Making It In Music: From Covering Songs To Writing Them

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Making It In Music: From Covering Songs To Writing Them

If you love to play music, you probably started out playing covers of songs, whether you took part in lessons or got into the world of musicianship on a self-taught basis. Of course, if you find yourself wanting something more and you’re ready to start creating original tracks, then it can be hard to take the plunge in terms of putting pen to paper. While there are no ‘rules’ in terms of writing music, as creativity can’t be forced, there are ways in which you can hone in on your talents and start to create something original. Here are some pieces of advice to help you make a mark in the music world as a songwriter rather than a cover artist:

Understand the recording and production process:

When it comes to creating your own songs, writing something with a catchy melody and meaningful lyrics is only one part of the equation. In fact, being a musician with a beautiful singing voice and instrumental talent who performs well is also only a small part of the equation. You need to understand the recording and production process involved with creating music if you want your original tracks to really make their mark on listeners, and this involves more than simply turning on a mic and pressing ‘record’.

You need to ensure that the quality of the instruments being used and everything involved with the song has been honed to perfection, as it’s easy to capture every sound in a live environment, but not quite so much in a recorded environment. You might want to look into sites such as Box Tiger Music for help with choosing guitars or pianos based on reviews. It’s important that you strive to sound as good, if not better, than the top musicians in the industry before you’re anywhere near that status. That’s how you make it.

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He’s a babe! Shwing!

Jam:

Perhaps you understand the technicalities of music, but you just don’t feel creative or professional. While many big labels in the industry are full of songwriters and producers who have spent years learning how to create hit songs through observing what works, many musicians with a deep passion for the art of creating music want to ‘make it’ in a more organic way. If you’re much the same, then writing a catchy song which starts to turn heads and brings you attention in the music industry shouldn’t ever become a mechanical process. Instead of thinking about the simplistic chord progressions behind the biggest hits in history, you should just start jamming and see what happens.

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We all have the power to be creative. Whether you’re in a band or operating on a solo basis, just hit ‘record’, start messing around with your guitar, piano, voice, or whichever instrument you play, and see what happens. When you listen back to your five or ten minute jamming session later, you’ll likely hate a lot of it. However, there’s every chance that you’ll hear a gem in the form of a musical nugget which will really inspire you to form a fully-fledged song out of what was originally nothing more than a small riff or chord progression. Play around and see what happens, super star!

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Picking the Perfect Major

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Picking the Perfect Major

Picking your major is probably one of the most important decisions that you will make in your younger years because it will have a huge impact on your future career choices when you graduate. However, approximately 20-50 percent of freshmen start their first year in college not knowing what they want to do, which is why we’ve put together these top tips for picking the perfect major:

Think About Your Interests: Whether you’re still in High School and you’re wondering what you want to do with the rest of your life or you’re a parent looking to apply for this scholarship, so that you can improve your career prospects and provide for your family, the first step in choosing your major should be thinking about your interests. After all, most of us would rather do something that we love for the rest of our lives and it is much easier to study and engage with a subject when you genuinely enjoy it.

What Are You Good At? Of course, it also makes a lot of sense to reflect on the things that you’re good at. If you love art, but you really have no aptitude for creating it, you might be better off looking at the skills that you do have, such as a knack for solving math problems or programming computers. That being said, if you truly dream of being an artist, there’s nothing wrong with following your dreams, provided that you know what you are getting yourself into!

Look into Future Career Prospects: This is something that older students tend to be better at, perhaps because they have more life experience, but it is important for students of all ages to think about the courses that they are taking and what kind of jobs it could realistically lead them to. If you want to make lots of money, majoring in a sought after skill such as engineering, law, or medicine will probably serve you better than a degree in communications or art history. But, if you want to work in the media or become the curator of an art gallery, they’ll be great! It’s all about working out what you want, what skills are likely to be sought after in the future, and which major will best help you to get where you want to be after you graduate.

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Job Fair Palooza

Take an Introductory Course: If you have a few ideas for a major, but you’re not sure, one of the best ways to work out if a course is going to be the right fit is by taking an introductory course. Most colleges will allow you to try out a major by enrolling in one or more such courses, and many will even give you credit towards your education if you do enroll. This is probably the best way of working out what you do and don’t enjoy and whether you can handle a course or not.

The above tips should help you to work out which major is the perfect fit for you, but if you’re still struggling, make an appointment with an advisor, who will be able to talk you through your options and help you make the right choice for you, whatever that may be.

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The Countdown To Summer – Look Fab on Your Next Vacation!

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The Countdown To Summer – Look Fab on Your Next Vacation!

A vacation is a chance to get away from it all – a week or two of fun, sunshine, and great food. When it comes to your annual trip, it’s nice to know that you look your best and are feeling as confident as possible. Not only will you look great in your pictures but you won’t be held back by insecurity. Here are a few things that you can do on the run up to your vacation to ensure that you look the best ever this summer:

Figure: Getting your body into shape is a great way to give you confidence. Eating right and exercising will not only sculpt your figure and allow your clothes to fit better, but you’ll feel fitter and healthier too. If your vacation is going to involve a lot of walking, then this is especially good, because you don’t want to be struggling and lagging behind when your fitness isn’t up to scratch. Focus on a clean, balanced diet. Plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and protein from lean meat and/or non- meat sources should all give your body everything it needs.

For exercise you could hit the gym or find an activity that you enjoy that requires a lot of movement. Whether it’s running, swimming, a sport, or just working out at home – anything that gets your body moving will tone muscles, burn calories, work your cardiovascular system, and shape your physique so anything goes!

If you find you have stubborn areas of fat that don’t respond to diet or exercise, liposuction could be an option. This isn’t a weight loss technique, though, it’s generally performed on people who are already a healthy weight who want to shape their body rather than decrease in mass. There is nothing wrong with considering plastic surgery to improve yourself but you just need to be so careful about who is performing the surgery. Seek recommendations from friends and family and look into several different options after searching “Best Liposuction Surgeon Houston” (or your local area). It can be very helpful to schedule consultations with a few different surgeons so you find the best fit for yourself and your needs.

Teeth: Want a gorgeous set of pearly white teeth to set off your holiday tan? Teeth whitening trays from the dentist take around six weeks or you can have laser teeth whitening in around an hour. Both of these treatments can lift the color of the teeth many shades and have a dramatic effect on the way you look and smile!

Hair: As the saying goes, ‘your hair is the ballgown you never take off’. Shiny, happy hair is the best accessory that you can own. In the weeks and months leading up to your vacation, you could give it some extra TLC. Use deep conditioning masks and oils to replenish and repair dry or damaged hair. Visit a hairdresser to have the split ends removed and have a fresh new color applied. It’s a fantastic way to give you confidence. If there are going to be nights during your trip where you want to dress up and look your best, clip in extensions are also a good option. It might be a little warm to wear them during the day, but they can add instant glamour for an evening outing. They add both length and thickness and look great either straight, curled, or in an updo.

Hair Removal: No one wants to deal with stubble or constant shaving while they’re away. Since holiday clothes and swimwear tends to show a lot of flesh, chances are you want to be as smooth as possible – for as long as possible! Going to the salon for a waxing treatment before you jet off will leave you hair-free for a number of weeks. For a longer lasting alternative, electrolysis and laser hair removal are effective.

Shellac Nails: Unlike regular nail polish, Shellac lasts for around two weeks. Meaning you get a chip-free manicure without the hassle of having to repaint your nails while you’re away. Most salons offer this and it’s cheaper than gel or acrylic nails.

Ready, get set, get pampered, and enjoy your vaca!

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The Forgotten Home Repair That Became Part of Your Life

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The Forgotten Home Repair That Became Part of Your Life

You’ve probably realized that in life, there are things that we always get used to and it becomes second-nature to us or we take it for granted. For instance, if you’re sitting at a computer right now or using your smartphone to read this article, then there are probably some muscle-memory maneuvers that you’ve practiced over and over again which became so natural that you don’t even think about it.

This is just the result of our brain getting used to something. If we repeat a task long enough, it becomes something that we do without thinking. This is, sadly, something that can have both a positive and negative effect. The negative typically comes in the form of things that we do at home and most of the time it has to do with home repairs.

Think about your home and try to pinpoint some home repairs that you never got around to. That crack in the wall near your front entrance? Yes, the one you’ve hidden behind a painting for how long. Or what about the lower water pressure on one of the taps in your bathroom? You didn’t think it was much of an issue and you deal with it every morning, but is it really normal for a tap to dribble water like that instead of pouring it out? The answer is no, btw! Here are some things that you should look into getting fixed before it causes any more problems in your home:

Fixing things before they get too bad:

Faults around the home are often the result of some underlying issues. If left for too long, it could negatively effect our lives and even cause more damage than you’d expect. For instance, a leaky pipe might not be much of an issue now and you’ll probably deal with it by putting a dish underneath the pipe to collect the water, or you might take it a step further and plug the pipe with something. However, that doesn’t change the fact that you have a crack in the pipe that can grow larger and eventually cause a lot of damage to your entire plumbing system. A quick Google search of “plumbers near me” will reveal dozens of services that are more than willing to perform inspections and fix your issues, no matter how minor they seem. Just remember to take every home repair seriously so that they don’t spiral out of control.

Fixing things before you need them:

Remember that faulty air conditioner in your home that broke towards the end of last summer? Perhaps you haven’t used your air conditioning unit for a while because we’re only in spring, but why not fix it before summer comes? A broken air conditioner that spits out less air or isn’t as cool as it should be is a faulty one. Perhaps you didn’t mind because it was the tail end of summer and the days were getting shorter, but that doesn’t mean that you should leave it broken and force it to become part of your life. Change it! Simply enter a search for “heating and cooling minnesota” (or your local area) and book an appointment with a trusted team of experts. Never settle for broken or faulty appliances and always repair them to get the most value out of them and to prevent them from developing more faults!

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Monday Update: Sister’s Birthday Celebration Edition

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Monday Update: Sister’s Birthday Celebration Edition

Heyyy everyone and happy Monday! This past weekend was SO much fun because it was my sister, Kristen’s, 25th birthday! We had such a wonderful time celebrating and I was really happy because I got to spend her entire birthday with her. Kristen is unbearably hard to shop for, so for her birthday I decided to keep it simple and snag her some gift cards so that we could make a day out of using them. Which is exactly what we did!

I got Kristen a gift card to Sephora and to the nail salon that we go to, so we spent the afternoon girling out with pedicures and makeup shopping. Although I didn’t get a pedi because balling on a budget, I got to soak my nasty feet and sit in a massage chair while Kristen got pampered and we had so much fun chit chatting and laughing with all of our favorite nail techies. Kristen got the Hello Kitty pink polish that I recently got on my nails on her toes and it looked so freaking cute! I can’t say that about my feet, but I’m glad that her toesies are on point just in time for flip flop season!

After pedicures, we went to the mall to ultimately spend what felt like forever in Sephora. I have actually never spent that much time in there before and it was surprisingly really fun. We tried on different lipsticks and browsed through the aisles pointing out ridiculous eyeshadow or lip colors and figuring out the best way for her to spend her gift card. Kristen ended up getting a gorgeous new lipstick and an eyebrow pencil as well as a birthday gift from the store (a blush and lip gloss) and some freebies that she got from cashing in the points on her reward card.

Although I tried on some okay-ish lipsticks, I just ended up going with a tube of the Better Than Sex mascara. Kristen got it for me for Christmas this year and since I’ve ran out, no other mascara can compare, so it was a must to get another one! I was really happy because the gift card that I got her covered everything that she wanted and she also got some super nice freebies, so she walked away with an awesome Sephora birthday haul.

Once we were done shopping, I treated Kristen to coffee and then dropped her off at her apartment so that she could get ready for the evening festivities. Our night was a boozy celebration of going to get margaritas with her friends and then hitting the bars afterwards for some more alcohol related fun. AND I also got to ride in my first Uber, so that was really exciting, lol. THE DRIVER WAS SO NICE!! #ubereverywhere

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(The lovely lady in the second photo, Kelsey, will be featured on lifewithlilred soon so keep your eyes peeled!)

The day after Kristen’s birthday was spent nursing a very worthwhile hangover and celebrating at home with the family. I know I had a blast and it felt really good knowing that Kristen did, too, and I like to think that I helped make that possible! Now, I’m just excited for my birthday to roll around in June so that she can return the favor!

So there you have it, this week’s Monday Update: Sister’s Birthday Celebration Edition! How did you celebrate your birthday this year? How did you spend your weekend? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

How To Look Your Best For Less

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How To Look Your Best For Less

If you’re on a budget, then a lot of the time the first thing that you cut out tends to be your fashion. However, that doesn’t have to be the case! Here are a few tips that will help you look good even as you’re trying to save some money for your upcoming summer vaca:

Look Through Your Closet: Let’s face it: your closet is probably a dark and murky place, full of clothes that you wore and discarded and – shock horror! – ones that you never even wore at all after purchasing them. It’s time to go through it and throw away clothes that you don’t feel good in. Make sure that you try on everything first – if you bought something a couple of years ago and it didn’t fit right, your figure might have changed since then and it could look a lot better now. Start pairing prints with prints for a more experimental look and make sure that your outfits are exciting. A closet clean out could introduce long lost pieces back into your outfits to help create looks that feel like new.

Go For Thrift Stores: If you’re looking for some great new pieces, then look no further than a thrift store. Vintage fashion is always in and you can take a chance on something a little more out there from a thrift store, as it won’t be as expensive as shops like Urban Outfitters or American Eagle.

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Find Some Deals: You don’t always have to stick to thrift stores to get some good looks for less money. It’s also important to remember that a lot of your favorite stores will have deals on and plenty of coupons if you look online – Target Coupons & Promo Codes April 2017 is a great way to get a little money knocked off your summer clothes from Target, for example. You can get some great basics from stores like that, from Breton striped shirts to perfect new jeans – you don’t have to spend a fortune for good quality and a cute design.

Focus On Simple Skincare: Remember that you don’t have to use hugely expensive potions, creams, and serums to sort your skin out. The most important way to keep your skin looking young is to remember to wear sunscreen – this will protect your skin from premature ageing courtesy of the sun’s rays. Secondly, there’s nothing that will decrease the bags under your eyes like a good night’s sleep. And, finally, the importance of drinking water can never be understated for soft and supple skin.

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Love that red lip! :’)

Pick A Look And Stick To It: The most important thing with fashion is that you wear your clothes with conviction. If you’re going for a simple, chic, pared down look, then don’t lose your nerve at the last minute and add a belt or necklace that could make your outfit look tacky. Likewise, if you’re going for a bright, over the top look with plenty of costume jewelry then totally go for it and put on a splash of crimson lipstick, as well. The most important thing about fashion is to completely commit to your look and wear it with confidence and a smile every time – which is totally free!

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WERK!

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It’s Time To Revise The Way You Revise

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It’s Time To Revise The Way You Revise

Studying up for an exam  – whether it be school, a driving test, or work-related – needn’t fill you with dread. Changing the way you prepare yourself can make it not only more enjoyable, but more effective. Here are just a few methods worth trying out to help you conquer the next big test in your life:

It’s not about the hours you put in:

No, this isn’t an encouragement to cram the night before. Revising weeks in advance is still important, but you needn’t spend hours burrowed in a textbook each day. Instead, dedicate small amounts of time each day to brush up on a few new things that you’re not as confident with. Cram in short bursts and give yourself a break and time to relax and reward your mind, then take another crack at it the next day.

Destroying the ‘fear of the unknown’:

Exam nerves are largely a fear of the unknown. However, nowadays, there are so many online tools that can better prepare you for the examination. For example, past exam papers are often easy to find online. By knowing what came the year before, you may have a better idea of what’s most likely and most unlikely to appear this year. There are also sites such as https://gradebuddy.com/ that can provide you with class and lecture notes for any of those lectures and seminars that you may have missed.

Knowing your learning style:

There are different learning styles better suited to different people. Some people revise better with others, whilst other may find this too distracting for their study style. Some people are visual learners, while others get put off by images and graphs. There are also other types of learning such as physical learning (doing practice exams, writing on sticky notes, playing revision games) and audio learners (listening to audio-guides, listening to other people). Find the learning style that best suits you, so that information gets soaked up more quickly and more effectively. Guides such as https://www.lynda.com/articles/whats-learning-style-find can help you get the best out of your individual learning style so that you can better prepare for the next big test.

Education is gradually moving away from the outdated “one-size-fits-all” approach, with more schools and educators recognizing just how important it is that learning is personal. Creating study techniques that work for the strengths and potential of an individual will make a huge difference, not only to daily academic performance, but to confidence and motivation, too. Specialist education places like Shrub Oak International School have helped highlight just how valuable tailored support and adaptive learning methods can be, particularly for students who thrive with more individualized support. Learning becomes a lot less stressful and more productive when people are understood and able to learn in the way that they do best.

Consider hiring a mentor:

When it comes to higher education, don’t be afraid to seek out professional support to help you get to grips with areas of study that you’re finding challenging. A mentor such as Alice Chang PhD may be able to help you to better understand topics that you are struggling to understand by providing personalized feedback. Make sure to work with someone who is reputable and who understands the niche subject you are revising.

Get out of the house:

If you’re just revising in your room, try a change of surroundings and see what effect it has on your output. Some people find going outdoors to be a good mental stimulation – although perhaps not on a miserable day. Libraries, coffee bars, and internet cafes can also be good places to get you feeling less confined. Make sure that there aren’t too many distractions by timing your revision periods well – going to a coffee bar during a busy lunch period might result in too much noise and a less than effective study sesh.

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Love, love, love studying outdoors.

Keep your body active:

Staying physically as well as mentally active is important when having a study session. Exercise gets the blood pumping around your body helping to circulate your brain with a fresh hit of oxygen. You don’t have to go for a jog or hit the gym – taking the time to do a few push-ups in your bedroom might be all that your body needs. There are also ways to revise as you exercise, although they may not work for all types of learners. You can listen to an audio study guide while jogging or doing a workout. Or you could work with a group of friends, throwing and catching a ball and having to answer questions each time.

Study up in small bursts and ace the next big exam that comes your way! You got this! 🙂

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Things To Fix Ahead of Summer

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Things To Fix Ahead of Summer

Summer is such an amazing season. The weather gets warmer, people get happier, things are generally a lot more relaxing and laid back. There’s not a lot to grumble about – unless you haven’t made the preparations to enjoy this time of the year as much as you could have done. The more dormant months that make up winter into spring are the ones that need to be utilized in order to get everything ready and raring to go to make this year a summer to remember!

In The Garden: There’s a lot in the back yard that we put to good use in the summer months. Things like barbecues, furniture, and the garden in general all need a good seeing to before the warmer weather hits. Ideally, barbecues should be stored inside a place like a shed or garden room in order to prevent rusting or at the least have a cover on them to protect them from the colder weather that the winter months throws at them.

If you haven’t done this, now is the time to get out the wire brushes and go to town on cleaning it down and making it safe for further use. Furniture, especially if wooden, needs to have a lick of weatherproof paint to keep it in excellent condition for the next couple of months. While plants and grass tend to get out of control once the sun starts to beat down on them, there is a time when they are dormant and more manageable. Getting on top of the garden before the garden gets on top of you is definitely the way to go!

Now is also a great time to start planning and budgeting for any projects you would like to complete in your garden. Perhaps you would like to improve your landscaping or even install a bocce ball court. You could also start researching a fixture like garden rooms. They can be transformed into an area for entertainment, a home gym, or simply having a dry place to watch the rain and snow fall.

In The House: We all know that summer, in the majority of cases, means warmer weather. This means that we need to make plans for getting ourselves cooler and back to a normal body temperature again. It is so easy to overheat without realizing it, and the chances of dehydrating yourself are greater during this period of the year. If you know that your air conditioning was giving up the ghost at the end of last year, consider getting an ac repair service done to get it back to good working order. Ensure that everything that keeps things cool is working, like your fridge and freezer. The last thing you want is for either of these things to fail in weather that the food is more likely to turn bad in. And it would be a shame for all of those delicious popsicles to melt into a sticky juice!

In The Car: Unsurprisingly, most car failures happen in extreme weathers of either hot or cold. Making sure that you are carrying a spare bottle of water around with you, should your car start to overheat, can be a lifesaver if you’re stuck out on the road without a service station nearby. Make sure that you pack extra snacks and water for yourself, too, just in case the worst happens. The last thing that you want is to be stranded with your tummy rumbling – especially in the heat! #myworstnightmare

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Technology To Keep You On Track

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When it comes to health and fitness we could all use a helping hand. Whether it’s counting calories or charting our progress, it can be difficult to keep on top of things when we’re trying to get in shape. Increasingly, the worlds of technology and fitness have been overlapping. Here’s how you could be using some clever tech to get fit just in time for summer:

Healthy Eating: There are plenty of tech gadgets that make eating healthily easier. Apps are particularly popular for those looking to lose weight. We’re told a lot about the importance of keeping a food diary and holding ourselves accountable. This is good advice but can be so difficult (and annoying!) in practice. When we cook at home or eat out it’s difficult to track our calorie and sugar intake. Not only that, but it’s a lot of work to carry around a food diary and fill it in every day.

Certain apps allow users to check their intake easily. These apps are pre-programmed with nutritional information from thousands of restaurants and recipes. Not only can you keep track of your calories, but these apps can also tell you how far away from your goal you are. They can even work out the right amount of calories you should be eating, based on your BMI. So if you’re wondering what your BMI is, then you’ll need to look into a BMI calculator online to try and figure that out (they’re free). Some apps also have features which allow you to input your workout and see how many calories you’ve burned. So handy!

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YUM!!

Quitting Your Bad Habit: It’s no surprise that people looking to increase their overall health and fitness try and cut back on any bad habits. Whether your indulgence is chocolate, alcohol, or cigarettes, it’s best to try and curb these less than healthy habits for good. The world of technology came up with vapes and e-cigarettes as an alternative aid for those looking to quit smoking. Vapes and e-cigarettes require liquid and chargers, like the ones found at Vaporesence. This aid to stopping smoking is usually used as a first step on the road to cutting down or cutting out cigarettes altogether for an ultimately healthier lifestyle.

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Lumo: Lumo is at the forefront of some pretty impressive fitness tech. Lumo Run, for instance, is a sensor that you clip onto your running shorts. The device links up to an app on your phone and gives you a post-run analysis. Along with the usual details, Lumo Run can advise you about your running form and even recommend specific personalized exercises. It measures your pelvic drop, rotation, bounce, and braking to come up with feedback on how to improve your technique for a better work out.

Lumo Lift, on the other hand, is all about great posture. Again, you attach a clip to your shirt and it will gently vibrate when you slouch or have bad posture. It can track your posture, calories burned, steps, and distances too. So get those shoulders back, but if not, let Lumo remind you! Now, straighten up!

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Go, go, go!

Happy Birthday, Sister!!

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Happy Birthday, Sister!!

Hello everyone and happy weekend! Today is an amazing, special, wonderful day because it is my beautiful big sister’s 25th birthday! Kristen. My sister, my soulmate, my best friend on the face of the earth. Kristen is someone who my life would be absolutely impossible without. She is someone that I can go to for literally anything. To laugh, cry, complain, or just be there with to pass the time. My sister is one of the strongest women that I have ever met. Ever. She is a survivor, she is brave, and she has proven to herself and everyone around her that she can get through the worst of times and ultimately improve and better herself along the way. If that isn’t the definition of courage, then I really don’t know what is.

Kristen is someone who is kind. She is genuine, she has a huge heart, and she brings so much joy and light to everyone who she encounters. Her smile and laugh is contagious and her beauty is second to none both inside and out. If you can’t tell by now, my sister is my everything. I am so thankful not only for our sisterhood but for the friendship that came from it. You can have someone as a sibling and only view them as such, but Kristen is so much more for me than that.

From outings to the movies, shopping, the nail or hair salon, coffee, dinner, or just binge watching on Netflix, I treasure every minute that I spend with my sister. Don’t get me wrong, she drives me fucking crazy, but isn’t that what sisters do every now and then? And I promise you that she would say the same thing about me, but probably even more so!

The point that I’m trying to get at, is that I am so, so incredibly lucky to have my sister as, well, my sister. I love you more than anything, so here’s to you, you beautiful, fantastic, intelligent, loving, perfect girl. Happy birthday and I can’t wait to celebrate with you tonight!

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Happy Birthday, Kristen ❤

I FREAKING LOVE YOU!!