Lifestyle Blogger

Valentine's Day is around the corner, and I know that due to how the economy is going, people have been more focused on work. Preparing for Valentine's Day can be much simpler than you think, especially if you keep things simple.

I remember nail technicians getting all booked up two weeks before Valentine's Day, and that sends a message that your nails are part of your appeal, so for Valentine's Day, I have compiled the most beautiful nail designs and colors that will make you look classy. 

These nails were created by olootka_nailart.


 



How to Stay Connected During Your Retirement 

While there were a number of long-term issues caused by the coronavirus pandemic, one of the least discussed problems revolved around loneliness and isolation.

Make no mistake; the levels of loneliness in the UK have increased since the spring of 2020, with approximately 2.6 million adults reporting to regularly or always feeling lonely. This figure increased to 3.7 million in the six months ending February 2021, with this accounting for 7.2% of the total adult population.

Of course, social isolation is even more problematic for older adults, especially those who have retired from the workplace. But how can retirees stay connected and avoid feelings of loneliness?

The Importance of a Good Social Life

Maintaining a good and active social network outside of the workplace is crucial to avoiding feelings of isolation in later life.

Building such a network also requires time and energy, and you’ll need an active social life that enables you to meet people and regularly interact with them.

Over time and regular social gatherings, you’ll build a close cohort of friends, form significant emotional attachments and create an effective support network that can help you during times of need.

If they’re of the same age and enjoy a similar lifestyle too, you can also avoid isolation and schedule regular activities to help keep you busy.


I traveled to Edinburgh on Sunday, feeling sad and angry and remembering and grieving my deceased sister. Occasionally, I ponder what could have been done to prevent the occurrence. I'm still processing, but I awoke on Sunday morning with a heavy heart, so I decided to go to the library, but after sitting and doing a few things there, I decided to go to a mall in the hopes of feeling better.

When I reached the mall, I was still not feeling well, so I walked to the train station and purchased a ticket to Edinburgh, knowing that it was a short distance away. I was confused about my train terminal, so I approached a train station staff, who informed me that it was terminal 13. I sat there, but I still needed confirmation, so I asked the elderly lady seated next to me. She confirmed the information provided by the workers at the train station. However, after a few minutes, a train arrived at a different terminal, and the woman returned to tell me that this was my train. It was incredibly thoughtful and nice of her to seek out the correct information for me. I hurriedly boarded the train, but I immediately fell asleep due to my poor sleeping habits. The brief nap I took on that train was indeed beneficial. I was still asleep when the train stopped, but the lady sitting next to me woke me up and informed me that we had reached our destination. I thanked her and exited the train.

After arriving at the train station, I sat down and entered a restaurant called Prat a Manger, but the meal was too dry and flavorless. I was not impressed, and I believe that certain restaurants in Scotland or restaurants in general need to improve. I was unable to eat because I felt nauseated, so I stopped trying to force myself to eat. After a while, an elderly gentleman walked in, ordered this meal, and sat beside me. He remarked, "Excuse me, are you depressed?" "You look so sad and unhappy," I told him I was fine and just needed a little travel, and he provided me with some recommendations for places to visit in Edinburgh. He said goodbye as I left.

As I walked into the city it was cold outside, so I didn't want to pull out my phone to look for information. Instead, I just walked behind people who looked like tourists and followed their directions. The view of the city was beautiful, and I climbed long stairs and saw many beautiful sites. However, when I got to Edinburgh Castle, I was told that tickets were sold out for that day, so I didn't go inside. I did enjoy the view and sightseeing, though. Here are some photos from my first solo trip, which were both happy and sad. I hope you like it, and let me know if I'm a good photographer or if I can do better.

Have you visited Edinburgh?


They say that trends cycle back around – and the elusive vinyl record is the perfect case study. Considering recent technology trends, it’s not unreasonable to suggest that vinyl records would be wiped out of the picture, with only the most dedicated fans keeping the movement alive behind the scenes. Little did we know that they would hurricane back onto the scene, seemingly out of nowhere. In fact, stats show that vinyl albums brought in £12 million more in 2022 than CD albums did. Let’s take a deep dive into what might have prompted this resurgence.

What are vinyl records

In a nutshell, vinyl records are disks that store music. To play the music they need to be placed on a record player and once they rotate with a needle in place, the music starts to play. Typically, the needle runs inwards, starting from the outside edge. Vinyl versions of gramophone or phonograph records are made using polyvinyl chloride plastic, with engravings on each side. You often need to flip the record onto the other side to play the additional stored music.

What happened to vinyl records

As with many other day-to-day concepts, vinyl records were blown out of the water due to technological advancements. Similarly, the way we listen to music has changed over the years. The sheer quantity of music available to us now is almost overwhelming – and it changes in the blink of an eye, with new tracks knocking old ones from the top spot on a weekly basis in the charts. The concept of listening to a single album from start to finish isn’t on the agenda for many of us these days, with so many other distractions on the cards.

In recent years, technological advancements have led auto manufacturers to take tangible steps towards full vehicle autonomy, (in which the vehicle itself is capable of carrying out a range of driving tasks unassisted by a human driver). Although accessible full automation is still a long way off on the horizon, we’ve already seen the industry come on in leaps and bounds when it comes to crafting so-called ‘driverless vehicles’. If you’re thinking of investing in the tech or you simply can’t wait to purchase your first autonomous vehicle, take a closer look at the 6 stages of vehicle autonomy as they currently stand:

     

The 6 stages of vehicle autonomy – While fully autonomous vehicles may not be readily available in your local car showroom, it’s certainly possible to pick up a motor that displays a degree of automation, whether that be through the use of driver assistance systems or the application of basic driving tasks, albeit under human supervision:

No Automation (0) - As with traditional cars, these vehicles are fully manual and reliant on a human driver for all driving tasks such as steering, braking, and accelerating. Manual vehicles are likely to disappear in the coming years as we move towards the zero-emission target.

Driver Assistance (1) - A car with in-built driver assistance will usually feature a single automated system, such as cruise control and speed monitoring. A human driver will still retain the majority of control.

Partial Automation (2) - Partially automated vehicles feature more Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in which the car itself is capable of performing driving tasks such as steering and acceleration. A human driver is still required to monitor all tasks and can override the controls at any point.
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