Category Archives: FOR THE GUYS

Hiking Tips for Beginners

By, Scott M.

Hiking Tips for Beginners

Introduction

The fresh air, the cool breeze during a hot summer day, and a shady spot to watch the sun´s shadows dance in the valley below you: this is what most of us dream about when we imagine a day of hiking through Nature. However, without the right preparation, your hiking trip might be better defined by swollen knees, clouds of mosquitoes, and soggy hiking boots.

For those people who are new to the world of hiking, it is important to understand that enjoying a quality hike takes much more preparation than simply lacing up the old hiking boots and driving to the nearest trailhead. Below you´ll find four simple tips to help you find ways to motivate yourself to get into the wilderness and enjoy a perfect hike.

Why Should You Hike?

https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-walking-on-dirt-path-in-forest-at-daytime-200453/
https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-walking-on-dirt-path-in-forest-at-daytime-200453/

Everyone knows that our bodies need exercise. The sedentary lives that we live have led to several dangerous health conditions ranging from obesity to diabetes. Hiking offers an opportunity not only to exercise, but also to enjoy moments of physical exertion. Recent evidence has shown that people find exercise while being in Nature as more enjoyable and less physically draining.

In addition, taking regular hikes offers an opportunity to reduce your stress levels and improve your overall mental health. When you go to the gym for a quick workout, chances are that you´re carrying a load of problems with you as you simply try to make it to your goal on the treadmill. When you´re hiking through the woods, however, it´s much easier to allow your problems to temporarily disappear as you regain perspective of the most important things of life.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, hiking allows us to regain contact with the natural world of which we are a part. In our industrial and consumer culture, meaningful contact with Nature has become a rarity at best. Our lives are lived within the confines of manufactured housing, cement streets, and air conditioned offices. Escaping from these man-made environments for a short hike into the wilderness allows us to rediscover our ultimate belonging to the natural world which holds us.

Four Tips to Motivate You to Get Off the Couch and Into the Wild

If you are ready to start enjoying the benefits of hiking, it is important to plan ahead. One disastrous hiking trip can turn you off to hiking for years to come. Just as you wouldn’t try to scale Everest on your first outdoors trip, so should you also take the necessary time to ease yourself into the world of hiking so that it becomes an enjoyable, lifelong pursuit.

Start Slow

This first bit of advice, should be common sense. If you aren´t a proficient hiker, don’t try to complete a 20 mile day hike on your first go. Even for people who are in fairly decent shape, a 3 to 4 mile round trip hike will make you feel the physical exertion. Also, be sure to trust the trail ratings that describe a particular hike. If the hike is listed as strenuous, you might want to opt for a shorter “moderate” hike or a slightly longer hike that has been rated as “easy”. Invest in walking sticks for extra balance when learning the ropes for hikingTia, and TipsfromTia.com is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram..

Find a Place that You´ll Love

https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-wearing-a-blue-and-white-jacket-and-brown-backpack-standing-on-mountains-62485/
https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-wearing-a-blue-and-white-jacket-and-brown-backpack-standing-on-mountains-62485/

If you hate the heat and the burning sun, your first hike probably shouldn’t be in Death Valley National Park. Similarly, if you dislike the wind and cold, you should probably avoid trying to hike to some bald knob or mountain top. Think about what type of natural environment you most enjoy, and search for a hike that will take you through that natural setting. This will make your initial experience with hiking enjoyable and gratifying.

Couple Hiking with Some Other Activity You Love

One of the best parts of hiking is that you can combine a hike with some other activity that you enjoy. If, for example, you enjoy photography, there is no better place to practice your photography skills than while hiking through some beautiful, natural area. If you enjoy writing poetry, take a pen and paper along with you in your backpack and hike until you find the perfect spot to give you the inspiration you need.

Don´t Go Alone

While the ability to find deep peace and solace while hiking alone through the woods is definitely one of the privileges of hiking, you should probably invite other people along during your first couple of hikes. Having other people near you can help to alleviate some of the potential drawbacks and difficulties that a hiking trip might unexpectedly bring. Save the solo trips for when you feel more comfortable and proficient with hiking.

The Transformation that Hiking Will Bring into Your Life

https://www.pexels.com/photo/rear-view-of-a-man-standing-in-snow-250164/
https://www.pexels.com/photo/rear-view-of-a-man-standing-in-snow-250164/

After a couple positive hiking trips, you most likely will begin to feel healthier, more relaxed, and more centered on the important things in life. You will also find that every weekend you´ll be searching for new places to explore and discover. To help plan another great hiking trip, check out LiveOnceLiveWild.com, which has quality complete guides to some of the best national parks our country has to offer.

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram

Things to Know Before Getting Tatted Up

Things to Know Before Getting Tatted Up

https://www.pexels.com/photo/midsection-of-man-using-smart-phone-248387/
https://www.pexels.com/photo/midsection-of-man-using-smart-phone-248387/

Every tattoo has a story. Stories can be why you got the piece, who or what it represents or how you got the tattoo.

Some tattoos represent priceless memories created or getting inked up can be a priceless memory all in itself.

That’s all good, but don’t let it be a lesson after the fact.

https://www.pexels.com/photo/foot-on-grey-strap-sandals-48805/
https://www.pexels.com/photo/foot-on-grey-strap-sandals-48805/

Things you should know before permanently branding your body

First, it’s permanent.

Picking a tattoo should be something you can live with for the rest of your life.

Have you ever met someone with a tattoo they regret? It’s too common of a story.

Eric Amicone of Everlasting Tattoos in Philadelphia, recommends printing out a picture of what you think you want. Carry it in you pocket or wallet. Take a look at it daily. If you’re not sick of it in three months, then that’s your tattoo.

If it’s a symbol you want, double check the meaning for contradictions.

https://www.pexels.com/photo/grayscale-photo-of-tattoo-on-woman-s-back-201527/
https://www.pexels.com/photo/grayscale-photo-of-tattoo-on-woman-s-back-201527/

If it’s words, triple check the spelling, remember, ‘No regerts’ should actually say, ‘No REGRETS’

When picking a tattoo parlor

Make sure the artist is state certified and has city credentials.

Check the internet for reviews.

The place should be clean.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s your body. You have the right to know.

Be polite. They are working hard to give you magnificent art that will last you a lifetime.

https://www.pexels.com/photo/action-adult-arm-blur-277320/
https://www.pexels.com/photo/action-adult-arm-blur-277320/

And a great tip, talented artists will take your idea and redraw it to make it personal for you. Use your voice to give your input. Building a relationship with your tattoo artist can be a great thing.

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram

 

The Handyman Can: How To Become Helpful Around The Home

The Handyman Can: How To Become Helpful Around The Home

It’s amazing how many problems occur in your home at all times. You have small problems, such as a door handle breaking, and bigger problems, such as a toilet that won’t stop running.

There are also annoying problems like needing a specific tool like an Allen wrench or bronze wood screws to repair a current situation and not having the right thing for the job at hand.

Either way, a problem is a problem, and that means it needs to be fixed. When you live alone, you can usually get away with leaving some non-essential problems for as long as possible. However, when you’re living with a partner, they tend to want things fixed as soon as possible. Which, when you think about it, is probably the smart thing to do.

The Problem

The problem is, that getting things fixed usually means hiring a professional and spending time figuring out when they can come over and sort out the problem. Not only is this an inconvenience as one of you needs to stay home, but it also costs money.

Granted, when there are really big problems, it pays to get someone in to help you as you have no other option. But, for the small to medium-sized problems, you could save a lot of money if you learned how to handle them yourself. Every time your other half tells you there’s a little problem, you can get on it right away and fix it within the next few minutes. You become more helpful around the house, and your other half will be so appreciative, as will your bank balance!

Bearing that in mind, this guide has been put together to show you how to become more helpful around the home and unlock your inner handyman. Check out all the advice below to find out more:

keys-workshop-mechanic-tools-162553(Photo: http://bit.ly/2p3x5AG)

Buy Some Tools

If you want to be handy around the house, you need to have some tools to help you. Generally speaking, every guy up and down the country should have a little toolkit in the home. You never know when you might need a hammer or screwdriver to take something apart or fix it back together again.

But, your toolkit needs to go above and beyond this if you want to be truly helpful in the home. You should consider the different areas of your house where problems are likely to occur. If you have generic tools like hammers, spanners, and so on, then this equips you to be able to handle a lot of the general physical problems in your home. For example, screws coming loose and making a chair feel wobbly, or a door handle breaking and needing to be replaced.

Then, think about getting tools to help you with electrical faults in your home. Problems happen with the electrics all the time. Most of the time, you can fix them safely by yourself, and don’t need to call in an electrician. But, this means you need the right tools and equipment.

For example, get yourself a multimeter so you can test the voltage of things and check if batteries are broken or not. This is a tool electricians use themselves, and, as you can see on the Tool Nerds website, you can get some that are affordable for everyday people like yourself. Then, think about getting wire cutters in case you need to strip or trim a wire. Of course, you can’t forget to have a huge backup supply of fuses and light bulbs – a blown fuse or broken light bulb are two of the most common electrical problems in your house.

Thirdly, consider getting some tools to help you with any plumbing problems in the home. It’s no secret that there are plenty of plumbing issues that occur, most of which can be fixed by yourself. For example, if you have a wrench, you can tighten bolts on a pipe to stop it from leaking. Likewise, you could have some sealant that’s used to fill up cracks in baths or sinks that are causing leaks too.

Finally, think about outside your home too, and get some handyman tools to help with exterior issues as well. We’re talking about gardening tools to cut down overgrown weeds, etc.

If you have a full array of tools for all different situations, then you’re a lot closer to being a proper handyman in your home. You’ll have everything you need to tackle all the small and medium-sized tasks.

confused-muddled-illogical-disoriented(Picture: http://bit.ly/2qLlD96)

Watch Video Tutorials

Generally speaking, a handyman is a jack of all trades, but a master of none. If you ever hire a handyman, it’s rare they’ll be fully qualified in all the different areas of work that they claim to be able to do. Most of the time, they just pick up on skills throughout life and get better and better as they practice.

Bearing that in mind, you can become a handyman for your family purely by learning how to fix things. To do this, you should watch video tutorials online. Basically, if your house has an issue, you can search for how to fix this issue and be greeted with tons of videos showing you exactly what to do. You can follow along and fix the problem while watching the video at the same time.

In essence, you’re teaching yourself how to become good at fixing things. Now, if that same problem happens again, you’ll know how to fix it. It seems like such a simple piece of advice, but that’s because it is. There’s really no better way of fixing something than watching a video that shows you the steps to take. In fact, if you’re ever bored, you can spend time watching tutorials to prepare you for common home problems when they happen.

That’s really all there is to it, being helpful around the home is much easier than you think. If you’ve got your full selection of tools at the ready, then you’re already halfway to being a handyman. The only other thing you need is the knowledge to use your tools, which can be presented to you in the tutorial videos!

You’ll be surprised at how many of the problems in your home can be solved when you’ve got tools at the ready and can know how to fix the issue. This will save you so much money, and will also keep your partner happy as you’re finally helpful around the house!

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on TwitterTikTok, or Instagram

The Significance of STI Screening

By Guest Blogger, Union Quay Medical

The Significance of STI Screening

Sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) are frighteningly common in America, with one person out of every 208 in the country diagnosed with chlamydia alone. STIs can lead to complications such as infertility, swollen joints and possible inflammation of the heart, brain or spinal cord, and yet these can be relieved so easily through early screening. Sadly, many people don’t even realize that they could have contracted an STI through mere skin-on-skin contact, so the infection develops unbeknownst to them until it results in one or more of the medical complications stated above.

You may think that, because you haven’t had sex in a while (if ever), you couldn’t have an STI. However, they spread so readily that if you have even the slightest inkling that you could be infected, you should go for screening straight away. Indeed, everyone should avail of STI screening as soon as they can, because early detection gives you the best possible chance of finding an STI and eliminating it. If you go for screening and the test comes back negative, any worries over possibly being infected can disappear.

This infographic from Union Quay Medical in Cork, Ireland provides useful starter information on STI screening, such as the scenarios where screening is most vital, the periods of incubation and the screening process step-by-step. Consider for a moment that 20 million STIs are diagnosed in the U.S. every year. Don’t let one of them be yours; get yourself screened without delay.

1 in 208 Americans diagnosed with chlamydia

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram

Turn Metal Into Gold With Smart Home Improvement Projects

Turn Metal Into Gold With Smart Home Improvement Projects

Most people don’t know how much stuff they own. But there is a consensus that we probably own too much stuff that irremediably turns into clutter. Indeed, the average US household owns over 300,000 items. Most of these are unused, untouched, or even broken. They are only cluttering your home. More importantly, with nearly half of American households being unable to save money, it becomes important to find ways of improving your home with targeting decluttering and recycling. 12% of the world population lives in North America and Western Europe, yet they account for 60% of global private consumption expenses. Over the half of the objects you don’t use in your home consists of a metal arrangement, from your cutlery to your old plumbing system. So wouldn’t it be nice to turn some of your metal clutter into a way of making you financially, emotionally, and creatively rich?

scrap_metal_pelicansScrap metal pelican sculptures, Brisbane River

Give Your Old Metal Bits A New Life

Just because an object is old and has been unused for a period of time, it doesn’t mean that it is good for the bin. Indeed, with a little bit of DIY savviness, you can give a new life to old favorites. For example, an old bed spring can be transformed into a trellis, using the wire frame to help climbing fruits and vegetables to grow. All you need is to prime the metal and to spray paint it. Don’t forget a sealing coat to protect it from rusting. There are many ways to repurpose your old items into something new and useful. All you need is a little imagination and the desire to craft a better world.

640px-boxspring-corner_shifmanOld bed springs

Sell Old Metal Pieces

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you might find that there is nothing to do to save old metal scraps. From old water taps to the ancient electric copper system, it can be difficult to find a new purpose to these, unless you are inhabited by a creative spirit – if this is the case, please refer to the next paragraph. Before you consider binning your old metal pots and other items, check with professional scrap places that can offer scrap metal prices per pound. More importantly, they can find a new way of using your old metal, so it’s worthy exchange not only for your budget but also for the planet.

Metal Scrap Industry Brass Iron Waste Steel
Metal Scrap Industry Brass Iron Waste Steel

Collection of scrap brass and iron

How About Metal Art?

Metal art is not a new concept, and more and more crafters have embraced the idea of creating jewelry, sculptures, and other decorative items by recycling metal. If you enjoy the world of crafting, you will love making your own jewelry out of unused metal, such as making a bracelet with cans of soda or small bolts. For the most confident crafters, you can take inspiration from metal stick men sculptures to make your own reclaimed metal creation. Remember to use a sealing coat to protect your masterpiece from rust. Embracing your creative side may seem like a bold move, but you will soon love the decorative versatility of your old metal clutter!

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram