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About 360 MAGAZINE
For The Love of Comic Con
By: Rodney Ramlochan × Elle Grant × Vaughn Lowery
New York City’s Comic Con is a key annual fan event dedicated to Western comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, movies, television and more. First held in 2006, this classic event was canceled last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, devastating fans who look forward to this mainstay of popular culture. Yet this year, Comic Con made its triumphant return, though it looked a little different in the attendance of both its exhibitors and fans. 360 MAGAZINE got the full scoop from well-versed fan Rodney Ramlochan on how this event has changed. He offers comments on the good, the bad, the Covid, and the in between for 360 readers. Read Ramlochan’s full testimony below:
To say that I love New York Comic Con is an understatement. For over a decade, as a pop-culture geek, I’ve enjoyed the fantastic guests, panels, original art, unique exhibitors, industry merchants, and one-of-kind exclusives. It has always been one of my favorite events to cover, and as a die-hard fan, I was deeply disappointed that the pandemic caused last year’s convention to go virtual. However, I was thrilled to hear that the event was coming back in person this year. Since much had changed over the past eighteen months, I thought it would be cool to experience the event as a fan rather than cover it as press. I also wanted to test-drive ReedPop’s Metaverse membership for ordering in-person tickets and focus on the overall fan experience, including Covid safety precautions and notable differences between this year and cons from yesteryear. Here are my post-Comic Con impressions.
I purchased tickets a few months ago in July using the MetaVerse presale process. Of course, this was before the uptick caused by the Delta variant strain. I didn’t expect any issues with purchasing online as I’ve never really had a problem buying 4-day or single-day passes in the past. Still, I was interested in trying out the new Metaverse Membership that gives you first access to NYCC badges, photo ops & autographing tickets. My mission this year was to get both an autograph and photograph with William Shatner, epic space captain of the Starship Enterprise and now a real-life astronaut. In addition to getting first dibs on NYCC in-person tickets, the Superfan membership allows you to buy MCM Comic Con, Emerald City Comic Con, and C2E2 tickets. You can also get paid digital experiences, exclusive access to video content and celebrity panels, access to exclusive NYCC merchandise online.
The Superfan Membership process was relatively seamless. I signed up at the end of June using the Metaverse Membership email and bought tickets using a dedicated link on my profile page within a few days. I purchased single day passes for each day of the convention, and I was contacted for the opportunity to purchase photo ops and autographs in addition at the end of September. Overall, I’d say the membership was worth it. It’s perfect for the fan who would rather have a more significant window of time to purchase tickets. Outside of remembering to click on the notification reminder emails and follow the presale, photo ops, and autographs links, ordering is straightforward. There are no worries about getting tickets for the exact days you want to attend. If you are good with the allotted time frame afforded by the standard ordering process, then paying for the Superfan membership may not be beneficial at this time. However, I do wonder what the future holds for purchasing tickets in the future. Suppose the Superfan method of buying in-person tickets becomes more popular. Will it impact the standard order process and make it more challenging to obtain single-day passes post-pandemic? Only time will tell.
As far as Covid safety protocols, enforcement, and logistics, the ReedPop and the Javitz Center team did a great job managing this. Before attending, I was uncertain why New York Comic Con needed a partnership with CLEAR Health Pass. Especially since vaccination proof was a requirement for attending and could be validated using vaccine cards and existing apps like the NY Excelsior Pass. In hindsight, standardizing the application that everyone uses for admission was a smart move. At the very least, it streamlined the process and expedited entry for most. I picked up my green ReedPop vaccine wristband at the Javitz Crystal Palace a few nights before opening. It took me less than 5 minutes to show the CLEAR app and retrieve the band, and in many ways, this process foreshadowed the overall feel and attendance for the convention. NYC began requiring proof of vaccinations in early September, and the event was following suit. The mandate may have impacted attendance, as I read many social media comments from individuals that stated they wanted to return or sell their tickets because they didn’t know the vaccine would be mandated before purchasing. But, as a whole, most people in attendance complied with the requirements. I was there all four days and only encountered two individuals not wearing masks on the main floor. I didn’t notice security enforcing the mask mandate, but I did hear that a vendor and few individuals had been removed from the showroom floor for not following the rules. At my William Shatner autograph and photo ops sessions, plexiglass partitions protected Shatner and the fans. Partitions were used at all reserved signings and photo op sessions. According to ReedPop, 150,000 paid in-person attendees were at the event this past weekend compared to 250,000 in previous years. Even with 100,00 fewer people, this was the largest indoor in-person event held in New York since 2019, showing a great evolution from where things were at the start of the pandemic. It was good to see that all of the proper safety protocols were in place.
One of the most significant differences between this year’s Comic Con and past shows was the notable absence of large exhibitors like Disney, Marvel, DC, Image, Sony, Amazon, SYFY, and distributors like Funko and Midtown Comics. Of course, it didn’t come as a surprise, as we had been receiving no-show notices practically every week leading up to the event. I’m sure it deterred some folks from attending, but I think it helped provide a unique experience for those who did. It minimized the crowd and offered other smaller exhibitors an opportunity to showcase their properties and spend more time with fans. As a result, I spent a lot more time than I would typically have at smaller booths. For example, I met the great folks at Plunderlings, a boutique toy line presenting a fresh take on fantasy universes from a Caribbean perspective. Although some of the major players weren’t present, there was an excellent turnout for anime fans from Toei Animation, Funimation, VIZ Media, and Tamashii Nations. Without having to compete for floor space, it seemed as if their exhibits doubled in size. If you were a fan of these companies, it was probably the first time in years that you could casually stroll through their exhibits without waiting in line. Although it was less crowded, the show floor did not feel empty. As expected, Saturday and Sunday saw an increase in volume of attendees, but nothing compared to the previous years.
One of the most extraordinary changes this year was the unveiling of the new Javits Center expansion project. It took a few minutes to figure out exactly where floors 4 and 5 were, but once you found them in the building adjacent to the old center, you were treated to the fantastic skyline and river views on the way up to the panel rooms and the new Empire Stage. There were a few blockbuster live panels, including Ghostbuster and The Boys; however, many panels like Sandman Act II and Wheel of Time were pre-recorded videos. I did sit in on the Sandman panel, but post-viewing, I felt a bit underwhelmed – watching a video of writer Neil Gaiman, audiobook director Dirk Maggs, actor James McCoy (who voices the title character), and actor/filmmaker Kevin Smith (who voices Merv Pumpkinhead) was not the same as seeing them in person. In addition, ReedPop introduced a new reservation system for the larger panels instead of the “badge tap-in” process used in the past. I have mixed feelings about this, as it didn’t appear that anyone’s reservations for the panels were being checked. It may have been because there was excess capacity remaining at the events I attended. However, I will note that the folks at the Tamashii Nations booth to purchase their exclusive Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Son Goku figure did check for reservations.
Overall, expanding the panels to the new venue resulted in two significant outcomes. First, it allowed more space to return to smaller fan-focused panels, which featured creators interacting with their fandom instead of pitching major studio events. Second, moving the panels out of the main building allowed for Artist Alley to take back a prominent role I felt it had lost over the past few years. This year, the Alley was front and center, featuring principal mainstays like Fabian Nicieza, Chris Claremont, Rob Leifeld, and Scott Synder amongst many others. I especially enjoyed chatting with Ben Bishop, one of the key artists on TMNT’s The Last Ronin.
Undoubtedly, many of this year’s Comic Con changes resulted from how best to host an event during a pandemic, but many of the changes also focused on improving the fan experience. As a result, NYCC 2021 felt more like the NYCC of 2011, but with a few notable improvements. Creators were able to connect more with their fandoms, fans were able to stop and appreciate exhibitors and artists more, and ReedPop unveiled a few new processes to streamline crowd control and help fans maximize their time at the event. It wasn’t perfect, but as a fan, it exceeded my expectations, and I’m even more looking forward to a pandemic-free NYCC next year.
Meghan McCain Speaks Against Antisemitism
Top Individuals Positively Influencing Jewish Life include Attorney General of New York Letita James, Comedian Bill Maher, Selma Blair, Noa Tishby
“I cannot stay silent when I see or hear antisemitism,” said actress Debra Messing on receiving the Algemeiner newspaper’s ‘Warrior For Truth’ award. “During Will and Grace it was important to me that Grace’s Jewishness be central to her identity because representation matters. I know that speaking up is a value shared by all of us here.” TV personality Meghan McCain followed Messing in the award ceremony, passionately declaring, “Antisemitism is abhorrent and innately un-American. We are Americans. What do Americans do when we meet up with the fanatical movement bent upon the eradication of Jews? We fight them. We’re going to fight these people too,” said McCain, “there is no place in America for antisemitism.”
The Ambassador of Israel to the U.S. and U.N. Gilad Erdan, philanthropist Nina Rennert Davidson, and Algemeiner Editor in Chief and CEO Dovid Efune, with his wife Mushka Efune were also honored at the Algemeiner newspaper’s 8th annual J100 Gala at the Rockleigh Country Club on October 12, 2021.
Joseph Borgen, the victim of a vicious antisemitic attack earlier this year in Manhattan and who McCain invited onto ABC’s The View, was a guest speaker. It was an emotional moment at the J100 gala when McCain and Borgen met in person for the first time. “The only publication that continues to act as a voice for me and bring attention to my situation is The Algemeiner,” said Borgen, “They bring light to the issue and hold people accountable for what took place. They make sure that antisemitism is not washed away or forgotten.”
Ambassador Erdan, introduced by Malcolm Hoenlein, reinforced this position, saying, “The biggest threat facing Israel and the Jewish people today is the deadly combination of lies and disinformation. Disinformation may begin as words but violence is only one small step away.”
Dovid Efune and Chairman Simon Jacobson shared the importance of the evening, “After the events of the past year,” said Efune, “when we witnessed again 1,000 strands of falsehood weaved together into a thick rope of hate, that a line has been firmly drawn under our long-held conviction that lies can kill and that the truth saves lives. It is often the case that stories first reported by The Algemeiner would simply not see the light of day, that the historical record would remain uncorrected, without the diligent skills of our team. The voice of the Algemeiner is indispensable.”
Nina Rennert Davidson implored the live crowd to join her and the other honorees in their fight, “Please speak up at board meetings and parties. Please do not allow your schools to have speakers, teachers and curriculums that attack Israel. If we do not respect our heritage, how can we ask anybody else to?”
TV journalist Dana Arschin served as Master of Ceremonies. The Event Chairs were Neil and Sharon Book, with Bernard-Henri Levy as Honorary Chairman.
The J100 Gala celebrated the release of the Algemeiner’s highly anticipated J100 List. The Algemeiner newspaper releases an annual list of 100 significant individuals who positively influence Jewish life, called the J100 List. On the importance and relevance of the J100, Efune said, “This year we’ve placed particular emphasis on those standing at the forefront of the battle for truth.”
The 2021 list includes Attorney General of New York Letita James, comedian Bill Maher, actresses Noa Tishby and Selma Blair, actor Jonathan Lipnicki, celebrity chef Jake Cohen, Morton Williams Supermarket owner Avi Kaner, publising mogul Mathias Doepfner, Papaya Global CEO Eynat Guez, and MLB athlete Jacob Steinmetz.
Watch all speeches HERE.
Billed as the Jewish answer to the TIME 100, the full list, and a description of why they were chosen, can be found at HERE.
ABOUT THE ALGEMEINER
Now celebrating its 49th anniversary, The Algemeiner newspaper has been labeled the “fastest growing Jewish newspaper in the US” by CNBC. It has been described by former Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor as “the voice of the Jewish people and Israel” and hailed as “brave and relentlessly accurate” by longtime New Republic editor Marty Peretz.
The Best Ways to Have Family Fun During a Lockdown
By: Marie Miguel
It hasn’t been easy trying to navigate everything during the pandemic. The tragic loss of life has been difficult for many families around the world. It’s also been hard adjusting to not being able to go out and do things that you normally like to do. If you’re raising kids, then you might feel as if you’re going stir crazy being stuck inside together with your family.
The kids want to be able to do something fun, but you’re going through another lockdown. What are your best options to keep everyone occupied and happy? Keep reading to learn about the best ways to have family fun during a lockdown. This might give you a few good ideas that will make your time spent together at home a lot more entertaining.
Play Board Games
Have you sat down as a family to play a board game recently? This is a tried and true family activity that has helped many families bond over the years. There are a wide variety of different board games out there that you can try out. You just need to find one that the entire family can enjoy and understand.
If you have younger children, then you might wish to pick a board game that is a bit on the easier side. If you’re playing with older kids, then you might be fine playing more complex games such as Trivial Pursuit. Whether you’re going to play Monopoly together or if you want to have a rousing game of Scrabble, it’ll be a good time. It’s a fun way to pass the time that you should take advantage of.
Play Video Games
What if your kids aren’t quite so into old-school board games? You could always try sitting down to play video games with them. Even if you don’t play a lot of video games, it’ll be fun to interact with your kids. There are all sorts of good family-friendly titles that you can choose from. The Nintendo Switch is a particularly good console choice if you’re looking for games that will be fun for kids (and adults) of all ages.
You can start a little family rivalry in Mario Kart. Or you can work together to try to solve puzzles in games such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. There are hundreds of games that you could choose to play, but the important thing is to enjoy your time with your kids. Games can be magical because they can help you to escape when you need to the most.
Arts & Crafts
Sitting down and doing arts & crafts with your kids could also be a good time. Sometimes it’s nice to just take it easy and try to create something artistic as a family. There are all sorts of little art projects you could take on if you’re so inclined. Create decorations for various holidays or help to teach your kids how to paint.
Many have rediscovered their love of art during the pandemic. This could be a good weekend activity that you can enjoy with your significant other and your kids. You’ll simply need to ensure that you have the materials for whatever art project you’re interested in. You’ll be able to admire the results of your work when you’re finished, too.
Listen to Music
What about just relaxing in the living room as a family and listening to music? Yes, sometimes it’s hard to agree on what to listen to when everyone in the family has different tastes in music. However, it can still be fun to share your favorites with your family. Some families have decided to let each kid pick one record, and they will sit down to listen to all of them on a special music day each weekend.
Another idea is to share your love of music by teaching your kids how to play instruments. If you’re a musician, then this could be a good time. Of course, your kids will need to be interested in music or it might not be so fun for them. Music is powerful, and it can help you have a great time even when you’re stuck inside during a lockdown.
Watch Family-Friendly Shows
Most families will spend copious amounts of time watching shows on Netflix or Disney Plus during the pandemic. Your family might wind up being no different. That doesn’t mean that watching some great shows with your family won’t be a valuable experience. You can enjoy movies and all sorts of other entertainment media together.
With so much great content to watch, it’ll be easy to find a new movie to enjoy with your family each weekend. Make some popcorn and sit down in the living room to watch something together. It gives you something to look forward to as a family. Turning it into a fun occasion with snacks and mood lighting should be a good time.
Cook Together
Have you thought about cooking together? Depending on how you feel about cooking, this might sound like a great idea or a terrible one. Cooking can be a lot of fun when you approach things with the proper attitude. It can also be valuable to teach your kids how to cook early on in life.
You can make simple dishes together, and the kids will enjoy it. If you want to make things really easy, you can have kids help you with baking. When you’re making cookies it’ll be easy to let the kids cut out the cookie shapes with cookie cutters. Family cooking time could become a staple in your household even once the lockdown is finished.
Remember That You’re Never Alone
Remember that you’re never alone when you’re starting to feel depressed or anxious. These are trying times, and you can reach out if you feel like you need help. BetterHelp has some awesome resources on parenting, which can help you get through difficult times. Whether you need parenting advice or if you just need to talk to someone about the stress that you’re experiencing, BetterHelp can assist you in the process of putting things into perspective.
Don’t hesitate to contact an online therapist if you’re feeling uneasy about things in life. Online therapy has helped many people to work through significant problems. It’s easy to talk to a therapist from the comfort of home, and it’s great that this therapy option is so affordable. Look into things today if you’ve been having a tough time and would like to start feeling better.
Twitter’s Future with Bitcoin
By: Sean Fontno, Elle Grant × Vaughn Lowery
Jack Dorsey always had a niche for technology. Back in 2000, he thought to himself, “What if you could share your status with all your friends really easily, so they know what you’re doing?” 6 years later, Jack Dorsey posted the very first tweet: “just setting up my twitter,” and became the company’s chief executive officer. In 2010, Dorsey started investing in the social networking company Foursquare and launched “Square.” Square lets people receive credit card payments through a mobile phone or computer. With his knowledge of social media and Square, it doesn’t seem like much of a surprise for Dorsey wanting to bring Bitcoin and Twitter together, creating something that can quickly connect people and their money.
What is Bitcoin? It’s a currency created back in 2009 by an unknown person using the false name of Satoshi Nakamoto. Have you ever been to the arcade or to the casino and received tokens or chips? Similarly, you must exchange real currency for cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency is a digital currency that’s just like the normal United States Dollar (USD) but is protected by cryptography, which makes it impossible for scammers to attack this form of currency. It allows you to make payments online and money is easily moved place to place, account to account, with no credit card fees. With cryptocurrency being decentralized, YOU own that money.
Along a contributing factor to this evolution in currency technology are NFTs. NFTs (non-fungible tokens) are the tokens used to buy things in cryptocurrency. NFTs helps the owner, artist, etc, earn a percentage of all the sales. It protects the unique original work being sold because in this day in age, everything is being used for something and wouldn’t you want your rightly earned money for that? They create an immutable record, keeping note of every sale. It’s the new modern step to your work or business. All you need is a smart device and an internet connection, and with just those two things, Dorsey’s goal to reach a worldwide audience will definitely be achieved. Especially as there are already 192 million daily active users on Twitter.
Jack Dorsey sees a new chance to bring cryptocurrency into Twitter in the modern moment. Dorsey, who has been supporting Bitcoin for years, even discussed with his investors about the next steps. He told them it would help the company keep up with new market strategies. He explains how the native currency can help them move products like Super Follows, Commerce, Subscriptions, and Tip Jar. Dorsey sees this as an opportunity to “…reach every single person on the planet,” instead of doing the regular market-to-market approaches. So, Dorsey’s goal to always stay connected with people continues to be in play.
Bringing Bitcoin to Twitter seems like it will give businesses from small to big an option to increase profits and reach more audiences. With Bitcoin, you can create your own fees, avoid fraud, and kiss “three business days” goodbye! Having these benefits accessible on Twitter could be the next step for the social media of the future.
LOS ANGELES TOURISM KICKS OFF MEGA SPORTING EVENTS
LOS ANGELES TOURISM & CONVENTION BOARD CELEBRATES LA’S COMEBACK, KICKS OFF THE DESTINATION’S HISTORIC DECADE OF MEGA SPORTING EVENTS WITH SERIES OF EVENTS IN NEW YORK INCLUDING A LOS ANGELES-THEMED TAILGATE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
For its first client, media and consumer events since the beginning of the pandemic, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (Los Angeles Tourism) set its sights on New York, LA’s largest domestic visitor market. Aligned with the timing of the Rams vs. Giants game taking place at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, October 17, Los Angeles Tourism is hosting four days of activity beginning this Friday, October 15, with a preview of the Los Angeles-themed tailgate experience that is open to the public on October 16 and 17 and concluding on October 18 with an intimate luncheon for key sales clients.
Serving as a kickoff to the decade of mega sporting events LA is hosting beginning with Super Bowl LVI in February 2022, Los Angeles Tourism officials will visit with key clients and media to share information on the destination’s safe and responsible reopening and LA’s seemingly endless supply of new hotels, restaurants, venues and cultural exhibitions.
“New York is an important market for us, both in terms of leisure and group business, so when the time was right to host our first mission since the pandemic, we knew it had to be in the Big Apple,” stated Adam Burke, the President & CEO for Los Angeles Tourism. “While technology has been instrumental in keeping us connected during these challenging times, I think we can all agree there is no replacement for meeting in person. We are elated to see our industry colleagues and share all that’s new in the destination as LA continues its comeback.”
On Saturday, October 16, and Sunday, October 17, Los Angeles Tourism is hosting an “LA Tailgate,” which is open to the public, at the aptly named TailGate Outdoor Sports Bar in Brooklyn. The experience features tacos from Enrique Olvera’s new LA taqueria, Ditroit; beer and wine from LA brands Golden Road Brewing and Angeleno Wine Co.; LA trivia hosted by dumbfoundead; major trip giveaways including round-trip air transportation to LA courtesy of American Airlines; and a limited-edition merch drop from LA Tourism x Obey Clothing by House Industries and Studio Number One.
Over the next decade, Los Angeles plays host to an historic line up of sporting events including the 2022 Super Bowl LVI; 2022 MLB All-Star Game; 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship; 123rd U.S. Open Championship at LA Country Club; 2024 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball West Region Championship; and, the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
To learn more, visit @discoverla on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. Visitors are encouraged to #TravelResponsibly and follow all guidance from Los Angeles County Public Health.
ABOUT LOS ANGELES & LOS ANGELES TOURISM
Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (Los Angeles Tourism) is the non-profit destination marketing and sales organization for the Los Angeles tourism industry and the ultimate resource for where to stay and play in the L.A. area.
Los Angeles is a dynamic, ever-evolving destination – where diversity thrives, and everyone is welcome. Discover the true L.A. by exploring its more than 30 culturally rich neighborhoods, each one offering a distinct vibe. L.A. is home to more than 300 days of warm sunshine, 75 miles of idyllic shoreline, more museums and performing arts venues than any other U.S. city, and an innovative culinary scene led by influential tastemakers. A global creative capital and the epicenter of the sports universe, L.A. presents limitless possibilities for visitors from around the world. For more information, visit discoverlosangeles.com, follow at facebook.com/DiscoverLosAngeles, or @discoverLA on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
10 Unexpected Causes of a Headache and How to Prevent Them
What causes headaches? Is it your boss? Your friends? Maybe it’s something you ate or the song you jammed out to on the way to work. Either way, your head hurts, and you don’t know why. If you did, you might be surprised by what’s to blame.
Take a look at your diet, weight, environment and personal habits to determine whether one of the following unexpected causes is contributing to the pain.
1. Obesity
If you’re carrying around a few extra pounds, you’re likely to suffer migraines and headaches more frequently. Some research suggests that low physical activity may be to blame for this co-occurrence. However, scientists still aren’t entirely sure how obesity causes more severe and frequent attacks. Maybe it’s due to inflammation or dietary choices. Either way, it wouldn’t hurt to focus on your health and fitness.
Hit the gym or try incorporating a few cardio or strength-based exercises into your daily routine. Head to the kitchen and prepare a few healthy dinners, too. Eventually, your hard work and determination will pay off so you look and feel happier and healthier.
2. Poor Posture
How many hours do you spend in an office chair every day? Poor posture or sitting in the same position all day can cause tension in your back, shoulders and neck, which can easily lead to a migraine. Typically, the pain will begin at the base of the skull and radiate up through your head. Sometimes, your forehead and face will ache, too.
Luckily, you can prevent these headaches by frequently switching positions and practicing better posture when you do have to sit or stand for long periods. A midday stretch or a more ergonomic office chair may also minimize symptoms and alleviate pain.
3. Sex
You’ve probably heard that a little hanky panky can cure a headache but, sometimes, sex can actually cause one. That’s right. Any type of sexual activity — especially the big O — can trigger a dull ache or sudden, throbbing pain in your head. Symptoms can last anywhere from several minutes to multiple days.
If avoiding sex altogether isn’t an option, try taking a more passive role during intercourse. Drinking water before and after may also help prevent headaches. However, if your symptoms grow more severe, there may be an underlying issue. In that case, it’s best to consult your doctor.
4. Bruxism
Have you ever woken up with a sore jaw or toothache? Odds are you’re subconsciously clenching or grinding your teeth at night. This condition is called bruxism, and it often causes headaches and worn-down teeth. However, it may lead to more serious problems like temporomandibular joint disorder, which can cause lockjaw and chronic soreness in or near the ear.
What can you do to stop clenching and grinding in your sleep? Wear a mouthguard and try reducing your stress levels. Up to 70% of bruxism is triggered by stress, so consciously relaxing your face and investing in self-care throughout the day may help.
5. Pollutants
Various air pollutants, including volatile organic compounds, lead, particulate matter and nitrogen oxide, can rob your body of oxygen and alter blood flow. These acute effects often result in headaches but can also trigger migraine attacks in sensitive populations.
Unfortunately, air pollution is unavoidable, especially if you live in a metropolitan area or someplace that experiences frequent forest fires. However, you can limit exposure to some pollutants inside your home by avoiding harsh chemical cleaners and paints that contain VOCs. Opt for all-natural products instead, and periodically open windows to increase airflow and improve ventilation.
6. Weather
Gray skies, high humidity, storms and temperature fluctuations can all incite head pain. These weather conditions alter atmospheric pressure and create an imbalance in your sinus cavities and inner ear. Chemical imbalances can also occur within your brain, so headaches are common whenever the weather changes.
You can’t control the weather, so preventing pressure-related headaches ultimately comes down to taking care of yourself. Drink plenty of water, get adequate sleep, avoid stress triggers and keep some pain relievers nearby just in case. Limiting your time outside may also help.
7. Hunger
Most people know you can get a headache from being dehydrated, but few realize hunger can have the same effect. When you skip a meal, your body releases hormones that tell your brain you’re hungry. These same hormones raise your blood pressure and tighten vessels, triggering a headache.
The most obvious way to prevent these symptoms is to eat something. Snacking throughout the day will also help ward off hunger-induced migraines. Plan ahead and pack meals for work, long car rides and other situations that limit your access to food.
8. Coffee
For most people, a morning cup of joe is nonnegotiable. In some cases, it can even relieve a headache. However, drinking too much coffee can trigger caffeine rebound, which occurs from withdrawals after repeated overconsumption.
If you consume more than 200 mg of caffeine per day and often experience headaches between lattes, you might be dealing with rebound. In this case, it’s best to slowly decrease your intake, enjoy coffee in moderation and find more natural ways to boost your energy.
9. Hair Accessories
How you wear your hair can also take a toll on your noggin. Tight ponytails, headbands, twists and braids can pull on your hair and strain the connective tissue on your scalp. Eventually, these styles can cause headaches and even hair loss.
If you suspect your updo is hurting your head, let your hair down and give your scalp some time to recover. You can also try switching up your style to include loose braids or messy buns that don’t put so much stress on your scalp.
10. Lunchmeat
Cold cuts and other processed foods often contain tyramine and nitrates, additives that can constrict blood vessels in your head and brain. If you’re sensitive to these substances, you’ll typically develop a headache within 24 hours due to the stress on those nerves and vessels.
Avoid food-induced headaches by skipping the premade grocery store subs and cured or processed lunch meats. Opt for deli meat and fresh protein sources like chicken, pork and fish instead.
Talk to Your Doctor
Taking preventive measures is key to keeping headaches at bay. However, if you take precautions and still suffer frequent or severe migraines, it’s time to seek professional help. Schedule an appointment with your doctor to discuss your symptoms and consider potential causes. They may also schedule an MRI or CAT scan to take a closer look at your brain and rule out any underlying conditions. At the very least, they’ll offer a diagnosis or prescribe treatment to alleviate or prevent symptoms.
8 Tips for Office Workers to Avoid Carpal Tunnel
Office workers conduct repetitive tasks every day, such as typing and moving a mouse. Even other jobs have motions that repeat themselves, like driving, sanding, assembly line work or knitting. Each of these activities could lead to carpal tunnel syndrome.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that happens when the nerve that goes from your forearm into your hand, called the median nerve, becomes compressed at the wrist by a tendinous band. This can result in severe pain, numbness and weakness, especially in the fingers and wrist.
People who perform repetitive tasks, like those working in the office, are more likely to develop carpal tunnel syndrome. Usually, you’ll know if you have it if you’re complaining of hand weakness and numbness, even when asleep.
It’s essential to take care of every aspect of your health, even while you’re at work. Here are eight tips for office workers to avoid carpal tunnel.
1. Make Your Workspace Ergonomic
One of the best ways to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome or mitigate the symptoms is to make your workspace more ergonomic. An ergonomic workspace fits and supports your body. You should be in a more neutral position, meaning your neck isn’t bent down, your arms aren’t away from your body, and your wrists and hands aren’t turned up or sideways.
Invest in a desk and chair that is at a proper height for your keyboard. You can also get an ergonomic keyboard and a mouse that fits your hand.
2. Take Frequent Breaks
Doing repetitive tasks can take a toll on your wrists and hands. If your wrists start to cramp up or you feel a tingling sensation in your hands, take a break. Letting your wrists rest for a few minutes can do wonders for your symptoms and overall health.
Ideally, you should take a break for 10-15 minutes every hour. You can choose to complete other tasks during those times that don’t use the same wrist motions as you were doing before.
3. Use Correct Posture
When trying to prevent carpal tunnel, it can be easy to focus on your wrists and hands. However, how you hold the rest of your body, including arms, back, neck and legs, can impact them, too. Poor posture leads to your shoulders rolling forward, which throws your body out of alignment.
Switch positions while sitting at your desk and take brief walks around the office. Make sure your back is fully supported and relax your shoulders. Avoid crossing your legs, and keep your elbows close to your body. This will help adjust your posture, leading to more relaxed hands and wrists.
4. Learn Wrist Exercises
Hand and wrist exercises can reduce your chances of getting carpal tunnel. Any sort of strengthening or stretching exercises are best. Throughout your workday, stretch and perform a few basic activities to lower your risk of carpal tunnel syndrome. Here are a few examples:
- Shake it out: Shake your hands to get relief from any pain or numbness.
- Fist to fan: Make a fist and fan out your fingers, stretching them as far as you can. Repeat this up to 10 times.
- Thumb touches: Touch the tip of each finger to the tip of your thumb and repeat.
- Hand squeezes: Get a rubber ball or even a pair of balled-up socks. Squeeze it, hold for five seconds, slowly release and then repeat.
- Yoga: Yoga can help your whole body posture, leading to better hand and wrist positioning.
Learning these few simple exercises and doing them every day can help you avoid carpal tunnel.
5. Wear Fingerless Gloves
Offices can get cold during the day, and it can be challenging finding ways to warm up when you’re not in control of the thermostat. Cold temperatures can make your fingers stiff, which makes the pain even worse.
Invest in fingerless gloves, which will keep your wrists and hands warm and loose as you work. You could even get a small space heater for your office if your supervisor allows it.
6. Consider Wearing Splints
If you already have carpal tunnel symptoms or the syndrome, you should consider getting wrist splints. They can help you train your wrists to stay straight and offer temporary relief to any pain or numbness you experience.
Splints are not meant to be worn over a long period. You could wear them throughout the day as long as they don’t affect your productivity, or you could wear splints at night to have free wrists and hands throughout the workday.
7. Loosen Your Grip
Your office tasks are so routine that you probably don’t think about them. You get used to doing things a certain way, and it can be challenging to change a habit. Sometimes, you might use more force than needed to complete a particular job.
If you find you’re pounding your keyboard a bit too hard or you have a firm grip on your mouse or telephone, try loosening up and softening your touch. These activities can put a lot of pressure on your hands and wrists, so focus on backing off a bit.
8. Visit an Occupational Therapist
Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome can creep up if you’re not careful to take the proper steps to avoid it. In these cases, you should visit an occupational therapist, especially if your issues become debilitating or are affecting your work and daily life.
An occupational therapist can help show you a wide range of exercises to strengthen and stretch the muscles in your hands and wrists. Additionally, they can show you how to change your repetitive movements to ease the stress on your joints. If symptoms worsen, injections or surgery may be the next move.
Follow These Tips at Home
Follow these tips both at home and in your office to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome. Exercise, stay healthy, take breaks and seek intervention if you have worsening symptoms. Figure out what’s causing the problem and continue to put your physical well-being first.
How to Start an Indoor Garden
You might think you need acreage to have a garden plot. Nonsense — if you have sunshine in your apartment, you can start an indoor version.
Container growing offers unparalleled convenience. You don’t have to slog through the weather to tend your crops — you can do so from the comfort of your climate-controlled abode. Here are five tips on starting an indoor garden that will have you making fresh tomato sauce and passing out blooms to all your friends in no time.
1. Get Your Water Tested
Plants have a lot in common with animals. Both require a place to live, grow and reproduce safely from the worst of the elements. They also need food and water. This final necessity might do more to influence the health of your indoor plants than any other. However, it’s a factor many novice gardeners overlook until they find themselves wondering why their spider plant fails to thrive.
The first thing to determine is whether your water comes from a well or a municipal water supply. One advantage of the former is that your liquid remains free of sanitizing agents as it comes up from an underground source. Elements like chlorine, chloramine and fluoride can slow the growth of your plants and impact the flowering cycle.
However, that doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods if you have a well. Such groundwater sources often have high levels of arsenic, lead and sulfur contamination. Additionally, the water might be rather hard, containing magnesium and calcium. These minerals are responsible for accumulating on plumbing surfaces, causing clogs.
The first water quality you must determine is your pH level. This scale measures how basic or acidic your water is. An overly alkaline pH can lead to mineral loss in your soil and poor harvests from your indoor garden crops.
Your water also contains beneficial bacteria, unless it comes from an overly clean municipal source. This riddance inhibits the processing of organic compounds for plant availability. You might have better luck harvesting rainwater to use for your plants — doing so also cuts down on waste. Before doing so, ensure you’re legally allowed to use a barrel in your jurisdiction. Some places restrict collection out of fear of providing breeding grounds for mosquitos.
Understanding your water quality starts by reading your bill. Your municipality should publish a quality report you can access. You can also purchase PPM meters, although they won’t tell you the precise mineral content of your water. For the best results, you should refer a sample to a lab for testing.
2. Choose the Right Location
You might end up with more than one indoor garden — and that’s perfectly OK. Different species have varying needs for sunlight. Your golden pothos may adore hanging by a sunny window, but your primroses have another preference. Honor it if you want the best results.
Discovering your various plants’ penchant for light or shade is as simple as reading the instructions that come with most varieties. The internet is also a glorious resource for all things horticulture. You can even find plant identifier apps that will diagnose possible diseases and recommend the best course of treatment.
Your kitchen windowsill is the ideal place for a herb garden. You might not need to travel beyond your grocery store for supplies. Many fresh soft herbs will sprout in water, allowing you to keep them going that way or plant them in soil for improved longevity.
Don’t overlook your bedroom as a location for shade-loving plants. In the 1980s, NASA studied houseplants to see if they could provide sufficient oxygen for supporting life in space. They discovered that these herbal wonders also scrub toxins like formaldehyde from indoor air — meaning you might breathe more comfortably at night, especially if you’re sensitive to allergens.
3. Select the Perfect Pots
Your plants are beautiful, and much like the right outfit can accentuate your natural beauty, the correct pot can showcase your collection in style. Will you mix and match or go for a monochrome look? You have several options.
You’ll find that plastic planters are the most affordable and lightweight option. You can carry a stack of them home from the store without ever breaking a sweat. However, this material may fade in sunlight and attract and store heat, leading to premature wilting of your plants. You may also need to replace them after a couple of seasons, particularly if you use them in sunny locations.
Clay pots and planters offer superior longevity and can also help you if you’re a novice gardener. This substance controls moisture levels, keeping your plant roots from suffering rot if you accidentally go a bit too heavy with the watering can.
Disadvantages of clay pots include the cost, weight and size. They may also break if you drop them. However, they’re your best long-lasting and eco-friendly bet for an indoor garden that grows season after season.
4. Invest in Beginner-Friendly Plants
Your plant choices partially determine your indoor garden’s success. For example, you probably don’t want to start with orchids if you’re new to horticulture. These plants look elegant but have a longstanding reputation for being finicky about their treatment.
Golden pothos is an ideal starter plant for sunny locations. Succulents also make easy-to-care-for choices for lining the brightest windowsills of your home. Bamboo and peace lily plants work well in darker bedroom areas, as they prefer the shade.
5. Keep Your Hobby Going on the Cheap
Once you establish your indoor garden, it’s relatively simple and inexpensive to add to it using materials you already have. One way to do so is by propagating live herbs from cuttings. Soft-stemmed herbs such as basil and oregano require little more than water, although you can buy liquids to encourage root growth. Woody-stemmed herbs take a little more prompting, although you can still use this technique by cutting stems from newer growth that hasn’t hardened yet.
You can also amass a bumper crop of the vegetables you use most often in the kitchen. It’s simple to save the seeds from plants like peppers and tomatoes, dry them and use them to start new seedlings. You won’t even have to drive to the farmers market once you establish your indoor garden on your balcony.
Start an Indoor Garden
You don’t need acreage to enjoy growing things. Use the five tips above to start an indoor garden that fills your home with joy.
How to Meet Your Celebrity Crush
Is there any one celebrity that you have, well, a bit of a crush on? We all have pop culture figures that we follow through their different projects. What happens when you have the opportunity to meet your idol? Here are some ways to make that dream a reality.
Lowering Monthly Expenses
Chances are, you’ll need to pay to meet the icon of your choice. You might need tickets to a convention panel or a concert. Alternatively, celebrities might charge for one-on-one meet and greets. One way to lower your monthly expenses is to refinance your existing student loans. That’s an especially good option if you have a good credit score, or you need more pocket money now.
You can use a student loan refinance calculator to determine what your monthly payments would be and see how you could save. Another option is to do more home cooking. Takeout and TV dinners might be easy, but they’re also pricey. That goes especially for people living in a large household. The best way to feed several people at once is by making meals with large portions. Consider investing in cookbooks and some updated kitchen cookware.
Looking Up Scheduling
The easiest way to encounter a celebrity is when they’re on a tour of some kind. Whether you want to meet a musician, actor, author, influencer, Youtuber, or someone else entirely, your best bet is to meet them at a fan gathering. Find out about any upcoming tour dates. Maybe a band is touring to promote their new album, an author is touring for a book release, or a celebrity is planning to speak at a con about their latest project.
Whatever the case, scheduling is key. Look for the venue closest to you and book your tickets well in advance. Depending on how popular the individual or the event is, the tickets have the potential to sell out quickly. You don’t want to miss your opportunity. Or you can make a vacation out of it and travel somewhere to experience the tour. Meeting your celebrity crush would definitely make the difference between a good versus a great vacation one that’s for sure.
Pay for the Meeting
Just getting tickets to the show won’t necessarily be enough. Are the celebrities having any meet and greets before or after the event? Find out about these opportunities and make sure you have tickets to get in. Once you’ve done this, you should give some consideration to the meetup. Is there anything special you’d like them to sign? What about something you’d like to tell them? Are there any photographs allowed, and how long will you have with the person?
In most cases, there will be a line of people following the same dream you are. The celebrity might not have a lot of time to make your acquaintance. So, it’s important to make your limited moments with them count for as much as you can. With all this consideration, you can come to the meeting fully prepared. And keep in mind that you don’t necessarily need to bring anything except your enthusiasm. What’s important is that you’re getting the chance to meet someone you admire without any strings attached.
