afford to be flexible when it comes to negotiation on the asking price of their property. The outcome is that both buyers and vendors are able to achieve a purchase price that they feel is fair and vendors are still able to cash in the benefits of a very healthy capital growth on their second home.Looking forwards to the remainder of 2008 it is anticipated that property prices in the French Alps will be stable, with some continued strong growth in developing resorts such as Saint Gervais les Bains and Les Contamines. More price negotiation will take place over the coming months and vendors that plan to convert their euros back to sterling will be able to capitalise on the exchange rate, which is not anticipated to improve until the final quarter of the year. Many buyers will consider a smaller property investment initially, with plans to sell and upgrade over the next 2-5 years. Land to build on is increasingly rare and the continued limited supply of property for sale across the French Alps will help maintain a buoyant property market.
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Whether you’re in the market for a major interior overhaul or you’re simply looking to give your home a quick and easy update, chances are you’ve spent some time online hunting for ideas and inspiration. That said, it can be pretty deflating to stumble upon a look you love only to discover the price to achieve it is well above your budget.
Fortunately, there are some killer home decorating blogs that show you how to refresh, revive, and fall in love with your home anew without breaking the bank. For a home that looks far more expensive than it costs to create, check out the following blogs for all of the interior inspiration and DIY tutorials you’ll ever need.
Welcome back to the week 5 update for the One Room Challenge. Check out the blog posts and updates for week 1, week 2, week 3, and week 4 if you missed them. It’s crunch time now and I’ll be honest… I don’t know that this project will be completely wrapped up for the reveal date. The great thing is the reveal and hitting a deadline is not the only goal of reason for this challenge. Ultimately having a fully functional and hopefully beautiful bathroom is where we want to end up even it things are a bit delayed.
Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.
When we left off last time the countertops had been templated, the trim was freshly painted and the hardware had been ordered. The hardware took about 1 week to arrive. We chose the Menlo Park 4″ pull from Schlub in chrome because I think the pull has the perfect mix of square and some rounded elements that make it a great transitional hardware option. We went with all pulls for the drawers and doors since the knob option in that line weren’t our favorite.
Guest Bathroom Reno: Quartz Countertops and Grout – One Room Challenge Week 5
The quartz countertops are now installed and things can be put back together. Rectangle, undercount sinks were also purchased through the fabricator. The Marble look quartz from Pental and it is gorgeous with the warm gray veins running throughout. For the edge went for a flat polish eased edge for a clean, simple look.
Guest Bathroom Reno: Quartz Countertops and Grout – One Room Challenge Week 5
Two days after the quartz countertops were installed the tile installer came back to finish up tiling the niches, installing the tile base and grout everything.
Guest Bathroom Reno: Quartz Countertops and Grout – One Room Challenge Week 5
The electoral is being relocated for the new lights. There are some drywall and painting touch ups to do and plumbing fixtures to be hooked up. Plus adding all the finishing touches ???? All those little things like towel hooks, curtain rod, and accessories will bring this whole thing together.
It’s been too long since I’ve updated and even longer since this work has been started. This is me sharing remodel updates, mostly for myself (but also for my nagging family members). I’m sharing photos of the progress that has been made while also document the craziness that has gone on. This is just the beginning of the remodel.
Prior to moving in I had 3-4 weeks where my apartment lease overlapped with the possession of my townhome. This allowed me, with the amazing help of my family, to paint, tear-out carpet and somewhat put back together the upstairs portion of my place so that I could have a clean room to put a bed. At least one that wasn’t completely torn apart. One area that felt more livable that the rest. If you haven’t seen or don’t remember these are the before photos from when I took possession. To list it out here are the main things that I was tacking during those week prior to me moving in.
Phase 1 Remodel Projects
ripping out baseboard, carpet and tack strips upstairs and preparing for new hard surface flooring. (this flooring will go throughout minus the stairs and bathrooms/laundry)
installing flooring upstairs (one of my installers did this)
mostly gutting the master bathroom
installing a new tub and rough in plumbing for the master and powder bath
ordering and installing a rift white oak vanity for the master
Painting (and priming where needed) the ceilings and walls of the bedrooms. Caulking and painting the crown molding in the master
replacing and upgrading the baseboard heater in the master and patch the drywall
painting the hallway and down through the stairwell
adding skirt board to the stairs
installing new carpet and pad on the stairs (my carpet installer from work did this)
removing upper cabinets on the fridge side in the kitchen
partially demoing the wall diving the kitchen (prepare to move switches, outlets, heater and thermostat)
removing drywall on wall next to bar in dining area
painting the downstairs powder bath and removing vanity to prepare for a new floating vanity
Those were the main projects that took place and then I moved in the day after Thanksgiving. Getting rid of the original, nasty cat carpet and new flooring made a huge difference to the upstairs. Also neutralizing and lightening the paint made things feel so much more fresh. I still have no baseboards but I’ll get on that one day! For now here are some photos that I snapped along the way.
It’s been a while since been posting on here but I have some new updates and projects that I have been working on. Last summer into fall I was house hunting while knowing the lease on my apartment would be expiring end of the 2019. It felt a little crazy but was a fun process for me. After a bunch of searching I found and closed on a new home!
I was lucky enough to have a few weeks of overlap with my apartment (I ended up moving out 1 month early) so I was able to get started on projects and updates prior to moving in. I’ll share more about those in the coming weeks (there are still so many unfinished things!) but for now I think it’s best to start with some before photos. Also, follow along on Instagram where I post current project updates more often. The pictures show it in the state I bought it in. It’s a great first place to me and was functional as-is but as you might expect I’m here to make things my own by doing updates that I will enjoy while living here and that will also add value and functionality to the space down the line when I sell… or maybe even keep it as a rental. My dog, Nova, has been enjoying the space as well ???? There are a couple of things to miss about my Bothell apartment but I am very ready to have my own place and space.
In 2017 the guest bathroom was remodeled. You can see more photos and read about that here. Almost everything came out and all new things went back in. From emails and comments people have been asking for sources so I have rounded up what I could in this post to share paint colors, products and links that I could find for the bathroom.
Bathroom Sources and Details:
Wall color: BM Balboa Mist
Trim and door color: BM Chantilly Lace
Floor Tile: Pental Mark Chrome 12×24 matte
Shower tile: Jeffrey Court Weather Gray 4×12 gloss subway
Niche tile: Daltile clio mosaic
Bathtub: Maax Rubix tub
Cabinet: Spencer Cabinets – painted BM Cape May Cobblestone
Countertop: Pental Quartz Misterio polished 3cm
Cabinet hardware: Schaub Menlo Park Pull in chrome
Faucets: Hansgrohe Metris single handle in chrome
Shower trims: Kohler slide bar kit, wall mount supply and Hansgrohe tub spout in chrome
Mirrors: Homegoods
Towel Hooks: Delta Tolva robe hook in chrome