Singing Tips for Seniors Taking Voice Lessons Later in Life

Singing Tips for Seniors Taking Voice Lessons Later in Life Suzy S. Think its too late for you to learn how to sing? Here, Hayward, CA teacher  Molly R.  explains why its actually a fantastic time to start up lessonsas well as some helpful singing tips for making the most of them Im 70. Is it too late for me to learn how to sing? As a voice teacher, I get inquiries from singers of all walks of life. Its actually pretty surprising to me that more people think its normal for a 3-year-old (!) to take private voice lessons, yet its completely out of the question for someone 60 or older. Many older people may find themselves retired and looking for a new hobby, so singing lessons are a wonderful choice. One 72-year-old gentleman I work with is excited to finally have this time for himself, and has even joined a community chorus! Another senior lady tells me she loves her lessons because she gets a chance to revisit the songs she loved while growing upincluding many by the great crooners. Are you an older adult thinking of taking voice lessons? Good for you! Know that you are definitely NOT too old to sing. Here are some helpful singing tips for older vocalists: Keep a positive attitude, no matter what anyone else may say. There are plenty of super seniors out there who are still singing! Look at musicians like Sir Paul McCartney, Shirley Bassey, and Dolly Parton, to name but a few. They clearly love what they do! If you enjoy the process of creating music, that is really all that matters. Consider taking regular weekly lessons, even if you dont have performance aspirations. Why? Its good for your whole body!   Singing has been proven to fight depression, and even assists with certain ailments, like high blood pressure and asthma. Work with your teacher in finding the repertoire that is right for you NOW.  Your voice may not be as strong as it was in your youthbut what is? All muscles lose some elasticity as we age, but please dont let that hold you back. Men may find that their voices are higher, and women may find that their voices are now considerably lower, due to drastic changes in hormones. Embrace the changes. There is plenty of compelling music for you to sing! Take it easy on yourself, as far as practicing goes. Since you are doing this for your own personal enrichment, you dont need to worry about daily practice sessions. And if you cant commit to weekly lessons, you can easily make progress even if you attend two lessons a month, and vocalize three to four times a week. And finally Consider using your voice as a way to make friends, and even perform! Many older people may find themselves bored and a little lonely. A few of my older students have made community choruses a part of their lives, now that they finally have the time to pursue more of their passions. Some are even trying karaoke nights for the very first time! As a older adult, you have had more life experience, and that alone will make your performances that much more compelling. Isnt that what great singing is about, anyway? Molly R. teaches online and in-person singing lessons in Hayward, CA. Her specialties include teaching beginner vocalists, shy singers, children, teens, lapsed singers, and older beginners. She joined TakeLessons in November 2013. Learn more about Molly  here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

5 Wise Tips When Pursuing the Career of Your Dreams - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 5 Wise Tips When Pursuing the Career of Your Dreams - Introvert Whisperer 5 Wise Tips When Pursuing the Career of Your Dreams If you loved the work you do now, you likely wouldnt be so keen to leave it behind to follow your passion. According to Forbes, more than half of all workers today would love to give their notice and do something they could truly enjoy. So why dont they? Why dont more people wave goodbye to their 9-to-5 and head off for a rendezvous with their dream career? This is a great question and one that will likely produce different answers depending on who you ask. But here, it doesnt matter what other unhappy people decide whether to stay or go. What matters is what YOU decide to do. You only live once, so why not go for it and spend your career years pursuing the kind of work you love! It may not be easy, but it sure will be worth it, and these five wise tips will help you along the way. Tip 1: No regrets is ALWAYS worth the work involved.   One thing that likely keeps many unhappy workers glued to their dismal desks is the ever-present threat of failure. In fact, many unhappy workers say one of their greatest fears is layoffs! This will never be you once you decide to pursue the career of your dreams. However, there is no guarantee you will succeed, either. This is why being an entrepreneur requires bravery. You are an adult, launching a new venture with your eyes wide open to both the potential risks and the possible rewards. Most importantly, you are an adventurer through life who is determined not to ever be haunted by the dreadful what ifs. You are not the one who will spend their final days wondering what your life would have been like if only you had tried that-thing-you-never-tried. So while there is no guarantee of success, there is absolutely a guarantee of personal growth, self-empowerment, newfound wisdom and courage, increased resilience, unexpected wonders and a whole new way of looking at the world that can only be yours when you take the reins of your own life. Tip 2: You calling the shots turns the Whys? Into Why Nots!   Maybe you used to be (or are now) one of those restless, dissatisfied, frustrated workers who looks at your companys upper management and thinks how differently you would do things if you were in their shoes. Now, in choosing to pursue the career of your dreams, you are freeing yourself to do those things differently! For instance, if you want to partner with a local school or charity to produce stadium blankets for student fundraising or young people in need, you dont need to run your idea by anyone but yourself to get approval. You can do good AND advance your career and feel really good about doing it. In the same way, you are free to partner, collaborate and co-create with like-minded others, sharing your followers and creating more success for everyone involved. When your attitude turns from a fear-based why? to a brave and adventurous why not! anything becomes possible. Tip 3: Avoid skeptics like the plague.   If your best friend told you she was super sick with the flu, you probably wouldnt beg to go over there and see her, right? When you decide to really go for it and pursue your dream career, it is well worth treating anyone who is a skeptic or outright pessimist like they are covered in flu germs. It really just isnt worth it to spend time with people who will knowingly or unwittingly undercut your courage right at a moment when you are at both your most hopeful and youre most vulnerable. Otherwise, well, sometimes skeptics do have a point. Well, yes, that is risky. Of course, you might fail. Yup, it is expensive to buy supplies and maintain an inventory and build a website and do marketing and print business cards. Sure, you are using your whole life savings to pursue your dream career. But you know what? That is why not everyone does it! The ones who dont do it will never know the joy and triumph of realizing that you can actually earn a living doing what you love. The ones who not only dont do it themselves but tell others they cant do it either will never know they are wrong. And these are not the folks you want to keep company with anyway. You the soon-to-be-success need and deserve to surround yourself with other dreamers and brave doers like you. So (at the risk of overusing an already overused cliche), just do it! Tip 4: Stay flexible always.   If you start out pursuing what you think is your dream career and one day get waylaid by your real dream career while en route, you wont be the first or the last. Sometimes you think you know what you really want and you are right. And sometimes what you think you want is just a pale imitation of something else you encounter during the journey. Either way, it is critical to stay flexible during your adventures. If you discover something that is clearly a better fit, jump on it. After all, that is why you started out on this journey in the first place, isnt it? Tip 5: It is fine to keep your current life and pursue your dream too.   Maybe you are no longer single, childless and footloose and overall, you are happy about that. But you still have unfulfilled dreams tugging at you anyway. This is okay. In fact, it is more than okay. You can still pursue your dreams. It might take a bit longer or require more strategizing, but if you look closely enough, you can find a way to, bit by bit, day after day, pursue your dream career while keeping what you love about your current life too. Mori V. Brockbank is a high school counselor by morning, a volleyball coach by day, and a motivational/sports blogger by night. Her passion for empowering and strengthening others flows within her work and writing. Go to top CAREER ACCELERATION Do you know what your next career step is?  Many people don’t. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook on how to construct your Career SMART Goals â€" that will help you put together your actions and keep you accountable. Get your copy now and start your action plan today! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Getting a Student to Understand Geometry

Getting a Student to Understand Geometry Getting a Student to Understand Geometry As parents, you know Geometry can be quite complex and sometimes your child can get lost when trying to remember terms like congruent triangles, quadrilaterals, and theorems, just to name a few. It's easy for him or her to confuse one of these terms with another or simply have problems grasping the concepts. While it's true that every student has strengths and weaknesses, he or she will need to be able to shine in all subjects in order to do well in school. The good news is that, if you notice that your child is struggling with Geometry, there are things that you can do to help: Spend extra time on difficult-to-grasp material Geometry is about figuring out the position, shape, and size of forms and using the information to solve problems. Learning the basic principles of this discipline, however, involves a great deal more memorization and repetition than many other types of mathematics. If your child can't sort out which rules apply to a given situation, you're already fighting a losing battle. By taking extra time to go over the concepts and to then ensure that your student understands how to use them in a problem-solving capacity, you will keep him or her from falling behind the rest of the class. Find extra problems for him or her to solve and test their skills! Missing a day can hurt hire a tutor! Inevitably, your child will get sick or have a doctor's appointment and miss a day of class. While you may not think that's a big concern (it was just one day, after all), a lost day can actually have a big impact on your child's understanding of the subject matter. Geometry concepts are built upon each other throughout the year, so if your student misses a key lesson he or she may fall behind. Unfortunately, many teachers just won't have the time to really review the material as fully as your child might need in order to truly grasp what that they missed. This leaves your child responsible for catching up, which could be problematic if he or she is having trouble comprehending the subject already. If this happens, a geometry tutor can get your child back up to speed and bridge the gap of that missed material. The moment you recognize that your child struggling is the moment you can step in and help him or her to succeed. By taking some extra time to go over the key concepts of geometry with your child and hiring a tutor when they are falling behind, you can ensure that he or she gets the assistance that they need.

Learn English Agreeing and disagreeing in English conversation

Learn English Agreeing and disagreeing in English conversation Agreeing and Disagreeing in English can be difficult for many English language learners because it has an unusual grammar structure. However agreeing and disagreeing is an important part of learning a language. So Im going to break down grammatically how to agree and disagree in English and then show you how to ask and state your opinions.How To Agree In English:Positive Sentences (+) I think that Macs are better than PCs. To Agree with this sentence: I do too.Me too.So do INegative Sentences (-) I dont think that Macs are better than PCs. To Agree with this sentence:Neither do I.Me Neither.How To Disagree In English:Positive Sentences (+) I think that Macs are better than PCs. To Disagree with this sentence:I dont. (You can add Oh, Really, Thats interesting, Wow to the beginning to add emphasis) Really, I dont!Negative Sentences (-) I dont think that Macs are better than PCs. To Disagree with this sentence:I do! (You can add Oh, Really, Thats interesting, Wow to the beginning to ad d emphasis) Wow, I do!How to Agree with a to be statement (am,are,is)Positive Sentences (+) I am hungry! To Agree with this sentence:Me too!I am too!So am I.Negative Sentences (-) Im not hungry yet. To Agree with this sentence:Neither am I.Me neither.How to Disagree with to be statement (Im not, isnt, arent):Positive Sentences (+) Im hungry. To Disagree with this sentence:Im not. (You can add Oh, Really, Wow, and other expressions for emphasis: Really, Im not!)Negative Sentences (-) Im not hungry. To Disagree with this Sentence:I am! (You can add Oh, Really, Wow, Huh, and other expressions for emphases: Huh, I am.)How to Agree with Can:Positive Sentences (+) I can speak Spanish. To Agree with this Sentence:So can I.Me too.I can tooNegative Sentences (-) I cant Speak Spanish. To agree with this Sentence:Neither can I.Me neither.How to Disagree with Can:Positive Sentence (+) I can speak Spanish. To Disagree with this Sentence:I cant.Negative Sentence (-) I cant speak Spanish. To Disag ree with this Sentence:I can.

Music and Studying Good or Bad for Students

Music and Studying Good or Bad for Students Music and Studying: Terrific tunes and harmful harmonies The debate seems to never end; music ruins your ability to study or enhances your grades. It’s nice when science is clear cut about things, but this isn’t one of them. Silence drives many of us crazy (let it drive you a little less crazy with one of our Irvine private science tutors), so we turn to music to help focus our concentration and memory. However, some music seems to help more than others, and some does nothing but distract us (READ Does Music Complement Math and Science Test Scores?). Take a look at what both sides say, and make a decision that works for you. Have you heard of the Beethoven effect? What about the Mozart effect; maybe the Elvis effect? No, that last one doesn’t sound right. Whatever effect it is, people have believed for a long time that classical music has the best chance of assisting you in your studies. The findings are mixed to pinpoint exactly what it is that’s so helpful. But what most studies have in common in this: everyone agrees that when you hear something you like, it heightens your arousal and mood, which could improve performance. If classical doesn’t do it for you, but Beyoncé does, the “effect” is still there. What many researchers are suggesting now is that it may not be something the music does in general; it’s what the music does for you. Background noise is no good On the other side of science lab, there are studies proving just the opposite. The studies tend to focus around memory recall, and test a series of different vocal music and noises in the background while participants try to study. Those with no music tend to do the best, and those with any kind of background noise do worse (READ: Music may harm your studying). However, the findings are always varied, suggesting that one kind of stimulus doesn’t cause harm to all participants evenly. At this point we’re still waiting on studies to look at things like music tempo, instrumental vs. vocal, genre choice to match study material and other combinations. If the Elvis effect is working for you, don’t change a thing. But if you’ve been struggling to concentrate it doesn’t hurt to try something new. Give classical a go for your next study session, write an essay listening to new age nature tunes, or paint with Katy Perry. It’s usually worth the effort; you never know what music will stir up within you. All blog entries are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at info@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about. Orange County parents and students, listen up! Beat the summer slowdown with a private, in-home tutor. We work around your schedule so you can stay sharp while having fun in the sun. Read: 10 Reasons You Need a Summer Tutor. What are you waiting for? Call us. Teach.com

How to Juggle Multiple Internships

How to Juggle Multiple Internships Image via Pixabay For many college students today, a very important part of the education process is completing an internship. Law, medical, engineering, and social science students are often required to complete an internship before graduation. It is a way to gain work experience, sometimes with pay and sometimes without pay, and to get a practical feel for what one is being educated to do long term. Nowadays, an increasing number of employers are looking for candidates who have a reasonably wide range of experience and a varied set of skills. Technology continues to move at an exceptionally fast pace and employers are looking for employees who can adapt to change quickly, keeping their company on the cutting edge. In short, the more experience, the better. Getting multiple jobs offers is a good thing. You send in a resume to the companies you’ve chosen as a good fit for you and you wait for them to respond. Soon you get one good response, and then another, and then perhaps another. Suddenly, you move from having your fingers crossed so tightly theyre numb to almost not knowing whether to accept them all or politely decline a few. Well, here is where some tips might help in making the decision to take on multiple internships or whether you are better off sticking with just one. The Experience Who doesn’t need more experience to stay relevant and marketable? College career departments and the media do their fair share of pushing the message that more experience is always better. It is not only better but also a necessity. You cannot go wrong with multiple skill sets and backgrounds. When I was a college student and even before then, I was able to gain experience in a host of different things: writing, editing, proofreading, human resources, publishing, marketing, sales, customer service, payroll, management, operations, broadcasting, tutoring, daycare, media development, and social media management. You can imagine what this makes me: more marketable and employable. Every skill you can gain is something to add to your resume. And while you may not use every skill right out of college, you will at least have it for when the time comes. The Networking Here’s the deal, every internship opportunity comes with two things: the space to meet new people and the chance to build relationships. It’s that simple. The old adage “it’s not what you know but who you know” is still true to some degree. During my college years, I lacked the opportunity to build any real relationships. Luckily, my skill set and experience helped to compensate for some of this loss. If you are a good intern, the relationships you build at your internship site can go with you throughout your life. Over time, you get to know other people and you build trust and rapport. Supervisors feel more confident writing up a recommendation for you. Co-workers are more willing to help you advance in your career. The Quality Every organization you agree to work for deserves your best. Let’s be honest: if you have one paid internship and one unpaid internship, you are most likely to give more time and attention to the paid internship because you are receiving something in return for your labor. In the same way, if one internship offers you 20+ hours a week and another internship only offers you 10+ hours, you will receive the opportunity to work on more projects, develop stronger relationships, and feel more like part of the team in the former than in the latter. The same argument is often made about multi-tasking and double majors. As a double major in college, I’m a little biased to this opinion but I agree that no two things can absolutely receive equal time and attention. You will end up devoting more time to one or the other. Choose wisely. The Balancing Act Just think about it a full course load, extracurricular activities, church and/or charity work, family obligations, and more than one internship it’s quite the balancing act. Given that we’re not as superhuman or powerful as we would like to be, it is logical to think that at some point or another, something is likely to suffer or we’ll slack up on one thing simply because we don’t have enough time to do it all. Consider how much you can juggle before committing to more than one internship. If procrastination, a bad work ethic, and a lack of time management describe  you, then it can lead to major trouble down the road. And you do not want this to happen. Internships help to open the door for you to gain permanent employment and make you more marketable when sitting for those interviews. The Passion Passion can take you farther than talent ever will. It is easy to get caught up in what we think we should do, what someone else has told us we should do, what someone else is doing, and what we actually want to do. This is a trap that everyone faces and many people get stuck in. Instead of choosing internships based upon their level of cool or because a friend is doing the same thing or because it “looks like fun, pick something that you will truly enjoy. People who truly enjoy their work find themselves eager to do it. It doesn’t matter what part it is, they are excited to do it. The thing you would do even if you did not get paid is probably your passion in life. On top of that, you will do a better job if you love what you’re doing.

The Ultimate Apartment Search Checklist

The Ultimate Apartment Search Checklist Via (Wikimedia Commons) Rent Be sure to ask these questions about dates and amounts, among other important issues relating to your rent bill. Things to look out for: *Are the offered rates compatible with that of other complexes and buildings in the area? *What, other than the rent, is included in the monthly bill (i.e., trash fees)? *Are there other one-time application fees? Application fees and parking permit charges are usually charged at the time of leasing agreement, but you should know in advance. Add them all up and compare to other places; the little details make the biggest difference. Questions to ask: 1) Can the monthly rate be pro-rated by scale size? 2) When does rent have to paid? Many leases require you to pay at the beginning of the month, but you may be able to come to better arrangements with your lease manager if you have issues with that. 3) How do I pay? Some leasing managers have you sign into online systems while others ask for money orders or checks. 4) Is the security deposit refundable? Apartment Fees Sometimes, your rental rate includes additional fees that will either benefit or hurt your outlook on the apartment. Things to look out for: *What does parking availability look like? *The distance from the parking lot to the front door: Safety is an issue if your city has some scary crime rate or you’re used to getting home late. You might want to be within a few minute’s distance just to be sure. *Check on renovation charges. Some apartments may be offered that are more expensive because of new kitchen appliances and flooring upgrades. If you don’t feel the need to spend more money, you’ll survive in an older apartment just fine. *Renewal benefits: For some properties, leases, if renewed, can help you keep the rent at the same rate, while other complexes decide to charge returning tenants a more expensive price than new tenants would pay. Questions to ask: 1) What is the estimated amount for utilities? Not all people leave their lights on or the water running so this number changes per apartment. It’s still a good number to keep in mind. 2) Do you need a parking permit? If you can park in visitor spots near your apartment, don’t waste money. 3) If you do need a permit, how much does it cost? 4) Is visitor parking close to your apartment? Most visitor spaces are designated outside or by the fences, and that could be inconvenient for you or visitors. 5) Can you sublease? Things happen. If for some reason you need to get out of your lease, see if management would be in charge of replacing you. If it’s up to you to find someone to replace you, ask your roommates if they have a friend that may be interested. If they don’t, ask for their permission to post it online. Safety One of the first things you should do is make sure the location is in a safe area or has security. Open complexes and buildings that don’t monitor entry may be cheaper, but taking extra precaution always helps if you’re planning to live alone. Things to look out for: *Timed code gates *Monitored parking garages *Security office on site *Locks on all doors Distance to Campus There must be research done before you decide to look for apartments. You don’t want to be too far from campus, or traffic and accidents may hold you back. Questions to ask: 1) How far are you to your school from your apartment? 2) Did you account for traffic? 3) Is there public transportation to and from school? It’s nice to have options. Public buses, taxis, and subways should be accessible to you and some stations offer student discounts. 4) Can you find transportation should anything happen to your car? You’re going to need a backup route to campus. Amenities Things to look out for: *A recreational area: Such an area can be a gym, volleyball courts, swimming/dipping pool, courtyard space, etc. *Laundry machines in apartment or on site *Communal lounges Questions to ask: 1) What are the recreational area operating hours? Pools and gyms may open and close at certain times. 2) What other benefits does the gym have? Some gyms may be open 24/7, and some apartment complexes even offer workout and yoga classes. 3) Do the laundry machines need to be fed coins? Some offices offer pre-paid cards that you can enter into the machines as payment. Pet Related Questions Via (Pixabay) 1) Are pets allowed? 2) If so, is there an additional fee and how much is it? This could either be a one-time fee, or there might be an extra $5-20 charge on your monthly rent bill. 3) Is the fee the same for both dogs and cats? Since cats are easier to take care of, the fee may be cheaper. Pre-Move In Be sure that maintenance is ensured, especially if you’re paying for it. Things to look out for: *There will be a deep cleaning of the apartment before any person moves in including: individual rooms, kitchen area, living area, bathrooms, closets, wall/painting mishaps, ceiling fans, windows, carpet/other flooring *The air conditioning and heating system is properly working *All appliances run well Use this as a reference when checking out a new place. If you have options, refer back to this and weigh the pros and cons of the different leases. Always know what you’re getting into, especially concerning legal and time-sensitive matters.