Category Archives: Community

Learn Something New With Our Top 5 Educational Apps

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Expand your mind without increasing your budget with these educational apps.

Do you want to learn something new, but don’t have the time to attend expensive classes? Whether you’re interested in picking up a new language, refreshing your grammar skills or simply curious about the world around you, the following educational apps will expand your mind without increasing your budget.

Grammar Up – Eknath Kadam

Good communication is the key to many careers and relationships. Improve both grammar and vocabulary with the Grammar Up app for iPad and iPhone. The full version costs $4.99 and features a series of multiple-choice quizzes with over 1,800 questions covering categories such as verb tense, word choice and conditionals. A free version is also available that lets you track your progress.

Paper – FiftyThree

Improve your drawing skills and release your inner artist with Paper. Winner of the 2012 Apple Design Awards for Best iPad app, Paper was downloaded 1.5 million times within the first two weeks of its release. So, what’s the hype about? Paper’s clean design, convenient tools and filters help both designers and beginners create beautiful works of art. Email or print your final creations, or use them for storyboarding or presentations. The basic drawing function is free, but additional color or brush tools must be purchased for $1 or $2 each.

Star Walk Astronomy – Vito Technology Inc.

Where can you use the latest science app? Just look up! Download the Star Walk app for iPad, point your device toward the sky and discover stars, constellations and satellites in real time. Star Walk also won an Apple Design Award, and allows users to identify over 200,000 celestial bodies with extensive information about stars and constellations. This app includes a calendar to keep you informed of upcoming cosmic events, and the Time Machine feature can be used to see star maps for years into the future or at historic moments of the past. For just $4.99, this visually stunning app is perfect for astronomy students or people who simply enjoy the night sky.

Babbel Language Learning – Babbel

One way to learn a foreign language is to continually practice reading, writing and speaking as often as you can. If you want to learn a language, a good mobile app will allow you to practice on the go. Free iPhone apps from Babbel come in seven languages: German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portugese, Swedish and English. These apps are aimed to boost your vocabulary, and provide access to 3000 words used in sample sentences and pronounced by a native speaker. Babbel’s apps compliment their web-based courses, but you don’t need to be a course subscriber to use the apps.

WikiHow – wikiHow, Inc.

Finally, if you’re unable to decide on one new skill to acquire, why not learn how to do just about everything? WikiHow contains 140,000 different how-to articles that can solve many of your DIY project questions—from knitting a scarf to replacing a flat tire. Simply type your query’s keywords into the app, and you’ll receive an article on your topic that includes descriptive steps with photos or videos, a list of supplies needed, warnings and related wikiHow articles for further investigation. This app is free for both Android and iPhone, and the iOS version also contains a “Survival Kit” with articles inspired by real-life emergency situations including self-defense, wilderness survival, home emergencies and first aid.

These educational apps are perfect for learning fun and useful information on the go. Give one a try today!

Photo credit: iStockphoto/wragg

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Volunteer Opportunities in Lafayette

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With the holidays coming up, it’s the perfect time to give back to your community at these places in Lafayette.

With the holiday season coming up, it’s time to start thinking about giving back to others. Volunteering is a great way to have a positive affect on your local community and do something good for others. But what if you’ve just moved to a new place? It’s hard to find out about new venues where you can give to others. Fortunately, discovering new volunteer opportunities is just a click away! Below are some great places to start looking for volunteer opportunities near apartments in Lafayette, Ind.

United Way of Greater Lafayette’s Volunteer Center

Using this site (www.uwlafayettevolunteer.org/), you can search for volunteer opportunities in your area by city, ZIP code and interest. And new opportunities are being posted all the time!

Lafayette Online

The city of Lafayette maintains a website (www.lafayette-online.com/resources/volunteering) just for connecting volunteers with several local agencies in need of help.

Help the Homeless

Looking to aid a specific cause, such as the plight of our nation’s homeless? The Homeless Shelter Directory can help. Here is the link to search results for Lafayette:

www.homelessshelterdirectory.org/cgi-bin/id/city.cgi?city=Lafayette&state=IN

Be a Big Brother or Big Sister

If you have always wanted to make a difference in the life of a child, now’s your chance. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lafayette, Inc. is always in need of child mentors. Their website (www.bbbslaf.org/) lists details about their programs and how to get involved.

Church-Based Support

If you are a person of faith eager to lend a helping hand to your new community, the Lafayette Urban Ministry (www.lafayetteurbanministry.org/) can help. Their website lists volunteer opportunities, details about their programs and ways you can donate.

These are just a few quick links to get you started. Once you get out there in your new Lafayette community, you’ll no doubt find other ways you can volunteer.

Photo credit: iStockphoto/asiseeit 

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Cheap Hobbies for Kids

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Rock collecting is a great, educational hobby for kids that also happens to be inexpensive.

Getting your children involved in a hobby is a great way to teach them valuable skills, learn something educational and just plain keep them out of trouble. But many hobbies can get expensive. Below are a few great hobbies for kids that won’t break the bank.

Rock collecting

This is a great hobby that is also very educational. Rocks are all around us, and free. And you can check used bookstores for a cheap rock identification guide.

Crocheting and Knitting

All you need is some yarn and a crochet hook to start this inexpensive hobby. Patterns can be found online for free, and the things your child makes can be given away as Christmas and birthday presents or sold at local fairs.

Puzzles

Putting together jigsaw puzzles, doing crossword puzzles or Sudoku is a great way to train the mind and keep kids occupied. You can purchase crossword and Sudoku books for less than $3, and most jigsaw puzzles for $20 or less. Once it’s finished, slap on some puzzle glue and your child will have her own work of art suitable for framing.

Bird-watching

Another great educational hobby, bird-watching is also very cheap. Find a cheap new or used bird-watcher’s guide (and free guides are available at Birdwatching.com) and a pair of binoculars and your child is all set to go about identifying the birds that live in his own backyard.

Astronomy

Yes, astronomy can be a cheap hobby, if you go about it the right way. Just pick up a star map and guide and a pair of binoculars and you’re good to go. You can also find plans online for making your own small refractor telescope out of cardboard.

Painting and Drawing

Paints, brushes, pencils and paper are relatively inexpensive, and are great ways for kids to pass the time, especially if they are younger. Kids love being creative, and drawing and painting helps them express themselves while also developing their fine motor skills.

Photo credit: iStockphoto/grafvision

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Breast Cancer Awareness Month Events in Seattle

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Help raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research in Seattle.

Aside from skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women, and it is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, according to the American Cancer Society. However, with early detection through screening and increased awareness, the death rates from breast cancer have declined since 1990. To continue this trend, Seattle organizations and residents have come together to plan various educational and fundraising events to increase awareness. To participate, head out to one of the following events and learn more about how you can help.

Beats for Boobs Seattle
In its third year, Beats for Boobs is bringing the very best in art, fashion, food and music to the Crocodile. Come down to this Belltown neighborhood music venue to check out local DJs and view brilliant displays from artists and fashion designers. Come with an empty stomach and test out local eateries that you may never try otherwise. Additionally, you’ll get access into this premiere music venue, which has been hosting a diverse roster of world-class talent for more than 20 years. One-hundred percent of ticket and merchandise sales benefit Breast Cancer Resource Center and the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.
Details: Oct. 13, 8 p.m.; Crocodile Café, 2200 Second Ave., Seattle, WA 98121

Pink Power Hour
Girl Power Hour is hosting Pink Power Hour, an event that educates women on how to keep their bodies at their best. The presentation features local author Elisabeth Dale, founder of The Breast Life. The event is sponsored by Dr. David R. Stephens of Center for Plastic Surgery, and they encourage attendees to wear pink to support breast cancer awareness, as well as to celebrate women. Along with the humorous and informative session, be on the lookout for pink treats from Jenny Cookies, food from Design Perfect Catering and drinks from Proletariate Wine Company. Girl Power Hour is working with the American Cancer Society and Get Hitched Give Hope to provide support for this cause.
Details: Oct. 20, 6-8:30 p.m.; Swink at U Village, 4610 Village Court NE, Seattle, WA 98105

Party in Pink – Zumbathon
This combines your love for Zumba with benefitting a great cause. On October 20, work out for two hours with a licensed Zumba instructor at the Boys and Girls Club of Marysville. It costs $20 to join the fun, and 75 percent of the ticket fee is donated to fund breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment programs.
Details: Oct. 20, 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Boys and Girls Club of Marysville, 1010 Beach Ave., Marysville, WA 98270

Boxing for Boobies
Kick things up a notch this year for breast cancer awareness. Join CKO Kickboxing for a 90-minute kickboxing class. It costs $35 to join the class, and that includes your choice of pink or black boxing gloves, as well as a t-shirt. A donation will be made on each boxer’s behalf to Susan G. Komen Puget Sound.
Details: Oct. 27, 9-10:30 a.m.; CKO Kickboxing Seattle, 15901 Westminster Way, Shoreline, WA 98133

Get Hitched Give Hope 2012
This isn’t your ordinary bridal show. The 5th Annual Bridal Auction and Gala is a place where brides and grooms can mingle with potential vendors and enjoy delicious eats and sweet treats. During the show, guests can bid on various items, try to win raffles and dance. All proceeds benefit the Dream Foundation, which delivers final dreams to those who have been given a terminal diagnosis. It also benefits the Young Survival Coalition of Seattle, which is an organization that provides education and support to young women living with breast cancer.
Details: Nov. 8, 6 p.m.; Four Seasons, 99 Union St., Seattle, WA 98101

Photo Credit: iStockphoto/skodonnell

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Initiate Conversation and Join Your New Neighborhood

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Moving to a new neighborhood means meeting new people and finding new ways to join the community. But with our heads in our phones, it might get tricky. A quick hello, shopping locally and volunteering are quick and easy ways to get involved in the neighborhood and meet your new neighbors.

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Apartment Garage Parking Etiquette

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Honor the right of way and follow these ten commandments of courteous and strategic parking.

A good parking space is a blessing, but you might feel your neighbor’s wrath if you don’t practice proper apartment garage parking etiquette. Honor the right of way and follow these ten commandments of courteous and strategic parking.

  • Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s parking space. If you have designated parking, it’s a no-brainer to park only in your own space and to remind guests to use specified guest parking.
  • Honor thy apartment garage speed limit. Slow down and try not to terrify your neighbors. You have to see them every day. And they might be vengeful.
  • Thou shalt not lie about the ding you put in that guy’s bumper. If you accidentally hit your apartment neighbor’s car, leave a note. You’ll sleep better at night.
  • Uphold your neighbor’s right to carry groceries. Don’t forget that you are parking in a place where people unload groceries, small children and pets. Keep your car in the lines and give them plenty of room to open their car doors.
  • Do to other drivers as they do unto you. The bottom line is to be nice. If someone waves to you, wave back.
  • But, thou shalt not respond discourteously to unfriendly drivers. Remember, they know where you live.
  • Respect the blind spot. Don’t come screaming around the corners in your parking garage. One day there will be a blind spot (and an insurance claim) with your name on it.
  • Never take your neighbor’s name in vain. Parking garages echo and your neighbors can hear everything.
  • Do not be quick to anger. So your neighbors had a party and their friends parked in your space. If it’s the first time this has happened, let it go. If it’s the 13th time, feel free to call the apartment manager.
  • Thou shalt always use the parking brake. Because that’s how safe apartment garage parkers roll (well, keep from rolling, that is!)

Photo Credit: Shutterstock / SVLuma

Seek Out Community in Your Own Apartment Neighborhood

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You may have to look no further than your own apartment community to find like-minded people who share your interests.

Are you longing to be part of a larger community? You may have to look no further than your own apartment community to find like-minded friends.

Here are some tips on how to seek out a community in your own backyard.

What to look for
Take a moment to think about what community really means to you. What do you want yours to look like, and who do you want to share it with?

Are you looking for people who think like you, or are you looking for people to challenge your way of thinking? Do you like to hang out with those who share your interests, or are you looking for people to introduce you to new experiences?

Consider just what you would like to bond over. Perhaps you are looking for new friends for leisure-time fun. You might want to make friends who share your political motivations. If you have a family with children, you might like to find friends with families, as well.

Having a clear idea of what you are looking for will help you identify groups you will enjoy spending time with. 

Where to look
Apartment get-togethers are great events to look for friends. You could find great people with whom you get along at the next movie night, book club meeting or community potluck. Strike up conversations with people at these events – don’t be shy! – and see if you can find the new friend who shares some of your interests.

Another place to look for new neighborhood partners is on your apartment community’s Facebook page. You could find someone commenting on an issue you feel strongly about. You can reply online or even seek out a conversation in person.

Networking with your neighbors is a great way to get to know new people. Introduce yourself while doing laundry or hanging out at the pool. You just might make a meaningful connection.

Creating your community
Once you have met some people with whom you feel you really get along, plan a shared outing to get to know them better. It might be best to meet new people out in public – maybe at the pool or clubhouse — for the first few times until you feel comfortable enough to invite them over, for instance. Use your judgment.

Once you have found your “people,” it is important to make regular dates to see your new friends. This will keep bonds strong. You will find that having a community full of individuals to count on for stimulating company is a truly rewarding experience – especially when you live near one another in your own apartment neighborhood!

Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Andresr

How to Be a Good House Guest

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Be a great houseguest, and you’ll always be welcomed back to stay.

There’s an old saying about both fish and house guests smelling after three days, so take that as a warning to not overstay your welcome at a friend or family member’s home. Instead, arrange before you visit how long you will be there, making sure it’s no longer than two days. If you need to stay somewhere longer, offer to go to a nearby hotel for part of the trip. It may not be the most economical solution, but it will ensure you and the host remain friends after the visit. After you’ve scheduled your visit, follow even one of the tips below, and you’ll always be the guest invited to come back and stay awhile.

Bring something

The most remembered guests are the ones who bring something thoughtful to the owners of the home. When you arrive at your friend’s home, present the host with a good bottle of wine (ask a wine store employee to recommend a budget-friendly one), box of cookies, flowers, monogrammed initial coffee mug or something for the home. Sites such as Red Envelope.com and Gifts.com specialize in helping you find the perfect item to say, “Thank you for welcoming me into your home.”

Make yourself at home

Well, sort of. In this case, making yourself at home means giving a host the idea that she doesn’t have to go out of her way to make you feel comfortable. Instead of asking her for a glass of water, get it yourself. See if you can locate the towels in a nearby linen closet or cabinet before you ask her where they are. Remind your host how cozy or inviting her home feels and how grateful you are that she let you stay.

Offer to help

Whether you wash the dishes after a meal, fold clean laundry you see lying around (but not underwear), cook dinner for the host one night, take the dog for a walk or straighten the living room, your host will greatly appreciate your help. Your being at your host’s home has slightly thrown off her schedule, so anything you can do to make up that difference will keep your host feeling more at ease.

Clean up after yourself

After you’ve showered, hang up your towel, and throw used linens in the dirty clothes hamper. Even better, if you have the time, wash your linens and towels, fold the towels and put the linens back on the bed. At the very least, make up the bed and put dirty dishes in the dishwasher or hand-wash them.

After you leave, send a thank-you note to the host to reiterate that you had a wonderful time and she made your stay warm and pleasant.

Photo credit: iStockphoto/denisLit

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Ways to Keep Your Neighborhood Beautiful

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In honor of Keep America Beautiful Month, here are a few ways that you can keep your neighborhood clean and beautiful.

If you’re living in an apartment, you might not have the luxury of enjoying an expansive yard. That’s why it’s so important to take care of the parks and green spaces in your neighborhood, since they serve as the collective backyards of those living in a community. So in honor of Keep America Beautiful Month, which occurs every April, here are a few ways that you can keep your neighborhood clean and beautiful.

Let it grow

It goes without saying that growing trees and other plants in your community is a healthy step toward keeping your neighborhood beautiful. Take part in an effort to plant a tree along residential streets or in public spaces, either with a few friends or with a larger group. Talk to your landlord about ways to incorporate trees and other plants in your apartment complex. Get involved with a local community garden, which offers both physical and social benefits as well as enacting a positive change on the environment. If you don’t have a community garden nearby, it’s easy to turn a local plot of land into something enjoyable and sustainable for the neighborhood.

Clean living

In addition to being an eyesore, litter can be harmful to children, animals and the environment. What’s more, research shows a strong link between litter and instances of crime. You can make your neighborhood a cleaner and safer place by organizing a neighborhood cleanup. Publicize the cleanup by distributing flyers to inform everyone about the date, time and other specific information, and have announcements made at local churches, organizations, youth groups and club meetings to recruit volunteers. Send out a press release to local media outlets to gain additional exposure. To make the most of the cleanup, divide your neighborhood into sections, determine the size of volunteer crews for each area and assign a captain for each crew. Make sure you have the proper cleanup equipment, such as rakes, shovels and heavy gloves.

Prevent it

Once you see the hard-earned results of your cleanup efforts, it might make you more mindful of how you treat your neighborhood. Prevention is an important step, so set a litter-free example for your family, friends, co-workers and neighbors to help keep your community in tip top shape. Always keep a litter bag in your car so you won’t be tempted to toss unwanted trash out the window. If you’re a smoker, carry a pocket ashtray with you or keep a portable ashtray in your car to properly dispose of cigarette butts. If you’re a pet owner, make sure to pick up after your dog as you walk through your neighborhood, using newspaper delivery bags, scoopers or other methods to clean up. And, if you see litter on the ground, pick it up.

Donate

Many cities have local Keep America Beautiful affiliates. If you are unable to get out and contribute to local cleanup or planting efforts, you can still contribute by making a tax-deductible monetary donation or an in-kind contribution, such as supplies of mulch, plants or other equipment. Even a small donation can go a long way toward keeping your neighborhood livable and beautiful.

Photo credit: iStockphoto/kokouu

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How to Plan Great Meals with Your Roommate

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Check out these tips to make meal planning with your roommate a great success!

You and your roommate might not have much in common, but you both need to eat. And unless you work radically different schedules, you’re probably eating at about the same times. So if you happen to be hungry in the same place at the same time, why not coordinate and plan meals together?

Here are some tips to make meal planning with your roommate a success.

Start small. Meal planning is a change. You don’t have to commit to a weekly meal plan right away. Try coordinating dinner together once or twice, and see how it works out.

Start simple. If you’ve never cooked for your roommate before, now is not the time to try that twenty-step recipe from Gourmet requiring cheesecloth and seared tuna. Also, it’s a good idea to discuss in advance any food preferences or allergies, and to try something relatively simple and healthy. (Include a salad: each of you can customize it with dressings!)

Divide up the tasks.  Any meal requires three tasks, besides the eating:

  • Getting the required ingredients and cooking utensils together
  • Preparing the food
  • Cleaning up afterward

You and your roommate will have to figure out who takes on which of the tasks and how to coordinate them. You might shop separately, each taking half of an agreed list of ingredients. One of you might do the cooking, with the other clearing the table and washing dishes, for instance.

Stay within budgets.  What you spend on any given meal will vary, and it can be hard to figure out who paid a fair share for Tuesday’s omelets and Thursday’s chili. One strategy is to alternate paying for groceries from week to week, and let the person who’s buying set the meal plan. That way you’re not stuck with the bill when your roommate has an idea for a side of porcini mushrooms and delicately-aged cheese.

Don’t feel the need to plan every meal, every time. If your initial forays into planning a meal together work for the both of you, you might be tempted to conclude that every meal should work this way. But since you and your roommate likely have different tastes, it will probably work better to just share one or two meals a week at first. That way, if you’re a vegetarian, your roommate has some time to make meatloaf with abandon and you have time to experiment with tempeh.

Remember that cooking together doesn’t require you to eat together.  Planning a meal in advance can mean that one roommate sets up the crockpot at 2 pm and the other does the dishes at 10 pm. It can even mean that the preparing, shopping, and cooking gets done on a Sunday, with the resulting meals going into the freezer to be defrosted whenever they are needed during the week.

Let your roommate know if you’re not happy.  As with any roommate agreement, if you don’t like the way things are going, it’s better to speak up quickly and take steps to make changes sooner rather than later, before your discontent starts curdling into resentment. But…

Be diplomatic. Food can be very personal. Your roommate might feel much worse hearing “I don’t like your cooking” than “I don’t like your music.” Sometimes you may just want to smile and eat the casserole. If things really aren’t working, it may make more sense to end the meal planning than to get into a rigid stance and risk really hurting your roommate relationship.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Kzenon

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