TV Locations You Can Visit in Real Life

 

You already know how iconic movie logos came about from the Paramount Pictures to Columbia Pictures, Pixar Animated Studios, Warner Bros, MGM, Walt Disney, DreamWorks and many more. It should not end there. If you are really a movie enthusiast, things will be more remarkable if you visited at least one real-life TV location.

If you are fully immersed in a show or movie, you have dreams of going to that one place and feel the grass beneath your feet or the breeze brushing against your cheek even the taste of the food. Start with these real-life TV locations from your favorite shows:

  • Greece: There is an appeal when you see Korean shows. The latest craze is Descendants of the Sun. The fictional nation of Uruk where you see Doctor Kang Mo-Yeon and Captain Yoo Si-Jin work together to improve the lives of the people around. The real-life location of Uruk is in Athens. The attractions in these places played a huge part in the development of the romance of the two people.

Most scenes of the drama are of a town in Athens called Delphi. The best part is that because of the popularity of the show, there are many tours that feature key locations that appeared in the drama. It promises two things – Greek history and Korean pop culture. What more can you ask?

  • Ireland: Another show that is watched by many is Game of Thrones. One cannot help but get hooked because of the characters, the plot and of course the settings. One setting is the Kingsroad which is considered the longest and the most dangerous highways. Its real-life location is Bregagh Road’s Dark Hedges in County Antrim nestled in Northern Ireland. The road looks gothic but it is peaceful.

  • England: If you are a Sherlock Holmes fan, you should never miss seeing their real-life apartment location where everything started. Holmes’ and Dr. Watson’s iconic apartment is just above the Speedy’s Sandwich Bar and Café in 187 North Gower Street, London. What’s remarkable about this place is you can eat at the eatery plus you get to buy some souvenirs.

 

  • United States: Another popular TV show is United States’ The Walking Dead. Remember the rural town called Woodbury that fortified itself against “walkers” which is run by Governor? It is actually in Senoia, a town in Georgia, United States. Though it is a bit different without the steel gates surrounding it but once you walked down the Main Street, it will feel like you are at the center of the show.

What are you waiting for? It is time to go outside Singapore and complete the experience.

4 Important Questions to Ask before Quitting Your Job

 

Have you been looking forward to quitting your job? If you feel miserable at work, it’s definitely time to take some action. However, you shouldn’t jump to the idea of a resignation without seriously reflecting on it.

Before you start drafting your resignation letter, think about these important questions first to make sure you are making the best decision for yourself and for your future.

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  1. What is it exactly that’s frustrating me?

Pinpointing the problem is the first step to finding out whether quitting your job is the best decision or not. Is the problem your boss, your officemates, the environment or the work itself? After defining the reason of frustration, consider the scope. If you think the work isn’t your niche, see if you can be transferred to another department or assigned to another project. However, if you believe you’re in the wrong company or industry altogether, then it’s probably best to leave.

  1. Do I have realistic plans for landing my next job?

Know your strengths and figure out how to leverage them. Do not think too much about the job title and the company; focus more on your experiences and skill set. If you discover that you lack on a particular area plan out how you will be able to nurture that part. You may need to pursue higher education, take a volunteer work or start positioning yourself for your next job while you’re on your current job. Additionally, consider the industry you hope to move into. Is your target company achievable or is your dreams of working for Apple or Google too ambitious?

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  1. Do I have enough on my bank account?

People planning to quit their job should have savings for six months’ worth of expenses. If you’re quitting your job, it’s likely you won’t get unemployment benefits, so make sure to plan your expenses ahead of time. Your mortgage, loan payment, credit card, food and transportation costs are just some of the expenses to consider. You may also need a little extra for unexpected expenditures like health emergency and car repairs.

  1. Am I timing my resignation right?

Since you’re considering of quitting your job, make sure you’re doing it at the right time. First, know whether it’s the best time to leave. Is it the busiest season of the year or are you currently working on a big project? Consider your present commitments so your team won’t be left hanging, and so you’ll be able to leave your current company in good terms. Second, maximize the money matters. If you would like to get your mid-year, quarterly or 13th-month bonus, it might be wise to wait for a few more months.

Quitting a miserable job may seem like the best thing at the moment of frustration. However, you have so much more to gain when you take the time to think about your next steps before tendering your resignation.

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5 Airport Hacks to Make Flying Easier

 

When you’re someone who’s always on the go, airports become some kind of your second home. It just comes with territorial laws—and you must deal with it. Although airports may appear intimidating, however, they can be secure and comfortable places. With the right knowledge and set of tricks, you can make your next trip as painless as possible.

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Here are five smart airport hacks that you can do on your next trip for a much easier travel experience.

  1. Pack your own snacks.

Airports are known for having mega-expensive price tags on everything, including food. Avoid spending a fortune on a sandwich and a bottle of water by packing your own snacks. Make your own chicken sandwich, pack mixed nuts or go for protein bars. In case of flight delays and long layovers, your tummy will thank you for bringing something to eat.

  1. Download your airline’s mobile application.

Nowadays, airlines have their own mobile apps. This allows them to update their passengers of the current situation real time. Get push notifications, check for upgrades and view your plane’s seat map by downloading your airline’s app. It just makes everything more convenient as it allows you to know what’s happening before it affects your trip.

  1. If you’ll be picked up, meet them at the departure area.

Always an effective trick: tell whoever is picking you up in your destination to meet you at the departure gate of the airport instead of the arrival area. It’s always less hectic up there. All you need to do is to run upstairs and see your buddies. Say goodbye to waiting and long lines of traffic.

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  1. Stock up on necessities at duty-free stores.

Travelling overseas means getting access to duty-free stores. Take advantage of this opportunity for stocking up on your necessities—and buying souvenirs when you go home. The goods they sell in these stores are cheaper than other retail outlets as they are exempted from taxes and duties.

  1. Kindness is the key.

Being kind and courteous goes a long way at airports, and landing a free upgrade could just be a matter of saying thank you. Flash that big smile always. Remember to be kind and sweet to the flight attendants, as well as be respectful to your co-travellers. Apart from boosting your chance of getting an upgrade, it also is the right thing to do.

Following the mentioned hacks take very little effort, and will save you added headache as you embark on the trip you’ve long been waiting for.

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4 Ways to Stop Procrastination

 

You have an impending deadline. However, instead of working on that project, you are fiddling with unproductive things like watching videos, browsing Facebook and surfing forms and blogs. You know that you should be working, but you just don’t feel doing it.

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We know what’s going to happen next: after running out of time, panic starts to set in and you wished you started earlier. While you may have survived through this every time, it’s a bad and irresponsible habit that prevents you from achieving greater results.

Don’t let procrastination run your life. Here are some ways to overcome this unhealthy trait.

  1. Do the Most Difficult First

Perhaps, this is the last tip you want to hear, but there’s a reason to start with the hardest stuff: people have limited supply of resources and willpower. Attacking the toughest task first while you’re energy level is still at its highest, you give yourself the biggest chance to succeed. Doing it the other way may cause damaging domino effect. Delaying the most dreaded job saps your remaining strength later on.

  1. Break Bigger Tasks Into Smaller Pieces

The bigger your task, the more quickly you become overwhelmed, making it more tempting to delay the work instead. So, if your goal looks daunting, break it into manageable steps. Remember that you do not need to know every single step to the finish line, just the few next steps ahead. You will figure out the next things to do as you move along.

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  1. Compete With Time

Having trouble starting a task? Try the 10-minute trick. Set your timer for 10 minutes, and see how much you can do with that. Work in a focused, even in a frantic, manner for the entire 10 minutes. You’ll get engrossed and forget about the time, leaving you working for longer time. After seeing significant change in such short span of time, the sense of satisfaction replaces the feeling of dread you felt earlier and encourage you continue working towards your goal.

  1. Let Others Know

It’s easy to fail a task when the only thing at stake is your commitment to yourself. Make yourself accountable to a co-worker or a friend, and suddenly potential embarrassment becomes an effective motivator. Experts call this ‘positive pressure.’ The fear of letting a person down is a powerful motivator to work hard. So, call a tough friend, an officemate or a sibling and tell them what you plan to get done if you feel like your falling under the spell of procrastination again. Ask them to check on you and crack the whip at an agreed time.

Now you know what to do, stop delaying and get to work. Ignore the urge to procrastinate and just get the job done.

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Tips for Protecting Your Smartphone from Hackers

 

In the past, people are looking for gold mines for its rich contents. These days, any electronic device can be considered a gold mine. Smartphones are specifically becoming the prime target for many hackers because it contains rich information that can make or break the world. Singaporeans know better to protect smartphones from hackers.

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According to the 2016 Internet Security Threat Report conducted by Symantec, from 2013 to 2015, vulnerabilities of smartphones amplified. In 2013, noted cases were 127 and in 2015, it went up to 528. That is 214% increase. This is alarming. With this, it is important that you learn how to protect your smartphone from hackers. There are some reports saying that just by having your phone number, a hacker can exploit your information.

Keeping the phone safe from cyber criminals is not easy but with the help of few tips shared by security people, you lessen the chances of becoming a victim. According to some experts, there are at least three simple things that you can consider to help protect smartphone from any hacker. Here are the tips for protecting smartphone from hackers:

  • Consider encrypted messaging services: Though it is rare for hackers to listen and read your phone, you should still be cautious. This flaw is beyond your control because it exists in your network. The best solution is to use encrypted messaging services like iMessage, Facebook Messenger and the like.

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  • Upgrade Operating System: Updating your operating system is not a useless thing to do. In fact, it can help with the protection and safeguarding of important document and information. The reason why you need to update operating system is to make sure that hackers cannot take advantage of the vulnerabilities. If you have a fairly new device, you still need to make sure that the operating system is updated.
  • Watch out for the applications: Apps are everywhere and readily available since you can just download them – some free, some not. If you want to make sure that nothing untoward will be extracted from your phone, you have to make sure that you pick the right application. Go for apps with reputable sources. Remember that no matter how good that app might be, some are tools to get your movement and they might do malicious things.

These three tips may sound simple to you but trust the experts when they say that it can make a whole lot of difference. Do not wait for your things to be stolen before you take actions.

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Turn Off the TV and Be Productive!

 

Watching TV is a good past time; it updates you of the events around you and keeps you company when you’re alone at home. However, with more and more competition among the media and TV network, it has become a tool of waste of time. Rather than spending the entire day sitting on the couch and munching on fatty potato chips, here are some more productive ideas you can swap with watching TV.

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  1. Cook a Healthy Meal

TV and unhealthy eating go hand-in-hand. When you’re planted on the couch, you’re less likely to get up and cook. Therefore, you rely on instant foods like chips and fast food. By cutting out your time on TV, you’ll have more time and energy on planning and preparing healthy meals. Not only will this practice you to become a better cook, but also serve as a good start to a healthier life.

  1. Go Jogging

Now that you’re on track to better eating habit, boost the health benefits by going for a jog after work instead of spending the remaining hours of the day munching on chips while watching TV. Other than taking a jog, hit the gym or take yoga class straight from the office. In the same amount of time you spend watching an episode of The Walking Dead, you can finish a workout routine that can burn half-a-day’s worth of calories.

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  1. Take an Online Course

An extra 30 hours in your weekly schedule is actually more than enough time to you can spend for enriching your personal knowledge. You can sign up for an online course, learn a new skill or potentially earn a new degree. There are so many schooling opportunities you can find online, and your spare time would be much more productive spent his way than watching TV.

  1. De-clutter

Want to get productive and possibly make some money? Dedicate after-work hours or your weekends de-cluttering your home. While this may not sound like the most exciting thing to do after a long daw at the office, but you’ll definitely feel so much better after seeing organized and de-cluttered spaces at home. Plus, you can make money by selling some of the stuff you no longer use but are still in good condition.

Whether you want to watch TV or not, at the end of the day, it’s still all about priorities. If you have everything in your life in place and you simply want to relax when you get home from work, then watch TV. But if you have things to do and you’re struggling to make a progress, you may want to re-evaluate how you spend your time and be more proactive with your time management.

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Play Activities to Support Your Child’s Development

 

Playing is essential for children’s mental development. Letting them play and do the right kind of activities will help develop various types of intelligence, such as kinaesthetic, logical, linguistic, musical, interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence. Encourage healthy development of your child’s brain functions by incorporating some of these plays to their everyday learning activities.

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  1. Lego

Lego blocks are a favourite among children of all ages. However, they are more than just plain toys; they can be a tool to help develop your child’s mental skills. Apart from training your kids to read and follow instructions printed on the label, it also enhances their creativity and spatial intelligence.

  1. Treasure Hunting

This is a fun parent-child activity, and it benefits your child in many great ways. Clearly, this is a more advanced activity that’s more suited for older kids, but if you have younger children you can do scavenger hunt, instead. Searching of items helps develop problem solving skills and critical thinking, as well as help you know whether your little tot is already able to recognize shapes and objects.

  1. Puzzles

Puzzles are also known to provide excellent brain stimulation for kids. All you need to remember is to slowly increase the difficulty level. Older kids can do a small puzzle of 50 pieces on their own, but larger ones with 100 pieces are best played in pairs. Puzzles are great playthings for shape and pattern recognition and for teaching kids teamwork.

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  1. Colouring Books

Another great plaything for kids is colouring books, which are especially suitable for children who can’t read yet. Letting them fill in picture with colours develop your child’s artistic skill, as well as motor skills that comes in handy when the start learning to write. Moreover, colouring books is a form of therapy, so it’s also a good idea to let your older kids relax after a day in school.

  1. Reading and Singing

It’s ideal to keep some easy-to-read books that you can read with your children. Reading is a must-have skill, and you can start teaching them as early as four years old. The problem is that few kids find reading interesting, but with colourful books, it helps a lot to keep their attention. You can also start with flashcards with pictures before moving on to books. You can also teach your kids nursery rhymes and encourage singing together. This way, you’ll develop their memory skills, word recognition, and acoustic intelligence.

From birth, children slowly develop their brain functions and skills that will help them adapt to their environment. Even though most of these activities are associated closely with one or two areas of development, these play activities make significant contribution to the overall development of your children.

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