Friday, April 3, 2020

Learn the Chemistry of Blood

Learn the Chemistry of BloodThe chemistry of blood is one of the most important aspects of the human body. It is a type of substance which is produced by the human body that helps the body maintain the normal pH balance, absorption and release of the necessary nutrients in the body. It works by doing certain functions of many other substances which are contained in the body.One of the functions that is performed by the chemistry of blood is to control the pH level. This process is known as the action of the blood. One can get abnormal levels of acidity in the body if not corrected. The chemistry of blood helps in maintaining the normal pH level.In order to get a correct knowledge about the chemistry of blood, we should understand the fact that the pH level is the measure of the acidity and alkalinity of the blood. The negative values indicate that the levels of acidity and alkalinity are too high. A normal pH level is 6.20 or above.When the blood carries harmful substances into the b ody, the blood will cause an adverse reaction in the body. Thus, the body uses the presence of the blood as a filter to remove the harmful chemicals from the body. In the process, the blood carries some essential nutrients in its system which helps in the absorption of these harmful materials.The blood also helps in the development of the cells in the body. It has the power to split the cell components. The functions of the blood are so important that it is being discussed at the highest level in this article.Hence, the science of the chemistry of blood is very useful in this regard. Thus, when you understand the chemistry of blood, you will be able to understand how the human body is able to carry out the functions of this substance in a precise manner.The chemistry of blood helps in the blood circulation. This is because the blood is able to move easily from one place to another. It is also used in the digestive process, where it helps in the assimilation of nutrients from food. T he importance of the chemistry of blood cannot be ignored because it is one of the major factors in keeping the normal pH level in the body.

Monday, March 23, 2020

5 Graphic Novels that Will Help You Learn French

5 Graphic Novels that Will Help You Learn French Megan L. Learning to speak French  can be a daunting task, so why not make it fun? Watching and reading French material is a fantastic way to study the language. In this article, teacher  Walker P.  introduces you to the wonderful world of French graphic novels One of the biggest steps we can take in our foreign language learning is reading in French. But let’s be honest, sometimes we’d rather take just half a step and that’s okay! Instead of staring at a  block of text and feeling intimidated, we can begin our journey to literacy with the engaging world of comic books and graphic novels. Furthermore, France has a rich world of illustration that we can enjoy beyond our studies. Whether you want to help your child learn French or learn it yourself, these novels have something for everyone. Let’s take a look at five publications of different skill levels that all have a unique story to tell. 1. Histoire de Babar: le petit éléphant, Jean de Brunhoff The Story of Babar: The Little Elephant After his mother is killed by hunters, young Babar escapes the jungle and arrives in a city where he is befriended by an old woman. She hires him a tutor and dresses him with an heir of sophistication. What we end up with is a charming and refined young elephant who brings civilization to the land of elephants. This children’s book with full-page illustrations is perfect for beginners and anyone who wants a relaxed, immersive experience with French. 2. Les Aventures de Tintin: On a marché sur la Lune, Hergé The Adventures of Tintin: Explorers on the Moon, Hergé Tintin is an adventurous young reporter and main character of this very popular series. Loved for its slapstick humor, realistic world, and well-researched plotlines, this series is perfect for anyone just beginning to develop their French vocabulary skills. This time, on a trip to the moon to explore stalactite caves, Tintin and his companions face stowaways, depleting oxygen, and the challenges of survival in space. Its a simple and fun science fiction jaunt to warm up your brain to the French language. 3. Titeuf, Dieu, le sexe et les bretelles, Zep Titeuf, God, Sex and Suspenders, Zep The most popular comic series in France currently, Titeuf, stars an inquisitive eight-year-old who really just wants to understand life. Standing at the edge of puberty, Titeuf explores the questions of what lies ahead  and invokes a playful, honest attitude toward growing up. This series is perfect for younger French students that can relate, as well as for those more advanced who want to laugh as they learn. 4. L’Arabe du Futur, Riad Sattouf The Arab of the Future Born to a Syrian father and white French mother in the 1980s, Riad grows up between two cultures. Drawn to art and having a gentle disposition, the male-centered, aggressive worlds of Libya and Syria challenges Riad as a young child. This graphic novel is written from his perspective but makes many observations on the politics of France and North Africa, as Riad navigates the culture of his father and of Islam. A great choice for people at a high school or college reading level. 5. Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi Ranked by Newsweek as the fifth-best fictional book of the decade, Persepolis explores the childhood and adulthood of its author during and after the Islamic Revolution in Iran. The protagonist, Marji, fights for what she believes in and explores her cultural identity throughout this wonderful series. Anyone looking for a more advanced read and still wants an engaging, beautifully-illustrated experience need look no further than Persepolis. As an added bonus, once you finish you can watch the animated adaptation and practice your French listening skills and oral comprehension. Welcome to the world of French graphic novels, or as we would say in this case: bandes dessinées. Now take these skills that you learn from the novels and try to have a French conversation with someone. As always, practice with consistency, and study often! Post Author:  Walker P. Walker P. teaches English, Japanese, and French in Chicago, IL. He received a bachelors degree in English and French at DuPaul University. Walker has edited thousands of formal essays for his peers and enjoys one-on-one conversations to improve others English skills.  Learn more about Walker here! Photo by morebyless Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

Friday, March 6, 2020

8 Strategies to Build your Professional Branding - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 8 Strategies to Build your Professional Branding - Introvert Whisperer 8 Strategies to Build your Professional Branding In today’s competitive landscape and digital-driven world, it’s important to build a professional brand as unique as you are. Today’s tech-savvy hiring managers tend to rely on candidates’ online presence to make crucial hiring decisions. In fact, a recent survey suggests that nearly half of employers are less likely to consider a job candidate if they’re unable to find the candidate online. Whether you’re a recent graduate entering the workforce or a seasoned professional looking to build your own business, a distinctive professional brand both online and offline   could be the key to setting you apart from the competition. A strong professional brand can help you stand out in the market by establishing you as a credible, reliable expert in your field. If you’re just starting on your professional brand journey, you might not know where to begin. There are plenty of strategies you can employ to bring your professional brand to life; the key is to find what works best for you. Here, we share some proven strategies for building your professional branding.   1) Know yourself   In order to create a professional brand, you first need to define who are you are, and who you are not. Start by examining your core strengths and the value you could provide to employers or customers. Be introspective and objectively assess your strengths and weaknesses. Once you’ve defined what you stand for, you can start to identify companies or customers who would benefit from your professional brand.   2) Create your elevator pitch   Every brand requires a strong brand statement, and your professional brand is no exception. To resonate with your target audience, you need to be able to clearly articulate your professional brand and summarise what you do and who you serve in a concise statement. Your elevator pitch should clearly articulate your value and capture people’s interest in as little as 15-30 seconds. Though this may seem like a daunting task, a strong elevator pitch can be a powerful sales and promotional tool. Start by asking yourself the following questions: In what areas or industries am I most knowledgeable? What characteristics do I have that make me stand out? What type of role or projects do I want to pursue? Once you have the answers, you can start to craft your elevator pitch. 3) Define your brand   Once you’ve developed your elevator pitch, it’s time to define your brand. A professional brand isn’t only a reflection of who are you today, it’s also a roadmap for where you’d like to be in the future. Evaluate where your current expertise lies and how it relates to the industry you’d like to pursue. Then, build your brand around your specific area of expertise and vision for the future. Hone in one area where you posses the most expertise and highlight how you can tap into to build value for employers or customers. 4) Take your brand digital   Your online presence is a key component of your professional brand. Consider starting your own blog or website to help promote and share your expertise and knowledge. There are a lot of website builders available today that make it easy to design and build your own website, such as WordPress, Squarespace and Wix. If you opt for launching for a blog, remember that quality trumps quantity. Though it’s important to post consistently, you should aim to create content that’s informational, educational, and effectively showcases your expertise. Also, be sure to make content easy to digest and simple to share. Miss Thrifty, written by frugal blogger Karen Fleeting, is a wonderful example of a well-executed professional online brand. Not only does the site’s content appeal directly to its target audience of young mums, but it also uses a conversational tone that connects readers to the real person behind the brand.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Should I Go To Baylor University

Should I Go To Baylor University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Kat is a Dallas Fort Worth tutor specializing in Algebra tutoring, AP Physics tutoring, Calculus tutoring, and more. She is a 2011 graduate of Baylor University with a Bachelors degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Check out her review of her alma mater: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Kat: The campus is safe, and its like a city within itself. There are buses you can take around campus, but I personally never used them. A lot of students walk or ride bikes across campus, and a car is only needed if you live off of campus or if you wanted to go to the movie theater. VT:How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Kat: The professors, advisers, and teaching assistants are always willing to find time to help. They typically have certain hours that they are available, but if you have class or duties during those hours, they will work with you to find an alternate time and schedule an appointment. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Kat: I did not have a good experience with dorm life, so I lived off-campus for most of my college life. You are required to live on campus your first year; afterwards, I highly recommend getting off campus if you can afford it. This is the only area of Baylor I have anything negative to say about. The dining options are good, but may be a bit limited for some. There is a Chilis Too in the Engineering building. There is also a small snack stand in the science building. There are three dining halls; one has a really awesome omelet bar, another has a great stir-fry bar, and the last one occasionally has fantastic chili cheese fries (and I am a person who normally does not enjoy chili cheese fries). There is also a little collection of fast food places within the student union building. It includes Chick-fil-A, Sbarro, Quiznos, and a tex-mex place. There are no Chinese restaurants that deliver to Baylor, but there is a Pizza Hut right on the edge of campus that does deliver to campus. There are also several social events throughout the year. Every week, there is a Dr. Pepper Hour in which students get free Dr. Pepper floats and socialize. The student union building has a pool hall and a bowling alley in the basement. Every school within the university hosts different events. The Engineering school has an event during which different organizations like ASME and IEEE put on little shows or contests. One example is professors and teaching assistants trying to find Skittles within a whipped cream pie. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Kat: I studied Electrical and Computer Engineering. I have always enjoyed mathematics and science, especially the electricity side of physics. I was also in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core (BIC). Both were well represented and supported. They also required a separate application from the admissions application for Baylor. Thus, I actually had three different applications that I filled out for Baylor: one to be a student at the university, one for the Engineering school, and one for the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core program. I do not know the acceptance rate for the Engineering school, but I do know that BIC only accepts 200 to 250 students each year into the program. Both the Engineering school and the BIC program had teachers and administrators that were very supportive of the students and the goals of those students. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Kat: The first week after moving in, before starting school, is all about meeting people, making friends, and learning about Baylor. For the first week of school as a freshman, a decent number of classes did not go diving into the subject material. They spent a day or two having the professor and students introduce themselves. There were a lot of events during the first week to encourage students to meet and mingle. I was not a part of the Greek life and did not see it play a significant role in campus life. There are others who would disagree with that statement. I just did not experience it, and it was not a significant part in the events I attended. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Kat: The Career Center is helpful for putting together a resume. There are a number of companies that recruit on campus and at the Baylor career fairs. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Kat: The study areas were nice. There was typically room, and they were easy to get to. The libraries had study rooms you could reserve. These were great for study groups or when I tutored others. They had dry erase boards you could use, if you brought your own markers and eraser. I used these rooms on numerous occasions. The student union building would have available space, except around lunch. The lounge area and the table area were packed then. Otherwise, there was usually plenty of room, and the chairs were comfortable. I would study there in-between classes often. The dorm lounges were roomy and sometimes students would get together for a TV-watching party. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Kat: There were some restaurants and fast food places right around campus. There was also one movie theater, but it required having a car or a ride to get there. Most students stay on campus because there is not a lot to do off-campus. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Kat: The student body is fairly large. All of my classes were six to 40 people each (not including Chapel, which was a few hundred people), and the average was around 15 to 20. I liked the size of my classes. The science classes were the only ones to reach around 40 students. The BIC classes were 15 to 20 when in small group, and they were around 250 for large group. The small group BIC classes were for discussion, homework, quizzes, and tests. The large group BIC classes were for lectures. The Engineering classes varied from six people to 25 people. The electives were on the lower end of the range because professors wanted to be able to devote more time to each individual student. The required classes were on the higher end of the range, but they never reached the magnitude of the science classes. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Kat: I really enjoyed and loved many of my classes. The most memorable experience for me was not tied to a specific class, but rather to how professors/students reacted to a situation. Fall semester of my spring year, my family was going through a hard time that ended with the funeral of my brothers first-born child. She was a micro-preemie on life support. I was walking into class when I got the call about how my brother and his wife were going to take her off of life support. I walked into my lab, and I did not have to say anything. My lab partner saw the look on my face (I had been keeping him up to date on everything going on back home), and he just told me to go. He said he would handle the lab and catch me up next week. In addition to lab, which was my last class that day, I missed three full days of class that week, as well as a quiz. I had emailed in all the homework I could, and I informed my professors of the situation and that some of the homework would be turned in late t he following week when I got back. None of the professors docked my homework for being late. In one of my classes, I had a quiz every Friday, and we were allowed one dropped quiz. When I emailed him, I told him I would take the quiz I missed as the dropped quiz. When I got back to school the following Monday, he pulled me aside and told me to not worry about the quiz. The quiz was missed for legitimate reasons and it would not count toward my total. Thus, I still had a dropped quiz to use afterward. I told him he did not need to do that, but I was very thankful. The professors and the students were supportive and worked with me to get things done at another time. They all understood that I did not miss class for a party or because I did not feel well. I missed class to be with my family during a time of need. The people at Baylor are very caring and supportive. Check out Kats tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Your Professional Field Guide to Be a Rockstar Introvert (Part 2)

Introvert Whisperer / Your Professional Field Guide to Be a Rockstar Introvert (Part 2) Your Professional Field Guide to Be a Rockstar Introvert at Work (Part 2) Change for the sake of change is pointless. Change to improve your life (and your career is part of your life) is vital. (Like this thought? Tweet it!) Previously, Ive explained that you can learn to adapt, and learn the skill of adapting, in order to create the best possible outcome. But where do you start? The best place to start is by looking at your own career goals against your current situation. If your current situation is problematic, then you have things to change, even if your issues aren’t all that big. Small issues tend to get bigger as time goes by, and its very easy to try to ignore those smaller issues until you wake up one day and you’ve got a huge career mess on your hands. The trouble I sometimes see is that people try to solve the  symptoms of problems, not the problems themselves. It’s like taking cold medicine for pneumonia. It might help with the symptoms, but it will do nothing for eliminating the pneumonia from your body. When you solve the symptom, you fail to solve the problem. You could also make your situation worse because  your actions really aren’t focused on the correct fix. I see this same problem when it comes to  solving business issues. Failure to get down to the root cause of a problem is fairly common. The reason it happens more in our careers is because the emotional component doesn’t exactly cause a person to think all that clearly. Let Me Give You an Example I had a former client return to me a few years after helping her land what she thought was a dream job. She wanted me to help her again with a job search, and since I had helped her land the job she was leaving, I wanted to do a diagnostic of her situation. I learned she had a history of going into a position  and doing an outstanding job, but being  seriously under-appreciated for her accomplishments. Her relationships with her bosses had consistent themes of poor communication, other people getting credit for her ideas and her leaving feeling unrecognized and under-supported. Her assessment was that her industry was full of flaky management and she needed to do a complete career switch. This was a huge undertaking, as her career skills were  directly linked to her industry. She was a specialist, and moving into another industry and career would mean retooling. She was addressing the symptom, not the problem. My assessment was that, like so many Introverts, she was falling short in areas others around her had mastered. Namely, she had the following real problems fairly common to Introverts: She was not self-promoting and helping management to utilize her extensive skills. As a result, they failed to recognize her for her skills and her results. She wasn’t reading the political landscape; in fact, she was avoiding it, which is always a perilous thing to do. You can’t avoid the dynamics that occur any time you get a group of people together. Politics happen, both negative and positive. If you don’t understand office  politics, you will pull a big career-limiting move. It’s not a question of if  it happens; its simply a matter of when and how big the political blunder will be. In her case, it was fairly big. She had great relationships with the people who worked for her but had no relationships with her peers, management or executives. In fact, she grew to feel contempt for those at her level and above. She had no support structure, and it was apparent almost no one was in her corner. Relationships are vital for almost every aspect of your career, and the fact that her career was in trouble was due in a large part to this missing element. The problem I had with this clients  proposed new direction is that she would repeat her history no matter where she pursued a job if she didn’t take steps to change how she managed herself in that job. To make it worse, she would potentially spend time and money that wouldn’t lead to a solution. She would simply have the same bad results in a new career and new industry. I did agree that she should start fresh elsewhere, but that she should do it with a new strategy and a few changes to her own behavior. The great thing about starting a new job is that you can change your behavior and have completely different results. But, you have to be changing the right behavior or adapting new behavior that will produce a better result. Adapting Behaviors Hopefully, I have illustrated by now why  you have to drill down on your own behavior  to know what to change. Certainly, we do work with people who can be problematic, but when you keep hitting the same walls repeatedly, you have to start assuming it’s you. Let’s say, for arguments sake, that you arent having career issues per se; youre  just not getting the traction you think you should. In this case, there are some very effective adaptation strategies to consider. The reason I call them “adaptation” strategies is that  as an Introvert, you are not changing your personality. You will mere be adapting some behaviors, with approaches that preserve the integrity of your personality and also take your inherent tendencies into account. In other words, you are adjusting your behavior to suit the situation (and doing it “Introvert-style”). You may discover that with enough repetition, you may permanently change your behavior. Keep in mind that changing your behavior is not changing your personality. Using the example from above, let’s look at each  adaptation strategy the client Ive discussed could  pursue: Strategy #1:  Self-Promotion 1.  Re-set your attitude about self-promotion. Sometimes I hear people who  think their work speaks for itself. It doesn’t, but you do. Some people think they are “above” self-promotion. No one is above self-promotion, including the U.S. President, Oprah and the Pope. If they can self-promote and make people think positively about them, so can you. 2. Know the difference between bragging and self-promotion. An easy way to tell is in the value of  the message. Bragging is self-centered and all about the person talking. Its heavily laced with words like “I,” “me” and “mine. The blather  is pointless and adds no value to the listener. Self-promotion provides useful information to the recipient. What is being said adds value to the other person. 3.  Be forthcoming with information. You perform a service of some sort to your company. Share liberally with those up, down and at your level what you are doing, your results, your breakthroughs and your observations. Your sharing does two things: 1) it reinforces what you do, and 2) it helps the other person learn about things that will help them. Most people fail to recognize that communication is always the weak spot in their  organization. You can be the opposite. Let’s pause here to look at just these suggestions. The first things youre doing with this strategy is putting your head in the right space. The next thing youre doing is not painful and  is fairly simple to do    being conscious of a  need and then applingy a straightforward approach to it. The approach works well for  Introverts  because  we tend to not speak without a reason or purpose. The  reason here is to  help others (and yourself) by keeping them informed of what youre up to. You can’t assume anyone knows  what youre  doing. Note that  I’m not telling you to be “more outgoing.” That is usually not good advice for us. But a specific process and reason is. There are many more things you could do under this strategy, but this is a start. Use these suggestions and then, when you feel good about the changes, expand to the next strategy. We Introverts can get  overwhelmed, so it’s best to start small, master one thing and then expand your skills. Strategy #2: Building Relationships 1.  Make a goal for expanding. One thing that helps Introverts is having a purpose or mission when  pursuing a relationship. Establishing a goal can help provide a basis for driving you forward, and also gives you a positive reward when you hit this goal. Again, start small. A good goal might be: 1) develop one new relationship at work per month, and 2) start approaching management 2-3 times per month to get to know them or their priorities. 2.  Go one-on-one. Introverts prefer more intimate settings rather than big blowouts. This is perfect, especially at work. Use those moments when you drop in to give an update or pick up something as an opportunity to get to know the  person youre visiting. Ask questions this is easier than normal small talk, as you won’t have to come up with pithy remarks, just good questions. Plus, asking about the other person shows interest, and thats always a good basis for a relationship. 3.  Get to know someone who’s doing something you’d like to do. If youre seeking a promotion or different position, what better way to do it than to get to know the person doing it right now? You can learn more about the job from this person, and it may also give you an opportunity to volunteer to help them. You will win points with this person and also get  more qualified (how good is that?) 4.  Get to know the boss. You don’t need to turn your boss into your BFF (but it could happen). By spending time with the boss, youll get more insight into their work and priorities.  Become  familiar with the demands and priorities on the boss, and you can gain insight into  how you could help them. When you have the bosss back, you become very valuable. See, that isn’t too painful! With these suggestions, you can start winning relationships that will support you along your path. Strategy #3: Reading the Political Landscape 1.  Don’t avoid gossip. I’m sure you’re shocked I suggested this. But before you skip over this one, think about these points. You can learn a lot from the gossip being shared in your group. While you don’t have to add to it and you do have to edit what you hear, you can still figure out how things work in a group. You can learn whos “in” and whos “out” and without sounding too cold-blooded you need to know that. If you overly align yourself with someone who is “out,” you will be perceived the same way. 2. Align with influence. This doesn’t mean you ignore the people you like and suck up to odious people. It means among the people you need to have strategic relationships with are those people who seem to hold more sway than others. These people can  eventually sway things in your favor, which is good. They can also help you  be noticed easier, which is also important. 3. Learn the management and influencers. One thing I will readily admit is that we  Introverts can be a bit “tone deaf to the interactions of others. That’s because we tend to be task-focused (it helps conserve energy) and, when were hunkered down on a task, we may miss the group dynamics. You need to pay attention to your management and those of influence. You need to figure out what’s important to these people and position yourself to deliver to those things; it will make you  invaluable. Also, by paying attention to those people, you will learn things like the best way to communicate with them, or sensitivities they might have on certain things. Modify how you do things with those people once you learn how they tick. 4. Offer solutions. I can tell you for a fact that while management needs to know about problems, they don’t want to hear them without also hearing proposed solutions. Don’t be overly committed to your solution in case they don’t adopt your suggestion. You will quickly become the least favorite person if you constantly use your expertise to point out flaws and leave the problem on the doorstep of others to fix. It’s just being politically astute to offer solutions. Some people are nervous about playing office politics. All you really need to know if that it’s all about who influences whom to make what decisions. And  the “who’s who” can change at the drop of a hat, so you need to be aware and react accordingly. You may  think you aren’t political, but if youre part of a group, you are. With that in mind, be smart and play it positively. Like the other two things I outlined above, there are many other actions you can take to help you with all three areas. I can tell you from my experience both doing these things and helping others that it only take a few well thought-out actions to make a huge difference for your career. Be a Conscious Introvert Now that you understand how you tick and where your Introvert tendencies are  most likely to show up, my last message to you is to be conscious of when you aren’t helping your career. Like everyone on the planet, we get used to our own behaviors, no matter how useful or problematic they might be. It’s easy to simply move past something we see ourselves doing and shrug it off, even when we know it’s not helping our own career goals. Start paying attention to your own weak spots. Many  Introverts share the same issues, and usually those issues have to do with interactions (or lack thereof) with others. Here are some questions to ask yourself to make sure youre not getting in your own way: Are you staying silent in meetings most of the time? Do you fail to offer up your opinion because it’s the same as others most of the time? Are your work relationships sparse or specific to the projects or work you do? Are you sought after for your expertise? By the boss or management? Are you noticing people with fewer  skills or less experience moving up faster than you? Do you believe most people at work understand your expertise? Are you treated with respect? Do you get recognition (not necessarily awards or bonuses) for your work or accomplishments? If your career situation changed this week, would your network be  strong enough to help you? If you needed to, could you influence others at work for something you felt strongly about? Do you have a clear sense of your personal brand and believe its consistent with how people at work view you? Does it support your career goals? If you aren’t clear about these things, you can  obtain feedback from a variety of people you work with. Be careful to ask people who will give you the unvarnished truth about you. Most people try to be polite or nice, and you need some straightforward information, not useless input. Steer clear of asking the people you know will struggle with being completely honest. All change models will tell you that you can’t change what you don’t acknowledge or realize is a problem. Being conscious of your behavior gives you that vital first step to making real changes that matter. In Summary Self-improvement is a lifelong endeavor, and I hope you are approaching your career improvement with the spirit of fun and adventure. After all, it’s about you and it’s about you going places, which is seriously exciting. If you’re in a poor job situation, I realize that isn’t fun. Know that you have the power to either change your situation or move on to a job where you can develop the type of behaviors that will dramatically accelerate your career. You can learn new skills until the day you die. You can learn to adapt to your various situations with some consciousness and a clear vision of what needs to change. Also, I’m a real person and always happy to help. Feel free to email me if you’d like guidance for your particular concerns I answer all my email. To help you gain additional insight about what’s working and what’s not working, you can also take a free  assessment to get feedback so you can be on your path to a career you love. Click here to take the assessment now. For additional Introvert insights, you can also check out my video series on The 5 Common Ways Introverts Commit Career Self-Sabotage and How to Avoid Them. Click here to view the videos. Go to top Do you know what your next career step is?  Many people don’t. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook on how to construct your Career SMART Goals â€" that will help you put together your actions and keep you accountable. Get your copy now and start your action plan today! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Algebra 1 Word Problems Online Tutoring - Algebra Help

Algebra 1 Word Problems Online Tutoring - Algebra Help Various day-to-day mathematical problems or the real world problems can be easily solved by first converting the problem in the form of an equation and then solving it by applying the rules of algebra. Algebra 1 word problems tool helps in solving the word problem step by step. This can be illustrated by a few examples as below. Example 1: If the cost of 12 pens is $50, find the cost of 5 such pens. Solution: Here we cannot find the cost of 5 pens unless we find the cost of one pen, which is also not known, from the question. We start by assuming the cost of one pen to be x, So the cost of 12 pens would be 12 (x) = 12x.. (1) But according to the question cost of 12 pens = $50.. (2) So from the equation (1) and (2) above, we get 12x = 50 Dividing both sides by 12 12x/12 = 50 x = 4.16, i.e. the cost of one pen (3) Now, cost of 5 pens would be 5x. But x = 4.16 as per equation (3) So, cost of 5 pens = 5 X 4.16 = $20.8 Example 2: Find the cost of a bag which was sold for $200 at a profit of 20%. Solution: Let us assume the cost price (C.P) to be =x We know that, Selling price (S.P) = C.P + Profit Or S.P = C.P + P Or, S.P = x + 20% of x (because profit is 20% of the C.P) Or, S.P = x + 20x/100 Or, S.P. =120x/100..(1) But according to the question S.P = 200.(2) From equation (1) and (2) above = 200 Multiplying both sides by 100 Or, 120x/100 * 100 = 200 x 100 Or,120x = 20000 Dividing both sides by 120 120x/120 = 20000/120 X= 166.67, or the cost price of the bag was $166.66

How Social Media is Changing Our Brains - Listening Exercise

How Social Media is Changing Our Brains - Listening Exercise Is social media like an addictive drug? What is a phantom vibration? Can social media actually be good for relationships?a href=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC552Sd-3nyi_tk2BudLUzAAsap Science/a, a Canadian duo that has created a fascinating YouTube channel about science,  answers these and more questions about how social media changes  our brains.  Its fascinating, and is also a good way to work on your Ea href=/?page_id=16153nglish listening skills/a. Watch the video below, then try to answer the questions.iframe src=//www.youtube.com/embed/HffWFd_6bJ0?list=UUC552Sd-3nyi_tk2BudLUzA width=560 height=315 frameborder=0 allowfullscreen=allowfullscreen/iframestrongAnswer the questions in comments, and we will respond./strong1. Cant __ __?2. What does sentence 1 mean?3.  How is using social media like a drug?4. What is phantom vibration syndrome? Have you ever felt it?5. How is social media communication different from face to face communication?6. How is social media good for relat ionships?7. Do you think social media has changed you?Want to improve your English writing? a href=/?page_id=16153Click here/a.

Support Your Childs Reading at Home

Support Your Child's Reading at Home All parents want to give their children the tools to be successful in school, but did you know that making reading a priority is arguably the most essential academic skill? Reading skills help students expand their vocabulary, improve their attention span, become stronger communicators and so much more, says Eileen Huntington of Huntington Learning Center. How can parents support their readers at home? Here are several tips: Suggest books and other reading material. Encourage your child to create a home library so that he or she never runs out of material to read. Librarians are a great source of information and can offer all kinds of suggestions based on childrens interests and abilities, and websites like Goodreads are another good place to get book recommendations. Let your child see you reading. Often, children emulate their parents. If your child never sees you reading for pleasure, your suggestions to pick up a book for fun might seem disingenuous. Read alongside your child. Make it fun, setting out a plate of treats and serving up tea or hot chocolate. Incorporate reading into your nightly family routine. When reading together, embrace best practices for reading comprehension. If youre reading to your child or having them read to you, use the following process for boosting reading comprehension: Preview the text before reading (especially when reading a textbook). Pause to check in after every page for understanding and to discuss confusing parts of questions. Summarize main takeaways at the end of each section or chapter. Reflect on lingering questions and interesting information at the end of each chapter. Make connections to other parts of your childs life. When talking about books, encourage your child to think beyond the words on the page. Ask questions to get him or her thinking about the main characters and their motivations, how the story relates to anything in real life and if the story or people in it seem familiar. Record daily reading. Your childs teacher might require you to do this anyway. If the teacher does not, it can serve as a motivator to give children a weekly reading chart on which they can mark off days theyve read and for how long, or even a book journal. Consider small incentives for certain goals reached (such as an ice cream outing for each book completed). Last and most important, be sure to provide help if you notice your child struggling with reading. Sometimes its obviousyour child has difficulty reading aloud or it seems that his or her reading comprehension is especially low, says Huntington. Other times its harder to tell. If you suspect your child needs is missing fundamental reading building blocks, call Huntington. Well assess your childs reading skills, determine what is causing problems, and develop a customized program of instruction to help your child become a better reader. About Huntington Huntington is the tutoring and test prep leader.Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students succeed. Founded in 1977, Huntingtons mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help at www.huntingtonhelps.com. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com.

Decorate With Chi Feng Shui For Health And A Better Life

Decorate With Chi Feng Shui For Health And A Better Life Photo courtesy of elledecor.com Like a roiling tornado tearing through the calmest of suburbs, the spiral staircase inhales and uproots energy in its path, spewing chaos in its wake. This may seem like an extreme, confusing example of the effect decor and home layouts have on our health and energy patterns, but ancient Feng Shui practices suggest it as a simple matter of fact: Curved staircases are best. Spiral staircases, resembling corkscrews boring into a house, are the worst, wrote Kathryn Weber of  RedLotusLetter. They become even worse if they are placed in the center of the house or by the front door. Beyond the mere spiral staircase, Feng Shui asserts that just as humans have an energy or life-forcereferred to as Chi  in Chinese medicinerunning through their bodies, all homes and spaces also contain the same flow of energy in the form of Feng Shui. This energy can be hindered or heightened depending upon the placement of certain decor in the home, and is believed to have an impact on not only residents emotional state and moods, but also their health. Before you start worrying that your home might be impacting your health negatively, however, know that simple changes can be made that dont require a total move or remodel. To Begin: Discover the Bagua Map Photo courtesy of gowithharmony.com. Originating from the I Ching, the Bagua  represents the nine energy centers of the home and specific rooms. These energy centers correspond to the specific areas in our lives such as health and family, wealth and prosperity and others listed on the map above. To discover which areas correspond to each aspect, stand at the Entrance Quadrant, aka, the front door, of your home or apartment with the map above parallel to the floor and the Entrance Quadrant touching your stomach. This will show where the areas in each quadrant of the map fall in your home, so you can then begin to organize and place objects in each of the spaces that magnify or correct its Chi. In some cases, youll want to use the Bagua Map on specific rooms; if so, simply stand at the entryway of the room of your choice, and split it up into the quadrants the same way you would the entire house. According to Care2.com: If your home is not a rectangle or square, you may be missing areas of the Bagua.  If this is the case, you can do a mini-Bagua for each room of your home and enhance the wealth corner of each room. Treat the main entrance to the room like you would the front door of the home and lay the Bagua accordingly. This energetically brings back into the space the missing area. Health: The Center of the  Bagua The Health section of the Bagua lies at its center (sometimes also in the center-left) and touches all quadrants, reiterating the point that without health one cannot be truly balanced in life. This area also represents a grounded nature and should be filled with Earth tones and stabilizing features such as paintings of landscapes and brown, yellow, or other Earth-tone paints. Care2.com also recommends avoiding placing water images and/or tones, such as mirrors, in the center area since the floaty and unstable quality of water will destabilize the earth element. The Elements and Health Along with purifying and reorganizing the center Bagua, it is important to pay attention to the use and placement of the elements throughout the home, as too much of some elements can derail efforts to increase  Chi  in an area and increase problematic health symptoms. Feng Shui recognizes five elements: fire, water, earth, wood and metal, with each working to harness a specific energy. Fire Fire encourages boldness and represents enthusiasm and leadership. With a perfect balance, fire can be an extremely inspiring force, but too much fire can cause anger, irritability and aggression. Lack of fire creates an opposing effect, causing low self-esteem, lack of inspiration and coldness. Candles, incandescent lighting and sunlight add fire to an area, while water tones such as blues minimize it. Wood Wood represents strength, intuition, creativity and expansion. Too much wood in the form of plants, furniture and paper can create stubbornness and inflexibility, while a lack of wood can cause depression and result in a lack of creativity. Metal Metal deals with the mental and intellectual, and is often represented by oval shapes, objects made with metal, stones and white or gray pastel colors. Too much metal can bring about negative thoughts, impulsive speaking tendencies and a chaotic mind, while a lack of metal can cause quietness, lack of focus and loss of motivation. Earth Earth, as reflected by the center Bagua, represents grounding and stability. An overabundance can create a heavy seriousness and boredom, while a lack can lead to chaos and disorganization. Rectangular paintings, shapes and images of landscapes represent Earth, as well as plants and any object having green, brown, yellow or gold tones. Water The water element highlights emotions and spirituality and can heighten wisdom and inspiration. Too much water can lead to a sense of feeling overwhelmed, as if you were drowning, while a lack of water can result in stress and loneliness. Water can be brought to a space through blue, green and purple tones, as well as mirrors and fountains. Common Feng Shui Mistakes and Corrections Door Opening to a Wall Doors that open directly into a wall can create the feeling of being blocked, according to Houzz.com. To correct this, Houzz recommends hanging artwork that draws the eye in, and that while mirrors are typically used as a cure in Feng Shui, one should avoid hanging a mirror reflecting back out the door, since this is essentially shuttling energy outside. Heavy Objects Hanging Overhead Heavy objects can be anything from lamps to chandeliers, and while they can add a certain modern look to a space, they can also create the subconscious stress of pushing down and worry over the object falling. Houzz recommends moving furniture such as tables or beds from directly underneath large hanging objects. Stairs Facing a Door Stairs are often referred to as raging rivers in Feng Shui because of their powerful energy-carrying properties. In the case of stairs leading down to a doorway, this essentially means all the energy of the house is flowing down the stairs and out the door a counterproductive situation. To counteract this effect, it is recommended to hang a mirror that reflects back to the stairs in order to reflect the energy back inside. It is also recommended to avoid hanging artwork in a descending fashion down stairwells, as this increases the energy flow to the door below. While implementing Feng Shui across an entire house may seem like a chore that could potentially cost a small fortune, making simple changes with mirrors and splashes of colors representing the elements in specified quadrants can be a cheap step in the right direction. Looking for a more convenient way to furnish your off-campus apartment? Rent stylish furniture from CORT and save time and money. For more information on furniture rental packages, click here.