Do New Year's Resolutions Work?

As we reach the end of 2014 and approach 2015, some people may start thinking of their new year's resolutions. Whether you've tried setting goals for yourself for the new year or not, we all know that very few people have actually been successful. So why do many of us set goals knowing that we probably won't follow through?

Apparently, setting goals for ourselves helps us achieve more because we have our minds set on something we want. However, the down side is falling short of the goal and feeling like you didn't accomplish anything. So which dominates, the pros or the cons?

There are many benefits to goal-setting. According to 8 Benefits of Goal Setting, one of the most beneficial reasons for this is understanding and comprehending what you want, which can save a lot of time, stress, and worry. Therefore, you won't end up attempting something that won't help you in the future. For example, if you want to do better in school, one of your first resolutions may be to get an A in English class. By setting this goal, you have a better idea of how to approach it and what you can do to achieve an A in the class. On the other hand, if you didn't focus on a goal, you might end up spending a lot of time doing extra work in order to improve all of you grades at once. Of course, this will end up be extremely stressful and there are no guarantees that you will get that desired GPA in the end. 

There really are no negatives for resolutions if you are successful. But that's the problem. There are so many ways to fall out of a promise, which is where all the negativity lies. Some possible culprits for unsuccessful goal-achieving are:

        - lack of dedication

        - impatience

        - laziness

        - temptations

Let's focus on a resolution to be more active. All it takes is to get out of bed in the morning and do something that doesn't involve sitting around the house. Easier said than done. Not being dedicated or patient may discourage a person if results aren't seen in a short amount of time. Of course, staying in the warm and cozy bed is much nicer than running around or exercising for an hour at least. The temptation is too strong! And finally, having a few lazy days is understandable. Unfortunately, one lazy day can lead to another which can ultimately end up in months of laziness. After a couple of months, it is quite difficult to get into exercising again. In many people's case, our resolution is in the back of our mind and we're aware of that, but it's hard to actually start doing something about it.

Since we can all see that not achieving a goal is much more common and easier than achieving success, we should look at ways to help us reach the end. The most common is motivation. Some possible motivation techniques are:

        - a support system

        - rewards

Getting together with friends or family to achieve a common goal makes everything a lot easier than struggling by yourself. We all have our bad days and what would make them better is having someone who is willing to help you get up and keep going. Second, rewards are a great way to encourage yourself to move closer to success. Keep in mind that your rewards shouldn't out-weigh your resolution. For example, a reward for being more active shouldn't be five hours of video games. 

Making and achieving resolutions can really be helpful and rewarding, but failing at them can be discouraging. Luckily, we have different techniques that can allow us to be more successful in. So, making resolutions at the start of a new year is a good way to keep yourself aware of what you want to get out of the many months to come. In addition, being aware of the possibility of not being successful is important, but having a plan on how to stay on track is even better when it gives you the chance to make the most out of the year.

It's still November and I hear Christmas carols

Everyone knows that when Christmas decorations start appearing in stores, it means that the holidays are coming up in a couple of months. Why is that? Why don't we see red, white, and blue decorations on the shelves in June or red, pink, and white trinkets in January?

It's expected that most people, or mainly children at least, choose Christmas as their favorite holiday because of the gifts, and decking the house out with ornaments. That could be why department stores start selling holiday-oriented objects early. Speaking of ornaments, maybe the yearly tradition of sprinkling the house with holiday spirit causes businesses to get a head-start with sales.

In more serious terms, religion probably plays a big role in the winter time. With the United States being 78% Christian, according to "Religion & Public Life Project", many people in the country celebrate Christmas which influences the increase in holiday preparation days. Also, some people may feel that it is the best holiday because it is the most important for them.

Overall, there are many factors that contribute to the early start of Christmas celebrations. Nowadays, these factors push the "pre-holiday" days up by a couple months. But is this necessarily a bag thing? Of course, this topic has its good and bad.

There are positives and negative sides to the early start of preparing for the winter celebrations. One of the good things is getting into the holiday spirit. It's not every month that you get to put up a tree in your house and put shiny objects on it, along with hanging up huge "socks" above the fireplace. Aside from the at-home activities, there is plenty of time to go out shopping with loved ones in mind. The extended number of days for gift-shopping can relieve the stress of going out to buy presents that are on sale only a week before the family gatherings.

On the other hand, the unfortunate side of thinking about the winter holidays in November, and sometimes October, is the decreased family time during Thanksgiving. When we're given more time for celebrations at the end of the year, we have to compensate for the time by reducing the amount of attention for Thanksgiving and maybe even Halloween. In addition to Christmas shopping, Black Friday, which is not necessarily a holiday, takes away more family time by offering great deals for items starting when the clock strikes midnight the day right after Thanksgiving. Now, however, some stores are willing to open on Thanksgiving to get a head start with the holiday shopping. What happened to spending one good meal, at the table with your family?

Overall, people should try to regulate their time spent on certain holidays and not forget about their main purposes. In this case, people should be given time to shop for others, but also acknowledge Thanksgiving because it's here for a reason. However, at the end, every one has their own way of preparing for the holidays. In addition, every one needs to be able to enjoy these times with family despite the hectic days that come prior to each celebration.

http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/p/keep-calm-it-s-not-christmas-it-s-only-november-2/

The Happiest Place on Earth

Famous Disney Characters

Every trip to Disneyland is different. You might go on the same rides and watch the same shows, but the experience isn't the same every time. However, there is one thing that all of the trips have in common: being worry-free and, of course, being happy.

 

One of the great aspects of the amusement park is access to entertainment for everyone. You see toddlers, kids, teens, parents, and sometimes grandparents. It's a place where everyone can enjoy themselves because there's a little something for everyone. It doesn't matter if you're a huge fan of Disney or not. When you leave the park at the end of the day, you know there was at least one thing that made you smile and forget about all of your worries. Let's face it, there are no exceptions for Disneyland. 

 

The variety of rides and activities at the park offers everyone a couple of minutes of excitement. Maybe you run to "Cars Land" or fantasize in the magical kingdom of the princesses. Wherever you go, you can expect moments of awe from, perhaps, feeling like you're actually on the movie set. 

 

Disney Roller Coasters

Aside from the roller coasters, some people look forward to shows like the famous "World of Color". The spectacular show is filled with "magic", music, lights, water, and color! The performance is one of the biggest examples of the "no-such-thing-as-an-age-limit-at-Disneyland" rule. Let's just say it's irresistible. Who wouldn't want to sit mesmerized at the dancing mists of color bursting in front of your eyes?

 

So why is Disneyland The Happiest Place on Earth? Maybe it's because everyone is able to point out something that made their day even better. Maybe it's because you're surrounded by people who enjoy a land of pure fantasy.Or maybe it's because the fun you encounter is endless at Disneyland and there is nowhere else in the world that can compare.

 

 

Photos sources:

http://www.sunset.com/travel/california/disneyland-tips

http://thehostelhopper.com/uploads/3/0/0/4/3004751/35617_orig.jpg

 

Photography

The art of capturing a memory in a still photo allows people to relive that moment over and over again. Even the simplest picture can reveal so much about an event. Of course, photographs that incorporate many features, like perspective or setting, also gives the spectator a lot to interpret for him or herself. 

 

A large variety of photos can provide different aspects of a single object. Many things can affect how people see a photo. A few examples would be the use of light, proportions, and angles to better portray the subject of the picture.
 

The lighting can reveal the mood of the photo. For example, dark or gray tones are associated with a more solemn setting, and brighter colors hint at more a more cheerful feel. The proportions of the objects can help draw the spectator's attention to a certain point of the image, which is usually the main subject. Also, the angles of the picture can help viewers understand the main focus of the photographer. The use of different angles allows for a large range of perspectives that people can see in the still shot.

 

In addition to the many techniques that photographers use, any items or specific features in an image can reveal more information about the event than what is seen at first glance. You can infer different meanings of the photo by what the photographer chose to include in the image. For example, including the gloomy weather or environment with a main subject can help the viewer understand that the photo represents something displeasing. 

 

Nowadays, photographers have access to a wide range of technology that can help enhance  many features of a photo. These range from the basic quality of an image to the deeper meaning portrayed by the "illustrator". Some technological advances include better lenses to help improve clarity or to focus in on specific items, and "artificial" lighting to help brighten the main subject of the entire shot.
 

The many techniques and equipment that photographers can use allows for better portrayal of the main point. The central focus of an image can be understood more with key variables like lighting, perspectives, and size. The tools available to people can also help identify main points of the image, and help improve the overall appearance. Many features in a photo, and techniques performed outside of the picture proves that photography can portray many hidden meanings that may not be seen with casual picture-taking.

Response to: "Community Post #1: Exposing Hidden Biases at Google to Improve Diversity"

Technology is usually associated with males. Stating that tech industries are a "man's world" reveals that Google is probably big on the biasness of genders (The New York Times). Despite the great emergence of women over the years, many companies still feel that men should be the dominant majority, so there is a lack of diversity and an unfair amount of power given to males. 

 

After years of sex discrimination, women have been looked down-upon because of the advantages men claim to have other them. However, as seen in a variety of scenarios, women are always able to be just as, sometimes even more, successful than men. This proves that for there to still be unequal treatment amongst genders, people need to work on giving women more opportunities to become involved in forces that men are currently ruling in. Also, there should be proof of females pulling out just as strongly as males in business and other aspects of life. 

The unequal roles of work at Google are more prominent than you would think (The New York Times). This may or may not be intentional, but the work opportunities need to be equalized. There are many possible reasons as to why there is inequality between genders - ranging from more male applicants because of personal interest, to the unwelcoming feel against women.  

Google may have started off with the ruling of men, but that doesn’t mean it’ll have to stay that way in the future. Since the company is so big, people believe women aren’t competitive enough for the work because of stereotypes. Females are most often seen as humans who aren’t willing to stand up for a cause, or to work hard for something. So who is seen as the opposite? Humans who work hard to put a foot down on a situation? Men. Since the roots of business, males have been the ones who start up a company, and as time went on, they were the ones who were seen to keep it going. There were no women in the formula back then.  

But things are different now. Fortunately, Google has come up with programs to help encourage women into the work force. Unfortunately, no one is able to say that it has made a significant change, but there is slow progress of the balancing of genders in the environment. In addition to the programs, more people who are becoming aware of the idea of “unconscious bias” have made efforts to help more employees understand the situation as well (The New York Times).  

The fact that workers are trying to become aware of their biasness can help industries improve on their years-worth of unequal distribution of opportunities. The workers of Google have gone from "oblivious" to "fully aware" of their lack of variety of people. This proves that their programs and the introduction of "unconscious bias" have awakened people from the past eras of dominating men, to the present and future reality of the power of women.