Caffeine Effects on the Mind and the Workplace - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Caffeine Effects on the Mind and the Workplace - Introvert Whisperer Caffeine Effects on the Mind and the Workplace A cup of strong black coffee has been romanticized as the constant companion of those who really put their noses to the grindstone. Go to any coffee shop in any medium to large-sized city and there will be a budding novelist or two scrawling in their Moleskine notebooks with a mug of black coffee on the table or in their hands. The caffeine triggers their stream of consciousness. Or at least, that’s the romanticized view. In reality, is this really what they should be drinking to get the most out of their muses? Caffeine works by tricking your body into thinking it’s not tired. Adenosine is the neurochemical that, when bound to receptors, tells your brain that energy levels are low thus slowing processes. Caffeine blocks the adenosine from getting to its receptors, keeping your mind from slowing and burning your reserve energy sources. The health risks of caffeine have long been talked about: high blood pressure, heart contractions, increased anxiety, depression. Less talked about is caffeine’s detrimental effects on an individual’s abilities to interact with their fellow man and to solve problems creatively. Emotional Intelligence is a trait that many hiring managers see as equal in importance to standard intelligence. Those with good emotional intelligence are able to stay calm under pressure, resolve conflict effectively, lead by example, be empathetic, and make more measured decisions. Adrenaline, which is released when caffeine is ingested, stifles emotional intelligence. It allows all of your emotions to happen at once, tripping over each other, and throwing rationality out the door in favor of a quick response. Irritability and anxiety often take control when normally they would not if adrenaline wasn’t involved. When faced with a demanding task that could very easily trigger stress, the knee-jerk reaction for a lot of people is that “I need coffee to get through this. It will help me focus and get it done.” However, if you’re stressed from the get-go, the effects of adrenaline will only serve to amplify this stress. Managers should especially be wary of the adverse effects of too much caffeine consumption. Employees must feel able to rely on a healthy line of communication between themselves and their managers. According to an article from the University of Alabama-Birmingham’s online business school, “Part of good management is nurturing a psychologically safe environment to encourage these meaningful interactions.” Going back to that budding novelist in the coffee shop, pounding mug after mug of java, trying to write the next great piece of literature, is coffee opening or closing their floodgates of creativity? In an article from the New Yorker, Maria Konnikova argues the latter. “Creative insights and imaginative solutions,” Konnikova says, “often occur when we stop working on a particular problem and let our mind move on to something unrelated.” Since caffeine increases concentration, it hinders the mind’s ability to wander. Without this freedom to wander, creativity is stifled. Instead of building a flying machine out of cardboard, twine, and dozens of Hot Wheels cars, the novel’s protagonist will simply go to the plane store and buy one. If you’re a long-time coffee drinker, it’s going to be difficult to break free of the cycle of caffeine withdrawal and caffeine consumption. The worst symptoms of withdrawal are usually over in a week, but for heavy coffee drinkers, it can sometimes take a month or more to fully recover. However, it will be worth it, in the long run, to be free of the caffeine addiction. Don’t be swayed by the romanticized image of burning the midnight oil with a cup of coffee steaming on the desk. It is not liquid inspiration. It is liquid irritability and tunnel vision. As an alternative to quitting cold turkey, trade coffee out for green tea. With lower caffeine and higher antioxidants, green tea will give you the boost you need as well as greater health benefits than those offered by coffee. Once free from the withdrawal symptoms, there are a handful of alternatives that will help get your morning off to the right start. For example, the natural fructose in an apple will wake you up and keep you going without the crash that comes from caffeine. If you’d like to stick with a beverage, Inc.com offers a list of healthy alternatives including Kombucha Tea, Yerba Mate, apple cider, and probiotic drinks. Coffee has a strong grasp on the working class. It’s so often joked about as the secret to an individual’s working success. Everyone in the break room has heard someone say, “I’m useless without coffee.” However, that’s just the withdrawal talking. So do yourself a favor and retire your coffee mug, or at least fill it with something else.

How Will the AP U.S. History Exam Change in May 2015

How Will the AP U.S. History Exam Change in May 2015 In May of 2015, there will be changes to the Advanced Placement U.S. History test. These changes have been in the works since 2006, with the new framework rolled out in 2012 to give teachers the chance to prepare themselves and their students. There will also be changes to the AP Physics B Exam in May 2015as well.So, what will the new exam look like? How has it changed, and why? Why is the exam changing? The prior AP U.S. History exam was heavily criticized. Mainly, critique focused on the exams length, as well as its questions spanning such a wide range of potential topics that students did not always know what to study. Moreover, many teachers did not feel they were able to teach important topics in an in-depth manner. Some felt the old exam tested trivia-like information instead of students deeper knowledge of historical concepts and their critical thinking skills. The revised test addresses these issues by focusing questions more on analyzing historical documents, as opposed to recalling isolated facts. Additionally, the revised course framework and accompanying exam attempt to align the curriculum more closely with that of college introductory U.S. History classes. The focus has shifted the responsibility of students from displaying knowledge of historical facts to being able to think critically about historical information and analyze multiple viewpoints. There has been some criticism of the new test saying that it focuses too much on themes across history and critical thinking, and not enough on the basics that students need to know. However, the test creators are optimistic about the switch, and maintain the stance that changes in the course and exam will benefit students in the long run. What does the exam look like? The AP U.S. History exam is a two-section test, each section being composed of two smaller parts. The number of questions, as well as the content of these questions, have been changed in the new exam starting in May 2015. The first section of the exam consists of multiple-choice and short answer questions, and is to be completed in one hour and 45 minutes. One of the main changes of the new test is a reduced number of multiple-choice questions; while it used to have 80 questions, the new test will have only 55. The primary criticism of the questions in the old test was that they were essentially fact recall and resembled trivia prompts. The new test questions require students to analyze and interpret primary or secondary source documents (e.g. text, charts, maps, etc.) provided in the test, while also utilizing fact-based knowledge learned during their coursework. The test has also added three additional short answer questions to the original one, for a total of four. These short answer questions test a students ability to use critical thinking skills to respond to a text, graph, argument, or other historical document. Section I constitutes 60% of the students grade for the exam: 40% for the multiple choice, and 20% for short answer. The second section of the exam is composed of two questions: a document-based question and a long essay question. Students will have one hour and 30 minutes to complete this section, since both questions involve a substantial amount of writing. Both questions assess the students ability to support his or her thoughts with evidence. These questions are worth 40% of the exam grade: the document-based question counts for 25%, while the long essay counts for 15%. AP U.S. History practice testsand sample questions are available in order to inform students, instructors,history tutors, and parents of what will likely be on the test. Here is a great test prep timeline for AP exams. The changes in the AP U.S. History exam are intended to more accurately test students knowledge, and thus better position them for success in later college classes.

What is a Capo Everything You Need to Know Here.

What is a Capo Everything You Need to Know Here. What is a Capo? Jessica Dais A capo is a helpful device that allows you to easily change the key of a song while using the standard “open position” chords that every guitarist knows. With a capo, you can play those same chords in any fret position along the neck of the guitar. Keep reading to find more answers to all of your capo-related questions! What is a Capo? A capo (pronounced “cape-oh”) is a small clamp that you can attach to the neck of the guitar at a specific fret. What does a capo do? It keeps all of the guitars strings depressed at that specific fret, all of the time. The parts of the capo that squeeze the strings against the fret board are made of rubber, so they don’t damage the wood on your guitar.   Let’s say you attach the capo at fret two. It will squeeze down all of the strings at fret two and keep them pressed down. So it’s like you’re playing a note at fret two with your finger, but on all six strings simultaneously. If you were to lay your index finger across all six strings at fret two and press down hard enough so that all the notes at fret two sounded clearly on each string, that technique would be called a “barre.” This barre technique is used by guitarists all the time, but if you are just beginning you may not have tried it yet and when you do, it will take a few weeks to master. Attaching a capo is a much easier way to achieve the same result. You could say that the capo produces a permanent barre at a specific fret. Now let’s look at what exactly happens when you have a capo attached to your guitar. How Does a Capo Work? Let’s use the capo attached at fret two as an example again, although you can put the capo across any fret. Once the capo is on, when you play your strings open, the notes that sound are not E, A, D, G, B, and E (the notes of open strings six through one). Instead, they are F#, B, E, A, C#, and F#. We say these notes are “one tone higher” or a “whole step” higher (the distance of two frets) than the normal open string notes. If you think of fret three as if it were fret one, and form a C chord as you normally would (but above the capo), it will sound as a D chord. If you played a song with Am, G, and C chords (which would be in the key of C major), you will hear Bm, A, and D chords (which would move the song to the key of D major). Every time you move the capo one fret higher, you have raised the music by one key. The most common reason for changing the key of a song is to make it easier to sing in your vocal range. To hear the sound of a guitar with a capo on, listen to “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles. The capo is on fret seven and it gives the guitar a bright, mandolin-like quality. The chord progression would be in the key of D major, but with the capo on, it comes out in A major. Who Should Use a Capo? For beginners, using a capo means that you can play more songs with a limited knowledge of chords and delay learning those difficult “barre chords” you may have heard about. But capos are not just for beginners. Many songwriters use capos so they can play chords in the style theyre accustomed to anywhere along the neck of the guitar. By moving the capo, they can easily try singing a song in different keys until they find the one that works best for their voice. In fact, flamenco guitar players routinely use a capo in the first few frets for two reasons â€" to play songs in the traditional keys, but also for the way the capo tends to push the strings closer to the neck, making chords and fast melodic runs easier to play. Try this if your guitar is a beginner model that is a bit more difficult to play. SEE ALSO: 5 Guitar Gadgets That Will Change Your Life Which Capo is the Best? There are a few different capo designs. One of the best capos is the Shubb, which retails for about $16 on Amazon. It’s made of rugged steel and clamps on very securely. This is handy because if you accidentally bump the capo while playing, it won’t pop off and ruin your performance. If you’re on a budget, one of Amazon’s best sellers is the UGY plastic capo which retails for about $7. This capo uses a spring action and can be attached or moved very quickly by squeezing two levers together. There are many manufacturers making capos in this style. A third option is the Dunlop elastic capo, starting at around $3. It uses a stretchy elastic cloth that attaches to a rubber coated, pole piece. Several holes are provided along the elastic to allow for different tensions, as the neck gets wider the higher you go. Whatever style you prefer, you need to make sure you order the right one for the type of guitar you have. If you order the wrong one, it won’t squeeze the strings correctly. A “steel string” guitar capo has a slight curvature to the part that lies across the fret board, as the fret board on a steel string guitar is slightly convex. A “nylon string” guitar capo is wider and very flat. Many beginning guitarists often ask their instructors, What is a capo? Now that you know what a capo is and how to use one, you’ll be on your way to playing more songs than you thought you could! You’ll also be able to more easily play and sing along at the same time. Although the capo can be a very helpful tool, try not to rely on it too much. It’s still very important to expand your knowledge of different chords on the guitar. Need some help mastering some of the more challenging chords? Check out TakeLessons. Our expert guitar instructors can help take your skills to the next level! Need Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Mike J. teaches  acoustic guitar, bass guitar,  blues guitar, classical guitar, as well as  country guitar  in Ogden, UT. He received his Applied Music Degree from  Mohawk College and has gone on to receive many certifications and awards since then. Mike is a  full time music instructor with over 30 years of experience teaching, performing, and writing music.  Learn more about Mike J. here!

Violin Lessons Cardiff

Violin Lessons Cardiff Make The Most Of Violin Classes In Cardiff ChaptersWhy Do You Want To Learn The Violin?Gain Formal QualificationsLooking For Violin Lessons Based On Age?What If I’m Struggling To Find Violin Lessons?What To Look For In A Violin TutorEver wanted to take a violin lesson in Cardiff, but didn’t know where to start?Whether you’re after private instruction or group lessons, having a good music teacher by your side can make all the difference when it comes to making you more comfortable when playing the violin, and, crucially, making you a better player and musician.This article outlines some venues that offer music education in Cardiff, in particular, music schools or tutors who offer violin lessons near me.You’d like some individual lessons to learn more about the different styles of music you can play with the violin;You would like to learn some new skills, whether that’s improvisation when playing, sight reading, or learning how to read sheet music; orYou’re looking to improve your confidence as a player in general.O nce you have an idea of why you’d like to play the violin, it should become easier to find a tutor in Cardiff. This is because you can look for tutors whose experience and skills match your learning goals.If you'd like to learn to play the violin in a symphony orchestra, a violin teacher can help (Image Source: Pixabay)Gain Formal QualificationsEqually, whether you’re looking to complete a degree in music, or just want to learn an instrument like the violin for fun, there is no shortage of places where you can learn according to your ability level.For example, let’s say that you’re an advanced violin player who wants to study music formally. In Cardiff, you can study music at the prestigious Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama,For string instruments, several study programmes are available, including:“BMus (Hons)Postgraduate Programmes in Music PerformancePostgraduate Programmes in Orchestral PerformancePostgraduate Diploma Advanced Professional Practice”There’s plen ty to appeal to students as well, as the College’s training can include things such as orchestral training, chamber music masterclasses, and performance classes, to name a few.Of course, if you’re not looking at getting a formal degree or qualification in the violin, there are still tutors out there that can help you in Cardiff, and we’ve outlined a few tutors you might like to research below!The viola; andThe violin.If you have a young child that would like to learn the violin in Cardiff, then there are Stringbabies violin tutors you can turn to.Catherine Chamberlin is a violin teacher advertised on Stringbabies and is based in Cardiff, South Glamorgan. She accepts students from the age of 3 and up. She’s a highly experienced tutor, having achieved an MA in Musical Performance, a BMus (Hons) and a DipABRSM in Instrumental Teaching.However, this isn’t the only place in Cardiff where you can learn to play the violin. Cardiff Music School, for instance, offers violin tuition , and boasts a rather impressive “100% pass rate across the full range of instruments”. The school teaches a wide range of instruments, from the guitar (acoustic, classical, and electric) to the drums, harp, cello, violin, as well as music theory and parent and child lessons.As an added incentive, the Cardiff Music School offers a free 30-minute lesson to all new students. In terms of ongoing pricing, a 30-minute lesson on a one to one basis costs £15 while a 60-minute lesson costs £30.If you'd like to learn how to read sheet music, then violin lessons can certainly help (Image Source: Pixabay)Violin Lessons For AdultsIt’s great that there are so many places for children to learn an instrument like the violin, but if you’re an adult learner, sometimes you can feel a bit left out.Thankfully, there are music school and tutors out there who also cater to adult learners.After all, you may have never learnt an instrument as a child, or only decided you’d like to learn the vio lin later in life.Places such as Staccatos Violin Tuition, for example, offer private one to one tuition for the violin for both children and adults. You can also learn with Staccatos Violin regardless of your ability level, whether:You’re an absolute beginner who has never studied music theory or a musical instrument;An intermediate violin player looking for more regular practice; orAn advanced violin player looking to get even better.The content of your lessons is likely to vary based on your ability level.For example, if you’re a beginner when it comes to the violin, you might learn to play “simple tunes, basic scales and music theory…”If you take Staccatos Tuition’s “Progress Violin” classes, then lessons help make sure students “are playing with the correct techniques and we help them to learn and progress in whichever way they need to. Some students like to take their graded exams, others do not. As with all our students we teach music theory as well.”Alter natively, if you’d prefer to take a more formal approach to music lessons and playing the violin, then you may also consider taking music exams. Staccatos Tuition is happy to support students wanting to take the ABRSM exams from grade 1 through to grade 8 and try to prepare their students “for their exams in a way which ensures that they are able to take them with confidence.”When it comes to pricing, a 30-minute lesson at Staccatos Tuition costs £10, a 45-minute lesson costs £15, and an hour-long lesson costs £20.What If I’m Struggling To Find Violin Lessons?The above isn’t a comprehensive list of every violin teacher that you can find in Cardiff.There are other tutors out there. For example, you might ask around (if you have friends that play the violin as well) and see if they have a tutor that they would recommend, or you could see whether any music students at university in Cardiff are offering violin lessons.Equally, you can also find other violin tutors in Cardif f through an online search. Tutoring websites, including Superprof, have a wide-ranging database of tutors across a number of subjects, including music tuition.Whether you’re looking for:Piano;Guitar;Drum; orViolin lessons (or another instrument)There should be a tutor on Superprof that can help you. You can also review the tutors’ profiles to see what their experience in violin tuition is like and see whether their experience would be a good match when it comes to your learning needs as a violin player.What’s more, you can also see a tutor’s hourly rate, meaning you can see whether a tutor’s services are within your budget.Violins can come in all shapes and sizes. Speak to your violin tutor about which violin might be best for you (Image Source: Pixabay)What To Look For In A Violin TutorBelow are just a few things you might like to think about when deciding whether a violin teacher is right for you:Does the tutor have experience teaching any particular style or method (su ch as the Suzuki method)Does the violin tutor have any experience as a professional musician, or do they have a music degree?Does your prospective tutor offer a one to one private lesson, or would you have to take a group lesson to learn the violin?Does the music instruction include areas such as ear training exercises, and would there be any performance opportunities?Aside from thinking about what the content of your violin lessons might look like, it’s also worth looking at the practical aspects of hiring a tutor, including:The tutor’s location (would you have to travel extensively to have lessons, or are they relatively close by?);How much lessons cost;How often you’d like to have lessons (often weekly is recommended, but some tutors are more flexible); andHow long you’d like your lessons to be (typically you can find 30, 45, or hour-long sessions).If you’re interested in learning the violin from a particular music school or tutor, but you can’t find the information y ou’re looking for on their website, remember that you can always try to get in touch with them to ask them any unanswered questions you may have.After all, it’s best to be as confident as possible that a tutor is a good match before booking onto any lessons!Find more violin lessons in the UK:Violin lessons in LondonViolin lessons in LeedsViolin lessons in BirminghamViolin lessons in ManchesterViolin lessons in GlasgowViolin lessons in EdinburghViolin lessons in Belfast

Online Write an Equation of the line Tutors

Online Write an Equation of the line Tutors In a coordinate plane, by joining few points we can draw a straight line. The equation of this straight line formed can be written by taking any two points on the line and writing the equation in either slope-intercept form or point-slope form of the line. Slope of a line is the direction or the steepness of a line and it is useful while writing the equation of a line. Equation of a line is written in terms of the variables x, y and also a constant. Example 1: Write the equation of a line with a slope of 3 and passing through the point (1, 2). Given: Slope of the line, m = 3 Point = (1, 2) Point slope form of a line== (y y1) = m(x x1) Therefore we get: (y 2) = 3(x 1) This gives: y 2 = 3x 3. Simplifying the equation we get: 3x 3 y + 2 = 0 == 3x y 1 = 0 Hence the equation of the given line is 3x y 1 = 0 Example 2: Write the equation of a line with a slope of -1 and passing through the point (4, 3). Given: Slope of the line, m = -1 Point = (4, 3) Point slope form of a line== (y y1) = m(x x1) Therefore we get: (y 3) = -1(x 4) This gives: y 3 = -x + 4 Simplifying the equation we get: y 3 + x 4 = 0 == x + y - 7 = 0 Hence the equation of the given line is x + y 7 = 0.

10 Essential Study Tips for Learning French

10 Essential Study Tips for Learning French Suzy S. With the right study plan in place, you can make learning to speak French a lot easier! Take this advice from French tutor Carol Beth L. to create a study plan that is, in a word, magnifique! If you are learning French or know people who are, you may have realized that many people have different ways to approach learning new things. What works well for you may not work well for another person, and vice versa, and each approach may have varying results. When it comes to learning French, here are a few things you can try. 1. Take a class This is a very effective method for many people â€" provided, of course, that they are diligent and keep up with homework and studying on their own. Depending on where you take your class, those without much time may be able to find a class that does not require much homework. Language conversation classes often have very minimal amounts of homework. Keep in mind, however, that classes with little or no homework outside class are unlikely to allow students to advance very quickly on their own. This is also true of classes that meet less frequently, since learning a language takes constant repetition. 2. Find a tutor If you dont have time for a class, need individual help with your class, want to go at your own rate, or need to accommodate a complicated or busy schedule, a French tutor may be able to help. Tutors typically help just one person at a time. If it is appropriate to you and your tutor, some tutors may accept more than one student in a subject at the same time. 3. Set aside time on your own to study Usually, those without a schedule for keeping up with regular practice on their own advance less quickly because they do not study as much or at all. Some people begin learning French knowing that they will not have much time to study on their own. If this is your case, be sure that your methods can accommodate this. If your time is limited, keep a set of vocabulary flashcards or a small notebook with vocabulary and grammar notes with you at all times, and you can pop them out when you have a minuted or two free. You can also find great resources online to help you practice, such as blogs and YouTube videos for learning French. 4. Be consistent long-term Learning a language doesnt happen overnight, and it doesnt happen without regular practice. If you stick with it only a short time, or study sporadically, you are not likely to advance quickly. If you have a set time every day or even 3-4 times a week to study, practice, and reinforce what you have learned, you will progress steadily. 5. Connect with others who speak French locally Find a French language meet-up, conversation groups, or start your own. Depending on your area, Meetup.com can be a valuable site to find other francophiles. Sometimes universities or colleges may be able to help you find francophone connections. The Oldenborg Center at Pomona College in Claremont, CA, for example, organizes foreign language conversation tables at lunch time for its students. Community members must pay for their meal, but are otherwise welcome to join. Try searching online for French conversation groups in your area. 6. Watch French videos Depending on your level and interests, this could include cartoons, childrens movies, comedies, documentaries, or YouTube videos. Lower level students often start with subtitles, but transitioning to watching without subtitles when you reach the right level can be a big deal â€" it means you are understanding enough to follow everyday conversation. Remember also: subtitles dont necessarily have to mean English subtitles. For many students, French subtitles for the spoken French can be as helpful as or more helpful than the English. By following spoken and written French simultaneously, you are reinforcing both forms and the connection between them. 7. Keep a diary or journal Even at a low level, you can do this. Use the limited language you have and find a few simple things to write something about your day. I began this at the end of my first year of French from middle school, and when I came back to school after the summer, I had one of the best retention rates in the class. 8. Read in French When you see how the experts write, you will begin to pick up on patterns they use. If you are not very advanced, look for childrens books, such as fairy tales or comics. Asterix et Obelix and Tintin are two popular French comics series. 9. Travel to a French-speaking country This is perhaps not for those on a tight budget. If you have money to set aside for a vacation or study program abroad, however, it can be a wonderful opportunity. Some exchange programs will allow for classes or homestays that will permit a French immersion environment. As a tourist, you can also see the country, go on tours (including tours in French), and learn about its history. It may take a higher linguistic level and more persistence to convince people to speak to you in French if they know some English. Even if they use their English to try to help you, however, people will appreciate your efforts to speak French. 10. Get a penpal You might exchange only a few letters or emails, or you could find a life-long friend. Either way, its a another way to practice your French and learn about a native-speaker â€" and for them to learn about you. Penpal programs are out there, often because the programs founders value the international exchange they foster. A few websites that offer penpal services include Students of the World, interpals, and mylanguageexchange.com. Working with a tutor is one of the best ways to improve your French quickly. TakeLessons tutors are available to help you learn French and many other subjects either in-person or online via Skype. Schedule your French lessons today! Carol Beth L. teaches  French lessons in San Francisco, CA. She has her Masters in French language education from the Sorbonne University in Paris and has been teaching since 2009.  Learn more about Carol Beth here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by Harumi Ueda

Peter Matthew Bauer of The Walkmen Talks Living Room Shows and Liberation!

Peter Matthew Bauer of The Walkmen Talks Living Room Shows and Liberation! Megan L. Growing up on indie rock, The Walkmen were among my favorite bands in high school and college. Though they are now on extreme hiatus, members of the band continue to make great music that I can love as an adult too. The bands bassist Peter Matthew Bauer embarked on a solo career with his 2014 album Liberation!, an album that pairs spiritual themes and literary references with catchy rock hooks and psychedelic vibes. I got the chance to talk with Bauer about his musical background, his solo career, and his favorite Latin American authors. TL: How did you get into playing music? PMB: I started taking guitar lessons when I was a kid from a guy in Washington DC who was sort of the local guitar teacher of choice. I did that for a couple years. I had a friend who was an older kid who had a band, so I wanted to be like them. And now youre a guy who a lot of people would want to be like, with your time in The Walkmen and your incredible solo record.  Whats it been like for you getting out on your own and writing songs? Its a lot of fun. Its great! Its a little lonely I guess. Its a lot more on you when its your own name and youre doing everything. That makes it fun. One of the things I really love about your record is how you incorporate some Eastern sounds in your music, a little reminiscent of George Harrison and the Beatles but theres also something really modern and cool about how youve done it. Did you have a kind of guiding philosophy around how you used those elements? I was writing these songs about how I grew up, so I thought if I could figure out ways to use slightly Indian sounding things in a couple spots, without it sounding kinda hacky, it would be fun, sort of funny. I had a harmonium laying around the house and I liked the sound of it, and that was the idea. Theres not that much of it that was meant to be Indian, its just sort of stuff I had. Yeah, its a really light touch with that instrumentation but its really cool. One of my favorite songs on the record is Latin American Ficciones. Is that a reference to any specific author? Yeah, its a reference to Jorge Luis Borges, and Roberto Bolaño also. I think I  just changed it to Ficciones because  I had a bad mix of it when it was called Latin American Fiction. [Laughs]. Its a dumb joke. Its sort of a song from when I was figuring out how to sing and what I was going to sing about, and I think both of those writers have meant a lot to me in terms of how strong their voices are. As much as people think of them, Borges especially, with intricate plots and being this erudite fella, really hes bluffing his way through the whole thing and its just his personality. Its himself coming through whatever hes talking about that he thinks is interesting. He could write a movie review and youd know who it is. I think thats the sign of a really great writer or artist or whatever. They can be doing anything and you can tell its that person. And I think its also very anti-psychological too, which I think is nice. Its not like hes whining or self-referential, which I think is a happy way to be. In songwriting, a lot of people think its about trying to exorcise these psychological problems or something like that, and I dont think thats the case. Even maybe people who think thats what theyre doing arent necessarily doing that, because that  isnt really whats universal. So it sounds like for you songwriting is more about the experience and finding a way to transmit something universal. A lot of the songs also reference spirituality, from Hinduism to Scientology. Where does that theme come from for you? I guess its just how I grew up and what I think about. Its not that popular of a theme in rock music, which is weird because its a pretty big chunk of life, to reckon with that sort of thing seriously, or not seriously, or somehow. Its what I think about and talk about and read about, so I thought Id write songs about it. It seemed more where Im coming from than writing songs about anything else. What was it like for you growing up? My father and mother were both very heavy into meditation and spirituality, so I was kind of dragged around as a kid to different ashrams and things  like that. So I thought if youre gonna write a solo record with your name on it, and its your first one, it should be about where youre coming from, that seems to be what people do. Thats where I was coming from, so I figured I would find my own take on that and figure out what all that meant to me. Do you feel now after writing those songs like you have a better grasp on what all that experience meant? Yeah, a little bit. I think it helps to kind of process something in a song, to process the experience in a way that you wouldnt otherwise. Its much less of a psychological thing and more just the experiences coming across in music, which I think is something that the musical form can do that maybe other forms cant do as well. So I see youve done entire tours of living room shows, playing in peoples homes. How have you enjoyed that as compared to the club circuit, and how did the living  room tours come about? Well, it came about because its a smart way of doing things when youre by yourself. Its either that or you hire five of your friends and drag them around and lose a lot of money. Or you can kind of go out on your own and meet people and have these shows. You come to realize if youre going to be playing for 50, 100, 200 people, you really dont need a drumset to get your point across. It kind of ends up being a little off-putting to be playing with a huge band in a small room. It can be fun on certain nights but if youre just trying to get yourself over to people its not that great. I actually prefer it a lot now that Ive done it, to the alternative. Its a small group of people and you meet everybody, and I think they have a better experience than if they went to a rock club which can be very standoffish. Yeah, theres a kind of intimacy in a house show that you dont get at another venue. Yes, its a different thing. I think its something people will start doing more of. Theres starting to be a little network of it across the country, which is great. It feels fresher, youre not going to the same place that 500 other people just went through. You get to blaze your own trail. It takes a little more for everyone to be there, so everyone involved has more intention than just a Friday at the local indie rock place. I like it a lot better. So  you have a performance coming up at KAABOO and some other tour dates as well. Whats next for you? I just moved to Los Angeles so Im trying to figure out what the hell to do with my life. [Laughs]. Yeah, so Ive got to figure that out and from there Ill see what happens next. Im going to put a more LA based band together, or something like that I think, just to start playing with locally and work with some folks out here. And just trying to enjoy California. It seems pretty damn great. Keep up with Peter on Facebook and Twitter, and dont miss him when he performs in your town! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

Listening Exercise Imaginary Worlds

Listening Exercise Imaginary Worlds Todays class is about stereotypes, books and imaginary worlds. Books are a source of inspiration for many people-for making our own imaginary visions of the world, whilst improving our knowledge so we become more aware of stereotypes. Stereotypes are an idea about a person or type of person (for example a nationality- look at this blog post), that is often incorrect.For example, a stereotype about someone from America could be that they have a big house surrounded by  a white-picket fence, with a large pick-up truck in their garage. You can see that this is a very oversimplified image of American people-not everyone has a big house and truck. What about your country? Are there any stereotypes about people from youre home town? Wed love to hear them in the comment section below!Lets get started with todays listening activity. We are going to listen to a famous author from Nigeria, Chimamanda Adichie. Listen to the video below and see if you can complete the sentences with the missing word to strengthen your listening skills.?One of the _________  I was struck by when I first came to America was how little the _______  American knew about the world that I had came from. My roommates  (were) saying to me “What kind of music do you listen to in Africa? Tribal?”Question #1 used the phrase  struck by-  meaning something that hit you as being unusual, interesting or impressive. Lets try and complete a sentence with  struck by: When I went to ___________ (country/place) I was  struck  by _____________(something or someone that surprised/interested you).Africa was a place so strange, so different, it’s always Africa as a place of want, and I didn’t understand that. So I said, “Yes, we listen to tribal music like __________!”Do you think the answer to question #3 is tribal music? Wed love to hear what kind of music you thing could be classed as  tribal music- but be careful not to use  stereotypes!In my real life I ate ________, in my imaginary life I ate ___ ___. In my real life we had _______  ______, the ____  season and the _______  season. And we always had sun. But in my imaginary world in the books I read, there was such a thing as _____  and _______!If you had an imaginary world what would fun things would be in it? Write your ideas in the comment section so we can compare our imaginations!Lets look at this part of the listening exercise (from 1:30 onwards):For complex reasons, that have to do with power and resources, there just are not as many children’s books that are about African realities as there are about American/ Western realities. And many African realities are still being told by other people. These Africans are somehow behind in the sort of evolutionary skill. I want African realities to be explored by Africans.Can you see the word  realities? This means things that actually happen, something that is experienced or seen. Can you tell us about something that is happening in your country right now? Who are the best authors in your country that explain the current  realities?Thats it for todays blog post. I hope you enjoyed it! Wed love to see you soon for a class with LOI English and  help you further improve your skills. Click here to book a free 25 minute class now!