Glasses or contacts: All you need to know about contact lenses

Glasses or Contacts?


If you are trying to decide whether to purchase contact lenses or glasses there are many things to take into consideration. Then if you have made up your mind to try contact lenses there are so many contact lens choices and varieties marketed today, it may be difficult to choose a suitable pair.




Which Contacts Should I Buy?

1. Which ones are right for your eyes?
2. What are the pros and cons of wearing contact lenses?
3. How does one properly handle and clean contact lenses to avoid infection, inflammation and other eye problems?

For a helpful article packed with all the information you need to make an informed decision read here.

picture sources: 1st photo 2nd photo

Need Help!

Okay, so for the past several weeks- the reason why I haven't posted anything on this blog- I've been looking for the composer, Mikhail Starokadomsky. He's written one of the most beautiful clarinet solos entitled, Two Pieces: At the Brook and Intermezzo. He has also written piano, oboe, and some operas to my knowledge. The thing is, I can't find anything on the poor guy. I know when he was born and when he died, some of the music that he has composed, and how to pronounce his name. I was wondering, if you anyone knows anything about Mikhail Starokadomsky, and if you do please tell me. You can comment it on the WritersSolution blog, or you can e-mail me, Alexa, at alxgates@gmail.com

Thank you! Your information will be invaluable! I don't know where else to look.

Lighten your Mood with a Good Book

Sit down, relax, and read. After a hard day at work, just take ten to twenty minutes a day and read a book. The book- it doesn' t matter the genre- will help stimulate your brain and relax you before doing your house work. Or, you can read before you go to sleep. It doesn't matter, reading almost always brightens your mood, or just relaxes you a little bit. These are just a few titles that are amazing books.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane By Katherine Howe

"Okay, so we’ve all heard of the Salem Witch Trials, right? Everyone knows that in 1692 there was a witch panic in Salem, Massachusetts where about twenty or so innocent people were hanged. These people, obviously were going to be hanged for being considered a witch. Katherine Howe’s question was, could there have been any actual witches hanged during this time. I know the question is silly, but after reading her book, it makes me almost believe that actual witches were hanged.
Now, lets fast forward to the year 1991 in Cambridge Massachusetts. I know, these two time periods are centuries apart, but Katherine Howe magically puts them together. So, let’s meet Harvard Graduate student, Connie Goodwin, her specialty is in colonial history. She has been advanced to candicy and is writing her doctoral dissertation..." To Read the rest of the Book review please click here

Dreamland By: Sarah Dessen

"Have you ever loved someone so much it hurt? Caitlin O’Karen can tell you all about it. Ever since she met Rogerson there was something compelling, different, and something her sister, Cass, had never done.

Cass ran away on Caitlin’s birthday and her mom was constantly worried about her. Caitlin always felt as though she lived in her sister’s shadow. So, for her Junior year of high school, now that Cass was gone, she wanted to do everything she could to be different from Cass. She even joined the Cheer leading team with her friend, Rina. Then, she met Rogerson. As I stated above, he was the kind of guy Cass had never dated just by looking at him..."
To finish reading the book review please click here

Land of a Hundred Wonders By Lesley Kagen

"What would you do if you were in a car accident where both of your parents died and you banged your head very badly? Gibby McGraw of Cray Ridge, Kentucky wants to be a reporter, it’s one of the few things she remembers doing after her accident. The only problem is, Gibby is NQR, or Not Quite Right by her Grampa’s standards. She forgets everything, and doesn’t know what is appropriate or not.
She could just be saying, “Hi” to someone at the Top O’ the Mornin’ Diner where she works with her Grampa, and then call them a name. A name that if it was said on TV would have to be bleeped out. Being so forgetful, Gibby forgets where she is and what she is doing. Gibby’s Grampa takes care of her."
To finish reading this book reivew please click here

Perfect Practice Means Perfect Playing

Practicing your instrument is fun, isn't it? I know it is a daunting task to learn a new piece of music, scales, or musical exercise. But when you nail it, it feels good. The only problem is, how do you practice correctly? Sure you can practice for hours a day and get no where on a song. Or you think you get somewhere, but you just don't retain the knowledge. Your problem probably is, you're not practicing correctly. My father once told me, "My football coach always told me, if you don't practice perfectly, you won't play perfectly." I know he's talking about football, but the same concept holds true for instrumentalists. It doesn't matter if you play a woodwind, brass, strings or percussion instrument, practicing perfectly will help you get better quicker.

A simple tip for better practicing is playing your scales. Maybe, make it a point to do two or three before you start your practicing through the day. If you don't know a scale, learn it. Then start to gradually speed up your tempo to help with speed when you are practicing faster songs.

Start off a song slower than written. I know, that's boring. The thing is, if you speed through a song you will miss accidentals, key changes, certain rhythms, and trills/grace notes. If you go slow and gradually speed the tempo, you will not miss those things, and you'll retain more knowledge of the piece of music.

For more tips on how to practice better please click here to read Perfect Practice means Perfect Playing By Alexa Gates.

Save Money on Beauty

Every girl needs to look beautiful, but costs on beauty products is expensive. So, how do you spend less, and get good make-up? First things first, ditch the department store make up. I mean seriously, why would you spend $20.00 for mascara, when you can spend $7.00 and get the same look? It goes for all beauty products, sometimes the generic brands are better. In this article, it explains some ways to save money on your beauty products because we all deserve to look our best.

Please click here to read, Save Money on Beauty By Alexa Gates

Eight Things Every Woodwind Player Should Know

There are so many different instruments out there. For example, you have the clarinet, saxophone, and flute all in the wood wind family. What makes them a woodwind instrument is that you use wood to either make them or play them. The only thing is, how can you play better? Make a better sound out of your horn?

Just for a couple examples. Keep your instrument clean. Want to know why? When you play spit, microscopic pieces of reed, and dirt/skin cells from your fingers get into your horn. Disgusting, right? Well, if you keep your horn clean, it tends to sound better because there isn't anything stopping the air flow, and it makes your instrument last longer. Doesn't that sound great? Also, give your instrument at least one check up a year. When you bring your instrument into the repair shop, they align, oil, and fix any problems in your instrument. This will make your instrument easier to play and sometimes even sound better. To read more tips on how to make your instrument and playing sound better please click here to read Eight Things Every Woodwind Player Should Know.

Universal Health Care: Not as Good as it Sounds

Everyone wants health care, which is why this bill is so important. According to the News, millions of people cannot afford health care because of the high prices. My family is fairly conservative, so I don't believe in government hand outs, such as 'free health care,' so I took a look at the bill. I mean, if the bill was written to where it would actually help people, why not let it pass? Well, I was definitely wrong. When reading the bill the one thing I thought was, the government is now going to try and control American's health. They're going to give ACORN and other programs many pay offs. A doctor cannot own or invest in health care, so a person who has no idea about medicine and doctoring will run it. Doesn't that make you feel safe?

To read some of the horrors of this bill, please click here

As Americans, I hope we can stop the government control of our health care. I mean, where would they stop? There has to be other answers to the AMERICANS who cannot afford health care who WANT it. Thank you!