A Life in Dance

My parents got divorced when I was eight. On visitation weekends, my Dad and I started watching anime together. My Mom (who hates anime) decided that she and I should have something special to watch as well. She picked old musicals—who knows why? I don’t remember it, but she says the first movie musical we watched together was Damn Yankees, during a year when the Yankees were in the World Series.

What I do remember is Summer Stock. For real, I remember. When I saw Gene Kelly’s “newspaper dance,” I knew I had to do that. It was the most beautiful and most captivating thing I’d ever seen, and it seemed to express me somehow.

The next movie we saw was Singin’ in the Rain, and I stood in front of the screen, age 9, trying to work out the steps. Mom saw me doing it and asked if I wanted dance lessons. The rest is history.

If by history I mean, “I dance and no one has ever heard of me and I also have a day job.” That kind of history.

Things I didn’t know when I started dancing: That I’d have to cross-train. That abs can save ankles. That Mom would hate tap-scuffs on the kitchen floor. That tap shoes cost a fortune. That lifting a girl is not as easy as it looks in the movies. Other things I didn’t know: That I’d develop the ability to do a rim-shot with my feet. That I could shut off all the noise in my brain by dancing. That nothing feels as good. That if I stand in the back of the class I can look at a whole bunch of gorgeous girls in dance togs. That my finest moment in high school would involve dance.

The iPad Wall Mount

The Apple iPad is a really cool electronic gadget to own. It is rather pricey, but if you can afford to buy one, it is definitely worth it. There are many cool accessories that go with the iPad, such as the iPad wall mount (which you can purchase here), covers, stands, headphones, docks, speakers, screen protectors, projectors, and even wireless printers.

The iPad wall mount is definitely one of the best iPad accessories in my opinion. It allows you to use the iPad hands free without you having to worry about your iPad getting wet, dirty, or damaged. I tend to use this in my kitchen a lot. I put the iPad in the wall mount and then use it while I am cooking. I like watching cooking videos to get ideas and I also like to read recipes while I am in the kitchen. It really helps me out when I have dirty hands and I do not have to touch the screen. I also like to use the mount for my daughter. She is very young and likes to touch things so when I play a movie or television show on my iPad for her, I can just set it up and not have to worry about her touching and possibly breaking the iPad.

The iPad wall mount works perfectly for my needs. It is sturdy and I never have to worry about my device getting damaged while it is in there. I also use this accessory to have a place to keep it safe while I am not using it. I used to keep it on my kitchen counter to charge it at night, but I was always afraid of it somehow getting knocked over and breaking. With this accessory, I can put it in the mount and then walk away without having to worry about it.

3 Ways to Improve Your Home’s Appearance

Keeping your home looking beautiful requires routine maintenance.  Your house needs your help in order to look its best.  If you as the owner don’t perform regular maintenance and schedule renovations when necessary, your house will begin to deteriorate in appearance and value.  Regular upkeep and tackling problems before they get out of hand will keep your house beautiful.  Fortunately, there are several projects you can do to improve your home right away.

If your roof is currently made of shingles and it’s more than 15 years old, it may be time to think about replacing it.  Asphalt shingle roofs
 have a life expectancy of 10 to 20 years, after which time they will need to be replaced.  There are several roofing options available, but metal roofs are currently popular because of their attractiveness and durability.  A new metal roof will last for the rest of your life and may also go a long way toward improving your house’s appearance.  Metal roofs cost more than asphalt shingles, but the extra durability makes metal the better choice for those who can afford it.

Replacing old windows and shutters can also dramatically improve the appearance of your house.  Over time, both windows and shutters can become worn with signs of age.  Installing new ones can revitalize your home and make it appear fresher.  An added benefit is that new windows are often more energy efficient than old ones, which translates to extra savings on your energy bills.  If you’re low on money, you can spruce up your shutters by painting them.  However, this is just a temporary solution since the paint will eventually crack.  Vinyl shutters are more expensive, but they are becoming increasingly popular because they are attractive and very easy to maintain.

Repairing or replacing your gutters is another way to improve your house’s exterior.  Old, damaged gutters detract from your house’s aesthetics and can also lead to severe structural problems.  Central Exteriors can replace your old gutters and downspouts with better, easy-maintenance options.  Customers outside their DC and Maryland service area can find other qualified companies on Craigslist or Angie’s List.

It can be difficult and expensive to keep your house in good shape.  Regular maintenance and upkeep are necessary to protect your house structurally and aesthetically.  Hiring the right contractor or company will make the process easier.  With the financing options that many companies now offer, it’s even easier to keep on top of home repairs.

Why You Should Refinance Your Home

Owning your own home can be one of the best feelings of achievement. Paying
for a mortgage on your home can be an entirely different story. Mortgages can
become very costly and for some, it is nearly impossible to keep up with the
multiple mortgage payments. This is why so many people choose to refinance
their homes. The loan is used to pay off your mortgage. Many people do not
choose to use this loan simply because they are not educated on what exactly it
is. So before you decide to refinance your home, you may want to know how refinancing
will help you in the long run.

Refinancing can do many great things for you. For starters, it will
ultimately reduce the amount of your payment which will allow you to save more
money every month. This is a great option for many people because it can allow
you to save for other things that you need, like items to help maintain the
beauty of the house that you have spent so much time and work on. The loan will
also lower the interest rate which will save you a lot of money at the end of
the month.

When you choose to refinance your home, you can also shorten the mortgage
term. Refinancing allows you to choose between three different lengths of terms
depending on the length of your original mortgage term.

By refinancing your home, you really cannot go wrong. American Wide Loans is
here to educate you and guide you through the steps of refinancing your home.
It is important to know all of your options so you know you are making the best
choice for your home and for your wallet. Hopefully by the end of it all, you
will have a lot of extra money to spend on things that you need or want.